Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 267 - 253: Slave area
The crowd buzzed with excitement as images of gleaming weapons, rare artifacts, and even chained slaves flashed across the giant screens. Aurianna sat with a nonchalant expression, her gaze steady and disinterested, seemingly unfazed by the auction’s displays.
Athena, continued with a persuasive smile. "Please direct your attention to the crystal tablets on your tables. They will display all items available for bidding today. If you see something you desire, you may place your bids through the tablet."
Applause filled the room as Athena stepped back with graceful smile. "If anyone requires an additional tablet, simply raise your hand, and a servant will bring one to you."
Juvin wasted no time, raising his hand, and within moments, a servant appeared with a tablet. Saem, already holding the one set on their table, scanned the items, his face hardening with each image he passed.
"This is sickening," Juvin muttered, scrolling through the tablet with a look of disgust. "Rare weapons, artifacts, and..." He hesitated, his jaw clenching. "People being sold like prizes."
Saem’s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with bitterness. "No one here even cares. It’s all just a business transaction to them."
Aurianna’s expression shifted to mild irritation. "Where were you two naive boys living, then?" she asked, her tone edged with sarcasm. "Are you trying to tell me that where you come from, there’s no slavery?"
Juvin looked away, his voice faltering. "I... I didn’t know at first. But when I started leaving my country, doing missions, I began to see what was really out there." He frowned, frustration darkening his expression.
Aurianna scoffed, a short, dismissive sound. "Tch. How sheltered."
Saem broke the tension, focusing on their goal. "Let’s find your family, Candy and Faston." He called their names firmly, looking toward the tablet.
"Yes," Candy and Faston immediately moved their chair to Saem’s side. And began to browse the items on the list with him.
Athena’s voice rang out again. "Please remember you only have 2 hours 30 minutes for all of this." she said with a wink.
As the countdown began, murmurs filled the room, and each table’s occupants leaned in, quietly talking about their intended purchases.
"Hey, while they’re busy, let’s move to where they actually keep the slaves," Aurianna said, her eyes narrowing as she stared intently at the ground. "I can feel a large density of heartbeats below us." Her gaze sharpened, and with her enhanced vision, she could make out the faint pulses of red beneath them—signs of life, crammed in the hidden quarters below.
"You can hear that?" Elena asked, clearly surprised.
Aurianna tilted her head. "A vampire like you can’t?" Her voice held a hint of confusion. ’Isn’t sensing heartbeats supposed to be a vampire specialty?’
Elena’s cheeks reddened. "I’m... not that strong," she admitted, scratching her head sheepishly.
’Maybe my expectations were too high after meeting Elizabeth,’ Aurianna mused to herself. ’I wonder how she and Kleizorn are doing.’
"She’s telling the truth," Shuwi added with a nod. "I sense it too."
Panz glanced around, his brow furrowed. "But how are we supposed to sneak away?"
Aurianna’s eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint. "Jugi, do you have any doppelganger magic?"
"Yes," he replied, intrigued. "Why?"
"Make doubles of us—right now. I’ll cloak everyone in invisibility magic, except Saem’s group and Juvin," she explained. "After all, Juvin needs to stay here and keep looking for Princess, um..." Aurianna trailed off, struggling to remember the name of the demon princess.
"Her name is Penelope. Honestly, it’s pathetic that a commoner like you can’t remember noble names," Nae sneered, crossing her arms with a huff. She looked around smugly, ignoring the disapproving stares from the group.
Aurianna looked at her with a calm, unamused stare. "I am a noble, Nae."
Nae sniffed dismissively. "Then you’re an uncouth one."
"Enough," Saem interrupted in a low, serious voice. "Also don’t get caught." he added as a whisper.
Aurianna chuckled, unfazed. "I won’t. I’ve done this before." With a smirk, she raised her hand, causing it to glow faintly. At the same time, Jugi snapped his fingers, and suddenly, each of them turned invisible. Their bodies were replaced instantly with Jugi’s magical doubles, who sat, blinked, and even shifted as though they were real.
The group exchanged glances, marveling at their doubles. The doppelgangers were eerily lifelike, moving naturally, mimicking their gestures and expressions. Even Aurianna was mildly impressed, though she reminded herself that Eva had done similar things whenever she visited the Domain Prison.
"Alright," she said, her voice low as she surveyed the invisible group. Those joining her included Peter, Yelina, Batholem, Avriel, Jugi, Jade, Nae, Elena, Shuwi, Christopher, Demetrius, and Zeche.
’This level of duplication... That man might be an Arc Human. A very skilled one,’ Yelina thought as she watched Juvin, her gaze lingering on the eerily lifelike doppelgangers he’d created.
