Ranking System

After gathering all seven prisoners, there were four males, two females, and one that wasn't identified in either category.

All of them were different, but just because of that, I wouldn't bother remembering their names until I found them noteworthy.

"Prisoners, I have exciting news for you all." I tried to sound excited, but I didn't do a great job considering how some of them rolled their eyes at me. I would have put them in their place if they wouldn't be harmed afterward.

"What? Are you going to let us out?" One of the prisoners said it out of sarcasm. For a prisoner, that guy sure has personality.

"Wow, how did you know?" I told the person with the same vibe. However, their eyes widened in surprise at what I had said.

"Really?" Another person asked, wanting to make sure what I said was true.

"No, you smartass. You will all be used as test subjects. Be grateful that you criminals could become useful for something, especially for my city." I could see their eyes twitch in annoyance at my condescending tone.

"Just send me back to the cell. I have no intention of being used by you." If I were in his position, I would have thought the same.

"What if I don't want to let you back? Some people would dream of living a life like yours—sitting there all day doing nothing and getting fed well. As the city lord, I hate useless people. If any of you decline this experiment, an execution will be held." I meant by what I said that, as the new leader, I took my job seriously.

These prisoners are freeloaders doing nothing because they were deemed too dangerous for our city. I don't blame them for doing nothing because of their restraint, but that's about to change since I'm now the leader.

"Don't look so mad. There's excellent news in all of this. If I take a fancy to some of you, I will allow you to become my shadows."

"And why would we want that?" One of them asked out of contempt.

"That's because you will regain some freedom and the crimes you love so much. I will allow you to commit to them."

"Rape, murder, robbery—do them all for all I care; as long as you don't do it in my city, then I wouldn't do anything to you."

"You will also get the perk of being my backer. Despite being the new lord of this city, I'm well respected and feared; no one can go against me." I have boasted and listed out the benefits of being my subordinate. There were also more benefits that I didn't list out, but I wasn't here to cater to these people.

"I have wasted enough time. We're going to start with the test." With no choice, the prisoners followed me out of the prison and out to the city gate.

After half an hour of walking, we entered the front gate of Chrome. No one but me could see the barrier made of curses, but it was a massive circle that covered the whole city.

"The first test is to use your most destructive power on the barrier I made in the city. If you break it and damage the city, I won't blame you." It would only mean that it was my fault for making the barrier so weak.

"How about a bet? If I break this barrier, you let me free." A cocky criminal said it in a provocative tone.

"Go ahead." I let his shackles loose and let him do what he wanted.

"What an idiot!" Free from his shackles, he went for us instead of going for the barrier, summoning a wave of poison.

"I gave you a chance; don't expect mercy." Doing the same as the prisoner, the poison he used was used against him. I had used the same poison as him, with a stronger output.

I couldn't let my attack harm anyone else just because of this asshole. After my poison overwhelmed him, I shrank it and condensed it into a more dangerous substance.

"Suffer from your own ignorance." I pushed the condensed poison inside of him, which had started to melt his body.

With so much pain, he could even let out a voice. No, I was wrong. His voice became so high-pitched that hearing it was impossible. I felt it only because some of the prisoner's eardrums began to bleed.

Before the prisoner could die, I cursed him and gave him regeneration at the same rate. The poison would melt him.

His skin turned dark green, oozing a disgusting liquid toxin that didn't seem to stop coming out.

"See that? That's when an idiot thinks too highly of themselves. I'm sure you will know what awaits you if you do the same thing as that idiot over there." Six people were enough to test out my barriers.

Instead of stopping the pain, I put him a few meters away in a large container. He would be used as a constant reminder for those who would try to do something funny.

"So, anyone wants to try? The deal I had offered that idiot still stands." I was confident that no one here could break through the barrier.

This time, no one had offered to go first. It was the smarter choice to go last since you would get to know more about the barrier I had summoned. Since no one was going to volunteer, I had to pick one.

"You, the one who gave me attitude earlier, you're going first." He should expect this to happen if he talks back to someone with a higher power.

Those who saw this couldn't help but snicker at his misfortune. Most prisoners had terrible personalities, making it easier for me.

With the prisoner's cuff being released, he stretched his body to be ready for his test. I can't wait to see his reaction to the first level of the barrier.