Rebellious Grey: The Demon Girl Rises from Slavery
In the city of Granveld, where human greed turns flesh into currency, demons are born already condemned. Gurei—thirteen years old, horned, hungry, and utterly alone—has known nothing but the stinking gutters of the Ash Bottom slum. When a bounty hunter's iron grip drags her from the rain-soaked streets into the slave market's cold machinery, she is stripped of her name, her rags, and what little freedom she had left, reduced to nothing more than "property" to be priced and sold.
But something b
Rebellious Grey: The Demon Girl Rises from Slavery - Fangs of the Pillory—Mocked Despite Being Mere Bait
The arena's underground reeked of blood, sweat, and fear again today.
Cold droplets fell from the stone walls and traced down the soles of bare feet. Gurei walked the dim corridor feeling the weight of the collar around her neck. The black iron ring biting into her throat—she had lost count of how many times she'd felt it. Even so, until the day this collar came off, she had no choice but to keep walking.
(I don't like it.)
Deep in her chest, that word was burning.
Match after match, victory after victory. The spectators' bets had begun to gather on her, and Varudo, the arena's promoter, could no longer ignore this small demon girl. But that also meant more eyes were now fixed on her—people looking to take her down.
"Hey, Gurei. Your opponents today are a four-man team."
From the end of the corridor, one of the attendants called out. In his hand was the usual cheap short sword—a lump of iron with a blade about a foot long.
"Your opponents are human men. Trash who got caught for sexually assaulting boys and girls. They've been pent up in their cage every night, stewing in frustration. Do me a favor—suffer long and die slow."
Gurei took the short sword and gripped it without a word.
(Four, huh.)
Numbers didn't matter. She just had to kill them.
"...Where's Kain?"
Her voice was low and dry.
"That brat? He's helping with the matches today—should be near the cages. Don't know why I care, but you're awfully friendly with that kid. You two demons comforting each other or something?"
Gurei glared at the attendant. Killing intent smoldered in her dark purple eyes.
"...Shut up."
The attendant flinched for a moment under that gaze, but quickly snorted.
"Hmph, whatever. Let's go."
Gurei started walking behind the attendant.
She stopped in front of the door leading to the arena.
Beyond the door, she could hear the crowd's murmur. Today again, thousands had gathered—people hungry for blood.
(Kain is nearby.)
Gurei found herself looking toward the cages without thinking.
She remembered the boy's moist, pale violet eyes.
"I thought your horns were cool."
Those words still lingered deep in her chest.
(It doesn't matter.)
(I just have to survive.)
Gurei reversed her grip on the short sword and pushed the door open.
Brilliant light and thunderous cheers swallowed her whole.
Gurei stood on the arena's dirt floor.
The stands were full again today. Nobles and commoners, men and women, old and young. Everyone's eyes shone with hunger for the killing about to begin.
And from the opposite side of the arena, four men were dragged out in chains.
They were middle-aged, greasy, ugly men.
One had a bald head and bulging eyes. One was fat with a protruding belly. One was skinny, with only his eyes glittering unnaturally. The last was a large man covered in scars across his face.
All of them were criminal slaves caught for sexually assaulting boys and girls.
Since being sent to the arena, their days had been nothing but pent-up lust. When their eyes found Gurei, they glistened wetly with vulgar desire.
"Hey hey, today's opponent is that demon brat?"
The bald man licked his lips.
"Heh, those horns are nice. Grab those horns and give it to her from behind with everything—"
The fat man let out a filthy laugh.
"But wait, she's won a bunch in a row, right? Isn't that bad news?"
The skinny man said uneasily.
"Don't be stupid. She's just a kid. With four of us, we can handle her however we want. Besides—did you see that little demon brat next to her? That one's exactly my type."
The scarred man pointed at Kain, who stood near the cages.
"Ah, that kid? Heh, I'd love to dress him up in a little nightgown and pound him senseless."
"But if we take his virginity, we get executed on the spot, right? We can't just rape him."
