C85 - 86
Chapter 85: Lambert Cage (4)
A structure formed by rusted iron bars, reminiscent of a giant birdcage.
At first glance, it had the appearance that suited the word ‘cage’.
The current state of this place was unusually noisy due to a rare commotion.
Although the scheduled matches for today had all ended, news had spread that the organizers were hosting a new match.
It was called the debut match.
However, rather than positive reactions, there were mainly negative responses of skepticism and cursing.
“Oh, come on, now they’re putting kids in as fighters?”
“Seems like Lambert Cage has hit rock bottom. Or are there just no decent fighters left?”
From the VIP seats to the regular ones, the audience couldn’t quite conceal their disappointment.
Whether they knew it or not, the boy inside the cage was just standing there with his arms crossed.
“Isn’t that the brat who caused a ruckus at the betting booth earlier?”
“It seems so. The one who turned that troublemaker into a mess, right? Could he be the one behind those rumors?”
“The one who said he’d turn anyone who touched him into a cripple? Oh, and now apparently the Delkia gang is going crazy trying to find that kid. Even if he’s a noble, messing with Delkia’s employees…”
“If you don’t want to die, you should’ve left here already. Otherwise, the moment you get caught, every hole in your body will be filled up. Heh heh.”
Despite the high-spirited banter and mockery, the boy showed no signs of being shaken, merely waiting silently for the match to begin.
Shortly after, a burly man emerged in front of the boy.
“What? This wasn’t a debut match, it was an event match?”
“Ha, we might finally see something quite intense!”
The audience’s response, which had been rather lukewarm, changed completely with the arrival of a certain player.
The player’s name was Gelberd, a figure here known for overwhelming strength and cruelty.
“Wow, the organizers are really ruthless. This poor kid won’t stand a chance against Gelberd as his first opponent.”
“Who doesn’t? No wonder they gave him Gelberd as his first opponent. It seem like that kid might not survive today.”
In some quarters, even expressions of sympathy were emerging.
Betting overwhelmingly leaned towards Gelberd, and the audience was eagerly anticipating how badly the boy would be beaten, regardless of the outcome.
-Boom!
With a fierce horn blast, the match began.
Gelberd, wearing a sinister smile, immediately charged at the boy.
“Crush him, Gelberd!”
“Trample that kid to the ground!”
-Thud!
Along with a dull thud, the arena fell silent in an instant.
Normally, the audience would have expected to hear clear, crisp blows one after another, but besides the initial strike, nothing else could be heard.
-Thump!
Instead, a sound of something massive falling echoed through the arena.
All the eyes of the spectators widened, and their mouths hung open.
It was Gelberd who fell.
Moreover, it happened with just one blow.
* * *
“Wha- what’s happening?”
In just one second, an unbelievable situation unfolded.
Gunther, who was watching the match, doubted his eyes.
After avoiding the opponent’s fist with minimal movement, he smoothly followed up with a turning motion, stepping forward.
Seizing the moment when the opponent lost balance, he swung his right foot without hesitation.
Gelberd, who had his face struck, fell without even a whimper.
It was truly a concise yet perfect movement.
For someone like Gunther, whose confidence in his fists was at its peak, it was undeniably an exhilarating scene.
It wasn’t just a move that someone could show off from learning a bit of fighting somewhere.
It was the movement of a truly perfected individual, one that couldn’t be achieved without years of training and suffering.
“Was that all?”
Gunther could understand.
It was indeed a perfect movement, but it didn’t necessarily reveal his complete skill.
How would that boy fight if he used his fists, wielded a sword, or cast magic with various attributes?
Gunther’s mind was consumed with thoughts of what abilities the boy possessed.
Then, he hastily got up and dashed somewhere, none other than the betting booth.
“G-Gunther?!”
The guide, seeing his face, was utterly astonished, with a look that seemed to be harboring some reluctance.
For him, today must have been quite a tumultuous day.
“What’s his name?” Gunther demanded.
“W-What?!”
“What’s the name of the boy in the cage right now!”
The flustered guide frantically searched through the documents on the desk and checked the document containing the boy’s personal information.
“I-It’s Zion! His name is Zion!”
* * *
The night at Cage, after all the scheduled matches had ended, was supposed to be a time when the spectators dispersed elsewhere, making it quite quiet.
