"I'll give you one piece of advice," the black-haired girl said, narrowing her eyes slightly as she glared at Albel. "If you leave now, I won't kill you. I don't strike unarmed foes."
"I'll give you one too," Albel shot back without flinching. "If you don't hand over the money, I can't guarantee you won't get hurt." He really needed cash.
"Then see you in the next life."
The girl gripped her sword hilt. In a flash, she drew the blade—a streak of black light slicing the air—before sheathing it again.
"What?"
She'd expected Albel's chest to split open, blood spraying. But seconds passed. Nothing happened.
"Look, beauty," Albel said with a helpless shrug. "Just give me the money. We can part ways. Must we fight to the death?" Robbing was harder than he thought. Should he show off his power? But he only knew one-shot kills.
"Tch."
The girl frowned. Years of combat instinct warned her this ragged black-haired boy wasn't ordinary. She leaped back, putting distance between them.
She drew her katana again. The blade was pitch-black, swallowing light like a void. Undeniably a fine weapon.
"Black Blade: Night Moon!"
She slashed. A black crescent flew toward Albel. He stood still, not dodging.
At the last moment, the crescent veered sideways. It sliced through several tree trunks in the forest.
"How?!"
Her face twisted in disbelief. Her iaido strike had missed. Now this energy slash too? What power did this harmless-looking boy possess?
"I'm serious—" Albel started, stepping forward to urge her to stand down. He didn't want to fight a pretty girl. But as he moved, a black fireball erupted from her left palm and hurtled at him.
Albel dodged hastily. This wasn't physical—it could hit him.
"Finally dodging, huh?"
A trace of smugness curled her lips. She thought she'd uncovered his trick.
"I was protecting you," Albel sighed. His ability reflected all magic back to the caster. If that fireball struck him, she'd be the one burning.
Can't bear to hurt a beauty, after all.
"What do you mean?"
Her expression shifted, confused.
"Because I have—"
An arrow thudded into the ground at Albel's feet, cutting him off. He jumped.
"Who dares ambush me?" He glared toward the shot's origin. Why not fight fair instead of sneaking?
"Hmph. You dodged it."
A golden-blond youth stood in the trees, bow in hand, scowling.
*I didn't dodge at all.*
Albel eyed the arrow. Had the guy missed? Or had his power deflected it?
"Listen, kid," the youth sneered. "Scram. These women are our prey. I might spare you if I'm feeling generous." He snapped his fingers. A dozen white-uniformed thugs emerged—swordsmen, blade wielders, mages.
Albel's eye twitched. Did everyone monologue before fighting now?
"You're Ouroboros?"
Before Albel could reply, the black-haired girl gasped, spotting the snake-devouring-its-tail emblem on their shoulders.
"Ouroboros? What's that?" Albel blinked. They were clearly human. Was she blind?
"Hah! Ignorant fool," the blond youth laughed. "Ouroboros is the largest mercenary guild. Where are you from, the sticks?"
"Oh. So you're robbers too?" Albel nodded thoughtfully. Sounded impressive, even if he didn't get it.
"Hmph. Can't you see?"
"Hold on," Albel turned to the black-haired girl, now near the carriage. "Finish robbing me first. Robbery has a queue, you know?"
"Hand over the money. Others are waiting."
*Is he an idiot?*
Both the girl and the blond youth thought the same.
"You're amusing," the youth growled. "But those who cross Ouroboros die. Kill him too! Attack!"
His men charged, weapons raised, battle cries echoing. Yet every strike missed. They stumbled past Albel, some face-planting.
"What?!" The youth gaped. Albel hadn't moved. How?
The black-haired girl watched Albel's calm back. His ability must auto-dodge attacks.
"Youlian, it's lively out here?"
A blue-haired girl in a school uniform peeked from the carriage, smiling.
"Miss, we're being robbed," the black-haired girl—Youlian—replied quickly.
"Sir," the blue-haired girl addressed Albel warmly. "If I heard right, you only want money?"
"That's correct," Albel nodded. Robbery was just business.
"Then help us deal with these bandits. I'll pay you." Her smile didn't waver.
"Really?" Albel's eyes lit up. He didn't *want* to rob.
"Mm. Any amount." She nodded.
"Deal." Albel clapped his hands, then faced the blond youth.
"Sorry. Switching to bodyguard today."
"You're dead!" the youth roared. He dropped his bow, drew a longsword, and leaped onto the road. His stats glowed:
Batrans, alias "Golden Eagle." Overall Level 10. Attack 23,000. Defense 20,000.
"Wow. You rhyme well," Albel remarked, unimpressed.
"Hmph. Elite academy graduate. Highly educated." Batrans sniffed. His men regrouped behind him.
"Eagle Bro, when I swung at him, something pushed me. It's creepy. Be careful!"
"Yeah! He's weird!"
"Relax. I'll crush him." Batrans scoffed. A scrawny, ragged kid? Probably a pushover.
"Don't underestimate me!" Albel retorted. "I've roamed south and north, crushed beasts and ghouls, scaled mountains, crossed seas—I stomp Demon Kings and dragons like balls!"
"Eagle Bro! He rhymes too! What now?" a thug whispered.
"Rhyme my ass! I'll gut him!" Batrans smacked the thug's head and charged.
*Splat.*
Batrans' sword swung wide. He face-planted hard.
"Are you here to clown around?" Albel rolled his eyes. His men warned him. Charging like a fool? Brain-dead?
"You insolent brat!" Batrans scrambled up. Flame engulfed his sword as he swung.
*Thud.*
He crashed harder this time, sprawled before his men.
"Eagle Bro!"
"You okay?"
Youlian stared at Albel's back. She was piecing together his power.
"Just go home," Albel said to the dirt-covered Batrans. Why ignore the gap between them?
"You rhymed again, damn it!" Batrans shoved off helping hands, pointing furiously.
"Today, you vanish!" He pulled a long wand from his coat.
"It's here! Eagle Bro's ultimate magic!"
"The god-slaying spell that erases anything from existence!"
"Hah! You're doomed!" His men cheered, grinning at Albel.
"To force me this far—you're something," Batrans raged, wand tip glowing. "But it ends now! Vanish, Light of Oblivion!"
As Youlian worried and the thugs gloated, the wand clattered to the ground. Batrans was gone.
Silence fell like a tomb.
