A broken slave

How could she not get shocked? she is just a 19 years old girl that struggles against her family, and she's barely holding tight from crumbling down.

Yet, the burning eyes of determination in that slave shocked her.

She already knows how brutal the world that they live in, and experienced first hand the cruelty of reality.

In her youth, she was abandoned by her loved one, her father.

Thrown out of the main family, Shily and her ill mother could only live at a sub branch.

She still got the surname of the family and their blood still flows in her veins, it would bring shame to the family if she were to be toyed by the masses.

She doesn't know why the family hadn't killed her and her mother, as that would be easy to get rid of them. But she knew that she must take this chance and get stronger to defend herself from the cruelty she endured.

Every day, mocked, ridiculed, even ordered to do forced work!

How could this be the fate of a young lady of a renowned family?!

How could she suffer just to protect her mother at a young age?!

That's outrageous!

As a result, she became indifferent and cold towards life.

She wasn't some soft cry baby girl, that would just surrender with no string of hope.

Shily had the guardian, and the most beloved mentor, that taught her the way of the sword, and even protected her and her mother, Benso!

Benso had done all he could to protect them, and even dared to leave the main branch of the family to accompany his young lady.

Truly loyal.

But even then, things just got harder for both of them, they can't just oppose the family orders!

Even with her getting stronger, she's still just a young girl who never tasted parental love, and a lady with no back up.

If they were to rebel against the family, they would just die a pointless death.

So she endured even if it's unbearable, because she still has hope that one day, she'll be free.

But, lately, Shily felt that all her years building up power was still not enough, as the family always ruined her attempts.

She was feeling hopeless, despite the fake appearance of perseverance.

Yet…

'How can he endure? Doesn't it hurt? Does he feel nothing? Absolutely not! He must be crying in agony from inside! But, how in heaven's name is he still standing up?'

Shily for the first time, found it incredibly hard to understand.

How could a mere slave bear more cruelty than she experienced?

That's freaking impossible!

Because she knew how hard it was, she found it impossible.

The muscular man continued to pull off every nail in the slave's hands, with no opposition or screams.

Benso continued to look with cold eyes at the scene from the carriage, but he shifted his gaze to the lost Shily.

'Sigh' he sure knew his lady, and that she was troubled. But he can't do anything, only help her to the best of his abilities.

'Although it's little, but I can see killing intent in his eyes? How's that? How can a mere slave hold such a sinister killing aura?'

Shily was having a hard time understanding this slave.

For one to nurture such sinister killing intent, he must have killed too many people, right?

'Is that why he's being tortured in public?'

—

Inside the slave's mind, a serene calmness observed how his nails were being pulled one by one.

'The middle one next, two nails left.'

Just as he thought that, the muscular man pincered his middle finger' nail of his right hand, only two nails left before all his hand nails were gone!

Pulled!

"Ugr!"

He let out a groan, but no visible pained expression.

"Tch! Why is he not screaming? That again, still enduring. But let's see until when? HERE A GOLD COIN! BREAK HIS ARM!"

A loud voice came from the crowd, which prompted the muscular man to comply and do his work!

Of course, all this show is just to earn money, so they will do 'Everything' to 'entertain' the crowd.

And Genus as a slave, with his 'bad reputation' and 'rebellious' self, fitted the requirement to be The 'show' subject.

The pincer tossed to the ground.

Just as the muscular man grabbed Genus' arm, ready to twist it any moment, he spoke.

"Heh! I told you before, if you did listen to me, you wouldn't have been treated like this. Aaaah, what a shame, what a shame. I could have made you my personal toy! I, Ruga, would have treated you better!"

Genus gave no reaction to Ruga's excited words, he just gazed with cold eyes at the big grin in front of him.

'Brutal, heartless, cruel, ugly, but at least he's enjoying himself.'

Genus started thinking, analyzing Ruga, who he met the moment he became a slave, before he looked at his arm that was about to be twisted.

'However…'

Crack!!

With no shed of mercy, Ruga broke his arm bones, but in a slow manner.

It was enjoyable, the feeling of breaking bones, so why's the hast? Where is the fun?

He was clearly a sadist!

Crack!!

Little by little, Ruga twisted the arm in his clutches, with the sound of bones breaking filling the area.

—

…

'Unbelievable… this…'

Shily, absorbed in the 'spectacle', found that the world she knew, was too much crueler!

"Benso… no, Master. How…" She was about to ask her master, Benso, Is there really such cruel people in the world?

She may be cold, but she can feel the pain, because she had a share of it.

It's not that she will surrender just because she discovered that the world is cruel.

It's just that she… felt pity.

Benso, as her mentor, knew what her question was, so he answered.

"Shily, I know what you're thinking. These people exist, but also good people exist. It's just that strength, in this world, determines your destiny."

He turned to look at Genus before continuing.

"I am impressed by his tolerance, but… He's just unlucky."

Shily absorbed her master's words then lifted her head, and after some thought, she said in a lost voice.

"Doesn't that mean I am… unlucky too?" She faced her master.

"Maybe" He replied.

"..."

Shily, with nothing else to be said, laid back as her eyes turned cold.

"Doesn't matter, lucky or unlucky, all I need is strength. As for him, I feel pity, his determination just inspired me. I shouldn't be hopeless."

"Let's go to the inn, it's near nighttime."

With no further talk, the group continued their march along the main street.

—

"Why is he not screaming? Shit! We just lost our money!"

The crowd got annoyed with the calm, unresponsive behavior of Genus.

Crack!!

Genus' arm now was completely snapped backward, rendering his left arm completely useless.

It was useless from the start, with no healthy muscles to move it, so why worry? It's the same, his swollen skinny body is useless after all.

'You sure are having fun, huh, Ruga?' Genus conversed with himself.

'However… you made a big mistake.'

He shifted his gaze down to analyze his body.

Skinny, pale body. Unhealthy skin. Broken leg. Broken arm. Missed nails. Internal injuries.

Yet, still standing.

'And that is… You messed up my body.'

He was enraged, but no sign of that's visible.

'If there's any chance, I will make you regret it.'

His determined eyes, that oozed with weak killing intent, just made the crowd more annoyed and enraged.

And with loud shouts, the surrounding spectators rampaged!

"You know what? Kill that freak!!"

"That son of a *** wasted my money again! Kill him!!"

"2 Golds! Kill that ***"

"Bring out those F**** eyes!!"

Shily could hear the explosion of shouts from the crowd, the shouts that demanded the end of Genus…