But today was an exception.
A crowd gathered in front of the normally quiet building, and soon the main gate was thrown open.
“Oh, welcome…….”
The face of Lisa, the employee guarding the lobby, hardened.
It’s as if she faced with someone she don’t want to see.
A woman, adorned extravagantly with chunky jewelry, confidently approached her.
Behind her stood several men with a somewhat androgynous appearance, as if they had put on makeup.
“What’s going on?”
Lisa asked in a firm tone.
“I don’t want to stay long either, so I’ll get straight to the point. Among your guests, there was a young chick, right? Bring him out here! Right now!”
——————
——————
The woman’s threatening tone didn’t faze Lisa; instead, she seemed amused.
“What audacity! Coming here without notice and demanding our guest for no reason? Have you lost your mind? Do you want trouble?”
“Trouble? You are lecturing me about trouble? Forget it! If you don’t want to see a scene, bring him out now!”
An unexpected and volatile situation unfolded.
Cage’s guards, who were informed of the situation, also flocked in large numbers, but this only aggravated the bloody atmosphere.
“Is this about what happened during the day? If so, you have no shame. Making a scene over a mere junior employee? Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“Say one more word? I’ll rip your mouth apart.”
The two women showed no signs of backing down.
“Final warning! If that kid isn’t in front of me in three seconds, you’ll regret sleeping tonight!”
“Ha! Try it. Just once! You said you’d destroy us, so I won’t stop you!”
The woman defiantly extended her fingers.
Lisa, with steely eyes, returned the stare.
“One…!”
“Looking for me?”
“…?”
I couldn’t even properly count one, let alone three.
All eyes immediately turned to one place: a boy with a nonchalant expression, calmly seated in a chair, sipping tea.
‘What the…? How did he…?’
No one in the lobby had noticed the boy’s presence until now.
* * *
I thought something quite interesting was happening, but it turns out that I was the culprit.
They were looking for me, so I showed up, but everyone is as silent as bees after honey.
Since there’s nothing to say, I decided to wait for someone to speak first.
“Um, guest? Where did you…?”
“It was probably from the moment of the last warning, right?”
I said, looking at the woman by the door with a dry look.
“Y-You! Your name is…?”
The assistant by her side whispered something in her ear.
From the look of it, she must have told her my name.
“Mr. Zion… Is that correct?”
I just nodded silently.
[Talk about naming sense…]
It doesn’t matter anyway, as it’s just a pseudonym to be discarded.
I hastily scribbled down a name to participate as a player.
But there’s something strange about the way this woman is looking at me.
She had the look of someone who was frustrated just a moment ago because she couldn’t catch someone, but now she’s staring at me as if she’s enchanted.
“Guest! You don’t need to engage! What are you doing! Quickly, we’ll escort the guest to the room…!”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Zion.”
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
“It’s the first time I’m seeing you in person. I was quite surprised by your handsome appearance.”
She placed her hand on her chest and respectfully bowed her head.
“Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Delkia Bridgette, running a small entertainment business at Lambert.”
Not the kind of greeting I was expecting?
One thing’s for sure, this woman is not ordinary.
And it’s understandable, considering the inexplicable obsession in her eyes as she looks at me.
“You seemed to be looking for me?”
I asked with a consistent tone.
“Yes, that’s right! Our junior staff was trampled by an unruly young boy, so we’ve been looking for you. We heard you were staying here, so we came looking.”
“I’m not sure if they were from your side, but yes, I did trample someone on my way here. I wish you hadn’t misunderstood. It was your side that started the altercation.”
“Yes, I know! We fully admit that it was our fault.”
Then why did you come? I wondered.
Surely she didn’t come to apologize, and from the atmosphere just now, she clearly came for revenge, but now it seems like that purpose has vanished.
“If you have time, please come visit us sometime. There are many things that will pique Mr. Zion’s interest. If you have any questions, I’ll answer anything!”
She handed me a business card with an odd smile.
Are you crazy?
Even though I’m an adult who has been through a lot, giving a brothel business card to a newly emerged kid?
I wasn’t the only one who thought it was crazy.
“Delkia, are you out of your mind? What are you giving to the guest? Your target audience is all wrong!”
