Lackadaisical Grandmas and mountain hideouts

Chapter Sixteen

A Lot has happened since I've gotten Isekai'd. I spent six years merged with a little oni girl thus far, watching the world of magic and fairies around her. I talk as if we're two separate beings, but honestly, we're the same at this point. She gets heightened knowledge and perception from me and I get to kick back and live the good life inside our brain! I think it's a pretty good deal considering my previous life being such a clusterfuck. Though currently, things are less than desirable you see.

For some reason, it's gotten really hot in here! Like the type of hot that just leaves ya sweatin'. Think that was something that people enjoyed in my last world somewhere in the east. I'm not too fond of it though. Especially the whole fireball hazard package! Really, what's up with that!?! It's bad enough that the drainage system is well… It's a ladies… It's bad enough that I have to deal with that, but now all this danger as well! I want a refund! I need to find the landowner and have a serious discussion! Things just can't go on like this!

I say that, but it's not as if I can really do anything about it. It's all I can do to just have a normal meeting and even that had a rather embarrassing start! She walked in before it was even ready! I was just using that template as a test! Exactly that! I'm definitely not abusing my power to manifest whatever or anything like that!

Ahem…

As I was saying. I've been tap dancing inside our mind for the past three hours! I've been doing my best to pass along hints but it's getting to the point where I'm starting to feel a singe on my asscheeks! Honestly, I don't know how we're this hopeless! I've written a bunch of characters using shields so why can't she just project one of those!

Ahhhh here comes another one!

Dodge to the left! No, not the right, the left! Get behin-

-_-

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I can't… keep… dodging anymore… My muscles are screaming for me to stop…!

"Grandma! Please, I can't keep going!"

This is taking spartan to a whole new level! If even one of those attacks hit me I'll be done for good!

My current cover was slowly turning to molten rock as Grandma's clone continued to launch Fireballs at it. Most of the pillars around me were already gone since I used them as cover earlier.

One thing I have noticed is that the clone has not moved super close, likely only because of Grandma's will. Otherwise, I'd have long since been a crispy little Oni. I peaked around the corner, but ducked back behind cover, just narrowly dodging a fireball. I didn't even have time to think as the explosion destroying my cover sent me straight to the ground.

Some embers entered my lungs, causing me to enter a coughing fit. It was all I could do to keep myself off the ground as the footsteps of the clone neared me.

Surly Grandma would stop it right? There is no way she'd just let it maim me.

As the black smoke cleared around me I looked over at the Pillar she was sitting on. I couldn't believe my eyes.

In a voice not befitting a six-year old, I shouted

"YOU'RE SLEEPING?!?"

My shout seemed to have roused her from her slumber as she lazily rubbed her eyes and looked in my direction.

I Never thought it possible for someone to sleep sitting upright like she was, but whatever.

I just need her to call off her Clone!

"Oh… Sorry, Su. I seemed to have dozed off."

Oh really now!

I pulled myself up into a sitting position and gently touched my side. That last attack scorched it pretty good and I needed to see how bad it was. The skin itself was slightly inflamed but seemed to be fine otherwise. I think everyone somehow forgets that I'm not a fairy. I can't just be put back together if I get injured.

I generated a small film of water with one hand while I generated a chilling wind in the other to temporarily alleviate the singeing pain that the burn had given me.

The clone had been walking toward me the entire time and was now standing only a few feet away. It kneeled down on one knee and held out its hand. Its face seemed remorseful about the fact that it had caused me harm, however slight.

I wonder if Clones have their own thoughts? I should ask Grandma sometime later.

I stopped casting the cooling air and reached out, grabbing the clone's hand. It pulled me up to my feet and patted me on the head.

Grandma yawned and scooted off the pillar and walked over slowly as if she were walking on a tightrope.

Once she reached me, her clone waved and slowly crumbled into wet earth all at once.

"Good job holding on for these past few hours. You've managed to completely remodel the place in that time."

She said as she held out her hand, highlighting the now flattened arena.

"I couldn't help it," I said, still holding my side.

Grandma moved my hands away from the burn and put hers over it. Suddenly a purple film formed over the wound and sunk inside my body. Warmth began to overflow as the burn gradually reverted to unblemished skin. All I could do was marvel at the display.

"That should be good enough. I think you've done more than enough training for the day. Why don't we head into the tent and start tending to that hair of yours?"

I nodded, reaching back down to feel the singed edges in the now ruined blouse. It's not like it was an original piece of clothing or anything but it was still super cute, with frills on the cuffs of the sleeves and around the neck.

"Sorry I ruined one of your blouses Grandma."

She chuckled, pushing me towards the tent while saying

"I have hundreds of them cutie. Don't worry about it. Now, let's get to work on that hair!"

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~Those fleshlings led me straight to their hideout. Damn fools. At the very least you all should have split up to give each other a better chance. Not that that would have helped.~ He thought.

Gydion stood over the bodies of the five bandits, looking at the massive cave entrance he assumed was their base.

~ All it took was a punch to snuff the life out of them. I wonder if all humans are like this? Not like I care anyways.~

Gydion jumped forward and up into the cave. The entrance itself was just as you'd imagine. A few scattered rocks and desiccated branches from dead trees were all that was there. Gydion walked further into the cave with no resistance.

