The deafening roars from the audience seat reverberated ringing in every corner of the arena. Under the glaring sun, the crowd of people displayed glinting grins full of spite, showing visible craving of chaos, cheering for bloodbath and violence.
I held my breath, roaming my eyes around in vigilance. There seem to be more or less forty to fifty thousand people; either sitting or standing on the tiered rows of the audience seat.
My eyes then stopped on the fourth story floor; a balcony and a golden throne; sitting on it is a middle-aged woman with short red curly hair adorned in a shimmering golden gladiator armour.
Just based on the gladiator woman's dressing style and sitting arrangement; it's obvious that this person is someone important. Moving my gaze next to the middle-aged woman stands the silver haired man named Jabez.
Seeing the silver haired man carrying the cage that holds the sleeping red rabbit inside; I heave a sigh of relief, knowing that Pula seems to be fine. Although I'm a bit concerned about how Pula can still remain asleep even at this crucial moment.
However, the important matter for me right now is to handle this situation, but how to resolve this situation?
The crowd in the audience are set in their minds that I'm a thief. I wonder if that gladiator woman thinks the same. Well, there's only one way to find out.
I took a deep sigh as I opened my mouth and shouted from the top of my lungs. "Hey!" I yelled, waving my hand in the air, plastering a friendly smile at the gladiator woman.
The gladiator woman just stared at me with an expressionless face.
I smiled harmlessly at her. "I'm not a thief!"
"Liar!" The crowd yelled accusingly, bombarding me with rocks.
The gladiator woman raised her hand, and immediately, the crowd slowly started to calm down. The gladiator woman then turns beside her, looking at Jabez.
The silver haired man lowered his head as his lips moved, whispering something to the gladiator woman. In return, the gladiator nodded her head as she whispered something back to Jabez.
After that, Jabez stood straight again, smirking at me with gloat. My brows furrowed as I narrowed my eyes at him. This silver haired man named Jabez is bad news. I don't even understand why this man is targeting me.
Meanwhile, the gladiator woman then looked at me again, standing up and walking, stopping near the edge of the balcony with a straight heroic posture. Her lips opened as her dark eyes stared at me inquiringly. "Speak your name."
Name? Should I tell them the full name of this body? In that way, I could use the background of this body to my advantage, and everything would be easier for me.
At that, I gaze at the gladiator woman with a good-natured smile, opening my mouth to speak, but then I remembered something important; I hesitated as I left my lips hanging open.
I can't use the surname of the Urduja Clan.
Why?
My reason is simple; I'm not the real daughter of the Duke. I'm not the real Nasrin. Just occupying this body alone is already making me feel guilty. So I can't use the original Nasrin's family to my benefit. Furthermore, if I did reveal the surname of the Urduja Clan here; it might indeed solve this situation, but in return, the reputation of the Urduja Clan will be tarnished, and I can't let that happen.
I'm not doing this out of kindness. It's for the sake of my inner peace. Nothing more. Moreover, what kind of a decent human being would I be if I did that? I may have a shrewd mind, but I have a set of codes as well.
After sorting my thoughts, which only lasted for a few seconds, I then turned my attention again to the gladiator woman.
"My name is Nasrin, ma'am!" I said confidently, still with a harmless smile.
The gladiator woman hummed as she nodded. "Then Nasrin, you committed the crime of thievery, I reckon that you're going to hold yourself responsible for this charge?" The gladiator woman said.
My brows knitted together, hanging my mouth open as I replied. "But I'm not a thief, and I didn't commit any crime…ma'am."
"Stop spouting lies, you liar!"
"We don't believe you!"
"Shut your mouth, you cunt!"
The crowd bellowed, sending more flying rocks in the arena. I dodge, shielding my hand to my head as I limped, scooting even more in the middle to avoid being hit.
"Silence!" The gladiator woman yelled in a commanding tone. "No one speaks!"
The crowd instantly became quiet. I gulped as I became more worried about my situation. The gladiator woman seemed unfriendly.
As soon as the noise simmered down, the gladiator woman then turned to me once more. "So you believe that you didn't commit a crime, then I ask you, do you have evidence to prove your innocence?"
"I…" I trailed as I frowned, biting my lower lip in thoughts. "I…uh…"
The only person who could prove I'm innocent is that little girl, but if I turn that girl in, what would happen to her?
"If you could provide evidence then I shall cease all this accusation thrown at you, however, Captain Jabez told me that everyone saw you holding my purse of gold coins, in other words, you are the only one, at the present time, that is suspected of this crime of burglary."
My mouth hangs open in disbelief, knitting my brows together, feeling my heart running around agitated and panicked. Beside the gladiator woman, I saw Jabez smirking at me provocatively, raising his chin with smug. I glared at him, clenching my jaw, staring at the detestable silver haired man in anger. Jabez glared back as he smirked at me with more provocation.
