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Chapter 188: Bandits
🕑 Added 2024-03-28 18:15:16 +0000 UTCLooking back at the village, Thorian made a quick decision. "You stay here for now. I will go and look for Nox." With those words, Thorian rushed into the village. Even though all of his physical attributes had been reduced to less than half their original levels, he was still much faster than any magus had any right to be. As he sped past the villagers, they stared in shock at his speed.
However, Thorian had no time to consider the reactions of the people around him. With swift steps, he darted from one alley to the next before reaching the main road. It was a marketplace with stalls and shops on both sides of the street. Merchants shouted over each other, announcing their prices and the wares they sold.
Walking amidst the hustle and bustle, Thorian scanned every passerby. Since Nox had changed his appearance, he had to look carefully lest he miss him in the crowd.
As he neared the end of the main road, he heard the voice of an old man standing in front of a grilling stall. "Oh, how delicious," the old man remarked as he devoured a beef skewer. He then handed the owner some silver coins from his pocket. "Here you go."
Surprised by the amount of silver handed to him, the merchant's eyebrows shot up. With a smile, he responded to the old man, "Thanks for coming! Hope you enjoyed the food!"
Realizing who the old man was, Thorian rolled his eyes before approaching the one he had now recognized as Nox.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Thorian patted Nox on the back. "Have you forgotten we have an escort mission to complete?"
Looking back, Nox appeared confused for a moment before realization dawned on him. "Ah, Thorian?" He then scratched his head and said, "Sorry. I was looking for that Elian guy, but the village is so big. I couldn’t find him."
"Let's go. He is already waiting for us," Thorian sighed before gesturing for Nox to follow him. The sight of an old man following a young boy left the stall owner puzzled, but Thorian didn’t have the luxury to care about his opinion. Given that Elian was a haughty and crude noble, Thorian was certain he would leave them behind in the village if they made him wait any longer.
As the two hurried through the village, Nox kept pace with Thorian even while jogging. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Thorian, who was running at his full speed. "What happened to your agility? You’re usually much faster than this."
"It’s a character limitation," Thorian replied, infusing mana into his muscles to ease his breathing. "You should also have something like that, right?"
"Oh, that’s true," Nox said, looking down pensively. "My restrictions were in mana, constitution, and strength. My overall power has been significantly reduced."
"That shouldn’t be a problem," Thorian shrugged. "It just means that the challenges we're going to face on this floor only require this level of strength. With our high-tier skills, we should still have a massive advantage compared to a normal challenger."
Nodding at Thorian’s words, the two quickly reached the outskirts of the village where they found Vigil waiting in front of the cart.
"Oh, that’s you, Vigil?" Nox remarked with a chuckle as he approached the priest. "This form looks so odd on you. I’m going to have a hard time adjusting."
"You say that, but look at you," Vigil shook his head. "Your personality and your new body couldn't be more at odds."
As the two were talking, Thorian interrupted in a hushed voice, "We can't use our old names when speaking to each other, especially not in front of others. What are your new names? Mine is Alan Smith."
"Oh, you're right," Nox nodded. "My new name is Brian Nizari."
"Mine is Francis Lima," Vigil added.
"Good, remember those names," Thorian nodded. "And once we're inside, play your roles convincingly."
With those words, Thorian led the way to the cart and gestured for Nox to sit on horseback alongside the driver. After entering the cart with Vigil, Thorian found Elian looking at them with a disgruntled expression, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Finally, now we can move," Elian said before making his way to the front of the cart. He tapped the coachman's shoulder and said, "Everyone is here. Let's go."
With that, the coachman whipped the horses into motion, and the party set off into the forest. As they rode in the cart, Thorian surveyed his surroundings thoughtfully. It seems this Elian guy is from a minor noble family, or at least he's not that important. Otherwise, we wouldn't be riding in a single cart. Bodyguards normally have their own compartment.
Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, Thorian sat in silence with the rest of the passengers. Hours passed quickly before Elian finally initiated a conversation.
“You, what’s your name?” Elian gestured at Thorian with a haughty expression. “You look too young to be a court magician. Are you heading to the capital to become an adventurer?”
“My name is Alan Smith,” Thorian responded, masking his irritation with a calm expression. “I’m a recent graduate of Arzak. I’m going to the capital because I received an invitation to the court.”
“Huh, they’re really inviting just about anyone these days, aren’t they?” Elian snickered. “Well then, I hope your skills in magic are as polished as your tongue, Mister Court Magician.”
Thorian simply nodded, offering no verbal response, which seemed to irritate Elian further.
Seeking to alleviate the tension, Vigil inquired, “Lord Elian, if I may ask, why did you opt for adventurers as your bodyguards? Typically, nobles employ their own guards, correct?”
“Well, wouldn’t you like to know, Father Francis,” Elian chuckled. “Unfortunately, I cannot disclose much, but I am on a highly confidential mission. His grace entrusted me with vital information that must be delivered to the capital.”
“How splendid,” Vigil replied with a smile. “His grace must hold a great deal of trust in you to assign such a significant mission.”
“Indeed!” Elian boasted, laughing heartily. “Not many are aware, but I was close friends with the Duke of Silverwater during our time at the Knight’s Academy.”
