Who’s Next?

"Aura, don't go—don't go!"

Seeing Aura pick up the young bandit's head, braid his hair into a rope, tie it to her waist, and grab an axe from the ground before heading toward Hamina Mountain, Sasha panicked and grabbed Aura's hand.

When Aura turned around, looking at her in confusion, Sasha managed to calm down slightly under the gaze of those indifferent purple eyes.

Sasha softened her tone and continued to persuade:

"Master Aura, you don't need to go so far to wipe them all out. Those bandits only sent scouts. If you kill them all, it's highly likely they won't send anyone else to risk coming here. Master Aura, your desire to protect the village is a bit... over the top."

"Huh??" Aura looked at her in surprise, gesturing frantically between the village and the dead bandits to make her thoughts clear.

"Not over the top at all, okay?!"

"What if these guys decide to settle here?!"

"Wouldn't that mean the Aura's Village I worked so hard to destroy would just get rebuilt all over again?"

Uh...

Sasha knew that Master Aura, being a demon, had a different way of thinking, but usually, communication wasn't an issue. Today, however, Sasha could barely comprehend what Aura was talking about.

Destroy the Aura's Village?

Sasha glanced back at the thriving village built around Aura's statue.

Then she turned back to look at Aura, whose expression showed no sign of joking.

Although she didn't fully understand why Master Aura insisted on having people settle near the sword and guard it, Sasha thought—

Master Aura must have her reasons.

"I'm going to clear out the pests that might establish another sword village."

"Master Aura... Ah, I'll go with you."

Unable to stop her, Sasha had no choice but to instruct the villagers to dispose of the bodies and then hurriedly followed Aura, running toward the Bas Bandit Fortress on foot.

Aura was far too nimble in the mountains, and only Sasha's magic allowed her to keep up with Aura's pace.

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At Bas Bandit Fortress, smoke rose high into the sky.

This was a massive stronghold, standing in the mountains, at least three times larger than the one Aura lived in.

Even the outer walls were five meters tall, with patrolling bandits walking back and forth, watching for the slightest disturbances outside.

It was no wonder Bass Bandit Fortress was so brazen. As the young bandit had said, even the private armies of noble families couldn't do much against them, and those nobles often feared the fortress would retaliate if provoked.

At the center of the fortress, the bandit leaders, both big and small, were gathered, drinking, feasting, and boasting about their recent loot.

The head leader sat in the high seat. Though not burly, he had a scarred, menacing face, with a jagged burn mark running from his right temple to his neck. Compared to the other bandits, his expression was the most fearsome.

A staff lay at his side.

"Boss, the two squads of ten men we sent out haven't returned yet," said the bald deputy leader seated to his left. Unlike the other bandits who were laughing and enjoying themselves, he wore a worried expression as he leaned close to the leader and whispered.

"Hmm?" The leader shot him a glance, took a sip of wine, and said dismissively, "Didn't they just go to raid some small village? Twenty men were more than enough. They're probably just too busy looting and killing to bother reporting back. If they're bringing back slaves, that'll take a day or two. What's the rush?"

The deputy leader frowned. "I gave them orders to be cautious. Whether or not they acted, they were supposed to send someone back with news so we could send reinforcements if needed. It's too strange."

"What's so strange about it? When they get caught up in the killing, they often forget orders from the fortress. Once everything's settled and they've got the goods, they'll send someone back. No point fretting now."

"This time... my son was with that team."

"Eh?" The leader finally straightened up, setting down his wine glass to think.

He knew the deputy's son—a glory-seeker who loved boasting about his achievements. He was always the first to report back whenever there was something to show off. Despite his reckless nature, he had a knack for surviving dangerous situations by bluffing or bargaining his way out. He'd escaped death more than once.

If even he hadn't returned...

"Boss, what do we do? Should we send someone to check?"

"No, don't act rashly. If there was a fight, it'd be over by now. Sending people now won't change anything. Worse, if it's the worst-case scenario, we might bring trouble back to the fortress."

"So we just let twenty men die for nothing?!"

The cautious attitude of the leader only made the deputy leader's tone grow more agitated. The bandits at the banquet stopped their rowdiness, shifting their attention toward the escalating discussion.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the leader remained composed, speaking unhurriedly:

"If it's true, then consider those twenty men lost. Don't question their fate—whether dead or alive, treat it as if nothing happened. If no one holds us accountable, we won't pursue it either. Let's treat it as a warning."

"But my son! He's my only son! If he's dead, do I have to stand by helplessly and not avenge him?!" The deputy leader could no longer suppress his emotions. The anxiety and rage boiling inside him had nowhere to go. He drew the sword at his waist and slammed it heavily onto the table.

