The small village was basked under the morning sunlight. The village wasn't very noisy with only a few people in the village. Birds chirping could be clearly heard in the quiet atmosphere. Zarek opened his eyes and sat up covering his eyes from the sunlight that was coming from outside with one of his hands. While Zerik was still seated on the floor in the lotus position motionlessly as it was last night because Zarek didn't give any order before he slept.
Zarek washed himself and got dressed up. He then picked up Zerik and tied it on his waist before leaving his room.
Zarek ate his breakfast with delight. The taste was great and the price was so cheap that even if you want to complain you can't. The waitress from before attended him today as well.
After breakfast, Zarek left the inn and planned to go back to Moldylizard forest to gain experience as he still wasn't properly used to using Zerik. Even though Zarek can control Zerik quite well in usual but the difference between usual work and fighting was like heaven and earth. In usual work, Zarek needn't do much just think of the action and order Zerik but when it came to combat he needed to take account of many different aspects. He had to observe his opponent's movement. He also needs to be cautious of the surroundings. He needs to think of his safety as well as how he can attack. He then needs to think of the action precisely and order in time. In actual combat timing was crucial so he had to think a lot faster than usual as well as order. He also needs to spare some of his concentration for keeping the aura layers active.
When he fought the wolf before he felt like he had to push his mental strength and concentration to their limit. He needs more combat experience or else he would be as vulnerable as before even if he increases in aura level.
Zarek was walking toward the Moldylizard forest when he saw the three bandits from before with 2 others in front of the elder's shop who showed him the way. So Zarek went forward to see what was going on and heard one of the bandits shouting.
"Hey old bastard, how long are you going to take to pay this month's protection fee?"
After coming closer Zarek saw the leader of the Red Bull bandits pushed the old man and went inside the shop. The old man fell and rolled a few times because of the bandits' push. After all, how can his fragile body withstand a push from a healthy muscular bandit?
Zarek watched all this, standing on the side with a face void of any emotion. Zarek wasn't feeling anything, not even sympathy. In this world strong devours weak. The only way of survival is getting stronger.
Seeing Zarek stand on the side the old man shouted, "Aren't you that kid who said he will teach these bandits a lesson for me? Why are you standing on the side? Help me out."
Zarek felt kinda annoyed with the old man's tone. It felt like Zarek owed him something. He just said those words casually. More than that Zarek didn't want to get into any mess until he became more stronger. After all, Zarek himself is defenseless without Zerik. He himself doesn't have any power or background. Even though he is a disciple of the Regal Artificer Sect he could be said to be an outcast in the sect. He doesn't even have anyone close related. His parents were dead and he was taken in the Regal Artificer Sect because of his unique aura and high mental strength as a child who will later become a true disciple. But then because of Zarek failing their expectations he became only a burden, nothing more. He doesn't have anyone to protect him. So he has to be extra careful.
Even though there seems to be a mysterious expert protecting him. He doesn't know why or even who? He doesn't have anyone related so who is this person and why does he seem to protect him for no reason?
Hearing the old man, one of the bandits looked toward him with a furious look and said, "Huh? You want to teach us a lesson brat?! Do you even know who we are?"
"Sigh~" Zarek heaved out loud. He really didn't want to get into this mess.
Following Zarek sighing, there was a loud scream coming from that bandit. He then fell on his knee grabbing his leg and whimpering. Blood was gushing out of his calf making the ground red.
"Now what do you think? Do you think I need to know who you are?" Zarek said nonchalantly looking down on the bandit.
The bandit was only whimpering, not saying anything. Hearing the loud shriek the bandit leader immediately came outside only to get greeted with a bloody scene. The 2 bandits standing outside were now on the ground whimpering. One was on his knees grabbing his leg tightly while blood was gushing from his leg. And the other one was laying on the ground grabbing his shoulder with his tunic while the tunic was blood red.
A few moments ago, When Zarek sighed out loud Zerik jumped off of Zarek's waist while grabbing the dagger. Zerik used 6 swift steps to cross the distance in a mere a second and cut the calf of the bandit leaving a deep wound. Seeing his companion fall, the other bandit who was outside rushed toward Zarek to attack him.
