Returning in triumph... But where did you return? Into the cage...

Bloody sand, screams of a raging crowd, rays of the setting sun, warm and humid tropical wind... Well, you were able to win an unequal battle. You had very little chance, but your cunning and dexterity ensured your victory.

You left the arena in triumph. The warrior-jailers have once again shackled your arms and legs with iron. You were taken to a much larger cell. Instead of the small stone room you were in for days, you are now in a room that is almost twice as large. Near the wall you see a spacious wooden bed. In the center of the room there is a wooden table on which there are clay jugs with some kind of drink and clay plates on which there are pieces of fried meat. Judging by the smell, it's pork...

You take a plate of food and sit on the bed. You start eating this meat with great appetite. You reach out for the jug... You taste the drink... It's just ordinary water...

You think: “It would be naive to expect that these scums will give me a taste of wine...”

However, to quench your thirst, what you already have is enough for you.

While you are eating, your sensitive hearing picks up the sounds of conversation of some humans who have come close to the door of your prison cell.

One of the voices clearly belonged to one of your jailers: “Worshipful master Fo-Tzun! This savage tigerman was able to survive two almost hopeless battles! This is a cunning and deadly dexterous creature... It is because of these stunning victories that your bets today were so profitable..."

The second voice was unfamiliar to you. Judging by what you sensed through your hearing and your sense of smell, it was an elderly male human, about 50 years old...

The voice of this elderly man said, laughing slightly: “Heh…. Heh... I always preferred to bet on obvious underdogs in fights that seem hopeless... If the fighter loses, then I will only lose money, of which I have a lot... If the fighter wins, then I will receive an extremely pleasant surprise... Regarding this savage tigerman, I can to say that in addition to dexterity and cunning, a bit of luck helped him... If the minor circumstances of the battle had turned out a little differently, then the bloody corpse of this savage would simply have been lying on the sand... However, luck ends sooner or later. You have to be prepared for this..."

The guard asks: “Are you sure you want to buy this tigerman ****? After these two victories, the value of this **** increased several times..."

The elderly man replies: “For me, its price will clearly not be burdensome. Today I will send my servants to the Disposer of Battles of the Great Arena. They will bring everything necessary... Today the treasury of our blessed sovereign His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire of the Golden Serpent will be replenished with a substantial amount... And I will acquire a good ****, whom I will train according to my “special” methods... His fights in the arena will still bring me a lot of profit... Heh... Heh..."

The jailer says: “Be careful, worshipful master Fo-Tzun... This savage tigerman is dangerous... You will need numerous guards and increased security measures...”

Fo-Tzun replies: “Glory be to Goldenshining Heavenly Overlord! There are enough guards in my mansion... And I have been training slaves for arena fighting for many years... This is my hobby... I would be bored doing just trading and organizing caravans... I have certain abilities to eliminate unpleasant problems when training slaves... You don’t have to worry... »

The jailer replies: “As you say, worshipful master Fo-Tzun... This **** will be delivered tomorrow, accompanied by an armed detachment, to your mansion...”

You hear the sound of footsteps moving away. The sounds of conversation become inaudible to your ears.

You realize that you have been sold to some rich human bastard.

You were sold as a ****.

As a thing.

You slammed your fist against the wood of the bed in anger.

The feeling of your triumph in the arena paled against the background of your humiliating status.

Despite your dexterity, intelligence, and luck, you continue to remain a powerless ****.

And judging by the words that you managed to overhear, you will participate in battles in the arena more than once in order to bring profit to your rich master.

However, you are a fairly cold-blooded person. Therefore, you pacify your anger quite easily.

You think: “I can’t do anything to stop becoming a ****... I can’t... I can’t do it yet... I just need to rest and recuperate...”

You finish your meal and lie down on the bed.

After a while you fall asleep.