The old man, with a key in hand, unlocked the door, urging, "Now, get to it."


    Ty''s mind raced, "That was me, Waddle, even Gears was mentioned, but he was so high up. What''s the deal with him?"


    Catching a glimpse of Waddle, who seemed poised for action, Ty whispered urgently, "Don''t do anything crazy."


    As Ty watched the tall, blond-haired boy move about, examining the chests of the unconscious, a smirk yed on his lips. "I have an idea," he muttered to himself.


    With a subtle movement, Ty channeled his mes through his hands and quietly ced one on the back of the man next to him, who was deeply asleep.


    Just seconds after Ty''s covert action, the man beside him erupted in a scream of agony, his back feeling as if it were aze. This sudden outburst caught everyone off guard, especially the tall, blond-haired boy, who leapt back in rm. Two guards rushed in to shield him, while Ty, amidst the chaos, observed the man''s frantic cries, "My back is on fire!"


    The guards quickly intervened, pulling the screaming man out of the confinement area to examine him. Seizing the moment of distraction, Ty deftly grabbed his and Waddle''s badges, exchanging them with those of two individuals in front of them.


    As the guards conducted a brief survey of the prison environment, the old man mused aloud, "Perhaps we have some fire bugs lurking around?" Despite the incident, he issued an order, "Regardless, guards, please take this prisoner to the infirmary for some ointment and have him back within 15 minutes."


    The guards, acknowledging themand, nodded and proceeded to drag the distressed prisoner away for treatment.


    The old man, finding the situation peculiar yet not allowing it to derail their ns, instructed, "Odd, however, continue with your tasks and get those chips in."


    The blond boy, acknowledging the instructions, began his task with diligence. He searched through the badges until he found Gears. With a precise motion, he injected a syringe into Gears'' wrist, the contents of which glowed green momentarily before the light faded away.


    Ty watched intently as the boy continued to administer the injections to others, under the watchful eye of the old man. When the boy approached the bodies in front of Ty and Waddle, he lifted their wrists. After injecting the first, he was about to proceed with the second when the old man interjected, "Stop, who is that?"


    "He''s uh, the badge tagged as #2?" the blond boy responded, a hint of confusion in his voice as he added, "Isn''t that supposed to be the Demon?"


    The old man rified, "Correct, and tell me, is that the demon?"


    Leaning down for a closer inspection, the blond boy corrected himself, "No, this is a 40-year-old, ah yes, Fregald, the cksmith who helped create weapons for the rebels, I believe, for thest few years?"


    The blond boy, momentarily confused, nced up and noticed Ty pretending to be asleep. "I think it is this boy," he said, hovering over Ty and examining his badge, which read ''58''. "You sure, sir?"


    The old man, eyeing the situation with suspicion,manded, "Put the correct badge on him and administer the injection before he has a chance to retaliate. And remember, if you do manage to kill him, I''ll ensure all your sponsors meet their end, demon."


    Ty,mitted to his act, continued to feign sleep, not giving any indication of awareness. He silently endured the sensation of the badge being peeled off his orange vest, followed by the sharp, fleeting pain of the injection in his wrist. Once the blond boy hadpleted his task and moved on, the old man gave Ty a menacing look. "You will get what''sing to you sooner thanter," he warned.


    After they had exited, Ty broke his silence with frustration, "Damn it, I was sure that would have worked."


    Waddle nced at him, a mixture of guilt and relief in his expression. "Thanks. I feel bad they didn''t notice me, but at the same time, I can''t say I wanted what was injected into you."


    Ty, raising an eyebrow, responded, "You make it sound like you know what they put in me?"


    Waddle leaned in closer, lowering his voice to share his theory. "I have an idea. Whatever they injected into you will probably disrupt your power to some degree while you''re fighting. So, when betting starts flying in during the fights, you''ll be a heavy favorite. And when the underdog takes you out, or one of the others, the kingdom will rake in all that money."


    Ty pondered Waddle''s words, then added, "I think the guy who got the green glowing one will have his abilities enhanced. I''ve seen their armies use them with high sess during raids against the rebels in other ces."


    Considering the broader implications, Ty mused, "It seems the kingdom isn''t as in control of the world as it may seem?"


    Waddle shook his head, a mix of bitterness and realism in his tone. "No, they really do have control. It''s just that there are always people trying to rise up and fight back. I was captured while protecting someone I believed could free this world, and hopefully, help me get back to where I belong." He chuckled, the sound tinged with disbelief, "I never thought I''d get whisked to another world.


    Thought that was all fantasies and stuff."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ty couldn''t help but chuckle in response, a lightness touching his voice. "Yeah, getting sent to other worlds and discovering how much life there is in the universe really jars the mind, huh?"


    A thought struck Ty, prompting a curious inquiry, "Wait, isekai''ed, that''s an odd word. That''s really only used in mangas and stuff, right?"


    Waddle, reclining slightly, admitted with a hint of pride, "Yeah, I love manga. So what?"


    Ty''s heart skipped a beat, the implications of Waddle''s words dawning on him. "Wait, are you from Earth?" he asked, a mix of excitement and disbelief in his voice.


    Before Waddle could confirm, a sudden, violent shake tore through the boat. Apanying the tumult was a roar so ferocious it roused dozens of the inmates from their induced slumber. "What the hell was that?!" Ty eximed, his voice a mix of fear and astonishment.


    Peering through a crack, Ty''s gaze met an rming sight: a massive serpent, its eyes bloodshot and locked onto their vessel with malicious intent. As the creature opened its mouth, a small blue orb emerged, crackling with energy. The orb grew rapidly in size, pulsating with power, before beingunched directly at the boat.