Welcome To Prison [1]: Locked With An Enemy

"Get your asses moving, maggots!"

A prison guard screamed at the prisoners pushing the mine carts full of ore. Ash, dust, soot, you name it. Every toxic hazard you could think of in a mine was present, prisoners struggling not to fall to their knees and the ones who do get severely lashed by the guards. No one was exempt—man, woman or child

"*huff huff huff"

"Are you okay, little Arc?"

A slender blond haired guy asked

"Don't call me little..... and I'm fine, I can still keep going"

"Don't push yourself too hard. You still have that fight later today"

"*Sigh— Don't remind me"

"Hahaha, Just try your best not to die"

"Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence"

Arc replied sarcastically. They concluded their mine work soon after and headed to the cafeteria for lunch

"Hey isn't that...."

"Yeah... I feel bad for the kid"

"....."

Murmurs from all directions, the topic of conversation—Arc Stollen.

[Look who turned into Mr Popularity overnight, haha]

"Sigh—"

It's only been 5 days since Arc got thrown in the mines and he's already neck deep in trouble.

*************

5 days ago

*CLINK

Something resembling a slave collar was placed on the necks of Arc and the other prisoners.

"I'M NOT SOME DOG! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

A tall, bulky oni exclaimed with burning fury

"Know your place, prisoner!"

"Don't you dare tell me what to—"

The man fell to the ground and didn't move again, he was dead.

"*GASP— YOU BASTAR—"

Rei attempted charging at the guard but was held back by Yuki. The prison guard smiled

"As you can see, not just does this collar prevent you from using ygg, it contains a deadly poison that kills the wearer instantly which we can activate at any time. Oh, if you try tampering with it, you'll die as well"

He stepped into Rei's personal space, trying to provoke him. The oni growled in anger but didn't take the bait.

"C'mon, stop looking at me like THAT"

*THUD

He hit Rei in the head with a baton and blood started dripping out from the temple to his lips.

"Hahahaha, aren't you going to fight back?! Sigh— TAKE EM TO THEIR CELLS!"

The man's subordinate led us through a hallway while explaining the rules of the prison.

"Y'ALL ARE REQUIRED TO GET UP AT 4 AM AND MINE TILL NOON, LOWLIVES LIKE YOU DON'T GET TO EAT BREAKFAST! AT NOON, YOU REPORT TO THE CAFETERIA FOR LUNCH AND YOU HAVE FREE TIME TILL THREE O'CLOCK...."

We arrived at the stairs to the respective cell floors and the guard stopped to look at a signboard

"Well, for those of you scheduled to enter the black room, you report there immediately after lunch. The prisoner numbers of those scheduled are displayed on that board over there. Faliure to attend results in extra punishment"

The prisoners noticed people exiting a dark door with the sign "Black Room". If there was something those people had in common, it was that there were all missing at least one body part. This sent a chill down the prisoners spine.

"Get a move on, LOWLIVES! From three to six, you're to report for volunteer work and dinner by seven. The open air bath is open from six thirty till eleven, it's the only luxury you deadbeats are going to get, so enjoy it!"

He started filling the new prisoners into cells

"Prisoner Number 11036, 11037, 11038.....get in here!"

He kicked Arc, Rei and another oni about the same age as Arc into the same cell.

*WHACK

A resounding kick landed on Arc's face, making him hit the bars.

"Rei, calm down"

The short oni said, holding Rei's hand.

"I'm calm Shu, I'm incredibly calm.... I'm just going to calmly KILL THIS BRAT"

He was about to pounce on Arc but was suddenly grabbed from behind by someone— it was a middle aged woman with a prisoner number 3752. Apparently, a prisoner in that cell

"Well aren't you a hottie?"

The woman had a point. With his silky blue hair, deep-azure eyes, handsome face, pale, smooth skin and slender but perfectly toned physique, he seemed more like the protagonist than our overlord fledging.

Rei felt a chill run through his as he jumped in embarrassment

"W-W-What are you doing?"

"Fufufufu, you haven't been touched by someone of the opposite sex before?"

"N-No, what I mean is—"

*CLAP.

The resounding clap reverberated through the cell, drawing everyone's attention to the blond haired guy on the top bunk of the second bed with the prisoner number 793.

