"I know- I know- They're taking so long! You don't need to grunt like that at me!" Dante shouted at Lil Rig. The young Equinix was now clad in shining armor. Trela had bought it for him as a farewell gift. And Ravka added some nice jewelry and embellishments on the proud beast-man's armor. And with a new steel sword, he felt closer and closer to being a Holy Knight.

Lil Rig kicked Dante in the back.

"Hey! Stop! I'm annoyed too, you know. Trela told us to wait here on the bridge that connected the city of Crowspire and the capital city of Raquille. All that armor you're wearing, it's because of Trela's hard work, alright? It's time we do our part," he said.

Lil Rig played with his sword and jumped on the bridge railings. And pretended to swordfight like a proper knight. A memory reminded him of someone and he looked intently at Dante.

"Don't look at me like that! That bastard Chaplain Knight was a traitor! He had nothing but bad things in mind for us. Get a grip!"

Dante, wearing light armor and carrying a leather bag containing the extra payment that they would offer an important official as ordered by Trela.

Trela had repeated again and again to them, that this Official was their only way to be registered as recognized merchants in the Autocratic Dominion of Rhiqualon.

"Extra payment, my ass!" Dante murmured. "It's a fucking bribe! That is what this is! Corrupt fucking autocrats. As if only slaves weren't enough. These guys must be the worst. Worse than demons! I can only imagine."

Lil Rig nodded his head and gestured he would cut off the corrupt official's head with his new steel sword.

It might have been Dante's recent good deeds that had changed something in him, or it was that Trela had finally forgiven him again. But Dante was now more than ever unafraid to stand up for righteousness and honor. He felt that he was doing his best and that he deserved to feel more judgmental of those who do not strive to seek what is right.

Lil Rig with his powerful beastman eyesight and hearing had noticed a small contingent of forces fight off a group of masked bandits. He pointed at the area to Dante.

Dante climbed the railings and saw the caravan begin to be overwhelmed.

Lil Rig looked at Dante with tough eyes, and their mutual understanding to do good overcame them.

"Come, Lil Rig! Let's rescue those poor innocent civilians!"

Dante grabbed onto Lil Rig's shoulders and tightly wrapped his arms over the young Beastman.

With Dante firmly grasping Lil Rig and ensuring his secure position, the strong muscular beastman then leaped. And with his first big leap, he had already crossed the bridge entirely.

Lil Rig then ran as fast as he could on his two strong horse legs. They swiftly traversed the distance and prepared themselves to fight off the masked oppressors.

"Protect the Palanquin!" a Navy Captain commanded his 19 men. They all surrounded the noble carriage and tried their best to protect it.

The bandits, armed with wicked-looking blades and clad in dark, tattered robes, outnumbered the Navy soldiers, but the captain's determination to protect the noble palanquin bolstered his men's resolve.

The Navy captain, a seasoned warrior with years of experience, raised his sword high, rallying his troops.

"Stand firm, men! Protect the palanquin at all costs! Let these scoundrels know the might of the Rhiqualon Navy!"

The masked bandits lunged at the Navy soldiers with a ferocity born of desperation and a desire for chaos.

The clash of steel against steel rang through the air as the skirmish began.

Dante and Lil Rig arrived just in time to witness the intense battle.

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Dante, fueled by his newfound sense of justice, was ready to leap into action but hesitated to access the Holy System.

Any unnecessary exposure for him would mean that Marvia and the others would be investigated too if anyone were to realize that he was seeking asylum from the King of Fontaire.

But doing what is right, is no time for someone like him to hesitate. Dante clasped his hands and prayed.

"Oh Blessed Holy System, infuse me with Divine Vigor. Grant me the strength and endurance to overcome all obstacles, bolstering my physical prowess with your holy energy."

[Divine Vigor Granted]

His physical strength and speed increased as the divine energies flowed through his body, supporting him and multiplying his power.

He drew his newly bought sword, gripping it tightly, and charged towards the nearest bandit, meeting their blade with a furious parry.

"It's a child?" One of the bandits asked in confusion. "What are they doing here?"

