Aurum then looked at Geo and said in all seriousness. "Geo, I love you like a brother, but I need to do this. Please give me your medal, I am fine if you do not join me. I can feel it in my bones, our destiny lies on the other side of that forest. Even if we no longer met in the future know that I will always think of you as family."
The son of Renacida grew anxious at the eagerness of his friend. Aurum while headstrong never hesitated when his gut told him to do something. Inwardly Geo tried to think of ways for him to survive alone and while it could be done, he always assumed Aurum and Lars would be beside him.
While Fulgeo prided himself on being a man governed by logic, he still grew lonely like everyone else. When the whole nobility treated him like trash due to being the son of a lowly maid, only the bastard of the Standar treated him kindly. It made everything more bearable, thus when faced with such an ultimatum, Geo loudly exhaled as he declared in defeat.
"Tsk, you going to go that far, I feel obligated to come just so you don't get yourself killed. Lars, you are coming too right?" Without missing a beat, their black-haired friend nodded while putting forth a fist. Aurum bumped his fist on it at an angle forming two parts of a triangle. Geo then placed his on the last missing side. "Fuck. I hope I don't regret this."
"Thank you, my brothers, I guarantee you we will get a new lease on life. We may not be a family bound by blood, but we are a family bounded by choice." Aurum then moved to stop Alan and Hach who were a ways away.
"Srayver, this proposal is only for today, as we have discussed. The three of us will sell ourselves to you as slaves. The Renacida medal would be used to get you the insurance you need. Our demand is that you pass by the Frozen dew valley and allow only those who come from the forest to buy us."
The merchant who looked back heard the terms of the agreement and drew a blank. "You wish to be sold to someone in the forest? But why?" Aurum only smiled and calmly answered. "You will see soon enough." They then proceeded to ask the insurance company to use the Renacida family as a guarantor.
Alan didn't know that the only reason the transaction only succeeded was due to Aurum's [Divine Arbiter]. While Aurum knew some details of about the Srayver merchants, he didn't exactly trust him. So he instructed Lars to use [Eye of Odin] to mask their status screens.
The San-Baka duped Alan into thinking they were only around levels 11-12, the normal levels for people their age. What surprised them however was Alan trying to dissuade the Wolfen butcher from taking them. Even exaggerating their uselessness all to not give them to the lunatic. In the merchant's own way, he seemed to want to help them to the best of his abilities.
Of course, the benefits of being in service of the Wolfen Butcher became apparent in a manner of days. He raised their levels to 35 and 37, an unprecedented achievement at around 18-19 years of age. And the weakness got beaten out of their bodies during the three-day fun camp of the butcher. The San-Baka felt the pain of weakness and the injustice of the strong.
Thus the speech from Hiro touched a cord in their hearts.
(I care not of your circumstances nor would I ask. I can promise you one thing. I will give you power in the shortest time possible. However, you need to give it your all or you will die. If you do not wish for such a life tell me now and I will pick another slave.)
They all remembered the pain and humiliation of defeat, all three acted like it was understandable due to their age and level difference. But all of them secretly harbored a grudge. No one wanted to be the loser. Thus despite being scared to death as they fought all the monsters Hiro threw at them, they soldiered on.
All three knew the incredible opportunity they had. So against all reason, purpose, pride, and nobility they threw themselves in the blood and trained. Eventually shedding even their humanity along the way.
(This is what it means to follow me. If you want power, leave your humanity behind. I also threw mine away as what I desired needed such a price. If you wish to stay weak, stay human.)
(But should the time your need for power comes, cry in helplessness and regret knowing the fault is no one else's but your own. If you stop here, I will look for new slaves. Choose.)
The benefits arrived that the power leveling fun camp raised them from 18,19 and 24 to 35,35 and 37. More than that, they gained battle suits and magic weapons they couldn't afford even as nobles. Upon arriving in Anvil, the three regained their status as citizens and even made millions due to magic stones.
(Your future is to serve the one who will stand against the darkness. Suffering will you always be by his side; Yet, your life shall find meaning in protecting the weak and punishing the strong…)
At that point the San-Baka were sure, this man is their ticket to the strength they desired. Thus when the man gave a mission for the first time they wanted to complete it in the best way possible.
(I need to get into this building and retrieve the girl in the basement. She is important to me. I also want to know what she is doing there and who is responsible. Get me names, then get me in a room with them. Do this and from today onwards you are among my people.)
The mission itself wasn't easy. However, the skills of the three made it manageable. Using Lars' remote "eyes" they easily got critical information by trailing, kidnapping, and investigating the people around the auction. Aurums [Divine Arbiter] shined as he coerced, bribed, intimidated, and interrogated their targets.
Geo served as the mastermind and quickly pieced together the information they got. All to get a clear picture of who ran the auction, and how the dragonkin ended up there. Eventually, they found everything from the why, how, who, and what regarding the dark auction.
And through this experience, they now felt firsthand how easy it is to use force to get your way if you are on the stronger side. The three knew some of the faces in the hall, while a lot of them were people who did not deserve to live, a few were people just trying to survive. Luckily the butcher changed his mind, allowing the three of them to only murder the ones they knew were evil.
Something they didn't know was that Don Carlo and Tino were among those in the black market auction. It was as if destiny itself told them to cut off the last stain in their former lives as men. Thus at their master's kindness, they now come face to face with the people who gave them nightmares at night.
This would be their final battle as men, once they put down Tino and Don Carlo, they would lose their heart demons and become reborn as monsters. And after tonight, they would never be the same again.