~Is this really a bandit cave?~ He thought to himself as he continued forward.

Eventually, the cave narrowed down into multiple diverging corridors.

~One, two, three… Eight in total.~

Gydion shrugged and just entered the cave nearest to him. He walked for fifteen or so minutes until he came upon an array of wall-mounted torches. Five more minutes passed before he came out into a larger area filled to the brim with all manner of mercantile goods. Gydion walked up to the first box he saw and opened it up. The inside was filled to the brim with expensive-looking silks and spices. He just shrugged and tossed the lid to the side.

~This isn't what I'm looking for.~

Gydion continued to make his way through the cave until he reached the back. All that was there was a series of empty metal cages large enough to hold adult humans.

~I wonder if I wasted my time~ He thought to himself.

He began to rub the bottom of his chin with his fingers as he looked around one last time before turning on his heel to leave.

He exited the small corridor, reemerging into the main area with an Idea.

~I'll just destroy the exit so that only I can escape, If there are humans in here they'll come to investigate. Yeah, I like that.~

Satisfied with his plan, Gydion went to the exit of the cavern and shot straight up into the ceiling causing a collapse. After a brief few seconds, his fiery yellow onyx hair popped out of the rubble. He climbed out and found a spot out of sight.

It only took three minutes for a gaggle of humans to appear from out of the myriad caves. They were freaking out and panicking all over themselves.

A feeble bandit looked to his fellows and spoke "W-What do we do? *Cough* We have some rations but not enough for both us and the merchandise."

~Rations for merchandise? Slave trade? Humanity is really just as foul as the stories say.~

A large, stronger-looking bandit stepped forward and patted the feeble one on the shoulder before turning to address his companions.

"It's alright! During the last village raid, we captured some demi-human adventurers who looked like they could cast magic. We'll make them clear the rubble. If they choose not to then well… there will always be more demi-humans hehehe."

The rest of the bandits roared in applause for the speech of the stronger-looking one.

~There only seems to be around thirty or so of these weaklings. I'll wait for them to bring these "adventures" and then I'll kill them all.~

It took no longer than two minutes for the stronger-looking one to come back with two smaller creatures in tow. Their legs and arms were harshly bound in iron chains that linked them together to the leash the stronger-looking bandit was holding.

~A descendent of the Fae and a beastkin.~

The beastkin was a bronze-skinned man with a respectable muscular physique and long brown hair with round brown ears. All he had in the form of clothing were baggy beige pants that puffed out till his ankles where they closed back up.

~He alone looks like he could tear apart these humans by himself, I wonder why he doesn't.~

The other was a lithe woman with flowing scarlet hair and sharp features. Her eyes were wrapped with bandages while her clothes were torn to shreds, barely covering her body.

Gydion narrowed his eyes as he saw stumps where wings would have been on her back.

~Ah… These humans really do deserve death.~ he thought to himself.

The stronger-looking bandit pulled on the chain swiftly, forcing the two of them to fall to their knees. The Bearman reached back and caught Faekin before she crumpled to the floor as she looked to have little strength left.

"Alright, you damn savages. It's time for you to earn your keep. I want you to clear this rubble so we can all get out of here."

The Bearman stared daggers at the larger bandit, prompting the thug to tug on the chain once again in an effort to show his dominance in the situation. The Bearman didn't budge. Instead, he set the Faekin down and shot his hand out, grabbing the large one by the throat. The man squirmed and squealed like a pig as the Bearman squeezed the life out of him, not even allowing the man a chance to speak.

The other bandits quickly brandished their weapons and pointed them at the Bearman, shouting at him.

"If you continue any further we'll kill your children!"

*Snap*

Silence overtook the cave. The Bearman dropped the twitching corpse of the large bandit on the ground and turned to face the rest. A glint of red light appeared in the darkness concealing his eyes as he stared down at the bandit group. The size difference was stark and mortifying. The Bearman stood three heads taller than the bandits' tallest who only stood at six feet. Some of them stumbled and fell back while others literally froze in fear. The Bearman leaned down and picked up the Faekin, holding her in his arms with tender care. One of the bandits that had not frozen in fear shouted out

"S-STOP. YOUR KIDS WILL DIE!"

As if on prompt, another bandit came out with two children in his clutches. His eyes teemed with boldness and power as he stared down the children's father.

The father, seeing his two children in the clutches of the enemy, trembled with a mighty rage that threatened to kill the captors then and there.

~I've seen enough.~

And with that thought, Gydion launched into action.

In one blink of the eye. The head of the bandit that had been holding the children was reduced to less than nothing. Only a stump stood between the man's shoulders. The body fell and released the children.

Another blink.

Liquid iron linked through the stomachs of the five bandits rattled wildly, throwing their bodies around like ragdolls.

Another blink.

Bodies collided with one another in a grotesque display, killing ten more.

Another blink.

The remaining Thirteen realize what's happening.

Another blink.

It's already too late.

The final blink.

The remaining men fall to their knees in horror.

Gydion walks forward to the Bearman and holds his hand out.

"Greetings, beastkin. I'm Gydion."