The moon hung high in the night sky, casting pale beams through the dense canopy of the forest.
Shadows danced between the towering trees as Adam adjusted his position. His stealth spell kept him completely invisible, and his strength-enhancing spell coursed through his body, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
He took a deep breath, the crisp night air cooling his lungs, as he prepared for the chaos that was to follow.Ahead of him, the remaining bandits were in complete disarray.
Panic gripped their minds as they looked around frantically, their weapons clutched tightly in their trembling hands.Their leader, a tall man with a weathered face, crouched beside their injured comrade, inspecting the wound caused by Adam's earlier Air Bullet.
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Adam crouched behind a nearby tree, observing the chaos he had created.The bandits were visibly shaken, their movements uncoordinated and erratic. "Good," Adam thought, a cold determination in his eyes.
Before making his next move, Adam whispered, "Check my mana points."The familiar blue digits appeared before him: 880/1008.
"So, each Air Bullet costs 10 mana points," he noted with satisfaction. "That's efficient enough to get the job done."
A small smile spread across his lips as he realized his reserves were more than sufficient for the battle ahead. Still, he knew he had to be strategic. He could not afford to waste even a single shot.
Adam stepped out from behind the tree, moving closer to the group. His invisibility allowed him to approach undetected, but he maintained a safe distance.
His sharp eyes locked onto the bandits gathered around their injured comrade. Raising both hands, he whispered, "Mark targets."
Adam's eyes glow red and then an invisible wave comes out from Adam which hits all the people and creates a change.Immediately, faint red marks appeared over the heads of three bandits. The marks glowed softly, guiding Adam's focus like a hunter lining up his prey.
"Perfect," he thought, taking careful aim.
"Air Bullet."
The word left his lips, and an invisible force shot forward, cutting through the air with deadly precision. The bandits didn't even have time to react as the bullets pierced their skulls, leaving clean, circular holes. The three men crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining bandits froze in place, their faces pale with fear. They had never encountered such a weapon—silent, invisible, and deadly.The leader rushed to the fallen men, his expression a mix of horror and confusion as he examined their wounds.
"What kind of sorcery is this?" he muttered under his breath.
Their leader has never seen such a spell before and that is why he is very surprised.
Adam, still cloaked in invisibility, smirked at their confusion. Raising his hands again, he fired a second volley of Air Bullets.
This time, five bullets shot forward, each one finding its target with unerring accuracy.The spearmen nearest to the leader dropped one by one, their bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds.
The sound of their deaths was accompanied by the faint whistling of the Air Bullets tearing through the air—a sound that sent chills down the spines of the remaining bandits.
By now, the bandits were in complete disarray. Some clung to their weapons, their knuckles white with tension, while others began to back away, their instincts urging them to flee.
The leader barked orders, trying to restore order. "Stand your ground! And look carefully at everything around you"
But Adam wasn't done.
"Air Bullet, Air Bullet, Air Bullet."
This time, twelve bullets erupted from Adam's hands, striking the archers at the back of the group. Each one fell where they stood, their bodies collapsing into lifeless heaps.
The leader's eyes darted around wildly, his composure cracking as he realized the scope of the attack. His voice trembled as he shouted, "Retreat! Fall back!"
The bandits scattered, their fear driving them in all directions. Adam frowned as he watched them split up. "If they escape, they'll regroup. I can't let that happen."
His eyes narrowed, focusing on the group heading toward the village. "They're the biggest threat right now," he thought, immediately giving chase.
"Survey."
The detection spell activated, sending out a wave of white light that revealed the positions of the fleeing bandits. Adam could see their glowing outlines even through the dense forest. They were over 100 meters away, moving quickly.
Raising his hands to the sky, Adam whispered, "Air Bullet."
The bullets shot upward, disappearing into the night sky. Guided by the red markers from Adam's earlier targeting spell, they arced gracefully before descending upon their targets like guided missiles.
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One by one, the bandits fell. Even as they zigzagged through the forest, the bullets found their marks, striking them with unerring precision. Adam watched through his detection spell, satisfied as the glowing outlines disappeared from his vision.
"That's the end of them," he muttered, turning his attention back to the remaining bandits in the forest.
Only eight bandits were left now, including their leader. Adam activated his stealth and invisibility spells again, his body vanishing completely. Moving swiftly through the forest, he closed the distance between himself and his targets.
"Survey."
The detection spell revealed the bandits' positions once more. They were clustered together, moving deeper into the forest in a desperate attempt to escape. Adam raised his hand, his voice steady as he whispered, "Air Bullet."
Seven bullets shot forward in rapid succession. The bandits didn't stand a chance. One by one, they fell, leaving the leader alone.
The leader stumbled forward, his breath ragged as he glanced over his shoulder. The sight of his fallen men only fueled his terror. His mind raced, searching for a way out, but the forest seemed to close in around him.
Adam stepped closer, his movements silent as a predator stalking its prey. He raised his hand, ready to deliver the final blow.
"Air Bullet."
The night air hung heavy with tension, the sound of Bandit boss anguished cries piercing through the silence.
Adam watched from the shadows as his final Air Bullet struck true, passing clean through the bandit leader's leg. The leader fell to the ground with a howl, clutching his wound, his face twisted in pain.
The once-dominant figure was now reduced to a writhing mess, crawling on the forest floor as he muttered incoherent curses.
