33 Raiding the Baron
**Thanks to SnusDax for the power stones! It means a lot to me. For that I will dedicate this chapter to you!**
Atlas POV
The files already had all possible locations that the Red Shanks might be holding their slaves. I guess I can check them out since they are all within this city.
Many of the possible locations were within the slums so I began my search there. But after my third hideout came up empty, I was not feeling too great. Only five possible hideouts were on file in the slums. There was a sixth location but that belonged to a noble with ties to the mercenary guild. I really hope I find them before I have to resort to going there.
Sadly, it ended the way I didn't want it to. All the locations in the slums came up empty. The last place to search was the noble's home. I had already began making my way to the home. This was on file about the noble:
- The home belonged to Baron Keiran. He inherited the title after his entire family was killed.
- Ior looked into his family's death and it seems like the he had the Red Shanks take out them out.
- Baron Keiran has ties to the mercenary guild.
- It was stated that the Baron was accused of many crimes. From bribery to sexual assault, the list goes on.
Just seeing those things was more than enough to understand what kind of person he was. This was also why I didn't want to search his home. I didn't want to believe that Abe's family could be with such a monster.
I finally reached the Baron's home. It was located near the outer part of the city. This area had only a few homes with the Baron's house being the biggest. It seems like the Baron forced many of the people who use to live here out. He only houses the Red Shanks and some mercenary guild members now.
I noticed all the men walking around but that didn't matter. As long as I stay in my shadow and they didn't have someone that was good at detecting mana, I should be safe. I checked the first home I came across. Outside were four guards, I slipped pass them easily. Inside the home were two mana sources present. I move towards them to see who it was. I had to control my anger when I saw who they belonged to.
There was a woman chained up by her neck and wrists to the bedpost. She had her clothes on so I can assume nothing has happened to her yet. However, I couldn't ignore the bruised face and the dried blood on her clothes. When she saw me, I gesture for her to stay quiet. She looked as if she had been silently crying, her eyes were puffy and red. The other mana source was laying on the bed. I look to see a big burly man laying on the bed asleep. I silently approach him and use my mana to lock him in place. This woke him up but it didn't matter, I had already sealed off the room so no one could hear him.
"Who the hell are you?! Guards! Get in here! How did you let this piece of shit in?"
After yelling, no one answered the man. He was looking at me, I could feel a bit of his [Death's Aura] but it didn't bother me. I could see the girl shaking so I did my best to end this quickly.
"No one is coming in here. So, if you don't want to die, just answer my questions."
"Why should I answer to you? Guards!! Gua-!"
I went ahead and tighten the grip I had on his legs and shattered them. He screamed but it didn't matter. I then form my mana into a sword and pushed it onto his chest. The man tensed up as he suddenly felt something sharp poking him.
"Are you done screaming? All that has done is hurt my ears. Now… will you answer my question?"
I was losing my patience here and it looked like the man knew that as well. He quickly agreed to answer any question I asked.
"Good, tell me. Where does Keiran keep the illegal slaves?"
The man was shocked. No one in the kingdom knew about the illegal slave trading that was occurring. The mercenary guild, the Red Shanks and Baron Keiran were making a huge profit. He thought that Atlas wanted a cut of it.
"I don't know what you-!"
I couldn't believe this man. He was still trying to lie to me? I decided to cut off both his arms. The mana sword moved from his chest to his arm and slices it off. Soon after, his other arm met the same fate. The man once again was screaming at the top of his lungs.
'Tch, so damn loud.'
"Stop please! I will tell you everything you want to know!"
The man spilled everything. The illegal slaves were being held in the basement of the Baron's home behind a fake wall. That wasn't all he told me. The man in front of me was someone high up in the mercenary guild. All the homes currently housed a higher up from the mercenary guild. The guards walking around were part of the Red Shanks. He said that the Baron would give woman to the Red Shanks and the mercenary guild leaders. They were welcomed in these homes and they were allowed to do anything they want to them. Today it was the mercenaries' guilds turn so that was why no Red Shanks leaders were here.
I was tired of this. Everything he said just disgusted me the more he spoke. I went ahead and prepared to kill him.
"WAIT WAIT! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T!"
"It doesn't matter what I say, everyone here will die tonight. I was going to capture some of you and turn you in but I've changed my mind. Please suffer slowly."
[Water Prison]
Water appeared over his nose and mouth, not allowing him to breath. He began panicking and was scratching at his mouth and nose. No matter how hard he tried, I was going to make him suffer. It didn't take long before he finally stopped moving.
"Are you alright ma'am? Please hold still as I break these chains."
