23 Travel Log 1

"Someone, remind me why we're here…" Iledoya said. From his tone, one could tell that he was very bored.

"We woke up and we already found ourselves here. So… No particular reason i guess?" Geronya answered with her usual activeness.

The group of 5 were now in a prison. Though it looked more like a cage. In the morning of the second day, the woke up to find themselves already in a cage that was being surrounded with people pointing their crossbows at them.

"Hey Iledoya. Don't they look familiar?" After Nicholas observed them for a while, he realized that something about them felt familiar. He felt like he has seen them somewhere before.

Hiruta realized this way earlier than Nicholas "They're the bandits from yesterday..."

"What?" the other four was shocked.

But how could some bandits that Hiruta alone could defeat, manage to somehow catch them off guard and kidnap them? That was currently the thought going through everyone.

Iledoya used his magic eye technique to scan his body and everyone else. It didn't take long before he found the answer.

"Poison."

Hearing Iledoya's answer, the others nodded their heads with grim faces. Iledoya continued to explain "It was some simple sleeping poison. They used the poison to make us fall into a deep sleep, so no matter how much noise they made, they wouldn't have woken us up."

The others couldn't help but shiver. They realized, if the bandits wanted them dead, they wouldn't have even woken up to see the day! But then they wondered, why were they left alive?

"*clap* *clap* *clap* Well done. You found out our method very quickly. You must be… Iledoya, an E-rank adventurer, am I correct?" From behind the encirclement of crossbows, someone suddenly came forward and talked. Iledoya nodded while answering "That is correct. And who might you be?"

"Hahaha. There is no need for me to tell you my name. Just know that I am one of the leaders of this bandit group." He walked closer to the cage before he continued talking "Since you know that we used poison, all of you better cooperate if you still want to live"

The five looked at each other with strange looks. Iledoya with confusion in his tone replied "What do you want from us?"

"Well you see Iledoya. We have received a certain information about a certain High Animal family moving to Ruteshia. We also received information that their treasure would be brought in a certain carriage brought by a certain representative from that family. Can you guess what family I'm talking about, Iledoya?" The poison user said with a smile that disgusted Iledoya. To be able to disgust Iledoya who has seen many memories, this poison user should be given an award.

Iledoya kept quiet for a while as he stared at the poison master. After giving such a long comment yet, receiving no reply, the poison user started to feel awkward which angered him. "Speak! Where's the carriage of treasure!?" He shouted from the anger.

"Hey poison user…" Iledoya said.

"Huh? No need to say anything else. Just answer my question!"

"When taking people prisoners, you should tie them up"

"Huh?" The poison user was stunned for a moment. But before he could say anything else, he heard the sound of chanting.

"Earth magic: Earthen wall!"

"Space magic: Void placement!"

The cage suddenly vanished, accompanied by small suction force appearing in place of the cage. It was small, but it made the poison user who was already close to the cage even closer. Iledoya and Hiruta took the chance.

Under the protection of the earth wall made by Geronya, the arrows from the surrounding bandits could only hit the wall, allowing Iledoya and Hiruta to rush toward the poison user. "DAMN IT!" the poison user was only able to curse before he found himself being tied up by Iledoya's grey ropes with Hiruta's staff pointing at his neck. "Other than just tying them up, you should also consider using a different material for the floors." Iledoya explained.

The poison user could only grit his teeth as he cursed once again inside his heart. "What do you want?"

"Hey, that line sounds familiar. It's like I've heard it somewhere…" Geronya said innocently as she approached the poison user.

It was then that the poison user realized that he just used the very same words that Iledoya said. Iledoya only shaked his head in pity. "How about just telling us how to get out of here?"

As the poison user was about to say something, another chant of spell suddenly sounded "Water magic: Local flood!" which was soon followed by a "Fire magic: Drops of Flame!"

The Water magic summoned a small flood that almost instantly soaked and changed the wall into mud. After the wall collapsed, the Fire magic targeted the surrounding of the poison user making Iledoya and the rest dodged. "Poreis, we're to help!" the two magic user said to the poison user as they rushed to his side. To their horror, even with their Great rank magic, they couldn't destroy the ropes binding Poreis.

The two magic users also brought with them more bandits, not only those with crossbows, surrounding the group once again.

"You! Release these ropes and I might consider letting you leave!" Poreis said angrily.

While the other four had a stressed look on their face, Iledoya still had a relaxed face on him. He simply shrugged and the ropes disappeared.

Feeling free once again, Poreis felt like he has gained back control over the situation. "Hahaha! With us three here, you three would have no choice but to give us the treasures of the Fox family!"

"Liar! You said you would let us live!" Geronya shouted.

"I said I would consider it. After considering, of course I wouldn't let you live!" Poreis answered while smirking.

Geronya could only grit her teeth. If it was only Poreis, they might be able to fight their away out. But with the sudden appearance of the two Great mage to help him, it would definitely be harder. That was how Geronya thought.