"Please watch over them, Hadina and Zagan," Aurianna whispered with a soft smile, giving Zagan an invisible pat. Although the others couldn’t see her real form, Zagan sensed her touch and responded with a low, contented purr.
’Of course, Master!’ Hadina replied excitedly in Aurianna’s mind. ’But... why can’t I go with you? I don’t want to stay here and protect these people,’ Hadina whined telepathically. Aurianna could feel her sulking, so she reached out and gave her a reassuring pat, soothing her as well.
’Don’t worry, Master! I’ll keep them safe until you return!’ Hadina declared enthusiastically.
’Good,’ Aurianna thought back with a small smile before leaving.
The remaining twelve at the table—including Saem’s crewmates, Juvin, Hadina and Zagan.
"I doubt I need a mere cat to protect me," Juvin muttered, though he had clearly noticed Aurianna’s presence, even through her invisibility. He reached out a hand to touch Zagan, but the feline met him with a scornful glare, swatting his hand before padding over to Aurianna’s double, curling up on her lap.
Saem glanced over at the body doubles, scrutinizing them with curiosity. ’Are they already gone? I can’t even tell...’ he mused, impressed by the near-perfect copies. They moved, blinked, and even shifted in their seats with such realism that no one else in the room seemed suspicious.
’Stay safe out there,’ Saem thought quietly, anxiety flickering in his eyes.
---
"Alright, lead the way," Aurianna said, turning to Demetrius.
"We just need to go down," Demetrius replied, his voice steady.
Jade’s cold gaze narrowed. "How far down?"
"Eight floors. The main slave area is on the eighth floor; the other levels are mostly storage for weapons and slave labor," Demetrius explained calmly. Jade nodded, and in a swift movement, conjured a protective shield around them, and they begun to sink down into the ground.
When they reached the eighth floor, Jade stopped and they found themselves in a large hall, guarded by thousands of Flokong Organization soldiers, all of whom appeared to be Chaos Humans or stronger.
"Are you sure no one can see us?" Elena whispered, her voice tinged with slight fear as she glanced around at the guards.
"Do you see anyone paying attention to us?" Aurianna asked, her voice edged with annoyance. "Just don’t bump into anyone. I’ve turned us invisible, and I’m also refracting light around us so our bodies can’t be seen." She strode ahead, and the others didn’t notice the thin, invisible mist that came from Aurianna, moving just outside Juvin’s barrier and not affecting those inside of it. The mist seemed harmless but had a subtle effect on the guards beyond their shield.
One of the guards, a woman, felt an odd tingle in her nose and pinched it, unaware of the thin trickle of blood that began to run down her face.
"Oh, okay then," Elena whispered, exhaling in relief as they continued.
Guided by Demetrius, they passed down a series of dark, narrow corridors until finally, they reached a massive door flanked by guards almost as tall as half-giants. A hundred of them stood in position.
"Oh, look at them. They totes Arc Humans, and even one is a Grand Human," Avriel muttered mockingly. "First time I’ve seen a Grand Human doing grunt work."
Yelina’s face paled slightly. "If there’s a Grand Human guarding this area, isn’t it too dangerous? What if we get caught?"
Avriel only chuckled, unfazed. "Don’t worry. Taking out these guards is totes easy."
’Easy? That’s far from the truth,’ Yelina thought, anxiety gnawing at her. ’But she speaks with such confidence... Are they bluffing, or are they actually that powerful?’
With Jade’s help, they passed through the door undetected and entered a massive, dimly lit room. Batholem and the others stared in shock at the sight before them, though Aurianna and her group remained unfazed, as did Peter.
A heavy stench of blood and rot hit them immediately, causing Aurianna to wrinkle her nose in disgust. "It’s always the same," she muttered, scoffing as she stepped forward, surveying the area.
Before them was a labyrinthine space lined with portal pathways leading to unknown places, each one guarded heavily. Flokong Organization members bustled around, dragging chains or herding groups of slaves down the paths. The cages, dark and suffocating, were stacked with all sorts of people from different races and ages—some barely conscious, others staring blankly with hollow eyes. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Screams rang out as a few slaves were yanked from their cages, struggling and pleading, their voices cracking as they feared for their lives. But the guards paid no heed to their cry, and continued hauling them away without care.
Fear lingered in the eyes of the enslaved as they watched the Flokong Organization soldiers. Yes they feared for their lives but none even attempted to disobey knowing the consequences.
"I want us to save all of them, if possible!" Elena declared, her eyes filled with determination.
