Pete and jake find themselves surrounded by bandits. Emerging stealthily from the darkness, the bandits closed in from all directions, moving with alarming speed.
Pete's heart sank as he sees Sofia lying unconscious on the ground with Iris and Chris, bound and guarded by several bandits.
A tall, imposing figure steps forward, flanked by seven other distinct bandits. He has a commanding presence, his face marked by scars and a cold, calculating gaze. Beside him stands a teenage girl, who was holding his hand.
The girl gazed up at the bandit leader, asking, "Father, why did we have to go through all this just to capture a few adventurers?"
The bandit leader affectionately patted the girl's head and remarked, "Sometimes, it's enjoyable to play games... Otherwise, what else would we do out here in the wilderness?"
Pete erupted in anger, shouting, "How dare you attack us? Don't you know who I am?"
The bandit leader regarded Pete with a calm gaze before responding nonchalantly, "I don't know. Why don't you enlighten me?"
Pete struck a heroic pose and declared, "I am the hero sent by the goddess to protect humanity!"
There was a moment of silence, then suddenly, the bandits burst into laughter.
Amidst the laughter of the bandits, Pete appeared bewildered. "Why are you laughing?"
The bandit leader struggled to contain his amusement, replying, "What kind of hero travel without the soldiers of the Church or royalty... and even lacks the strength befitting a hero?"
Pete roared again as mana enveloped his body, strengthening it, with a fierce look, he lunged towards the bandit leader.
None of the bandits moved, their expressions carrying a mix of amusement and anticipation.
Pete swung a powerful punch at the bandit leader, but instead of connecting, he was violently thrown backward, crashing into a wooden wall with a resounding thud before collapsing to the ground.
"Argh!" Pete coughed up blood, his body wracked with pain as he groaned, feeling several of his ribs crack under the impact.
Jake looked on with sympathy at Pete's injured state but turned towards the bandit leader with a composed smile. "Why would a first rate warrior like yourself join a bandits?" he inquired politely.
The bandit leader fixed Jake with a stern glare. "Hmm... I don't owe you an explanation, but since you're about to meet your end, I'll indulge you," he replied coldly.
Pointing towards the girl held captive in a cage, he continued with bitterness in his voice, "I was once the captain of the guard in Silverkeep City, but because I refused to bow down to her father, a merchant, or rather, a slave trader, the city lord cast me out, despite my years of loyal service."
Jake nodded sympathetically. "That was unjust of the city lord. But why take it out on us? Can't you let us go?" he asked hopefully.
The bandit leader's face twisted into an amused smile. "I'm afraid that's not an option. Since joining these bandits, I've come to realize it's where I truly belong," he said with a hint of madness in his eyes, mocking Jake with his gaze.
Jake turned to Pete, who was curled up in pain, tears streaming down his face as he clenched his chest. "Pete, you have to get up... you're the only one who can escape... stand up and run," Jake urged desperately.
Pete looked up, eyes filled with tears. "I'm supposed to be the hero! I can't just run," he said weakly.
Jake tightened his fist, frustration evident in his voice. "Then why don't you ask for his help?"
Pete's eyes widened momentarily, the pain momentarily forgotten. "No... I won't,"
Jake's voice trembled with urgency, "We're running out of options. Only he can save us. Do you want Sofia to die?"
Pete's gaze shifted to Sofia, his heart torn between pain and anger. Gritting his teeth, he finally mustered the strength to address Morsh.
Pete with his voice shaking, "Morsh, please... save my teammates and the captives."
Morsh, "One should be polite when asking for help! "
Pete's anger surged, his fists clenching. "You have to obey me! your soul is imprisoned in my body! You have to do what I say "
Morsh's tone turned mocking. "My will isn't bound by your commands, you can try, I will die rather than saving them, I have nothing to lose"
Pete, now had almost forgot his pain due to anger.
The bandits observed him with a range of expressions, some puzzled, some smirking.
The bandit leader glanced at Jake and asked, "Is he mad?"
Jake shook his head. "No, he's not... but if he succeeds, he might give himself a chance to escape."
