John held a thick tree branch in his hand as he looked at the bandits in front of him. Considering the looks on their faces, he assumed they were about to rob himself and his wife. Unfortunately for them, they had not a penny on them. To add to that misfortune, John wasn’t really in the mood to be jerked around by someone else right now.
“What is the name of your group?” John suddenly had an idea.
A disgusting, slimy laugh rang from the bucktooth dagger-wielding bandit. “You’re telling me, you haven’t heard of the Black Snakes!?” He laughed some more. “Where are you from if you don’t even recognize the Black Snakes?”
“Stay behind me, Lydia.” John walked forward with the tree branch in his hand.
Lydia wanted to tell him to be careful, but remembering that her husband was capable of taking on soldiers hired by a noble made her swallow those words. Mere bandits wouldn’t be enough to harm her husband if soldiers recruited by the country weren’t. Being the good wife she was, Lydia did as her husband said and ran behind a tree to watch. She didn’t want to get in his way.
“Ooh, a brave warrior! That little lady behind you is quite the catch. Why don’t you let me and my brothers borrow her for a while? We promise to give her back in good condition afterward.” They laughed together.
In the time they were laughing, John rushed forward. The stick, long and thick enough to resemble a wooden staff, slammed against the side of the talkative bandit’s head. His vision blurred, and he fell to the ground. John’s stick whirled around, and despite the bandit’s superior weaponry, they stood no chance against John’s skill. Skill that he gained through the x100 Feedback System.
After rescuing his wife and burning the lord’s estate, he was rewarded with a skill: Fighting Instincts of a Beast. This confused John. He didn’t know what action he needed to take to get a reward from the system because even defeating these bandits didn’t give him a reward.
“Take me to your leader. We’re going to join you.” John smacked the talkative one so that he could focus on him.
“Y-You aren’t going to turn us in?”
“It’s your lucky day.” John didn’t say more than that as he beckoned his wife to come over.
The husband and wife followed behind the limping bandits. John stole one of the two-handed maces used by one of the bandits and dropped his tree branch behind. Lydia followed behind John while clutching the back of his shirt in one hand. As they walked, John was somewhat regretting eating the purple fruit entirely. Maybe if he saved some, he could’ve shared it with Lydia so that she could protect herself better. If another reward comes up that he can share, he’ll give it to her if he can.
The bandits took them down confusing paths filled with greenery and far away from the path commonly traveled by merchants and carriages. It made sense. How else would mountain bandits hide from the local military if they weren’t somewhat clever? The journey seemed like it would be silent and peaceful; however, someone made it his life goal to change that.
“Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. If I knew you were so strong, I would’ve never talked to you and your woman that way. The names Leo, by the way.” The buck-tooth bandit introduced himself.
“Are you two on the run or something?” He asked.
“Get on the bad side of a noble?” He guessed.
“Someone high up in the military?” He stared at Lydia's clothes.
“Or maybe her parents didn’t approve of marrying their beautiful daughter to a rough and powerful lowly peasant? She does look as pretty as a noble, especially with those clothes.” Leo complimented.
“Stop talking.” John insisted.
“Of course, big bro.” Leo started whistling badly.
Eventually, the bandits led John and Lydia to their base in the mountain. It resembled a small village. John guessed that it might’ve been a mountain village that the Black Snakes took over. Not that it mattered to him all that much. Soon, John and Lydia were taken to the boss of the Black Snakes.
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“You said he wants to join us?” The leader of the Black Snakes asked Leo and the other bandits.
“Yeah, him and his wife.” Leo nodded.
“Why?” The boss asked.
“I think they’re on the run.” Leo honestly shared.
“From who is the question...” He rubbed his patchy beard.
“I think it has to do with a noble. His wife’s clothes are too extravagant for a commoner to get a hold of.” Leo guessed.
“Nobles will run to the military. Soon, we’ll have soldiers in our mountain roaming around then if these two are really on the run from a noble...”
“I think we should shelter them, Boss.” Leo had a feeling he knew what his boss was thinking.
