I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 44
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 44
“What’s all this?”
“Hmm, a swarm of flies?”
Helios glanced at me and nodded.
“Is it okay to just pass through?”
“It should be fine.”
The guards are just watching anyway. Whether we talk here or go inside, it shouldn’t matter.
However, as soon as I said this, someone blocked our path.
“Well, well, are these the famous faces everyone’s talking about lately?”
It was a man with a sly grin.
His ears were full of flat earrings and ring-shaped earrings, and he had ornaments that looked like piercings on his nose, eyebrows, and lips.
His hair was half-shaved, so if I’d seen him in Korea, I would have thought he was in a rock or punk band.
He had even modified his prison uniform however he wanted.
His complexion was deathly pale.
“Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. Brothers? Under the same prison cell, I think we’re all brothers and family. Shall we chat for a bit?”
Despite his friendly tone, if I moved even slightly here, Kia would come flying out.
“That brother over there, heh. That’s him, right? The one who tumbled from guard to prisoner! What a fall!”
“…”
When I didn’t respond, the man suddenly thrust his face forward.
Thwack!
And his face turned away.
‘Oh.’
I swung with the intention of sending him flying, but he endured it.
“Even dressed in a prison uniform, this instructor’s name is still on the guards’ roster.”
“…”
“If you don’t understand, feel free to come at me.”
I loosened my fist while subtly releasing Kia as I spoke.
The man’s face, which had been sharp for a moment, quickly relaxed.
“Ah, ahhh. I get it. I understand. I’m sorry. Sorry. My head’s all messed up, so I forgot for just a moment. You’re an esteemed guard, sir.”
“…”
“Tsk, the rumors weren’t exaggerated. That bastard Grogi didn’t get knocked out for nothing. Hehe.”
Even though I still didn’t respond, the man obediently stepped back and moved to the side.
“Actually, I have business with this one here. Is it okay if we talk?”
When I silently stepped aside slightly, the man turned toward Helios, who he said he had business with.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘Tsk.’
Just like with Grogi. Why do only perverted scumbags get tangled up with us?
I judged him to be mid-grade, but I was wrong. That’s a high-grade prisoner pretending to be a mid-grade nobody.
‘Upper grade, around 2nd class? His skill level compared to his grade isn’t too bad.’
Moreover, those with darkened, deathly complexions were the type to be careful of in this prison cell.
Because they were addicted to something.
“Hello, hello. I hear you’re the super rookie these days? Boss is very impressed. Just hearing about you gives me chills! You made it to the 30th floor without dying once? Your arms? Your legs? Ever had them blown off? Ever had your heart nearly stop?”
The man excitedly spoke to Helios. Helios had a stiff expression.
‘That bastard has a color that even Kia finds unpleasant.’
I narrowed my eyes.
The man soon pulled out crumpled paper from his pocket.
“My name is Chika. I’m with the ‘Tower Committee.'”
Ah, I thought so. Just as I expected. The name I anticipated came up.
“We’re a prestigious family that has accumulated quality experience climbing the Tower. We’re very interested in your experience and abilities, brother, won’t you join our fam? We spare no support for our junior brothers.”
“…”
The man smiled slyly and this time pulled out a pen from his pocket.
“Just write your name here.”
Sweat trickled down Helios’s temple. I whistled inwardly.
‘Wow, he’s holding up well.’
The ‘Tower Committee’ was the oldest gang in this Niflheim, and the most vicious fam.
They initially gathered for survival, then went on to create all sorts of harmful things.
There were persistent rumors that they conducted biological experiments on each other in the Tower. That made sense since the Tower was a place where criminals didn’t die but received punishment.
Villains who exploited this system had emerged.
‘Ah, whether he accepts or refuses here, our disciple’s prison life is going to get complicated.’
The older the organization, the greater the corruption. The hazing was severe too. This was no different in prison.
In fact, their offer was an offer in name only—it was practically being marked. They could just force him to sign there and be done with it.