"Oho, another one?" Zarek said seeing the other bandit but it wasn't actually mockery. It was actually the command of Zerik just like his sighing out loud. Even though the meaning of the words weren't a bit related to the command it was actually a hidden command. Zarek previously discovered that as long as he said any word but thought the command and process of the work in his head Zerik would do it without any mistake. The words were just a voice confirmation as Zerik is operated through Zarek's voice.
Even before the other bandit could cross the bandit kneeling on the ground he was stabbed from behind in his shoulder. Zerik took advantage of his small size and agility to hide and jump from behind to attack the shoulder of the bandit. Being stabbed in the shoulder blood started surging from his left shoulder. He quickly tore his tunic and grabbed his shoulder with the tonic to stop the blood from coming out of him. As a result, the tunic became blood red. But blood wasn't stopped that easily and he fell on the ground in pain still grabbing his shoulder.
Just as the first bandit looked at Zarek, Zarek knew he had no other way to escape the mess. Zarek just went this overboard to make them intimidate of him as he was still defenseless. As long as they are worried about him they wouldn't just attack him recklessly. After all, the other party still had 3 people while he was alone. Even though he had Zerik it could be said they were one. So he had to make them intimidate and be worried of him to make sure they didn't just charge forward together.
The leader of the bandits who came out of the old man's shop was shocked to see the bloody scene. That person... isn't he the one who he met at the inn yesterday? He even gave them 1 gold coin. But how come that weak and afraid young boy attacked his man so ruthlessly? The 2 other bandits who Zarek met in the inn also had a shocked look.
"What do you want? Why did you attack my man?" The leader of the Red Bull Bandits asked with a worried face. After all, he needs to take his man to see a doctor. If they bleed too much it might even lead to their death.
"Because they are not pleasing to my eyes." Zarek replied hypocritically.
Again after getting the secret command Zerik took advantage of his small size and agility to quickly walk behind the 3 bandits secretly. He then stabbed in the calf of the sly looking bandit making him screech at the top of his lung. He then again used his 6 swift steps to quickly disappear and appear behind the other bandit who only had one hand then Zerik jumped and stabbed that bandit's only arm. He had to stab twice as the guy was bulky and had quite the muscle. Because he didn't have the other hand he couldn't even grab his arm to stop his blood from coming out of the injury. Blood was dripping from his hand but he still retaliated by swinging his hand behind. But Zerik was long gone and jumped on the leader of the Red Bull Bandits and grabbed him from behind hanging on his shoulder while placing the dagger before the leader's neck. The leader gulped cautiously.
"I can let you all live as long as you follow my command but if you don't you must all die." Zarek said with a sinister smile.
"Fine, we will do anything but let me take my companions to a doctor." The leader of the bandits agreed without much resistance. He knew they couldn't win anymore. All his companions were injured while he was placed with a dagger on his neck.
"Sure thing but one of you must die for provoking me as a warning. If you still dare to provoke me in the future it will be worse than this." Zarek said with his previous sinister smile.
All the bandits' faces paled. But the leader of the bandits said without hesitation, "Let me take them to the doctor first then you can do anything with me." Even though he was the leader of the Red Bull Bandits the 4 of them were like brothers to him. They created this bandit group together. When there was no member in the bandit group these 4 were always there to support him. He can't abandon them.
Hearing the bandit leader the other 4 started shouting in unison, "No let them go. Kill me."
"Oho you can even sacrifice yourself for your companions. That's quite rare to see in bandits." Zarek said mockingly and continued, "I am moved by this. Fine, you can all go. Just scram and don't even dare to think of retaliation or revenge in the future or else I will make it worse than death for you." Zarek let them go not because he was really moved but because he didn't want to deal with them.
In mere a moment, the leader and the core member of the Red Bull Bandits have been suppressed by only one person. It wasn't something really unusual. After all, Zarek was an aura master. And normal people can't go against the aura master. It's just that aura masters didn't care about the bandits of these remote villages which is why they can be so bold.
While all these things happened someone was looking at the small Zerik curiously with an intense gaze as if his eyes were glued. He thought to himself, 'What is that thing? How can it move like a living person? It can even use aura. Seeing its aura it seems like this small thing is on 3rd layer aura master. This is quite interesting.'
Author Note: I apologize for not writing again. As an apology, I wrote a bit longer chapter this time. Hope you enjoy it. I don't know if I am being demotivated or just lazy I am not writing much now. But from now on I will try to at least upload the weekly chapter as usual.