Volume 2 - CH 1

(1/8)

The Blood Shadow is a band of thieves who have defeated even the best swordsmen.

Ione is determined to defeat them, and Serina and Meena have also offered to help. I'm not too happy about it, but I don't want the three of them to get killed, so I'm going to do what I can do to help. I'm going to do everything I can, except fighting, of course.

"I understand what you're saying, but I wish you had done it when the master was here."

Fritz complains, but it's not like we've got the bandits' stronghold. We just found where they are now. As long as we don't know when Welbard will be back, we can't wait for him.

"If it looks bad, tell Ione to run."

"Yeah. I will."

Fritz immediately got his gear ready.

"Huh? Where are you going, Fritz?"

"It's kind of urgent. Billy, keep an eye on the boys until I get back."

"Oh, I got it!"

Fritz doesn't seem to count Billy as one of us. Well, he's just a kid.

We came to a back street lined with stores in the east district of the royal capital. Even though it is the royal capital, the country of Vernia is small, and there are very few people when you step into the back streets. There was a tired old man sitting on a chair behind a house, doing nothing. Beyond him, there was only a man whittling away at a wood carving on a mat.

There's dog poop on the street, and he wants someone to clean it up.

"Is this really the place?"

I asked Serina, who was waiting for me there.

"Yes, Meena confirmed their smell. She's sure."　

Serina nodded.

Meena is a dog-eared beastman with a [Sharp Sense of Smell☆ Lv4]. If she says she's sure, she's sure.

"How many are there?""

Fritz asks.

"Five of them."

"That's a lot. ......"

Fritz furrows his brow. Even as a master swordsman, he might feel uneasy if he doesn't know what his opponent is capable of and there are so many of them.

"But I think I can manage it if I catch them off guard. I've seen one of the bandits with my skills, and he's only level 8, so it's no big deal."

"Not sure the others are the same, though."

I say that.

"Yeah, but I don't think the bandit look-a-like has that many levels, and shh!"

Serina signaled with her hand to wait.

There was a creaking sound from the second floor of the building she was guarding and someone came down the stairs. He yawned loudly and must have woken up from sleep. His eyes were sleepy.

I use my skills to appraise the bandit.

【Name】　Bandit E

【 Lv 】　 9

【 Class 】　Bandit

【 Race 】　Human　

【 Gender 】　Male

【 HP 】　52

【Description】

A member of the Blood Shadow band of thieves.

A rogue.

He is lazy and sometimes active.

Oh, I can see his level.

I couldn't see the level of the innkeeper or Serina, but since the bandit's level is lower than mine, I was able to see it?

The only difference was that he was only one level behind me, but his HP was less than half than me. He doesn't seem to be injured, so I guess this is his normal HP.

It seems that even among the same person, there is a considerable difference in class and ability.

"He's level nine."

I tell her in a quiet voice.

"Sounds good. He's not even equipped."

Serina nodded, then drew her sword and approached quietly.

"Hey, do you have a minute?"

Ione spoke to the bandit from the other side.

"Ahh? Guhaa!?

Serina slashes at him from behind, Fritz thrusts at him, and the bandit just collapses.

"It's an easy win."

Seirina laughs and winks, but that was just one of them, and she caught his off guard.

I look around, but the tired old man seems unconcerned, and the other man, the woodcarver, seems to have sensed the danger and fled. There was no sign of other.

"What do we do now?"

Fritz asks.

"The other bandits might be asleep. Let's go in."

"All right."

"Yeah."

I'll signal to Meena with my eyes that she's not going inside. She nodded.

"I'll take the lead."

Fritz tiptoed up the stairs, followed by Serina and Ione.

After a short pause, there was a shrill scream from upstairs that sounded like a bandit.

"Gyaaaa!"

"W-who the hell are you! Damn!"

"Eekkk! P-please help me, Guhaah!"

Did it work?

I can't see what's going on inside from here, so I'll have to wait.

"Watch out!"

I heard the voice of Serina.

"Kyaaa!"

"Ione! Damn it!"

O, Oi-oi, come on, did you fail?

I pull out my sword, just in case. Meena also pulled out her sword and held it in place.

Bang! There was a loud kicking sound at the door, and a large man came stomping down the stairs.

"Tch, They still have a company!"

"Hey, you still got company!"

The big man with the axe looked at me and stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm not letting you go!"

Serina also comes down from above, but she doesn't slash at him right away.

I quickly used my appraisal on this big guy.

【Name】　Gardon

【 Lv 】　???

【Class】　Bandit

【Race 】　Human　

【 Gender 】　Male

【 H P 】　552

【Description】

A member of the Blood Shadow band of thieves.

