“How are we going to do it?” Asked Aleran. It had been six months since Aleran had started cultivating. Thanks to his speed in cultivation, they decided to change the plan and aim for the peak of the third phase instead of the second. Something that Aleran had achieved just yesterday.

He had cultivated carefully moving only the energy inside the room, this slowed him down. But according to Zarasen, six months or cycles, as he called them, was an unheard peace.

The most difficult part for Aleran was not being able to test his strength. In order to lay low, he was actually moving less so as to not stand out. Now, unable to hold it anymore, he was asking impatiently for the details of the escape plan.

“It's simple when the last patrol comes, you will lay down on the floor and I will start kicking you. It will look like I beat you and left you unconscious. We'll have to wait for either Corif or Jedun to make the night patrol. They are the only ones who would give a fuck at such a scene.”

“Then, the guard will open the door and grab me. At that moment you will punch him till he loses consciousness or you kill him, whatever you prefer. It should be easy. With a bit of luck, the second guard on duty that is outside the pavilion, in the waiting area, will not hear anything.”

Trying to ignore the thought that he might have to kill someone, Aleran said. Wouldn't it be easier to use my strength to break the wall or dig a tunnel?

“It would if this was a normal prison, but here the walls are reinforced with a formation. You would need much more strength to break them.”

“ Then what next? I imagine there are more guards out there.” Though Aleran was eager to try his powers he had never fought in his previous life, he was a full-fledged lab rat. In his time with Zarasen he had only taught him about cultivation and not fighting.

“Mmm? After that, we just improvise opening our way with brute force. Of course, you will lead the way.” Said the old man like stating something obvious.

This was one of Aleran's fears. He had thought more than once that the old man was too erratic to make a thorough plan. But there was another deeper fear. Where would he go after the escape? He couldn't remember the location of the Vistrage family lands. ‘Man I was hoping he had somewhere I could crash.’

“And after we escape where are we going to go?”

“I don't know, It will be better to go our own ways, they will be hunting us. I recommend you to get out of the Silver Moon kingdom territory, to the Sidrin empire. Don't worry I'll tell you how to get there. Although someone with your cultivation is not considered an expert your level is rare enough to get you a job easily.” Said Zarasen dismissively.

After reassuring Aleran, Zarasen told him the rest of his “plan” and spent the next days waiting for the right guard to make the last night patrol.

In the end, they had to wait thirteen days for Corif, a square-faced middle-aged man with small eyes and a characteristic unibrow decorating his face. He was one of the few jailors who took his job seriously.

Corif was the second best option because he, unlike Jedun, had recently broken through, and was at the third phase. But Aleran and Zarasen would not wait for another chance, this was the moment.

When Corif was almost at the middle of the first corridor, he heard the muffled noises of Zarasen's kicks against the torso of his roommate, while the first screamed insults.

“You deserve it you little turd. You think your feet are a great deal! I only asked one simple lick yet you refuse! Who do you think you are?!!”

It was weird for Corif, the old man was without a doubt crazy, but he was usually harmless, he had never lost it like that. But the rules were clear, he had to stop all fights lest all patients started killing each other.

Immediately, Corif took his master-key and went towards the cell. This was an easy task, the old man was as weak as the air in front of him.

Aleran heard the sound of the door behind the curses the old man was throwing at him. Zarasen was a perfect actor, he looked truly incensed with veins popping out of his neck and reddened eyes. But his kicks were completely real, and he could not use his qi to strengthen his body, so he was receiving a real beating. ‘This old turd must be really enjoying this.’ Thought with gritted teeth.

Suddenly a huge hand grabbed Zarasen by the back of the neck, like a baby chick, and pulled him upwards. The guard looked towards Aleran who was still on the floor with dazed eyes. He looked like he was about to pass out, but Zarasen started flailing his arms and legs, still engrossed in kicking his beaten opponent forcing the guard to take him to the bed to restrain him.

This last move lest the Corif with his back to Aleran whose eyes immediately focused. He crouched sneakily, and in an explosive burst of force he jumped with his fist risen and punched.

“bam!” a dry sound was heard the moment of impact

The guard didn't see it coming, he received the punch with the force of the jump added in the back of his head and fell to the side, releasing Zarasen.

But the guard body didn't hit the floor as Aleran expected, Corif managed to stop his fall with his arms. Shaking and dizzy he tried to rise again. ‘Shit! Of course, this isn't a fucking action movie where a punch in the back of the head is enough to knock out the bad guys.’ With that thought, Aleran pounced towards Corif trying to hit the back of his head again.

The guard, with his face still looking the floor received Aleran kicking like a horse. Aleran knew he couldn't dodge so he stabilized himself as best as he could.

