The trio—Zack, Fia, and Big Guy—sat on the bench silently with no expression on their faces.
A few moments later...
The trio was now standing, stretching their bodies lazily.
One year later...
The trio was now helping each other stretch more thoroughly. "Hey, slowly! My back is getting killed," Fia said with slight discomfort to Zack as he pressed down on her shoulders.
An Eternity later...
Fia was doing push-ups with focused determination while Zack did sit-ups beside her, and Big Guy effortlessly used the bench they'd been sitting on as a massive dumbbell.
Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the air. "Geez, I told you guys to sit in one place! Why are you guys exercise now?"
Maren came rushing over in a hurry, wearing a completely changed outfit.
The trio looked up in surprise and saw a very different Maren approaching them with confident strides. She wore extremely short, provocative clothes—a sleeveless, cropped halter bra top that wrapped around her neck and crossed over her chest, leaving her midriff completely exposed. The deep neckline made her cleavage prominent and eye-catching. Her tight mini skirt barely reached her upper thighs, and a translucent cloth draped elegantly over her head with a translucent mask covering her mouth, making her face hard to see clearly. Her smooth body was on full display, with only the bare minimum covering her chest and lower body. Light gold designs decorated her clothes tastefully, making her look quite striking and gorgeous.
"Hey there, beautiful! Going somewhere?" Fia teased playfully as she stood up and smirked at Maren's transformation.
"Hahah, very funny! Do you like my outfit so much? Why don't I give it to you afterwards so you can wear it?" Maren shot back, not taking the joke seriously.
The boys came forward quickly and stopped their bickering. "Now, now, no time for this. Let's go inside," Zack said firmly, gesturing for Maren to take the lead.
"Hmph, here, wear these masks. And don't say anything while we get inside, you guys act as my slaves—just nod obediently when I order you to do something." Maren handed them masks with authority.
The four of them started walking inside together. Maren, with extreme familiarity, guided everyone through the winding passages with ease. Zack suddenly spoke up cautiously. "Maren, I saw some people going inside, from them I felt a similar kind of energy. Can we somehow force the information out from them?"
Maren listened carefully with a serious expression and replied, "If some new weird thing has come in here, then definitely people have tried it—hence you could sense it. But this place is tightly observed by many eyes. You can't just grab them and bring them to a quiet place." After thinking for a bit with furrowed brows, Maren continued, "First, we need someone to observe the underground routes carefully so that we could find some clues where those containers are headed. The good thing is that many useless slaves are sent there by rich people so that they could earn something there and fill their master pockets. So, Zack should go there since he can sense it and try to find a way to grab one of those containers. Just work there during your shift, and you'll get paid some good money, which is usually given to their master. But since I'm generous enough, you can keep the money for yourself." Maren flaunted her figure confidently as she winked at Zack with amusement.
Seeing this, Zack said gratefully, "Thank you, my master," and bowed like a proper slave.
Everyone had a good laugh at the performance, as they kept walking forward.
Maren continued after catching her breath, saying seriously, "And to find something on someone as to how they are consuming it, then you'd need to become their... companion for a night, this is fastest way here. Of course, they have to be interested in you first, but that's the easy part since I could just hire some professional to help with that—someone who's good with words and persuasion. Afterwards, you have to do something to make their guard low and look for something abnormal in their place. Only one person can go, so Big Guy and Fia, you decide on your own." Maren took a deep breath after speaking so much and glanced knowingly at the muscle-bound siblings.
Without hesitation, Big Guy said protectively, "I'll go."
Fia just nodded quietly, not saying anything. Clearly, there was no way her brother would let her take this role.
Fia turned around decisively, came in front of Big Guy, and lightly bumped his stomach with her fist and spoke with clear voice "You can do anything—just don't have sex with her! also no kissing!. Just make her feel comfortable while you look for something weird. You're not a kid, so you must know how to handle yourself properly, right?" Fia said with a clear, firm look that brooked no argument.
"Hmm, don't worry, sister. I can do this easily. And I do know what to do—I've seen our mothers teasing each other a lot," Big Guy said with his characteristic goofy face and innocent smile.
Sigh. "You shouldn't learn from them, but okay. Just do it properly and wait for us outside when you're done!" Fia shook her head in mild exasperation as she smiled gently at her brother.
"Hey, hey, what if Big Guy can't control himself and gets lost in some woman's warmth?" Maren came over mischievously and smirked with teasing intent.
"Huh! Well, it's possible, but brother won't easily get enticed by any woman. He's seen three beautiful women in his house since he was a kid. Do you think any other woman could compete with that?" Fia said proudly while flaunting her figure with confidence.
"Tsk, overconfident!" Maren just ignored her dismissively.
"Don't worry—you have three fathers, right? Could you get aroused by any man by just seeing their sexy body?" Fia asked pointedly.
"Agghh!" Maren twitched uncomfortably. "Fine, fine, I get it! It's because of them I had a hard time getting a boyfriend!" Maren roared defensively, then turned around and said in a clear, commanding voice:
"Hmm, fine. Big Guy will go and find something strange with a lady—of course, Zack should first choose a lady who has that similar energy vibe emanating from her."
Maren walked like a queen through the underground corridors as the others followed her like obedient slaves, heads down, listening intently to her instructions.
