Ryan stopped practicing magic, feeling satisfied as he turned around. Everyone was staring at him. Checking himself over, he found nothing out of place. Ryan scratched his nose and walked toward the group. Tory and Chuck quickly stepped aside, bowing deeply. Tory and Chuck had already accepted Ryan's status as a mage and saw their subservience as natural. However, for Ryan, whose soul came from a world with a stronger sense of equality, such blatant social disparity made him uncomfortable. He also reminded himself to stay vigilant and never end up in such a situation.
Alice and Delis also gave a slight bow, using noble etiquette to show their respect for Ryan. When Alice bent forward, her snow-white chest and deep cleavage swayed in front of Ryan, who quickly turned his head, flustered. Seeing Ryan's serious demeanor, Alice smiled subtly. She had worked in a tavern and had seen all sorts of people—Ryan's reactions were far too easy to read.
"Tory, you and Chuck, come in as well," Ryan called out to them as he, the two women, and Niu Niu entered the cave. Ryan was concerned about the bandits and wanted to discuss the situation with Tory.
Looking at the previously haughty Tory now acting so timid, Ryan almost found it amusing. Still, a sense of achievement welled up within him. Not wanting to dwell on the awkwardness, Ryan asked directly, "Tory, why did the bandits attack the town? What was their motive?"
Tory, nervous, quickly replied, "I've only heard of such incidents before. Usually, bandit groups target bustling trade routes, and they mainly rob rather than kill. This attack was different. At first, I thought they were after food, but when they pursued us specifically, it became clear their target was either our lord or one of the young ladies."
"Hmm… If it were food they were after, there'd be no reason to chase you. Their specific targeting narrows things down, but I don't see why Alice would be a threat to anyone. This doesn't add up…" Ryan mused.
Suddenly remembering the old man he'd encountered in the forest a few days prior, Ryan asked, "Tory, aside from this route, is there another way down the mountain? I ran into an old man in the woods on the other side—how far is that from here?"
"The upper mountain is about ten or so miles away, but descending from that side would be over a hundred miles. There are a few small villages down there, places no one really oversees. If the bandits came from that direction, they'd likely send only a small elite team due to the challenging route, especially with the snow," Tory answered thoughtfully.
"Tory! Get everything ready. We're heading down the mountain this afternoon to reach Harry City overnight. Can the horses make it down?" Ryan stood up decisively, issuing orders.
Tory, now fully grasping the situation, broke into a cold sweat. If the bandits were determined, they might have sent archers or even brought crossbows. "Yes, the horses can manage!" Tory quickly confirmed.
"Good! Scout the route and the surrounding forest carefully. We'll head down this afternoon and make for the city overnight. Luckily, we have the wind wolf with us, so we don't have much to fear. But the sooner we leave, the safer we'll be," Ryan concluded.
Ryan explained the plan to Alice and Delis, who grew tense at the news. Meanwhile, Ryan decided to use the afternoon to craft armor from the magic ape's hide—his plain clothing wouldn't offer any protection.
"This should be good enough," Ryan muttered, inspecting the processed hide. It was soft and resilient. Originally black, the hide now had a faint yellow hue from soaking in the magical beast's blood. However, Ryan realized he had no experience making armor.
"Ryan, let me help," Delis offered with a smile, stepping forward when she noticed Ryan's hesitance.
Relieved, Ryan handed the hide to her. "Thank you. You just need to mark the areas that need cutting with charcoal, and I'll handle the cutting, okay?" Ryan explained. Knowing the hide was tough and enhanced by the magical blood, he doubted regular tools could do the job. Ryan began boiling the ape's limb skin in an iron pot to create glue. The skin near the paws hadn't been soaked in blood; instead, it had been kept in water for this purpose. Sewing the hide would take far too long.
Although the magic ape was tall, its hide was barely enough for three sets of armor. Ryan took the marked sections of the hide to the back and, with a flash of green light, conjured a Wind Blade in his hand. Carefully following the lines Delis had drawn, Ryan began to cut. He knew that with Little Green guarding the area, their group wasn't in immediate danger. However, he understood that relying on external help was not the way forward. Only by increasing his own strength could he truly secure his future. Moreover, Ryan recognized that the bandits wouldn't hesitate—they would strike with full force once they made their move. Little Green might be powerful, but it wasn't invincible.
It didn't take Ryan long to cut the magic ape hide. When he returned outside with the pieces, Delis watched curiously without objection.
"Will this really work?" Delis asked, surprised, as she watched Ryan use the blackened liquid from the iron pot to assemble the armor.
"It will. This method not only makes it waterproof but also very durable," Ryan replied as he quickly adhered the pieces together. In less than half an hour, the armor was complete—a half-body armor designed to protect the torso and head. He also crafted a pair of boots, stuffing them with dry grass for insulation.
"Bad news, Ryan! The bandits are here!" Tory's urgent shout interrupted just as Ryan finished donning the armor and boots and was helping Alice and Delis wrap themselves warmly in thick cloth.
"What happened? Explain clearly," Ryan asked, remaining calm.
"After hearing what you said earlier, I had Chuck watch the downhill path while I went to scout the forest. About ten miles in, I found over twenty bandits resting in a sheltered area. They were wearing leather armor and most carried bows. From the looks of it, they've just arrived and are preparing for a nighttime assault," Tory reported, still catching his breath.
"Well done, Tory! If that's the case, get ready. You'll carry Miss Alice, I'll take Delis, and Chuck will handle the horses. We're leaving immediately. Delay will only invite trouble."
Although Ryan could have ordered Little Green to deal with the bandits stealthily—ensuring their annihilation—he chose not to. He saw this as an opportunity to temper himself. With the wolf as a backup, he felt secure enough to proceed with his plan.
