Justin and Lila weaved along the periphery of the Floating Market, keeping sight of the crimson-painted barge. Four of Blithe's henchmen barked orders at the chained women, two at the front and two bringing up the rear. They shoved their captives forward, prodding them along a warped dock that served as the market's central east-west thoroughfare.

"All right, they're moving," Justin murmured. "Let's try to intercept them."

"Blithe is staying on board," Lila said, narrowing her eyes. "I wonder why. A trap?"

"I'm not sure," Justin replied. "But if they vanish into the market, we lose them."

Lila nodded. "After you."

As they moved, Justin withdrew his enchanted map. With a tap, the parchment shimmered, revealing the winding corridors of the Floating Market. The slave convoy traced a glowing line through one of the broader arteries; though Master Corvain hadn't mentioned it, the map seemed to interact with the Quest System. It was beyond useful. "There," he said, pointing to a narrow side route ahead. "If we cut through here, we can beat them to the intersection."

"It's amazing that the crown does nothing about this sort of thing," Lila said from behind.

"It seems they've left this place to fester and rot," Justin replied. "But if we can save even a few of them, it's worth it."

At least, that was Justin's hope.

They sprinted down the alley, their boots slapping against damp boards. A few crates, barrels, and hanging fish lined the route, but by sheer fortune, it was mostly clear. They ducked behind a stack of salt-cured netting and waited.

The sounds reached them first—shackles rattling, the dull thud of boots, grunts, and shouted curses. One of the women cried out, and a guard snarled something about "keeping her mouth shut."

Justin peeked. The train was nearing, about twenty women in all, bound in pairs, some barefoot, others in torn dresses or soiled silks. Their expressions were vacant, stunned. The guards were louder now, clearly trying to maintain control.

"Get that harp on standby," Justin whispered.

Lila nodded. "I'm not using it unless I have to. We might need it later."

"Fair enough. Let's get their attention."

Unfortunately, the alley was too narrow and the pontoons too unstable to summon Atlas. One misstep and the construct might topple through the boards or puncture the walkway. This would have to be done by hand.

At the perfect moment, Justin stepped into view. The lead thug, a slab-shouldered man with a lopsided face and a brutish spiked club, froze. His Level 12 Barbarian designation blinked through Justin's monocle. Next to him stood a Level 10 Vanguard with a massive shield and gladius, clearly a tanking class. Two other thugs, a Level 8 Rogue and a Level 9 Warrior, stepped up for support.

"Out of my Netherfucking way," the man snarled. "We're Blithe's men."

Justin clicked his tongue. "That's a shame. I didn't think it was possible to lower the property value further, but here we are."

Before the Barbarian could respond, Justin activated Dandy's Swagger, adjusting his collar with one fluid motion and spreading his arms wide, twirling his Cane of the Drake. Simultaneously, he swapped Affinities, shifting into Seraphis's Clarity. The increased dodge chance would help when outnumbered, and immunity to Mind Control would counteract any nasty surprises.

The thugs hesitated, perhaps due to the Cock of the Walk effect supplied by his Founders' Regalia.

He fixed the Barbarian with a cold smile as he activated Poison Barb. Instantly, the skill provided key information: this man had been exiled from his warband in Calidon after his cowardice in battle, leading to the deaths of many who depended on him. Now he was earning coin as hired muscle.

"Oh, I know you," Justin said lightly. "You're the reason all your friends died after you abandoned them in battle. Must feel nice, dragging chained women around instead. Perfect job for a coward like you."

The Barbarian's face darkened. Rather than being stunned, a bloody red aura erupted around him. His veins bulged, and his eyes flared wide.

"Uh-oh," Lila muttered. "Berserk effect."

The fight began.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

[One charge of Advantage gained.]

The Barbarian roared and charged, club raised high. Justin dodged with Gentleman's Sidestep, narrowly avoiding the impact. His cane lashed out in a tight arc, cracking across the Barbarian's wrist. He snarled, unaffected by the pain.

Behind him, the Vanguard pushed forward, shield raised, attempting to body-block. Justin activated a stored Advantage charge, enhancing his speed by 15%. He slipped beneath the man's guard and jabbed the cane's end into the side of his knee while extending the blade. The Vanguard dropped to one side, howling, as ice spread up the length of his leg. Justin finished him with a precise hit to the head, amplified by A Proper Sendoff. It was enough to crack his skull.

[A Proper Sendoff has been refreshed.]

The Warrior came next, flanking to strike. Lila's knives intercepted the blow, already spinning and responding to her song, which boosted Coordination. Now Level 20, it seemed her Bardic Inspiration was providing a +20 attribute boost. Already heightened by his combat speed boost, Justin was positively flying, his body a vessel of pure precision and agility.

