At first, Ann worried that the Nomen region had too many dangers, since it was nothing like the outskirts of the Bereno region, where towns such as Vilheim grew.
The Capital grew specifically because there were constant dangers but also great rewards from strong beasts and rare plants that grew around the high concentrations of mana.
The Rongo Kingdom benefited by having this natural defense, training ground, and resource. Most humans joined the nation to get stronger or find fame and fortune.
Yet, this also drew the wrong sort of attention. Famed thieves lurked the cities, bandits rose and fell in hordes, and the infamous Highwaymen established their territory. It wasn't uncommon for a Fifth Tier monster to go rampaging.
This is why, when Ann and Brittney left Reincart for the safehaven, Breightbale, they didn't expect to meet a migrating Highwayman. More importantly, he was Scott Bradley, the strongest and most unreasonable of the Seven Highwaymen.
Ann and Brittney stopped their horses just outside of Breightbale. It was noon and their horses were slightly fatigued from the three days of travel. Grime began to build up on their clothes but their beauty was undisguised.
Ann brushed her dark champagne blonde hair straight and curtained it behind her. She talked casually with Brittney, who twirled one end of her dark golden brown hair around her fingers. They finally saw Scott on the next hill.
Scott kicked the sides of his dark maned stallion, turning its labored body over towards the ladies. His saddle bags burgeoned full of loot taken from unlucky travelers. Scott tipped his wide-brimmed straw sunhat back and gandered at the gals.
The two parties kept a mutually understood standoff. Scott slowly approached, his hand ready to draw at any moment. Ann held her reins tightly. Brittney stared down Scott with her burning eyes.
The Sun seemed to stop in the middle of the air. Seconds passed by in hours. Vegetation visibly withered away from Scott. The wind stopped blowing completely, even though it was extremely windy moments before.
There was a strange quiet, almost as if nature itself feared Scott Bradley. It wasn't long before his horse moved between the women. He moseyed along quietly, only surveying them and then leaving.
Ann and Brittney shivered and continued. They were glad he didn't take anything important from them, like their heads or their limbs.
"What stupid sh*t are you women doing now?" moaned John.
"Shut up, you b*stard! That was Scott Bradley, a living legend! He's only in his late twenties but he's the strongest human alive! I heard as a kid, he learned directly from Francis himself!"
Ann heard John scoff.
"Of course he learned from Francis. Francis learned from me, you stupid b*tch."
"You useless f*cker! Don't compare yourself to him when you're a hopeless pervert!" Ann growled.
"That's not fair to compare us now. If Francis were me right now, he'd do the same thing. You know, the Heavens are completely empty right now. Everyone but me left. I'm all alone," John sighed resignedly.
"What's that have to do with Scott, little sh*t!?"
"It's got everything to do with Scott. You're telling me you didn't notice at all?"
"Notice what!!!" Ann hissed.
John slapping his hand on his desk could be heard above Ann.
"Tut, tut, tut. You really are stupid, aren't you?"
"Tell me or else you little sh*t!"
"Fine! Take off your pants."
"What? No! Go f*ck yourself! I'm not stripping down for you!"
"You're never going to notice because of how skilled he was. As a fellow connoisseur of ladies myself, I can't help but compliment his style!"
Ann looked on dumbly as Brittney drew her horse over.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
Ann didn't reply. Instead, she reached down and patted the insides of her pants. She didn't feel cloth, but a handful of hair. Shocked, she reached under her shirt. She didn't feel cloth. In place of cloth, she felt her breasts which filled her hands.
"What are you doing, Ann?"
Ann screamed.
"Eh? What's wrong!?"
Ann opened up her saddle bags. All her underwear and extra clothes were gone. Ann turned to look Brittney in the eye.
"No… It can't be…" she said, as it dawned on her about Ann's reaction.
Brittney reached into her own shirt. Her breasts spilled into her hands, just a little too much for her hands to hold.
Both began screaming at the top of their lungs.
John watched, amused.
"Great sense of taste, Scott. You'd be one of my best followers, if you knew I was real," John said.
Tears trailed down his face.
"You'd be one of the best Pimps ever, if only you believed in me."
As usual, John didn't get any respect as God.