Chapter 55

Raon crawled towards the direction of the voice and lifted his head.

Between the thick bushes that blocked his view like a wall, two bandits were standing guard. They were giggling to each other, as if sharing a joke.

'Skill is low.'

Their bodies were well-developed, but no aura could be sensed. They were low-level warriors who couldn't use mana.

He looked beyond them.

Behind the two chattering bandits, a large bandit was sitting, and next to him, a child was tied to a tree.

The child, wearing only a thin piece of clothing, had a red face and hands from the cold.

"Huhk."

Unable to bear the cold, the child let out a moan, and the bandit next to him slapped the child's cheek. Just the touch of his hand made the child shiver and curl up.

Tsk.

Raon clicked his tongue. As he had expected when he came here, the bandits were holding the child as a hostage.

If they were attacked, they would likely threaten to cut the child's throat.

'There must be more of them.'

There's no way they would leave their only hostage at the guard post. Further inside, where the bandits gathered, there must be other hostages.

'What should I do?'

If he alerted everyone and moved together, the bandits would surely notice.

It might be better to rescue the hostage and eliminate the bandits like an assassination while they haven't been discovered yet.

'And it's hard to leave the child like this.'

The child's lips were turning blue. If left alone, the child might freeze to death.

"..."

Raon turned his head. Runan, seeing the hostage, was trembling, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay."

After casting a sound barrier to prevent the sound from escaping, he whispered,

"I have a plan."

"A plan?"

"But you need to help me."

"Okay."

Runan nodded, ready to do anything.

"When I give the signal, stand up and reveal yourself, and block the sound with mana. Can you do that?"

"Okay."

Runan nodded without asking for a reason or method.

"I'll take care of the rest. Together, we can save that child."

"Got it."

Hearing that they could save the child, Runan's nod was much more forceful than usual.

"Alright."

Leaving Runan in place, Raon used the Shadow Step technique to move near the tree where the child was tied.

"How long do we have to stay here?"

"Zighardt, those crazy guys, have already sent inspectors. All the roads are blocked."

"Shit. Are we all going to die?"

"The guild leader called someone from the North-South Alliance, so if we wait, a guide will come."

The bandits, unaware that someone was listening, chattered about their situation.

"Shut up."

At the command of the bandit sitting next to the tree, the guards fell silent.

'That one is different.'

From the bandit sitting next to the tree, an aura could be felt. It was at the Sword Beginner level, but still.

In one step, Raon moved to the side of the large bandit next to the hostage.

Runan was already prepared, taking shallow breaths.

'Hmm...'

He took a deep breath, bent his knees, and got into a position ready to move at any moment. He raised his finger and created a small flame.

Rustle!

Receiving the signal, Runan stood up from the bushes.

"What, what is it!"

"Who's there!"

The guards, seeing Runan, hastily grabbed their weapons and stood up.

"A girl? Why are you... huh?"

The bandit next to the tree, thinking the girl might be a threat, tried to grab the child, but Raon was already behind him.

Thwack!

Drawing his sword, Raon slit the bandit's throat.

"Gasp..."

The bandit, unable to grab the child or draw his sword, had his head severed.

Before the blood fountain from the severed neck could spray, Raon kicked off the ground.

"What...?"

The bandit on the right turned first. He pivoted his ankle and lunged, swinging his sword.

Thud!

Raon, after slicing the bandit's heart, turned his sword to point at the last remaining bandit.

"What, what is this...?"

The lone surviving bandit, seeing the sword at his throat, swallowed hard.

"Make a sound or move, and you die."

"Gasp..."

The bandit, not being stupid, swallowed and closed his mouth.

"Runan. Untie the child."

"Okay!"

Runan nodded vigorously and approached the child.

"Answer my questions. Refuse, and I'll break a bone each time."

Raon twisted the bandit's arm and slammed him to the ground.

"Y-Yes, I understand."

The bandit, without hesitation, nodded, seemingly intimidated by Raon's swift action.

"Is this the Snow Tiger Gang?"

"Y-Yes."

"How many in total?"

"T-Thirty-nine."

"Where are the others?"

"Inside the forest."

The bandit pointed into the forest.

'Sure enough.'

Several presences were moving deep in the forest. Given their location, they weren't trying to hide.

"When is the guard shift change?"

"A-Around three hours."

"Any other hostages?"

"Y-Yes, one more inside."

"Figures."

Raon nodded. As expected, the child was placed at the guard post because there were other hostages.

'If 36 are gathered, it won't be easy like this.'

Assassination was possible, but rescuing hostages with 36 bandits and the guild leader watching would be difficult.

"Raon?"

Runan, having dressed the child in a robe, approached. She had wiped the child's face with a handkerchief, making it clean.

"Sir, my brother is in there."

The child, kneeling before Raon, bowed deeply. Despite the cold, which had made his lips bleed, he continued speaking.

"Please save my brother!"

"Don't worry."

Runan gently stroked the child's head.

"Raon will take care of everything."

"Runan, don't make promises lightly."

"Still, you'll do it, right?"

