"Argh!"
Aura's fireball catches the archer off-guard. The archer was surprised and did not react fast enough, he fell to the ground. The arrow shot without direction, incidentally approaching me.
I run with explosive power that the dirt flies off into the air. I move my body slightly to the side while the arrow floats in the direction I am running. I can see the detail of the arrow, the arrow's eye, and the feather in slow motion.
Nia's body adaptation ability amazes me. I can see things in slow motion and react faster. Also the easiness movement in my body, there is no restrain or pain.
I run toward the bandit leader. Another arrow came out right then left, I deflected both respectively with the sword.
One of the bandits runs toward me, slashing his sword. I move slightly to the right side to avoid the sword. pushed my sword on his neck and slashed. Blood spurted from his neck like a waterfall. The bandit tried to stop the blood but eventually falls and dies.
Another bandit attacked, throwing a knife. I deflected the knife into the air. Then on the left side, a bandit tried to hit me with his hammer. I jumped to the side while grabbing the rotated knife in the air and stick the knife to the hammer man's neck.
Meanwhile, Aura shoots fireballs from the top of the wagon. The two bandits shield themselves from the blazing flame with a rotten wooden shield. Saft on the other hand holding a bandit with his sword and shield.
Grish clashes a sword with a bandit, trying to hold on. They are evenly matched.
Knowing two bandits already dead on my hand. Both of the bandits in front of me lunge together toward me. I jumped to them, to the gap between them.
"Whirlwind slash."
I put a lot of power on my feet, then rotate between them with a blade on my hand. I move like a blender blade, hacking every meat my sword touches.
Saft successfully kills a bandit and now helping Aura fight the other two.
Looking at me the last bandit in his group runs away. I threw the small axe at the running bandit. Luckily for him, his head is being hit with the blunt side of the axe. The running bandit did not move and falls unconsciously.
Unlucky, Grish slips because of the mud. Both Grish and the bandit fall with Grish on the ground. The bandit grinned, ensured of his win. He pushes the sword down to his neck.
Grish sweated, his heart thumping fast trying harder to hold the sword to not touches his neck.
"Grish!" Saft shouted, knowing Grish was in danger.
"Focus!" Aura shouted to Saft.
Unfocused, the bandit takes a chance kicking Saft in the abdomen.
Saft falls and the bandit tries to slash his axe to his head.
I turned my body fast and take out my proton gun.
Fwoom! Fwoom!
Both of the bandits that threatened Saft and Grish fall to the ground. A hole, clean enough, almost a perfect circle marked on their head. No spurt of blood, only smoke that smells like barbecue meat being grilled.
Grish kicks the corpse of the bandit away from him.
Knowing no chance of winning, the last bandit member dropped his sword and shield, both hands lifted.
I turned my face to the bandit leader.
[Danger!]
His axe is only a centimeter long to cut my nose. Thankfully Nia warned me and gives me time to avoid it. I hit his abdomen hard, and I feel like one of his ribs is broken.
The bandit leader vomits gastric acid from his mouth. He falls while holding tight his stomach.
"Ugh." The bandit leader groaned. "Wait we can talk this out."
I see his eyes glistening, almost crying.
"Talk later," I said unforgiving.
I hit his forehead with the handle of my proton gun hard enough to get him knocked out.
****** ****** ******
(Grish's POV)
My poor little brother, Gran.
It was almost two days since Gran, Kloa, and Darren lost in the forest.
Sana, the mother of Kloa and Darren, Crying without a cure. Her cry sounds like a sharp blade, lacerating my heart every time I heard her. While his husband is still sick, cannot move, and is stuck in his bed, crying without a voice.
Poor woman.
My father was lost in thought in the night. Despite his body being full of muscle, his eyes are empty.
We prepared to explore the forest the next morning. Five strong men in the village with bows, spears, and swords. Father did not allow me to partake in the search party, saying that I am not ready yet.
It was right at that moment, a man and a woman came to our village, together with Gran, Kloa, and Darren.
I heard their story. Some of the villagers did not believe it. Yet the same story was being spoken out by Gran and Kloa. I don't know about Kloa, but I knew that Gran never lies. Father understands that too and accepted it as the truth.
The truth is that both of them killed a two meters Dark Green Ogre. The Dark Green Ogre knew to have a massive strength equivalent to seven adults lifting a big log.
Are they that strong?
They are both mercenaries and Father is an ex-mercenary. Still, my father tells the truth that he is only able to hold the Ogre, not defeat it. And they still look young and inexperienced. It is a fact that is still hard to accept.
Until today.
I saw it with my own eyes and all of my doubts were cleared. Sister Aura can cast fireballs many times, and that is mana-consuming. I lost count of how many fireballs she cast, no ordinary adventurer can do that.
And the most surprising is big bro Cory. I called him big bro since I admit that he is strong and already helped our little Gran from death's gaze.
Big bro Cory is very agile in his movement. Especially when he lunged front to the bandit, I almost can not see his body. He killed the bandit one by one swiftly, it was so beautiful yet deathly.
When we were in the wagon, I can feel the flame on the back of my neck. I glanced a bit, taking a peek, big bro Cory's palm emitted blue fire!
Blue fire!
Everyone knows the history. Only the second Croft King of the Creols kingdom, blessed by the goddess Ashtary, and known as the Divine Blue King able to use blue fire magic.
Is big bro Cory a descendant of the Croft royal? Are they traveling incognito?
No! I must not pry any further. They are Gran's savior and Father's best friend. I will keep it in my heart.