The Ashen Dominion Chapter 3 - I’ll Punch You

"I'll take him."

"He'll make fine entertainnt."

The man in the funny hat said as he looked straight at , his lips curling into a sly smile.

And upon hearing his words—

"B-But... Sir! He's violent, as you can see!"

The fat pig imdiately protested, his voice laced with frustration.

'Bruh, why are they talking like I'm so feral cat and this guy wants to adopt ?'

I deadpanned in my head, watching their weird-ass conversation unfold.

Anyway—

"..."

The man in the hat shot the pig a glare.

"...!"

The fat bastard instantly flinched, his whole body stiffening.

And just like that—

"..."

He lowered his head, swallowing whatever protest he had left.

And before he could even utter another word—

"He's exactly what I need. What are you even talking about?"

The man with the top hat declared, his voice filled with amusent.

Then, with a smirk—

"Are you still bitter because he punched you and kicked your balls?"

He added.

"..."

I blinked, my eyes shifting toward the fat bastard.

And seeing his face—

"Gurgh..."

I watched as his teeth grinded together, his entire expression twisted with annoyance.

'Bingo, huh?'

I mused, realizing that the man in the funny hat had hit the exact nerve.

Then—

"I'll just pay extra for him. Just let him go."

The hat man said that so casually, like he was talking about buying a loaf of bread.

And at his words—

"Huh?"

The pig's face lit up. His head shot up as he looked at the man with wide, eager eyes.

"Are you sure?"

He asked, voice almost trembling with excitent.

And simply—

"Mhm."

The man with the funny hat nodded in response.

"..."

The fat pig fell silent.

But then—

With a greedy smile stretching across his sweaty face—

"Okay! He's all yours, Sir!"

He announced, practically beaming.

And at that mont—

"Hey, the fuck are you two talking about?"

I finally spoke up, a deep frown on my face.

"Huh?"

"Hm?"

Both of them turned their heads toward .

And then—

"I'm buying you."

The man in the funny hat casually declared that, tilting his head at .

He said it like it was so obvious and I was weird for asking that.

"HUH?!"

I exclaid, completely baffled.

But before I could even process it—

"Make him shut up."

The pig waved his hand dismissively as he said that.

And imdiately—

BAM—!

"GARGH...!"

I felt a sharp impact on my nape.

A wave of dizziness slamd into .

And the last thing I heard before my vision turned black—

"Now, let us look at your other products."

The man in the funny hat said that, his voice fading into the void.

And that's the last thing I rembered—

"..."

I passed out.

...

...

...

*****

Later...

I regained consciousness.

I had no idea how much ti had passed, but as soon as I did—

"Urgh...?"

I groggily opened my eyes.

Thud—

"Ouch...?!"

My entire body jolted as I bounced slightly, my bottom slamming hard against the wooden floor.

"Huh?"

Startled, I quickly scanned my surroundings.

And that's when I realized—

"The hell...?"

I was inside a small, enclosed wooden cell.

And it was moving.

So I guess I'm being transported sowhere.

My expression quickly darkened.

"Ugh... Just great..."

I grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on my back.

Then, like a flood, the last mory before I blacked out rushed into my mind.

The mont I was bought like livestock by that man in the funny hat.

Like I was so sort of product, so disposable object.

'Damn, wait... No, animals are treated better than how I was back there. I was treated like fucking garbage.'

My hands instinctively clenched into fists as anger surged inside .

'Pieces of shit...'

I cursed internally.

But then—

"Haaa..."

I took a deep breath and shook my head, forcing myself to calm down.

'Think. Process things first.'

I needed to understand what was happening to right now.

And so, I started piecing everything together what had happened so far.

'I got stabbed by two robbers on my way back to my apartnt, and after that...'

"I died..."

Or so I thought.

'I suddenly woke up in that rundown, barn-like facility.'

And based on the treatnt I received there and what was happening inside—

'That place was definitely a slave shop.'

I imdiately concluded.

Which ant—

"I... beca a slave?"

My brows furrow in irritation as I mumbled that.

But nevertheless—

I continued recalling the events.

And this ti, I lowered my gaze to my hands.

"..."

They were... small.

Way too small.

And they didn't look like my hands at all.

Fwip—fwip—

I quickly scanned through the rest of my body.

No stab wounds. No scars. Not even the faintest mark of the injuries I knew I had sustained.

My body was thin—almost unhealthily frail.

Like I had been starved.

Even my voice sounded younger when I spoke earlier.

So although it's hard to believe...

'This is probably not my body.'

