Chapter 22. Hybrid-Beast

The sun had set, our carriage ran past tall trees in the forest near Ironshade Town. A moment later a horrific old mansion with high rusty iron fences appeared. Our carriage stopped in front of the gate. Vance got off the carriage and approached a gargoyle statue beside the gate. He put his hand in the statue's mouth and pressed something inside it.

-Clang! -Ngiiikk ---- Kreekk, Kreekk, Kreekk

The gate suddenly opened by itself. Vance quickly returned to the carriage. Our carriage moved forward past an unkempt yard as the gate closed behind us. But our carriage did not stop in front of the mansion but instead stopped at a damaged cabin behind it. After Andrew and I got off, I swept my gaze around me, checking the surroundings. Then I realized that not only our carriage was there. There was a lot of it, hiding in the shadow of the thick trees in the yard. I returned my gaze to the damaged cabin before me.

"Is this the entrance?" I asked.

"Yes. We just have to follow the stairs then we will get there," Vance said.

"Wait here," I ordered.

"Yes, my queen," Vance answered.

Underground society is a place where the outcasts gather, commit crimes without fear, places without rules without laws. Only money and power rule there. I don't know what and who we will face later. That's why I didn't let Vance come with us. He doesn't have much fighting strength, carrying him is the same as carrying a burden.

Andrew and I entered the cabin which was damp and musty. We went down a narrow staircase and down a dark passageway to a metal door. Once Andrew opened the door, the inside was very different from the passageway we had just passed. A huge bright room filled with people shouting with enthusiasm. Their eyes were focused on the fierce battle in the arena in the middle of the room.

We entered the room and looked around. I have never seen so many strange people gather together in one place. I can feel the demonic aura of some demons, feel the magic power of the black mages, the power of the strange fighters around me and the most extraordinary is the evil scent that fills the entire room. I licked my lips. I feel like entering an all you can eat buffet restaurant for free.

I walked to the room as I continued to look around. Not only humans and demons were there, but also hybrid-beast races. Even though some of them tried to cover it up with robes or change their form into humans but I could smell a different scent from their bodies. I glanced at the muscular man who watched at the arena with an arrogant face.

'A werewolf... and he's an alpha,' I thought. Then I glanced at a woman who was seducing a man in the corner of the room. 'A lamia. Does she want to eat him alive?' I thought again.

My eyes shifted to the black-robed woman who kept paying attention to her surroundings. 'An arachne. Looks like she is choosing her prey,'.

I went to the empty balcony overlooking the middle of the arena and watched a fierce match between a centaur and a stone golem.

--Braaak! --Crraakkk! --Braaak! --Crraakkk!

They punched each other accompanied by cheers from the audience. I glanced at a man behind the golem, a magician pointing his glowing staff at his golem. From his face, he was already exhausted. Whereas I could see the 'Magic Collar' around the centaur's neck, indicating he was a slave.

"Turning a centaur into a slave? This place is unbelievably crazy!" I muttered.

Underground Society is a place full of danger for everyone, whether human or not. Humans must beware of other crazy races who want to eat them, while other races must be careful of greedy humans who want to capture and enslave them. My eyes shifted to the man who kept looking towards the arena while smiling cunningly on the VIP chair. I can feel the intense magic power from him.

It looks like the centaur is his.

I smiled wickedly as I found my prey. But as soon as I saw a girl standing next to him, my eyes widened in surprise. Her hair is blonde with two cat ears poking over her head. Behind her, a tail wagged slowly and around her neck was the same 'Magic Collar' as the centaur.

'Cat hybrid-beast! I thought they were extinct!'

When I was a princess, I met with so many people, met with many other racial delegations, but I have never seen a cat hybrid-beast. I observed around the man, several other fighters guarded him tightly. He also served well, very different from the other guests.

'He seems to be the leader of this place. I can't approach him carelessly.'

I paused for a moment as I thought of a way to approach him. The sound of cheers accompanied by applause from the audience turned my attention back to the arena. I saw that the Stone Golem had been smashed to pieces while the centaur raised its hands proudly.

'Then I will have to take his attention first,' I thought. Then I turned my gaze to Andrew.

"Do you mind if you join this match?"

He nodded in agreement.