Chapter 98: Bandit Hunting (2)

[ Name: Ren Arken

Age: 14

Race: Human

Strength: 400,000 (+4,300,000 [Mana])

Agility: 500,000 (+7,300,000 [Mana])

Vitality: 1,000,000 (+10,200,000 [Mana])

Mana: ~~~

Spiritual: ~~~

Intellect: 700, 000

Unique Skills:

-Magic cards -appraisal -evil gaze -strengthen -leap -basic magics -Magic mastery -Grimoire of death -Real Clone [Heavenly Slime] -Eye of Wisdom -Sword God -Fenrir Arken -Predator of the sky -Wild Beasts Skills -Knight’s soul -Defiler of the banished, Ataraxia -Slime Soul Diversion -Slime technique: Split -Tarot Emperor -Master of The Dragon King, Atlas]

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Oz finishes cultivating when it’s almost dawn and wakes up the others to continue their journey. But different from what Oz said before, Oz doesn’t use his shadow clone to drive the wagon, just like the day before, Oz becomes the coachman and drives the wagon.

Different from the day before, today, Alfred sits next to Oz as Oz drives the wagon. Saying that he wants to sightsee the forest, Alfred sits next to Oz with a strange smile. Hearing Alfred’s motive, Oz remembers that back then at his former world, he used to like sightseeing at the zoo.

“What is it, Alfred? You look like you have something to say to me,” Oz says without turning his head to Alfred.

“You’re very sharp, Ren,” (Alfred)

“……….” Oz remains silent.

“You’re sharp about people’s thoughts, but it doesn’t mean we couldn’t notice a change on you. What happened, Ren? It’s rare for you to be so gloomy. It’s disheartening to have our leader depressed like that,” Alfred said with a low voice, ensuring that the others don’t hear what he says.

“Is it that obvious?” Oz asked with a wry smile.

“Yes, your back usually shows your great confidence. but I couldn’t feel any of that today,” Alfred said with an unusually serious expression.

“If there is anyone who displeases you or hurts you, you could always tell me, Ren. I’m more than glad to help you finish them, Sen, Edreale, and I owes you a lot anyway,” (Alfred)

“It’s fine, Alf. I think I miss my homeland a little bit,” Oz said with a smile.

Even though Oz smiles, Alfred could still catch a hint of loneliness from his face. Alfred didn’t know where Oz’s homeland is. Since he’s afraid that Oz might have some bad memories at his past that make his identity such a mystery, Alfred decided to stay silent.

The journey continues, Oz removes the sad air surrounding him and act like normal. The next night watches are shifted fairly, but even though everyone had been given the shifts fairly, Oz never slept as he always cultivates every night.

Oz’s been itching to cultivate since he first knew that he entered the sword saint rank. Oz could feel that all of his senses had gotten sharper, and his perception had become even more. Watching Oz that keeps on cultivating, Alfred and co got flabbergasted when they saw Oz’s progress, in just three days, Oz’s mana cultivation level at the sword saint rank had almost approached their level. Afraid that Oz will soon catch up with them, even the fatty Albus decides to cultivates too along the journey.

On the fourth day, they finally met the sign that they’re going on the right way.

“We’re surrounded,” Said Oz with an indifferent voice. Normal people will have their tension hyped if they were facing what Oz and co are facing right now. But for Oz and co who already entered the sword saint rank, dozens of bandits won’t even bother them.

“Then we’re on the right path, what should we do, party leader? should we attack them first or will we wait until they attack us first?” Alfred asked Oz with a low voice as he prepares his dagger.

“Hm… I would love it if we could finish them right here and right now, but there is a possibility that they disguise themself as merchants and get us framed by saying we suddenly attacked them. It will be best if we let them attack us first to ensure our proves,” (Oz)

“You mean… there are merchants that collaborating with them?” (Peter)

“I see…” Alfred suddenly mutters to himself.

“Do you got it, Alfred?” (Oz)

“Yea… Since Sen, Edreale, and I are mercenaries, I understand what you mean, Ren,” Alfred said with a nod.

“What do you mean? Mercenaries… Ah!” Edreale that quite quick-witted immediately grasped Alfred’s meaning.

Sen thought for a while and closes his eyes with a nod when he understands at almost the same time with Edreale while folding his arms.

“What do you mean?” Asked Albus.

“If you have a group of bandits with a lot of people, where will you get your food from? Your pieces of equipment? And where will you sell the loot you get from plundering people? That what Ren means by having a connection with some merchants,” Alfred explains to Albus, Peter, and Seraphina.