"Chuck will lead the horses downhill. Tory, you'll go second. Delis and I will bring up the rear. Chuck, remember to stop once we reach flat ground. We'll prepare a surprise for the bandits attacking the town," Ryan instructed. Before leaving, they lit a pile of firewood in the stable to mislead their pursuers. Alice and Delis wrapped themselves tightly in cloth, while Chuck led the horses down the mountain first.
Despite the snowy terrain and steep path, Chuck prepared by wrapping the horses' hooves with cloth to prevent slipping. With careful steps, he led the horses downhill. Meanwhile, Little Green carried two bundles on its back—one with Ryan's belongings, including his magic book, and another with food. Ryan insisted on taking the leftover ape meat, as Alice mentioned that magical beast meat could sell for several gold coins per pound.
"Delis, let me carry you. We're falling behind," Ryan said. As expected, the bandits wouldn't have anticipated their escape. The scouts wouldn't dare approach closely due to the presence of a mage. Seeing smoke rising from the stable would have convinced them someone was still inside. As snow began to fall heavily, Delis insisted on walking herself, which delayed them further.
"Alright," Delis finally relented after glancing at Ryan and then ahead at Tory, who was carrying Alice.
Meanwhile, in a snow-covered forest, a scar-faced man spoke to a short, stocky subordinate nicknamed Big Nose.
"Are they still there?" Scarface asked.
"Yes, boss. I checked earlier. There's just a stable and a wooden fence. Smoke's rising from the stable, and I caught the scent of roasted meat," Big Nose replied, his sharp sense of smell as reliable as ever.
Scarface, leader of the bandits, had taken on a contract to capture a twelve-year-old girl for 1,000 gold coins. What he hadn't expected was for his targets to escape, forcing him to send a pursuit team. The appearance of a mage among the defenders was an even bigger shock. Attacking a mage wasn't just risky—it was a direct challenge to the Mage Guild's authority. Furious, Scarface reported this development to their employer.
The employer, equally alarmed, provided ten military-grade crossbows and an additional 1,000 gold coins to ensure the mission's success. With renewed confidence, Scarface resumed the chase, determined to kill the mage.
"Heh, a mage. I'll skewer you tonight with my crossbows! Killing a high-and-mighty mage will be... exhilarating." Scarface grinned wickedly, fantasizing about his men stealthily approaching the stable and taking down every target. Reports of two beautiful women among the group only fueled his twisted ambitions.
"Listen up, boys! This snowstorm is a blessing. Once we storm the stable tonight, kill all the men and leave the women alive. Whoever gets in first can have the noblewoman. Anyone who kills the beauties will answer to me!" Scarface announced loudly. The bandits cheered in agreement.
In their makeshift snow den—a sheltered hollow supported by branches—fires burned to keep them warm. If Tory had arrived half an hour later, he would have missed them entirely.
"Anyone who tries to cross me will feel the bite of my axe!" a burly man growled, brandishing his weapon to the cheers of his comrades.
"Big Bear, why don't you give it a try? You're pathetic. I bet even an 8-year-old girl might feel something for you," a gloomy-looking man taunted with a sneer.
"Rabbit, is your backside itching? If it is, there are plenty of branches outside for you," Big Bear retorted without backing down.
"Haha!"
"Haha, fight! The fewer of you, the better for the rest of us!" the surrounding bandits burst into laughter.
"Shut up! Are you trying to alert the entire mountain with your noise?" Scarface roared. He had been lost in his fantasy of ravaging the noblewoman when his rowdy subordinates disrupted his thoughts.
The bandits, fearing Scarface, quickly quieted down. Some resumed resting to recover their strength, others chatted about their plans for the noblewoman, and a few continued eating. Scarface glanced around and then lay back down on a beast pelt, returning to his musings.
Ryan, meanwhile, noticed that his stamina had increased significantly recently—several times what it used to be. Carrying Delis for such a long distance didn't even faze him. The thought of having a stunning beauty on his back made his heart race uncontrollably. Images of Delis bathing flashed through his mind, and the strands of golden hair brushing against his neck didn't help matters.
The sky was growing darker, and snow continued to fall heavily, covering the group in white. Even the horses ahead were dusted with snow. Visibility was down to less than 200 meters. Ryan felt increasingly thankful that they had already traversed the steepest section of the descent without any mishaps. If they had delayed, he couldn't imagine the consequences. The horses, miraculously, had made it down without issue. Ryan was confident that even if the bandits discovered their absence, they wouldn't dare follow—descending the mountain was too perilous.
To further deter pursuit, Ryan had strategically left water spells along the steepest sections of the trail. The compacted snow, hardened under the weight of nearly twenty horses, would have turned to ice in the cold, creating a treacherous surface. Even Ryan and Tory had to tread carefully. The bandits attempting to traverse those slopes might as well have been learning to ice skate—but without the safety of rails or flat ground. Ryan smirked, recalling his own early, clumsy attempts at skating.
"Ryan, the town isn't far now. What's our next move?" Tory called out, turning to Ryan. In their small group, everyone had come to regard Ryan as the de facto leader.
"Tory, we can't rest here. Stopping in the snow will only lead to illness. Chuck, keep an eye on the horses. Tory, you and I will head into the town to check the situation. Little Green will stay with Alice and Delis. The bandits already suffered losses during their previous raid on the town, and more when they chased you up the mountain. Only a few remain now, and I can deal with them better in daylight. At night, it's a different story. Tory, are you ready to fight with me?" Ryan carefully laid out his plan after a moment of thought.
"Ready? I've crawled out of death's grip more times than I can count!" Tory declared loudly.
"Good. Let's go." Ryan glanced at Alice and Delis briefly before setting off toward the town with Tory, one leading the way and the other following close behind.