Lila threw in a blur, each blade returning to orbit with whistling precision thanks to her Amulet of Everblade. The Warrior went down.

The Rogue, not liking his odds, tried to vanish into a side alley.

"Nope," Lila snapped. One blade left her hand with a hiss and pinned the man's leg through his calf to a crate. He screamed and dropped.

The Barbarian was still swinging, still under the Berserk Effect. Justin hung back, patiently waiting for the Barbarian to lunge. He didn't have to wait long. He easily dodged, then countered with a leg sweep that brought the Barbarian crashing down. With one last blow to the side of the head, the big man stopped moving.

It was over in moments.

The chained women stared, wide-eyed. One dropped to her knees in tears. Others turned away, uncertain whether to feel relieved or terrified.

"You're safe now," Justin said. "Please stay there for now; we'll get you situated in a moment."

Lila looked around for further threats, but it seemed things were under control for now.

By the crate, the Rogue still howled in pain. Justin recognized Lila's intent to interrogate him for more information, perhaps using a healing potion as bait.

As Lila consoled the women, Justin approached the Rogue, reaching into his pouch and withdrawing one of Eldrin's stronger healing potions. The Rogue reached out for it with dirty fingers, tears streaking down his face. "Please. Mercy!"

"Only if your information is good," Justin said. "I have an ability that lets me detect lies." He focused his razor-sharp Insightful Gaze on the Rogue's face. Even the smallest micro-expression would reveal any deception. "Now, tell me everything you can about your master, and this healing potion is yours."

It took just one cursory read to know that the Rogue was about to spill his guts trying to save himself. "There... are eight more henchmen. He likes to send the women off one group at a time. About forty more left on the barge. Blithe... he's a sly one. He'll trick you good if you try to fight him. If I were you, I'd run."

After further interrogation, Justin decided the man was past usefulness. He pulled out the knife with a yowl, then handed him the potion.

"Get out of Belmora and never come back. Look into my eyes and swear."

"I swear it."

A small tic at the edge of his mouth and a tightening of his brow. Justin's Insightful Gaze confirmed it.

"A shame," Justin said with regret. "This is what I get for trying to show mercy."

Before the man could protest, Justin swiftly and methodically ended his life.

Lila watched with wide green eyes, while a freckled young woman she had been talking with looked on with obvious satisfaction.

"He was the worst of the lot," she said. "You did right."

Justin nodded. He wouldn't allow himself to feel regret over such an action. Now, they had to decide what to do with the Rogue's information, as well as these women.

"My name's Myrelle," she said. "That barge isn't empty. There's more. This was the first shipment."

Justin exhaled. "How many more?"

"At least twice what you see here. And that's just today. These barges keep coming, and people are shipped off all over Serenthel."

"How is this possible?" Lila asked, disturbed. "Slavery is illegal in Aranthia."

Myrelle smiled bitterly. "Doesn't matter. The trade's too profitable. The Watch takes bribes, and the crown pretends this part of Belmora doesn't exist. It's the price of plausible deniability."

Justin's thoughts darkened. Even in his own world, slavery had not vanished; it had merely gone underground. Human trafficking was a significant issue. Here, however, it was barely hidden at all.

He turned to Lila. "We can't stop now."

"What about them?"

Justin considered. Already, a crowd was forming. Well, there was no chance of keeping a low profile. That ship had long since sailed.

His eyes found a larger platform nearby that seemed to serve as a sort of storage depot. It looked empty, at least for now. He was certain someone owned it, but they'd have to deal with that later.

"Head for that storage platform," he said. "I have a construct companion who can watch over you. That platform should be large enough to support it, and he'll keep you safe."

Myrelle turned to the other women. Half were determined, sensing the escape opportunity. Others just looked scared and unsure.

"Come on," she said. "The gods have given us a chance. I say we use it."

They moved over to the platform, and the group worked quickly to free the bindings. A few of the women ran at once. There was nothing Justin could do about that, but most stayed, recognizing that this wasn't a place to be caught alone—especially not with Blithe lurking.

Justin summoned Atlas from his ring, and the spider construct materialized in a flash of light. The women's eyes widened. Atlas surveyed the situation, clicking calmly.

"Watch over them, Atlas," Justin said. "Don't let anyone bother them. I'll be back soon."

He looked at Myrelle, assessing her face. She held her chin high now, her posture regal. "Will you promise to keep them here until we return?"

She nodded, calm and composed. "You can count on me. I was Lady Myrelle Vexhall of House Corrin. Not that it matters now."

Justin blinked. That explained the poise. A fallen noble. Intended ransom, maybe? But it proved that this horror could swallow anyone.

"We need to move," Lila said. "Before it's too late."

Justin nodded. "Let's go."

They made for the barge.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.