The Bandit

Arthur watched as the bandit dropped to one knee, his breath laboured and uneven. He turned toward Borak, his voice calm but commanding. "Protect the girl. Make sure nothing comes near her."

The boar let out a low snort of understanding, its sharp eyes scanning the forest as it lumbered toward the unconscious girl. It stood vigilantly beside her, its tusks gleaming.

Arthur shifted his gaze back to the bandit, his expression unreadable. 'Even though his HP is dangerously low, I can't afford to get cocky. He's a bandit, after all—they always have tricks up their sleeves.'

'The only reason I was able to inflict so much damage on him was because of the sneak attack,' he thought, his grip tightening around his dagger.

'The sneak attack needed to be believable, so I took the chance to show weakness—cowardice, even—playing the part of someone unwilling and incapable of fighting back.'