Slaughter Preparation

After several hours of non-stop work, Rick finally paused to catch his breath. Sweat soaked his face and clothes that were already dirty with dust and metal rust.

All his work was also almost done, but as usual, most of the work was his own effort. Bruno and his men only pretended to be busy, mostly chatting while hurling insults at him.

"Hey, Rick! You're like a tireless milk cow, huh," taunted one of Bruno's men. "When did you realise that you're just a slave here?"

"Hahaha! "

Loud laughter filled the room. Rick continued to ignore it. He straightened his back and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze straight ahead, acting as if nothing had happened. But in his heart, the embers of anger continued to burn.

Loud laughter filled the room. Rick continued to ignore it. He straightened his back and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze straight ahead, acting as if nothing had happened. But in his heart, the embers of anger continued to burn.

Bruno, who was still sitting leisurely on the rusty iron chair, joined in with a cynical grin. "Look at him, standing like a hero, when he's just a slave. I'll say it again for you Rick, if you're willing to submit to me, you don't have to work that hard, you can also relax like us."

Rick did not reply. Instead, he stepped towards the pile of iron that he had just tidied up. His hand moved slowly, selecting an iron bar. He tried it in his hand, feeling its weight and balance.

The rod wasn't perfect, there was a bit of rust on the end, but it was strong enough for the purpose he had in mind.

Rick smiled slightly as he looked intently at the iron rod he was holding.

'This will be perfect, this will work well' he thought with a satisfied grin.

All eyes were now on him. Rick felt the atmosphere around him suddenly change, he felt like a deer being surrounded by a herd of lions. Bruno and his men watched his movements sharply, looking at him with suspicion.

Rick still continued to focus on the iron rod in his hand. He twirled the rod, as if just making sure it was good enough to use. But in his mind, a battle plan was taking shape.

For now, Rick knew that he could not kill Bruno and his men. It was too risky for him. That was because this prison had strict rules, and killing here could mean harsher punishment or even death. But, revenge doesn't always have to end with life.

He also realised that the Hofund Sword, the sword that was still inside his storage dimension, could not be used right now. If he suddenly took the sword out of empty space, everyone would be suspicious. Bruno and his men would definitely ask a lot of questions. And Rick didn't want to take that kind of risk.

So, for now, the skills he had acquired were enough. With a little strategy, and even if it was only using an iron bar, he was confident that he could change the hierarchy that had been oppressing him.

Bruno chuckled, noticing Rick who was still holding the iron rod. "What do you want with it, Rick? Do you think you can fight us all? You're still too weak to be able to fight us all."

Rick looked at Bruno calmly. His deep blue eyes seemed to radiate something new, something Bruno had never seen before, a calmness that seemed cold and determined.

"Don't worry, Bruno," Rick said, his voice sounding calm yet resonating with a hidden power.

"I just picked the right tools for the job."

Bruno squinted, feeling something was different. But before he could respond, Rick was already back at work. However, this time there was something fruitful. Rick's every move seemed to be filled with confidence.

~o0o~

Rick wiped his hands slowly, making sure nothing was left out of today's task. His eyes looked sharply at Bruno and his men gathered in the corner of the room.

Picking up the long iron rod he had previously selected, Rick grasped it with his right hand as if it were his Hofund Sword. A faint smile was painted on his face, full of confidence but also cold, making the atmosphere of the room that had only been quiet become full of tension.

Bruno, who was still sitting on a discarded iron chair with his men, noticed Rick's change in demeanour. He laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the cramped room. "Rick, you're joking, right?" asked Bruno, still chuckling. "Look at you. Standing there like a cheap hero, holding that iron rod like a knight. Do you think you can fight us all with that?"

Several of Bruno's men began to stand up from their positions, raising their respective iron bars in a threatening gesture. They smiled mockingly, some of them even laughed softly. But Rick remained motionless, still holding the iron rod in his right hand casually.

"You really don't know your place, Rick," Bruno said again, his voice getting louder. "I tried to be nice to you, but you want to play hero? In this place, there's no CCTV. There's no warden who's going to come rescue you. If you die here, it's your own fault."

Rick finally opened his mouth, his voice low but firm. "I don't need anyone to save me, Bruno. Especially from someone like you."

The room was instantly silent. Bruno squinted his eyes, trying to make sure that he heard correctly. But Rick didn't stop there. He took one step forward, then raised his iron rod slightly.

"You know how different we are?" Rick continued. "You think you can rule everyone with fear. But me? I'm not afraid of anyone, especially not a coward who only takes action when there are twenty people behind him."

Those words were like a whip that instantly provoked Bruno's emotions. He clenched his fists, while his men began to move closer to Rick. But they were still waiting for orders from Bruno, who was still standing still, watching Rick hatefully.

"How dare you talk to me like that..." Bruno finally said, his voice almost a whisper but filled with anger. "You're really asking to die."

Rick shrugged, a cold grin returning to his face. "You've said that many times, Bruno. But I'm still standing here."

The air between them felt even heavier. Some of Bruno's men seemed to be exchanging glances, trying to guess what would happen next. But Rick didn't give them time to think any longer.

"You all always feel on top, don't you?" Rick said, his voice a little louder this time. "Always utilising your numbers to put pressure on others. But here I am, alone. I want to see if you're still brave when one by one you start to fall."

Bruno laughed sarcastically, trying to hide the tension that was starting to creep into his mind. "You talk big for someone who's at the end of his life."

"But I'm still alive, Bruno. And you know what? This is only the beginning." Rick raised his iron rod, spinning it once in the air with a light motion. "Now, who wants to try first?"

Bruno growled, but he held back. He knew that one wrong move could give Rick the advantage. Meanwhile, Rick remained standing where he was, his eyes watching every little movement of Bruno's group.

The tension reached its peak. There was no sound other than the roar of breathing and the scraping of the iron bars on the floor. Rick knew that the time was near, and he was ready to face whatever would happen. But for now, he let the tension continue to heat up, making his opponent even more impatient.