One of the bandits took a step back, looking at his companion in disbelief. “Hector, w-what are you-”

He didn’t get to finish his question before another dagger flew out, sticking into his chest to the hilt before he could react. The bandit looked down in shock before falling down to his knees as blood poured out of his wound.

The sound of the brigand’s body hitting the ground was all it took to set the bandits off.

“Kill him!”

The remaining four bandits all charged towards the turncoat at the same time. Unfortunately for them, in their eagerness, they had forgotten about the kids they had just been chasing.

“Agh!” another bandit fell down with an arrow sticking out of his back.

His companions looked over in shock. Then they saw Red, holding onto his short-bow, having just let loose an arrow. He was preparing to shoot another one.

The bandits’ steps faltered, noticing that they had been surrounded in a surprising turn of events. Then they heard another swishing sound. One moment of hesitation had been enough to seal their fates.

“Guh-” a dagger flew into the neck of a brigand. A stream of blood poured out from the wound, but the man didn’t die immediately, trying to dislodge the weapon from his neck to no avail. A few seconds later, he toppled to the ground.

After seeing another one of their companions being struck down, the remaining two bandits gave up any idea of fighting back. Panicking, they turned around and ran in opposite directions, but by that point, Red had already taken aim.

Another shot. This one struck the side of its target, not causing immediate death, but making the man stumble to the ground. The boy heard another scream and looked over in the opposite direction.

The other bandit was already down, a dagger sticking out of his back. The brigand who had decided to help them had not even moved from his spot since the confrontation began, and yet he had killed four bandits with practiced ease.

Red, however, didn’t have time to consider that. He picked up his cleaver and walked over to the bandit he had just shot. The man was trying to crawl away, and his face paled once he noticed Red’s approach.

“Please!” the bandit looked at the boy with a pleading gaze. “Spare me, please! I can-”

The youth’s cleaver cut the man’s words short, slashing into his skull with a sickening crunch. Red felt the brigand’s body go limp and pulled his weapon out. Now, all the bandits were dead.

‘No, that’s not right.’

Red looked back at their mysterious helper. The man likewise stared at the boy with a frown on his expression.

“And who might you be, little monster?” the ‘bandit’ asked.

Red didn’t respond. The man’s unfriendly and questioning tone put him even more on guard. Still, the boy didn’t rush to any decisions, remembering the swiftness and precision with which this brigand threw his daggers. He couldn’t see this individual’s appearance clearly under his hood, but he was certain that he didn’t recognize him at all.

“Why are you asking me that?” Red frowned. “Aren’t you the one who saved us?”

“Us?” the man said with a sneer. “I don’t care about you, mongrel. I’m only here to save-”

“Agh, it hurts!”

A scream interrupted their conversation. Both Red and the man looked over and saw Allen squirming on the ground in pain, holding the arrow buried in his shoulder.

The bandit looked over with concern and moved towards the boy in a hurry.

Red, however, wouldn’t allow this stranger to approach his companion.

“Do not!” he dashed over, trying to reach Allen before the man.

The man noticed Red’s movements and scoffed. “Hmph, stay away, you little demon!”

He waved his sleeve, and a dagger seemingly materialized in his hands out of nowhere. The man threw it towards the boy’s feet, intending to stop him in his tracks. Red, however, was ready for the attack. He jumped over the dagger with a swift movement and dove towards Allen, putting himself between the bandit and the young master.

“Don’t come closer!” Red said, brandishing his cleaver.

The bandit looked surprised with his quick reaction, but his expression twisted in anger a moment later. “You think you can stop me, you arrogant brat?! Let’s see if you can dodge my daggers when I’m trying to hit you for real!”

The man raised his hand, slipping another dagger into his grip out of nowhere. Red didn’t feel confident, but he still braced himself for combat.

That was when Allen stirred.

“Don’t!” the young master fought through his pain for a moment and finally seemed to notice what was happening around him. “D-don’t fight…” he struggled to get the words out.

His warning had no effect on Red, who still stood at the ready with his cleaver raised. The bandit, however, hesitated.

“Bah!” the man lowered his dagger hand a few seconds later. Still, he kept staring at Red. “I don’t know who you are, but all I wish to do is tend to his wounds! So move out of the way!”

Red didn’t move an inch.

“Listen, you brat!” the man seemed to be on the verge of losing his cool. “The only reason you’re still alive is because he pleaded for your life! So move out of the way before I change my mind!”

Red still didn’t move.

