Chapter 13 - A Choice due to helplessness

In the borderlands between the Selvius Kingdom and Aidiac Kingdom lay a nondescript small town that had become the grim sanctuary for illegal immigrants and fugitives on the run from their respective Kingdoms.

The town's existence teetered on the fringes of lawlessness, and it was here that a clandestine underbelly thrived.

In the heart of this town, concealed beneath the dusty streets, an underground match arena slumbered in darkness, a place where humanity's darkest instincts surfaced.

It was a pit where men fought with primal fury, each brutal bout a desperate bid to earn their next meal.

Clank

As the echoes of clinking coins and hushed murmurs filled the dimly lit chamber, the roars of the bloodthirsty audience erupted, drowning out all other sound.

Spectators occupied rickety wooden chairs that encircled the sunken arena.

The central pit, three meters below the crowd, was a cruel theater, its sand-strewn floor saturated with the sweat and blood of countless contenders.

"Whoo-hoo!, kill that bastard Golaith!"

The cheers reverberated through the chamber, shrouded in a cloud of sweat and tension.

The crowd's raucous enthusiasm was driven by the raw brutality unfolding before their eyes.

"Kughhh!"

Two warriors clashed within that merciless pit, their bare bodies glistening with exertion under the harsh, flickering torchlight.

Golaiath, the reigning champion, had his massive hands locked around the jaw of his opponent, a defeated and tearful warrior.

"AaaGggghHhhh!"

He exerted relentless pressure, tearing at the hapless fighter's face, leaving it a open, bloodied mess.

The crowd's voices reached a deafening crescendo, a chorus of bloodlust and sadistic pleasure.

"Cheeerrrrsssss! "

In that gruesome arena, the fallen warrior's lifeless body lay, his jaw agape, and his face utterly disfigured.

A wave of approval and excitement surged through the audience, prompting a frenzy of betting.

"I bet on Golaith! " shouted one enthusiastic gambler, leaping from his seat and clambering atop the shoulders of those around him just to place his wager.

"Take mine too! " chimed in another, contributing to the growing mound of bets stacked at the counter designated for Golaith's backers.

The counter was soon swarmed by a horde of desperate bettors, all placing their faith, and their coins, on the relentless champion.

The chaos and excitement in that macabre place seemed to know no bounds, as the underworld of the small town revealed its darkest facets to the world.

In the shadows of that grim and brutal world, a petite cloaked figure came out of dark entrance, her presence nothing short of mystery to these people —Presence of a child in such place.

"Here, two copper on me," she declared, her tiny hands placing the meager bet on herself.

The audacity of her wager drew the collective gaze of the onlookers, their eyes widening before they exchanged puzzled glances.

"Pffft, is that girl drunk or something?" one of the spectators quipped, setting off a wave of laughter among the raucous crowd.

""HAHAHAHA!""

Yet, the man behind the counter duly noted her name, recognizing that even two copper coins could buy a full meal in their desolate existence.

"You can enter the ring now," the man behind the counter spoke without sparing the small girl a glance, underestimating the possibility of a child enduring a battle where even seasoned warriors often faltered.

Undeterred by the mockery hurled her way, the girl made her way toward the arena, her mind resolute on a singular goal: earning money to provide food for her fellow orphans.

WHOOSH

Within her grasp, a sword materialized seemingly out of thin air, prompting gasps of astonishment and alarm from the audience.

"A S-spirit sword User!? " someone stammered, their voice trembling with fear.

"Hey, return my money!" an irate spectator lunged toward the counter, recognizing the outcome before it even played out.

"Sorry, but it's non-refundable," the man behind the counter retorted with gleaming eyes, his gaze fixed on the bluish aura-emitting sword in the girl's hands.

This was a legendary ‹Spirit Sword›, a weapon intrinsically linked to its wielder's soul, allowing it to be summoned at will.

These experts were particularly feared due to their ability to infuse their strikes with a devastating intent capable of cutting through the very fabric of space on cost of their life, at least according to rumors.

Golaith's eyes locked onto the spectral sword, and the girl, feeling inexplicable emotions surging up due to her being a sword spirit user and at such small age being able to manefest it.

SWISH

Little Girl's figure blurred befor it vanished and reappeared in front of him in a blink of an eye.

'Damn it!'