As Elian regaled Vigil with tales of yore, Thorian mused inwardly, A secret mission, huh? That part seems genuine enough. I ought to pay close attention to anything he mentions regarding this matter, as it appears relevant to the overarching narrative of these narrative floors. However, I must tread carefully to avoid arousing suspicion.
Engrossed in his thoughts, Thorian was jolted back to reality when the cart suddenly halted. Sensing the implication, he immediately stood up.
"Huh? What is happening?!" Elian screamed, confused by the situation.
"Let's move out," Thorian gestured to Vigil, not bothering to answer the noble's question.
As they stepped outside, they were met by dozens of bandits, their daggers and swords drawn menacingly.
"Bunch of amateurs," Thorian muttered under his breath before raising his staff. Stonewhirl Assault.
Five jagged rock cones materialized in front of Thorian. With a flick of his staff, he launched them towards the approaching bandits. Each rock cone impaled two attackers, then struck the ground, creating craters upon impact.
"A rock mage?" one of the bandits deduced, his eyebrows furrowed. He then looked beyond the cart and shouted, "Hey, Rolf, come here! We've got a mage to deal with!"
At his call, Nox emerged from the cart's shadow. He casually tossed aside a severed head, "Is this the guy you were calling? Was his name Rolf?"
"Monsters..." the bandit muttered as he drew his sword. A fiery red aura enveloped his blade as he fixed his gaze on Thorian. "I'll start with you, brat mage."
"Aura?" Thorian chuckled. "Well, let's see how you handle this."
Flame Fury.
Thorian unleashed a massive fireball towards the bandit. The man, bracing himself, charged at the fireball and sliced through it with his sword. However, as soon as he let out a smug breath of relief, a barrage of fireballs rained down upon him. When the explosions ceased, the bandit's body was nowhere to be found, and the surrounding area was engulfed in flames.
This will grow into a forest fire if I don't stop it. With a sigh, Thorian raised his staff high into the sky. Deluge Cascade.
As he spoke, the sky above darkened, and torrents of rain began pouring down. Gradually, the fire that was spreading before Thorian was extinguished.
Turning back toward the cart, Thorian noticed the noble staring at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible!" Elian exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. "You can control three elements at the saint level? No young upstart fresh out of Arzak should be capable of that!"
Then, his expression turned contemplative as he gazed at Thorian. "Are you perhaps the offspring of a high-ranking magician in the court? No, given your proficiency, you could only be the progeny of the grand Mavis."
Observing Elian jump to his own conclusions, Thorian opted to neither confirm nor refute his speculations. Maintaining a composed demeanor, he walked past the noble and stated, "I'll be sitting next to the coachman, so we don’t have to halt for each band of bandits looking for trouble."
Thorian took his place next to Nox and the coachman, and the group resumed their journey to the capital. As the rain from Thorian's spell ceased, he decided it was the opportune moment to commence his wind manipulation training.
When Thorian was seated inside the cart in front of Elian, he avoided showcasing his training to prevent any probing questions. Possessing limited knowledge about this world, he aimed to avoid any behavior that might arouse suspicion. Now, situated away from prying eyes, he could concentrate on his training without concerns.
As Thorian mulled over their encounter with the bandits, his thoughts were tinged with analysis and caution. That bandit was strong enough to slice through a significant fireball, a feat not easily accomplished. Yet, the reaction from Elian suggests my powers are among the upper echelons in this world. As for the limits of my abilities, I remain uncertain.
The journey through the forest pressed on, with Thorian honing his wind manipulation skills, while Nox and the coachman engaged in light conversation. The monotony was occasionally broken by attacks from goblins, wolves, and other monstrous beings inhabiting the woods.
As they neared the capital, encounters with bandits grew more frequent. Though handling aura wielders was a nuisance, Thorian and Nox dispatched them without difficulty. This, however, led Thorian to a grim realization.
Someone is after Elian's life.
The once jovial coachman had grown tense, his earlier banter replaced by a focused silence, as he urged the horses forward at their fastest pace.
"Are bandits this common?" Thorian inquired, noting the unusually high number of encounters. "We've just dispatched ten groups of them."
"No, this is certainly not normal," the coachman replied with evident concern. "Something's not right, and I'd rather not stay to discover what that might be."
Thorian sighed, turning his attention back to the road ahead. It was then that a peculiar sight caught his eye—a cloud of dust rising in the distance.
"What's that?" Nox asked, noticing the same disturbance.
Sensing something amiss, Thorian commanded, "Stop!"
Confused but compliant, the coachman reined in the horses, bringing the cart to a halt.
"What? What's happening?" Elian peered out from the cart, puzzled by the abrupt stop, only for Thorian to silence him with a gesture.
From their position, Thorian couldn't employ his Elemental Sight or Predator's Gaze to identify the source of the disturbance. Still, he had other senses to rely on.
With everyone hushed, Thorian listened intently. Initially, he heard nothing out of the ordinary, but as he tuned in to the ambient sounds of the forest, a distant rumbling became discernible.
'Could that be... a monster wave?'
