CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 73: FREE THE SLAVES [5]

"...So sleepy."

Darwin’s body gradually lost energy.

His mind also began to become more empty.

His eyes were dull, unable to hide his fatigue.

The sleeping pills had started to take effect.

"No! I must live!"

His eyes lit up, filled with determination and anger.

Without hesitation, Darwin gripped the fork tightly, then stabbed it hard into his thigh.

"Argh!!!!!!"

It was a terrible pain.

Worse yet, it could lead to infection, leaving permanent sequelae if not treated promptly.

However, this wound was worth it.

Because Darwin had regained a bit of his sanity.

"What are you doing, you naughty son!?"

Darwin’s father stood up, looking at him as if he were looking at a disgusting pile of trash.

"Don’t come near me!"

He shouted.

"I hate you! I hate you! I will never forgive you!"

Staggering, Darwin left the dining table, not forgetting to point the still bloody fork at his father.

"You don’t deserve to live in this world! Die! Please disappear!"

With that, Darwin ran out of the house, the cage that had imprisoned him all his life.

It was evening outside.

And since it was winter, the weather had become much colder.

But it seemed that even that couldn’t stop Darwin.

"Pant pant pant..."

Despite the wound on his thigh still oozing blood, he didn’t stop.

Regardless of Darwin not knowing where he should go from now on, he still did not stop.

Darwin only had one job.

And that was to run.

"Stop you bastard! I am your father! Your life, your future must be mine!"

Behind, his father had already started chasing after him.

"Damn it!"

Darwin gritted his teeth.

He knew very well that a child could never win against an adult in a race.

Especially since Darwin had a wound on his leg.

"Why... why... why is the slum this long?"

It felt like he had been running for ages!

But he still could not find a way out.

"Argh!"

Finally, Darwin fell onto the cold snowy ground.

His body was trembling, not from the cold, nor from the pain, but from despair.

It seemed like this time, Darwin’s life would really end.

Slowly, he closed his eyes.

But, at that moment...

"Do you want to be free?"

The same voice and words as in Darwin’s dream suddenly rang out.

"Huh?"

He opened his eyes.

And just like in the dream, Darwin couldn’t see the person’s face.

But, he still needed to say what he had to say:

"Please... save me."

"...Very well."

The mysterious person smiled.

Then, he stood up.

"Wait..."

"Hmm? Is there anything else?"

"...May I know your name?"

Even though he couldn’t see the person’s face, Darwin could feel that the person was smiling.

"Different people have different names, nicknames for me. But, you can call me Erza Dicathen - the prince of this Dicathen kingdom!"

***

Swoosh!

Kael’s cold blade successfully sliced through the manager’s eyes.

"It hurts!!! It hurts like hell!!!"

Causing him to howl like a dirty dog.

How satisfying.

At that last moment, the muscular man had attempted to jump back.

But unfortunately, it seemed that Kael was one step faster than him.

"Serves you right, you bastard!"

He let out a triumphant laugh.

Meanwhile, his opponent was still screaming, as well as constantly trying to reduce the pain.

Using the hand that was not holding the sword, the manager tried to wipe away the blood from his eyes, as well as try to stop the bleeding.

But unfortunately, none of it worked.

He couldn’t regain his sight anymore.

In other words, that muscle guy was blind.

Realizing that fact, the manager started to panic.

And in every fight, the one who panicked first was the loser.

With a sarcastic smile, he dashed towards him once again.

His blade flashed a cold light, cutting through the air, successfully leaving a scratch on the arm that the bastard used to hold the sword.

It was a deep wound.

"Damn it!"

And if that was his dominant hand, then Kael could guarantee that he wouldn’t be able to hold the sword as firmly as he did just now.

Before, the manager had a 90% chance of winning.

But now, it was only 35%.

And worse, that 35% was due to luck.

In other words, that bastard was destined to lose.

Nevertheless, Kael had no intention of killing him yet.

There was nothing more enjoyable than toying with a dying prey.

"How did you like my performance, master?"

He flashed a triumphant smile towards Kaede.

But contrary to what he expected, the guildmaster of the Shadow Viper guild only sighed, then shook her head in disappointment.

"Do you remember what I taught you?"

He tilted his head.

"About the fact that the first one to go crazy loses?"

Kaede nodded.

"That’s true. But, you’ve also forgotten one important thing."

Her gaze stopped behind him for a moment, then steadily opened her mouth:

"On the battlefield, the arrogant are the most stupid."

The next moment, Kael felt as if he had been hit by a truck.

"Huh?"

Boom!

He slammed into the nearby stone wall, sending dust flying.

It took Kael all his strength not to pass out right away.

"What the hell?"

Anger, but mostly confusion, he shouted.

But then, Kael was immediately silenced by what entered his field of vision.

There, in the place where he had just been standing, was that manager - the one he had thought had become useless.

’Did he just kick me?’

No!

That wasn’t the problem Kael needed to worry about right now.

Why was he still able to move like that?

He was blind!

And badly injured too!

Without waiting for Kael to find an answer, the muscular man immediately sprinted towards him.

"Like a beast."

A punch landed squarely on his face.

Crack!

Kael could feel something snap.

"When a beast is pushed to the limit, when it senses death is getting closer than ever..."

This time it was a punch to the stomach.

"Cough!"

He coughed up blood.

A lot of blood.

It tasted quite sweet.

"...That beast will do anything to survive."

Many, many physical attacks rained down on Kael’s body.

’It hurt... It really hurt...’

He was slowly losing consciousness.

’... Am I going to die?’

No!

Bullshit!

In his mind, Kael raised his middle finger to death.

"Fuck you! I’m not dying! Never!"