Chapter 186. The Jungle’s Claws

North of the capital of the Kingdom of Paws stood a magnificent tree unlike the tall evergreens found within the city. It resembled a banyan, but on a gigantic scale, its canopy spanning the width of an entire city. At its center, at the main junction above the trunk, lay a vast arena, surrounded by stands extending along the branches, easily capable of housing a hundred thousand spectators.

From this core structure, five prominent branches rose into the sky like the claws of a cat reaching upward to seize its prey. Each branch held additional arenas at their junctions, along with extensive housing structures built to accommodate visiting competitors and spectators.

At the base of the tree, Bastion and the girls dismounted their carriage and stored it in Bastion’s Inventory before staring up at the sight in awe, just long enough to hear the sound of a man’s scream drifting down from above.

“Ahhhhhh—” Thud.

“Um… welcome to the Jungle’s Claws?” Ariel said as they all watched the man groan before he downed a potion to recover from his fall.

He was a Rank 1 leopard demihuman covered in severe wounds, with patches of fur torn away by deep scratch marks, his coat stained red with blood, and, given his gait, likely suffering from broken bones as well. Still, he simply got up and ambled away, his posture gradually straightening as he walked while the potion took effect and began to heal him.

“So like… it’s a colosseum?” Seraphina asked.

“Yes,” Ariel replied, her excited smile returning. “This is where most Rank 2s congregate in the kingdom apart from the dungeon and earn their fortune if they need large amounts of quick cash. I heard it’s the only place for the public to get Rank 2 slaves apart from buying them from the royals who deal with criminal slaves.”

“I guess it’s a better alternative to criminal slaves who might try to take advantage of Kit once the contract is over,” Lilia said.

“He should be Rank 2 by then,” Bastion said. “Although you might be right if they play the long game. I don’t know Kit well enough to determine how gullible he is.”

“He’s incredibly gullible,” Seraphina said. “Daisy has him wrapped around her finger. If she were just a bit less innocent, he would have a tough life ahead of him.”

“It’s a good thing we decided to go with this option then,” Bastion said as he approached the injured man sitting off to the side on a rock. “Excuse me.”

“Whaddya want?” he slurred through a busted lip.

“We’re in the market for Rank 2 slaves. We heard this was the place to get them.”

“You’re in the right place, alright. Just head up there, shout that out loud, and you’ll get challenged. Win, and you get slaves based on whatever contract they’re offering. Lose, and you pay ‘em.”

“I was hoping for a bit more instruction than that. In exchange, my companion here will heal you completely.”

The leopard demihuman eyed Lilia as Bastion waved her over, suspicion flickering across his face before he leaned back and nodded.

“Alright. You’ve got yourself a deal, stranger. First off, don’t climb up using the rope ladders. You’ll end up treated like a walking pouch of coins, with none of the respect that usually gets you. Second, you’ll want to make your way up Avarice. It’ll be that claw over there,” he said, pointing to the second-tallest branch on the tree.

“Then you’ll want to find a broker to set up a match. They’re usually the fat ones who’re heavily guarded. Pay ‘em nicely, and they’ll take care of everything. Fight, win, and you’ll get your slaves with whatever contract you require. Just make sure to pay ‘em the going rate on top of that unless you want enemies for life.”

Bastion nodded, accepting the information as Lilia stepped forward and cast Mystic Veil, wrapping the man in a thin mist that visibly soothed his injuries. She followed up with Mystic Mend, a concentrated flow of water that gathered around his wounds before glowing and knitting them back together.

“This is just a bit extra as thanks, but don’t go showing off this little one here,” the man said, nodding toward Lilia. “Healers are a dime a dozen, but people will do anything to get their hands on ones who aren’t affiliated with the church, no matter the cost.”

“Thanks,” Bastion said, flicking a mithril coin over to him.

Once the man was healed, he made his way up the tree using one of the many roots reaching down from the branches. It became clear that this was the intended route Bastion and the girls were supposed to take, rather than the wooden staircase spiraling around the trunk or the rope ladders hanging from various establishments higher up.

“I guess we should head over to that side of the tree before climbing up,” Bastion said.

They moved through the sparse forest, hopping over roots and weaving between tree trunks until the undergrowth thinned and revealed a scene that was both depressing and strangely familiar to Seraphina.

