(ch38) the cage facility

As she strolled through the dimly lit underground staircase, time seemed to stretch indefinitely. The antiquated steps beneath her feet hinted at a journey that might never end, each stride accompanied by the flickering glow of an open-flamed torch, casting shadows that danced with every movement.

However, she remained silent, opting not to draw attention to herself. With utmost concentration, she allowed her Sensory technique to radiate its essence outward. Through dedicated practice, she had expanded its reach beyond its previous limitations, extending it further than ever before, even beyond the confines of the tree where she first honed her skills.

A subtle, eerie sense of malice lingered in the air, sending shivers down her spine. The strangeness of it all struck her; being so far beneath the surface, she couldn't fathom what could project such malevolent feelings from such a distant place.

As she descended the underground staircase, the bottom step came into view, illuminated by the soft glow emanating from the room ahead.

The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and moss, enveloping the entire area in a cool, earthy aroma.

As she descended the final step, her gaze trailed along the short corridor that stretched into the adjoining room. With swift reflexes, she pressed herself against the wall, her heart pounding with the urgency of avoiding detection.

As she cautiously peered into the space beyond, a mixture of emotions washed over her. Initially piqued by curiosity, her feelings quickly shifted to a blend of disgust and anger. What lay before her wasn't merely a room; it resembled more of an underground warehouse, dominated by enormous cages.

'People and monster disappearing, i think i found them'

The guard, draped in the same crimson attire as his…..slumbering comrades above ground… he walked around and watched dutifully.

Rin proceeded with cautious steps deeper into the warehouse, flanked by cages lining both sides. Within each enclosure, either a person or a creature was restrained by chains, creating a tense atmosphere as she advanced.

In one of the cages, she came across a woman with short brown hair who appeared painfully thin. Curled up in a corner, she hugged herself tightly. Despite her frail appearance, she seemed older than Rin.

Rin whispered quietly

"Hey"

The woman in the dimly lit corner of the cage didn't move or acknowledge Rin at first. Then she slowly raised her head.

Rin whispered once more, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she grappled with the dilemma of finding the right question to pose in this particular circumstance.

"Are you okay?"

She finally spoke in a hoarse voice. She seemed exhausted and on the verge of tears.

"N-No…"

Rin moved a bit in her crouched position and spoke again trying to calm her down in a calm voice

"Hey hey its okay im gonna get you out of here okay, what's your name?"

She said it softly, still seemingly tired and weak from the lack of food.

"It's M-Maggie. W-What's yours?"

Rin smiled

"Im Rin, can you tell me how many humans there are here Maggie"

She paused and thought, seeming like every word took effort.

"I... I'm not sure. I know at least thirty of us are down here. I have mostly just heard footsteps and shouting."

Rin looked around and asked

"Why are you all in separate cages?"

She swallowed hard and looked away for a moment. Then, she said softly.

"They... they don't want us to speak to each other. They don't want us to plan anything.I heard the guards talking about feeding us to something"

Rin reached her breaking point, fed up with the situation. She deftly drew her katana, its blade gleaming in the dim light. With practised precision, she inserted it into the lock securing the massive cage, ensuring her movements were silent as a whisper.

Channelling her inner strength into her arms, she felt the energy surge through her as she pierced the lock effortlessly. Without a sound, the gate swung open, yielding to her anger.

"go up those stairs and you'll meet two lovely people, tell them Rins sending more people"

After a brief pause, she gathered the courage to stand up. Surprisingly, she felt weightless. As she made her way towards the stairs, doubt crept in, causing her to hesitate.

Then, without warning, she turned back, her uncertainty evident. Approaching her with hesitant steps, she embraced her tightly, tears streaming down her face in silent sobs. Rin, unsure of how to comfort her, gently traced patterns across her back.

Rin spoke softly:

"Go on now, and dont worry I'll make sure these f*ckers feel agony"

Maggie squeezed even tighter and then released her grip, walking up the stairs with small steps. She walked slowly, still weak from lack of food. She tried to move as silently as possible, but her legs trembled with every movement. She was still unsure about her situation but decided to follow the instructions. She slowly walked up the stairs.

'Now where was i? Oh yeah'

She moved quietly through the grid-like arrangement of cages, her steps deliberate and stealthy. The guard barely had a moment to register her presence before a swift stroke of her katana cleanly separated his head from his neck.

The body fell and she was nowhere to be seen

*****

The cage-filled warehouse echoed with an eerie silence, punctuated by sporadic cries of agony that reverberated through the air. The cold, unyielding stone floor began to transform, taking on a macabre hue as it absorbed the spilled blood.

