As the chariot rolled through the plains toward the last city, the Avalorian group was noticeably smaller. Many of their people had stayed behind to help those they had rescued.
This final journey was now shared with Mr. Takashi's group.
"Mr. Takashi, did you really like the goods from Sylvaris?" Kaide asked, breaking the silence.
"Of course," Takashi replied with a small smile. "If the king likes it, this could be a great business opportunity. I might even retire as the king's counselor if that happens."
"Ehh?" Kaide's eyes widened, a hint of emotion creeping into his voice. "You're going to stop fighting for our kingdom?"
"Kid, when you reach my age, you'll want a nice place to rest after all the fun and games," Takashi said with a chuckle. "I'm doing well for myself now, but with this business... I might become a great businessman."
"Wow... from the Lonely Beast Samurai Takashi to a vegetable seller," Taiju teased, smirking.
"And what's wrong with that?" Takashi raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing, nothing," Taiju waved it off as laughter echoed through the chariot.
Suddenly, the chariot came to an abrupt stop.
"Are the Aurelian forces already here?" Takashi's expression hardened as he scanned the surroundings.
"Uhm... sir," the charioteer's voice trembled, "we've been ambushed!"
Masked men emerged from the shadows, surrounding them.
As planned, the students from Starglade quickly shifted into formation, their movements disciplined and precise.
"Should we help them?" Taiju asked, his voice low but ready.
"No," Takashi's gaze was calm, yet his eyes sharpened.
"It's been arranged—Avalorians won't clash with Stargladians. Besides..."
His eyes settled on Rethrus.
"We'll get to see what they call 'the chosen one' in action."
"Argh... do we really need to say what we want?" one of the masked men sneered.
"Nah, they know," another one replied with a shrug.
"Let's go!" the leader barked.
'What the heck? I thought there would be an introduction first.'
Rethrus sighed internally as the enemies charged.
Rethrus reacted instantly, conjuring a barrier that enveloped the Avalorians. His staff moved in a practiced motion, weaving pure dark energy into armor that coated his teammates.
(This armor... He focused, maintaining control. It's formless, but with the right conjuration, Rethrus can shape it as he like)
"Wow... he can do that?" one of the senior mages muttered, awe evident in his voice.
"Let's go!" Kevin, a knight from Starglade, led the charge.
As the battle raged on, it was clear that the students from Starglade had the upper hand. Their training and equipment made all the difference.
"Argh... they're just kids!" The leader of the bandits gritted his teeth, frustration building. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Rethrus at the back, calmly orchestrating the defense.
'Damn it... that kid with the dark magic... he's their backbone.'
His lips curled into a sinister grin.
"If I take him out, the rest will crumble."
The leader's daggers ignited with fire as he vanished into the chaos, speed-blitzing toward Rethrus.
"Rethrus, look out!" Kaide's voice echoed with urgency.
"Yes... let's kill the support first," the bandit leader muttered, his blade aimed at Rethrus's neck.
But before the blade could land, a shadowy fist struck him square in the chest.
"What?!" The leader's eyes widened in shock.
Unbeknownst to him, Rethrus had already conjured shadow hands behind his back as a precaution. He turned, a calm smirk playing on his lips.
"Nice try," Rethrus said coolly.
"Rethrus!" Layla, the team's archer, called out with concern.
"Don't worry about him," Borg, the team's tank, reassured her. His arms, made of solid rock, flexed as he held the frontline.
"Yeah," Kevin added, his tone more intrigued than concerned. "Let's see if the academy was just hyping this kid."
The leader, fueled by rage and humiliation, charged at Rethrus in a frenzied one-on-one assault.
"Close-range, huh?" Rethrus's eyes followed his opponent's every move. 'He's fast... but not fast enough.'
Rethrus barely moved, dodging effortlessly. He only placed mana in his feet, enhancing his agility to keep up within the bandit's furious strikes.
'Is this really the gap between me and other people?' he mused, his expression stoic as he weaved through the attacks.
"Wow... he's kinda fast for a mage," Kaide murmured, watching with awe.
"Argh... enough of this!" The leader roared in frustration.
But before he could act, the shadow hands binding his limbs tightened, pinning him in place.
Rethrus casually slung his staff over his shoulder and dug into his sling bag, his demeanor almost bored.
With a surge of dark magic, he delivered a solid punch to the leader's gut, knocking him unconscious instantly.
As the battle continued, the students held their ground, but they were outnumbered 10 to 20. Despite their efforts, fatigue began to wear them down.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
"Wait... what's that?" one of the students gasped.