“It’s not for business. I formally invited him!”
Despite glaring at the employee, she smiled broadly again and said to me,
“If you ever come by, just bring yourself! You don’t need money!”
There was an eerie feeling in her words.
“Then I’ll look forward to seeing you soon. Have a good night, Mr. Zion!”
I couldn’t help but smile coolly.
After her entourage left, a puzzled employee came up to me.
“I-I’m sorry, sir! You must have felt very uncomfortable?”
It wasn’t so much discomfort as it was puzzlement.
“Just to let you know, please don’t wander around the entertainment alley! It could lead to big trouble!”
Of course, I have no intention of going there now, but this employee seemed to have some kind of concern about that woman, beyond just her being from the entertainment district.
“Why shouldn’t I go there?”
“Um, sir, you may not understand because you’re still young… A-anyway, there’s something strange about that woman’s taste…”
“Don’t beat around the bush. Just tell me.”
She shouted as if she didn’t know what to say.
“…?!”
What did I just hear?
[TL/N: If it’s what I’m thinking then…. The woman is fucked in the head bro.]
[PR/N: I like older women but this age gap is wayy too fucking much ☠️]
——————
Chapter 86: Lambert Cage (5)
A night street dominated by bright red lanterns.
The air is filled with the hearty laughter of women, and the smell of alcohol permeates the air.
Underneath a tree adorned with lanterns, two men are smoking cigarettes, discussing the events that occurred at Lambert Cage just moments ago.
“I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it. That joyous smile on Lady Delkia’s face. It sent shivers down my spine just watching her.”
“Who wouldn’t? She was totally enraged earlier, swearing to make him incapable of playing his manly role. But earlier, she seemed like a completely different person!”
When people exhibit unusual behavior, those around them are bound to be puzzled.
The sight of Delkia they witnessed today was exactly like that.
“I heard laughter and screams alternating from Lady Delkia’s room right now. There’s no sign of her coming out.”
“Huh, seems like she’s really taken with that kid. Pretty soon, there’ll be another portrait added to Lady Delkia’s room.”
Anticipating something unpleasant, the two men nodded in unison.
“But is it okay? I heard that Zion boy sent Gelberd, who was his first opponent at the Cage, packing in one go? Just like the look in his eyes, he doesn’t seem like a normal kid.”
“You know how Lady Delkia is once she sets her sights on someone, right? She’ll probably try anything to bring him back, even if it means using force.”
“Yeah, we’ll probably be really tired…”
The shoulders of the two men slumped.
“But do you remember that boy’s face?”
“Huh? He had black hair, really sharp eyes… right? Why can’t I remember?”
It had only been two hours since they went to the Cage.
Even though the memory was vivid, the faces of the boy named Zion just wouldn’t come to mind for the two men.
It wasn’t just them; Delkia, who had paid the most attention to Zion’s face, was in the same predicament.
“It won’t come to mind! It just won’t!”
Dozens of crumpled papers were scattered around the room, all depicting a figure in disarray.
“He was the best-looking boy I’ve ever seen! A man like no other! Why won’t he come to mind?”
Despite pulling at their hair and shaking their heads, Zion’s face simply wouldn’t come to mind.
The more she tried to recall, the more it seemed to slip away.
“I must! I must! I have to bring him back! The idea that his adorable face might age and change, it’s unthinkable!”
A scream filled the room, causing the frames on the walls to tremble.
-Thud
Some fell weakly to the ground, but Delkia paid them no mind.
“Zion! Zion! Zion!”
She repeated the boy’s name with eyes filled with madness.
* * *
“Did Delkia really cause a scene at the Cage?”
On the opposite side of the light, in the shadowy space, a woman with a neutral voice chuckled upon hearing the report.
“And who is this boy Zion?”
“He went out for a breather. Since we’ve already discussed Delkia’s sexual preferences, he probably won’t pay a visit. He seemed hesitant about it too.”
“Oh? Lisa, you gave advice yourself? Surprising.”
At this, Lisa’s pupils flickered slightly.
“I-I just managed VIP guests. I never had any personal feelings. Anyway, that boy is an important one who just came in…”
-Clang!
As the conversation was in full swing, the door at the back swung open loudly.
