Published: January 4, 2026
“Damn it!”
The man who seemed to be the leader swung his weapon and lunged at me.
His weapon was a heavy greatsword, and combined with his physique, he wielded it effortlessly.
I had sustained minor wounds from Leviathan’s simultaneous attack, but they were light enough not to hinder my movements.
“Annoying—”
“Alright, Leviathan.”
I restrained the trembling Leviathan, returned it to its original form, and grasped it as a sword.
With Leviathan, I blocked the man’s slash.
The clang of swords echoed, sparks flying.
The man was momentarily startled by the imposing sword that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
The two of us locked blades—but just when I thought it was a stalemate—the man gritted his teeth, pushed me aside while still locked in contact, and swung his greatsword wildly.
“Ugh, take this! Damn you!!”
He swung with such force that it seemed to whip up a vortex of air, attacking repeatedly.
I blocked and deflected these attacks with Leviathan.
The man didn’t rely solely on slashes.
Sometimes he plunged his greatsword into the ground, sending up clouds of sand, or flicked his blood toward me to blind me.
“...I see, a good boss.”
“—!”
The man was taken aback and shocked by my words.
“Stop, Leviathan. Just stop his feet.”
“As you wish.”
Leviathan’s blade trembled.
With the same movement as before, but much thinner, a volley of water pillars—water needles—shot out.
While the man was distracting me, they stopped the feet of all the bandits trying to flee.
“So, you saw it...”
The man halted his attacks and glared at me with a contorted face.
“Your movements were unnaturally large and exaggerated.”
“Ugh.”
“Where were you giving orders?”
I asked the man.
Honestly, I hadn’t realized at first that the man was attacking to draw my attention.
They had just assaulted me, and I had never seen bandits decide to retreat so quickly.
“I wasn’t giving any orders.”
“Oh?”
“Life is what matters. I told them to run if things go south.”
“I see. You care for your men.”
“They’re not men. They’re my brothers.”
“Hmm.”
I nodded slightly.
It seemed to be a relationship hard for others to understand.
“Why didn’t you take a woman hostage?”
I asked further.
Peiyu and Ivy trembled slightly, but I gestured for them to stay calm as I kept staring at the man.
“It’s not a power difference that can be handled by something like that.”
“Hmm, your judgment is quick.”
I looked the man over again.
Given what he was doing and how we met, the man before me was undoubtedly talented.
I turned my head to Peiyu, commanding over my shoulder.
“Peiyu, get the potions.”
“Huh?”
“Start by healing the worst injuries.”
“Y-yes!”
Peiyu hesitated for a moment but obeyed her master’s order and took potions from the bag.
These were recently developed potions, precious items that could become strategic supplies.
Unlike Leviathan’s water, these were made to be used immediately and carried as they were.
Peiyu retrieved them and, as a senior, told Ivy to help.
Ivy didn’t understand what was happening but helped Peiyu nonetheless.
“H-Healed in an instant...!?”
Ivy, seeing the potion for the first time, was stunned.
“This was made by Master.”
“Made?”
“Yes, isn’t it amazing? If you use this, any injury gets healed instantly.”
“No way... but it’s true... Amazing...”
Ivy was speechless at the potion’s power.
Not only Ivy was surprised.
The bandits who experienced instant healing with the potion were shocked and many had no idea what had just happened.
Meanwhile, the man, watching the whole situation from a distance, was surprised but understood what was going on.
He looked at me with a face half full of surprise and half of caution.
“Why help them?”
“They’re no threat.”
“What?”
“You judged you couldn’t defeat me instantly. So even if I healed their injuries, they wouldn’t attack.”
“...”
“Besides, people are treasures. There’s no reason to let them die recklessly.”
“They’re bandits.”