After leaving the old church, Alaric and Zanuba began their journey to the hideout of Tigeria, the ruthless bandit leader. The cold air touched their skin as the sky started to darken, signaling that night was approaching.
Zanuba, who was usually calm and composed, looked extremely tense. Worry lines etched across her soft face. It was not surprising, given the dangerous situation they were facing. However, Alaric, aware of the tension weighing on the little girl, decided to ease her anxiety in his own unique way.
Along the way, Alaric began to recount his ridiculous adventures. From how he had been trapped in a cave for three days after falling into a deep sleep, to how he had once accidentally drunk a potion that made him speak backward for a week. These absurd stories managed to bring a smile to Zanuba's face, and occasionally, her small laughter broke the night's silence.
Eventually, after hours of walking through the gloomy forest, they arrived at the suspected hideout of Tigeria. It was a hidden cave, with its wide mouth set before them, surrounded by dense underbrush.
But as they approached, the sight before Zanuba's eyes shattered her heart. Harith, the loyal guardian who had protected her since childhood, lay lifeless before the cave. His body was crucified and pierced with numerous swords, a horrific and brutal sight. Zanuba ran to Harith's body, tears streaming down her face as her cries of sorrow pierced the silence.
"Harith! No! Wake up, Harith! Please…," Zanuba sobbed, her hands trembling as she tried to hold the cold hand. But it was too late; Harith was gone forever.
As Zanuba mourned, Alaric surveyed the surroundings, his eyes searching for the person responsible for this cruelty. It wasn't long before he spotted Tigeria, sitting on a large rock, casually drinking the Leronica beer that Alaric had longed for.
Alaric's face reddened, not only with anger but also with an element of humor that never left him. "Hey! That's my beer, you bastard!" he shouted at Tigeria, his tone mixing anger with silliness.
Tigeria, annoyed by their arrival, stood arrogantly. "Zanuba, you finally brought yourself here. It makes my job easier; now I can hand you over to Reeve and collect my payment," he said with a contemptuous tone, his eyes gleaming with greed.
Alaric wasted no time. Taking large strides, he approached Tigeria, gripping the man's shoulder. "Don't you dare touch her or that beer again!" Alaric roared, but before he could do more, he was hurled far away by Tigeria's released magic.
Tigeria, a skilled magic swordsman, smirked cynically. "You think you can take me on, elf? I command mid-level knight magic techniques. You're nothing!"
Yet, with impressive speed, Alaric was back in front of Tigeria, even after being thrown. "Oh, is that so?" Alaric said in a very calm but authoritative tone.
The battle between Alaric and Tigeria began with a tense atmosphere, as Tigeria looked at Alaric with a sneer, full of confidence. His body was surrounded by a fearsome magical aura, radiating the power of the knight magic he mastered. Tigeria's hand rose into the air, quickly forming a magical seal. "You old elf should know your limits," he said with a condescending tone. Purple light gleamed at the tip of his fingers before exploding into a large fireball hurtling toward Alaric.
Alaric, standing calmly, only gave a small smile. With a simple hand motion, the deadly fireball dispersed into a gentle breeze, as if the power was nothing more than an illusion. "Hmm, this is quite enjoyable," he murmured lightly. His sharp blue eyes glowed in the dark, hinting at something far deeper than his relaxed demeanor.
Tigeria, incredulous, began unleashing more devastating attacks. His magic sword, glowing with electric energy, was summoned, spinning rapidly through the air and streaking toward Alaric. Each time the sword approached, the air vibrated violently, but Alaric remained calm, not moving an inch.
"Mid-level knight techniques? Hmm, they look complicated, but they're overkill," Alaric said with a mocking tone.
With lightning speed, Alaric vanished from Tigeria's sight, only to reappear directly in front of him. Tigeria's face tensed as he felt Alaric's presence so close, but before he could react, Alaric placed a single finger on Tigeria's forehead. "Sleep for a moment," he said softly.
An invisible burst of energy flowed from Alaric's finger, sending Tigeria flying several meters back. In the air, Tigeria struggled to gather his strength to resist, but all his efforts were in vain. When he landed heavily on the ground, his face was filled with confusion and fear. All the attacks he had just unleashed were nothing more than a gentle breeze to Alaric.
"How is this possible… this is absurd…!" Tigeria shouted, gasping for breath, his body trembling from exhaustion.
Frustrated and angry, Tigeria decided to use his Ultimate Magic, "ALMESICUS," which summoned 100 floating magic swords in the air. However, even this did not faze Alaric.
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