"Alright, let's all stop there"

He got down from the bed and calmly smiled at Rei.

"You'll have to forgive Melissa, she's kinda awkward.... but that's the only way she could think of to stop you two from fighting—"

"—who are you calling awkward?!"

Melissa retorted, sinking the blond haired guy into her huge bossom. He couldn't escape her embrace but managed to shift his head into a position where he could breathe.

"Anyway, I don't know what history the two of you have outside this place, but in here, we're cellmates, comrades. It's dog eat dog in here which is why it's good to have people you can trust, so why don't we all get along"

"Tch"

Rei stomped to the first bunk bed and lay down on the bottom bunk. Arc breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for that. Mr..."

"Stark. Alfred Stark... And this beauty is my girlfriend, Melissa Hale"

"I'm Arc, Arc Stollen"

"Stollen, huh?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, never mind. Nice to meet you Arc"

They shook hands. The young ogre chimmed in with his own introductions

"I-I'm Shuichi Izanagi, 9 years old. My favorite food is sushi over rice, my favorite person is Rei, my....my..."

He was frantically thinking of other things to say which caused the other three to laugh a little in unison. Arc put his hand on Shu's shoulder

"Nice to meet you, Shuichi"

"Uhmm"

Shuichi nodded nervously.

"Now that everyone's properly acquainted, y'all need to find a place to volunteer today otherwise you'll get in trouble. I'll help you guys out, so c'mon. That includes you too, Rei"

He concluded while facing Rei. Shu pulled him out of bed and the three went together. With Alfred's help, Shu got a job at the prison library while Rei and Arc at the kitchen.

"Play nice you two, once we're done for the day, let's all go to the open air bath..... Look forward to it, it's a mixed bath"

"Why exactly should I look forward to...that?"

"HAHAHA, There are just some things kids can't understand, be seeing you"

Once Alfred left, the two stood there in awkward silence. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

"So...."

Rei ignored him and got to work. Arc sighed and decided to do the same. Rei was exceptionally good at washing dishes, however, his cooking left much to be desired— the cook collapsed after a single bite.

The rest of the day was rather uneventful and they all went to the open air bath later that night to soak away their worries.

"Huh? Arc, where's Rei"

"Why are you asking me like I'm his keeper?"

"So.....where is he?"

"In bed. Said he'll take a bath later"

"I see..."

*************

4 days ago

"Arc, wake up"

"Uhmm...five more minutes"

"Hey, C'mon, get up before..."

"WAKE UP, SCUM!"

*WHACK

The resounding whip from the warden made Arc jump off his bunk, hit the ceiling, then fall to the ground.

*CRACK

He was stomped by the boot of the female warden, Rose the moment he hit the floor with cracked a few ribs.

"GET YOUR ASS TO THE MINES, SCUM!"

Arc walked sluggishly with his cellmates over to the mines— he caught Rei giggling at his pain in the corner and frowned.... His giggling stopped suddenly once they passed the signboard.

Both Arc and Shu were scheduled for the black room today.

"Are you an oni, Arc?" Alfred asked curiously.

"Huh? No, why?"

"Hmmm..... well usually, onis are the only ones who get scheduled for the black room, it's weird for your number to be up there"

"Hmmm.... Is that so?"

"Well, head over there to confirm, just in case. Usually, anyone who skips out are tortured for days"

Arc recalled his time in the previous torture room and shook his head furiously. Mine work was harder than expected, 8 hours of mining without breaks had the new prisoners falling to their knees a few times, after which they are struck by the prison guards spells or attacks and forced back to work.

Arc managed to survive after falling over 30 times and headed to the cafeteria for lunch then to the black room entrance with Shu where other people were gathered.

"Prisoner number 11038, head into Room 17! 11036, you're coming with me!"

Shu parted ways with Arc and went through the entrance. Rose took Arc to separate room deeper inside and opened it. There he saw—

"Ms Selene?"

He resisted the urge to charge and smack her because of the collar

"Good afternoon, Arc. How nice to see you again"

She said with a smile as she got up from her seat. She signalled for the warden to chain him up then walked slowly towards him, her fingers brushing past the numerous torture devices beside her.

She looked at him in the eyes with her warm, beautiful smile as she said

"Now then.... Let us have some fun"