“Explain why I shouldn’t turn them in but keep them instead.” The Leader of Black Snakes gave Leo a chance.
“Look at us.” Leo pointed to their wounds and bruises. “That guy did that all by himself without breaking a sweat. If we keep him and protect him and his wife, the Black Snakes will be known all over the country as long as he works as a bandit with us.”
“A partnership?”
“We shelter him and his wife. He helps us pull off jobs here and there.” Leo explained.
“Did he ask for anything else?”
“His wife is off-limits, he won’t abandon his humanity, and I think that’s it...” Leo rubbed his hairless chin.
“Tell him we accept his offer.”
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“Welcome to the Black Snakes. I’m Pete, your new boss.” Pete grinned at John.
“John. This is my wife, Lydia.” John ignored the floating text that popped up while they were waiting.
It looks like becoming a bandit was something worthy of being rewarded for. John received a looting bag that could hold far more on the inside than it looked like it could hold on the outside. He didn’t choose to take it from the system because he wouldn’t have been able to explain how he suddenly grabbed a brown sack from out of thin air. Later, when he and his wife settle down in this place, he’ll take it.
“I heard of your strength and your conditions. I accept your conditions, and I look forward to putting that crazy strength to good use.” Pete walked over to him.
“Understood.” John nodded.
“We’re going to need that strength soon. I don’t know what situation you and your wife fell in, but I do know for sure that the military will be out here in these mountains searching for the two of you. It could be days or weeks until they find our hideout here. I’m not the type of man to be attacked but to do the attacking. So, we’re going to prepare some traps and do some ambushing to protect ourselves. What kind of role do you want to play in this attack?”
“Role?” John was just a simple farmer, after all.
“You could be a trapper, scout, or ambusher.” Pete offered.
“My body is strong. What role would be best for me, in your opinion?” John didn’t know what would suit him best.
“Ambusher.” Pete looked up and down at John’s muscular body in appreciation.
“I’ll do that then.” Pete agreed.
“Alright, we’ll come get ya when we’re ready. For now, enjoy some time to relax with your wife now that you’re not on the run anymore. You can take any empty house you see. Leo will lead you around the village. If you need anything, ask him.” Pete explained.
“Got it.” John left Pete’s estate with Lydia.
They followed behind Leo, who was grinning like a fool for some reason. “We’re going to be fucking loaded with you around to help. Living like nobles!” Leo exclaimed. John felt that this friendship was going to be the start of something annoying. “Once we rob those soldiers and sell their goods to a nearby province, we’ll be able to spruce this place up a bit and make it look like a real town!”
“What is the goal of the Black Snakes?” John was curious.
Lydia was curious as well. What led people to a life of crime and being wanted by the authorities? Back in their village, criminals were to be feared and shunned. Not to be treated like people but dangerous existences. Then again, Lydia felt that maybe the life of a criminal wasn’t too different from her own life.
“I dunno.” Leo shrugged. “I just joined because I got in trouble with my old man. He was a dick, and I killed him, then ran before the soldiers could arrest and behead me.”
“...” John didn’t know how to respond to that.
Neither did Lydia. The thought of killing one’s parent was so taboo that it was more accepted to be beaten and mistreated by them than to retaliate against them through violence. Whatever Leo’s father must have done to him had to be unbelievable, or there was something wrong with Leo. At this time, neither John or Lydia could tell which one it was.
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“Are you ready?” Pete asked John.
John nodded as he tightly gripped the large rock in his hand. He and some other bandits were hiding in the thick foliage as they watched the traveling soldiers move exactly where their scouts reported they would be moving. Strapped to John’s back was the two-handed mace. He kept his breathing low and quiet to prevent the soldiers from hearing them before they sprung their attack. As the soldiers neared their positions, Pete gave the silent signal, and they attacked!
John tossed his rock with the force of multiple men, and one of the soldiers was knocked straight off their feet into another soldier, falling into a small heap on the ground. The soldiers shouted that they were being attacked, and the battle started with the bandits having the advantage. John grabbed his mace once the battle began and charged forward without a cry or scream.
“Give 'em hell, brothers!” Pete yelled.