"He's running away again, damn it! These useless bastards, hurry up and kill him!"
It was night. I was currently being chased by several people in the forest. But why was I being chased?
'If I was to explain what happened…'
About 6 months ago, on the day I parted ways with Bianca, I had been going here and there across the continent to find the whereabouts of the hero. And after hearing news of the hero being here, I came to the forest today.
'But it was a trap.'
When I actually arrived at a hut in the forest, I found several people surrounding me in an instant and were trying to kill me.
'If they even know I was looking for the hero, then they must have been observing my movements for a long time already.'
But who are they? And why did they want to kill me so badly that they would even prepare a trap like this? That's what I am about to find out now.
"Hieeek! You…! Why are you here…?! Weren't you running away to the forest?!"
He was the fat guy who was shouting to the others from the hut just now.
"You are right. And I came back."
As his subordinates chased after me, I hid myself behind a tree and activated [Perfect Stealth] before running back to this hut. Fortunately, only two guards were left behind to protect him, so I casually took care of them.
'I launched a surprise attack since I was in [Perfect Stealth], but I didn't think they would fall down so easily just like that.'
My vision skill told me that they were a level 2 aura user with okay skills. So, I was expecting them to be on guard and deflect my first flying daggers with ease. But since they let their guard down, it must mean that they were looking down on me.
'Still, it's good that they fell down quickly.'
Although I'm confident that I can still win even if I fight them, I don't really want to alert the others and risk getting surrounded once again.
'Anyway, I better finish fast.'
The fat guy took a few steps back as I retrieved the twin daggers I had thrown to the two subordinates on his side with [Mana Thread]. Bloods were dripping down from my dagger and wet the wooden floor.
And no, they didn't die. I only make them faint by enveloping my daggers with lightning attributes before stabbing them in the shoulder to shock their brain.
After becoming a level 1 aura user last month, I was able to use both the lightning and the light attributes to some extent, so even things like this became possible.
'I should have been able to reach this level a long time ago if I was learning normal auras, but…'
As expected, Bianca was right when she told me training in both auras would take a lot of time.
'However, the benefit was that much greater.'
To be able to move at the speed of light, even if it's only for an instant? And to be able to do devastating lightning attacks without having to worry about running out of aura?
Either one was much more beneficial than becoming a higher-level aura user in a short time. To the point that I can defeat enemies who are at a higher level than me.
"G-go away! Go away, I said!"
My thoughts were interrupted as the fat guy threw a bottle of liquid at me.
[White Dragon Vision]
It was a paralysis poison. If I were to slash the bottle with sharp weapons and get hit or sprayed by the liquid, I would probably get paralyzed.
'Of course, I have Bianca's healing skill, so even that is not a problem, but…'
Since I also want to subdue him, I might as well use this poison to my benefit.
[Soaring Dragon Fist, Gentle Palm Strike]
I roused my mana and pushed my palm forward, then suddenly, a gust of fierce wind blew with the paralysis potion toward the man.
"Ah… Ah…!"
The bottle broke and sprayed the liquid it contained towards the man's face, paralyzing him on the spot. It seemed like the fat man was trying to say something, but since the muscles on his entire body, including his face and throat had become paralyzed, he could barely speak.
"Let's go somewhere quiet and have a chat, shall we?"
"A…"
I shouldered the man and applied [Perfect Stealth] to both of us. I couldn't maintain this state for long, and I could only apply [Perfect Stealth] to one person I'm in direct contact with, but…
'This is more than enough for now.'
I used [Extreme Mirage Footwork] to jump from tree to tree. Losing my pursuers as I went towards the deeper part of the forest.
***