episode_0082
by fnovelpia“Wow! You know how to fight, right?”
Crack! Vivian looked at Ban, shaking the blood and flesh from the blade of the sword on the floor.
“I thought you were scared because you dropped your legs like a newborn deer.”
“What bullshit? When did I-”
“Ah, did you see everything? My arms were shaking and I was clenching and opening my fists. They were just like the baby deer I saw on the mountain!”
“······.”
Ban lowered his head and looked at the dagger in his hand.
It’s a shame, but Vivian’s point is not wrong. It felt awkward to use my body in such a large space right now.
I stayed in one room for two years, unable to move my body freely. The joints, which had been asked to make violent movements for the first time in a long time, creaked in awkwardness. Like mechanical devices that have been oiled for a long time.
“And what is that? I got bitten and soon after I started growing new skin?”
“···Don’t worry.”
“Hey! Is that what you want to say to your senior?”
“What is a senior in the arena?”
Kak-! Ban kicked a rock on the floor with his toe.
“Anyway, it was a great debut match! The audience has already decided on a nickname for you?”
“What is it?”
“’Undying warrior’ class!”
Ban’s face crumpled.
“···Sloppy.”
Six wolves and two humans. A situation where you are surrounded by numbers.
So Vivian asked Van to stay behind her. Since the weapon is also a dagger, it should block counterattacks or side attacks.
-Hey, hey! What are you doing!
But Ban ignored Vivian’s words and stood next to her. And then, a wolf bit Ban’s arm.
-I told you to stay behind! Even now… Huh?
The wolf greedily chewed the flesh torn from his forearm. It was as if he wanted to appease his hunger and show it to his class.
Just because your forearm is torn doesn’t mean you can’t fight. However, humans are creatures that feel pain, and we cannot ignore the pain that comes from a bleeding forearm. So Vivian hurriedly shouted. Because he didn’t want to see a child his age die.
However, new flesh quickly grew from Ban’s torn forearm. As if he was denying the attack he had just received.
It’s a class that has been torn apart by experiments over the past two years. Even a provocation of that level could not break the composure.
Just like that, Ban rushed towards the wolves, holding a dagger in each hand. Vivian was momentarily confused, but followed suit.
So there are two in half. Vivian caught four wolves.
“there.”
Trudging. Two guards approached Vivian, who was chattering, and Van, who was silent.
“Naynay. I understand.”
“······.”
The two guards who approached held out shackles to Van and Vivian. It was a restraint ball with a curse that prevented the use of body enhancements due to mana.
Not all gladiators in the arena are slaves. There are people who voluntarily enter the duel because they want to make money or become famous.
“Ah. No matter how many times you use it, you won’t get used to it.”
Crash. Vivian used her own hands to fasten the shackles held out to her wrists and wrists.
The meaning of that action was simple. Vivian is also a slave.
“What are you looking at? It’s so pretty I can’t take my eyes off it?”
“···Tsk.”
But I didn’t want to ask about the circumstances. How bright can the story of becoming a slave be?
I suppressed my curiosity for a moment. I half wore the shackles while looking pitifully at Vivian, who swept her bangs with her palm and made a fatal expression.
***
“Hello, guys?”
“Yes, Vivian. How was the duel? Was it worth it?”
“It’s been a while since I had some honey!”
Paang-! Vivian hit Van on the back with her palm.
“Ah, fuck-”
“The name is Ban! Recently, among new recruits, I can see some quick skills!”
Two middle-aged men looked at Vivian. One of them pointed at the class.
“Is this him? He was said to be screaming in the isolation room.”
“Is that real?”
Suddenly, three pairs of eyes turned towards me. Ban nodded.
“We had a pretty enjoyable conversation.”
“Hey, there are a lot of kids ready to kill you, right?”
The man laughed rudely. It’s as if he’s making fun of Van’s unfortunate future. When Vivian saw that, her eyes became serious for an instant.
“Oh, that won’t work?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hey, he fights pretty well. Not as much as me… but I think it’s pretty similar to the guys, right?”
“···Oh.”
It seems like the mischievous eyes from earlier were disguise. The eyes of the two middle-aged people were sharply focused on Ban.
“No matter how I look at it, I don’t think it’s that bad?”
“Hey, can’t you believe my eyes? He’s a bit stiff right now, but he’ll get better as he gets more experience. Just give it a try!”