The one who kicked open the door, entering with a smirk, was Gunther Rictus, the owner of the western waste yard.
“Hey, still using this old room? Isn’t it time to move?”
“Gunther! Do you even know where you are?”
Surprised, Lisa hurriedly tried to stop him, but the woman in the shadows raised her hand to stop her objections.
Soon, she raised her chin and offered an intriguing smile.
“You’ve grown a lot! Gunther? It feels like just yesterday you were clearing garbage at the Cage. Well, you must still crave that garbage taste, hence why you’re still hanging around in a place like this…”
“Don’t mock me so lightly. Your mouth might just get torn apart. My emotional control hasn’t been great lately.”
Despite the lively warning, the woman remained unfazed.
“Okay, let’s get to the point. Register me as a participant in your arena.”
Lisa erupted in anger.
“Are you out of your mind? You were expelled long ago, now suddenly you want to do what?”
“I want to fight that Zion!”
Gunther asserted confidently.
“Isn’t it a win-win? Think about it! If it’s I, who is not just anyone, comes back to the arena, won’t people flock to see me fight that little kid? Who benefits then? It’s you guys!”
While Lisa was left speechless, the woman in the shadows chuckled pleasantly.
“Haha, you’re truly yourself, Gunther. So you really want to fight with our VIP guest?”
“Enough with the small talk, just give me an answer. Will you do it? Can you do it?”
“Fine. I’ll arrange a match with that Zion. But I can’t catch him right away. He’s only had his debut match recently. He needs to build up more heat.”
While the debut match might have been flashy, arranging a big fight right after was foolish.
It was the rule here to gradually build up victories and leverage more money from the audience.
“As hot as ever about making money, huh? Don’t make me wait too long! You know I’m an impatient guy?”
After finishing their business, Gunther left without looking back.
“Are you really okay with this, Lindsay? Since this Zion isn’t someone we’ve hired, if he doesn’t want it, the match won’t happen.”
Zion’s stance was entirely as a guest.
If he didn’t want the match right now and left, the Cage practically had no grounds to hold him.
“That boy must want something, otherwise, he wouldn’t have come here. First, Lisa, try to understand his intentions. If he has conditions, you can decide whether to accept them.”
“Me? Are you asking me?”
“Can’t you do it?”
“N-No! I’ll definitely arrange a match between that boy and Gunther!”
After finishing her report, Lisa immediately left the room.
Left alone, the woman with the mysterious smile vanished from sight after a brief moment.
* * *
The reason I joined the Cage as a participant is singular.
It’s to find Lindsay Nihalov, the owner of this facility and my target for assassination.
To achieve this, my task is simple: to defeat all the participants in the Cage.
Given the nature of the arena, if one player continues to dominate with consecutive victories, the audience’s betting will inevitably focus on them.
Consequently, they will naturally come looking for me.
I have no intention of prolonging this period.
From my perspective, this city seems somewhat sinister.
– Hweeing
As always, the streets at night are usually quiet.
As a precaution, I completely avoided the west, rumored to have entertainment alleys.
That woman, Delkia, I thought she was unusual, but I never imagined her tastes would be so unconventional.
Unless the target is in that direction, I probably won’t have any reason to go there.
– Thud
Something from around the corner collided with me.
“Sorry, sorry!”
Unlike during the day, this time an immediate apology followed.
But I can’t help feeling a bit sorry to accept it.
I extended my hand to the fallen boy and asked,
“Are you hurt?”
He seemed about eight years old.
“No, th-thank you.”
He held a basket that matched his size.
He seemed hesitant, as if he had something to say when he looked at me.
——————
——————
“Um, if you need it, would you like this?”
As I removed the cloth from the basket, its contents were revealed.
Cigarettes.
Not just one or two, but enough to fill the entire basket.
I couldn’t help but chuckle momentarily.
“Sorry, I’m a non-smoker.”
I never smoked in my past life either.
“Oh, I see. Sorry!”
The child lowered his head and tried to leave hurriedly.
“Where did you get those cigarettes?”
“I got them from the Gray Merchant’s Association!”
“The Gray Merchant’s Association?”
It was a group I heard of for the first time.
For now, without delving into details, I wondered if it was a place where they sent kids to sell cigarettes.