With furrowed brows, I took a deep breath, turning my attention to the gladiator woman. "Your honour, I really am not a thief, I…I didn't do any crime, you have to believe me, please."
"If you can provide any evidence, then you shall not be held accountable for these crimes," the gladiator woman stated, indifferently.
I inhaled sharply, releasing a deep sigh.
I wanted to tell the truth, but telling the truth will also bring harm to that girl. That girl who looks malnourished. I bit my lips as I swallowed the words I wanted to say. I don't know why that little girl stole money, but I could tell at that moment that the little girl had a desperate look on her face.
Gritting my teeth, I hesitated whether to save my skin and sell out the little girl or to keep quiet about it. My eyes reddened in tears of rage as I raised my head, staring at the blinding sun.
Should I just sell out the little girl?
It's easier that way, right?
But what about my principles? I can't in my conscience let a little girl be punished; even if what the little girl did is against the law; my heart is telling me to keep my silence about the truth. I just can't.
Of course, not out of heroism. Just for the sake of my inner peace. That's all.
Taking yet another deep sigh, I swallowed hard as I opened my mouth. "I…uh uhm," I trailed as I crossed my fingers behind me, hoping that this gladiator will have a merciful heart and believe me. "I don't have any evidence, but I'm not a thief," I said, standing firmly.
The gladiator woman only gazed at me blankly. "Is that so? Then you shall be held responsible," the gladiator woman answered flatly.
My shoulder slump as I look down feeling bitter in my heart. 'Why is this happening to me?' I questioned in my head as resentment slowly sprouted in my heart.
"Nasrin, right?" the gladiator woman called.
I looked at the gladiator woman as I waited for her to continue.
"If you manage to last for half an hour, then I'll welcome you as a gladiator in this arena, may the gods and the goddesses bless your fight," the gladiator woman said, then she turned around as she sat on her throne again.
I gulped nervously, knitting my brows as the crowd cheered on their seats, demanding for something brutal and cruel. Meanwhile, the gladiator woman once again whispered something to Jabez, while Jabez nodded his head in return.
Jabez then stood up straight as he yelled, "bring out the sacred serpent, Bakunawa!"
The crowd gasped in horror, and my brows creased even more seeing the reaction of the crowd and hearing the word serpent.
Serpent is supposed to be a snake, right?
If that is the case then I have nothing to worry about, because Alexandra told me that this body is immune to poisons. At that thought, I heaved a sigh of relief as I smiled to myself relaxed.
On the other hand, the crowd started murmuring to each other. While, on the first floor of the audience seat, the armoured men and women brought out large drums and sticks on their hands, then they started drumming that made my heart go boom boom, and then more came out with large elephant's horns, blowing on them producing a powerful sound of boop. At that, the drummers started drumming even more loudly.
The crowd cheered, chanting, "Ba-ku-na-wa!"
However, I remain unfazed, and even if this serpent comes out, I won't feel threatened, because I know I'm immune to poison.
'This is going to be simple and easy,' I thought to myself as my smile deepened, feeling confident in my heart. After a while, the large metal door on the other side slowly trembled open as it only showed darkness inside.
Booop. The loud horn sounded again, making the crowd cheer even more loudly as they chanted Bakunawa. Slowly, I felt the ground beneath my feet shake, then a loud hiss of a crying roar reverberated from inside. Like the sound of a battle cry.
The crowd became silent, and the drummers stopped drumming. Creepy silence floated in the air of the arena.
My brows pulled up together as I became worried again. That loud hissing roar isn't a sound a snake could make. To begin with, snakes don't roar, they hiss but they don't roar that loudly.
I swallowed as I waited, standing in the middle of the arena. A slow rustling sound resounded, and a gigantic figure appeared, creeping its dark blue scale on the ground as it came out.
I gasp in shock and horror, staring wide eyed at the tall and large blue serpent, whom they refer to as Bakunawa. It had gills, whiskers, looped tail, a single horn on its nose, and small wires at its sides. Some swords, axes, arrows, spears, and other sharp weapons were stuck piercing on its body, but it didn't seem to affect the blue serpent at all.
Its bright red tongue flick in and out from its mouth like a snake; its menacing eyes roam around the arena. It was indeed a snake, but it was a large snake. No, that's too large to be called a snake.
That isn't a snake anymore, that's a…
Dragon!
It's like a serpent-like dragon. Like Shenlong in Dragon ball. Except this Bakunawa isn't green but blue, and Shenlong doesn't have a horn like this Bakunawa. Not to mention that Bakunawa doesn't seem to be able to fly as it slither its scaly body around the field of the arena.