In that moment suddenly the girl's speed seemed to wane, granting Golaith the opportunity to halt her attack and push her backward.

'!?'

As his hands made contact with the girl, she was sent hurtling, crashing into the wall.

BANG

THUD

"AGGGHH!....cough.....Haa.....haa" Her eyes widened as she made contact with the wall, feeling a surge of pain assaulting her body.

SILENCE

A chilling silence descended upon the arena, the audience collectively bewildered.

"She didn't awaken her sword body," someone observed, and the sentiment quickly spread.

"We didn't lose our bet! Kill her, Golaith!" cried one, and the crowd rallied behind the demand, filling the arena with resounding cheers.

"Cough...haa...dammit"

The little girl laboriously raised her weakened body, struggling to stand upright.

She cast her gaze on the man charging towards her, her thoughts fixating on two individuals: a young girl awaiting her at the orphanage and a boy she had many things to explain to.

' I can't die here'

SWISH

With resolute determination, she lunged at her assailant, the sword in her hand gleaming, and with a swift, decisive motion, she severed the man's head from his body.

THUD

A haunting sound of something falling echoed through the chamber as golaith lifeless form crumpled to the ground.

A hush fell over the crowd, and the girl, ignoring the stunned onlookers, staggered towards the counter.

"T-this!?"

A pouch lay ready for her, containing seven silver coins and a single gold coin, leaving the girl in disbelief, while her previous assumption of being treated as a child, making her get only some Penny's shattered.

She turned to the man behind the counter, her gratitude etched on her worn face.

"What, only an idiot would spoil relations with his future customer," he responded with a toothy smile and a thumbs up.

"haaa...haaa...."

The girl, battered and bruised, exited the underground arena, her steps faltering as she muttered to herself while navigating the dimly lit streets.

"It should be enough for a week," she calculated, thoughts focused on securing the necessary supplies for the orphanage.

Despite her broken body, she crawled onward toward her destination, determined to fulfill her duty as a big sister.

.

.

.

Little Girl finally reached the worn and rundown orphanage building in her sorry state, her journey fraught with exhaustion.

THUD

A resounding sound marked her fall at the broken metal gates of the orphanage, but the sound of a familiar cry soon reached her ears.

"Amayara?!"

A sound filled with care was followed by the hurried approach of a middle-aged woman who lifted the girl into her arms.

"What happened? It's okay, even if you lost those coins"

Amayara's face broke into a weary but contented smile.

The woman scrutinized her condition, knowing that in the morning, she had asked for two copper coins, which constituted half of the orphanage's funds.

Despite this, she had entrusted the coins to Amayara, acknowledging her as the most responsible one in the entire orphanage.

' Guess I'll have to cut back on my food,' the middle-aged woman thought, her heart full of concern as she observed Amayara's fragile state.

She couldn't help but wonder what was so important that the little girl had guarded it with such determination.

"Madam!"

Their thoughts were interrupted by a voice that rang out, halting their conversation. A woman with brown hair and eyes was rapidly approaching, and she appeared to be in distress.

"Let's go inside first," the middle-aged woman decided, leading Amayara indoors, still cradling her gently.

"Director!" the other woman called out.

"Oh my, just stop it. I'm here. First, give me first aid; Amayara's health is the priority," the director scolded her assistant for shouting at such a close distance.

They moved into a dilapidated room, placing the young girl on a makeshift bed.

"But, Director!" the assistant persisted.

Hearing the continued protests, the director issued a final, firm command.

"Shut up, or there will be no food today."

Assistant swiftly covered her mouth with her hands, the muffled attempts to speak creating a comical scene that even made Amayara giggle, despite her weakened state.

" Sichter "

In the midst of the room, a small but melodious voice broke the prevailing silence, reaching Amayara's ears.

She was taken by surprise, her eyes falling on a 3-year-old girl dressed in a dust-covered, tattered frock.

Clutching a broken doll, the younger girl's face radiated innocence, a stark contrast to the harsh world outside.

"Oh my, who have we here?" the lady inquired, gazing at the little girl who stared back, attempting to fathom why her big sister was resting in broad daylight.

The child's tiny fingers gestured at her sister, but before any words could emerge, a giant face descended upon her belly.

"Hehehe...ich ickles "

The woman observed the little girl's eyes, sensing a hint of resentment within her.

She then turned her attention to Amayara, who was struggling to rise.

