“A bandit attack, I see,” Dorgo commented as he watches the scene before him.

“Aren’t we going to do something?” Artreus asked the barbarian.

Drogo just looked at him with a calm expression. “Do what? The attack was already over, lives were already lost. Even if we kill those bandits we wouldn’t get any reward.”

“What about exacting justice?” Artreus was, is, a Paladin. Even though he abhors the Gods that left him and his friends to die in the Void Plains, his belief, his oath to protect still hasn’t changed.

“What about it?” The barbarian answered, his expression was cold. “Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t think twice to separate a bandit from his head. But only if it is our mission. We are adventurers. We are not charity. If another party has already accepted a mission for this group and we killed them, there will be trouble between the parties on who will get the reward. Most likely, the guild will give it to the one who accepted the quest. So if I don’t have a quest for it. I will not do it. I don’t work for free.”

Feeling the rage build up further within him, Artreus forces out a question while grinding his teeth. “Then why did we come here” Just stand and do nothing?”

Unaffected by his rage, Drogo answered with a casual tone. “If the caravan was still alive, I would’ve fought and got some sort of reward from them. That or if I find a strong opponent. Both which is highly unlikely now. So. I guess we should head to the manticore now.”

Artreus finally snapped after hearing his answer and he rushed towards the scavenging bandits alone. He was wrong. He thought this was a righteous party, but they were all the same. They worry about money first before morals. If they won’t spring into action, then he will. “Stop right there you scum!” He roared at the two bandits. “Surrender now if you want to live.”

The two bandits glanced at Artreus with a curious look, they seem to be assessing if he was a threat or now. Seeing that he is wearing only a cloak with no weapon in sight, the two bandits look at each other and laughed. “Lookie here Ben. There be a straggler. I wonder what we do?”

The man beside him chuckled, flashing his crooked teeth. “I dunno Karl, he looks poorer than a rat. I mean look at ‘im, wearing notin’ but a cloak, and he dares us to stop. What a clown.”

“Yeah. A stupid one at that.” The other bandit laughs then points at Artreus, “What if we don’t want to little man? What ye gon do? Stab us with yer dick? Nyahahaha!” Both of the bandits laughed.

Although he wanted nothing but to grind the both of them to dust beneath his foot, Artreus knows he is at a disadvantage, I should’ve buffed myself before revealing myself. I am an idiot. I guess I should use this. Artreus thought and he started chanting. “Yue, Goddess of the Moon. Just as your brightness parts the darkness…”

The laughter of the bandits died when they noticed what Artreus was doing, one of them yelled. “Oh shit! A magic caster! Quick before he finishes his chant!” The bandits roared as they rushed towards Artreus.

Too late, Artreus thought as he finished his chant. “Shine upon the innocent and the wicked! Holy Flash!” His cloak fluttered in the breeze as his body shone with the brilliance of the sun, blinding the charging bandits, stunning both of them. Not skipping a beat, he runs towards the two and delivered a dropkick on one of them, sending the poor bandit rolling in the ground. Turning towards the other bandit who was swinging his sword blindly at random directions, he quickly grabbed his sword arm and grabbed his neck with the other before slamming the bandit to the ground. He then performed a joint lock on the bandit’s arm in a fluid motion that made it look like it was practiced for a thousand times.

“Gahh! Let me go ye freak!” The bandit shouts. Then a loud crack could be heard, “Argghh!” he screamed at the top of his lungs after Artreus broke his arm.

“Ben!” The other bandit roared in anger before rushing towards Artreus once more. “Ye bastard! Imma kill ye!” He shouts, raising his sword to the sky in an attempt to separate Artreus from his torso.

With a swoosh, the sword scythed through the empty air as Artreus rolled away from the attack, grabbing the sword that was dropped by the other bandit in the process. Artreus easily parried the incoming attack by the bandit like he was swatting away a fly. He then delivered a punch to the gut which made the bandit scream in pain as he crumpled to the ground.

“Kwaaak!” The bandit coughed blood. He raised his sword, his hands shaking. “Ben! Come ‘ere and help me! We gon beat this fucker!” He told his companion. Once his companion didn’t respond, he turned around and saw the other bandit running while nursing his broken arm. “Ben?” Once he realized that his friend abandoned him, he was enraged. “Ben ye fucking fuck! Come back ‘ere!”

“Heh. Hundreds of years and you bunch are still the same.” Artreus says, he then stood up and walks towards the shaking bandit.

Upon seeing the approaching cloaked stranger the bandit started to step back, and when he fell to his butt, he then tried to crawl away. “Who are ye? Why ye doin this?” Seeing the murderous look on Artreus, the bandit threw his weapon away and knelt. “I surrender! Please spare me life. I will do anything ye want. I beg ye.” He implored.

Upon hearing the plea of the bandit, Artreus felt no pity, instead his anger flared more than before and he kicked the bandit to the face, eliciting a sharp crack as he broke the bandit’s jaw. “Now you’re begging for your life? What about these people huh? Did you spare them when they begged for theirs?” The bandit started to crawl away, but then he stomped on the bandit’s get, breaking his bone. “Now you are asking for pity? Did you pity the children you slaughtered in cold blood?” he then chopped the other leg.

“Pweeese… Wee jassss foooolllow, ollldells.” The bandit tried to say with his broken and bleeding jaw.