“I see… Indeed… There will be no benefit of looting if there is no place you could sell it at, but if there is one, it could become a mutual relationship,” (Peter)

“Yes, but there is also a possibility that the lord of the Bareland city has a connection with the bandits, and he’s using the bandits to fend off and harass his enemies from entering the city. By using the bandits, he could monopoly the city’s market and become the sole producer,” (Oz)

“I see… It indeed makes sense,” (Edreale)

“There might be other possibilities and other suspects too, but for now, the one I hold my suspicions the most is the city lord, since he seems to be the one holding the most benefits from this, and it’s way too strange for a huge city to be unable to fend off the bandits,” (Oz)

“But doesn’t the city lord lost his elite soldiers together with the mercenaries paid by the merchants because they attempted eliminating the bandits?” (Seraphina)

“I believe there is when the real play started, I believe those merchants also sent their trusted and high ranked bodyguard to ensure the winning possibilities, it will be a perfect chance for the city lord to eliminate his enemies force in that attempt. If my deduction is correct, then the elite knights of the city lord must be hiding at the bandit’s base right now,” Explained Oz.

“Oh! It looks like they’ve finally prepared to attack. Prepare guys, there is about 60 of them, three of them are at the sword saint rank, others could just be considered as cannon fodders, sharpen your sense but don’t make them sense our awareness,” (Oz)

Following Oz’s words, Alfred and co prepare their weapons while acting like they didn’t know the bandits’ presence. Oz had already withdrawn Fenrir and Reo as they liked to sleep inside Oz’s consciousness more, it turns out that Fenrir had grown tired of being shaken while sleeping because of his keen sense as a dog.

“They’ll attack soon. Alfred, Edreale, silently reduce their number from the shadows, Albus and I will give support from behind, while Sen, Peter, and Seraphina face the sword saints,” Oz give out instructions.

“Now!” (Oz)

Together with Oz’s voice, Alfred and co’s movement harmonized with the bandits attack, making the bandits to get startled and give the initiative to Oz”s party.

Taking advantage of the startled bandits, Edreale and Alfred disappear using their stealth skill, while Oz cast restricting vines that suddenly appear from the ground and the trees and makes all of the bandits divert their attention from Alfred and Edreale. Since they’re in the middle of the forest, Oz didn’t want to damage the forest and make fire by casting fire-type magic.

“Remember, Alby. Don’t use any fire type magic, we mustn’t damage the forest,” Oz warned Albus.

“Roger that,” (Albus)

Seraphina, Sen, and Peter face the sword saint bandits while the rest of the bandits got handled by Alfred and Edreale that attacks from the shadows. Just like his nickname, Alfred lurks in the shadows normally while finishing several bandits in seconds, Edreale is also skilled, but she hasn’t reached Alfred’s level yet.

The sword saint bandits realized that their pawns had all been knocked down and quickly got panicked. They only got instructed by their boss to kill some kids from the magic academy but no one said that all of the kids will be at the sword saint rank!

Since Peter and Sen had fought together with Oz longer than Seraphina, they’ve taken some pointers from Oz and imitated some of his moves with the sword. Even though the bandits had the same rank level as them, the bandits should have more experience than them but Peter and Sen face them calmly and took less wasting moves as they strike effectively.

Different from Peter and Sen that almost defeat their opponents, Seraphina is having a rather hard time with her opponent. She has the endless cold sword with her, but if she uses that skill, it might expose her identity when she disguised herself as an assassin and she didn’t want to be too dependant on it.

After Peter and Sen defeated their opponent, all of them watched at Seraphina’s battle. The bandit has his rank the same with Seraphina but he has more experience and confidence than her. Taking advantage of that, Oz knew that the bandit will try to use Seraphina as his bargaining chip to flee.

“Princess, you’re taking your time too long, his defense is weak at his left side, just focus on attacking at his left side and finish the battle,” (Oz)

Oz’s words are like the scythe of the grim reaper for the bandit.

(All of them are sword saints, but even though they’re kids, they defeat us very easily! And how could he know that I’m weak at defending my left side when I’m the one who keeps on attacking her!?) (Bandit)

“Hmph! I knew that!” The ice princess snorted as she dashes towards the bandit and her eyes turn very cold, startling the bandit.

(Wha!? Those eyes… Shit! She’ll attack my left side) (Bandit)

Since the bandit had a slow response when defending his left side, he took a defensive stance for his left side in advance to ensure his speed. But.

(What the hell!? A thrust!?) (Bandit)

Surprisingly, rather than attacking the bandit’s left side, Seraphina gives a quick thrust aiming at his chest.

Clank!

!!!

The bandit had closed his eyes as he accepted death, but the pain he’s waiting didn’t come.

“What are you doing, Ren?” Seraphina’s voice that filled with a hint of surprised sounded.

The bandit slowly opens his eyes and he got surprised when he saw the scene before him. Oz deflects Seraphina’s sword with his staff while holding Alfred’s dagger at his left hand and putting it in front of the bandit’s neck.

“Now, old bandit. Will you give us information or die?” (Oz)