A mysterious figure, devoid of mercy, moved through the shadows like a malevolent spirit reborn into the form of a deadly blade, gliding silently as it ruthlessly sliced through the guard with an ominous precision.

Standing beside a spacious corridor, her blade piercing through the lifeless chest of a fallen man, she withdrew it just in time to sense a presence behind her using her keen sensory technique.

As her instincts took over, her muscles automatically reacted, causing her to swiftly duck as one of her legs slid to the side. With her body instinctively lowering itself, she barely registered the rush of air and the massive shadow streaking above her at incredible speed.

She gracefully extended her leg, strategically positioning it to trip up her opponent. As she executed the move, she skillfully engaged her hips, infusing the action with increased power. Simultaneously, she deftly manipulated her katana, effortlessly flicking it into a reverse grip and seamlessly directing it behind her in an arc.

The leg she had slid out seemed to encounter an unyielding force, akin to hitting a solid stone wall. Meanwhile, her katana met flesh with unwavering determination, remaining steadfast in its place.

As Rin crouched on the ground, her gaze lifted, and there it was... towering above her, a formidable figure draped in imposing armor. The man's imposing stature exuded raw strength, with his broad shoulders and muscular physique casting an intimidating aura.

Adorned with spikes and painted in a striking crimson hue, his armor seemed to accentuate his formidable presence, though she couldn't help but notice how it strained around his belly.

Her eyes were drawn to the ogre-like man's distinctive weapon, the kanabo, tightly gripped in his hand.

The sheer size and weight of the weapon hinted at the devastating force it could unleash in battle. Its surface, studded with menacing spikes, glinted ominously in the light, a silent promise of agony to any foolish enough to challenge him. Despite the burden of his heavy armor and weapon, he stood with an air of unyielding malicious tendencies…

'oh f*ck-'

Before she could even process what was happening, the enormous man swiftly plucked the katana from his side, gripping it effortlessly between his fingers as if it were a mere toothpick.

Despite the intimidating oni mask obscuring his face, she could feel the intensity of his gaze locking onto hers, brimming with anger. His massive hand, resembling a sledgehammer, not occupied with the club, swiftly arced towards her, connecting squarely with her chest and hurling her through the air.

Rolling a few metres away, she glanced upward, realising the imposing figure was charging in her direction, leaving her with little time to respond.

Once more, all she could do was gaze upwards, frozen, as an enormous foot loomed over her, it was destined to descend with an unmistakable force, likely weighing several tons.

"hey big guy. the sun's getting real low-"

The forceful impact of the foot slamming down sent her scrambling to evade it, managing to just narrowly roll out of harm's way.

As she spun, she called forth her sword once more, swiftly slashing across his arm. Yet, to her dismay, it merely grazed his flesh, barely leaving a mark. In retaliation, he swung his club-laden hand, connecting with her, and forcefully propelling her into the unforgiving metal cage behind her. The impact left a deep dent in the cage as her back absorbed the brunt of the force.

She coughed and gasped for air, taking a moment to steady herself before slowly ascending one of the cages, vanishing from the ogre-like man's view. At that moment, she knew she had to focus on regaining her strength, battling through the waves of dizziness and pain that engulfed her.

'i hate doing this but'

*Sunny?*

Sunless answered straight away

*Hey there.. What's up?*

*How, would you hypothetically fight..... against a giant ogre with a club*

As she was talking to him the ogre like human smashed one of the cages and in her panic she also sent him the sound the sound of the crash in the background

She could hear Sunless letting out a small laugh

*Is this hypothetical ogre armed 'only' with a club?*

*Yes*

*How giant is the giant ogre, exactly? If we are talking about a *really* giant ogre, then I think I have an idea.*

*About three of me combined, but go on*

*Well, with giants the problem is their size. They are too big to react quickly. So I would use their size against them, and then I'd slice the ogres' ankles.*

*Alright thanks bye, this is completely only hypothetical situation, and i never got help from you*

*Hmm... Sure, and that crash I hear is probably completely unrelated, right?*

*Sunny.... Shut up*

She could hear his laughing again

*Yes, ma'am. Anyway, are you okay? I mean, I know this was completely hypothetical, but you are fine right*

*Dandy*

He didn't sound so convinced

*Yeah, sure..Okay... Just checking.*

Sunless stays silent for a while before speaking again

*... Can I say something?*

Go on, she was now laying down on top of a cage on the highest level

*Go on*

*I know this was hypothetical, but I am worried about you anyway. Just, you know... Watch yourself…*

*Oh i will*

The man had currently walked right under the stack of cages she was on