"Here, take your sister. I don't know what you'd do to me if I teased her any further," she chuckled, gently passing the little girl to Amayara.

"Sichter, pwen," the young child pointed at one of the wounds on Amayara's hands, her way of inquiring about the source of the pain, causing Amayara's eyes to well up once more.

She had endured numerous trials and confronted the cruelty of the world, all to protect her sister even going far as to stand against her love.

"Yes, Arvi, it hurts"

The woman observed the two sisters, recalling the day when a young girl, barely able to speak, had arrived at her doorstep, holding another child in her arms.

She had begged for food for her little sister. Despite her status as an adult and the director of an underfunded orphanage, she had decided to take them in.

Even in the face of financial challenges, she had never lost hope, all because of these two children.

"Oh, you can speak now?" the woman said, her attention turning to her assistant who had finally removed her hand from her mouth.

However, she quickly covered her mouth again, realizing the volume of her voice.

"I mean, we've got funds for our orphanage!" the assistant excitedly conveyed, a hint of joy and relief in her voice.

The woman smiled at the thought of the arrangements for today's meal.

"How many coppers are they?" she asked, turning her gaze to her assistant, who shook her head in disbelief, confusing her.

"They are gold coins!" Her widened eyes and excited expression confirmed her excitement as she nodded in agreement.

" R-really "

"G-gold, and, well, you said coins," woman stammered, her excitement building at the prospect of gold coins.

She knew they would be enough to feed all the children in the orphanage for months, but she wanted to be sure,"How many coins did you say?"

The assistant's face beamed with excitement as she responded, "It's a total of 20,000 gold coins!"

Amayara and the woman were both taken aback, their minds reeling.

"What?!" the woman exclaimed, shocked beyond belief.

'!?'

'No, it can't be, please, God'

Amayara's eyes filled with tears, and she looked at the assistant, her thoughts overwhelmed by a sense of dread not wanting to let her fear come true.

" They are donated by Crown prince of Selvius Kingdom"

DRIP

'He had memories too'

Her eyes that were only wet, broke into tears like a rainfall, she wanted to protect everything in this life — her sister, her love.

But destiny seemed to be cruel yet again, as tears rolled down her cheeks, the little girl in front of her, Arvi, also began to cry, her eyes welling up.

" Sniff...sniff...Sichter.....don't cly...sniff"

However, before Arvi could start wailing, her big sister held her close, her mind replaying the moment that had irrevocably altered their fate.

// Past life memory //

"What is the meaning of this, Jenny?"

Amayara questioned, following the girl who had recently gained her freedom.

They had met in a desolate place, but Amayara's shock was palpable as she locked eyes with the emerald orbs before her.

"Edward!?"

Swiftly, she turned her attention to Jenny, her anger seething.

"You, how dare you betray Ryuk!"

WHOOSH

Her hands summoned a sword, the blade pointed accusingly at the girl who had been the recipient of Ryuk's benevolence, but who had now seemingly turned against him.

"Stop it, Amayara. You know you can't fight all of us alone," Jenny warned.

" T-this!?"

Amayara's blue eyes blazed with defiance, and she turned her gaze to the others gathered around.

"Guess you're all here, aren't you?" she noted, realizing the situation was dire.

Observing everyone around her, Amayara understood what she needed to do,' None of them would leave this place alive'

CRACKLE

Her sword emitted an overwhelming blue aura, her eyes brimming with intent to kill.

"I know where Arvi is"

Edwards words caused a brief pause in the confrontation as Amayara's attention shifted to him, who smiled knowingly. He saw his opportunity and continued, "You already know how manipulative Ryuk can be—"

HUSH

Before he could finish, a sword sliced through his side.

"Don't try your luck, Edward," the woman warned, her voice edged with a threat.

Edward clenched his teeth, staring at the woman, before relaxing and the a smile formed on his face as he continued, "If you follow me, I can help you reach Arvi"

Amayara regarded the man and the women surrounding him with a blank expression, realizing the danger of this situation.

"I could just hand you over to Ryuk, he has many ways to make people like you talk"

As she began to move toward Edward, a woman's voice rang out, chilling her to the bone.

"Aren't you a loyal one, Amayara?" The silhouette of the woman gradually became visible, and Amayara's mind went blank.

'Lady Alisia!? '