Return of the Woodcutter

"Haha, how ironic," Sam said, standing up from his rock bed. "I had plans to ambush you on the sixth floor, but then I got ambushed by orcs as soon as I stepped foot on that damn desert. However, it appears that luck is on my side as per usual."

Aito sighed. That guy was as shameless as always. Straight out spitting to his face that he had planned to kill Aito. 

"Those orcs are truly tough. I mean, even you couldn't do shit against them, apparently. Hum, maybe it is fate at play here, black challenger," Sam said, slowly advancing towards him. "Just look at yourself. Chained like the monster you are. Defenseless. Powerless. Where is your fearsome strength now? Hum? Hahaha! I'm so thankful for those beasts that brought you here." 

Sam approached him so close he could feel the stench of the baldy's breath even through his visor. Orcs had deprived him of everything but his armor. Even the inventory bag containing the candle was gone. 

Although Krugan had told him those would be returned in three days during the event held in the arena, Aito didn't know if he could trust the orc's words. Hopefully, they were as honorable as they were in Gwen's memory fragment.

"What should I do with you now? I wanted to face you one on one. But… well, the sect master ordered it so… I guess you're out of luck. Haha, don't worry, I'll make it quick. At least I'll try. With my bare hands, it might be a tad bit difficult to kill you in one—URG!"

A sudden kick in the nuts interrupted Sam. Despite also having his armor, Aito had managed to bend that area. He was chained, but his feet were free to move. 

Aito quickly followed his attack with a powerful front kick that sent Sam flying against the steel door with a loud metallic thud. 

"Urg… what the fuck… oh my balls…oh my back…," Sam dramatically complained, grabbing his little monster in between his legs. 

"Don't think you can just kill me because I'm chained, baldy. I decide when I die, not you or your sect master," Aito said.

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"You…, motherfucker!" Sam cursed, looking at the footprint in his breastplate. It wasn't particularly deep. Considering Aito's situation where he could not exert proper force, that much was already impressive. Beyond normal even. "Did you become stronger again!?" 

"Come and see for yourself, baldy." 

Sam activated durability then rushed at Aito with renewed motivation fueled by rage. However, the result remained the same, no matter how many times he tried. 

"Oh… my stomach…"

"Shit… my ribs…"

"Oh... why my balls again!?"

Although they were enemies, Aito couldn't help but praise Sam's persistence. He had already sent the man flying twenty times, yet Sam rose to his feet twenty-one times… just to fall again. 

This time, however, he did not get up. 

"Why…," Sam said, head against the ground, trembling. "Why even when you're chained, can't I beat you? I even trained my ass off in this cell. Before departing, I and the sect invested a fortune in memory beads just so that I could grow stronger! Yet every time I meet you you're always one step ahead of me!"

Aito frowned from disgust when he saw Sam lifting his face, full of snort, dirt, and tears. Seeing a grown man crying like that in front of his enemy while shamelessly asking why he can't kill him was… just unsightly. 

"Why… how are we so different!? What do I lack compare to you? I have more money, followers, talent, a strong will, and backing. So tell me why I can't beat you when you who have nothing of those!?" 

"You're fucking shameless, you know that, baldy?" 

"I don't care. I'd do anything to gain strength and see my little girl again. Be it kneeling in front of my enemy or giving my soul to a god, I will not back down. So please, tell me." 

Under the wavering candle lights, Aito and Sam stared at each other for what felt like hours—though only a few seconds passed. 

'Gain strength? His little girl? That baldy…,' Aito thought, understanding a bit more what was driving Sam. 'So, he isn't just a sect fanatic. Not that it matters to me.' 

If it weren't for those chains on him, Aito would have already killed Sam. In that sense, the baldy was truly lucky. 

"Do you seriously expect me, the man you've tried to kill four times, to tell you how to get stronger?" Aito said, spitting the following words to his face. "Are you stupid, or are you doing this on purpose?" 

"I, I…," Sam stuttered, unable to find a proper answer. Everything Aito said was true, after all. "Still… I want to know." 

Aito sighed heavily. He saw a fire in the baldy's eyes—or it might have been just the candles' reflection—and sensed Sam would never leave him alone if he did not give him an answer, not that he had any.

Unable to move, Aito would probably have to endure that guy's talkativeness for the next three days until the scary event or whatever it was called. And, honestly, he didn't want to answer Sam's question. 

"Alright, I'll tell you under two conditions," Aito said, smirking. 

Sam nodded, "What are they?" 

"First, you shut up. Say nothing, no matter what. Second, tell me why you so desperately seek power."

The baldy seemed to ponder deeply about the conditions, searching for a catch, which he eventually found. "But… if I can't say anything, how will I tell you about my reason?" 

"That's the whole point. You can't," Aito replied. "Just get a hint, baldy. I owe you nothing. And you've got nothing that interests me. So unless you have something of value in exchange for my wisdom, stop annoying me, or next time I'll kick your ass too hard, it'll destroy that steel door and your spine." 

Of course, he was bluffing. He had already kicked Sam as hard as he could in his current position, trying to kill the man. However, Sam proved to be more resilient than he had previously thought. There is a real possibility Sam had gained a level 3 body. 

Instead of losing hope or continuing spewing bullshit as Aito expected, Sam sat cross-legged, and seemed to ponder on something. 

Aito could swear he saw steam emanating from his shiny head, or it could just be his imagination. 

At that moment, two guards alerted by their previous fight came to check out on their prisoners. Apart from the steel door that seemed to have suffered some damage, nothing looked out of the ordinary. They eyed both humans suspiciously. 

When they saw one was bleeding and bruised, they laughed at the human faces. Thinking it was just a brawl between prisoners, they returned to their previous position.

Once they were gone, Sam eyed intently his sworn enemy, then said, "I can free you from those chains." 

"Hum? I don't need your help to free myself," Aito replied. "I already have a method. However, doing it now is pointless and will only attract unnecessary attention. What's more, what guarantees I won't kill you once I'm freed?" 

"Because I know the way out of here. Why do you think they've put me in this highly secured cell? I've already escaped once."

Aito granted. "Doesn't look like it was successful." 

"Yeah… well, they caught me at some point and brought me back to this cell. However, I had enough time to memorize the way. Also, I have an ingenious plan!" 

Aito felt like this guy wasn't the type to plan ahead somehow or just make any good plans at all.

"Once we escape, we can head to the throne room, take their king hostage, and bargain for our freedom. If we fail, they'll just bring us back into our cells unharmed, anyway. What do you think? Not bad, hum?" Sam said, with a proud expression. 

"That's the most ridiculous plan I've ever heard," Aito replied, rolling his eyes. 

He might as wait three days for the event Krugan talked about to take place and win it to gain his freedom. However, counting on orcs to keep their words was just a no-go. Also, Aito didn't know if he actually could manage to win the event. 

And what about his teammates? 

If he were to escape with them, they would not be able to run far in orc territory. The staircase to the fifth floor was too far. Their only choice would be to make it to the seventh floor staircase located at the end of this canyon to the north. 

Even then they would be denied entry because they had yet to clear their quest. All in all, they would have to kill 40 orcs each, then run for the seventh floor. 

Turns out, orcs will be present during the event, a lot of them. 

'I guess the best plan is to wait for now.' 

There were many issues and holes in waiting. Like his weapons and inventory bags. Without them, getting to the seventh floor would be impossible. He could only trust Krugan would truly give them back to him.

He could probably get them back on his own, but then what, hide them in his cell? 

'That would be as foolish as Sam's plan.'