“Who are you?” One mage from the group said.
“You can’t tell? Hahaha, we are bandits, and you are about to die.”
The group of bandits was not playing around, and all of them had their weapons ready. They were not there to only rob, but to kill that group of adventurers.
Arthur changed his appearance to that of an old man and pulled out a bottle of wine from his magical pouch. Then, he slowly walked towards that group of people, as if he was drunk.
Everyone had their attention on him when he appeared. It was uncommon for people to be traveling alone in that area, especially during the night. Add the fact that it was an elderly man, then it was almost an impossible sight to behold.
“Old man, don’t come any closer.”
Even though they were bandits, they still felt pity to kill or steal from an old man. Arthur was holding a bottle of wine, looking completely drunk. It was enough to get their compassion, although for a few seconds.
The group of adventurers saw him coming towards them, and said, “leave, old man. It is dangerous for you!”
Arthur knew those people were not bad people. He had followed them for quite some time and came to that understanding. Still, it was not because of it he was saving them, but because he still needed them.
“Anyone want to drink with me? Ah, youth these days.”
He got too close to that group of bandits, so one of them had enough, and acted, attacking him using a sharp sword.
Arthur did not look at the attack, and simply bended his body, avoiding the attack with ease. That made everyone else present more aware of him. An old man that could dodge an attack without even looking at it, plus being drunk? That was a force to be reckoned with.
The adventurers who felt it would be their end with all of those bandits now felt hope. The old man was not as simple as he looked.
“I want to drink with those four, right there. Can you all leave?”
“Hahaha, old man. Don’t think too high of yourself after only dodging an attack. Look around. You can do nothing here.”
The bandit who swung the sword at Arthur a few moments ago was still nearby, so within less than a second, he stole the man’s sword, and threw it towards the leader of those bandits, who did not see a thing, dying on the spot with a sword in his throat.
Before the bandit in front of Arthur could react after having its weapon stolen, Arthur grabbed him by the neck and exerted some force, cracking the neck of that poor man.
He then looked towards the rest of the bandits and said, “I give you one chance to leave without dying. Will you take it?”
All the bandits looked at their leader, who was supposed to be the strongest of them, yet died in less than one second when facing that old man.
A lingering fear born inside all of them, and the only thing they could think of was to run as far away as they could.
The group of adventurers were happy to be saved by that old man, but they were also scared, just like all the bandits who ran away like chickens.
“Don’t worry, I just kill those who piss me off. Is there a seat around this warm campfire?”
“O-Of course. Thank you for saving us!”
“It was nothing. Is there something for us to eat? Meat helps me get sober.”
“Not yet. We barely made our campfire, and then those bandits came. I will hunt something for us.”
It was one of the woman who took the lead, as the others were still in a daze after everything that happened.
“Can I go with you? Who knows, maybe they will be back.”
The others thought it made sense in what Arthur told them, but they could not let one of them go alone with that old man.
“Are you scared I will do something to her? Or scared that the bandits can return to this place while I am not here?”
“If it is the first option, you know that whoever comes with her would not be of any help. Don’t worry, I am not a bad person, I promise. I will stay here then, if that is what you want.”
“No, you can come with me. I am Signy, and this one here is Helga. As for the two brutes, they are Finn and Bram.”
Finn was the bulky, tall man with two axes, and Bram was the other one that had a shield. They waved back after being introduced by Signy.
“Nice to meet you all, young people. I am Arthur.”
“Arthur? What a different name.” Bram said.
“Are you saying it is a name of old people?”
“No, I was just- just saying it is not common here.”
Bram was sweating, but then Arthur said something that made him relax a bit. “I was just joking with you. Relax.”
After all of them got to know each other, Signy and Arthur left the campsite to look for something to eat. She was a mage, so hunting a wild animal was an effortless task for her.
All Arthur did was stay near her and mind his own business. He would not help, only if a danger enough to threaten her life appeared.
“Are you a fifth circle mage? Not bad for your age.”
Signy, who was walking inside the forest, looking for a wild animal, stopped her movements and gazed at Arthur.
She was shocked. Not even her friend, Helga, who was also a fifth circle mage, could tell that just glancing at her.
What exactly was the level of that old man? She was scared before, but Arthur had only showed his physical strength, but now he had also showed his prowess with magic.
For her, he turned into a completely new beast, one that was even scarier.
“Can you tell that just by looking at me? I did not do any magic.”
“Ha, this old man’s eyes are sharp. It seems you are close to the sixth circle, not bad, not bad.”
That sentence made her entire body shiver. Signy did not even tell Helga about that. It was her little secret. No one else knew she was almost reaching the sixth circle, which was an existence strong enough to shake those lands.
But now, a random drunk old man could tell that just by looking at her? Of course, she was shocked. Who wouldn’t be?
Signy tried her best to put all those thoughts at the back of her mind and continue her hunting.
“A deer? Awesome! Good job, Signy.”
They all sat around the fire and prepared delicious meat.
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