But Iledoya's next words confused her greatly. "Poreis was it? Let me give you an offer you shouldn't reject. If you let us leave, the I can make sure you stay alive to see the next day." Iledoya said with a solemn face. The other four was also surprised to see Iledoya putting on a solemn expression as he still looked like he didn't care about the world just moments ago.

While Poreis and his two mages was still visibly confused, an underling bandit suddenly came in with a letter at hand giving it to Poreis. From the look of panic on the bandit's face, Poreis determined that it was urgent so he took it and started reading it. As he read it, his face turned darker and darker.

Poreis turned to the bandit and asked "Is this real?" the bandit answered with panic and worry "S-Sir, I-It's real. The m-messenger is s-still outside"

Seeing how Poreis's face turned darker when he read the letter and hearing what that bandit said, the group became excited while confused at the same time. They wondered what could've happened. But Iledoya still had his solemn face on.

Suddenly, a loud voice could be heard. "Leader of the Bandits, you have received my letter. Even though as bandits you have done many things wrong, it is still not too late!"

When the the others except Iledoya heard that, their confusion cannot help but deepen. But the voice wasn't done talking.

"Bandits! No longer shall you all need to live close to the doors of Death, No longer shall you fear Death by hunger. Join us brothers! With us, you shall have a place to call home, a place to eat, a better place to sleep..."

While the four was starting to feel the most confused in their whole life, the started to realized that some of the bandits' arms were shaking. Some has even dropped their weapons. There was even a small bunch that was already on their knees with tears falling from their eyes.

"Join us Brothers! Together… at the Underground Union!"

This time, even more bandits dropped their weapons. Seeing this, Poreis' face was filled with anger as he shouted "What are you doing! Pick up your weapon! We still have enemies in front of us!"

But the bandits that dropped their weapons didn't listen. One of them answered back "Boss, we have been enlightened. Being bandits is wrong"

Poreis was flabbergasted "You…" Before he could continue, he felt himself binded once again. But it wasn't by Iledoya. "You two! What are you doing!?" it was the two mages by his sides. But they had tears on their faces. "Poreis. What that voice said was right. We should stop."

Poreis felt like his teeth would shatter any moment now from hard he's gritting his teeth. He was about to order the bandits that hasn't drop their weapons to attack, only to find them already on the floor with blurry figures standing behind them.

"Damn it. If it comes to this, then… Poison magic: Po--" before Poreis could continue, Hiruta's staff was stuffed into his mouth, stopping him from chanting. While doing so, his face clearly showed utter disgust.

While they were very confused with the sudden appearance of the Union they felt relieved and happy that they could leave without a scratch. But then Nicholas realized something at the worst time for Poreis ever. "Hey Iledoya, where's that bag of yours that had a tree on it?"

Only when Nicholas said that, did everyone realized that Iledoya doesn't have his bag on. Even Iledoya didn't realized it. But once Nicholas made him realized, his face darkened faster than the speed at which Pories' head exploded from it being smashed with his Reaper's scythe.

Iledoya didn't even bother to explain as he quickly browsed through the memory from Poreis' soul.

"Fiuh…" rather than explaining his sudden attack, Iledoya explained "Due to the runes on the bag, they couldn't move the bag along with me, so they just left it back at the earthen abode. Hopefully it's still there"

Since Iledoya was fully occupied on getting Poreis' memory to know where his bag was, he didn't see how the rest of them shivered when they saw how Iledoya killed Poreis. Even the two mages falled to the floor landing on their butts due to being so close.

Iledoya wanted to quickly get his bag back, so he rushed the others to quickly go back, since they don't know where they were.

"Sir Iledoya?" Once they reached outside, one of the U.U members noticed Iledoya. Iledoya wanted to quickly rush back but he didn't want to ruin the U.U members' image of him. So he stopped and turned towards the member "Yes. Good job with securing the place. Is there anything you want to report?"

"Thank You for your praise Sir!" He bowed as he thanked Iledoya. "On our way here Sir, we found a house made entirely out of dirt. We did a brief check on it and found a bag that looks just like yours Sir! Could it be that…"

When Iledoya heard that, he was delighted "Yes! That is mine! Tell me, which way is the that house?"

"Anwsering to Sir Iledoya, it is that way Sir!" the member pointed to a direction.

"You have helped greatly. Here's a gift for you." Iledoya tapped the member's forehead, putting a bit of his magic into that member. After that he didn't stay long "Farewell!"

That member was dazed. He didn't quite understand what Iledoya's gift were, but since it was from the founder of the Union, he believed it must be good.

While on the way to the Abode, Nicholas couldn't help but become curious "Iledoya, what was that Underground Union, how come they called you Sir?"

The others was curious of the same thing but Iledoya simply answered "I'll tell you next time"