44 Facing the Bandits

Brado let out a pained cry. A saber slashed across his right shoulder until it reached his original chest wound. Blood was everywhere and not just from Brado. Though Artio still held the advantage, Brado's skills with the saber still surpassed Artio's, allowing him to at least leave his killer with some injuries.

"It's time Brado, give it up!" Artio wasn't happy. A cornered opponent on his last legs was indeed the worst kind. Brado knew he would die, either way, so he had intentionally taken some of the blows and attacked in place of blocking. Artio had almost lost the use of his left arm from one of those exchanges, dragging the fight out even more.

"Ha! You were so determined to kill me earlier, but now you don't even finish me off? If you think I'll just hand my life over, you've got another thing coming," Lifting his saber with his weak yet resolute hands, Brado prepared to continue his resistance.

The crowd of mercenaries began to get antsy. Artio had promised to finish Brado off quickly but seeing the undying will of their now former commander they began to admire Brado. Some even wished that Artio would perish in the fight and would rather have a straightforward leader that doesn't hide his schemes from them. Those thoughts soon came to an end when the fight did.

Artio was more careful now, avoiding his opponent's reckless behavior. As swords competed with each other constantly, Artio drew a poison-laced dagger with his left hand. Using his remaining strength, Artio forced himself in close to Brado. As they pushed each other apart, Artio received a small gash in his chest but it was worth it.

Brado stumbled backward and fell onto his knees. His saber slid out of his weakened fingertips and he looked to the right of his ribcage. There, stabbing through the gaps, was a jagged toothed dagger. Removing it would only make it bleed out and hasten his death but Brado could also feel his body getting much weaker. He lost control of his essence and any hope of surviving much longer. He wiped some of the blood from his face and looked up to his killer.

"Any last words?" Artio let out a deep breath. When Brado didn't reply, Artio lifted his saber, "Very well, I thank you for your contributions to the guild."

With a wry smile, Artio charged at Brado one last time. Everyone was glued to the fight's climax as they all personally committed to following Artio from here on out, some were already planning to kiss up to him.

Brado accepted his death with pride, knowing he already accomplished more than he should've been able. But his eyes shot open in hesitation before the blade came down upon him and he pointed out into the distance behind Artio. Everyone else ignored the action, thinking it to be the vain intentions of someone already proclaimed dead. As the blade sliced through his fleshy neck, he only had time to get out a single word.

"Gorilla!"

Brado's head toppled to the floor as the crowd and Artio were left perplexed.

Artio turned around and put up his sword immediately to resist as he was rocketed into the ground by a powerful fist. Instead of forming a crater on impact, the earth split open as if it were opening its mouth to swallow him whole. After sinking two krin into the earth, Artio slowly tried to climb back out. He struggled a lot because his left arm broke while bracing it against his saber in an effort to block the surprise attack.

"Defensive protocol! Now!" shouted Artio as his head emerged from the dirt.

At the sound of their new leader's order, the mercenaries finally acted and just as Rathe had predicted too. This made things very simple for the gorillas, who simply started picking people off, trying to break their formation until they ran into a cultivator that could stop them.

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Hurdo was going on a rampage as all eight elder level bandits chased after him. Rathe waited patiently above the man climbing out of the earth. His stern yet calm glare sent shivers down Artio's spine, who was reluctant to climb out.

Seeing this, Rathe jumped back to give him some room. "Come on out! You think you can just take a whole tribe away under my watch? Not happening, not in my territory!"

During that instant of doubt, some of the braver stallions at the early-adept stage barreled their way past some of the mercenaries, effectively breaking the formation and some of the chains.

"Stop those stallions! Grab the children fleeing and kill them if the gorillas make a single move!" Artio commanded.

The remaining bandits bolted for the escaping horses and targeted the youngest one. The stallions quickly surrounded the child and held off the bandits temporarily, letting that young steed dash for a patch of trees to the southwest. Only one human expert made it past the protecting stallions and followed the youth.

"Show no mercy, just take them out!" yelled Rathe in response to Artio's command.

Just as Artio stepped up, Rathe appeared in front of him again. This time Artio retreated whilst stabbing towards Rathe's arm. He smiled at its vulnerability and waited for the divine poison to enter his future wound. But instead of impaling Rathe, the blade ricocheted off his essence-coated fur.

Artio's smile vanished as Rathe grabbed the ricocheting blade and pulled his target in close. Artio's mind froze in terror as he realized they were Iron-body Gorillas, who were not the type of beast any human wished to face; their hide alone prevented practically all physical attacks from a human cultivator at the same level.

Paying no mind to his opponent's confusion, Rathe pulled Artio's sword in close and launched a right hook aiming for his bloody chest. Giving up his weapon, Artio scrambled to the floor and narrowly avoided the blow.

But right after the fist flew over his head, his head was smashed straight into the ground with a crunch. Rathe, using the momentum from his right hook, pulled in his fist to spin his body and swung his left leg up in an arcing kick. With such power behind it, it easily drove through the skull of the unsuspecting Artio. As always, Rathe never underestimated his opponent and went all out to ensure his victory.

Most of the bandits were too preoccupied with their own fights to watch Artio's fight with Rathe. Before they realized the fight was over, Rathe was already plowing through the mercenaries.

"Don't move or I'll kill him!"