The deputy leader glared fiercely at the leader. The blade was just two or three inches away from the leader's bowl and chopsticks, a clear demand for a response.

The leader raised his gaze and looked at the deputy leader, his hand moving toward the staff beside him.

The atmosphere froze instantly.

The deputy leader, so domineering just moments before, suddenly fell silent. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he watched the leader's every move.

Thankfully, the leader didn't point the staff at him.

"Reginold, put your sword away."

"...Yes." The deputy leader obediently sheathed his sword and sat back down without further movement.

"Haha, don't be so tense. I'm not going to eat you," the leader broke into laughter first. The mood around the table lightened instantly. Some resumed drinking, others returned to their antics, and it was as if the previous silence had never occurred.

"A lost son can always be replaced, but if we lose one of our own, we truly lose everything."

"Reginold, you've never experienced certain things; that's why you act so recklessly. But I won't hold it against you—"

The leader passed his cup over, and the deputy leader responded by clinking cups and downing his drink, as if the earlier conflict had never happened.

After finishing his drink, the leader, reminiscing about something, unconsciously touched the burn scar on his face and sighed.

"It's not that I lack loyalty, nor that I'd let your son die before my eyes. But you should understand—if someone dares to act mercilessly against us even after hearing our name, then they clearly don't fear us."

"Although our bandit camp seems sizable, if we provoke a truly formidable enemy, not a single one of us will get away."

"..." The deputy leader remained silent, prompting the leader to continue alone.

"In this world, there are many strange individuals who prefer to hide away in remote places. Until you provoke them, you can't even begin to imagine the power they possess while willingly living in obscurity."

"The leader… isn't considered strong?"

"Me? Haha, hahaha—" The leader burst into laughter upon hearing the deputy's question.

"Of course, I'm strong, but I have no idea how strong I am because I've never participated in the Continental Magic Association mage exams."

The leader wasn't a formally trained mage but was self-taught. The magic he used was his own creation. However, as it had been honed through life-and-death battles, his combat ability was no weaker than that of formally trained mages.

In fact, in actual combat, he would likely be far stronger.

"I do hope a mage shows up in front of me one day to tell me what rank I'd be classified as..."

"Your mana is at the level of a third-class mage, but it's not very stable. Your practice of fundamental magic is lacking, so you wouldn't typically pass the third-class mage examination. However, your mana trajectory is unfamiliar—possibly a unique, self-created magic? If so, that could earn you extra points."

"!!!"

In the hall, the bandits sitting at the tables turned to look toward the center, at the towering stone chair draped with tiger skin on the highest platform. It was a symbol of the leader's dominance over the mountain stronghold and a seat only the leader could occupy.

But today, a figure with purple hair lounged casually on the chair, one leg crossed over the other, looking down at the bandits with a delighted expression.

The moment she spoke, the scent of blood filled the air.

"And you are?"

The leader stood with his men, gripping his staff tightly. The deputy leader and the others immediately drew their swords, their gleaming blades creating an intimidating display.

"I am here for the grand feast."

"Grand feast?" The leader glanced back at the table laden with food and drink, then turned with a forced smile.

"If you wish to join us for a meal, feel free to help yourself. I wouldn't be so stingy as to deny you a bit of food and drink."

"Really? You're the first human I've met who's so generous," Aura exclaimed, her eyes wide with apparent delight. She continued,

"I had quite the feast outside, but I'm not quite satisfied yet. I've eaten all I could, but I didn't expect the master of this stronghold to be so hospitable. In that case, I won't hold back."

"Outside? But there wasn't a feast outside."

"I know—that's why I helped myself to this."

Aura tossed a round, bulging object to the ground. It rolled to the feet of the bandits, who initially approached it out of curiosity. But once they realized what it was, they recoiled in horror.

"Boss! Boss! It's a human head! She chopped someone's head off!"

"That's Rod! I know him! He was on patrol today. When did he get killed? Why didn't we hear anything?"

"Rod's eyeballs are gone! No... no no no, his head is empty, even his brain is gone!"

"..."

The hall descended into chaos until the leader's sharp commands brought silence. The bandits, who had seemed so fierce earlier, were now filled with fear, casting anxious glances at the purple-haired figure on the high seat.

"What is the meaning of this? Why would you kill one of my men for no reason?"

"Uh… for no reason… Wait, did I come to the wrong place? Do you recognize this person?" Aura hesitated, suddenly retrieving another head from her waist—the head of the one who had attacked the village—and showing it to the crowd.

