episode_0032

Iris’s world collapsed.

She didn’t know exactly when it started. At some point, her field of vision narrowed, and all the surrounding sounds felt distant.

In the entirely white space, Iris spent time absentmindedly. She was no longer tormented. She didn’t hurt anymore.

Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation and regained consciousness. A resonating voice, as if speaking from a cave, brushed past Iris’s ear.

Instead of hands that slapped her cheeks and tore at her hair, Iris instinctively reached out for the gentle hand that combed her hair.

As her trembling hand, filled with learned fear, grasped the warmth at its end, the warmth naturally took her hand as if it were obvious.

At that moment, her closed-off world expanded ever so slightly.

Because in her world, there remained nothing but herself, devoid of any value, and the warm sensation, she sensitively responded to the warmth.

Clang!

Along with the sound of cold metal, she heard a buzzing noise. It felt distant, as if hearing a sound from afar.

“Haah, ha…”

However, the warm voice embracing Iris sounded so clear. The rapid heartbeat felt through their touching skin, the tense grip due to nervousness, the gesture of hiding oneself behind her.

Iris slowly became aware of all of it.

“Creak…”

The chilling presence of a hunting beast passed through Iris. In that moment, Iris had a premonition. If she stayed like this, the warm sensation might disappear.

Becoming someone who couldn’t cry or laugh, Iris wished not to lose the only warmth left.

“I want to protect it.”

Light began to seep into her empty pupils.

“At least this warmth…”

Instinctively, Iris grabbed the sharp sword.

“I don’t want to lose it.”

The world that had been closing in on her, urging her to shatter, expanded. Her gaze turned toward the beast revealing it.

In a moment of clarity, she was running.

“Krrrrrrr!”

It was a terrifying cry, as if lightning were striking, enough to make a weak-hearted person clutch their chest and collapse. But Iris was unaffected.

The beast bared its teeth at her, leaping back and giving her a wary look.

Instinctively, it recognized Iris as a threat. But that didn’t matter to her. Lightly planting her feet, she swung her sword with indifference.

Shaaak!

The distance between her and the beast was considerable, so her sword cut through the air. As the beast sneered, a long line was drawn across its torso, and it tore apart, green blood gushing out.

“Krrrrk…!”

Startled, the beast recoiled several times, but Iris was faster. She haphazardly slashed at the beast’s legs, head, and torso as if butchering an animal.

“Krrrrrr! Kek…cough…”

The beast charged at Iris multiple times, but not even a strand of her hair was touched.

Thunk!

A thick neck bone snapped, and the snake revealing it was cut into ten pieces, leading Iris to victory.

“Wooooo!! This is an unexpected outcome!”

“Woaaaah!”

“Woooo!!”

A tremendous cheer filled the arena, shaking the ground. Iris, as if oblivious to the surrounding sounds and scenery, ran quickly towards Lian, holding a blood-stained sword.

Clang.

She unhesitatingly dropped the sword and urgently grabbed Lian’s hand. As warmth met her touch, she let out a long sigh of relief.

At the same time, her field of vision narrowed again, and she huddled into her own world once more. But unlike the past, she was not alone. That alone was satisfying for her.

“Wow, impressive.”

As soon as Iris ran out, I took out 3D glasses from my pocket and put them on. When a battle occurred and I observed it with 3D glasses, even a normal fight had various effects like a scene from a movie.

As evidence, something like sword wind spurted out from Iris’s sword, attacking the monster.

“It didn’t have that much power in the original work.”

Whether Iris awakened before meeting me or her comedic filter ability was excellent, it was good.

Clang!

Iris cut off the terrifying monster’s neck and then ran towards me. I quickly took off the glasses and put them back in my pocket.

Crash!

Iris threw away her sword and cautiously held my hand. Perhaps she was trembling because she was afraid of fighting the monster. When I clasped her fingers, the trembling slowly subsided.

“Swoosh!”

“Ahhhh!”

“Woahhh!”

The cheers continued without stopping. It didn’t feel good to receive the attention of thousands of people, including humans and demons. Holding Iris’s hand tightly, I headed towards the man who had thrown me the sword.

The man who had been inside the passage was now outside, leaning against the wall.

“Hmm, you’re more useful than I thought.”

The man scanned Iris with a sly look. I was greatly shocked.

“That crazy guy?”

Iris was pretty, but she was so skinny and short due to a poor upbringing. Seeing a man who looked at least in his forties leering at a girl who was a head shorter than me made me want to curse involuntarily.

Urgently, I covered Iris’s eyes and went into the passage.

“Don’t look at that, Iris. Stay put. Stay. Got it?

Iris silently followed me and then nodded slightly.

She actually responded!

I was surprised and asked her, “Iris, did you just respond?!”

In response, Iris gave a small grin and lightly bumped her forehead against my shoulder. I didn’t know what it meant, but she seemed to show more reactions than before, like watching an abandoned puppy slowly open its heart.

Kugugung.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the large door that had been closed opened. Behind it stood a man who reminded me of Odysseus.

“Hmm… Well done! You did well!”

Odysseus, who treated his slaves worse than livestock, clapped his hands while praising us.

“Send these guys upstairs!”

“Yes, understood!”

The mouse-like figure standing behind Odysseus bowed deeply and nervously wrung his hands like a fly. Odysseus let out a villainous laugh, hopped around, and then left.

I and Iris followed the mouse-like figure into the elevator and moved to the upper floor.

“Wow…”

Even though we had only gone up one floor, the surroundings had changed dramatically. It wasn’t luxurious, but there were bright-toned floors, potted plants placed here and there, spacious windows, and a resting area with sofas.

The room looked similar to the dormitories seen in noble mansions. Compared to prison, it was nothing short of heaven.

After looking around the room, the mouse-like figure guided them to the upper floor again using the elevator. The next place they arrived at was the top floor.

“….!?”

A room that was no different from a VVIP suite room I had seen in a YouTube video in my past life suddenly existed. It was a room that nobles would envy.

“Hmm… This place is probably beyond your reach.”

The mouse person descended from the floor just above the dormitory-type floor they first went to. Each room with two beds looked neat but seemed a little lacking.

Because they had just seen the luxurious top floor, it seemed natural to compare. Soon I realized.

“Oh, they showed it on purpose.”

By showing the top floor where one could live a life no less than nobility and then showing the floor they should go to and the inferior floor, it naturally led to comparison.

Slaves naturally desire the higher floor and fear falling to the lower floor. Ultimately, those blinded by the “power of the arena” will end up putting themselves in chains and never escaping the arena.

“All right, you two will stay here from now on. You can spend your time freely until your match is scheduled and just don’t leave the arena.”

The mouse person designated one of the empty rooms and warned that if one stays away from the arena for too long, the leash will break. After he left, only Iris and I were left in the room, or more precisely, we were left with the slaves who were cautiously peeking out of their rooms.

“Hey.”

Just as I was thinking of going into the room first, a voice mixed with sarcasm spoke.

When I looked in the direction of the voice, a man who seemed at least two heads taller than me was looking down at Iris and me with a sneer.