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Chapter 280: Side Story—Bandits’ Night

When Antares and the others were flying above the forest, a group of about a dozen men had taken refuge in a cave within the domain of Count Stahlern in the Harlasia Kingdom. Their clothing was dirty, and to put it bluntly, even filthy.

But there was a fierce glint of desire in their eyes. Each man was armed in some way, but there was no uniformity in their equipment. It was all worn out, with little sign of maintenance.

This group were bandits, and they were dangerous people, wanted not only by the Earldom but also by the surrounding countries. These bandits were notorious for their cunning, never staying in one place, plundering and changing bases, and never letting anyone catch up with them. It was the counts territory that had become their latest target.

Ive just returned, boss.

A man entered the cave. He was small, thin, hunched over, and not good-looking at all. And if he wore the same dirty clothes as the others in the cave, the others would look at him with either contempt or pity.

In the rough world of outlaws, one might expect a man of his demeanor to become the butt of jokes. Yet, not a soul among the group of bandits dared to underestimate him. The reason lay in the mans exceptional skills.

The cave that served as their stronghold was shrouded in darkness, save for the innermost part where lanterns burned bright. Moreover, the cave was fortified not just with pitfalls but also with noisemakers crafted from twigs and vines. This was an unexpected level of defense for what was supposed to be a temporary hideout.

Yet, this man alone could navigate to the deepest part of the cave without the need for a lantern and almost without making a sound. Even among bandits, it would be foolish to underestimate someone with such unique abilities; such folly would not have allowed them to survive this long.

By that expression it seems were in for some good news, arent we?

A tall man who had been lying down suddenly sat up with a sly grin. He was the leader of these bandits, the strongest and most cunning among them, possessing a kind of charisma that attracted villains. It was this mans trust and dependence on the smaller man as his right hand that prevented the latter from being scorned.

The smaller man, in turn, swore allegiance to the leader who held him in such high esteem. His loyalty was such that he would choose death without hesitation if ordered to do so. He had a level of devotion that far surpassed that of knights who boasted of their own loyalty.

But leaving that aside, the small man had been out using his exceptional scouting skills to investigate a village the leader had marked as potential prey. From the look on his face upon return, one could guess the outcome, and so the bandits listened eagerly to his report.

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The village the boss had his eye on, its ripe for the taking.

As expected. How much loot are we talking about?

Enough for each of us to scatter, live it up till we regroup at the planned spot thats the size of it.

Hearing this, the bandits cheered with joy. Their knack for evading capture lay in their tactic of dispersing after a raid and regrouping at a prearranged location.

Bandits typically fall into two categories: those who stick to one hideout and raid from there, and those who are constantly on the move, plundering as they go. The former risk being caught all at once if their hideout is discovered, while the latter, could be tracked through the traces they leave behind since they moved in groups.

But by scattering in different directions, this group avoided the risk of being caught all at once. In addition, the small mans ability to create false trails thwarted any pursuit. Since its inception, the group had remained intact, with the exception of a few who suffered retaliation during raids or accidents while on the run.

Thats some good news. Then, the raid is set for tomorrow. After we loot, well regroup at the usual spot.

Escape routes for everyone are secured. Just focus on getting away Huh?!

The small man, who had been smirking confidently, suddenly turned towards the entrance of the cave with a look of alarm. The bandits watched his sudden change in behavior with curiosity, but only the leaders expression turned grim.

Whats going on?

I smell burning greenwood. If we stay, well be smoked out.

The small mans sense of smell was exceptional. He had detected the scent of flames wafting into the cave from outside. Given the caves downward slope, staying put would likely lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Panic spread among the bandits, but the leader remained composed. In preparation for any unexpected situation, he had ensured their hideout had multiple exits on the small mans advice. If one exit was compromised, they would simply use another.

Perhaps because the exits were cleverly hidden, the small man had not caught the scent of fire in the escape tunnel. The bandits quickly gathered their belongings and made their way down the escape route, with the small man leading the way and the leader following close behind.

Hey. I dont want to assume but

There was no oversight on my part. If there had been, wed be dead.

The small man and the leader deliberately skirted the main issue while conversing in hushed tones. Since the two were significantly ahead and the narrow corridor echoed their footsteps, it was unlikely that the other bandits would overhear them. Yet, their deliberate evasion of the main point indicated the leaders grave concern over the situation.

