But somewhere else in the camp another maniac was cultivating even harder, as he was in dialog with an unknown denizen of the camp that could not be seen.

[Good, continue like this, you will soon start to affect a small flow of energy in the air...!]

[Go! Go! Go! Grind that consciousness, a big man needs a tough mind before a big body...!]

However, the receiver of the encouragement did not feel all that good as the grinding of his consciousness at the external energy was giving him a constant headache, making it worst, was the fact that his own personal energy, was making an absurd advancement in the appropriation of the external energy and the growth of his mind's consciousness, through the continuous cycle of strengthening of his mental and energy powers, via his little parts as they were improving in becoming stronger. Making him question himself, if the voices were punishing him for something.

[Continue, continue, ah—[ [it seems that those little boys are using some cheap thing, still not as good as what this brat can do] ] continue, you need to make for the time lost.]

[ [Are you sure he won't get bored?]

[ [This is something we need to install in him now, cultivation is never easy, and boredom is a companion and an enemy, we will see how he will react later, for now, let's just see how far can he go.] ]

[ [And, was it a good idea to block his senses, when the vice-captain boy arrived?] ]

[ [Hmpf!!! The little soldier boy has his plans for the kid, but so do I, and mine take priority, so I don’t want any interference right now] ]

But as little Levis was arduously cultivating to make more energy and enhancing his mental toughness, the night was slowly approaching its end as a small dot of light and different colors, from that of the darkness of the night, were coming.

Though someone else was arriving from a confused and unclear state of mind. As in the tent close to that of Rowen, the bandit with the stab wound was finely getting some clear and focused view in his unfocused gaze.

But as he was gaining consciousness, the memories from before arriving in the present state begin to flash in his mind, from the madness on his face reflected from Rowen’s eyes to the images of all those that he cursed and unleash his full unabashed killing intent, before the killing restriction activated as he was backing up to avoid death from Rowen's sword.

Though as he moved his downcast head to look at his surroundings, the first thing to notice was a guard watching him from afar, that after not long, broke the gaze and exited out of the place he was in.

“So, I am alive?!”

But as he tried to move his body, the first thing to hit him was the excruciating pain coming from everywhere, after which he became aware of the black shackles at his feet and hands, that were blocking his energy use, as every time he tried to move, the shackles seemed to push back his energy, making him nothing more than a mortal.

However, as he began to observe his surroundings which were illuminated by a light stone from the position of the gone guard, he saw two bandits gaged and shackled in a corner as they were sleeping, but as he continued his observation, his eyes widen as he instinctively tried to raise up to the unconscious pale man not too far from him, but after his futile attempts, he calmed down, as he looked attentively at the man, as the state he was in was not good at all.

“So you are alive! I felt someone catching me after I got stabbed, but I was not sure if you had made it out. It looks like we live to see another day. Even if we die, we die not as slaves but as the free bastard Zuger and the mute Square.---”

Though, he did not have much time as he could hear footsteps coming from outside of his location.

“Even if this is the end, we still have won, no matter if we die today, we are dying as free men.”

But as he was preparing for the uncertain future at the hands of his captives, a hand parted the material that was obstructing the light of the outside even though there was not much of it.

Though as the hand moved the drapes and the person entered, what met him was a young man in armor followed by another one slightly older and an old man at their backs.

“So you have awakened. Well, your injuries are the lightest so it was to be aspected.”

“Indeed, it would have been harder for the other man to awake before him.”

However, as the young man and the old discuss between themselves, the mention of his injuries being the lightest, shocked him, as he promptly turned his head to the pale Square, before facing the men in front of him.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you might not know, but he had detonated his dantian to nullify his contract or to save you with the rapid boost of energy in his body, after all, if you were to be left alone you might have died from any hard collision in that weakened body of yours.”

But the words of the old man did not reassure him at all, as this was not what their plan that they had was, as the intent was to likewise use a stronger opponent's energy to clash with the energy from the killing restriction of the contract while hoping they would not die. Not the most stupid way that guarantees them death.

“Can you help him!?”

“Not so fast, we already did a lot by treating you, as to become conscious again, as for anything else, that might depend on what you can tell us as to why your leaders are missing.?”

“Alright, I will tell you, if you can save him.”

[---]

But as Rowen took a moment to think, he immediately turned his head toward the old man behind him.

“Very well, old Wan.”

“Ahhh, I already told you, that what we have is too strong to give to somebody that is just a mortal, even if he was a cultivator, there is no telling what will happen. I have tried to dilute the medicine with my limited knowledge, but I don't if it will work as intended.”

But to the pleading Zuger, Rowen made the old man move next to the unconscious bandit, as he took a vial with an unknown solution and forced it down the throat of the bandit, which immediately showed signs of pain as his face became red while trembling for several moments before stopping and showing a calm expression.

