Chapter 9: Broke into a Human Trafficking Cult

Selina made her way through the dark, winding streets, keeping to the shadows as she moved. The moonlight barely illuminated the path ahead, but her enhanced senses allowed her to navigate with ease. As she walked deeper into the poorer districts, the air grew heavier, thick with the scent of decay and neglect. This part of the city was far removed from the polished streets of the noble quarters, the cobblestones cracked and uneven, and the buildings loomed like broken husks.

She knew the cult operated in secrecy, hidden among the common folk. But Selina had a few tricks up her sleeve. Over the course of her training, she'd learned how to read the faintest traces of mana in the air, a skill she'd rarely used before. Although she didn't have the keenest sense, the cult was just the first obstacle of the game and served more as a meet cute than anything, she'd doubt that it would be the most difficult mana to trace. 

Selina closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel the subtle pulse of magic that had seeped into the surroundings. It was faint, but it was there. An almost instant nauseous feeling hit her right in her core, the mana was musty and impure, ew. She held back her disgust and followed the pull of that energy, she soon found herself in front of an old, crumbling building at the edge of the district. It appeared abandoned, but the quiet hum of mana told her otherwise.

This was it.

Selina approached cautiously, ensuring there were no guards or prying eyes. She pressed her hand against the cold stone wall, feeling the faint residue of magic seep into her fingertips. There was a barrier, but it was weak, likely put in place to discourage curious wanderers. Selina had no intention of backing down now.

"How do I tackle this?" Selina murmurs to herself. Should she try to break it through brute force? No, that would cause to much noise. As of now, her fireball skill was level 5, a few would probably be enough to deal with this. Selina's mind races, what would be a quiet way to get rid of this barrier? Anything fire related would be too loud and possibly a bit too dangerous, she didn't what was flammable and what wasn't. 

An idea pops in her mind suddenly. Selina takes a deep breath and starts visualizing. She summoned the translucent blue ball of warmth from her mana pool, shaping it, letting it shift and morph as she focused. Her concentration sharpened as it transformed into a thin, blade of air. She opens her eyes and sees… nothing, no shit, it's air. A faint breeze stirred around her hand though and she encased it in mana, now solid and sharp as a knife.

She took a steadying breath, focusing all her energy on the blade of air in her hand. With a swift motion, she brought it down upon the barrier. The air hissed as it sliced through, the barrier shuddering under the precision of her strike, before crumbling away silently. Neat, she dealt with her first problem.

Selina braces herself as she quietly enters the den of the wolves.

"Holy shit." Selina mumbles under her breath. She directly entered a massive colosseum and human trafficking ring. 

What greeted her was nothing short of a nightmare, a grotesque spectacle she hadn't anticipated. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, metal, and blood.

Before her sprawled a massive colosseum, its stone walls towering high above, lit by flickering torches that cast long, eerie shadows across the uneven floor. The arena stretched out like a scarred battleground, filled with cages, shackles, and chains that rattled ominously in the dim light. Broken, weary figures were confined in iron bars—some slumped on the floor, others pacing with desperate eyes. These were the people, the ones who had been stolen, trafficked, and trapped in this hellish pit.

The atmosphere was suffocating, charged with a dark energy that sent a chill down her spine. Crowds of masked figures filled the seats of the dome, watching with sickening excitement. The sickening noise of their laughter and chatter filled the air, their voices a dull hum of malicious intent. Selina finds a random seat and observes what she was hearing and where those voices were targeted to.

"White Fang, sick him! I placed a good amount of money on you!" 

"My child's academy fund is relied on you!"

"Rip his shirt off!"

"Rip his head off!"

"Fiery Beast, don't disappoint me!" 

"Cmon newcomer!"

Selina's ears are assaulted by disgusting words. White fang is probably the white-haired individual to the right of the chained arena. Scars muddle his body, his face, what Selina can discern was at one point an attractive one, was distorted with blood and nasty scabs. Seemingly a seasoned veteran in this shitty "game". To the left was a noticeably clean individual, Fiery beast, most likely a new or at least, newer fighter. His hair was a plain brown, a strike contrast to his fiery, ruby-red eyes. 

Amidst the chaos, a strange man appears on a high platform. He is dressed impeccably in a dark tuxedo, his presence somehow both refined and unsettling in this grotesque setting. His attire is sharp and crisp, the tailored fit contrasting with the grim surroundings. But it's his mask that truly catches Selina's eye, a featureless, porcelain white face with delicate, hollow eyes. The mask is smooth and unblemished, save for a thin, jagged crack running from one cheek to the other, giving it an almost eerie, lifeless appearance. The smile carved into the mask is slight but unsettlingly wide, as if it were permanently frozen in a state of mockery. 

He raises a hand, and immediately, the crowd falls into a heavy, expectant silence. "Welcome, esteemed guests," the man announces, his voice smooth and melodious, yet carrying a chilling undertone. 

"Tonight, we have a special treat for you. A new contender has entered the ring, a fresh face, eager to prove their worth." He gestures toward the two combatants, drawing the crowd's attention back to the battle. "Let's see who will rise and who will fall. Remember, my friends, this is no ordinary game, this is survival. Enjoy the show."

The crowd erupts in applause, their excitement palpable as they watch the fighters square off. Selina feels a wave of disgust roll over her, but she forces herself to remain still and observe.