Arcane: Begging for Help in a Parallel Universe!

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Slaughter Docks, Dock Square.

"These rats really hold a grudge!"

Noticing the dock rats lurking in the dark corners, Link's understanding of these strange, water-dwelling creatures of Bilgewater deepened.

These rats never missed an opportunity for a meal.

Earlier, just a hint of blood on Olaf had been enough to send them swarming like sharks. If someone were to toss out a bone, they'd likely fight even more fiercely over it.

But these dock rats were low-tier creatures. While Zaun's plague rats at least had Twitch to represent them, Bilgewater's dock rats were nothing more than the bottom feeders of the local food chain.

Link, wandering aimlessly through the dock market with Nekko, suddenly stopped. As a vegetarian, Nekko naturally disliked the blood-soaked environment. Her discomfort was so intense that she seemed on the verge of feigning death to express her disdain.

Nekko's version of feigning death was a genuine state of suspended animation, where even her breathing would cease.

It was a self-preservation mechanism.

The reason Link stopped, however, was because they had reached the area where sea beasts were butchered.

A group of dockworkers, chanting in unison, dragged a massive eel-like sea beast from a hunting ship onto the shore. The creature was nearly a hundred meters long, but the slaughtering area was even larger.

The beast's train-sized body was still pierced with harpoons, and blood dripped from its wounds as it was hoisted onto a specialized slaughtering frame.

The frame, more like a rotating rolling pin, was known in Bilgewater as the "Serpent Coil." Its surface was studded with long spikes, each three to five meters long, used to secure the sea beast's corpse.

Beneath the frame was a water channel that led directly to the sea. When filled with seawater, the buoyancy helped the workers drag the massive beasts ashore with less effort.

Otherwise, hauling these enormous creatures onto the frame would be impossible without help from someone like Galio. To Galio, these sea beasts, often dozens or even hundreds of meters long, were little more than toys.

As the workers positioned the eel-like beast under the frame, they hooked its mouth with a massive curved hook and began hoisting it up.

Below, others turned a winch, tightening the ropes to slowly but surely wrap the beast's massive body around the frame.

This was done to drain its blood.

Soon, a butcher wrapped in an oil-stained cloth dragged a massive cleaver over, pushing a wooden ladder into place.

The butcher climbed the ladder and slit the beast's throat. Blood cascaded like a waterfall into the water channel below, which now served as a blood drain, repurposed from its original use.

The overwhelming stench of blood drove away nearby pedestrians. The butchers, now strapped with chains, descended like high-rise window cleaners, landing on the frame to begin skinning the beast. The skin and meat were quickly sent to nearby sheds for rough processing.

"No wonder Pyke is after these people. He won't stop until they're all dead."

Link led Nekko, who was on the verge of passing out, away from the scene. The people of Bilgewater treated the sea beasts as mere livestock, slaughtering them with such efficiency that it was clear this system hadn't been built overnight.

It must have taken years of trial and error to develop the process and facilities Link had just witnessed, which were now standard practice.

As the locals often said, every coin from the Slaughter Docks was tainted. Now, Link could see why.

But this had little to do with him. His next task was to deal with the Butcher's Gang. Once Miss Fortune's informants provided the location, he'd release Pride, handle the butchers, and then head back for dinner.

Link continued wandering the docks with Nekko, waiting for Miss Fortune's people to arrive.

Before long, a young boy approached Link. After a hesitant glance at Link's masked face, he asked uncertainly, "Mr. Link?"

"That's me."

Link looked at the boy and asked gently, "Did you find them?"

"They're gathered in the slaughterhouse. No one's come out all day. I don't know what they're doing."

"The slaughterhouse?"

Link raised an eyebrow. The so-called Butcher's Gang was nothing more than a group of lowlife butchers. By day, they were hardworking dockworkers, slaughtering sea beasts.

By night, they became street thugs, waiting for unsuspecting victims.

They were a minor nuisance in Dock Square.

With Miss Fortune busy consolidating other forces, she didn't have time to deal with these small fry, leaving the task to Link.