A smirk appeared on the leader's face as he looked at Pete with amusement.
Pete's eyes locked onto Sofia once more, his gaze intense and tear-filled. He pleaded, "Please, save them... I'll do anything you ask."
Morsh considered Pete's plea for a moment. "I will help you, but on one condition, ask your goddess to remove the restraints when I am in control at night."
Pete hesitated, voicing his concern, "You take lives... you'll ruin the hero's reputation."
Morsh's tone was calculated. "I'll hide my face. I can assure you, even if my identity is somehow revealed, no one will be able to reveal it."
Pete hesitated briefly, then looked at Sofia with a sorrowful tone. "Okay, I'll ask the goddess, but it's up to her whether she agrees or not."
Morsh nodded thoughtfully. "That's understandable... but saving this many people won't be easy. I could save the priestess and escape."
Pete's voice trembled with anger. "No. You have to save everyone, or there's no deal."
Morsh sighed heavily, weighing his options as he glanced at the bandits around them. "Fine, it's a deal."
Pete closed his eyes and began a silent invocation. A gentle golden light enveloped him, drawing his soul back into his soul space. Simultaneously, a golden thread emerged, connecting Morsh's soul forcefully, pulling him out of his own soul space.
Dark energy surged around Pete's body, swiftly healing his broken ribs and other wounds.
Morsh gritted his teeth, his expression filled with irritation. "This is annoying."
The leader studied Morsh intently, his brow furrowed in confusion. The transformation in Morsh's demeanor was striking from his previous aloofness to his current upright posture and intense expression, he seemed like a different person altogether.
"How did you heal so quickly?" the leader questioned, his curiosity mixed with wariness as he observed Morsh's demeanor.
Morsh without saying anything, charged at the leader, fists ready to strike. However, before he could land a blow, he was abruptly hurled backward with intense chest pain and broken ribs. But his broken ribs healed before he crashed onto the ground.
Standing up, Morsh gazed calmly at the leader. "You're strong... You won't let us escape. I can't leave without those people," he remarked evenly. "Why don't you kill them first?"
The leader's eyes widened in surprise. "So the hero wants me to kill his comrades so that he can escape?"
Jake, standing nearby, added, "Why don't you just run away?"
Morsh turned to Jake, his expression resolute. "I can't escape as long as you all are alive,"
Morsh swiftly approached a bandit, took his sword and plunged it into the bandit's right side of chest, causing him to fall to the ground, wailing in pain. The bandit leader watched calmly, his demeanor unchanged.
The bandits were enraged but couldn't mover without their leader's command, they seethed with fury but remained motionless.
Morsh continued his torture, severely injuring the bandits one by one. As he struck down another one, a bandit near the leader attempted to retaliate, only to be intercepted by the leader's swift blade.
In a commanding tone, the leader declared, "No one moves without my orders."
The bandits were now in a pinch. On one side, Morsh was cutting them down relentlessly, while on the other, their own leader prevented them from attacking, they were like lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
But looking at their comrades flailing and screaming with pain, fear and rage overtook the bandits as they all revolted and rushed towards Morsh.
Meanwhile, the leader and his seven subordinates stood back, observing calmly as the chaos unfolded.
The bandit's daughter asked, "Why aren't you killing them now? "
The leader observed the bandits' frenzied rush towards Morsh and remarked, "Look at them now. They're like animals, choosing death over escape. I've ensured there's nowhere for them to flee. Their fate is sealed, whatever path they take."
Morsh's smile grew sinister with each bandit he stab, he seems to be enjoying it too much. In a matter of minutes, all the bandits lay on the ground, flailing and screaming with pain as blood flowed out of their bodies like river. Only the leader, his daughter, and his seven subordinates were standing.
Morsh bluntly asked the leader, "Why didn't you intervene?"
The leader chuckled dismissively and gestured to his seven subordinates. "They were merely baggage. I didn't need to trouble myself for them," he replied casually.
His seven subordinates stepped forward, each imbuing their swords and strengthening their bodies with mana.