Max and Derek departed again. The weather was good a few days already. It was summer time so Max did not really need to worry about clothes. He still looked strange compared to the locals because he was wearing simple adidas short with sports shoes and outfit. He looked like some kind of alien of some sort and because of that he attracted a lot of attention. Still, he did not really care and continued his journey. Now was the time he could just chill and enjoy life. He did not need to really hurry. He had food for around 9 more months with the money from the rewards. It was enough for him to settle down in some place and have his customer base increase. He looked at the trees around and felt the warm air with the smell of forest and felt that life was good. Suddenly he stopped. Derek did not really understand what happened but still stopped as well.
Derek asked: "What happened boss?"
"Can't you feel? Don't you see? Oh my god. Why do I even let you use the capsule. Holy shit!" Max replied.
Derek was taken aback. He could not get used to the temper of this guy. He took off from a zero to hero mode in term of his irritation level almost instantly. Every little thing could trigger him, and Derek just did it somehow at this moment.
"For real. I don't understand how you did survive in this world until now. There is a bandit group over there. They most likely try to ambush us." Max said.
"Oh." Derek said, surprised. He was pretty sure of his survival instincts generally and now he felt at a loss again.
'I don't even see anyone. How he can tell where are they? What the hell?' Derek thought in his mind.
Max had the appraisal skill on most of the time and also, he leaned the skill heat vision. When you use this skill, you see all the world black and white and only living organisms with heat waves can be seen. Max confirmed his suspicion with the heat vision skill after his appraisal skill worked on someone randomly. He discovered a team of 10 bandits with a scout that was looking at them from a far with some kind of binoculars. He sighed. He did not have time for this shit. He came here to enjoy life and not fight with some pests.
"Get out from your cover and you will have a chance to live. Don't push my patience because I don't have any!" Max screamed.
He saw that they were a team of normal humans with a level one knight apprentice leader. It was not fun for Max. He also did not want to hear the arrogant shit that was going to spill from the mouths of those bandits. 'Oh man. Why is life so hard? Why they came here for me? Whatever. I hope they have some cash at least. Maybe I'll make Derek fight a little? He should be able to fight those guys all together from his level now.' Max thought internally.
Derek on the other hand was tense. He did not know if this boss Max will protect him, or he will need to fend for himself.
One of the bandits came over with a cocky manner and said: "Hand all your valuable things and maybe I'll let you off. Move your asses. If you don't comply, we have guys that will love to sell you as slaves at the market."
He was of an average stature with a height of 1.7m and he showed a hideous smile with a mouth that had lot of teeth missing. He then came to close to Max.
Max felt the bad smell from the mouth of the bandit and his face darkened. He wanted to look for a show when Derek will fight those guys and he will be cheering for him to win. Max was even ready to release the ones that would be able to escape. Now he changed his mind. His was pretty unpredictable and now it meant doom for those bandits. Before the bandit in front could say anything or make any step forward Max blinked In front of him and threw him high into the air and then Max screamed: "Pyroblast!". After that a big fireball shot at the horrified bandit in the air. When the fireball came close enough to the flying bandit it detonated: "BOOM!"
A big blast swept the closer surroundings. It was not harmful to the people below because Max launched the guy really high into the air. Also, it was a mini mass distraction skill. It was not something like a Supernova that could flatten a small town. Max saw this skill in the fire element tree but he also saw that a level of a high mage was required for him, and he could not study it even with the gaming club located near him. It was one of the things the system did to motivate him to grow and learn new interesting things. After the explosion happened Max spited on the ground and said: "This guy has no hope. Even the fireworks he created are shitty."
After that happened everyone went silent for a long time. Even Derek that saw the power of boss Max was horrified. If Max wished, he could blast all their village to the afterlife all by himself without much effort back then. Derek did not know that Max learned this skill recently, but it did not change the fact that he was a monster. All the bandits wanted to run but before they could move Max acted. He disappeared and then blinked few times until he got near the leader. After that he materialized inform of the bandit group and said: "You guys could leave this place in one piece if you did not provoke me but now your chances of survival will be lower. Try and kill this guy. As for you Derek. If you win, I will think of a reword for you. If they win you, they will get to leave, and I will not help you in your studies."
After that Max made a small hill with a spectator seat from the earth element with an earth umbrella above and looked at the Derek and the group of bandits with expectant eyes.
No one of the sides moved. Both sides were digesting the information they got right now.
After Max understood that those guys were not playing in his game he said with furrowed brows: "Derek don't worry I won't let you die. If you lose, I just heal you. As for you bandits. You better start moving your asses, or I will blast you just like I did with your little friend."
With renewed motivation both sides stared daggers at each other, and the fight began.