The leaders worry stemmed from the suspicion that the small man might have been followed. The timing of the small mans return, coinciding with the onset of the smell of smoke, seemed too coincidental.

But the small man known for his professionalism was not one to let his guard down. There had not been a moment during the days operation when he had been careless.

Therefore, if someone had managed to track him despite his vigilance, it meant that the pursuer was exceptionally skilled and far superior to him. In such a scenario, they would have no chance and would have to flee with all their might. Although the small man was confident in his abilities, he was not overconfident.

The leader nodded silently in agreement. Should they need to flee, they would prioritize only themselves. The leader was prepared to make this cutthroat decision because he had the charisma to easily gather a new band of desperate villains, and with the small mans skills, the success rate of their raids would increase. From the beginning, the leader was the type who could coldly abandon his subordinates without hesitation.

As the leader silently resolved himself to a ruthless decision, they seemed to have reached the passages exit. The small man carefully, yet efficiently, moved aside the branches and dried leaves concealing the entrance, making sure not to make any noise.

Since it was late at night, and the sky was covered with thick clouds, it was pitch dark outside. But the small man, blessed with excellent night vision, saw no problem. To make sure no one was around, he carefully poked his head out.

You finally came out, huh?

Gah?!

Suddenly, something seized his head in a tight grip and yanked him out of the passage with tremendous force. He was hurled sideways, and he tumbled and bounced off the ground several times.

Deprived of even the chance to brace himself, the small man could do nothing but groan in pain from the pain that coursed through his body. Still, he twisted in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the assailant who had attacked him with such senseless violence. When he finally got a good look at his opponent, the small man couldnt help but widen his eyes in disbelief. The reason was simple: the figure before him looked young enough to be a boy.

Smoke out one burrow, and theyll pop out of another. The hunting methods I learned from Mr. Mika work wonders, even on bandits.

The boy had his splendid golden hair cut short and carried a great sword over his shoulder that was longer than he was. In stark contrast to the bulky and imposing great sword, his only piece of armor was a breastplate. The rest of his attire consisted of simple clothes designed for ease of movement and sturdy boots.

Brandishing the great sword with a casual swing, the boy pointed its tip towards the leader of the bandits, who had frozen at the exit of the passage, and made his demand: Surrender.

Ive been told to offer a warning, so here it is. Surrender, and your lives will be spared. Though youll likely end up as labor slaves for some grueling work.

What did you say?!

Keep it down, you fools! Hey, brat. Are you alone?

While the bandits bristled with anger at the boys mocking words, their leader motioned for them to calm down and questioned the boy. Although he was internally seething with rage at the boys insolent attitude to the point where it felt as if his guts were boiling, the leader nonetheless managed to maintain his calm.

He couldnt believe that this boy had been the one to track his trusted small man. There had to be companions, among whom was likely a highly skilled scout. Hence, despite asking, he didnt entertain the slightest thought that the boy was alone.

Yet at the same time, the leader felt a sense of unease due to the surroundings being too quiet. He might not have had the acute senses of the small man, but the silence was unnerving. It led him to wonder if perhaps the boy before them was alone, with his companions lying in wait elsewhere.

If the boy was indeed alone, there would surely be an opportunity to escape. And dealing with a child, he thought it might be possible to coerce him with mere words. The leader, cunning by nature, was making his calculations but the boy standing before him was far from ordinary in many ways.

Ah, all that doesnt really matter. Surrender, and youll be bound and made into labor slaves. Resist, and Ill take you, the one who seems like the leader, and lets see, that guy lying over there who looks like your right-hand man, along with a few others, while the rest meet their end. No negotiations. Make your choice quickly.

The boy presented a stark choice with an unwavering tone: surrender and be enslaved until death, or leave a few alive and annihilate the rest. Neither option offered any semblance of salvation.

Neither choice was truly good for the bandits. The leader found it impossible to talk his way out given the boys attitude. Faced with this, he chose the third option.

Got it. Then Ill just have to kill you and make a quick getaway. Lets go, you bastards!

Uoooooh!

Well, figured as much. So, Ill be taking two of you then.

Facing the bandits who advanced with their weapons raised, the boy shifted the great sword he had been pointing at them onto his shoulder. Then, with a sly grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, he too made a big step forward.