The Smiling Death

"Who are you?"

One of the bandits shouted as a silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness. The figure walked forward with calm, unhurried steps.

Moonlight filtered through the branches above, revealing the face of a young man dressed in black. At that very moment, the hatchet embedded in their companion’s skull trembled.

The bandits’ eyes widened. The weapon suddenly pulled itself free with a sickening sound.

Shluck!

Blood splattered across the ground as the hatchet shot through the air. Like a loyal hawk returning to its master, it flew straight toward the young man.

Without even looking, he casually caught it by the handle.

The movement was so smooth that it seemed as though he had done it a thousand times before.

Amon smiled faintly as he looked at the four remaining bandits.

"Hello there."

He rested the hatchet on his shoulder.

"My name is Amon."

The four bandits instinctively tightened their grips on their swords.

The calmness in Amon’s voice made them even more uneasy.

Mana flowed through their bodies before wrapping around their blades, preparing for battle at any moment.

Just then footsteps echoed from behind Amon.

Seraphina stepped out of the darkness, her sword already drawn. Golden mana flowed along its blade, causing it to shine brilliantly even beneath the moonlight.

From the left, Aisha emerged.

Crackling bolts of lightning danced around the metal gauntlets covering her fists, releasing sharp snapping sounds into the silent forest.

A few meters behind her, Eliana calmly drew an arrow and placed it against her bowstring. Without saying a word, she aimed directly at the bandits.

Then, from the opposite side Marcus walked into view with a spear resting on his shoulder.

Flames suddenly ignited along the spearhead, burning brightly without consuming the weapon itself.

Only then did the bandits realize what had happened.

Their expressions changed dramatically.

"...We’re surrounded."

They slowly looked around.

Amon stood before them.

Seraphina blocked their front-right.

Aisha and Eliana had cut off the left.

Marcus covered the opposite side.

Behind them stood the merchant’s carriage and the two adventurers. Every escape route had been sealed.

Cold sweat rolled down one bandit’s forehead.

Even so, he forced himself to laugh.

"Listen..."

He pointed his sword toward Amon.

"If you don’t want to die, surrender quietly. We might be merciful enough to let you leave alive."

His voice sounded confident. But everyone present could hear the nervousness hidden beneath it.

Amon merely smirked. Without saying a word, he slowly raised his weapons.

Shadow enveloped both his sword and hatchet until they became completely black, blending perfectly with the surrounding darkness.

Beside him, Seraphina’s sword blazed with radiant golden light. Lightning crackled violently around Aisha’s gauntlets.

Marcus’s spear became engulfed in roaring flames. Eliana silently pulled back her bowstring, the arrow locked onto the bandit’s chest with unwavering precision.

Five overwhelming killing intents descended upon the bandits at once.

The forest suddenly became deathly silent.

This time it wasn’t the travelers who were surrounded.

It was the bandits.

"Shit! Contact the boss!"

One of the bandits roared. Without hesitation, all four moved at once.

The first bandit thrust his hand forward as a magic circle rapidly formed before him.

Several sharp wind blades shot toward Amon’s group.

The other two charged forward with swords raised, roaring as they closed the distance.

Meanwhile, the last bandit hurriedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue communication crystal.

"If we inform the boss, reinforcements will—"

Swiiish!

A streak of blue light flashed through the darkness. Before the bandit could inject mana into the crystal.

Thwack!

"ARGHHH!"

An arrow pierced straight through his forearm. The communication crystal slipped from his blood-covered fingers and crashed onto the ground.

He clutched his wounded arm, screaming in agony.

Eliana calmly lowered her bow.

"You won’t be contacting anyone."

At the same moment Amon and the others exploded into action.

The ground beneath their feet cracked as they dashed forward. The distance between them vanished in an instant.

One swordsman swung his blade at Amon’s neck.

Clang!

Amon intercepted it effortlessly with his shadow-covered sword.

Before the bandit could react.

Slash!

The black hatchet swept across his chest. Blood sprayed into the air as the blade tore through flesh and armor alike.

The bandit’s eyes widened. He staggered backward before collapsing lifelessly onto the road.

On the opposite side Marcus thrust his flaming spear forward.

The bandit hastily raised his sword to block.

Boom!

The impact blasted him backward. Before he could regain his footing, Marcus stepped in and drove the spear clean through his chest.

The flames erupted from the wound. The bandit’s scream lasted only a moment before his body fell to the ground.

Meanwhile the third bandit charged straight toward Seraphina.

Golden mana burst from her sword.

Their blades collided.

Clang!

The bandit’s sword shattered under the overwhelming force.

His face filled with horror.

"W-Wait—"

He never finished. A single golden slash flashed through the air.

His body froze. A thin red line appeared across his neck.

A heartbeat later his head slid from his shoulders.

