Chapter 379

Chapter 379: Zaknavan

The White Rock Cave housed high-level slave warriors.

This place offered ample food, decent living quarters, and training grounds where weapons were permitted.

Yet not every resident enjoyed these privileges.

Being part of the Wolfspider tribe’s combat strength, high-level slave warriors couldn’t settle leadership through brute fistfights like in Black Rock Cave. Outdated practices like letting leaders claim food first didn’t exist here.

Treatment depended entirely on weekly rankings.

Each week, slave warriors fought in competitions. Winners gained points while losers lost them. Rankings determined everyone’s privileges for that week.

According to Zaknavan, even personal grudges got settled through these fights. Minor disputes ended with agreed-upon wagers during arranged matches. Blood feuds culminated in lethal duels.

Hence the cave’s popular saying: "All gets decided in the arena."

From food portions to social standing, from slavery to warrior status, even life and death—everything hinged on battle.

"Practical system," Midi remarked.

As nobility, he could handle political schemes, but preferred straightforward approaches. The cave’s brutal efficiency suited him.

"I knew you’d approve." Zaknavan grinned.

"One question." Midi locked eyes with the suspiciously helpful dark elf. "Why approach me?"

"Good query." Zaknavan nodded. "Let me explain how rankings aid your freedom."

"Listening." Midi’s calm gaze sharpened.

"Over forty slave warriors dwell here. The Wolfspider tribe keeps adding captives from Black Rock Cave." Zaknavan spread his hands. "Yet only the top five catch dark elves’ attention."

"Top five earn freedom?" Midi immediately shook his head. "Weekly releases would empty this cave."

"Maybe sustain top-five status?" he amended.

Zaknavan chuckled. "Surface-dweller. You misunderstand the Shaded Realm. Maintaining rank won’t free you—tribes demand both power and loyalty."

Top-five warriors earned mission privileges alongside Tribe Warriors. Each wore a magical iron chain called "the collar." Any escape attempt let tribal priests detonate it remotely, regardless of distance.

Trapped warriors must collaborate fully on missions. Performance determined contribution points. Accumulate enough points, and you could trade them for one reward:

Freedom.

Enter the top five. Earn mission qualification.

Accumulating contribution points through missions.

Finally, buying freedom.

This was the path laid before a slave warrior.

Yet following this path step by step, even by staying in the top five every week, would require at least three months to gather enough points.

This timeframe felt far too long.

“As you see, I’m a warrior from the City of Fierce Wind. In the Shaded Realm, it’s a much larger city than the Wolfspider tribe. Sadly, I angered the city lord and fled. Exhausted, the Wolfspider tribe found me and made me a slave warrior,” Zaknavan declared. “But as a warrior, I aim to earn qualification for the Black Dragon Conference—even if I must start as a slave!”

“You want to move faster.” Midi detected urgent ambition in the other’s gaze.

“Exactly! Three months to shed slavery? By then, the Black Dragon Conference’s preliminaries would’ve ended! I need unconventional methods to gain points quickly,” Zaknavan whispered.

“What methods?” Midi’s gaze stayed utterly calm, like unmelting ice.

Quick points tempted him, but how could he trust Zaknavan’s words? As nobility, Midi knew traps well—caution was vital.

Yet Zaknavan’s voice buzzed with excitement: “Simple! Partnering for missions—just us or a few Wolfspider warriors. We take the lion’s share of points!”

“This works?” Midi’s interest stirred.

If this was honest teamwork without tricks, he’d consider it.

“In the Shaded Realm, lone adventurers sometimes get lucky. But steady success needs two. Three splits rewards; one’s too weak. Two conquer all. This is common sense here,” Zaknavan explained.

Teaming up was standard practice here, hence Zaknavan’s surprise at Midi’s suspicion. To dark elves, such partnerships were normal—only the partner choice mattered.

Briefly admiring the Shaded Realm’s directness, Midi nodded. “Agreed.”

“Good! I knew you’d accept!” Zaknavan laughed, clapping Midi’s shoulder.

“Next step: entering the top five?” Midi asked.

Zaknavan shook his head. “I’ve held third place four weeks straight. You need to learn the ropes in two weeks and break into top five.”

“Understood.” Midi grasped the plan.

Top five meant mission access. Duos earned points best—solo was risky, trios inefficient. Currently, the other top fighters had paired up, leaving Zaknavan excluded.

Midi imagined the frustration: watching others race toward freedom while crawling like a tortoise. No wonder Zaknavan scouted the arena—not for novelty, but a worthy partner.

But first, Midi needed top five status.

Zaknavan revealed the rankings: First and Second teamed up; Fourth and Fifth partnered. The top two boasted Level 61 peak strength—formidable even in Wolfspider tribe. Though a City of Fierce Wind elite, Zaknavan avoided challenging them—the trouble outweighed gains. Thus he kept third place.

Fourth and Fifth hailed from a tribe destroyed by Zaknavan’s city, making cooperation impossible. Zaknavan wanted Midi to defeat one of them for mission rights.

The deadline? Three weeks. Fail, and Zaknavan would abandon him. Partnerships required equality—weakness dissolved them.

Yet Zaknavan didn’t know Midi’s true goal: reach top five THIS week.

Zaknavan’s slow progress had built some points. If he gained freedom first, Midi would be stuck plodding alone. Alternatively, Zaknavan could stay to help—but Midi refused relying on others.

The safest path? Keep their point gap narrow. Maximize Midi’s earnings during missions. Achieve freedom simultaneously—or have Midi finish first. Then, helping Zaknavan or claiming freedom would be HIS choice.

Three weeks for top five? Unthinkable. Midi would secure his rank with brutal speed.