Chapter 48: Lars the Butcherer
The knight immediately turned around and began leading Roderic through the hideout.
Roderic followed closely behind him, casually resting one of his hooked blades against his shoulder.
The sounds of fighting had mostly disappeared by now.
Occasionally, a scream or clash of metal still echoed from somewhere above, but it was clear the battle was already over.
Most of the bandits were either dead or had surrendered.
’That was quick,’ Roderic thought, glancing around. ’These guys really weren’t as special as the system made them out to be...’
They continued through another hallway before heading down a short flight of stairs.
But as they reached the bottom, Roderic’s steps gradually slowed.
Large iron cages lined both sides of the hallway.
Inside them... were people.
Dozens of women, children and even several young men were crammed together behind iron bars.
Most of them were painfully thin, clearly not having eaten properly.
Not to mention, their clothes were filthy and torn rags, while most of their bodies were covered in bruises and wounds.
Roderic’s relaxed expression gradually faded.
’Slaves,’ he thought somberly.
His gaze landed on a young boy curled up against his mother, his cheeks sunken from hunger.
Roderic had already known what these bandits were involved in.
It was the entire reason the system had generated a territorial quest in the first place.
But reading about missing civilians and actually seeing what had happened to them were two completely different things.
’Utterly disgusting,’ he thought, shaking his head.
The knight leading him glanced back.
’’We only discovered them a few minutes ago, young master,’’ he explained. ’’There are more in the rooms further down.’’
Roderic’s eyes narrowed slightly.
’’How many people?’’
’’At least forty,’’ the knight replied. ’’Possibly more.’’
Roderic remained silent for a moment.
That many people were still here.
And judging from the number of empty cages he could see, these definitely weren’t the first.
’They’ve probably already sold plenty.’
His grip tightened around both his hooked blades.
But Roderic didn’t stop walking.
’’Have the cages opened,’’ he ordered. ’’Give them whatever food and water we brought with us.’’
’’Yes, young master.’’
’’And don’t let them eat too much at once,’’ Roderic added. ’’It’d do more harm than good.’’
The knight nodded immediately.
’’Understood.’’
Before long, the hallway opened up into a much larger room.
Roderic immediately spotted several familiar Whitemane knights standing inside.
They formed a loose circle around a single man.
The moment Roderic entered, two knights stepped aside immediately.
’’Young master.’’
’’Young master.’’
Roderic nodded lightly as he walked between them.
Then his gaze locked onto the man in the center of the circle.
He appeared to be a man in his forties. Despite that, the man was very muscular. He almost seemed like a barbarian with the wolf pelt wrapped around his neck.
A large battle axe rested against his shoulder, its edge still stained with fresh blood.
But what caught Roderic’s attention most was the dense blue aura flowing around the man’s body.
’He’s at the peak of the first aura seal,’ he thought, raising an eyebrow.
The bandit leader’s gaze moved across the surrounding knights before eventually landing on Roderic.
’’You must be the third young master,’’ he said loudly. ’’Roderic Whitemane, right?’’
Roderic nodded slowly.
’’Impressive,’’ he replied. ’’Did you deduce that all by yourself, or did anyone help you?’’
For a moment, silence fell inside the room.
The bandit leader’s face darkened before he let out a loud scoff.
’’I’d be an idiot if I didn’t know,’’ he said coldly. ’’You’ve been running around the territory for a month, massacring people left and right.’’
He paused for a moment. ’’I’d long expected that I’d be on that list as well.’’
’’Oh?’’ Roderic let out as a smile appeared on his face. ’’I’m really becoming famous.’’
The bandit’s expression darkened.
THUD!
He angrily slammed his foot on the floor, cracking the ground beneath him.
’’You think this is funny?’’ he asked through gritted teeth.
Roderic nodded frantically.
’’Absolutely,’’ he replied casually. ’’I’m also amazed by the fact that you didn’t run despite knowing we’d come here.’’
Shrugging lightly, Roderic continued.
’’Guess that’s to be expected when your intelligence is lower than a monkey’s.’’
The bandit leader’s face twitched as it started turning red.
’’YOU ARROGANT LITTLE BASTARD!’’
His roar echoed through the room.
Several of the surrounding knights immediately tightened their grips around their weapons.
Roderic, however, barely reacted.
Instead, his gaze slowly moved over the man from head to toe.
’’Come on, man,’’ he said, spreading his arms slightly. ’’You aren’t even wearing armor. What do you want me to say?’’
The bandit leader’s face had turned a deep shade of red.
’’ENOUGH!’’
He ripped the battle axe from his shoulder before pointing its enormous blade directly at Roderic.
’’If you’re so confident, then fight me yourself!’’ he shouted. ’’One against one!’’
Roderic raised an eyebrow.
The bandit leader gritted his teeth as he glanced at the surrounding knights.
’’I challenge you to a duel!’’ he continued. ’’Put your honor as a noble on the line and face me without your men interfering!’’
Several of the Whitemane knights immediately frowned.
’’Young master, there’s no reason to—’’
Roderic, though, raised his hand right away.
As the knights fell silent around him, his gaze locked onto the large man.
’’I accept,’’ he said, his smile only growing wider.
He glanced at the knights surrounding them. ’’No one interfere.’’
The knights exchanged several glances. Clearly, none of them liked the idea.
But after a moment, they reluctantly began stepping backward.
’’Yes, young master.’’
The circle around them gradually widened.
Seeing this, a vicious grin spread across the bandit leader’s face.
’’You really are an arrogant brat,’’ he muttered as his aura grew denser. ’’Do you even understand who you are challenging?’’
Roderic tilted his head slightly.
’’Not really,’’ he replied calmly.
The man let out several low chuckles, his face filling with confidence.
’’I’ve spent more than ten years fighting and killing men like those standing around us!’’ he roared. ’’I’m Lars the Butcher, and I’m at the peak of my first aura seal.’’
Roderic blinked once, staring at him with a strange expression.
Seeing his expression, Lars’s laughter only grew louder.
’’Are you regretting your decision already?’’
Roderic immediately shook his head.
’’No, no, no,’’ he said casually. ’’I was just thinking about how much of a coincidence this was...’’
He raised both hooked blades, filling them with dense aura.
’’Because so am I.’’