When I looked at the woman, she was shaking but she seemed to still be all here. She nodded to my answer. I went ahead and broke the chains. It looks like these are the same chains I had on when I was jailed in the Beast Kingdom. She was scared every time she looked at the dead man so I led her to another room.
I took out some blankets from my storage and food as well. After giving her the items, I then formed a shadow dog. The woman was scared but I calmed her down.
"Protect her while I'm gone, okay?"
The dog gives a little bark and then merges with the woman's shadow. I turn my attention to her before I leave.
"Please stay in here. I will be saving the other girls and bringing them here."
I then left and prepared for the battle up ahead.
After a bit of preparation, I was ready. I had created a barrier around the Baron's home so that they wouldn't hear the battle outside. I also created more shadow dogs. They were all currently lined up in front of me. There were five homes left that had a mercenary leader inside. Each home had four guards. So that means there were 20 guards and 5 leaders left.
"Listen to me. The 20 of you will attack each of the guards. Don't worry about trying to do it stealthily, take them out as fast as you can. The other 5 will attack one home each. Make sure to kill the man inside, do not harm the girls chained up."
All 25 dogs barked in understanding.
"Alright then. Scatter!"
All 25 dogs disappeared the moment I gave them the command. Within the minute, screams of pain echoed throughout the area. I could see some dogs using shadow tentacles to stab into the guards. Some grew in size and popped the guards into their mouths and began chewing. The ones that attacked the home killed the leaders and threw them out of the house to show me that they finished their job.
I went ahead and did my part. I broke the chains of the women and tried to fulfill any needs they had. Once the women had some food and the proper clothes, I guided them to the first house I was in. I made sure they were all comfortable before I left. They were all crying and hugging each other, apparently, they all use to do quest together as a team before they were captured. I left them alone to finish the raid.
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The Baron's home had 4 guards are the inside. There was a lone mana source in the basement. I could also feel a lot of mana coming from a certain wall. I assume this was where the slaves were being held. I already prepared my mana armor; Ceto and the others are ready to take over if necessary. I go ahead and walk through the front door.
"Stop there! Who are you?!"
Two guards were already waiting on the inside. They had no armor on but I could see that they had mana armor protecting themselves. It looks like these guards are a lot stronger than they seem. But that won't stop me.
"Hey didn't you hear me?"
One of the guards slowly walked towards me. He had mana armor on but there were opening here and there. That was all I need, I sent my mana in between the cracks and tried to penetrate his skin.
"HEY!"
The guard grabbed onto me but I was already set. I looked at him, I couldn't help but smile. This was the first time I was trying this spell.
[Inner Glow]
The guard started sweating, he began brushing at his skin. Soon after, his skin began glowing.
"Pour water on me dammit!"
The other guard doused him in water but he just kept scratching at his skin. The guard then stopped and fell down. The glow kept getting brighter and brighter till his skin burst. Out came a roaring flame. This was a fire spell that burned the victim from the inside out. That was why I was trying to penetrate his skin and let my mana flow inside him.
The other guard tried running away but that didn't matter, he was already done.
[Inner Glow]
The guard stopped running and began rolling on the ground. He tried to scream but I went ahead and sealed his mouth with [Golem Hands]. He laid there squirming while I went off to find the other guards.
I found the other two standing guard of the door that led to the basement. I went ahead and stayed out of their vision and casted [Inner Glow] on both of them. It didn't take long before they both fell down in flames as well. Might as well confront the man now.
I go ahead and enter the basement. Inside reeked of alcohol. It was more of a small room than a basement. There was a table to my right. It was filled with bottle of alcohol. On the left was a dirty couch. Near the furthest wall, there was a dirty bed. All moldy and falling apart. There was an older man laying there, I assume to be the Baron.
"HEY! What are you waiting for?! Bring me that beautiful woman again! I need a taste of her once again!"
This piece of shit, is this some sort of sad dungeon? I didn't want to touch him so I used my mana tentacles to drag him out of his bed. That was enough to temporarily wake him up.
"Who the hell are you?! Guards?! Who is this?!"
I smack him across the face.
"Baron Kerian. Killed your family to have complete control over your land. You have ties to many illegal activities and you also have secret relationships with the mercenary guild and the Red Shanks."
I leaked a bit of my [Death's Aura] to scare him but he looked at me with no hint of fear.
"So what if you know a bit about me? Now that I can see you, I can say that I know you as well Atlas."
What the fuck… this man knows me?
"How do you know my name?!"
The old man started laughing.
"The tall man was right about you! Looks like the eternal slave is real then!"
Eternal Slave?!
