Step! Step!
Ash noticed that with every echoing footstep, the prisoners' breathing grew shallow and frantic. Tears were flowing from their eyes as they tried to tuck themselves into the corner.
'What are they so afraid of?'
Seeing them so fearful, Ash couldn't help but control his breathing as well. Hiding behind the massive structure of the giant, he watched the figure become visible.
Soon, from the darkness, a figure emerged, a smirk visible on his face. He was about 6 feet tall with a dark, thick beard adorning his face. A spear was in his hand, and he wore leather armor.
'Is he a guard?'
Seeing the same sun emblem he had seen on the soldier, Ash came to the conclusion that he might be one of the guards maintaining the prison.
He watched as the guard got closer to the cell and struck his spear on the steel bars.
Ting!!
A sharp ting echoed in the surroundings as Ash felt goosebumps raging through his body. The rest of the prisoners were in an even worse situation.
Seeing the agony on their faces, he laughed a bit before announcing the names, "Trimk, Prilah, Kaure, Heth, and Biryalk, all of you come out."
"No... no, why me? I was already called yesterday. Please pick someone else."
Those whose names were called cried in desperation while the rest of them heaved a sigh of relief.
They were spared for today, and because of this, they got looks of envy and hatred. The others looked at them as if they were the ones causing the problem.
"Would you come of your own accord, or should I incinerate you?" The guard shouted, his voice rough and authoritarian.
Hearing this, they wiped the tears off their faces and stood on their feet. Moving ahead, they once again looked at others in envy.
"Yes.. yes! You are our slave. Listen to it in a single tone and your life will be easier."
Boosting his authority, the guard put the key in the lock and opened the door.
Despite him being alone, the five prisoners didn't try to attack him or try to escape. It was as if they knew they wouldn't win against him no matter how much they tried.
Their expressions made it clear they had believed the rest of their lives would be spent behind these grey walls.
"You better perform today, or this will be your last day. His majesty is already displeased by losing so much."
Slapping them, the guard put them in a blindfold and instructed them to move forward. He was about to disappear into the embrace of the darkness, but stopped.
Turning, he looked back at the cultists, the flickering of the candle making his face look like that of a demon.
Smirking, he opened his mouth.
"Don't worry, tomorrow you will be among them."
Seeing him disappearing into the distance, Ash looked at the Imp and asked,
'Can you follow him?'
[No... I'm attached to your body and can only move within a five meter radius. Another thing I can't touch anyone without their permission.]
The Imp's answer made him sigh in disappointment. The situation was grim, but it wasn't hopeless.
With just this interaction, he had managed to deduce a few things. Things that would aid him in his freedom.
There is this dance thing that is happening daily. And it is enjoyed by the king, meaning people of his caliber would be present as well.
Already lost much... this implies that there is an aspect of gambling as well...
As Ash thought about this, an idea appeared in his head.
Hmm! If I manage to impress one of them or maybe strike a deal with the king by showing a good performance… then wouldn't I be able to get out of here… or at least make my situation better?
A plan formed in his mind as he gazed upon his fellow prison mates.
All of them were looking half dead; their skin was sticking to their bones, their eyes were sunken deep in their skulls, and drool flowed from their mouths.
From the patches of wounds, it's clear that this isn't some simple dance. Is it some sort of game that is a combination of dance and fighting? If only the Imp could follow them, I could've gathered more information.
Sighing in regret, Ash closed his eyes and remained calm. Lying down, he put his head on the cold, hard surface of the cell and tried meditating.
Whenever he gets stuck on a problem, this is how he always thinks of a way.
After a while, Ash's lips curled in a smile as he glanced at the rest of the cultists.
There was nothing he could do at the moment; it was just a waiting game now. Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to Imp and asked him about the rest of his Nexus.
'Hey, little guy, can you explain what this Defiance, Quirk and Ember are... I didn't hear anything about this from the boss Imp.'
Hearing these words, the Imp flew in front of him. Putting his hands on his hips, he looked at him as if disrespected.
[Don't call that slacker boss. He is nothing in front of me…]
Woah! Woah! What's with this reaction?...
Ash was surprised to know there was this kind of relationship between these two.
'Okay, okay... forgive me, it was my mistake...' Asking for forgiveness, he pleaded with him to explain about these things.
[Hmpp! You'd better learn from your mistake. The Defiance is something like a restriction that awakens when you reach the level of Seeker.]
'So like an anti-power?'
[Yes! Quirk is your innate ability… that is unique to you... This also awakens when you become a seeker... Normally, people awaken one... in rare cases there are two, and even rarer is that you won't awaken any.]
'Why do I think I will be categorized in this abnormally rare condition...' Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Ash knew his luck would somehow manage to screw him here as well.
[Well... if you are that unlucky, don't come cursing to me. The Ember is the reward you would get from killing beings.]
'So like the exp or something else?'
[Exp? Do you mean essence? Then no, these rewards are different from essence. You will not get ember every time you kill someone, but you will get essence every time.]
'And what type of rewards will these be?'
[Mainly artifacts... as weapons, armors, charms... but you can also get potions, something. Summoning scrolls are in rare cases, but you can get them as well. Rest, you have to find yourselves.]
Ash was a bit curious as to why he was hiding this information, but knowing that sometimes ignorance can be bliss, he didn't think much and moved forward.
Having nothing more to do, he activated telekinesis and began noting its limitations. Soon, he was surprised by its application.