“Scum. You don’t deserve to live.” With a swing of the sword, Artreus chopped the bandit’s head off, spraying warm blood his face as a fountain of blood flows from the stump of the headless body. But he didn’t feel satisfied, he hungered for justice to be served.

“Wow. Clean strike.” Drogo whistled as he checked the dead body. “Did you really have killed him so soon? You should have at least interrogated him to find out their hideout.”

“Are you in a position to criticize me? You who didn’t lift a finger?” Artreus snarls as he grips the sword in his hand tightly that his hand is turning white.

“I reckoned you could do it by yourself. I am not wrong.” Drogo replies nonchalantly as if he enjoys Artreus’ expression.

Something within Artreus urges him to teach this man a lesson. To use all his strength to wipe this smug bastard off the face of the planet. But he shook those thoughts away. Not only is he at the disadvantage with his weakened body and their superiority in numbers, but he would also risk destroying his own body if he tries to summon strength that his body couldn’t handle like his battle against the demon lord. Sighing deeply, he responds. “Bah! Do whatever you like. Fight the beast for all I care. But I will take care of these trash first.”

“And how do you think you could do that? You just killed a man that could’ve given you the location of their hideout.”

“Rats always run back to their nest,” Artreus said coldly, but his eyes say otherwise.

“I see. You seem to be so familiar with vermin huh?” He chuckled. Artreus’ bloodlust flared up as he glared at Drogo. Seeing this, the man just grinned and said. “Oh don’t look at me like that. That was just a joke. A joke.” Although he is laughing, Artreus feels that the man is trying to coax him to a fight.

“Stop teasing him, leader. Don’t we have a more important business to tend to?” The eyepatch woman, Porsha, says as she exhales a cloud of smoke at the barbarian.

“Bah. Just harmless fun.” Drogo answered before turning around. “Okay. If we had no more business here, let’s go!” He started marching towards the direction of the manticore where they were headed earlier. Sensing that he is not following, Drogo turned towards him. “Not coming?” He asked.

“No. I have some business left here. Have fun with the manticore.” He said before walking away, following the trail left by the escaped bandit.

“Suit yourself.” Artreus heard Drogo’s parting word.

Are they not going to stop him? Just last night they were arguing with each other to let him in their group, and now they are just leaving without him? Not that it matters, but he thought they would at least leave someone behind to monitor him. Turning around, Artreus found that the party has already left, they are nowhere in sight. “Cheh. Who needs them.” He said before continuing to track his prey.

The manticore doesn’t concern him, the barbarian was strong, as strong as some of the senior Paladins back in the past. The eyepatch wizard also seems strong, only magic casters of 6 tier or higher have that much control with their mana that she was able to stay hidden from his senses. The ranger bastard was also skilled. If he was a fraction of a second too late to react from his killing intent, he would surely have died from his sneak attack. With the strength of that party, they will surely be able to handle it if they don’t do some stupid mistakes. To be honest, the only one Artreus is confident to face against in that party at the moment was the redhead rogue. Apart from her ghostlike sneaking ability, her fighting ability was at the level when I just entered the Order as a trainee. Back when I was…

He shook my head to get the memory out of his head. I am no longer that person. I am a Paladin now. It is my duty to right the wrong, wherever it might be, and once I get back to the Radiant Moon Order, I will train my ass off till I get to the level where I was before. Artreus thought.

Then, the memory of his last fight against the Demon Lord Astaroth burned in his mind.

No. That won’t do. I must even be stronger. Stronger than anything that might endanger the World that my comrades have laid their lives to protect. Artreus thought as he clenches his fist so hard that it started to bleed.

But that is for the future. Right now I must rid of the evil before me. Holding a sword in each hand, he continued on his mission.

++

“Leader, if I may ask. Why did you let him go?” Drogo heard Prosha’s question from behind him. “You were so keen on letting him tag along with us. To leave him just like that, that is so unlike you.”

“You think so? I just want to fight the manticore as soon as possible and he is hindering it. If he wants to chase weakling bandits, just let him. As for me, as long as I could fight strong opponents, I’m happy.”

“Both you and I know that is total bullcrap. You left him there because if you don’t, you might fight him then and there.” Claus chimed in. He was leading in front of them, ordering his familiar Jora, a fledgling lightning eagle, to scout ahead. “What confuses me is why? He doesn’t seem that strong. Heck, I could’ve even killed him last night if you didn’t stop me.”

“Ha! Am I really that predictable?” Drogo laughed, which irritate Claus. “This is to save for the future.”

“Huh? Have you been hit in the head one too many, old man? You’re spouting some crazy stuff.” Claus uttered.

“Call it a hunch. But I feel that that man will be much stronger in the future. Why fight him now while he is weak when I could have a more enjoyable fight with him in the future?” He answered in a good mood.

“That would take decades, or at least a decade if he’s talented. I didn’t peg you for a waiting type.” Claus chopped off a branch from a tree and started cutting it into a spike. He already made at least 20 on their way to the beast. Once he was done, he placed it into his spatial bag and cut another branch.

“Don’t worry. I have a feeling that I don’t have to wait for long.” He muttered.

“Hmph. Whatever.” Claus shrugged. “What if he is a bad guy and escapes? Isn’t one of the reasons you wanted him is that you could supervise him?”

“Don’t worry about that. I left someone reliable to monitor him.” Sensing malevolent energy in the air, Drogo smiled. “Finally.” He whispered, unsheathing the great sword in his back. His Aura started to leak as his excitement surges. “Let’s go teach this beast who’s boss.”