That's right. She hadn't confirmed whether this was actually a bandit stronghold before starting the killing. What if the young bandit had given her false information? What if he was trying to use her to eliminate his enemies?

Wouldn't that mean she, Aura, had been aiding a villain?!

"That's my—" The deputy leader's eyes filled with rage upon recognizing the face, but the leader interrupted him.

"Never seen him before! That person has nothing to do with us!"

The leader's response was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

"Is… is that so?" Aura lowered her head, stepped down from the high seat, picked up Rod's head again, and held it in front of her for a closer look.

"It's still mostly intact. I'll spit out what I ate and put it back in place later."

"Let's just pretend none of this happened."

"Wait… wait, do you mean, esteemed one, that you have magic to bring the dead back to life?" The leader's voice trembled, and the deputy leader's eyes lit up. Magic that could resurrect the dead? That would be nothing short of a miracle—even the goddess had no such legend.

"Of course not," Aura replied, looking at them as if they were idiots.

"How could I possibly know magic to bring the dead back to life?"

"Then what do you mean?"

"Spitting out what I ate is already impressive enough! Don't push your luck!"

"We're pushing our luck??"

The leader and deputy leader exchanged glances, then listened again. Outside, it was eerily silent. Rod wasn't the only victim—everyone outside was dead. The culprit was undoubtedly the person standing before them.

"Alright, alright, I just ate a moment ago, so it probably hasn't digested yet. Stuff it back in, and it'll still be usable—"

"Still usable??" The leader and deputy leader exchanged another glance, shocked once more. A digested brain—could it still think?

"Dare I ask, esteemed one, what do you mean by 'still usable'?"

"I mean, you can still eat it. The nutrients haven't been lost. After partial digestion, it might even taste better… You should thank me."

"We should thank you!!"

The deputy leader was enraged beyond words, and the bandits behind him, also provoked, let their fury take over. They no longer cared what kind of strength Aura possessed—at this point, they only wanted to chop her down with their blades.

The leader, however, managed to keep his composure. Waving a hand to calm his agitated men, he cupped his hands respectfully toward Aura, though his voice trembled as he spoke:

"Since you've confirmed that this isn't the place you were looking for, we won't keep you. Please, just leave. As for those you mistakenly killed… thank you… thank you for leaving their corpses intact."

Even with his remarkable self-restraint, the leader's breathing faltered from anger.

As he spoke with Aura, he signaled to his men with one hand behind his back, instructing them to ambush her as soon as she turned around. Against someone so treacherous, there was no need for honor.

Aura, seeing the leader's polite demeanor, felt a bit embarrassed. Still holding Rod's severed head, she blushed slightly and said apologetically:

"My deepest apologies—truly. My memory's terrible. I should have asked for confirmation before acting, but I didn't even ask a single question before making my move."

"No need, no need. We're also at fault for building such a large house in these mountains, filling it with so many rough-looking men. It's understandable that you'd mistake us for someone else. Really, no problem—"

Squelch.

Blood splattered onto the leader's face, his eyes vacant.

Just now, Aura had casually walked up to the nearest bandit and, before his eyes, plucked off the poor man's head as effortlessly as picking a flower.

No one else had even processed what had just happened.

"Es… esteemed one… what is the meaning of this?!!" The leader's eyes widened with rage. Even his usual composure, unshaken in the face of great danger, was now utterly shattered.

"Huh?" Aura tilted her head innocently.

"Didn't you say you could understand?"

"Then what does killing someone again mean?! We already agreed to write off the previous deaths. Why must you continue to push us?!"

"Are you stupid? I've already killed some of your men. Do you think I'd just leave the rest of you alive?"

Aura looked at the leader and his stunned subordinates with an expression of utter disbelief, as though they were the idiots.

No one could predict Aura's actions. Everyone assumed this inexplicable powerhouse was a fool—she had believed them when they said they weren't the people she was looking for. She even apologized to them in a friendly tone.

Everyone feared her, but no one truly took her seriously. They thought they could manipulate her with ease.

But in the end, they realized they'd been played—by a fool!

They were the true idiots!

"Screw this, I can't take it anymore!"

The deputy leader charged forward, his anger boiling over. New grudges piled on old ones, and his fury made his upper body swell, his arms bulging with muscle. The massive nine-ring broadsword in his hand swung wildly, the rings clanging loudly as he moved.

The deputy leader was split cleanly in half with a single axe strike. Blood sprayed everywhere.

Aura hefted the axe back onto her shoulder and swept her gaze across the now-silent group of bandits.

Puffing out her chest, she bellowed:

"Who's next?!"