Raven left the guild to begin his assigned mission. With his black trench coat trailing behind him and his cold crimson gaze fixed ahead, he walked steadily through the bustling streets. The city was alive with activity—vendors shouting, children running, and carts rumbling over cobblestones—but Raven paid no mind to any of it. His focus was on the mission.
After a few minutes, Raven reached the city entrance, where the merchant caravan was waiting. The caravan consisted of several wagons, each piled high with crates and barrels of goods. Horses snorted and stamped their hooves while the merchants bustled around, checking supplies and securing their cargo. A few hired guards lingered nearby, their weapons ready.
Raven approached silently, his presence drawing immediate attention. The merchants stopped what they were doing, turning to face him as he walked toward them. His crimson eyes gleamed faintly, and the air around him seemed heavier.
"I'm the adventurer escorting you guys to the next town," Raven said, his voice calm and cold.
The merchants stared at him, clearly surprised. A few exchanged uneasy glances, their opinions audible in quiet murmurs.
"Him? He's just a kid…" one merchant muttered.
"He doesn't look like much of an adventurer," another added, though his voice carried uncertainty.
"Look at those eyes, though," a third merchant whispered, feeling a faint chill. "There's something different about him."
A hired guard, a burly man with a sword strapped to his back, stepped forward, folding his arms. "You're the one they sent? Alone?"
Raven nodded once, his expression unfazed. "That's right."
The guard scoffed. "You better not slow us down, kid."
Raven didn't respond. Instead, he turned his gaze to the lead merchant, a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard and fine clothes. The merchant cleared his throat awkwardly, stepping forward.
"Well… as long as you're here, we can't complain. The sooner we leave, the better," the merchant said. He forced a smile. "I'm Merchant Olren, the one leading this caravan. You'll be escorting us to Hillspire Village. It's about half a day's travel, but… the roads have been dangerous lately."
"Bandits?" Raven asked flatly, his sharp gaze shifting to Olren.
Olren nodded grimly. "Yes. Bandits, monsters… you name it. Some caravans haven't made it through at all. That's why we hired extra protection." He gestured to the guards around him.
Raven said nothing, only giving a faint nod as he glanced at the other guards. Most were watching him with skeptical expressions, their confidence in him clearly lacking. He didn't care.
"Let's move," Raven said simply, turning toward the caravan.
Olren blinked but quickly recovered. "Yes, of course! Everyone, prepare to depart!" he called, his voice carrying across the caravan.
The merchants and guards hurried to their positions, the wagons creaking to life as horses began pulling them forward. Raven silently walked alongside the lead wagon, his cold presence keeping everyone at a respectful distance.
As they traveled, Raven continued walking alongside the caravan, his eyes scanning the area with calm precision. The faint creaking of wagon wheels and the occasional sound of horses snorting filled the air. Behind him, the merchants and guards chatted amongst themselves."Did you see the look in his eyes? Gives me chills," one guard muttered quietly.
"Yeah… but I'll admit, he carries himself like a pro," another added.
"I still don't get why they only sent one adventurer," one merchant grumbled. "What if we get attacked? Can he really handle it alone?"
Raven paid no attention to their opinions. He walked with an air of indifference, his crimson eyes focused on the road ahead as if nothing around him mattered.
Suddenly, a rustling noise echoed from the nearby woods.
The guards immediately stiffened. The merchants, sensing the tension, whispered among themselves and looked around nervously.
"What was that?" one of the guards muttered, drawing his sword.
Raven, however, remained calm. His cold gaze turned to the direction of the noise.
"Skill: Appraisal," Raven murmured.
A faint blue light flashed in his eyes as the familiar status screen appeared before him, showing the details of the creatures hiding in the trees.
[Monster Identified: Forest Wolf Pack]
Level: 8-10
Skills: Bite, Pack Tactics, Quick Dash
Weakness: Direct Fire-Based Attacks
Raven closed the status screen with a flick of his hand, his expression completely unfazed.
The other guards were already on high alert, weapons drawn.
The wolves burst out of the treeline, snarling and baring their teeth as they charged the caravan. The guards shouted, moving to defensive positions, swords drawn and shields ready.
The merchants screamed and panicked. "Monsters! Protect the wagons!" Olren yelled.
Raven, however, silently stepped forward, moving in front of the guards. The sudden motion caused everyone to stop and stare. The guards blinked, confused.
"What's he doing?" one guard whispered.
"Is he insane?!" a merchant cried.
Before anyone could act, Raven's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Skill: Infernal Roar."
A deep rumble built in Raven's chest, and suddenly, a massive wave of flames erupted outward with a deafening roar. The fire surged toward the wolves, engulfing the entire pack in an inferno. The heat rippled through the air, forcing the guards and merchants to step back in awe.
The flames consumed the wolves instantly, leaving behind nothing but scorched ground and embers. A heavy silence followed as everyone stared, their jaws dropped in disbelief.
"He… he just…" one merchant stuttered.
"They're gone… in one attack?" another guard muttered, blinking in shock.
"Who is this guy?" someone whispered faintly.
Before they could process what happened, Raven vanished. A swirl of black ravens erupted where he had stood, only to reappear moments later beside the caravan. The sudden reappearance startled everyone, their gasps echoing through the group.
"Wha… what the hell?!" one guard yelped.
Raven glanced at them with his cold crimson stare. "Let's go," he said flatly, his voice breaking through their stunned silence.
The lead merchant, Olren, stood frozen for a moment before stuttering, "Y-yes… l-let's go! Move it, everyone!"