"That's why we win the match. Win, and beat those brats to death in front of the crowd. That's the show. The audience'll love it."
"Right. First we smash that horned brat's face in, then we stick it in. Break her bones until she can't resist."
The four of them raised their filthy laughter.
Their conversation reached Gurei's ears clearly.
(Those pieces of trash, going after Kain—)
Something blazed up deep in Gurei's chest.
Rage.
She tightened her grip on the short sword.
"...I'll kill you."
A low growl escaped her lips.
"All of you. I'll kill every one of you."
From the stands, cheers and jeers poured down like a waterfall.
"Demon brat! Die today!"
"Those men said they're gonna torture the kid to death! Can't wait!"
"Suffer long and slow! For my bet's sake!"
Gurei heard the voices like distant noise.
Her eyes were fixed straight on the four men.
(These bastards are trying to make prey out of me and Kain.)
(Then I'll devour them alive.)
Clang, clang, clang—the bell for the match to begin rang out.
The four men were unchained and released into the center of the arena.
They carried no weapons.
They intended to beat Gurei to death with their bare hands.
"Heh, kid, be a good girl. I won't hurt you."
The bald man crept closer.
Gurei raised her short sword.
(Here they come.)
The four exchanged glances and lunged at Gurei all at once.
One from the front, one from the right, one from the left—and the large scarred man circled around behind.
Coordination.
They had rehearsed this many times in their cage for this day.
Gurei dodged the front man's charge by leaping sideways.
But the man from the right grabbed her arm.
"Gotcha!"
The fat man's sweaty hand dug into Gurei's slender arm.
Gurei swung the short sword wildly.
But the man from the left swept her legs out from under her.
"Take that!"
Gurei's body hit the dirt.
In that instant, the large man behind her locked her in a hold.
"Guh—!"
The man's boulder-like arms squeezed Gurei's small body.
"Heh, caught you. This brat's lighter than I thought."
The scarred man's warm breath fell on the nape of Gurei's neck.
Gurei struggled desperately.
But against the weight and strength of four grown men, a thirteen-year-old girl's body couldn't resist.
"Hey, stop struggling!"
The bald man tore the short sword from Gurei's hand.
"Heh, now you're completely bare."
The fat man let out a filthy laugh.
"Now then, shall we peel off those dirty rags first?"
The skinny man reached for the cloth wrapped around Gurei's chest.
"Stop—!"
Gurei's scream was drowned out by the men's laughter.
Riiip.
The sound of cloth tearing echoed through the arena.
Gurei's still-childish chest was exposed before the crowd.
"Ooooh!"
The stands erupted.
"Look! That brat's got a surprisingly womanly body!"
"Heh, her chest is still small. But that's what's good about it!"
"Show us more! Humiliate her more!"
Gurei gritted her teeth and glared at the men.
(I don't like it.)
Rage and humiliation threatened to turn her mind white.
"Hey, don't get cocky, you feed."
The bald man tapped Gurei's cheek lightly with his toe.
"A demon brat like you wins a few in a row and thinks she's hot stuff. Today I'm gonna break that arrogant nose of yours."
"That's right. You're here to be used for our sexual relief. Understand?"
The scarred man whispered into Gurei's ear.
"...I'll kill you."
Gurei growled.
"All of you. I'll kill every last one of you."
"Heh, you can still talk big in this situation? You can't move anymore."
The fat man grabbed Gurei's hair and forced her head up.
"Hey, show the audience properly. Show them your embarrassing body!"
Gurei's face was forced toward the stands.
Thousands of eyes licked over her exposed chest.
"Woo woo! What a view!"
"Will that brat cry? I wanna see her crying face!"
"Hurry up and violate her! This isn't a show!"
Gurei bit down on her lip.
The taste of blood spread through her mouth.
(I won't cry.)
(I will never cry.)
(Like I'd show these bastards my tears.)
Her dark purple eyes were burning.
