"Okay, now it's time to tell you what the mission is about," Marx announced, pausing before continuing.
"The village of Moka has been invaded by bandits three times in just one week. The villagers had no choice but to come to the Four-Leaf Clover Kingdom for help."
"According to the villagers' reports, there are two mages, both at the first-level rank, and the rest are just regular thugs. To be safe, the Magic Emperor has decided to send you old members to accompany them."
"Alright, that's the gist of the information. Also, I'm a bit anxious. I hope the Knights can resolve this quickly, as another villager came to ask for help this morning."
"Got it, we'll definitely complete the task!" Asta shouted excitedly, eager to prove himself after just joining the group.
"Two first-level low-tier mages?" Lin Hao muttered to himself.
If the villagers' information is correct, then Lin Hao and Yuno alone could handle the situation. Both of them had already reached the power of first-level low-tier mages.
"Okay, let's go!" Magna yelled.
Everyone nodded, preparing to leave. Since Asta couldn't use magic, he had to ride on Yuno's magic broom.
The others also had their own self-propelled magic brooms. After flying for almost two hours, the group finally arrived at Moka Village.
Upon landing, they walked toward the village entrance. The villagers, who had initially eyed the newcomers warily, broke into smiles when they saw the cloaks of the Knights.
"It's the Knights! They've arrived!"
"Quick, tell the village chief!"
"Wow! So cool! I'll join the Knights too when I grow up!" a child shouted excitedly.
A little while later, the village chief and several middle-aged men rushed to meet them. The chief's face was tense as he approached Magna, saying angrily, "I told you that your Knights are too slow. If you had come any later, the village would've been completely ransacked by those bandits!"
Hearing the village chief's rudeness, one of the men quickly intervened, "Village chief, don't forget—these knights came from far away. Let's not waste time on complaints."
"Right, village chief! Let's just focus on dealing with the robbers!" another man added.
Magna, irritated by the village chief's words, retorted, "What are you talking about? 'Too slow'? Are you saying that again?"
The village chief, ready to argue, hesitated when he noticed Magna's Black Bull cape. He immediately frowned. Everyone knew the Black Bulls had a notorious reputation, often seen as a group of misfits with questionable behavior.
"Don't mind the village chief," one of the men said, attempting to smooth things over. "He's just worried about the village's safety."
Magna, still dissatisfied, dismissed it with a grunt. "Forget it. If it weren't for the Magic Emperor sending us on this mission, I'd be making a scene right now."
The village chief then began explaining the situation in detail. The villagers had pinpointed the robbers' stronghold, which was located not far from the village, on the other side of the hill.
With the location now known, Magna didn't want to waste any more time. He just wanted to finish the mission as quickly as possible.
As for the two first-level low-tier mages, Magna didn't think it was necessary to discuss any strategies. He turned to Lin Hao and said, "Let's go."
Lin Hao and the others nodded in agreement, and they set off toward the robbers' stronghold.
Watching them leave, one of the men muttered, "Village Chief, are you sure about those two mages being first-level low-tier? You can't be mistaken, right?"
"Yeah, these knights look like a bunch of kids. They don't seem very reliable," another man added, clearly worried.
The village chief waved them off dismissively. "Who told you I'm mistaken? Those two leading robbers are definitely first-level low-tier mages. I can tell just by looking at them."
Another man, standing next to the village chief, asked, "Wait a minute, didn't you say the instructors were first-level low-tier when you went to the Four-Leaf Clover Kingdom?"
The village chief sighed. "Don't forget, I was once a mage in the Knights myself. If I wasn't getting old, I could've handled them all by myself."
The man fell silent, unable to argue further. It was true that the village chief had once been a mage, though he had been kicked out of the Knights for unknown reasons. But that was a matter of the past, and the village chief wasn't willing to share the details.