Thud.

Silence returned to the forest. Three corpses lay scattered across the road.

Only one bandit remained alive.

He was the one Eliana had shot. Still clutching his bleeding arm, he looked around with terror in his eyes.

His companions had been killed in mere seconds. His legs trembled uncontrollably. The confidence from moments ago had completely vanished. Now only fear remained.

The forest fell silent.

Only the crackling flames on Marcus’s spear and the injured bandit’s painful groans disturbed the quiet night.

The merchant and the two adventurers stood frozen, staring at the battlefield in disbelief.

It had ended far too quickly.

Just moments ago, they had been certain they were about to die. Yet in the blink of an eye, the four bandits surrounding them had been defeated.

The merchant swallowed hard before hurriedly stepping forward.

"T-Thank you!"

He bowed deeply to Amon and the others.

"You have our deepest gratitude! If you hadn’t arrived, we would have lost everything... perhaps even our lives."

The two adventurers also lowered their heads respectfully.

"Thank you for your assistance."

"We owe you our lives."

Amon waved his hand dismissively.

"It’s alright."

He glanced around the dark forest before speaking calmly.

"You should leave this place immediately."

The merchant looked confused.

"But... what about you?"

"We’ll take care of the rest."

Amon’s gaze shifted toward the surviving bandit lying on the ground.

"There are still things we need to ask him."

Seraphina stepped forward and nodded.

"Don’t worry. You’re safe now. The road ahead is clear. Leave before more bandits arrive."

The merchant understood what she meant.

This wasn’t over yet.

If the remaining bandits discovered what had happened, this place could soon become another battlefield.

"I understand."

He bowed once more, even lower than before.

"Thank you... all of you. We will never forget this kindness."

The two adventurers also clasped their fists respectfully.

"If fate allows it, we hope to repay this debt someday."

Marcus scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"No need for that. Just get moving before more trouble shows up."

The adventurers nodded. Without wasting another moment, they climbed back onto the carriage.

The merchant gently urged the horses forward. The wooden wheels began turning once again.

Creak... Creak...

Slowly, the carriage disappeared down the moonlit trade route until its lantern became nothing more than a distant flicker before vanishing entirely into the darkness.

Only after the sound of the wheels faded did Amon turn around. The five students stood together on one side of the lonely forest road.

A few meters away, the lone surviving bandit remained on his knees, clutching his bloodied arm.

His face had turned deathly pale. Now that the witnesses had left. He realized there was no one left to save him.

Amon slowly walked toward the injured bandit.

The man instinctively crawled backward, his face drained of all color. Blood continued to drip from the arrow wound in his arm, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Amon casually spun the hatchet around one finger before catching it by the handle. The sharp blade glinted beneath the moonlight.

His voice, however, remained calm.

"Now..."

He stopped a few steps in front of the bandit.

"Tell us where your companions are."

The bandit’s lips trembled.

"W-What...?"

"Your hideout."

Amon rested the hatchet on his shoulder.

"Where are the rest of your bandit friends?"

He smiled faintly. It wasn’t a warm smile. It was the kind that made the bandit’s heart sink.

"And think carefully before you answer."

The bandit looked at the corpses of his companions scattered across the road. Then he looked back at Amon.

His will finally broke.

"D-Don’t kill me!"

He hurriedly raised his uninjured hand in surrender.

"P-Please! I’ll tell you everything! I’ll tell you where our base is!"

Seraphina stepped forward, her golden eyes fixed on him.

"We don’t want directions."

The bandit blinked.

"H-Huh?"

She pointed deeper into the forest.

"You’ll take us there yourself."

The man’s expression stiffened.

"I..."

Before he could refuse, Aisha cracked her knuckles.

Crack. Crack.

Small arcs of lightning danced around her gauntlets.

She smiled—a smile that somehow looked more frightening than an angry expression.

"That’s the smart choice."

Her fist collided against her opposite palm with a heavy thud.

"Because if you decide not to cooperate..." She leaned forward slightly.

"...you’ll experience something far worse than death before you die."

The bandit felt a chill run down his spine.

"N-No! I-I’ll cooperate!"

He nodded so violently it looked as though his head might fall off. "I’ll take you there! I swear! Just... please don’t kill me!"

Eliana stepped beside Aisha with a gentle smile on her face.

Ironically her kind smile only made the terrified bandit even more nervous.

"Good." She nocked another arrow onto her bowstring. "Then start walking."

Her smile never faded. "And don’t even think about trying anything funny."

The bandit immediately scrambled to his feet despite the pain in his injured arm. "I-I won’t!" He didn’t dare hesitate any longer.

With five pairs of eyes watching his every move, he slowly began leading them deeper into the dark forest.

Not a single member of the group lowered their guard. They all knew cornered animals often made the most desperate decisions.