I ca to that conclusion.

And as crazy at it sounds—

That was the only explanation I have for all of this.

And if that was the case—

A much bigger, far more unsettling question surfaced in my mind.

And with that question—

"Am I even still on Earth?"

My frown deepened.

If I wasn't in my own body, then did that an I had... possessed soone else?

And if that were true, then wasn't it also possible that I was in an entirely different world?

I exhaled sharply, feeling the beginnings of a headache forming.

I didn't have enough information to confirm anything yet, and that frustrated .

"Tch..."

I clicked my tongue in irritation.

"If only there was soone I could ask questions to..."

I muttered under my breath.

But then, just as I said that—

"Hey."

A voice rang out from above .

"...?"

I blinked and looked up.

And there—

I saw a young man, maybe around 18 years old, standing over .

Now that I paid attention, I realized there were five of us inside this wooden cell.

They weren't the sa people from the slave shop.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I hadn't even noticed them until now.

And then—

"What the hell have you been muttering about since you woke up? You're annoying ."

The guy scowled down at , arms crossed.

His voice was full of arrogance.

I imdiately noticed how ragged and filthy his clothes were—just like mine.

He was in the exact sa situation as .

A slave.

So, what the fuck was with his attitude?

Why was he acting like he was above ?

With an annoyed frown on my face—

"Why don't you mind your own business?"

I shot back at him.

And at my words—

"..."

His expression twisted.

And without hesitation—

FWOOSH—!

BAM!

A fist suddenly slamd straight into my nose!

"URGH—!"

A sharp pain exploded in my face, and I imdiately felt warm blood trickling down from my nostrils.

I barely even had ti to react before—

FWIP!

The guy grabbed by the collar and hauled up.

He was bigger and stronger than the body I was currently in, so he lifted up effortlessly.

And as I dangled inches from the floor—

His face ca close to mine.

"Know your place, kid."

He sneered.

"In this cell, I'm the strongest—the oldest. I'm the boss here. So don't fucking talk to like that."

His breath reeked as he spoke, and I felt his spit hit my cheek.

Disgusting.

And then—

"During the whole trip, you obey my words unless you wanna get beaten like a dog. Got it?"

He declared, his grip tightening.

I stared at him.

Then—

BAM!

"Ugh—!"

He suddenly shoved back, making stumble into the corner of the wooden cell.

"Fucking idiot."

He spat, before turning his back on .

"..."

I wiped the blood from my nose.

And as I sat there, leaning against the cold wooden wall—

Fwip—

My hands curled into fists.

But instead of anger...

A smirk crept onto my face.

And opening my mouth—

"There... I have it. Soone I can ask questions."

I muttered that to myself.

"..."

I glanced at the other three people inside the wooden cell.

They were all just kids.

All boys, ranging from around 14 to 15 years old.

Their expressions were indifferent, but I could sense it—

The faint traces of fear and worry in their eyes.

No wonder that bastard from earlier was so cocky.

Everyone in here was just a kid.

'Including myself...'

From what I could tell, the body I was in was probably around 15 years old too.

But that bastard...

He made a miscalculation.

There was one thing he didn't know—

"I'm not a fucking kid..."

I mumbled under my breath.

I wasn't about to cower just because soone was bigger—older.

And so—

"..."

I looked at his back again.

Fwish—

I stood up.

The space inside this cell was small.

He was only a step away from .

TAP—

I took a step forward, positioning myself right behind him.

And without hesitation—

FWIP—!

I grabbed the back of his head, fisting a handful of his hair with my right hand!

"Urgh...?! WHAT THE FUCK?!!"

He snarled in anger, trying to look at .

But before he could even do anything—

Bam!

I kicked the back of his knee!

"Ugh?!"

His leg buckled, his balance collapsing beneath him.

Then—

With my right hand still gripping his head—

BOOM—!

I slamd his face straight into the wooden wall of the cell!

"GAHHH?!!"

His skull rattled from the impact.

Blood splattered from his nose and mouth.

And just to make sure he'd stay down—

I yanked his head up—

BOOM!

Then smashed it into the floor this ti!

"..."

The bastard went limp.

His eyes lost focus, rolling back slightly.

His mouth hung open, drooling with his saliva and blood.

He was out cold.

'That should do it.'

I thought.

Then, turning my gaze toward the three other kids—

"Hold him down or I'll punch you."

I ordered that.

"...!"

Their eyes widened in shock.

And almost imdiately—

FWISH—

They scrambled to restrain the unconscious bastard beneath .