Dante's eyes blazed with determination as swung his sword to counter their attacks, they were all sent flying away into bushes.

Lil Rig's powerful presence and incredible strength became evident as he barreled through the bandit ranks, wielding his new steel sword with precision and might.

His strikes were swift and devastating, and with each swing, he cleared a path for the Navy soldiers to regroup and defend the palanquin more effectively.

Dante had injured several of the masked bandits, but he was surprised that he did not find it in himself to kill any of them. Although, Lil Rig who was used to killing Teih Rangers, Mercenaries, and Slavers, felt free to ravage the masked attackers.

"Attack the carriage!" a masked bandit leader shouted. "Kill the passengers!"

Dante looked up at the trees and could not see where the voice came from.

The Navy Captain pushed back some of the masked bandits but was completely overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their enemies. The captain noticed the little boy who was so powerful, he was blowing all those who attacked him away.

"Boy!" the Captain shouted, "Protect the passengers! Help them!"

The carriage door had been torn open by the masked bandits.

Dante charged at them. His Divine Vigor was stronger than he had expected. He easily overpowered them. The passengers of the carriage were revealed as more and more of the navy soldiers were being taken down.

It was a 40-year-old man, his wife, and three daughters. The man looked at Dante and was shocked to see a young boy be the shield that protects his family from the bandits.

Dante looked at the Navy Captain and saw in his eyes the willingness to protect the passengers of the carriage at any cost.

"You don't know what you're doing!" one of the masked bandits said.

Dante parried them with his powerful blows and replied, "What is there to know except do what is good."

The wheels of the carriage had been damaged and in the chaos. The targeted family rushed outside, and when attacked by the masked bandits, they found themselves being guarded by a young boy and an armored beastman.

"Protect them! Please! Go! Leave us!" the Navy Captain pleaded as his blood flowed out his shoulders. Both of his arms had been chopped off.

"Gooo-" A slash of a sword cut the Navy Captain's head off, sending it to roll on the ground with its horrified expression intact.

The leader of the masked bandit who had just killed the Navy Captain turned to Dante and Lil Rig, who were doing everything they can to push back the almost overwhelming numbers of bandits that were attacking them.

"Kill them all!" the masked leader shouted. The masked leader's chilling command rang through the air, fueling the bandits' ruthless assault. With each swing of their blades, lifeless bodies fell, staining the forest dirt with blood.

Within a minute, none of the 19 Navy Soldiers that had been fighting for their lives was left. Only a pile of limbless and headless bodies were being trampled on by their opponents.

The father hugged his children and wife tightly, possibly embracing them for the last time. And telling them that everything is going to be alright.

Dante could do nothing to end the horror. He had not expected to see something this horrifying so soon. For most of his life, he had only seen demon-possessed or powerful combatants duel. But none like this, where some of the Navy Soldiers were still teenagers.

In Dante's anger, he prayed, trusting that the Holy System as he has since his helpless when Captain Danka was kidnapped by the Kiksaron Pirates.

"Oh Blessed Holy System, provide your servant with Divine Protection against evil and those who seek to obstruct your will. The Holy Shield that you bestow upon those with unwavering faith will never be overcome," Dante prayed, while Lil Rig masterfully roared and intimidated their enemies.

[Celestial Protection Granted]

With a celestial brilliance, a shield of shimmering holy energy manifested from Dante's divine essence. Adorned with intricate symbols, it enveloped the family, warding off darkness with a celestial glow.

The masked bandits lunged at the Celestial Protection only to be blown away. They all shouted in anger, chanting and promising the deaths of Dante and the family.

The leader then stepped forward and silenced the furious men, who wished only for the blood that they believed was their right to spill.

Dante who was also inside the barrier with Lil Rig and the family, raised his eyes to look upon the evil that had massacred the soldiers.

The masked bandit leader's eyes were familiar. And a feeling of familiarity and comfort came to Dante. He looked closer as the leader's eyes looked at him with disappointment.

The leader slightly opened his mask to give Dante a hint of his identity.

And Dante realized who it was.

"Thalya?" the syllables slowly escaped Dante's sorrowful lips.