Coincidentally, when the warden said those exact words, he looked to his left before standing up. “Oh? Now isn’t this amazing… we’ve already arrived.”

On the seemingly smooth surface of the white wall, he dragged his palm, only stopping once he heard a clicking sound. Slowly, Noah watched as his fingertips sank into the wall, forming a handle of sorts for the warden to use. “Let’s enter, shall we?” he smirkingly said.

The veins on the warden’s arm started to pop, and his sinewy muscles began to bulge. Creak…! The wall like a door started to creak open as he pulled it his way.

Once it fully opened, it showed that the door was located in the upper right corner of the room. Tiles filled the floor, and a singular powerful dome-shaped bulb hung at its center. Although it couldn’t illuminate the entire space, it did shine upon a wooden pole embedded just below it.

Using his other hand, the warden extended his index finger in the direction of the room. Understanding what he meant, Noah entered.

But as he took his first step, the warden said, “You see, I don’t want anyone to know what happened that night…”

What Noah noticed inside was a few items, primarily ropes, bats, and maces smothered in a crimson-like liquid. When he turned his head towards it, he saw a row of weapons and torture devices drenched in the same liquid.

The warden followed him in, both arms extended in the air as if about to make an announcement to a large crowd. “So welcome… welcome to the paradise of the slaves. Also known as ‘hell’ to your kinds of people. But I will utilize this place to silence you.”

Both what the warden said and what he saw sent shivers down his spine as he was instructed by the warden who stood next to the weapon piles, scrutinizing a wooden ax. "Slave, could you stand by the pole?”

Filled with anxiety and distress, Noah knew he had no choice but to comply and started to head toward the pole. He was then followed by the warden who hulled a thick long rope.

He sat down while the warden unclasped his shackles, drew his hands behind the pole, and tied it.

After binding Noah’s hands, the warden returned to the row of weapons. On the other hand, Noah started to cut the rope with a thin metal wire he had picked up moments before in front of the pole.

He started to think to himself – If I can get this off, a fast break towards the door could let me out of here.

However, while examining a kunai that had a bandage tied around its hilt, the warden started to mumble to himself. “I really do hope you don’t try anything, after all, I need to silence you. And trying to escape will just worsen the matter, both for me and for you...”

Just as Noah was about to cut through the first layer of rope, the warden began to toss the kunai in the air. “You know, I was ordered to not kill you.”

But around the fifth toss, he caught it mid-flight and made a fast turn. “But I really wonder how you’ll react to this.”

Noah had been staring at the warden the entire time, and when he turned around, for a split moment, his body and face turned black and distorted. His eyes lit yellow and began to leave trails in the air, and bloodlust filled his countenance as he threw the knife.

In Noah’s point of view, the kunai traveled slowly through the air, much like how everything moves slower in the face of death. But it didn't hit him; instead, it landed a few millimeters above his head.

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“Consider this… a warning for when you plan to make this harder for me.”

He returned to rummaging among the heaps of objects, deciding which to use. But as the kunai was still embedded on the pole, Noah almost hesitated in doing his plan. He knew, though, that if he didn't carry it out, he'd be beaten half to death, and the only reason he'd still be alive would be because of Herod's order.

The warden picked up a wooden stick that resembled the black metal baton that hung around his waist. "This looks fine..." he thought aloud as he began to swing it around. “Doesn’t seem too strong, so I’m sure this won’t kill you, right…?”

He began to stroll nonchalantly toward Noah, and when he came close, he came to a halt. It came back, the black and distorted image, as well as his bloodlust visage. He then hoisted the wooden stick high in the air with his right hand, its barrel close to his face as he whispered, “Clench your teeth,” before swinging the stick towards Noah without any supporting motion.

Just barely in time, Noah clenched his teeth and ducked his head. Only narrowly avoiding the hit, however, the repercussions would’ve been severe if he hadn't. From the knife up, the wooden pole shattered and flew quite a distance.

While it flew, the knife dislodged from the pole and punctured one of the room's walls, and the tip of the wooden stick was likewise splintered into several pieces.

"And… Again...!" The warden was in the same posture as before, about to strike another blow. But, before he could, Noah managed to cut through the last layer of the rope and sprinted towards the door. However, when he slammed the door with all of his built-up momenta, it had no effect.

When he turned his head back, the same splintered wooden stick flew at him at breakneck speed. Although it didn't touch him, it punctured the wall just to his right, which was too close for comfort.

He continued to desperately push at the door, but when it didn't budge, he stuttered uneasily, “W-why isn’t it moving at all…!”

“You must’ve thought I was some idiot not noticing the metal string in front of you. But I must say, I'm impressed you got through phase one."

Noah’s adrenaline in his body began to course through his vein, and his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest.

The warden approached Noah slowly as he placed his right hand in his pocket. He inserted an iron screw between his middle and index finger’s intermediate phalanges before flicking it towards Noah.

The screw easily pierced Noah's bicep almost instantly, which in turn made him scream in agony, “AHHHHH!”

The warden ignored Noah's cry, merely placing his left palm over his left ear, and using his other to get another screw from his pocket. He slid the screw in between his middle and index finger’s proximal phalanges and the flat head against his palm. He tightened his fist and drew closer to Noah, winding his right arm.

Once again, in Noah’s point of view, the warden turned into some sort of a demon. His white teeth and yellow eyes appeared to glow as his body began to be engulfed in distorted darkness.

The disturbing atmosphere in the air was as if the apex predator of a food chain went hunting for prey.