"Hmm."

Raon cleared his throat. Runan's eyes were transparent, filled with perfect trust. The overwhelming belief made him clear his throat.

"Dealing with the bandits is fine, but to safely rescue the hostage, we should call for help. With 36 bandits and the guild leader, it could be dangerous."

"Should I blow the flute?"

"Sure."

Runan, holding the child's hand, stood up. She stepped back and blew the flute she received from Rimer.

She blew it hard enough to turn her face red, but no sound was heard.

'Sure enough, no sound.'

The flute was so small that it couldn't be heard even when right next to it. He understood why it was given to him.

"Silent sound! Everyone, get up! A tracker is here!"

As soon as the flute sound ended, a gruff male voice came from deep in the forest.

"What...?"

Raon swallowed. The reaction was clear. They had heard the flute sound.

'There's someone with that good of a sense...'

He hadn't expected someone to hear the almost inaudible flute sound from so far away. Cold sweat trickled down his back, thinking the situation had become complicated.

"Runan, hide with the child over there."

Raon pointed to the bushes on the west side.

"What about you?"

"I'll buy some time here."

While answering Runan, he pulled the restrained bandit towards the bushes.

"It's okay. Trust me. And if you see an opportunity, rescue the other hostage."

"Got it."

Hearing it was okay, Runan nodded and entered the bushes on the right.

Crash!

With a sound like the forest collapsing, 34 bandits in various outfits rushed out.

"What, what is this! When did...?"

"Damn it!"

"What the hell!"

The bearded man with the strongest aura, seeing the dead bandits, gritted his teeth.

'The hostage... must be over there.'

Raon, hiding in the bushes, confirmed the hostage's location.

The bandit on the far right was holding a young girl by the neck. Fortunately, it was right next to where Runan was hiding.

"Come out!"

The bearded man glared, grinding his teeth.

"If you don't, I'll cut this girl's throat."

He drew his saber and pointed it at the hostage girl.

"Tsk."

Raon, holding the restrained bandit's neck, stood up from the bushes.

"Kid? Did you do this?"

"Yes."

"Insane! To a kid like you...?"

"Vice-leader..."

The bandit holding the girl called the man in front of him the vice-leader. This large man was the bandits' deputy leader and likely the one who heard the flute sound.

"Who did you call silently?"

The man knew the name of the flute given by Rimer. He must have been a trainer somewhere.

"Who I called is none of your business."

"You're a kid who's gone mad with a death wish."

The vice-leader growled like a beast.

"I want a hostage exchange."

Raon, blocking the vice-leader's and the bandits' gazes with his sword, said,

"Hostage exchange?"

"Give me that girl, and I'll give you this guy."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

The vice-leader laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

"I don't care if that kid dies. He has no value as a hostage compared to that girl."

"Right. I see."

Raon nodded and turned his sword to the bandit's neck.

"I told you, we don't care if he dies. If you don't want to see this girl's head roll, put down your sword."

"Hmm."

He created a small flame with his left pinky finger, signaling Runan.

"Whether this kid has value or not is decided by me, not you."

Raon sliced the bandit's carotid artery. A massive amount of blood spurted, momentarily blinding the bandits.

'Now!'

Raon drew the dagger from his waist. He opened his senses and aura to the maximum, sensing the presence of the bandit holding the girl.

Charged with the energy of the Snow Flower technique, he threw the dagger at the bandit.

Thud!

When the blood spray settled, the bandit with the dagger in his forehead fell.

"Damn it!"

"Stop him!"

As the vice-leader and bandits moved to target the freed girl, Runan, hiding in the bushes, stood up. A silver coldness emanated from her drawn sword.

"Frost Lotus."

As she swung her sword, frost spread under the feet of the charging bandits.

"Who is this girl!"

"Cold?"

"Attribute aura!"

The bandits, unable to move rashly, stopped in their tracks. That moment of hesitation was enough.

Crash!

Raon kicked off the ground and leaped towards the girl.

"Stop!"

A bandit in the middle swung his sword.

Crash!

Raon deflected the sword with his palm and beheaded the bandit. The momentum was like the wind, reminiscent of Rimer.

"You!"

The vice-leader, trying to block his path, swung his massive saber.

Raon, pivoting his ankle, stood in front of the girl and swung his sword.

Clang!

The thin sword and the massive saber clashed, but the saber was pushed back.

"Gasp!"

The vice-leader, gritting his teeth, took a step back.

"Got it."

In that moment, Runan approached and picked up the girl.

"Serin!"

"Big brother!"

The children hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces.

"It's okay now."

Runan, holding the children, stepped back, rarely smiling.

'That kid.'

He glanced back and smiled. Runan seemed to understand his thoughts and moved as he expected. She was sharper than she looked.

"Brats! Do you know who I am!"

The vice-leader, grinding his teeth, swung his saber. The bandits behind him drew their swords and exuded killing intent.

"I don't care about the name of someone who's about to die."

A bright red flame of the Snow Flower technique ignited on Raon's sword.

"Come."