They turned to see Rethrus standing with his hand raised, an aura of immense power radiating from him.
"Dark Nova..." Kaide's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes wide with amazement, so as the other Avalorian.
Even Rethrus's teammates were stunned.
"Huh... he's not even scratched." Kaide couldn't hide the admiration in his gaze.
"The king wasn't exaggerating... Rethrus is something else." Takashi's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Without a word, the remaining bandits dropped their weapons and surrendered.
As the team tied them up, some of Rethrus's peers exchanged glances—half in awe, half in envy.
"He's our junior... and yet..." A quiet tension filled the air.
"Good work, everyone," Takashi finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Let's move out."
Rethrus glanced at his hands, the lingering sensation of dark magic still pulsing through his veins.
'Was this... too easy?'
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them as a formation of soldiers approached from the distance.
"The Aurelian army... finally," Kaide murmured.
Rethrus narrowed his eyes as he watched the approaching soldiers.
'Like police arriving at the last minute in an action film... Ahh, perfect timing,' Rethrus thought with mild amusement.
The soldiers moved with precision, their armor gleaming in the sunlight. At the front of the formation was a towering man with broad shoulders, a stern face, and a massive claymore strapped to his back. His presence alone commanded respect.
As he dismounted, the man strode toward them and gave a deep bow.
"We're very sorry for the delay, Sir Takashi," he said, his voice gruff but respectful.
Takashi, ever composed, waved it off. "No need to apologize. We're unharmed... thanks to the strength of our young warriors."
The man lifted his head and offered a small smile. "I'm Dante. Yes, just Dante. Knight Commander of Aurelian City."
Without missing a beat, he turned to his soldiers. "Take all the bandits!" he ordered, his voice echoing across the field.
The soldiers moved swiftly, binding and securing the remaining bandits with practiced efficiency.
"Anyway," Dante said, turning back to them, "let's move out. We'll escort you safely to the city."
Rethrus's gaze, however, was fixated on the massive claymore hanging on Dante's back.
'That sword... it's huge.' His mind raced as he imagined the devastating force behind a swing from that weapon. 'Even if I cover myself with mana... one hit from that thing would be so painful.'
A chill ran down his spine at the thought.
"Rethrus?" Kaide nudged him, noticing his distant look.
"Huh? Oh... yeah," Rethrus muttered, shaking off his thoughts. His gaze lingered on Dante's weapon one last time before he fell back in line with the others.
As they prepared to move forward, Rethrus couldn't help but think:
'I definitely don't want to end up on the receiving end of that thing.'
Welcome to Aurelia! Lord Fring Costamado greeted them warmly. A stout dwarf lord with a thick beard and a booming voice, his presence commanded respect.
As expected, the evening was filled with fine dining, endless discussions about business, and talk of how this city—one of the largest merchant hubs in all of Starglade—would benefit from this contract.
Rethrus, of course, was the center of attention. Nobles crowded around him, eager to talk, take pictures, and, as usual, challenge him to duels that he politely declined.
The Avalorian slaves, now prepared for transport, were granted a day of rest as compensation for the dangers they had faced on the road.
In the morning, Rethrus decided to explore the city on his own. The lively streets of Aurelia buzzed with activity, but something felt... off.
As he strolled through the narrow alleyways, he noticed a group of Lord Fring's soldiers, identifiable by the hammer sigils on their armor, moving strangely. Their eyes darted back and forth, scanning their surroundings like they were searching for someone.
'What's going on?' Rethrus wondered but chose not to linger. It wasn't his business, after all.
As he turned down a dimly lit alley, a faint noise caught his attention. His footsteps slowed.
Sniff... Sniffle...
A quiet sob echoed from the shadows.
'What was that?'
Curiosity pulled him deeper into the darkness. His guard was up, but what he saw next made him freeze.
A young Avalorian girl, barely clothed in a torn rug-like shirt, her body covered in bruises, stumbled toward him. Tears streamed down her face as she lunged forward and clung to him tightly.
Rethrus's body tensed. He didn't know what to say, his mind racing.
"Rethrus! Rethrus! WAKE UP!"
A distant voice echoed, pulling him back.
"Huh?" Rethrus blinked, confused.
"Come on, man, we're going back." Kaide stood in front of him, waving his hand to catch his attention.
"...What?" Rethrus murmured, glancing around.
It is morning already. And Rethrus is on his bed.
"You okay? You've been zoning out." Kaide raised an eyebrow.
"Ah... yeah." Rethrus rubbed his eyes, a sense of unease washing over him. "Let's... get ready."