A rogue.

He is a hard worker and always active.

"Shit, I can't see his level."

"Hmm, Let me tell you. I'm level 34, you know?"

"What!?"

Hey. He's strong. I'm still level 10, you know?

I signaled to Meena not to slash at him, and I was about to step back.

"Shut up, I'll take your skills!"

Then the big man held up his left hand, opposite the axe, to me.

This guy ......!

He have a 『Skill Robbery』 isn't he?

"Gughh!?"

Nothing was done to me, but I felt a strange shock in my body.

Oh shit.

I don't know which one was taken, but if it was a rare skill, it hurt.

"Hehehe! I took one of your skills. Now you can't use this skill anymore."

I see why even the best swordsmen get killed. If the skill of the inner workings is taken away, the formation will be reversed at once.

Serina's stupid. You've got a messed up guy left!

"But what's this skill? I've never heard of this skill. Scatology?"

What, Oh just that skill......

"Gardon, I'm warning you, don't(・・・) ever (・・・)use it. You'll (・・・)regret it(・・・)."

I'll give him a glare and tell him a warning.

"Hehehe, now that you mention it, I'll have to use it, right?"

He smirked, Galdon is an idiot.

"Hm? Hmmm? *sniff sniff*, Somehow it smells really good……N-no, but, this(・・)smell(・・)is! Uwaaa, S-stop it! Stupidl! That's not food, man! Eeekkkkk Stop iittt!"

Galdon seemed to have lost control of his body and approached the roadside on all fours, pulling his face. There was dog poop there.

"What are you doing, Serina, slash him now?"

Now would be a good time, I think, but I'm not going to go near him because he might suddenly be able to move.

"Eh, Ehh……。Hyaahhh!"

Serina, who had been looking pale and dazed, swung her sword at Galdon as if she had regained her composure.

"Gyaahhh! Damn it! I can't move ......!"

"You're so stubborn, aren't you......,Starlight Attack!"

As the yellow star glow scattered from Serina's sword, Galdon was already out of breath.

That was too quick.

But that was a special killing skill, right?

That's pretty powerful.　　　　

Let's not make enemies with her for the time being.

『Three Levels has Gone Up!』

『You become Level 13!』

『Attack Power has Increased by 10!』

『Defense Power has Increased by 8!』

『Speed has Increased by 9!』

『Maximum HP has Increased by 19!』

『Maximum TP has Increased by 12!』

『34 Skill Points gained』

I didn't get the last kill, but this is how high I got. I'm glad I didn't die over here. ......

"Serina, what happened to Ione?"

I asked, curious on the second floor.

"That's what the big guy did to her with his skills. ...... But it's not fatal wound."

I was relieved to hear that.

Fritz came down the stairs with Ione on his back, but Ione was bleeding from her side. The wound looks pretty bad.

"Did you defeat him? I'll take Ione to the temple."

Fritz said.

"Yes. We'll take care of the rest.

"I'm sorry..."

Ione apologizes, but it's probably nothing to be concerned about.

But since he seems to care, I'll use my [Pickup Lv2] and [Counseling Lv1] skills.

"Don't worry about it. It's already over."

That's it? It doesn't make much sense. But well, whatever.

"Yes..."

"Well then, Master, I'll go get the soldiers."

"Yeah, I leave it to you."

Meena ran to the soldiers' station.

"……Hey, why do you have skill like that......"

Serina seems to be curious and asks me.

"Don't touch that subject. I just happened to get it, it wasn't my intention."

"I don't know. I mean, I'm not sure I can play that way. ......"

"I'm telling you, it was a just coincidence! I can't do it either, that's for sure."

"Really. Fuu~, I'm glad."

She was relieved to hear that as she was willing to go along with me as long as it was normal play.

She's a little cocky, but she's got a good body. I'll play with her.

"I'm going to go check and see if there are any survivors."

"Yeah."

Serina heads to the second floor of the building where the bandits were hanging out.　

Well, I'm bored.

It's not my job to clean up dead bodies.

Just then, an expensive looking carriage passed by and stopped in front of me, though the black pig emblem made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

A fat, middle-aged man got out of the carriage.

A nobleman.?

It's seems to be troublesome, and it would be best not to get involved. Also, I can't stand his shiny hair.

As I was about to leave, he called out to me.

"Oi, what are you doing here? Call Galdon for me."

"Galdon is ......."

"That's the name of your leader."

Apparently, he thinks I'm a member of the bandits.

There are two dead bodies on the road, and he doesn't even notice it?