Surrounded

Following saving Yerlarain from choking, two notifications from the system appeared, that Adam looked at in his tent.

[Ding! For directly saving another person, for the first time, you have earned the skill: [Breathtaker] ]

[Ding! For getting into the good graces of a noble for the first time, you have earned x1 Cheat Selector Ticket.]

Adam appreciated receiving a cheat selector ticket. Having 3 to choose from rather than sticking with the hand you are dealt was preferred.

Shortly, he examined the effects of the new skill.

[Breathtaker: When fighting, your enemy becomes slightly quicker to fatigue.]

Adam could imagine a use or two for this.

Stamina was key in battles, and if the enemy got exhausted, that gave him more time to land a finishing attack.

The trip carried on like before, except that Yerlarain sat closer to Adam than before.

While he did save her life, there was nothing beyond that.

From him at least.

He did not save her expecting anything, maybe to stay employed, apart from that nothing.

Being rewarded by the system, for it was nice though.

Adam was actually surprised he was able to successfully save her life.

He half expected his attempt at saving her to have failed.

Seeing someone choke left an impact.

Putting aside getting watched like a hawk by Micheis, the rest of the night went without a hitch.

He was sure that they would not be having potatoes any time soon.

The caravan got moving again swiftly.

His head down, he wished that there would be no more obstacles before they arrived.

But, by escorting a noble, the caravan being of a considerable size, anything could happen.

The night after, as the entire caravan was getting ready to sleep there was another scream.

However, it wasn't a muffled scream, it was a roar.

Pushing out of the opening of his tent, Adam saw there were several individuals, who had surrounded the camp.

Their faces hidden, on their shoulders mounted fur capes, and their weapons rough, they looked to be bandits.

Assassins, maybe?

Rolling his wrists, he pulled out his halberd from the tent.

Smashing it into the dirt floor of the camp, Adam loudly declared: "Enemies!"

Everyone who hadn't woken up with the roar, jolted awake now.

They prepared their weapons.

Micheis was especially swift to defend the camp.

Rushing towards the bandits, who snapped their attention to him, he thrusted out his halberd.

It met the nearest bandit, who was holding a sword which flung out of their hands.

With a sweeping motion, he forcefully swept at their legs, a crunch intermingling with a scream sounding out.

Wincing at the sound, Adam pushed his halberd towards a bandit. Another one rushing behind him.

Adam scoffed: "It is better to run, than to fight me."

They took a slight step back, as they took a follow-up glance at their fallen ally.

Shaking their heads, as if resist their fear, they ran towards him. One with a spear and the other with a longsword.

Prioritizing the spearbearer with the greater range, Adam swung at them.

Their weapons meeting, the assailants spear cracked.

Pushing forward with a bit more force, their spear broke.

Adam changing his focus, turned around and thrusted his halberd at the wielder of the longsword who was nearing.

Their guard raised a bit too slowly, they were thrown to the ground.

One of the targets fallen, Adam attacked the now weaponless assailant.

His halberd piercing into the solarplexes, he strained himself, as he lifted the person off the ground, and with a thrust, they slid off the blade of the halberd crashing a few feet away.

One less enemy, Adam charged at the assailant that lifted their arms to their face that started approaching.

Adam delivered an overhand strike with the blade of his halberd, which landed on the enemy's skull.

Deflated like a balloon, they immediately collapsed, dead.

Adam observed his surroundings.

Around him, the assailants were being fought off by the escorts.

Seeing an opening, he went near one adventurer who was barely holding off a claymore wielding assailant.

Now behind their back, he thrust at their heart, piercing it.

Slamming to the ground, another assailant was dead.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adam saw Micheis use daggers masterfully, puncturing the shoulder of an assailant who clenched at their shoulder.

The other dagger was thrown at their forehead.

The balance of the battle in their favor, Adam went around slamming his halberd at the joint's of the assailants, to crush their ability to resist.

The last assailant to remain standing was larger, around 6'3.

Adam felt that it would be fruitful to leave one alive.

He motioned the adventurer fighting them to get out of the way.

Pulling back his halberd, he chucked it at the enemy's main arm which was wielding a mace.

Arrogantly, they pushed out with their mace to defend.

As the halberd swept through the air, Adam dashed towards the mace assailant.

The spear meeting the mace made a sharp crackling noise as the mace broke to pieces.

While Adam neared, the assailant having no weapon reached for the spear on the ground.

Feeling displeased, a frown on his face as he thought of someone else using his weapon, he arrived before them.

The assailant had just taken hold of the haft when Adam threw his greaved foot out and struck the throat of the tall assailant.

Coughing, their eyes bloodshot, they dropped the halberd.

Adam picking it back up, gripping it harshly, as if to welcome its return, thrust it at their shoulder.

As the man was just getting ready to attack him with his fists, Adam's halberd punctured their shoulder deeply.

The assailant grimaced but remained standing, bringing an arm up to take out the halberd, Adam twisted it before they reached it.

Their face now a scowl, as they shrieked, Adam delivered a kick to their abdomen.

Crashing to the ground, the giant knocked unconscious, he retrieved his halberd.

Adam thought: 'They would not be waking for a while.'

The dead assailants were buried, while the giant assailant was bound with rope.

The night's peace was restored.

One adventurer thanked Adam for protecting him.

Adam merely shrugged in response.

Returning to his tent, he slept cradling the halberd.

Soon, sunlight announced a new day, and a new chance for chaos.