My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 25: The Ravencourt Town [2]

Eden swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. "So much for staying behind him."

He pushed open the door.

Creeeak—

The heavy wood groaned as dim light spilled into the hall.

And immediately a blunt object was swung at Eden’s face.

Eden barely managed to tilt his head to the side—

Thwack!

The wooden club grazed his cheek, knocking the hood clean off his head.

The sudden hit made him stagger back.

Eden quickly got a hold of himself as he looked at the middle-aged man.

"Ah, fuck." The man groaned. "We need to work harder to capture him now."

"You should have given the club to me." Another man standing beside him said. "I could have taken him out in seconds."

Eden glared at both of them as he took out a pocket knife.

His eyes quickly moved past them as he found Abel lying on the ground.

’These fucks took out Abel?’

Eden wondered, taking them more seriously now.

The middle-aged man spat and walked closer, the club hanging loose in his hand.

’Alright, keep your mind calm.’

The middle-aged man roared and swung the club again.

Eden ducked, popped up, and stabbed for the man’s knee.

The blade was tiny, almost pathetic, but it found flesh.

The man howled and staggered.

"Bastard!" The lean man barked, lunging at him.

Eden barely had time to twist.

The man’s fist slammed into his ribs; the world tilted, breath left Eden’s lungs.

He bit back a cry, planted his feet, and reached out for his weapon.

But at that moment, Eden noticed something unusual.

Abel... had his eyes open.

With his eyes alone he was trying to make him understand something.

And for some reason unknown, Eden understood what his brother was planning.

’...Fuck my life.’

Eden bit down on his cheek as he controlled the flow of the blood.

The lean man came again, much faster this time.

He swung low for Eden’s gut. Eden let the blood flow towards his guts as he braced himself.

The fist hit it and much to Eden’s surprise it didn’t hurt much.

But he still coughed hard and acted as he had fainted.

Eden hit the ground hard, his body going limp, breath ragged.

He forced his eyes half-shut, letting his head loll to the side.

The lean man snorted, shaking out his bruised hand. "Pathetic. Kid couldn’t even take a single hit."

"Don’t get cocky," the middle-aged man grunted, clutching his bleeding knee. "You heard what the boss said. We need them both alive."

’...Boss?’

Eden wondered as he kept his eyes shut.

’...Did they already know we would come here?’

The middle-aged one limped forward and crouched beside him, examining Eden’s face.

"This one doesn’t look like much. A pale and soft boy. Maybe he’s some noble’s kid?"

The lean man spat to the side. "Doesn’t matter. He’ll fetch a price either way."

The middle-aged man reached for him, one rough hand gripping Eden’s wrist. "Tie him up. I’ll drag the other one."

Eden let him tie him up as they put both their bodies in a hand carriage.

Covering their bodies with some plants they began to pull them away.

Eden opened his eyes as he turned his head only to find Abel staring at him.

Their faces inches apart.

With a disgusted look Eden pulled his head a little back.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" He spoke in a really soft and low voice.

"We are here to gather intel not to fight." Abel spoke softly. "The best way to know about them is by letting them take us to their hideout."

Eden stared at him like he’d lost his mind. "You’re sitting on a throne of bad ideas and calling it strategy."

"We know nothing about them Eden." He said softly. "If you don’t know everyone involved then all this will be for nothing."

Eden drew in a deep breath as he nodded his head slightly.

He knew very well how things are around here.

’...Sir Tosin did warn me about the vast network.’

There are too many people involved in the act.

If even one of them wasn’t caught then the whole thing can be started once again.

The men pulled the small cart faster.

The town’s bright market noise faded behind them and the streets narrowed.

Eden glanced from the heavy plants as they felt a tilt.

They were going down or....

’...We are going underground.’

Eden tried to stay still as the cart bumped forward, but his mind was racing.

If this is an underground route, then it’s not their first time moving prisoners.

The cart came to a stop.

"Move ’em carefully," one of the men said, his voice echoing faintly. "Boss wants ’em in the cells till sundown."

’...Sundown, huh?’

The ropes around Eden’s wrists were tight.

He could already feel his fingers going numb.

He heard footsteps circling the cart, then a hand grabbed his collar and yanked.

He let his body flop loosely, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

He heard Abel land beside him.

"Dump the other one there," the middle-aged man said, pointing toward a corner. "We’ll get the boss once the cage is ready."

Eden stayed limp, listening carefully. Three sets of footsteps.

Two heavy, one light... probably the woman.

They dragged Abel away first, the ropes scraping against the stone.

When the footsteps finally faded down the hall, Eden slowly opened one eye.

The ceiling above him was made of rough stone, dripping faintly in places.

To his left was a rusted gate.

And beyond all he could hear the sobs of people all around it.

≤Eden≥

Seraph’s voice echoed within his mind.

≤There are others down here. I sense at least a thousand.≥

’Slaves,’ he thought grimly.

Eden tested the ropes around his wrists but they didn’t budge.

Taking in a deep breath, he let the blood flow around his arms.

Rapp!!!

The ropes cracked open without any problem.

Eden untied ropes around his legs as he called. "Abel."

His brother was sitting upright against a stone wall, still pretending to be bound.

When their eyes met, Abel gave a small nod and lifted his hands, already free.

Eden raised an eyebrow. "You could’ve untied me sooner."

Abel gave the faintest smirk. "You needed the practice."

Before Eden could retort, voices echoed again from the hall.

Two men returned, one carrying a lantern, the other a ring of keys.

The dim light illuminated the room fully for the first time.

Rows of iron cages lined the walls, each one packed with people.

Thin, pale faces turned toward the sound, eyes wide but lifeless.

The men stopped in front of the brothers. "Get ’em up," one barked. "We need to carve the slave mark on them."

Eden’s gaze lifted towards Abel who was staring at him in the dim light.

The mouth of the young boy moved slightly, a single word came out of it. "Kill."

Abel jumped as soon as the man entered to grab him.

The man didn’t even have time to gasp.

Abel’s knee drove straight into his gut, folding him in half.

His scream came out as a wet choke before Abel twisted, grabbing the lantern and smashing it into the second man’s face.

The glass shattered, oil splattering across the wall — flames burst alive, licking upward. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Eden was already moving.

He surged to his feet, kicking the first man’s legs out and slamming his elbow down into the back of his neck.

A sickening crack echoed in the cramped stone hall. The man went still.

The second one stumbled back, his skin blistering where the oil had caught.

He tried to shout for help, but Eden was faster.

He snatched the keys from his belt and jammed the pocket knife into the man’s throat.

Hot blood sprayed across the floor.

Eden’s chest heaved, the smell of burning oil filling his nose.

The reality kicked in for him.

...He just killed someone.