Caelum's heart hammered in his chest as he pushed the door open, his makeshift firearm raised. The room, illuminated by the dim glow of a lantern, revealed a robust man with an imposing stature looming over a terrified woman. The woman's eyes widened in shock at Caelum's sudden appearance as she yelped.
"Fuck!" Caelum muttered under his breath, realizing that he was too far away to use the firearm effectively. The limited potency of the gunpowder due to the lack of sulfur meant he needed to be closer. But now, with the element of surprise lost due to the yelp of the woman, he had no choice but to engage with his sword and wait for the right moment to use the gun. He knew this would draw the attention of the other bandits, but it was a risk he had to take.
As the bandit leader fumbled to pull up his pants and reach for his weapon, Caelum used the System to quickly assess his opponent.
[Observe: Bandit Leader
Level: 6
Health Points (HP): 280/280
Vitality (VIT): [6]
Strength (STR): [??]
Agility (AGI): [7]
Intelligence (INT): [5]
Wisdom (WIS): [4]
Charisma (CHA): [7]
Luck (LUK): [13]
Skills:
Intimidation: Lv. 3
Heavy Strike: Lv. 2
Command: Lv. 2
Blade Mastery: Lv. 4]
Caelum's eyes locked onto the Bandit Leader, taking in every detail displayed by the System's interface. The large man was clearly caught off guard, his pants down, his weapon out of reach. Yet, Caelum knew better than to underestimate him. He could see the levels, the skills; this was a formidable opponent.
As Caelum dashed forward, his mind buzzed with the information from the system. The unknown strength stat of the Bandit Leader unsettled him. Did the system hide his strength because it surpassed Caelum's own level? The fact that he could not determine it only emphasized the need for caution.
Assessing his own attributes, Caelum quickly mapped out his advantages. His agility was marginally higher, which meant he could potentially outmaneuver the leader. His intelligence, being higher than the bandit's, gave him a strategic edge. But that unknown strength factor was a wild card.
The dimly lit room suddenly felt as if it was under broad daylight as every detail became clearer to Caelum. His senses sharpened, and his body moved with a grace that belied the brutal efficiency of his actions.
The Bandit Leader, caught with his pants down—literally and figuratively—was slower to react. His bulky frame struggled to find balance, his weapon hand fumbling in a rush to defend himself.
Caelum was upon him in an instant, his sword flashing as it aimed for a strike. The Bandit Leader, however, was not entirely unprepared. With a roar, he managed to draw his sword just in time, parrying Caelum's strike with a strength that sent vibrations up Caelum's arm.
'Strong,' Caelum acknowledged internally, feeling the Bandit Leader's raw power. 'But power is nothing without control.'
He danced back, narrowly avoiding a return strike that cleaved through the air with a ferocious might. The Bandit Leader was indeed strong, his Strength stat surpassing or even doubling Caelum's own. But his movements were sloppy, his reactions delayed. He was like a wild animal, powerful but predictable.
Caelum didn't give him a moment to recover. He moved in again, his sword a silver flash in the dim light as he aimed for the Bandit Leader's sides, exploiting the openings left by his wide, powerful swings.
Each strike was precise, calculated to chip away at the Bandit Leader's Health Points without leaving Caelum exposed. He could feel the thrill of the battle coursing through him, but he quelled it, remaining as cold and calculative as Eclipse, the spectral avenger from his past life.
'Don't get cocky,' Caelum reminded himself, feeling the tide of the battle slowly turning in his favor. 'One mistake, and he could crush you.'
He moved with a fluid grace, his body weaving through the Bandit Leader's strikes with inches to spare. His every move was a calculated risk, his every strike a measured decision.
The Bandit Leader was growing frustrated, his roars filling the room as he swung his sword with reckless abandon. He was strong, but his lack of control was his downfall. His strikes grew wilder, his defense sloppier.
Caelum saw his opening. He feinted to the left, drawing a wild swing, before darting in, his sword aimed for the Bandit Leader's chest. But the Bandit Leader, in a last-ditch effort, managed to bring his sword down in a heavy arc, aiming to crush Caelum beneath it.
Caelum's Agility saved him, his body moving with a burst of speed that carried him out of the strike's path. But the close call was a stark reminder. He couldn't afford to get complacent, not when the Bandit Leader's raw Strength was enough to turn the tide with a single blow.
Caelum's heart pounded in his chest as the sounds of footsteps grew louder, signaling the approach of additional bandits. He could hear their shocked and angry cries as they discovered the bodies of their fallen comrades, their footsteps hastening as they neared the room. Time was running out.
His eyes never left the Bandit Leader, even as he heard the other bandits enter the room, their weapons drawn and ready. Some of them gasped, recognizing him as the boy from the prison. "It's him!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with disbelief and rage.
Caelum knew he needed to end this, and fast. He reached out, his fingers closing around the makeshift weapon he had created. It was a simple thing, a bamboo tube filled with a mix of potassium nitrate and charcoal, a hairpin from his sister serving as the projectile. It was crude, but it was all he had.
The Bandit Leader, sensing Caelum's distraction, roared and lunged forward, his sword raised high. Caelum's agility kicked in, his body moving with a grace that belied the urgency of the situation. He sidestepped the strike, the Bandit Leader's sword missing him by mere inches.
Caelum's mind was a whirlwind of activity, his intelligence and experience from his previous life as Eclipse coming to the forefront. He needed to end this now, before the other bandits closed in on him.
With a deep breath, Caelum steadied himself. He raised the bamboo tube, aiming it at the Bandit Leader's chest. His hand moved with practiced ease, striking the flint against the side of the tube.
The gunpowder ignited, and the hairpin shot forward with a speed that belied its makeshift nature. It struck the Bandit Leader square in the chest, the force of the impact causing him to stumble back, his eyes wide with shock.
Caelum didn't wait to see if he had finished the job. He turned on his heel, his sword flashing as he faced the incoming bandits.
The makeshift weapon in Caelum's hand left the bandits in utter disbelief, their eyes wide as they witnessed what they could only assume was magic. They stumbled back, their daggers momentarily forgotten as they murmured among themselves.
"What was that?" one whispered, his voice quivering.
"It's... it's magic, it has to be!" another exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the bamboo tube in Caelum's hand.
Caelum seized the moment of confusion, his body moving with a grace that came from years of training as Eclipse, the spectral avenger. His agility was his asset, and he used it to its fullest, dancing around the bandits with swift, fluid movements.
He didn't have the luxury of wielding a sword expertly like the bandits or thieves surrounding him, but he had his intelligence, his agility, and his makeshift weapon. His eyes scanned the room quickly, assessing the situation. The bandits, though initially shocked, were recovering quickly, their daggers now pointed towards him.
Caelum moved first, dashing forward with a burst of speed. He was upon the first bandit in an instant, his movements precise and calculated. He struck with the bamboo tube, using it like a blunt weapon, catching the bandit off guard and sending him sprawling to the ground.
The other bandits reacted quickly, their daggers flashing in the dim light as they lunged at him. But Caelum was ready. He sidestepped, his body moving with a fluidity that left the bandits grasping at air.
"You can't be human!" one of the bandits gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at Caelum.
"He's a demon!" another shouted, fear lacing his voice.
Caelum didn't respond. His eyes were cold, his mind focused as he calculated his next move. He was outnumbered, but he had the advantage of speed and surprise.
He moved again, his body weaving through the bandits with ease. He struck out with his bamboo tube, using it to disarm one of the bandits. The dagger clattered to the ground, and Caelum kicked it away, out of reach.