“You-You…” the bandit trailed off, his face reddening in anger. “Look, I’m a part of his sect, okay?! The Water Dragon Sect!”

This finally made Red’s expression change.

“What is your name?” the boy asked.

“It’s Rimold! Surely you’ve heard of me!”

Red frowned. He had indeed heard his name before, but it was so long ago the boy barely remembered it.

Red looked over at Allen for confirmation. “Hey, Allen.”

Only a groan of pain came from the boy as he held onto his bleeding wound.

“Allen!”

“W-what?!” the crying boy finally turned to face Red.

“Is that Rimold?”

“W-what…” Allen seemed confused, before an expression of realization came to his face. “Yes, yes! I-it’s him!”

“… Are you sure?” Red frowned.

“Y-yes, I’m- Agh!” another wave of pain flashed across the boy’s shoulder.

After seeing he would not get any more from Allen, Red looked back at the man.

“There! Are you convinced?!” the bandit asked with a furious expression.

“… Throw that dagger away first.” Red pointed at the weapon in the man’s hand.

“You think I can’t do anything to you without it?!”

Red didn’t respond.

“Agh, fine!” the man did as he was told and dropped the dagger to the ground. “Now get out of the way!”

“Take out your coat, too.”

“What?!” the bandit’s eyes widened. “Are you trying to play a joke on me?!”

“I saw you taking more daggers from your sleeves. I can’t risk it.” Red shook his head.

“Risk what exactly?!” the man was going insane.

The boy stared at him in silence.

The man gritted his teeth. “Fine, but this is the last thing I’ll do!”

He took out his coat, throwing it to the floor. A clanking sound of metal accompanied the cloth hitting the ground, confirming Red’s suspicions. Finally, without the hood covering his head, the boy could also see this Rimold’s appearance.

The man was of average height, standing taller than Eiwin, but shorter than Narcha. He had a thin but athletic build, apparent even under his leather armor. His face looked well-defined with dark green eyes and sharp features, quite unlike what Red was used to seeing in bandits. The man sported a stubble for a beard, and a long dark ponytail was tied behind his head.

Overall, Rimold’s elegant appearance befitted the derisive expression he was carrying with himself.

“There, can you move out of the way now?!” he asked.

Red looked over the man’s belt and equipment, but noticed no other hidden weapons. In the end, he nodded. “You may approach, but first…”

The boy bent over and picked up his shortbow, notching an arrow on the string. He raised his weapon, pointing it at Rimold.

“Make sure you try nothing stupid.” Red said, slowly stepping back but maintaining his bow trained on the man.

Rimold scoffed, but he still stepped forward, approaching Allen in a hurry. He crouched down beside the young master, resting the boy against his knee while examining the arrow wound.

“R-Rimold!” Allen lit up with joy when he saw the man’s face. “Y-you’re here!”

“I am, young master.” the man said with a smile. “Now please stay still while I see to your wounds.”

“R-right…” the boy nodded. “… Am I going to die?”

“No, young master.” Rimold shook his head. “The arrow only hit your shoulder, so it’s nothing fatal. Still, we need to take it out.”

“I-I see… But how do we- AAAAAH!”

Rimold pulled out the arrow in one go, making Allen contort in pain. At the same time, he took out some cloth from one of his pouches, pressing it against the puncture wound to stanch the bleeding.

Red watched all this in silence from the side, still pointing his bow at the man. Allen, for his part, seemed to be in so much pain that he couldn’t even speak, only groans of agony coming out of his mouth.

“Do you have bandages?” Rimold asked, turning around to look at Red.

“It’s in his bag.” the boy pointed at the object beside Allen.

“Can you get it for me?”

“No.”

“You fucking…” the man trailed off. “Fine!”

Rimold scooted over, trying to search through the bag with one hand while holding onto Allen and the cloth with the other. After failing to find the bandages on his first try, the man just turned the bag over, spilling all its contents onto the floor. Finally, he picked out the bandages amidst all the supplies, as well as some healing salve, and applied it to Allen after making sure the bleeding had stopped.

Five minutes passed before the man was finally done treating him. The young master remained conscious throughout the entire process, surprisingly enough; and once Rimold was done tying the bandages, some semblance of strength returned to the boy’s face.

“Rimold!” the boy said, sitting up. “W-what are you doing here in the forest?”

“I can explain everything to you, young master.” the man said with a smile. “But first…”

He turned around to look at Red, who was still pointing a bow at his face.

“Can you tell your demonic friend to lower his weapon?!”