Beneath the Avarice Claw, heaps of trash stretched across the landscape. The refuse had clearly been dumped from above, littering the ground around the massive structure. Apprentice-ranked men, women, and even children picked through the piles, searching for scraps of food or anything valuable enough to sell.

The sight reminded Seraphina of the landfills she had seen on Earth. It was no less ugly here than it had been there.

“Such a beautiful jungle, and there’s just a trash heap underneath it,” Seraphina commented.

“What are you talking about?” Ariel asked. “Isn’t that normal?”

“What do you mean normal?” Seraphina fumed. “You think it’s normal to pollute a forest and leave a dump like this to pile up and ignore?”

“Um… Seraphina,” Lilia chimed in. “How do you think that tree got this big in the first place?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, for a tree to reach this size, it takes more than just age. It also needs exceptionally fertile soil. Most of the trash thrown down from above is biodegradable waste, which gradually enriches the ground as it decomposes. Add in the occasional blood and even the bodies that fall from the arena, and the soil becomes incredibly nutrient-rich. This mountain of trash is both its food and the source of its power.”

“What about non-biodegradable plastic, rubber, or other materials?”

“They’re all biodegradable,” Lilia said, raising a brow. “You’re an alchemist. You should know that by now. I don’t know where you got that misconception from, but as far as I can tell, everything in those piles is biodegradable.”

“Seraphina, this is a magical world ruled by ranks,” Bastion said. “In order to reach the kind of pollution you’re worried about, you’d need Rank 3 plastic to even begin affecting a place like this. And I haven’t seen anything like that being mass produced or used here.”

“Oh… I guess you’re right,” Seraphina said, her face flushing with embarrassment. “I probably need to get out more if I’m still thinking with Earth’s logic.”

They made their way through the trash piles and headed for one of the roots that led up to a pathway rather than one of the rope ladders connected to an establishment. Once there, they began their ascent.

Ariel flew effortlessly on her white wings while her air elemental summon carried Lilia alongside her. Seraphina followed using her Scorching Wings, leaving Bastion as the only one who had to climb manually. It didn’t strain him in the slightest, however, given his high Vitality. Even encumbered by his armor, he reached the top without breaking a sweat.

Once they reached the top, they were met with a sight that was both beautiful and grotesque.

The Avarice Claw was the second tallest branch of the entire tree, giving them a clear view of the other major limbs. At the lowest level, the trunk itself supported the largest arena, where multiple battlegrounds hosted continuous clashes between Apprentices.

Above that, the remaining three claws housed Rank 1-specific arenas, each designed around different combat themes. One featured unarmed bouts, where naked burly men and women wrestled or traded blows until one was knocked unconscious. Another focused on armored engagements, heavily reliant on casting, defensive techniques, or high mobility. The last hosted coordinated group battles between teams of five, which appeared to be the most popular arena within sight.

Their own destination still lay further along the branch, requiring a short walk. They moved across the thickened wood where makeshift stalls had been built into both sides of the path. Vendors lined the walkway, selling armor, weapons, food, lodging, and various rare resources, all heavily catered toward Rank 2 individuals.

Unfortunately, their prices were absurd, easily three times those in the capital. It was clear they were relying on convenience to drive profits, likely preying on those with urgent needs.

Eventually, they reached the arena at the top and made their way into the public stands, elevated branches positioned high above the fighting grounds. From there, spectators watched uninterrupted battles between Rank 2 combatants unfold below.

At this level of combat, the difference in expertise between themselves and their target was immediately apparent. Even with their own training and combat experience, it was difficult to confidently say they could win. The combatants moved with a level of refinement and understanding of their own skills that made every exchange feel decisive yet unpredictable.

Rank 2 was the stage where resources and the right environment could directly determine whether someone broke through to Rank 3. And everything about this place suggested it was designed for exactly that purpose. A controlled ecosystem of combat, wealth, and opportunity, where those with enough power could accelerate their ascent.

“I don’t know if we can pull this off,” Lilia said. “They fight so differently compared to us.”

“It should be fine,” Bastion said with a shrug. “We have enough money to lose a few times. We just need to get lucky three times.”

With that, Ariel went off to find them a broker and secure their chance to enslave some Rank 2 combatants, all the while unaware of a certain cheetah demihuman who had been watching them like a hawk since their arrival.

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