"Get up! All of you lazy fools, useless trash, just like livestock kept in pens, lowly slaves, worthless refuse. You were born to be slaughtered, to be devoured by beasts—do you understand? Worthless garbage!" A stout, burly man with a face full of excess flesh roared, wielding a whip as he strode through the dark prison cells. He opened the iron doors one by one, indiscriminately whipping the prisoners inside, following up with a torrent of abuse before dragging them out like livestock to hand over to his subordinates. His belly, bulging like a water barrel, was accentuated by the tight black leather armor, and his exceptionally full chest swayed with each movement, appearing especially eye-catching. This man was Augustus, a volatile enforcer who obediently followed Elmo's commands.
Despite Augustus's questionable character, he never slacked on the tasks assigned by Elmo. In just three days, he selected two batches of promising young slaves from among many. One batch consisted of children aged 7 to 12, seen as future stars of the arena for long-term planning, while the other comprised teenagers aged 13 to 18, directly aiming for the upcoming continental gladiatorial competition, preparing to shine brightly.
"Boss, look! That guy Augustus has already started to get busy." In the morning, as Elmo stepped into his office, he was drawn to Austyn, who was standing by the window with a beaming smile.
"Yes, these kids are all good prospects." Elmo walked to the window, looking down at the neatly arranged formations on the training grounds, nodding with satisfaction.
"That Augustus fellow is quite reliable," Austyn agreed.
"Alright, don't set your expectations too high." Elmo chuckled as he sat down, then shifted the conversation. "Now, let's talk about how to make money."
"I've been waiting for you to say that, boss." At the mention of money, Austyn's eyes sparkled like gold coins.
"Good, once we see results from Augustus's training, we can plan. For now, let me share my thoughts. Joseph, go get Zachary and the others." Elmo took a cigar from the drawer of his desk and lit it as he spoke.
On the other side, ML Arena.
Ruben sat in his luxurious chair, listening to the news brought back by spies from the Middle East, his brow furrowed. "Is that all? Hmph, if Elmo's secrets could be uncovered, he wouldn't be worthy of being our opponent. It's strange how he attracts so many capable assistants."
"What should we do, boss?" Rufus asked.
"What do you think, brother?" Ruben replied with a slight smile, his eyes glinting with calculation.
"It's best to wait and see," Rufus answered after a moment's hesitation. Despite being brothers, Ruben's ruthlessness was well known.
"For now, we can only wait. But to be honest, after calming down, I find I'm not so anxious anymore." Ruben smiled as he looked at Rufus's expression.
"Elmo has stockpiled a large number of slaves, many of whom are low-level slaves with little combat ability, along with many women. These individuals won't have much impact in the arena, at least in the short term. But with so many of them, it's more than his LB Arena has. When the numbers increase, housing and feeding them become issues. If they do nothing, even with LB Arena's resources, they can't sustain it for long. This means they must be anxious now; they'll have to take action soon.
However, with such a sudden influx of resources to care for, LB Arena must be facing serious cash flow problems. They lack the ability to confront us. We just need to wait for the right moment, and then… hehehe. Elmo, Don't blame me for being cruel when the time comes." A cold smile curved Ruben's lips, his voice low and chilling.
——
"Boss, Augustus has arrived." As the sun set and the day's training ended, Joseph reported.
"Oh? It seems our recruits have news. Please, bring him in; I want to hear about those little ones." Elmo perked up at the mention, lifting his feet and getting off the leather chair. He leaned against the desk.
Joseph turned and opened the door, letting Augustus, who had been waiting outside, come in.
"Boss!" Augustus bowed to Elmo and, after the greeting, got straight to the point: "I just tested the newcomers, and a few of the children performed well."
"Oh? Which ones?" Elmo's interest was thoroughly piqued.
Augustus wasn't as clumsy as he appeared; after carefully considering his words, he began his report based on a day's observations. The report was lengthy for Elmo, but its content delighted him.
"So, how about it, everyone? Looks like my plan is going," Elmo said with a smile as he looked at the others.
"Although the plan is good, the risks are not small," Austyn voiced his concerns again.
"Don't worry, my brother Austyn. At LB Arena, we have plenty of passion and zeal. As long as there's fire in people's hearts and blood flowing in their veins, we will succeed," Elmo replied, an invisible force radiating around him. This was why he could attract so many followers.
"By the way, how's that little guy doing? I've been too busy to check on him since he came back." Elmo remembered the small, sharp-eyed child and turned to Joseph.
"That kid seems to be a nocturnal creature. During the day, he just hides under the bed, still, not eating at all. It's only at night that he crawls out and eats all the food from the day," Joseph replied.
"Oh, what's his name?" Elmo couldn't shake his thoughts of Finn.
"I don't know, he hasn't said a word," Joseph shook his head.
"Could he be mute?" Augustus speculated with a frown.
"Impossible. I'm sure he can speak, or at least make sounds," Elmo shook his head, dismissing Augustus's idea. "Maybe he just isn't adapting. It could be the self-protective instincts formed from living alone in the forest for so long. Ah, he's a gem; I wonder what he would turn out to be if we polished him. I'm looking forward to it."
"I can take him for training," Augustus suggested.
"Not in a hurry; let him adapt for a while," Elmo refused, shaking his head. "Perhaps a better opportunity will arise. I just feel there's something special about him... though I can't quite put my finger on it yet. But I know he's a gold mine; with patience, we'll uncover his dazzling brilliance."
"Alright, Augustus. Write down the names and characteristics of those children. Joseph, tomorrow we'll check on the other slaves; there are some tough ones there as well."
As night fell again, Finn got up and grabbed the three portions of food left at the door of his cell, devouring them. After wolfing down the meal, he approached the bars and gazed at the bright full moon in the night sky.
"What an interesting child," a clear and melodious voice rang out, like a celestial sound that cleansed the soul. The man buried in the straw sat up. His messy hair and the dirt on his face made it impossible to discern his features, and his clothes were in tatters. Yet despite this, the voice—so enchanting it seemed capable of purifying the heart—made it hard to believe it belonged to a man. No, it was almost impossible for such a sound to come from a human.
As if hypnotized, Finn turned to look at the man, who was less than five meters away from him beyond the bars, and a hint of fear flickered in his eyes.
"Are you afraid of me? Such a sensitive child," the voice was so melodious that, although the face was hidden, one could imagine the person wearing a warm smile. Unfortunately, this did not soothe Finn; instead, it intensified his anxiety.
Finn's body trembled as he gripped the thick iron bars behind him, trying to squeeze his body through the gaps, his eyes fixed on the man who had remained motionless since sitting up.
"What's your name?" the man asked.
Finn didn't answer; his chest rose and fell rapidly, and his breathing grew more frantic.
"Can't help it; this will wake the others, although they should be waking up soon," the man said softly, then lay back down, burrowing into the straw. "It seems the time hasn't come yet. Relax and rest, child."
Elijah turned slightly, facing the wall, his eyes wide open as if trying to pop out of their sockets, unbothered even as sweat dripped down his face.
"What's going on? Why does that man's gaze… even though I haven't seen it firsthand, it feels like it can penetrate the soul, sharp as a sword. The aura he radiates is complex and hard to discern; it's both repulsive and makes me tremble. This inexplicable fear is unsettling!" Finn thought as he watched the man lie down, his emotions calming. He then turned his gaze to the crescent moon in the night sky, as if questioning himself or seeking answers from the radiant moonlight.