She who had kept winning was now, for the first time, thrown to the ground and humiliated before the crowd.
That fact wounded her pride deeply.
But more than that, rage coursed through her entire body.
(I'll kill these bastards.)
(I will absolutely kill them.)
(I'll return this humiliation a hundredfold.)
That was when it happened.
"Gurei!"
The boy's trembling voice rang through the arena.
Gurei looked toward the voice.
Near the cages, Kain stood with a pale face.
In his hand, he gripped a small short sword.
"Gurei! I'll save you!"
Kain ran out into the arena on shaking legs.
"Hey, kid! You're a menial worker! Don't come out here!"
The attendant ran to stop Kain.
But Kain didn't stop.
"Gurei! Gurei!"
Choking on tears, he ran to Gurei's side.
"Heh, what's this, that kid? A friend of yours?"
The skinny man let out a filthy laugh.
"Perfect timing. Let's torture that brat here too, together."
The bald man crept toward Kain.
"Come here, kid. I'll mess up that cute face of yours real good."
Kain, trembling with fear, raised his short sword.
"D-don't come closer! Don't touch Gurei!"
His voice was close to a sob.
"Heh, feisty one. But can you even use that short sword? Can a brat like you stab a person?"
The bald man easily knocked Kain's short sword away.
"Ah—!"
The short sword fell from Kain's hand onto the dirt.
"See, told you you couldn't use it."
The bald man grabbed Kain's slender neck with one hand and lifted him up.
"Gah—!"
Kain's body lifted into the air.
His pale violet eyes welled with pain.
"Kain!"
Gurei screamed.
(These bastards, even Kain—)
(I won't forgive them.)
(I will absolutely not forgive them.)
A flame of rage blazed through her entire body.
At that moment, the scarred man holding Gurei was distracted by Kain and loosened his grip slightly.
(Now.)
Gurei didn't miss that instant of opportunity.
She threw her head back with all her might.
Crack!
Gurei's skull slammed into the scarred man's face.
"Gwaaah!"
The sound of the man's nose breaking echoed.
Blood sprayed.
The man's hold released completely.
Gurei rolled across the ground and snatched up the fallen short sword.
"...All of you. I'll kill every one of you."
Her voice was terrifying—as if it echoed from the depths of the earth.
"W-what the hell, this brat—"
The fat man backed away.
Gurei reversed her grip on the short sword and glared at each of the four men in turn.
"Do you bastards understand what you've done to me?"
Her dark purple eyes glowed unnaturally with rage.
"You touched my body. You tore off my cloth. You slapped my cheek. And you laid hands on Kain."
Gurei stepped forward.
"For those crimes, every one of you will pay with death."
She kicked off the ground.
"Eek!"
The skinny man screamed.
Gurei lunged first at the bald man who had been holding Kain's neck.
"Gah—!"
The short sword plunged deep into the man's stomach.
"GYAAAAAH!"
The bald man screamed and released Kain.
Kain fell to the ground.
"Kain, stay back."
Gurei pulled the short sword from the man's stomach.
Blood gushed out.
"N-next is you."
She set her sights on the fat man.
"H-help me!"
The fat man begged the stands for help.
But no one helped.
Rather, they were ecstatic at Gurei's counterattack.
"Do it! Kill him!"
"That brat's terrifying when she's angry!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The crowd's cheers pushed Gurei forward.
"Die."
Gurei drove the short sword into the fat man's chest.
"Guhboh—"
A clot of blood spilled from the man's mouth.
Gurei twisted the blade.
"Gah... ah..."
The fat man's eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
"Two left."
She fixed her eyes on the skinny man and the scarred man with the broken nose.
"H-hiii..."
The skinny man had collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out.
"P-please! Let me go! I was wrong! I won't touch you again!"
The man begged for his life, tears and snot streaming down his face.
Gurei approached him silently.
"P-please! Help me! I'll do anything!"
"Anything?"
Gurei stood before the man and looked down at him.
"Ye
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