Well, considering what kind of city this was, it seemed quite possible.
“Do you have to sell all of that to go back?”
“Yes! I have to sell everything before sunrise. Otherwise…”
The child couldn’t finish his sentence.
Judging by his trembling hands holding the basket, I had a rough idea.
“Is there a place to sell? Where do you plan to sell all of those?”
“So, I was planning to head towards the west entertainment alley. If I walk around all night, on lucky days, I can sell them all. Then, I can go back.”
If you’re lucky, you can go back.
I doubted the place he’d return to would be a good one.
Probably, this child wasn’t the only one wandering like this.
I knew it was a dirty city, but this city… it was even dirtier than I thought.
“Sigh.”
I sighed and took out a gold coin from my pocket.
“Take it.”
“What?”
His puzzled expression was truly pitiful.
“If, it’s a gold coin, I don’t have change to give you…”
“You don’t need to. Take this and give me all those cigarettes. I’ll buy them all from you.”
It was quite a condescending offer, but I couldn’t help it.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
I took out another gold coin and put it in the child’s pocket this time.
“Why…?”
“You won’t have anything to lose if you give it a try. This one’s for you to use as you wish.”
Tears started forming in the child’s eyes.
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much!”
Though he seemed to be expressing gratitude, he was rubbing his hands together.
It was as if he was telling himself not to be so foolish.
[Isn’t it too late for that? Just turn into a philanthropist.]
I couldn’t bring myself to say that.
From the Luna incident to now, I felt like I was becoming more and more soft-hearted.
It’s not very pleasant to lay down traps and still not feel content.
Even after sending the child away, I lingered in that spot for a while.
[Why turn into a plaster figure again?]
“I just feel uneasy if things continue like this.”
Though it’s a gut feeling, there’s something about it.
In other words, if I don’t get out of here, I feel like I might get involved in something… like that.
“Ah!”
The scream of a child echoed faintly, spreading around.
At that moment, I felt my intuition was spot on.
Hastily turning my steps, I headed towards the source of the sound.
“Hey! Didn’t I tell you that if you sell cigarettes in this area again, I’ll kill you? Doesn’t my word mean anything?”
“I, I sold everything and was about to go back…”
The child showed his trembling hands, revealing an empty basket.
“What? You really sold everything? Did this brat hide some?”
Three adult men and the little kid I saw earlier.
Just by their stance, I could tell the situation.
“Hey! There’s a gold coin in this kid’s pocket?”
“Oh, no! That’s…”
Ignoring the child’s attempts to intervene, the man approached.
“You, you brat! Where did you steal this from? It’s not something a kid like you should have! And not just one, but two.”
Suddenly, he rummaged through the pockets and found the remaining gold coins.
“That, that was given by someone… Keck.”
With a swift kick to the stomach, the child struggled to catch his breath.
“Don’t lie! Where did you steal it from?”
“Did you steal this stuff? With this, we can have a good time at the entertainment alley today!”
“What a lucky day today is! Kiha ha!”
Silently, I approached them.
“Huh? Who’s this kid… Aaagh!”
I grabbed the hand holding the gold coin and twisted it around.
-Crack!
The sound of bones breaking mixed with screams, creating a bizarre harmony.
Perhaps this guy would have to eat with the opposite hand starting tomorrow.
“What, what’s wrong with this kid?”
As an unfamiliar fist flew from behind, I grabbed the wrist and twisted it forward.
It was the same guy who had ruthlessly kicked the child earlier.
I seized one of his ankles and without hesitation, snapped it.
“Aaaah!”
He’d probably find it difficult to walk properly from tomorrow.
There’s no one to rescue a child who’s been robbed of his money and subjected to injustice.
I picked up the dropped gold coin and handed it back to the child.
“Uh…”
The child looked bewildered, just like before.
-Clap clap clap
Suddenly, applause echoed from behind.
Turning my head slightly, I saw a burly figure resembling a bear clapping at me.
“What’s going on here? It’s too lucky to be a coincidence, isn’t it? Meeting like this in a place like this?”
Upon hearing the voice, it seemed familiar, as if he knew me.
Of course, I didn’t know him.
However, judging from the atmosphere, he didn’t seem like some random thug.
“Are you the new guy, Zion?”
——————
