Stepping out of the Adventurers' Guild, Nina followed behind me and asked timidly,

"Um... Young Master, are we really going to hunt down those bandits?"

"Yes. Any problem with that?"

"N-no! I'll do my absolute best to keep you safe!"

Hearing this, I turned to look at Nina. Dressed in her maid outfit, she was clearly scared, trembling slightly.

Watching her force bravery despite her fear—even claiming she'd protect me—I felt both amused and touched. Nina treated me better than my own mother ever did, though I'd never met her anyway. I almost teased her, but decided to comfort her instead.

"Right then, I'm counting on you to watch my back, Nina."

"Rest assured! I won't let you down!"

Her trembling stopped instantly. Her fearful expression hardened into determination. My encouragement worked wonders—she was such an easy person to please.

"The Black Forest is quite a distance away, Young Master. Should we hire a horse?"

"No need. Just follow me."

I led Nina to a deserted alley. Raising my hand, I snapped my fingers lightly. *Hum*—a blue Teleportation Portal shimmered into existence before me. Nina gaped behind me, utterly dumbfounded.

"Stop spacing out. Keep up."

I stepped through the portal. Instantly, the scene shifted to a lush, dense forest. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating cool patches of shade under the sunlight. It felt refreshingly cool.

Since I hadn't visited the exact spot before, I'd only teleported near the general area. But according to the map on my Guild Card—which included mapping functions—I should be close to the bandit hideout.

Suddenly, something soft slammed into my back. I turned to see Nina stumbling out of the portal, eyes shut tight. Whoa, she'd charged right into me like a bull.

Nina opened her eyes, curiously scanning the surroundings. Her expression was pure wonder, like a child riding a horse for the first time.

I cast a Concealment Aura on both of us and continued toward our target.

Soon, Nina and I spotted a small fortress-like structure halfway up a mountainside. Its gates were shut tight. Two bandits stood guard in the watchtowers on either side, each holding a bow.

I used my Appraisal skill on one bandit. His stats instantly appeared before my eyes:

Name: Merlo

Occupation: Bandit

LV: 31

HP: 120

MP: 90

Strength: 65

Stamina: 200

Defense: 55

Resistance: 0

Skills: [Basic Archery] [Basic Eagle Eye] [Demonic Transformation]

Level 31 was decent for a minion, but still just a minion. The only thing that caught my eye was Demonic Transformation—definitely not a human skill. After checking this fodder's stats, I had a clear idea of the hideout's strength. They'd vanish with a single breath from me. Utterly insignificant.

Time to say hello. I pointed casually at the bandit in the left watchtower.

"Lightning Strike."

*Boom!* A bolt from the clear sky reduced the left bandit to charcoal. What a fool. The right bandit stared blankly at his companion, unable to grasp why he'd been struck down out of nowhere.

I dropped the Concealment Aura, revealing myself. The right bandit spotted me instantly and realized I'd caused the lightning.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*

"Intruder! Intruder!"

The bandit frantically rang a large bell, sounding the alarm. I waited calmly by the gate. This was exactly the effect I wanted—gathering all the bandits in one place saved me the trouble of hunting them down.