Shadow Slave

Sunny felt cold sweat running down his back. Shaken by Gunlaug's serpentine voice, he was tempted to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness. However, he also understood that every person in the grand hall currently felt the same urge.

Everyone here had done something that might be considered a crime by the tyrant.

He almost expected to hear people begin confessing their sins, but at that moment, a strange commotion at the doors attracted his attention.

Moving with menacing determination, two guards dragged a man to the center of the hall and threw him on the floor. The man was dressed in rags and painfully lean, which betrayed his nature as a dweller of the outer settlement.

However, there were ropes of powerful muscles rolling under his thin skin, and an angry, fearless look in his eyes that made the man appear proud and defiant. Throwing a contemptuous stare at the guards, he picked himself up from the floor and stood up, his back straight and his head held high. There was no ounce of fear on his face. Instead, there was dark, furious resentment.

Gunlaug looked down on the brave man from his throne and slightly tilted his head. The outsider grimaced after seeing his reflection in the golden mask, but still didn't lower his head.

'That's pure willpower,' Sunny thought, impressed by the stranger.

Meanwhile, Bright Lord's voice resounded in the grand hall once again:

"My wards. We have a guest today. This man, called Jubei, is visiting us from the outer settlement. Recently, he had been heard leveraging an accusation against one of my men. As a just and benevolent lord, I have invited Jubei here to plead his case and expose the criminal. We must get to the bottom of this matter! After all, the law is our only guiding star in this dark world…"

Despite being free from the psychic pressure emanated by Gunlaug's armor, Sunny still felt strangely affected by his deep, soft voice. He even got goosebumps. With or without the golden Memory, Bright Lord possessed a powerful and ingratiating charisma. It was hard not to listen to him.

But the man called Jubei just smirked.

here to accuse one of your thugs, Gunlaug. Let's see how you'll get out of this

the group of Hunters watching the proceeding from

the most repugnant of ways. I've been watching you and your minions commit all sorts of vile crimes over these years, but enough is enough. Today,

crowd. Accusing a Pathfinder was not something a sane person would ever do. Due to their venerated status, these men were

Gunlaug spoke:

is a heavy accusation,

the outer settlement gritted

and riches. They told him that he is going to become one of

on the

yourself Hunters, you damn cowards?!

grand hall. People were now staring at the group of Hunters with dark expressions on their faces. The inhabitants of the castle were used to pretending to be blind to all kinds of wicked deeds, but all

of their kind to the Nightmare Creatures.

turned his head to face the

"Is this true?"

oldest of the group, the Pathfinder, glanced

lord. The boy in question was a highly valued member of my party. We

calm. Perhaps even a

Jubei snarled:

happened to be hunting on that day myself and saw everything with

crows and sighed. After some time had

do? I trust my brave men wholeheartedly, of course. Who would be so ungrateful as to distrust these heroes when they are the ones keeping you all alive? Surely, there's no one that vile and wicked among you, my