Chapter 21 - Bandit Encounter
The next day, we continued our journey.
Kayla has healed enough and got enough rest, so we left after breakfast.
It's unfortunate that Angela refused to wear revealing clothes, but we continued regardless. This is more important than being a pervert after all.
I continued practicing my spearmanship against the monsters we met but this time, the two girls also fought on their own volition. I don't need to tell them to fight or not, but they have prepared their magic when they saw several monsters ahead.
If it's just one, they would leave it to me and practicing magic while waiting for me defeating the monster. But when there are more than one, they will fight.
Our battle prowess growing rapidly. Now the girls have the strength to defeat an experienced Intermediate mage on their own while still being in Beginner level. But they still weren't satisfied with that. Their goal is to be much stronger than that. Even stronger than the Elemental Master Angela in my previous timeline.
We fought from morning until the sun down and we had dinner while chatting. And Victoria would appear when we had our dinner and have a girl's talk.
I'm being left out…
On the third day of our journey, I finally found them. The perfect enemies for the girls. Bandits.
All this time, they only fought against monsters. And they did it decently. But they have never once fought against another human being. This will be a good experience if they want to fight against the cult.
"Girls! Let's continue. There's a group of bandits trying to surround us but let's pretend we don't know about their existence. This time let's practice fighting in a disadvantaged position where we are being surrounded and also fighting against another human being. Since they are bandits, you can kill them."
"Killing human being? Somehow I feel reluctant to do that even though I said that I will support you against that evil group."
"You're free to choose not to kill, but you should have experienced a little about what they will do to beautiful girls, Kayla. Remember how we first met?"
"Ah, that. They deserve to die."
She changed her mind easily. I mean of course if I remind her about how men tried to assault her, she won't give the bandits any mercy.
Back when we were started as a party, Kayla was still wary of me. She would always be close to Angela. But now we gradually got closer and I think she already trust me. I mean she would come all this way mean she trust me, right? She had already let down her guard around me and would occasionally make a joke with me to tease Angela.
"Stay alert. They will soon surround us. I don't mind if you kill the bandits or not, but I will kill those who attacked me. The sight of dead body around you won't be pretty."
The bandits got closer. Their number is about twenty. About five of them are Intermediate mage, and two of them are Advanced mage. The Intermediate level mages are good for the girls to gain experience, but the two advanced mage are too troublesome. And maybe there are still some bandits who hid their level really well. I hope that is not the case.
"Alright. This is the plan. I will leave you two here alone to fight them while I keep watch of their movement. There's two Advanced level mage, but I will take care of them. You will fight the rest along with the five Intermediate level mage."
"We're already surrounded, right? How can you leave this place without them noticing?"
"I have many ways. For example…"
I took a deep breath and prepared to say something to my party members loudly so that the bandits can hear me. I hold my stomach and scream in pain.
"AAAH! I can't hold it anymore! I'm going to poo! Wanna join me?"
""HELL NO!""
"ARGH! Don't shout! My body is weak against shouting! Now I can feel the tip is already peeking out! Wait for me while I'm doing my business!"
Alright. My plan went well. Although I can't see the bandits, I can still feel them being disgusted by me. Whichever way I go, I'm sure they will leave me alone. They will also think that the girls won't have any protection and will act after I leave.
As soon as I'm out of their sight, the bandits indeed attacking the girls. The two Advanced level mage are just watching from the sideline. They will only move if they see the girls' power is too much for the others to handle.
I sneaked behind the two mages who are luckily standing side by side. They didn't notice me because they are too engrossed in watching the girls fight. I get into a position where it would be easy to kill them both in one swoop with my spear. If I swung my on their necks, both their heads will be decapitated. But I will only act later when they think that they will lose.
The girls did well. As soon as the bandits appear, Kayla set up a magic wall. The wall is in a three quarter shape. Not a full circle. Then from the opening, Angela would use magic to attack the enemies. She succeeded killing two of them and injured several others lightly. I guess they decided to kill, but because it's the first time she ever killed a person, when she kill one of them, her body shook and her accuracy is fallen so she only injured the next one. But when she composed herself, she killed another one.
"Seems like they have trouble. Let's finish this as soon as possible so we can enjoy the girls. After everyone had their fill, we can sell them to slave trader."
"No, you don't. You're going to die here."
One of the mage told the other one to help, but before the other said anything, I interrupted.
Shocked with my sudden appearance, they tried to use magic on me but it's too late for them. I swung my spear to decapitate them. They can't even use magic before they died.
Now the only thing to do for me is to watch over the girls and also those who tried to run away. But no one noticed the two leaders are already dead. They got agitated that their attack can't reach the girls and some of them already fallen.
"You're just a beginner mage! I'll show you the real fireball!"
One of the intermediate mage yelled. He used a bigger fireball than the one Angela used. And he also stupidly attacked from the front. The only open spot on the wall.
When the mage started to cast magic, Kayla already acted. She moved in front of Angela and used Blinding Light.
"It's no use! Even if you're blinding us, you can't move because you blocked your own path!"
That is wrong. Because they can raise an earth wall, of course they can move it as well. If they decided to run away by destroying the wall first, it would take time. But if they spin the wall, the wall will slide and the opened spot will face different direction while the mage's fireball will hit the wall. That's what the girls did.
As soon as a spot opened up, Angela already prepared her Ice Spike magic to attack the unprepared Intermediate mage in front of the new opened spot and kill him.
They have found their roles in a team battle. Kayla will support and Angela will attack. Kayla will spin the wall and use Blinding Light if she saw a powerful magic aiming at them from the front. While Angela is the damage dealer.
They keep doing it and make their enemies agitated.
Noticing that they are at disadvantage and their numbers already fallen with only leaving 6 of them with only two Intermediate mages, some of them looked this way to ask for help from the advanced mages. So I showed them the two's head.
"They can't help you. You're on your own."
Seeing their bosses already dead, their morale is dropped to the bottom. And they are trying to flee. Of course I will obstruct them.
That was the plan. Because of the few survivor idiocy who think it wise to run to the same direction, they instead became a bigger target for Angela's magic.
It's a fireball, but the size is bigger than her normal ones. The size is the same as the Intermediate mage from before, but with less speed and less power. That's when Kayla acted. She used earth magic to make a small pitfall enough to make them trip and fall. As long as the front is fallen, the ones behind will slowed down as well. If they think calmly, they should be able to handle it. But as I expected. They are all idiots and got burned by Angela.
"You two did great! But there's still one left alive here pretending to be dead. What will you do?"
I approached the girls and pointing at the man who's playing dead.
"Please spare me! I don't want to die!"
Then Kayla stepped forward.
"I will kill him. I haven't killed anybody yet."
A stone spike protruding from earth and pierced the unlucky guy on the chest.
It was very well done. But the fatigue and the pressure of killing people for the first time hit them hard as soon as they relaxed.
"Let's move a bit and find a place to rest. It's still bright but you've earned this rest. Let's go."
After taking a few deep breath, they followed me to another area to set our camp.
As for the corpse, I returned as soon as the tent was set and took the bandit's valuables. I'll let the monster around here to eat them.
A perfect ending for bad guys.