Following the young informant through the winding alleys, Link and Nekko arrived at the slaughterhouse.

Located at the edge of the Slaughter Docks, near the anchorage and mudflats, the abandoned warehouse was covered in bloodstains that refused to wash away. The broken floor at the entrance was also stained with blood.

"Sir, they're inside."

Link tossed a silver serpent to the boy. "You're done here. Go home and have dinner."

"Thank you, sir!"

The boy quickly hid the coin and scampered off, disappearing into the alley.

"A sharp kid."

Link, still holding Nekko's hand, approached the slaughterhouse door. As they neared, a roar filled with resentment and despair erupted from inside.

"No!!"

The roar was abruptly cut off.

Hearing this, Link raised an eyebrow and released Pride, instructing him to open the door.

"Seems someone beat me to it."

Pride exhaled a puff of steam, preparing to open the door, when Nekko, who had been listless, suddenly perked up. She leaped onto Pride's head, balancing with her tail and standing firmly on his massive cranium.

The little troublemaker placed her hands on her hips, playing her favorite role.

"Who's not afraid of Nekko now?!"

"Hey!"

Pride glanced at Nekko, annoyed, but with Link nearby, he simply tore the warehouse door to shreds with a single swipe of his claw.

Stomping into the warehouse with heavy, impatient steps, Pride entered the dimly lit space. The central water channel, used to drain seawater, was surrounded by hooks hanging from the ceiling.

Abandoned tools were scattered in the corners, and the sand-covered floor had lost its original color.

Ahead, low, angry muttering came from a slaughter shed. Link signaled Pride to stop and approached the shed, pulling out a grenade.

Pride waited outside as Link lifted the shed's curtain and peered inside.

On a table piled high with golden serpents, two men sat, teeth clenched as they stared at their cards.

Beside them lay several corpses, and blood-stained cleavers rested within arm's reach.

Across from them sat a portly figure in a gentleman's hat, licking his sausage-like lips. His beady eyes gleamed with greed and cunning, and his mouth was filled with uneven, sharp teeth that gave him a menacing appearance.

Two comical whiskers framed his mouth, one adorned with a golden ring.

He wore a coat stitched together from two overcoats, as his massive frame made it impossible for his stubby arms to carry anything.

"Well, well, new guests!"

The catfish-like figure noticed Link and grabbed a handful of coins, offering them with a grin. "Care to play a few rounds?"

"Guaranteed profit!"

The fat catfish, playing with a handful of golden serpents, smiled warmly at Link. But to Link, the sight was anything but comforting.

This had to be Tahm Kench. It just had to be!

"What kind of luck do I have?"

Link muttered to himself. Of Bilgewater's four terrifying legends, he had now encountered three—all except Nautilus.

As for playing a few rounds with Tahm?

The two butchers at the table, their expressions and eyes already twisted with desperation, were proof enough of the danger.

One of them, clutching his cards with a white-knuckled grip, growled through gritted teeth, "I can win this! I know I can!"

"As long as I have chips!"

The other butcher, noticing his companion's gaze, tensed and gripped his cleaver tighter.

Link, fiddling with the grenade in his hand, pondered his earlier idea.

Could his magic infect and control a demon like Tahm? And if he added his soul fragments, could he achieve permanent control?

As Link mused, a roar snapped him back to reality. One of the butchers, brandishing his cleaver, shouted at his companion, "Give me your money! If I have it, I can win big!"

"Why don't you give me yours?"

The other butcher shot back, raising his own cleaver.

"My hand's not bad either!"

Tahm watched the scene with glee. In his perception, the greed in these two men's hearts was growing, while despair slowly pushed them to the brink.

This was his favorite feast!

The very scenario he loved to see!

Tahm, the master manipulator, needed only a slight nudge to turn these men against each other over a handful of illusory coins.

The last one standing would be his dinner for the night.

As Tahm eagerly anticipated the outcome, he noticed Link standing at the shed's entrance. His eyes lit up. Perhaps tonight, he could enjoy two meals!

One as an appetizer, the other as the main course!

Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 156 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 180 power stones I will publish the next chapter.