The caravan started moving again, the wagons creaking forward as the merchants and guards remained speechless. Behind Raven, murmurs rose once more, their voices filled with awe and disbelief.
"Did you see that?"
"He burned them all to ash in seconds…"
"And then he disappeared like that?"
"I've never seen magic like that. He's no ordinary adventurer."
Raven ignored them all, his cold stare fixed ahead as he walked at his steady, unrelenting pace.
They started walking again, the caravan moving at its steady pace while Raven ignored the stares and whispers trailing behind him. His cold crimson gaze stayed fixed forward, unbothered by the murmurs of awe or fear. The sun climbed high and began its slow descent across the sky, and six hours later, the lead merchant finally broke the silence.
"We're almost there," Merchant Olren announced, his voice tinged with relief.
Just as the words left his mouth, the caravan came to a sudden stop. Raven furrowed his brow slightly, turning his gaze toward the front of the line.
What now?
Before he could move, a guard's tense voice rang out. "Bandits!"
Raven looked up, his expression still calm as he observed the scene unfolding ahead. From the dense treeline on either side of the road, a group of bandits emerged—filthy and crooked, their tattered armor mismatched and poorly kept. Their ugly grins split their faces as they laughed, each one holding weapons ranging from rusted swords to crude clubs.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" a burly man stepped forward, clearly the bandit leader. He wore a scarred breastplate and a smug sneer. "A bunch of merchants and their pretty wagons. How thoughtful of you to bring us a little donation!"
The bandits erupted into laughter, their mocking voices echoing through the clearing.
"We'll take everything, including your lives, if you don't hand it over peacefully!" the bandit leader continued, sneering as his men roared in agreement.
The merchant guards immediately stepped forward, their swords drawn and shields raised. The leader of the guards barked out, "You're surrounded! Lay down your weapons and surrender now, or you'll regret it!"
The bandits only laughed harder. "Oh, that's cute," one of them jeered.
Merchant Olren looked visibly pale. He stepped forward, opening his mouth to negotiate, but before he could say a word, something unexpected happened.
Raven stepped forward slightly, his voice a low murmur that carried enough weight to silence those nearest to him.
"Skill: Root Constrictor."
The bandits continued to laugh—until the ground beneath them trembled. The laughter faltered, replaced by looks of confusion and fear. Suddenly, thick roots erupted from the earth, snaking their way up and around the bandits with terrifying speed. They cried out, panicking as the roots coiled around their legs, arms, and torsos, binding them in place.
"W-what is this?!" one bandit screamed, trying to hack at the roots with his sword, only for the blade to snap uselessly.
"I can't move!" another shouted, thrashing in vain.
The bandit leader's face twisted with fear. "Stop this! Stop it, damn you!"
But it was too late. The roots pulsed faintly, and the bandits' expressions turned from terror to horror as they felt their strength being sapped away. The roots drained their life energy slowly, leaving them weaker by the second.
"H-help us!" a bandit choked out, his face pale as he thrashed futilely. "Mercy! Please!"
Raven tilted his head slightly, his crimson gaze cold and merciless.
"No. Sorry," he said flatly.
His calm words sent shivers through everyone present—guards, merchants, and even the bound bandits.
"Did… did he just say no?" one merchant whispered, his voice trembling.
"What is he?" another guard muttered, gripping his sword tighter though there was no immediate threat to him.
The bandits' pleas grew weaker as the roots continued to drain them, their screams turning into faint gasps. Raven stood still, unmoving, as the air around him grew heavier with silence.
Let it be cont
Suddenly, Raven's form dissolved into a swirl of black ravens, startling everyone around him."What—where did he go?!" a guard shouted, spinning around.
Raven reappeared instantly in front of the bandits, his sudden presence causing them to flinch in terror. The roots still held them fast as they looked up at him, their faces pale and eyes wide with fear.
"P-please… let us go," one bandit begged weakly. "W-we won't do it again…"
Raven raised his hand calmly, his voice cold.
"Skill: Heal."
A soft, glowing light spread across the bandits, restoring their energy and vitality. The roots remained firmly in place, but the bandits could feel their strength returning. Confused murmurs rippled through the merchants and guards as they watched this strange display.
"Why… why is he healing them?" a merchant whispered in disbelief.
"What is he planning?" a guard asked cautiously, gripping his sword tighter.
The bandits blinked, realization dawning on their faces as they tested their recovered strength. Relief mixed with confusion.
"H-he's letting us go…?" the bandit leader muttered, daring to hope.
Raven's crimson eyes narrowed as his form blurred.
"Skill: Sonic Step."
Before the bandits could react, Raven moved with blinding speed. A faint streak of black cut through the air as he darted between them in an instant. The sound of impact rang out quietly, and moments later, the bandits collapsed one by one to the ground, unconscious. The roots released their hold, and the area fell silent.
Raven reappeared by the side of the caravan, startling everyone for a second time. The guards gawked at him, their jaws hanging open.
"What… what just happened?!" one guard stammered.
"Did he kill them?!" another gasped, glancing nervously at the unmoving bandits.
Raven turned his cold stare toward them.
"They're not dead," he said flatly. "They're out cold. Let's go."
The guards exchanged stunned glances before nodding hesitantly. Merchant Olren, still visibly shaken, stuttered, "R-right… y-yes. Let's go! Move it!"
The caravan resumed its journey, the wheels creaking forward as everyone cast wary glances at Raven. Their whispers floated through the air, filled with disbelief and awe.
"He healed them… then knocked them out instantly?"
"What kind of power is that?"
"This guy… he's not normal."
Raven ignored them all, his pace unchanging and his crimson eyes fixed on the road ahead.
inued...