Bandits (2)

"Status Window" Ragnar summoned.

[Name: Ragnar] 

[Trait: Soul Eater] 

[Constitution: Celestial Body (Locked)] 

[Rank: Unawakened] 

Strength: 15 

Agility: 12 

Intelligence: 22 

Skills: 

- Tribute (Passive)

- Soul Collector (Active)

[Soul points: 74] 

[Status Points: 0] 

'Not enough.' He thought inwardly.

If he wanted to have a chance of facing the enemy, he will have to at least have more soul points. With the current amount he has alongside the conversion rate of 10 Soul points to 1 status point, he will only have 7 free attributes.

He surveyed the area and noticed that several of the men who had resisted the bandits had been killed. Their bodies lay stone-cold on the ground. To be frank, he'd had a plan in mind—a way to improve his chances of victory—but if anyone asked, he would admit it wasn't exactly moral. He decided to go through with it but without letting them in the dark. He turned to the village chief and casually asked,

"Elder Moran, I know this isn't the best time, but let's say there was a way for these men to contribute to the battle even after they've died. Do you think they'd be willing to help?"

Elder Moran was confused at first. What is this kid talking about? We might be dead the next moment and this guy wants to play hypothetical. He looked at Ragnar who was facing the Rank 1 bandit and saw his gaze. It was not someone who wished to die but to survive. He sighed and replied.

"Of course they would. Every one of them fought with a fierce determination to defend their home, protect their wives and children, and safeguard everything they'd spent their lives building. It might not seem like much to some aristocrats, but to these men, it was everything. At least they knew they died fighting for a just cause, ensuring none of their families would be harmed."

Ragnar heard this and made up his mind.

"Thank you. Don't worry about this guy, I will hold him up. In the meantime, can you gather all the villager's body in one spot. It is crucial to win this fight." He sincerely said.

Elder Moran didn't know exactly what Ragnar had in mind but based on everything he'd done to help the village, Moran decided to trust him. Ragnar had proven himself to be a man of his word, and his actions had always been in good faith.

Ragnar then strode toward the body of the Rank One bandit, his grip tightening on his weapon. The weapon's edge gleamed menacingly in the fading light, casting sharp reflections on the ground. It was clear that whatever he planned to do, he intended to do it with resolve.

The bandit saw Ragnar fearlessly standing to him, a Rank 1 warrior.

"Interesting, what's your name, lad?" the man asked.

"Ragnar," he replied.

"Ragnar, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Shalom," the man said with a faint smile. "Say, why don't you join me? It pains me to kill someone with potential like yours. Even though you killed some of my men, if you kneel before me and surrender, I promise to spare your life," Shalom said nonchalantly.

"If I wanted to surrender to anybody, I would not have started this. Come at me." Ragnar declared.

"Oh, to be young and ignorant. Kid, let me tell you something: In the next life, try to fix that attitude." Shalom said and vanished.

In a blink, Shalom was right in front of Ragnar, his fist just inches from his face. As the fist closed in, Ragnar's survival instinct kicked in, and he raised both hands to shield himself. It was futile—the impact sent him hurtling backward, crashing into a shed behind him.

Baam!

*Cough*

Ragnar spat blood from the blow, feeling the sting of the impact. He hadn't expected Shalom's strength to be this overwhelming. He had completely underestimated the power level of a Rank 1 fighter, thinking it was akin to the goons he'd faced before. But this man was on an entirely different level. Yet, in that brief moment before the hit landed, Ragnar had managed to track Shalom's movement. It gave him a glimmer of hope. If he could just execute his plan, there might still be a chance.

Ragnar glanced at the village elder and saw that the bodies of all the fallen villagers had been successfully gathered. This gave him a brief moment of relief, but it was short-lived. Shalom, relentless and swift, was already closing the distance, striking Ragnar before he could fully regain his footing. Ragnar quickly raised his guard, but the blow sent him reeling. He had no time to catch his breath or recover—Shalom's attacks were ferocious and unyielding.

Bam!

But this time, Ragnar purposely took the hit. Because he could anticipate Shalom's movements, he made sure to lessen the impact by leaping backward just before the blow landed. The force still sent him flying, but he used the momentum to his advantage, aiming himself toward where the villagers' bodies had been gathered. He crashed into a dried tree, the impact jarring but manageable, knowing it was part of his strategy to position himself in the right spot.

"I have to hand it to you, kid. Surviving two of my punches is no small feat," Shalom said with a hint of admiration. "It's almost enough to make me wish you were on my side. Are you absolutely sure you don't want to join me?" He asked, offering Ragnar one last chance to reconsider.

"Fuck you," Ragnar said with a defiant smile, raising his hand to give Shalom the middle finger. In his mind, he activated his skills.

Soul collector.

Several invisible, tentacle-like hands emerged from Ragnar's back and reached toward the pile of dead bodies surrounding him. Only Ragnar could see the faint outlines of these spectral hands, while Shalom remained oblivious to what was happening. Yet, a sense of unease began to creep over Shalom, a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right.

[+96 Soul Points]

He frowned and immediately charged toward Ragnar to deal the killing blow. Ragnar with his back against the tree used this chance to use up all his soul point.

[Soul Points converted to Status Points. 17 Free Status Points available.]

'Assign 2 to strength and the rest to agility.' Ragnar commanded.

[Status Points assigned to desired attributes.]

As the invisible hands completed their task, a surge of energy coursed through Ragnar's body. He braced for impact, ready to turn Shalom's deadly attack into a potential advantage.

Shalom was mere moments away from crushing Ragnar's head with his fist when, suddenly, Ragnar vanished from his sight. His rush to land the killing blow left him with too many openings. Before he could react, he felt the sharp edge of a machete slice through the jugular vein in his neck. Shalom's eyes widened in shock, his hand grasping at the fatal wound as blood poured from the gaping cut.

"Argh!" Shalom choked as blood gushed from his neck, filling his mouth and coating his hands in a slick, dark red.

He couldn't comprehend how Ragnar had managed to move so swiftly. Shalom was sure he'd had Ragnar at death's door just moments ago. Yet somehow, Ragnar had outmaneuvered him and delivered a lethal blow. Confusion and shock filled Shalom's eyes as he fell to the ground, the light fading as darkness crept in.

Ragnar, breathing heavily and utterly exhausted, dropped to his knees. The realization that he had come dangerously close to his end struck him. But then he saw the notification confirming his victory, and relief washed over him. His eyes grew heavy with sleep, and he felt his strength ebb away. Finally giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion, Ragnar's body slumped onto the cold ground.

'I did it.' He thought.

As consciousness slipped from him, his last thought was a simple wish for rest. He hoped that when he awoke, he'd find the strength to continue his journey and face whatever lay ahead.

[+58 Soul Point]

[...]