...
Since their second objective was accomplished, Zane opened their map and started to locate the cells. There were four large underground slave areas that they were supposed to go to.
With all the chaos around none cared about Zane and Cecilia running towards the buildings.
When they arrived at the first underground cell, it had no guards. The slaves were in panicked, and many were screaming for help. He went to one of the cells and asked a skinny slave who was leaning closer to the iron bar.
"Where are the guards?", he asked.
"Guards? They all left running. They didn't even bother helping us out."
"HELP US!"
Zane looked at him and asked, "Where are the keys?"
"Did you check under the rag outside the prison door?"
Zane confused,"Huh? Why would it be there?"
"Then, the heck would we know," the man shook his head.
Not bothering to argue with the guy, Zane grabbed the metal bar with both of his hands and with all his strength he gave a pull. Then, an opening can be seen, a hole that can fit a person's leg.
Cecilia behind couldn't help but silently laugh. Zane was surprised by the strength of the iron bar and couldn't help but identify it.
Hundred Iron Bar
Introduction: Created from an Iron Star Ore. It was refined multiple times to strengthen its tensile strength. The metal is weak to mana but has strong physical resistance. Has the strength of 100 iron bars.
When the others saw the results, they frowned. One of the slaves couldn't help but complain, "Probably, one of our legs can come out, but I don't think the rest of our body will."
"Step back!" Zane shouted.
They were about to say something when they heard him say "Cecilia, can you please open it?"
Cecilia grabbed both of the iron bars and ripped them both open. Everybody was shocked when a large hole was created open. They were wide-eyed and couldn't believe that skinny person covered with wrappings opened it with ease. Fear stunned all of them.
"What are you guys waiting for? Get out!" Zane commanded. When the slaves saw that the others were leaving, they screamed for help. Soon, Cecilia started opening the cells one after the other.
Before they left all left, Zane handed sacks of weapons and gave them to those higher-level warriors. These weapons were nothing to be scuffed off, they were the best that can be found in the Arenas. They were sharper and more durable than usual.
After they were done, they went to the second area and started the same process. In the third and fourth area, there were guards still staying in the underground prisons hoping to avoid all the chaos outside.
The fight was inevitable. Zane did not move but rather observed Cecilia.
Celia's dashed forward with her thin sword to meet the guards. With one slash, the first guard to obstruct her had her neck slit. Not stopping with her first swing, she moved like phantom harvesting the second up to her twelvth. One swing culls one life.
The guards were in fear, and Cecilia's bandages were stained with fresh blood. Her sword was dripping with the blood of their comrades. In their eyes, she became the monster broughout from the arenas.
Zane saw the fear the guards had with Cecilia. It is the same feeling they had with the Blood Jackal King. Even he felt the the slightly trembling of his knees and his mind very perturbed. The murderous aura Cecilia was emitting was way stronger than the last time they met Gerax.
Then, Zane clicked his tongue. He quickly checked his status. Soon, enough he found the answer he was looking for. '
'0.04 added to Strength from Zed's Mantra'
'0.03 added to Agility from Zed's Mantra'
'0.04 added to Constitution from...'
'0.02 added..'
The whole city has became a battlefield. His mantra has been running the whole time. Both her and Cecilia were receiving quite a boosts.'
When Zane came back to his realization, out of the 28 guards, only 4 guards were left. They were saved because they were at the way back of the line. Fear and hopelessness can be seen in their eyes. Most of them were the lowest levels and the youngest out of the guards.
When Zane saw this, she looked at her, "Cecilia take it easy."
When she heard this, Cecilia sheathed back her sword.
"I suggest you guys leave this place and go."
When they heard Zane words, they remembered that there was another person with the monster. With one look, they can tell that Zane was almost the same caliber as Cecilia.
They were hesitant at first but when they saw their dead comrades on the ground, they started dropping their weapons one by one.
One of the young guards stopped and grabbed they key from his waist and threw it to Zane.
Soon, they hurriedly left the place. Before leaving, the young guard had one last deep look at Zane's face then quickly left along with rest.
...
Zane used the keys and opened all the cells while Cecilia checked the situation outside. When the slaves came out, he wasn't able to give them weapons since he had already handed almost all 1,200 of them.
Feeling that the first task was accomplished, about a total of five thousand slaves came out from the cells. Zane decided to leave the final cells and checked on Cecilia. When he stepped outside, he saw that it was more chaotic than two hours ago. He saw all kinds of wild beasts such as Berserk Wolves, Armored Rhinos, Blood Jackals, Three-Eyed Hyenas, Mutated Rats, and more running and killing guards, civilians, and slaves.
He couldn't help but mumble, "What the heck happened here?"
Soon, he found his answer. His head turned slowly to his left side and saw the culprit.
"I might have accidentally opened some cages," scratching her bandaged head.
"You call that some? It feels like you summoned a full horde."
Cecilia shrugged her shoulders.
..
With everything accomplished, Zane and Cecilia headed straight to the Central Area gathering spot marked on the map.
Inside the underground hideout, there were about a hundred people. Most of them range from level 8 to 10. There are also about a dozen evolved ones from levels 11 and 12.
There he met a few people he knew, such as Old Gramps who was waving and smiling silly, Goz who he met from early Arena days, Barret that has Lvl 1 Spearmanship, and one of the companions of Gerax - the scimitar wielder.
Old Gramps came close to Zane and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Good to see you alive and well boy!"
"Yeah, good to see you still alive and kicking too," Zane scratched his head.
Old Gramps looked at Cecilia and turned his head to Zane, "Is this the Zombie Warrior I heard from Gerax?"
Cecilia still remembered Old Gramps clearly. She remembered his exact words calling her 'too ugly' while judging her body. She looked at him coldly, continuously reminding herself not to hit an old man.
When Old Gramps felt the cold stare, he whispered to Zane, "Boy, be careful with the person you are with."
"You are too young to understand. Some people are just born with a cuckoo in the head. With just one look, I can tell this one he is too."
"Just look at him! Who in the right mind would want to put bloodied straps the way he did? I think he is just trying too much to get attention."
After the Awakening, most of the Awakened warrior's hearing and eyesight got improved. This includes Cecilia the more, with her divine talent, all four of her senses tripled.
Zane could feel Cecilia's rage building up. He could hear a slight tremble on her lips. Like she has been chanting something in her breath. He couldn't help but feel nervous. He had been with Cecilia for a long time, he knew her personality.
Wanted not to be involved in the situation, Zane turned to the other side and walked towards the scimitar wielder.
"When do we move out?"
He looked at Zane and remembered him from the meeting. He can feel that Zane got stronger again. He slightly felt a bit pressured just by being asked by Zane. Remembering Gerax warning, he nodded at him.