Ambush 2

Suddenly, the bandit leader grabbed Vienna from behind and pressed a knife to her throat. "Hahaha, now I've got you! Don't move or I'll kill her. Her life is in my hands now," he sneered.

All the team members were caught off guard by his sudden move. They hadn't expected the leader to be so cunning. I too was shocked, but I quickly assessed the situation. I knew that as long as we were here, he wouldn't dare harm her. I also knew that I had the ability to save her.

"Hey! Don't even try to do anything to her!" shouted Rio, frustration and anger evident in his voice.

Baku and Leon were too shocked by the sudden turn of events. They hadn't predicted that the bandit leader would be alone, with no one to fight him.

"Don't try anything foolish. Just hand over all the resources, and we'll leave," the leader demanded, his grip tightening on Vienna.

The merchant was trembling, knowing that his hard-earned money could be gone just like that. Vienna struggled in the bandit's grasp, her mind racing. If only she had been more aware of her surroundings, she wouldn't have been ambushed so easily.

As she grappled with her thoughts, something miraculous happened. The knife at her throat disappeared. The bandit leader's eyes widened in confusion. "What? Who?"

In an instant, Vienna freed herself from his grasp, moving away quickly. The leader was bewildered, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Who had taken his knife? How had they moved so fast?

I stepped forward, holding the bandit's knife. "Looking for this?" I asked, a hint of a smirk on my face.

"You!" the bandit leader snarled, realizing what had happened. "How did you—"

But before he could finish his sentence, I moved with lightning speed, my sword flashing in the sunlight. I struck the leader's hand, disarming him completely. He fell to his knees, clutching his wounded hand and glaring up at me with a mixture of fear and hatred.

The bandit leader glared at me with intense hatred, his eyes filled with loathing. He had dismissed me as just a kid, not worthy of his attention, and focused on the other four adventurers. Little did he know that the kid he had ignored would turn the tables so dramatically.

As the reality of the situation sank in, my team snapped out of their shock and started dealing with the remaining bandits. The leader, now clutching his severed hand, was gasping for breath. He knew it was over for him, but he was determined to take me down with him. He rose unsteadily to his feet, his sword pointing at me.

"Kid, I should have dealt with you first," he snarled, his voice filled with venom. "If I had aimed at you, the outcome would have been different. But don't worry, I'll kill you and take you with me."

Everyone watched as the bandit leader, consumed by rage, advanced toward me. The other adventurers began to move to defend me, but before they could react, I launched myself at the bandit leader with lightning speed.

In an instant, with a single, precise move, I severed his head from his body. His head hit the ground with a thud, his eyes still wide with shock.

The silence that followed was profound. My teammates and the merchant's servants stared at me, their mouths agape. They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. One moment, the bandit leader was threatening me, and in the next, he was dead, his head separated from his body in mere milliseconds.

Baku was the first to break the silence. "How... how did you move so fast?" he stammered, his voice filled with awe.

Vienna, her eyes wide with astonishment, added, "I've never seen anyone move like that. It's like you disappeared and reappeared in an instant."

Rio, who had previously dismissed me as a burden, was now speechless, his face a mix of disbelief and respect. Leon, typically quiet and composed, looked at me with newfound admiration.

The merchant, still trembling from the ordeal, approached me slowly. "Aric," he said, his voice shaking, "you saved us all. Thank you."

I nodded, trying to downplay the significance of what had just happened. "It was nothing. I just did what needed to be done."

And just like that we countered the bandit ambush and come out victorious without any casualties

After ensuring everyone was uninjured and gathering our supplies, we resumed our journey. This time, Leon, who had sustained some minor injuries in the fight, took a seat in the carriage, while I joined the others on horseback.

Baku glanced over at me, a smile of admiration on his face. "You're quite impressive for your age, Aric," he said.

"Thank you, sir. I've trained hard," I replied modestly.

"You know, with that kind of dedication, you'll make a great warrior someday. How about joining my team?" Baku suggested.

I shook my head. "No, thank you, sir Baku. I want to go back to my hometown to be with my family. Besides, I'm too young to be a full-time adventurer."

Rio, riding next to us, nodded in agreement. "He's right, Baku. Aric should focus on learning and becoming stronger. He should be in an academy rather than on the road with us." There was a hint of sadness in his eyes; it seemed he had his own regrets about not making it through the academy.

Vienna chimed in, "Yes, Baku. Aric is the future of our kingdom. If he's groomed in the academy, he could achieve great things."

Baku sighed, but there was a look of acceptance in his eyes. "You both are right. But Aric, if you ever become stronger, don't forget us. Come and meet us again."

"I will, sir Baku. I promise I'll come back and meet you all," I said, smiling.

With those words, we continued our journey. The camaraderie among us had grown stronger, and I felt a sense of belonging with this group. Despite our different paths, we were united by the experiences we shared and the respect we had earned for each other.