After some walking through the crowded passages, she arrived at a specific location bustling with activity. "Hey there, fellas! This beautiful lady is bored with these two men. Can you throw them out for me? The big guy has... useful skills, so he'll work as a companion for the night for the ladies. And that other guy—send him to work in the tunnels. I want him working there all night, earning this woman some money." In an arrogant, haughty voice, Maren ordered the men at a dingy shop filled with similarly rough-looking men and women.
"Oh my, miss, sure, sure! I'll do that immediately. Thank you for your service, madam." The shopkeeper bowed deeply with respect.
"Here's some money to enjoy your night." She threw down some paper currency casually.
Their eyes widened greedily at seeing the large amount, and they bowed repeatedly with enthusiasm.
Maren continued coolly, "Hire me a good man to help with arrangements. I'm generous enough to let that big guy choose his new employer, so do that for me. Of course, let him come back after his work is done. And my other slave, like a good dog, will come back to me by following my smell." Maren bent down gracefully and put her face in front of the bowing shopkeeper with calculated precision.
The man raised his eyes nervously and saw Maren's deep cleavage, smooth midriff, and exposed thighs up close. Seeing this, he gulped audibly.
Maren came closer seductively and whispered in a low, sultry voice, "This young lady wants them placed properly—first that big guy, then send the other one to the tunnels. I have enough money to fill your whole house with it, so make sure no mistakes are done and my little slaves are well placed here, and if you do that, then I will become your regular customer. Give me the best service, Mr. SHOOPPKEEEPPEERRR." She whispered in a seductive voice that dripped with promise, then backed up smoothly, turned, and left with Fia walking behind her.
Seeing her leave, the shopkeeper looked longingly at her smooth figure and roared angrily at his workers, "Hey! Take these two away! Can't even make a beauty like her happy!"
Zack and Big Guy were taken away roughly.
Fia glanced backwards anxiously and saw them worriedly.
"Don't worry—they're both strong enough to take care of themselves. We have to focus on ourselves now. To get access to those weird things and know it source, first we have to reach a certain status here. There are many ways to do it. You could make lots of money here by doing different things then just pay up to higher position. From gambling to investing in other people-- Or open your own shop in this place and make it famous-- Do illegal stuff-- Or sell yourself to a rich person--Orrr..." She glanced sideways at Fia and said knowingly, "Fight and win as my slave, Fia."
She stopped walking and looked at her directly, continuing with determination, "While I act as a woman whose ego is going wild, while you as my fighter will win lots of matches, making us famous. With that, some people will surely come to sell me those weird things. The higher my status, the higher the chance they'll come. So, what do you think, my slave?"
Fia nodded with a fierce glance, ready to fight whatever came their way.
Maren smiled wickedly under her cloth mask and said in a playful manner, "First, let's change your dirty clothes to something provocative like mine, because it's easier to get some advantages when you look beautiful and desirable like me." Maren gave a sensual pose, making the onlookers stare at her body with obvious lust. "See this? Tsk, this is a man's world where money is mostly in men's hands—even so, they're controlled by women at the top. Hahah, what a world we live in." Maren sighed dramatically and stood properly. "So, let's do this."
Maren and Fia entered the massive arena area.
"YEAAAAHHHHHH! KILLLLL HIMMMMMMMM!"
"WIN, WIN! I WANT MY MONEY BACKKK!"
"LOSE, YOU BASSTARRRDDDDD!"
With deafening noise came a chaotic scene where many people cheered wildly for their fighters—some crying in despair, some laughing in victory—total madness. Below in the pit, two people fought each other brutally with their lives on the line.
Maren smiled excitedly with gleaming eyes. "Oohh yesss! I always wanted to come here, but I couldn't buy any slave since my fathers and mother would be mad at me. Hahaha, finally I got the chance! Fia, let's earn some money while kicking some ass!" Maren showed her teeth in a feral grin and laughed as her wild laughter mixed with the chaotic noise around them.
"Huh, sure, sure. But can't I change this outfit?" Fia asked uncomfortably as she wore a one-piece blue outfit that split at her waist and loosely flapped around her lower body. The tight mini shorts she wore underneath to preserve her dignity clung to her form tightly. Her muscled thighs were fully exposed as she tried awkwardly to hold the split fabric to cover herself somewhat.
"Hey, you're my slave, and people love an impressive beautiful sexy fighter," Maren said dismissively, glancing at some men ogling both of them with hungry eyes. "Let's go have some fun, my slave!" Maren laughed loudly as she pulled an embarrassed Fia forward into the crowd.
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END OF CHAPTER
Masks were worn, names were traded for roles, and power shifted hands as easily as coin when Maren turned people into tools and the underground swallowed them whole. Big Guy's choice to step forward, Fia's silent consent to become a spectacle, and Zack's descent into the tunnels all reveal how survival here demands more than strength—it demands surrender to a corrupt game. This chapter is not about seduction or spectacle; it is about how systems built on greed normalize exploitation until everyone starts calling it strategy. When brutality becomes entertainment and dignity becomes currency, evil no longer needs force—it thrives on cooperation. Every character here crosses a line not because they are weak, but because the world rewards those who adapt fastest to cruelty. If survival required you to wear a mask and play along, how long would it take before you stopped seeing the mask at all?
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