The bandits' camp was set up on top of a hill, multiple tents pitched in a circle while guards sat at periodically placed magi-tech lights. In the middle of the camp, an enormous bonfire roared, and even from this distance, Nathan could hear fragments of drunken conversation, along with what could generously be called singing.

Night had fallen hours ago, but the clamour had only just started to calm as figures stumbled towards their tents. It was impossible for Nathan to count the number of bandits from this far away, but he knew that a head-on fight would end with him dead for sure. Waiting a little longer until the only movement he could see came from the guards, he crept forward, hidden by the darkness and terrain for now.

The guards were placed cleverly; no matter from which direction Nathan approached, he would inevitably become visible. Certain that the only way to enter the camp unseen was through failure on the bandits’ part, he slowly circled the hill just out of their range.

He was careful, but the night was dark, and just as Nathan passed particularly close to one of the guardsmen, he stepped on a twig, the sound deceptively loud in the night’s silence. One of the two men positioned there immediately snapped alert, his head turning directly toward Nathan.

“Hey, Oli, I heard something. You think I should check it out?”

His partner seemed half asleep, taking a moment to answer as the first guard picked up a portable light and unsheathed his sword.

“Nah, man, it's an animal. It’s always an animal. Just sit down and wait until it’s morning, will ya?”

Nathan could see the indecision on the guard's face, his unwillingness to venture out into the night warring with his duty to keep the camp safe. Come on, just stay there. Nothing to see here.

In the end, however, the man sighed and stood up, his breath misting in the cold air. “Need to piss anyway. Just feels strange for an animal to wander this close, you know? What if it’s, like, a wyvern or something?”

His comrade looked at him incredulously. “Why would a wyvern sneak around at night?”

The guard shrugged his shoulders, undeterred. “What do I know about what a wyvern would do,” he muttered, already moving toward Nathan.

The camp was built here for a reason—anyone nearing it would find no trees or boulders to hide behind, and all Nathan could do was slowly retreat as more and more of the night was illuminated by the wandering bandit. I just hope I don't step into a rabbit hole or on another twig.

For what felt like an eternity to Nathan, the guard walked in his direction, Nathan’s heart beating so loudly that it was a miracle the man never heard it. All the while, he feared he would make another sound or that the moonlight would reflect off his equipment.

Eventually, though, the man gave the surroundings another suspicious look before calling out.

“It's all clear, Oli. I'll be back in a moment.”

Sheathing his weapon, the man laid down his light. Nathan was just meters away and could attack in an instant. But while they were a good distance from the camp, if anyone actually looked in this direction, they would clearly see what happened.

Just as a splashing sound could be heard and the bandit let out a satisfied sigh, Nathan decided this was about as good an opportunity as he would get. He smoothly drew his spear, lunging forward with a quick movement and piercing through the man's skull. Letting go of the spear, he flowed around the bandit, holding his body upright until their silhouettes seemed like a single figure from the camp.

All of this took less than a second, but by the end, Nathan expected to hear a cry of alarm, certain his movements had not gone unnoticed. When he heard nothing, however, Nathan let out a sigh of relief. He ducked down, smoothly letting the bandit's corpse fall to the ground as he did so, finally picking up the light.

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Time is short now. Anyone looking carefully will know I’m not another bandit. The robe is great, but red is a damn visible colour.

Taking the sword off his victim, he held the light behind him, hoping to obscure his figure, and walked toward the camp. Despite the urgency he could feel in his body, he kept his pace slow, knowing that hurried movement was far more likely to get him caught than taking a few extra seconds.

The nearer he got to the light, the more nervous Nathan became, but luckily, the second guard was looking in a different direction, his posture entirely relaxed. Hearing Nathan’s footsteps, the man spoke out without turning around.

“Told ya, nothing to see.”

Not trusting his voice to be steady, Nathan just grunted in response. The bandit was still for a moment longer before finally moving. Almost in slow motion, Nathan saw the man turn around, surprise flashing across his face only to be replaced with understanding a second later.

Nathan had already lunged by the time the man opened his mouth, choking him while sinking the stolen sword into his body. The bandit struggled for a while, his limbs clawing at Nathan’s arm ineffectively as blood spewed from his wound. Time seemed to stretch while the man died, Nathan painfully aware of his insecure position. God, I hope nobody looks over here. I’m so dead if they spot me now.

The moment passed, though, with the bandit finally slumping over. Moving as fast as possible, Nathan cut off a piece of fabric from the bandit’s outfit, draping it over the light. It was still bright enough to be seen from the other guard posts, but it would be hard to see details.

Just a few seconds after he finished, Nathan heard a call.

“Hey, guys, everything good back there? Your light just went dim.”

Taking a moment to centre himself and calm his raging heart, Nathan answered. “All good here. Seems like something is wrong with the light. I'll go to camp to see if I can get it fixed.”

That seemed to satisfy the caller, who gave Nathan a grunt in response.

That’s it, Nathan celebrated. I've got at least an hour until anyone notices something.

Leaving the guard post behind, Nathan found himself standing among the tents, a couple dozen of them placed around the lightly crackling bonfire. He did not enter immediately, closing his eyes and taking a moment to listen.

Footsteps. He slunk back into the darkness as he followed the sound. The night was almost completely dark, and by the time Nathan noticed the man he had been looking for, he was less than a meter away. He swiftly stabbed out, leaving another corpse on the ground, pants down.

Making sure all other bandits were asleep, Nathan finally entered the first tent, finding three men sleeping on cots. The air was filled with the stink of alcohol and sweat, and Nathan found himself craving a drink despite the inopportune moment.

Not letting that thought distract him, he stepped toward the first man, sinking his spear through the bandit's eye. The man twitched once before lying still. Wrenching his weapon free, Nathan stepped toward the second man and repeated the task.

The third man was still asleep, but as soon as Nathan advanced toward him, the bandit shot awake, panic clear in his gaze. Danger Sense, Nathan recognized the skill. Should’ve expected something like that.

He dropped his spear without hesitation and jumped toward the confused man, placing one hand over his mouth while gripping his head securely. The bandit's confusion cleared at that moment, and Nathan knew he had to act fast.

While the man reached for his belt, Nathan snapped his head around, hearing the cracking of bones just as a knife sank into his side. Nathan let out a pained grunt as he set the man back down, feeling around until he found a hunting knife sticking out of his body.

It missed any vital organs, but if I remove the knife, I’ll bleed out within a few hours.

Looking around the tent and making sure he was the only one left alive, Nathan finally started looting the bandits, taking anything of value. He found a couple hundred credits and a lot of gaudy jewellery, which he left behind.

In the second man’s pack, he noticed a light, using it to examine his wound. The knife had sunk entirely into his body, but barely any blood trickled from the wound. Despite searching through everything the men owned, he found nothing that could heal him on the spot—something he had expected but was still annoyed about.

His best find by far however was a weapon, it's quality far superior to what he expected to find from common bandits.

Rare Item: Scalpel of Bloodletting

This tool was forged by a master smith for a legendary assassin. She bathed it in the blood of kings and beggars for decades until it evolved past it's common form. This blade will stay forever sharp and any wounds produced by it will not stop bleeding until healed through magic or alchemy.

That one he stored in his robe's sleeve, the soulbound item producing a pocket just for it. My side weapon is now of a higher rarity than my spear. I'll get a better one on the next floor.

Making sure that he had claimed everything he could, he left the tent, his task for the night barely begun. Onto the next one.