That was paper made with Kia, and a contract.
‘What Deril called a slave contract is still vivid in my memory.’
The moment you write your name, restrictions are imposed and you can never leave unless the fam permits it.
But Helios was desperately resisting the Kia that was pulling his hand.
“Hmm…? Handsome junior brother. We’re not bad people. We treat you so well. Come on, just write your name here.”
He was smiling, but I noticed Chika’s eyebrows moving slightly.
Just as he was about to reach for Helios’s hand.
Ting!
“Don’t touch him and keep it peaceful.”
Blood like a thin crack flowed from Chika’s hand.
“You can do that, can’t you?”
Next to me, a golden disc that had struck Chika’s hand floated gently.
“The moment you touch him, this instructor plans to report forced actions that ignore a grade difference of two levels or more to the higher-ups.”
“Hahaha, guard? Just as the rumors say.”
Chika raised both hands to show them.
“It’s purely healthy persuasion. Heal-thy.”
“I’m sorry, but I must refuse.”
Helios spoke politely with his sweat-drenched face. How kind of him to be nice to the person who forced him.
“Oh my, little brother. Listen to more of what we have to say. What we can do for you is…”
“I’m sorry. I appreciate the good offer, but I have no intention of belonging anywhere yet.”
As Helios finished speaking, a blue spear formed in his hand.
“Don’t think about forcing me any further.”
“…”
Chika’s smiling face twisted strangely. Even so, it still looked like a smiling face.
“Haha, right. Little brother. There seems to have been some misunderstanding. We’re not bad people~ Let’s meet again next time.”
Chika stepped back. At the last moment, he glanced at me and tried to send Kia my way.
Without hesitation, I struck the back of his head with Kia.
“Let’s go.”
We escaped, but no one followed us. In other words, no one else had escaped besides us.
Helios, who had been silent the entire way back, asked just as we entered the corridor.
“Why did you let them make their offer?”
“Huh?”
I turned my head.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m currently a prisoner sharing a room with you. I have no intention of controlling your relationships too.”
Of course, if he had tried to sign, I would have sneezed. A powerful sneeze that would blow all the papers away.
After multiple sneezes, there would have been no chance to sign the slave contract, right?
For some reason, Helios fumed by himself before striding closer.
“Then, if I said I don’t want offers like that man’s and wish for them never to approach again, would you grant that?”
“Hmm… Without even fighting?”
“Without even fighting.”
I thought about it. Chika was a High-Grade Prisoner hiding his strength.
In the Tower’s trials, I had already cleared away beings that would be difficult for Helios and Ged’s Group to handle at their current level.
“If you want that, I’ll do it for you.”
So it’s a similar situation.
“Then…”
Helios moistened his lips. It was hard to read the emotions tangled on that face, but I could feel his tension.
“Be greedy and raise me.”
Large hands grabbed mine. I knew he was approaching but didn’t avoid it.
“Don’t think about handing me over to anyone else, let Master monopolize and raise me.”
Hearing these words, I realized anew that I really didn’t like Chika forcing Helios.
“The answer is.”
I was already planning to do that anyway.
I said “Sure,” and gently tapped Helios’s hand with mine. Helios quickly pulled his hand away, saying it tickled.
He grabbed it on his own, yet I don’t know what tune he wants me to dance to.
Let’s just think of it as adolescence.
“…”
“Still, I can give you information—those guys are bad people, you know?”
“…Is there anyone here who isn’t bad?”
“That’s true.”
Actually, it would be fine as long as Helios just reaches the Summit.
Even if he accepted Chika’s proposal and went to that Fam, it wouldn’t really matter much.
Even though they treat Newcomers harshly there, as long as he survives, he could gain power.
Of course, if he climbs while belonging here, even if he reaches the Summit, Helios’s body will be thoroughly steeped in something.
Would his mind even remain intact?
‘Hmm, so.’
As I reflected on it, I realized.
‘I want him not to be tainted by anything.’
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————