I gulped as I felt my nervous hammering heart. I thought this was going to be simple and easy, but I was wrong. My brows knitted, watching Bakunawa glide its body, rushing with bared fangs at the gladiator woman.
Bakunawa hissed in a roar at them as it slithered, gliding forward as it dashed its head, trying to launch an assault with its sharp fangs on the unfazed gladiator woman.
I held my breath, feeling terrified for Pula who was also there on the balcony. "Pula!" I yelp in shock and horror.
However, nothing happened as Bakunawa bounced back by an invisible force that seemed to be a shield.
I heave a sigh of relief as my heart slightly relaxes.
The crowd cheered on their seats, and the horn sounded loudly as the drummers started drumming once again. Bakunawa hiss like a bullied animal.
Bakunawa roared once more as it attacked the crowd, but its head would always bounce back as if being blocked by an invisible shield.
My creased brows deepened looking at the cheering crowd as Bakunawa let out a blaring shrill seething with fury. The more Bakunawa hissed at them; the more the crowd cheered loudly.
'These people are crazy,' I thought, watching the crowd applaud and jeer in glory, taunting Bakunawa to attack.
However, seeing they distracted Bakunawa, I felt a little relieved in my heart as I sneakily tiptoed limping my way out, trying to find a spot where I could hide.
The gladiator woman said that as long as I lasted half an hour in this arena, then she would accept me as one of the gladiators in this place. Even though I don't really plan on becoming a gladiator, however, as of the moment, I need to prioritise surviving first.
Anyway, the gladiator woman didn't say defeat or kill. She only said to last for a calculated amount of time. So all I need to do is last for at least thirty minutes, and they might probably take that dangerous serpent away, easy, right?
With an optimistic thought, I walked limping towards a nearby wall. The wall was structured in a way that there would be an edge to hide, so I went there and hid myself as I started counting in my head, waiting for thirty minutes to pass. I watched on the corner as Bakunawa hissed and roared at the cheering crowd.
For a while, I just crouched on the corner, waiting leisurely. But suddenly, the audience behind me seem to have noticed my presence; throwing yet another set of launching rocks at me.
"Stop hiding, you coward!"
However, I pretended to be deaf as I continued to hide. As long as I survive in a way that I won't go against my moral beliefs; I don't care if I seem to appear cowardly in the eyes of others.
Anyway, everyone in this arena is already thinking badly of me, so I no longer care how I appear in their eyes. If I look like a coward for hiding, then so be it.
I know how weak I am. Even though I train for a couple weeks with Alexandra, it doesn't seem to help much when you're in the actual scene. When Lilith Salvador stabbed me, I didn't even have enough time to blink as the sword struck me in my chest. When people stared at me threateningly, my body just froze on the spot as I felt paralyzed unable to move.
Actually, everyone who I came in contact with was much stronger than I am. While I, on the other hand, seem to be just a toddler who can't do anything much against them. I wish I had a cheat skill that can make anyone fear me, so they won't dare lay a hand on me, but I don't.
So I could only resort to cheap tricks like this.
'Hopefully, Bakunawa won't notice my existence,' I thought to myself as I watched Bakunawa attack the crowds in the audience far from me.
As much as possible I don't want to be forced to hurt or kill anyone, even if it's a serpent, I don't want to harm it. Anyway, it's not like I have anything that could harm it, and that's why I could only hide here waiting for the time to pass.
Still, I pity the serpent. Based on the weapons stuck on its body, it seems Bakunawa was being kept in this place against its will.
That's called animal cruelty in my original world, but it seems to be one of the source of entertainment here in this bloody world.
I sighed. The normal in this world is too cruel for an ordinary person like me. It goes against everything I believe. My brows pulled up together as I stared at the dark blue serpent hissing like a wounded animal.
'Poor Bakunawa,' I thought to myself as I sympathised with the serpent.
I believe that all life is precious. Even a serpent's life is precious, because Bakunawa also has feelings. If I were in Bakunawa's position, I would also feel annoyed.
I felt pity for Bakunawa, but I can't really do much for the poor serpent since I'm also here against my will. If I was strong, I wouldn't be here and Pula wouldn't be taken away. Actually, If I was strong then no one could force me to change. Not even Alexandra or Penelope. Not even the royal family. Not even that gladiator woman nor that silver haired man named Jabez. No one.
However, unfortunately, I'm not strong.
A sigh came out of my mouth. 'I wish I was strong,' I thought in my heart as I continued to hide in the corner.
Suddenly, someone blew the horn on the audience near me, attracting Bakunawa's attention. My eyes widened as I saw Bakunawa turn its dark blue head and stared at me, then without any warning, Bakunawa moved fast as it slithered its scaly body on the ground, dashing to my direction with its bared fangs.
My heart froze as my body became paralyzed. I held my breath as I waited for the worse to come, muttering, "bloody shit…"