The leader hung back, watching as his three men rushed forward, unsheathing their swords. Zouno engaged one of them, while Aki and Rick took on the other two. The girls huddled behind Snowy, who stayed close, guarding them.
"Girls, use your magic when we're clear of them!" I shouted as I blocked another strike from the bandits.
A few moments later, Sara and the girls unleashed a powerful combination of water and thunder magic. The blast was intense, knocking two of the men down instantly.
Even Rick and Aki, caught off guard by the strength of the magic, gawked. "That was… too powerful," Rick muttered, amazed.
Seeing his men defeated, the bandit leader finally entered the fray. His giant axe gleamed dangerously as he swung it toward Aki, sending him flying back into a tree with a loud thud. "He's too strong!" one of the girls cried out in fear, her hands trembling as she clutched her staff.
"Stay calm!" I shouted, trying to keep everyone focused. Rick and Zouno sprinted toward the leader, attacking him from both sides. Their blades clashed with the bandit's axe, sparks flying as they struggled to keep him at bay.
Amaii rushed over to Aki, who was slumped against the tree, bruised but conscious. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," she said softly, her hands glowing with healing magic as she mended his wounds. The relief on Aki's face was palpable as the pain started to fade.
I engaged the last of the bandit's henchmen, using a shield rush to knock him out cold. But just as I turned back, I saw the leader's axe glowing with a sickly yellow aura.
"He's using some kind of skill!" Zouno shouted, his eyes wide with alarm. Before we could react, the bandit swung his axe with a devastating force, sending Zouno's sword flying out of his hand.
"I can't stop it!" Rick yelled as the leader followed up with another strike aimed at him. In the blink of an eye, I threw myself in front of Rick, raising my shield to block the blow. My arms trembled under the sheer power of the attack.
"He's not level 49," Zouno said, his voice tight with dread. "He's level 55!"
My shield barely held up under the weight of the leader's attacks, cracks spidering across its surface. "Okay, change of plans! GIRLS, DO IT!" I screamed, mustering every bit of strength to push the leader back a few feet.
Without hesitation, Sara, Amaii, and the others unleashed a barrage of spells—water, lightning, fire, and wind all crashing down on the leader. The explosions of magic threw up dirt and debris, engulfing the area in smoke.
"Yes! We've got him now!" Zouno said, retrieving his weapon.
But the leader's laugh echoed from within the smoke. "Cocky brats," he sneered, his voice filled with malice. In one swift motion, he slammed his axe into the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked us all back.
"Damn it!" Rick cursed, struggling to regain his footing. In a flash, the leader was upon him, his massive hand wrapping around Rick's throat. "I've won," the bandit leader snarled, tightening his grip.
For a moment, everything seemed lost. But then, Aki sprang into action, his blade slicing through the air as he delivered a deep cut to the leader's arm, forcing him to drop Rick.
"Not yet," Aki growled, his eyes burning with determination. His sword, glowing with a faint red light, pulsed as if absorbing the blood from the man he had just struck down.
"Aki, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice strained as I struggled to stand.
Aki glanced at me, his face pale but resolute. "I've got a special skill. Buy me five minutes, and I'll end this."
"Five minutes?" Rick rasped, massaging his neck as he caught his breath. "We'll hold him off. Just be quick!"
We charged at the bandit leader again, keeping him occupied as Aki prepared his move. The girls continued their spell barrage, stunning the leader with bursts of electricity and water. Zouno and Rick coordinated their attacks, aiming to keep the leader off balance while I used my shield to absorb the brunt of his axe strikes.
But the leader wasn't going down easily. His axe flared with energy again as he swung it with even more force. "Stay back!" I shouted as the blade came crashing down. My shield finally gave in, shattering into pieces as I fell to one knee, blood dripping from my arm.
"Amaii, get the high-level healing potion from the system shop!" I yelled, my voice ragged from the pain. She quickly bought the potion, tossing it to me, and I gulped it down. My wounds began to heal almost instantly, the potion's effect restoring my strength.
Meanwhile, Aki's sword continued to glow brighter and brighter, the red hue deepening as it absorbed more energy. He had driven it into the heart of one of the fallen bandits, and now the sword pulsed with power. Even the leader noticed, but we weren't about to give him time to react.
"Everyone, get away from him!" Aki shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos of the battle. We all backed off as Sara used a powerful thunderbolt spell to paralyze the leader, locking him in place.
"It's our victory," Aki said, his voice calm and steady despite the storm of magic raging around him. He lifted his sword, which now glowed like molten lava, and called out the name of his special skill: Blood Slash.
A massive wave of red energy erupted from Aki's blade, cutting through the bandit leader and the trees behind him in one clean sweep. The leader's body split in two, his eyes wide with disbelief as he fell to the ground.
We stood there, panting, our bodies battered and bruised, but alive.
"We… we did it," one of the girls whispered, her voice trembling with relief.
"We survived and won," Rick said, still catching his breath. But then a somber silence fell over the group.
"But… we killed a human," Amaii said softly, her eyes filled with guilt.
"This isn't Earth," Aki said quietly, looking at the body of the leader, his face calm but worn. "If we hesitate, we'll be the ones who die. We had no choice."
He tried to stand, but his body wobbled. I rushed over and caught him before he hit the ground. "Aki!" I exclaimed, concern flooding my voice.
"I'm fine," Aki muttered weakly, forcing a tired smile. "The special skill just drained me of all my stamina."
"Don't worry, Amaii will help you," I reassured him. Amaii hurried over, already channeling her healing magic, her hands glowing as she worked to restore Aki's strength.
"Good job, Aki," Rick said, patting him on the shoulder.
I turned to the rest of the group. "Okay, everyone, gather the loot, set up camp, and let's take a rest. We earned it."
Snowy, ever diligent, had already begun dragging the bandits' supplies toward us, her tail wagging happily as if it were just another game. We all laughed at the sight, grateful for the small moment of levity after such a close call.
As the others set up camp, I looked down at Aki, who had already fallen asleep on the ground. I smiled softly, glad that we had made it through.
"Take him into the tent," I told the others, watching as Zouno and Rick gently carried him. Then, without missing a beat, I joined in to help with the tasks. We'd made it through the day, but the journey ahead was still long—and filled with many more dangers.