“ghh!” Aleran let out a low groan

Though it hurt Aleran received the blow and, upon impact, he grabbed Corif's leg. With his hands firmly grasping the guard's leg he spun and threw the guard towards the back wall. There was a sound of something breaking followed by a pained grumbled of the guard.

The tick reinforced wall now was full of cracks, but Corif remained awake. Aleran could see the shock on his face but the yell of Zarasen stopped him from daydreaming.

“Idiot hit him harder! You are not using your full strength!!” The yell not only made Aleran react but it also alarmed Corif

With a quick movement, Aleran ran to the guard who was on the floor, preparing to mount him and shower him with punches, but Corif quickly swept his leg and made Aleran fall. Instead of mounting him he fell next to the guard, but Aleran didn't cushion his fall he went with the fall and punch the guard face.

Now with both started to struggle on the floor, Aleran threw three more punches with his left. Corif managed to avoid two but received the last one while he also managed to connect a blow to Aleran's temple.

Suddenly, Corif made a swift and practiced move taking Aleran's back with perfect timing. With a move that to Aleran looked that was taken from a jiujitsu manual Corif started to choke him.

A bit scared of blowing off the scape, Aleran grabbed with all his strength one of Corif's arms and started to squeeze at the wrist.

“kraaa” Something broke but the guy was tenaciously holding on.

“ Kid, the bucket!” Another yell reached his ears.

Aleran didn't doubt it for a second and started to feel around for the waste bucket which was found pretty quickly. At some point during the fight, it got hit with all the piss scattering through the floor. Without modesty, he grabbed the bucket and hit the guard’s head who was glued to his back.

“Clank.” The metal bucket made a hollow metallic noise.

“haa haaa” Aleran's breathing was the only noise left.

Aleran felt the strength of Corif arms fading away and soon he heard the body falling. Breathing heavily he stood up and looked down at his first opponent. He didn't hold back on the last strike with the bucket, the result was pretty good. “ I should have gone all out from the beginning.” He was not used to using violence yet.

“Puahahaahahaah” Zarasen's laugh ruined the solemnity of the moment. “How nice of you to give him a hat as a parting gift.”

The waste bucket had deformed with the force of the strike and was still stuck to the guards head, which apparently was so funny to Zarasen that he couldn't hold back any longer.

“Are you okay kid?” Zarasen was trying hard not to look at the guard in order to avoid another fit of laughter.

“Yeah, though I guess I could have won more easily.” Though the fight was messy, Corif was the one on the receiving end for most of the time. The last moment when he was being choked was due to the difference in fighting experience. In fact, if the fight happened in a more spacious place he would have won easily due to his higher speed.

“Okay let's go. Though this was the guy who was supposed to hear if there was too much noise it's better not to push our luck” Zarasen went towards the opened door.

“Wait, is he alive?” That hit was enough to cause a grave concussion and could be deadly. This guard had clearly tried to subdue him all this time, which was part of the reason why he kept holding back. Aleran had nothing personal against him not to mention that the idea of killing someone gave Aleran goosebumps.

“Don't know. Who cares? Grab his keys and follow me, we have someone to visit.” Surprised by the Zaraze's lack of interest he went to take the keys and meanwhile, he checked if the guard was still breathing. He was, and it made Aleran release a sigh of relief. Maybe to Zarasen or to this whole world killing someone was not a big deal but to him it was.

“You told me we were going to free the prisoners to make chaos but that will take time we don't have.” Now that he paid attention he could hear some of his neighbors screaming and talking. Like a beehive that had been upset, they were starting to make noises in response to what had happened on their cell.

They knew that although this pavilion only had two guards, the asylum had many pavilions with two guards each. Not to mention the guards outside the gates. That's why Zarasen proposed to free the prisoners of this pavilion to create diversions.

The problem was that there were one hundred cells and some housed unstable psychopaths.

“Don't worry we will release someone first with some conditions, between those conditions will be that he has to release the prisoners. Of course, this is a little bit of a bet, the guy could just say yes and once freed he would just escape”

“But we can use that guy to distract the guards first, it would not be ideal but its something. And since the second scenario is more likely we have to release someone we know it will draw attention hehehehe.”

Aleran followed Zarasen, they reached an intersection and turned right. At the end of the hallway was a huge metallic door, this one had no window. “This used to be the shower room, the jailors joke with this when they transfer someone here. Four years ago a special guest came to this Asylum. If you judge it by his danger level he should be in another pavilion. But the thing is they had no room where to put him.”

“So they reformed the shower room to contain him? What is so special about him? ”

“He is a body cultivator and unlike you, he keeps his strength even after putting him the collar. He will be weaker but nonetheless, he is at the second phase of the qi circulation realm. Which makes him one of the most powerful inmates. There are only two families in this kingdom that practice body cultivation and both are important ones, he must be a top fighter.” The old man was rubbing his hands like he was about to get a new toy.