CH 21.4

In the next morning, I’m heading to the location suspected as the bandit hideout that Sherry-san told me. The hideout located in a mountainous area in the middle of public road connected Mizell and the capital (in katakana: Jyunu-fu, I assume it) Genev.

With this, the enemy cannot detect us easily. To see through sneaking with 100% certainty, the active skill [Detect] is needed but there are hardly any people that could learns it. I can only get that active skill after reaching level 110 in Negotiation after all so it definitely is an over-powered active skill.

“Well then, I will sneak into the fortress and look for the boss. I want Monica-san and the rest to make some smoke in the forest. Make sure that the fire won’t spread too much. And then when the attention of the bandits inside the fortress are directed to the smoke, I want everyone to lay down in an area where you can have a clear look on the fortress”

“Hiroto...... are you alright going in alone? We can’t guarantee that the bandits won’t put traps inside their base”

“It’s alright, leave this place to me”

I strike with the blunt side of the axe. This move is called blunt strike. This active skill could be learned when one reaches level 30 in Knighthood skill but there is also mercy passive skill that they could learn when reaching level 50 in the same Knighthood skill. The Knighthood skill have many active and passive skills that add discretion toward the enemy. But at the present time, I only managed to reach level 30 in the said skill.

Anyway I have knocked out two bandits now so after checking that the closest room to my position is empty, I throw the two unconscious bandits into the room after tying their limbs. I leave the knife that one of the bandits had in a place that the two bandits could reach if they try hard enough just in case no one finds them. They would be able to cut the rope on their own when they wake up ---- but at that time the mountain bandit troupe might have been annihilated.

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I know that the head is somewhere ‘in the deepest part’ of the fortress but I don’t know her exact position but all the bandit on look out are gossiping nonchalantly so I just eavesdrop them, beat them, tie them up, move along, and repeat. I finally find what I’m looking for.

It seems that there was a big party the night before. The bandits today aren’t going out to plunder with more than half of them still sleeping inside the fortress. The one awaken and doing look out are the better ones of the bandits but they also still couldn’t get off from yesterday exhilaration and keep gossiping with each other about their internal condition. I learned from them that besides the head, Poison Rose gank higher ups are all women. It appears that even if the head scout out males underling using her allure, she is actually hates men. But I don’t know whether I need this information or not.

(This is one in a monsoon chance. Logically speaking, I can’t just let this chance go)

After defeating about another 10 bandits on the lookout, I finally arrived in front of the room that is said to be where the head is having her bath. Someone acknowledged by many as the head would definitely not be someone simple. She might bring her weapon inside the bathing place. While keeping my guard up in order to respond quickly if I got attacked, I carefully open the door. I know that this place is old and making a new bathing room here is not weird but hurting your own pocket from chasing such luxury and end up doing business in slavery to make up is...... So while having some displeasure against the bandits, I boldly opens the door while still holding my one-handed axe.