Chapter 75 The Fatal Cost Of Distraction

When Crusher had saved Lenny's life, the two of them had to circum navigate through a longer route before coming back to meet up with his gladiator friends.

Within that long time he was gone, one of the Preying mantis Insects had discovered the hiding points of the Gladiators and relayed the message to Old man Buckle.

Insect B was injured and in her angered state, she wanted nothing more than to kill the Gladiators. However, Old man Buckle had advised against it.

Instead, he made a deal with the Gladiators, guarantying their lives if they led Crusher and Lenny to him.

The Deal was struck and the gladiators seeking freedom from this hell hole chose to side with old man Buckle and Insect B.

Then again, this was the post apocalypse. Friendships were very strong bonds, but that also meant that Betrayal hurt just as much. And in all honesty, it happened a lot of the time. Of course the reason for this was simply because benefits may align for a while and then take a different direction along the way.

These men were tired of running and hiding. The freedom they sort after escaping the Arena was not what they thought it would be.

Of course, it was fun initially, but a life in the Arena was looking far better than this dump they were living in.

At least there, they was constant food and they had time to themselves as long as they made their demon masters satisfied.

It was true. These men preferred the Slavery they had always known for most of their lives over the hard freedom they had always sort after.

However, that life was no longer theirs to enjoy.

The punishment for escaping the Arena was nothing nice. It was death accompanied by incredible pain and suffering.

for this reason, they had no choice but to settle for what they could get, which was the freedom from the Chimera ant caves, and if sacrificing just one person to see that happen was what needed to be done, then so be it.

"Crusher, you have to forgive us. Its for a good cause!" one Gladiator informed him.

Crusher coughed up some blood, while old man Buckle Laughed loudly.

This was just as he had expected things to go.

Lenny sighed at this. Such was the way of human beings. This was just one of their many failures as a specie.

Sacrificing a friend or loved one for a particular reason and convincing one's self that it was for a good cause.

This outcome as far as Lenny was concerned, was not all that surprising.

Many times in his line of work, many people had to work with had Betrayed him, and them he. It was just the way the game worked.

By now, Giant Preying  Mantis insects were already gathering around the place.

these were not the younger looking type that Lenny was used to killing.

They were the grown type. The ones that had black and red Carapace.

Formerly, Lenny could not see their stats, but now that his strength had been multiplied several times, he could now see it.

<Name: Preying Mantis>

<Race: Chimera Ant>

<Level: 16>

<Rank: Nil>

<Strength: 300>

<Agility: 800>

<HP: 500/500>

<EXP: Guided by instincts>

<Abilities: Piecers Snap>

Lenny frowned at this.

All around, they were at least a hundred of these creatures, and they were worth the strength equivalent of person early in the B rank.

This was the reason why all the other times, he could not see their stats.

It was also the reason why the creature had snapped those Gladiators that chased after him in two like scissors cutting paper.

They were just that strong

"Buckle! just as agreed upon, once we hand them over to you, you will let us pass and leave this damn place.

"Of Course, you can leave!"

The Gladiator smiled.

He grabbed Crusher by the arm and then pushed him forward. Only this slight moment made Crusher cough up some more blood.

Old Man Buckle grabbed crusher by the arm and then he moved aside for the gladiator to passed.

The Gladiator sighed at this. He was finally going to leave this place. He had been through a lot of things. Being given the opportunity to finally leave this place felt like a smile from the angels.

However, just as he took his first step towards the cave, his head was suddenly displaced from his body.

However, his body walked a few steps unaware of the missing head, before it suddenly wobbled realizing that it could no longer see the direction to the path it was taking.

A jet of blood like an erupting volcano rushed out of the headless neck, showering the body with its red fluid that had always remained within the barraged of veins and arteries.

The body wobbled a bit and then with a Pulp, it fell to the ground.

A head fell to the ground and rolled over facing them.

On it was still labeled the smiling face, about to enjoy the experience of its freedom.

Unfortunately that would forever be a pipe dream that would never be reached.

This was the fate that he was now relegated to.

the shock of this, was a lot for the other Gladiators to take in.

However, that did not stop old man Buckle from laughing to his heart's content, "well I said I promised to allow you, I never said anything about them!"

He pointed to the Giant Preying Mantis that had sliced off the gladiator's head like it was a fruit ninja. A very popular game in Lenny's former world.

Assassins were masters of body language and they used its effects in every association and encounter.

for example, through the shock that had just happened, Lenny sensed the presence of an opportunity.

Using the opportunity of distraction that had presented itself, Lenny bit into the hand holding his neck like a glutton hungry for the taste of meat. As the Gladiator's hand loosened a fair bit, he took advantage of the split second reaction to pain and grabbed the face of the Gladiator holding him in place.

*SLUSH!!*

A Piecer appeared from the storage unit from his palm, stabbing right into the eye of the gladiator.

"AHHH!" he had been taken unaware and he screamed.

However, Lenny was not done.

Squatting low, Lenny kicked his knees, and as they gave way for him to fall, Lenny had already placed another sharp piecer on the ground.

As the gladiator fell, another Slushing sound was heard as the piecer went through one side of his head and out the other.

Just because of a minor distraction, he had died like he was a regular man with no power or ability. Just because he had allowed himself to be unfortunate enough for Lenny to take advantage of this moment.

<Congratulations, life Essence absorbed>

<+6 Agi>

<+ 4 stre>

<+6 Sta>

<+10 Exp>

<Congratulations Level 12 Unlocked>

As the ever familiar tune  of alerts played in his head, Lenny had already waved his hand in the direction of the other Gladiator.

This one was the one with only one hand.

Amongst the three gladiators, he was the only one still remaining.

A piecer blade was let out, and it zipped through the air, right for the man's throat.

However, the Gladiator leaned to the side and dodged.  The knife only barely scraped past his neck.

He turned to Lenny's direction, "You missed!"

Lenny smiled, "are you sure," he pointed down words. There, a knife was heading for the Gladiator's chin.

See, while Lenny was taking advantage of the distraction, Crusher also did the same thing.

He quickly removed the Blade that had been stabbed into his body. He used it as a weapon and sliced off his own hand that old man Buckle was holding, right from the elbow down.

This had taken old man buckle by surprise.

Of Course, Crusher could have just tried to cut off old man buckle's hand and not his. However, at this point, he was not at all sure what other thing was inside the old man's body, and was not willing to risk it.

That was why he cut his own hand.

He immediately did a quick forward roll at exactly the same time that Lenny threw his knife.

Just as Lenny pointed to him, he had already stabbed the gladiator in the throat with the same knife he had used to cut his own arm.

The gladiator gagged a bit before he fell to the ground, never to rise again.

Lenny looked at the dead man and sighed.

That was such a waste of good life Essence that could improve his strength. But anyways, it was needed. Especially because of what was going to come next.

Crusher tightened the muscles in his arm and the blood stopped bleeding.

He stood to his feet beside Lenny.

Now, it was both of them Versus old man Buckle and the swarm of Preying Mantis Chimera ant....