Vivian spoke confidently, puffing out her chest as if she were confident. And with that declaration, hurried footsteps were heard from behind. As if trying to run away.
“Is it them?”
“Hmm?”
“The ones who said they were planning to kill me. Are you sure it’s them?”
Ban glanced towards the source of the sound of hurried footsteps. The man who turned his gaze in that direction was impressed.
“Oh, you can detect a presence from this distance? Looks like he’s not an ordinary guy, huh?”
After a moment of admiration, the man held out his hand to Ban.
“My name is Vinson. And this guy sitting next to me is Rotin. Oh, Rotin can’t speak. While working as an adventurer, I received a strange curse.”
A man named Rotin, who was sitting next to Vinson, nodded quietly. The atmosphere was quieter and more orderly than the man next to me.
“Well, our arena has a pretty good atmosphere. Please take care of me in the future?”
“······.”
It was a favor in its own way. With the intention of doing well in the future.
However, Ban did not hold the hand that was extended to him. I turned my head and walked toward the assigned room.
“You’re a cold friend.”
“Well, there has to be someone that strong!”
Vivian, who was instantly ignored, shrugged her shoulders as if it was no big deal. A line was drawn at the corner of Vinson’s mouth when he saw that.
***
After living the life of a gladiator for about three months. Van acknowledged Vinson’s words.
This is where Ban settled down. Liam The arena was not a place where humans fought against humans. It was a place where only duels existed between gladiators, monsters, and other animals.
Because of this, it was not as profitable as other dumping grounds. The outcome of a fight between humans and monsters is unstable, and people don’t want to throw their salaries into uncertainty.
Well, I don’t know if the audience wanted it or not, but the atmosphere in the arena was good because of that. Since they had no business being angry with each other anyway, they had to act as colleagues at times.
“What are you thinking like that?”
cook. A harsh voice pierced Ban’s ears. A red-haired girl. It was Vivian.
“···What is it?”
“I am. What are you doing without even eating?”
Vivian, who spoke to me, had a bowl in each hand.
“I even got your share. Thank you, right? It’s okay to express gratitude to your senior.”
Swish. Van snatched the stew from Vivian’s hand.
“It’s harsh.”
Vivian lowered her head sullenly. At that sight, Ban opened his mouth in a low voice.
“Thank you for receiving it.”
“······!”
Vivian’s eyes sparkled as she received gratitude from her class for the first time. It was like seeing a cat that always avoided your hand allow to be petted.
A moment of regret passed through Ban’s mind at the look in his eyes. However, half of the people just moved their spoons in silence.
This is a class that has not eaten anything for a year. The taste of the stew, which cannot be said to be of very good quality, was also very stimulating. When I was living in the back alleys, I used to pick up and eat pretty much everything.
“Are you eating well? There are many people who can’t eat it.”
Vivian, who was sitting next to Van, also moved her mouth muttering. So naturally.
There was no conversation between the two. We just sit side by side and continue eating. It was a very strange and indescribable atmosphere.
“How did you become a slave?”
Ban, who finished eating quickly, asked Vivian who was still moving the spoon.
“···Hmm.”
We shouldn’t ask about each other’s past. This rule was a kind of unwritten rule. Because the process of becoming a slave cannot be beautiful.
Not half a fool. Over the past three months, I have become familiar with the culture and atmosphere of this place. But still, I asked.
For the past three months, Vivian has been giving me one-sided favors. Even though Ban didn’t give much in return.
To put it in a bad way, the current class’s temperament is very distorted. This is because the events of the past few years have distorted the state of mind in a nasty way.
“···Are you curious?”
Vivian stopped spooning for a moment and asked, drawing a fine line at the corner of her mouth.
“Okay.”
“Well…there is one condition.”
“What is it?”
Vivian pointed her index finger at Van.
“You should also tell me about your past. Equivalent exchange. You know?”
“Well, that’s about it.”
Ban nodded coolly. I wasn’t confident that I would go anywhere and lose in a misfortune battle.
“Hmm… I won’t go into too much detail. Because digging into the past feels like turning over scars.”
“Then I have no choice but to speak vaguely about the past.”
“It doesn’t matter. You can hide the part you want to hide. Because we are weak.”
It was a very cynical voice to come from the mouth of Vivian, who was always lively.
“···Why? Wasn’t it a bit like me just now?”
“······.”
Vivian’s expression, which had a cold expression for a moment, finally returned to its ‘original face’. Just like that, Vivian’s mouth began to move.
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