The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 57: The Reason for Staying
"Why?" Henwell's friends ask, puzzled.
Henwell smiles, "Why? Why did he hint for you to surrender? Or why didn't I give him the chance to say it? It's really the same answer for both. He doesn't want us to leave, at least not alive."
"If we leave, there's a chance we might be recruited by rival arenas, and that's something Bloodhorn can't accept. Some things you can accept not having, but you can't accept your opponent having them while you don't."
Henwell doesn't elaborate further. Whether they grasp the meaning is up to them. This hint is given out of camaraderie, after fighting side by side for two years.
When Scorpion Tail surrendered and was killed, Henwell understood the situation. That's why he broke his own ribs, to feign injury. It's also why he didn't take the full prize money, instead giving it to the families of his deceased companions.
Bloodhorn has already reached a settlement agreement with the five major arenas. They've offered 200,000 gold coins to buy the lives of these young gladiators.
The presence of these young fighters has allowed Bloodhorn to amass significant wealth over two years. The gladiator industry is unique; the market is limited and doesn't grow much. If someone earns more, it means someone else earns less.
Bloodhorn is formidable, having seized wealth from others for two years. But he can't do it forever. Bloodhorn himself is under considerable pressure. Today, the five arenas have united, offering 200,000 gold coins to make their stance clear. If Bloodhorn doesn't back down, they would truly unite to overthrow him and redistribute the market share.
Bloodhorn realizes this, so he negotiated with the arena owners. He agreed to withdraw the young gladiators, allowing the industry to return to 'healthy' competition. In return, the other arenas would stop targeting Bloodhorn and cooperate with him in organizing next year's gladiator tournament.
Thus, after brief negotiations, the fate of the Insect Squad members is sealed.
Bloodhorn's so-called anger is just an act, but what he didn't anticipate is the true prowess of the Insect Squad. If Scorpion Tail hadn't held back, their opponent wouldn't have stood a chance. Scorpion Tail's death put psychological pressure on Tarantula, leading to mistakes in the fight.
Now, with three members of the Insect Squad still alive, they represent a potential risk for Bloodhorn.
Henwell and his team's situation might appear precarious, but choosing to stay complicates things for Bloodhorn. During their recovery, the Insect Squad can't fight, and they certainly can't die under Bloodhorn's watch before buying their freedom.
Everyone knows that if these three youths, who have gathered enough to buy their freedom, were to die now, Bloodhorn's reputation would be ruined. It would also serve as a loud warning to the adult gladiators under Bloodhorn's command. If he can't tolerate these kids, could he tolerate them?
This story has been taken without authorization. any sightings.
Once they're healed, Bloodhorn is bound by his agreement with the other arenas and can't send them to fight. This situation is ideal for Henwell. It offers a safe place to grow, wealth that won't be coveted due to their age, and access to Bloodhorn's network and resources, including rare items like knight's body-strengthening potions.
With so many advantages, why wouldn't Henwell choose to stay a few more years?
Half a month later, both Michelle and Flying Ant decide to stay for the time being. Bloodhorn appears pleased on the surface, but internally, he's cursing the situation. Still, he sticks to the agreement, providing the three with free body-strengthening potions and waiving their living expenses.
Henwell knows that Flying Ant and Michelle won't linger here for long. They're already fourteen, and in a year at most, they'll leave. Henwell, having just turned twelve, plans to stick around for a few more years.
Six months later, Henwell has fully recovered, but as he expected, Bloodhorn hasn't arranged for him to participate in any fights. During this time, Bloodhorn has found ways to eliminate many of the young gladiators, leaving only thirteen remaining. It won't be long before they're all gone.
Henwell has wandered around the city several times, formulating a plan in his mind. He needs some allies, and these young gladiators are perfect candidates. The city, Yinxin City, is only a hundred miles from Billie’s capital, Divine Revelation City.
Many of the kingdom’s noble families have estates outside the capital, and they often come to Yinxin City for entertainment.
Compared to the capital, Yinxin City has a distorted kind of prosperity, where many borderline illegal businesses from the capital take root and flourish. It's essentially a city of sin. The population is sizable, over 300,000 people, half serving the nobility and the other half serving various criminal organizations.
In the city, there are several major factions: the Gladiator Association, Brotherhood, Rat Gang, Fun House, and Meat Stall. The Brotherhood is a protection racket, Rat Gang deals in sneaky operations, Fun House runs brothels, and Meat Stall is involved in murder and robbery. These five groups assist the city lord in managing the city.
The city lord is known as the Marquess of Nothing, a noble without a title, rumored to have connections with the royal family. Henwell has his eye on some business opportunities and wants to position himself to get involved in the future. For this, he needs trustworthy people.
Perhaps Henwell's heart softens, not wanting to see the young gladiators perish, but they also fit perfectly into his plans.
Henwell approaches Bloodhorn, "Sir, I want to buy the freedom of the remaining young gladiators."
Bloodhorn squints at Henwell, "Oh? Can you tell me why?"
Henwell doesn't hold back, "Because they're useful and shouldn't be wasted in the arena's slaughter."
Bloodhorn doesn't press further, simply smiling, "But you don't have enough money! I remember you only have over twenty thousand gold coins. For thirteen of them, even at a discount, you'd need a hundred thousand gold coins! How do you plan to convince me?"
Henwell replies, "I can continue fighting in the arena!"
Bloodhorn strokes his cane, "The Flash, you're a smart guy. You should know I'm phasing out young gladiators. Your offer sounds like a joke!"
Henwell counters, "They can continue living here for a year, during which they won't fight but can help train the young slaves you buy. Young gladiators won't be phased out; only we are. Our presence is unfair to other arenas, but if they train their own, they can't complain."
"Meanwhile, I will continue fighting, lifting restrictions, and can fight adults. As long as they're not champion gladiators, I'm up for it. The other arenas won't oppose this. Me, fighting adults as a youth, is obviously appealing and will surely earn you more."
Chapter 57: The Reason for Staying
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