“It seemed to have the desired effect, and did not make things worse, we can call it a success for the moment.”

“We held our part, now you can start to talk.”

As Rowen looked at the bandit that was sitting on the ground shackled, the bandit looked at him as well, after which he closed his eyes and let a sigh before starting to speak.

“My name? You already know my name, Captain, after all, you have the scouts that I have sent to give me more information on you. And this is the second time we speak, although, the first time we are face to face.”

“Zuger?”

“Yes. It seems you already forgot my voice, but that does not matter, as I have to thank you for freeing me from the slave contract and taking care of the two of us.”

“It is just as things have gone, no need to thank me as even in light of you being a slave, you can not escape the punishment ahead of you.”

“Do you think I don't know, if I wanted to escape, I would’ve killed myself, and not tried to escape from the cursed contract, as I still have debts that I need to pay towards many basterds. If you want to know why the fucking bastards are not here, I will tell you why, IT IS BECAUSE THOSE BASTARDS MADE US TO COME HERE AND DIED!!! THAT'S WHY.---”

But as Zuger continue to speak, anger and hatred morphed his face, and his voice became more aggressive and louder, making him gasp for air at the end as he was still in a wretched state physically.

But at Zuger’s explanation, the trio's faces change into a darker countenance, as inklings of where he was going, started to pop into their minds.

“They made you to battle, and die? Care to explain further?”

“What is there to explain, that bastard Joul and the son of whore Grip had already fled from here. Grip might be a piece of shit, but he is not stupid and he cares more for his life than anything that he might have built here, as for Joul, that bastard he had always been too close with the slave merchants to be just a bandit.”

“So if we are to trust you, the ranks 6 and the other rank 5 had fled from this region? Although, I don’t understand why he had left you to die too, as you are but a slave that can not rebel against him.”

But at the question of the young man before him, Zuger could only sigh as he looked directly into his eyes before starting to speak again although starting with something irrelevant to the current topic.

“You know, now I am twenty-nine, I think. I am not sure anymore, for two-thirds of my life I've been a slave, I was no older than the kids of these villages, when we were attacked and forced to become slaves, women, men, and children, anyone worth something was taken, while the old killed. But to my luck, I could cultivate, even though I consistently resisted for years and been whipped once every single day for two years, however, you know, they do it carefully, as to not accidentally kill you, but just enough to let you suffer as they break you, and as I could not take it anymore, after two years of torture, ready to kill myself, it was then that I meet this mute that was dying of hunger because he could not cultivate fast enough, a truly ironic fate, as after I gave him my piece of bread, he had followed me ever since, for a fucking piece of bread. Not long after I become a cultivator, I and this fool were bought by a pig, as to help him, to fucking eat, I still remember the sounds of his fucking chewing mouth, even now. But after several years, the pig lost a bet with Grip and had to give us and other slaves as the discrepancy of his loss. However, things have gotten worst as Grip had forced us to kidnap villagers to sell, to the merchants. But after some time, he came down here and made a base of sorts as he had us constantly go and kidnap other villagers. However, he had never truly touched the villages in the surroundings so as to not put the attention close to him. Yet, as you can see, things have not gone as he had planned. But as time passed, I and the mute that had begun to speak, continued to grow as cultivators, until two years ago I broke to rank 4, so as you can see it had lead me here.”

But Rowen and Adrian were perplexed, at the long story of Zuger as they did not understand what he was intending to convey, to them.

“Captain, and vice-captain, let me explain what he is saying. If my memory does not lie to me the contract limits your progression as a cultivator while also caping your progress at certain ranks, in his case, it should have been rank 4, that being said under normal circumstances he should have never advanced, and that being said his advancement is a show of an abnormally high pace and aptitude in his cultivation.”

However, at old Wan’s explanation, the two men could only reveal surprised expressions even though they remained confused still as to why he had not been taken by the leader.

“You still don’t get it? Then let me put it this way, is a rank 6 or even 7 a big deal outside this small corner of the Kingdom?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Then let's say someone stronger than that bastard, detects that I have been able to surpass the limit imposed by the contract, could that bastard stop them from taking me? If such an opportunity were to arise and to become stronger still, I would have most likely tried everything to kill the bastard, so the simple answer, kill me before anything like that could happen, however, he could not even risk killing me with his own hands and letting to die here. But honestly, it could be this or it could be that he does not have any more use from anyone else, your guess might as well be as good as mine.”

“Well I more or least understand where you stand, but I need to know if there are people still captive?”

“Well, there are but I have not ended everything, as there is still an even more horrible piece of shit that you need to be aware of, if you think of doing anything.

However, as Zuger was about to mention the last remaining leader a dark and downcast grimace smile appeared on his face.