His eyes darted around in confusion, desperate to locate his attacker. It was clear from his panicked state that he couldn't comprehend what had just happened to his men—or why he was being targeted.
Boss's desperate cries filled the forest as he flailed helplessly. Adam, still cloaked in invisibility, took slow, deliberate steps toward him. His mind was calm, focused.
"Let's see what you're hiding," Adam thought, his sharp gaze fixed on the bandit leader.
As Adam deactivated his Stealth and Invisibility spells, his form became visible. Standing tall amidst the chaos, he revealed himself to Boss, his expression cold and calculating.
Boss froze. His wide eyes locked onto Adam, and for a moment, his breath caught in his throat. The sight of a 15-year-old boy standing before him made his mind race.
"You… You're a mage?" Boss stammered, his voice trembling.His reaction made Adam smirk. "So, he sees me as a mage. Interesting."
Before Adam could respond, Boss's face twisted further in fear. He scrambled backward, his voice rising in panic. "If I had known a mage lived in this village, I never would have attacked! Never!"
Adam raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the man's words. "So, mages hold a lot of power in this continent," he mused silently. Without giving away his thoughts, Adam stepped closer, his face devoid of emotion. His sharp eyes bore into boss, who now cowered beneath his gaze.
"I only have one question for you," Adam said, his voice steady but laced with authority. "Who are you, and why did you attack my village?"
Boss gulped, visibly trembling. Raising his hands in surrender, he muttered, "My name is Mark… I… I'm a former branch member of the Soku Clan."
Adam's mind raced. "The Soku Clan… That name feels familiar. I must have read about it in the memories of this body." Mark's voice broke through Adam's thoughts. "Please, spare me. I was only following orders," he pleaded.
Adam's gaze hardened. "Orders? You're going to need to do better than that. Why attack my village? If you don't give me the right answer, this will be your last night alive."
Mark's panic intensified. His hands shot up defensively as he shook his head. "You… You can't kill me," he said, his voice quivering. Adam frowned, taking a step closer. "I just killed all of your men. Why would you think I can't kill you?"
Mark's voice wavered. "Because… Because you're a mage!" Adam's confusion deepened. "And that means… what, exactly?"
Mark hesitated, his face a mixture of fear and disbelief. "You don't know?" Adam's tone grew sharper. "Don't test my patience. Explain yourself."
Mark swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's… It's a rule. A common law. Mages don't kill members of the Sword Clans, and the Sword Clans don't kill mages. It's been this way for 500 years, ever since the war ended and peace was established. No one has ever broken this rule."
Adam's mind reeled. "A truce between mages and swordsmen? No one ever mentioned this to me. Why doesn't this body's memory have this information?"
Adam's face remained stoic, hiding his growing frustration. He extended a hand toward Mark, his fingers crackling with energy.
"Here's the thing," Adam said, his voice low and menacing. "I don't care about your so-called rules. If you don't give me the truth, you'll be six feet under like the rest of your men."
Mark's eyes widened in terror. His breath came in short gasps as he realized the seriousness of Adam's threat.
"Wait! Wait! Don't kill me!" Mark cried, his voice breaking. "I'll tell you everything!" Adam's hand remained outstretched, his expression unyielding. "Start talking."
Mark took a shuddering breath. "It's true, I'm no longer a branch leader. But I'm still a member of the Soku Clan. This… This was a secret mission. I was ordered to destroy this village by the higher-ups in my clan."
Adam's eyes narrowed, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "Destroy my village? Why?" Mark shook his head frantically. "I don't know! I swear, I don't know! I was just following orders!"
Adam's fists clenched at his sides. "And how exactly would anyone know if I killed you here and now? You're nothing but a rogue."
Mark's face turned pale. "No… No, I'm not a rogue. This mission was sanctioned. If anything happens to me, the others will know."
Mark lifted his hand, revealing a strange tattoo on his wrist. It depicted a half-moon beside a sword, both etched in intricate detail.
"This crest," Mark said, his voice trembling. "It's a trigger. If I die, it will activate automatically. The Sword Clans will be alerted, and they'll send reinforcements. No one dares cross the Sword Clans—not even the royal family of this country."
Adam studied the mark carefully, his mind analyzing the situation. Mark's words carried weight, but Adam could sense that there was more to the story.
Mark continued, his voice growing steadier as he sensed Adam's hesitation. "The Sword Clans are the only force that can rival the Megas Towers. Their enmity has existed for centuries. You must know this. If you kill me, it could spark another war."
Adam's brow furrowed. "A war between the Sword Clans and the Megus Towers?"
Mark nodded quickly. "Yes. That's why this rule exists. To prevent a conflict that could destroy the entire continent."
Adam remained silent, his thoughts racing. "Why don't I know any of this? Is there a part of my memory that I haven't unlocked yet?"
Adam's gaze shifted back to Mark, his expression unreadable. "If everything you're saying is true, then why are you here? Why risk breaking this so-called truce?"
Mark hesitated before answering. "I told you, it was an order. I didn't have a choice." Adam's eyes narrowed. "I should kill you for what you've done to my village."
Mark recoiled, his voice rising in desperation. "Please! Don't! I swear, if you let me go, I'll never return. You have my word!"
Adam stared at him for a long moment, weighing his options. The memory of the destruction he had seen in his vision lingered in his mind, pushing him toward a decision.
The chapter ends here, leaving Adam's choice hanging in suspense.
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End of the chapter Nine.