Day 92: Lassie Town (Outskirts)
The late afternoon sun filtered through the forest canopy, painting the dirt path in fragmented patches of light. Jason and Chanty walked side by side, their steps steady and unhurried as they made their way down the trail. The faint rustle of leaves, the distant chirping of birds, and the whimpers of dying Hazard Beasts by Jason's hands accompanied their journey, filling the quiet air with a sense of calm.
That calm was broken by sharp, raised tones of voices through the trees. Jason’s ears twitched, and he slowed to a stop. “You hear that?” he asked, his tone casual but laced with curiosity.
Chanty stopped beside him, her sharp eyes narrowing as she focused on the distant sound. “Sounds like an argument. And not the friendly kind.”
Jason glanced in the direction of the noise, his brow furrowing slightly. Without waiting for further discussion, he changed course, stepping off the path and heading toward the commotion. Chanty followed, though her pace was more relaxed. “You’re going to get involved, aren’t you?” she asked with a hint of amusement.
“Can’t ignore it,” Jason replied simply, his voice steady.
"Indeed. Do what you must, pupil. I shall enjoy the show." Chanty gives her blessing.
The voices grew louder as they approached, distinct enough now to discern the tension in the words. Jason pushed aside a low-hanging branch, stepping into a small clearing, and immediately took in the scene before him.
A group of six rough-looking men and women loomed over four younger adventurers, their demeanor hostile and overbearing. The younger group consisted of two girls and two boys, none of whom looked older than their late teens.
The boys stood in front of their companions, their postures defensive, while the girls hovered behind them, clearly intimidated but trying to look brave.
The leader of the ruffians, a burly man with a crooked nose and an ugly grin, stepped forward, his attention fixed on one of the girls. “Come on, sweetheart. Join our group. We’ll take good care of you.”
The girl he addressed had auburn hair tied back in a loose braid. She clutched a spear in her trembling hand aimed at the group, her voice shaking as she spoke. “We already said no! Leave us alone!”
The burly man’s grin widened, showing yellowed teeth. “Oh, don’t be like that. You’ll be a lot safer with us than with these kids. Besides…” His eyes glinted maliciously. “We could use some good company.”
The lanky man beside him, whose face was marred by a deep scar, laughed mockingly. “Yeah, these boys aren’t gonna protect you from anything. You’d be better off with us.”
One of the boys, tall but scrawny, stepped forward. “Are you deaf? Leave us alone already.” he said, his voice steady despite his nerves.
The burly man sneered and took another step closer.
“That’s enough,” Jason’s calm voice cut through the tension like a blade. All eyes turned toward him as he stepped into the clearing, his expression casual but his presence commanding. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, though he made no move to draw it. Chanty leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing, crossing her arms and observing with a faint smirk. Jason had left Kiki in her care, the bird sitting obediently on her shoulder.
Jason’s gaze swept over the scene, taking in the adventurers’ nervous forms and the ruffians’ predatory grins. He focused on the burly man, addressing him in an even tone. “I think they’ve made themselves clear. Why don’t you move along before this gets ugly?”
The burly man turned to face Jason fully, his grin faltering for a moment before twisting into a scowl. “Who the hell are you supposed to be? Some kind of hero?”
Jason shrugged nonchalantly. “What does it matter? If I say I am, will you leave?”
The lanky man snorted, stepping forward with a sneer. “You’ve got some nerve, kid. This isn’t your business. Walk away while you still can.”
Jason met his gaze without flinching. “I’m giving you a chance to walk away too. You can take it or not. I don't care. You'll be making tracks regardless.”
The ruffians exchanged glances, and then the burly man let out a barking laugh. “You’re outnumbered, kid. Guess we’ll have to teach you a lesson.”
Jason smirks, his hand falling from his sword hilt to his side. His body shifted into a relaxed stance, his eyes steady and calm. “Your choice. Come and get rekt.”
The clearing grew tense, the air heavy with anticipation. The rookie adventurers watched in wide-eyed silence, the party of 4 clutching their weapons tightly while they held their breath. Chanty remained at the edge of the scene, her expression one of mild amusement, and her posture hinted at zero readiness to intervene because of her confidence in Jason.
The leader of the ruffians barked out a command. "Get him!"
Jason stood firm, his posture relaxed, almost bored, as the first ruffian--a towering man with a thick, muscular build-charged at
him. The man was swung a claymore toward Jason's face. Jason didn't flinch. At the last moment, he shifted his head slightly, the blade sailing harmlessly past his cheek by inches.
Before the man could recover, Jason kicked his leg at such an angle and timing that he lost balance and was sent tumbling like a clutz.
"Next," Jason said simply, while making a beckoning gesture towards the rest of the group.
A lanky ruffian with a scar across his cheek sneered, drawing a
dagger. "Cocky little brat. Let's see how tough you are up close!"
He lunged at Jason, aiming the blade for his side. Jason moved like
a shadow, sidestepping the attack with ease like it was the most telegraphed move ever. Before the man could even begin to stumble past him, Jason kicks his exposed torso with a flash of speed. The dagger fell to the ground with a clatter, as the man crumbled unto the dirt.
The remaining ruffians hesitated, glancing at one another nervously.
The confidence they'd had moments ago was rapidly evaporating. Chanty, who had been watching from the sidelines, leaned
casually against a tree, a faint smirk on her lips. "Pupil! Do that really flashy uppercut you like so much. I want to see what it's like when not aimed at me." she called out, her voice laced with expectation.
Jason turned his head slightly towards her before his face morphs into a mischievous grin. "Sure!"
The leader of the ruffians snarled, his face contorted with anger. "Stop
standing around! Take him down!"
Two more ruffians charged at Jason simultaneously-one wielding a metal club and the other a sword. Jason blitzes over to the Swordsman and knocks him out with a soccer kick to the head. "I only need one of you."
After seeing his companion taken out so swiftly, the club guy begins attacking Jason in a panicked frenzy hoping that if he doesn't give Jason breathing room, he can't take him out so easily.
However, all his attacks were dodged with ease. Eventually, he swings his club in a horizontal arc, which Jason ducks under while simultaneously moving closer, before delivering a sharp jab to the gut which hit with surgical precision, burying deep into the man's stomach. The club guy froze, his eyes widening as the air was forced from his lungs. He doubled over, his guard dropping for a crucial second.
Shifting his weight, Jason stepped in with his other fist, driving it up into club guys chest with a forceful thud. The blow cracked against the sternum, lifting the man slightly off the ground. Without changing his stance, Jason launches upward in a powerful, rising motion, his fist arcing cleanly into club guy's jaw. The force of the uppercut was clean, brutal, and final. Club guy's head snapped back, his body lifting off the ground as if gravity had momentarily abandoned him before he came crashing down a moment later, limp and motionless on the forest floor.
From her spot near the edge of the clearing, Chanty perks up at the scene. "Oh! I haven't seen you use that one before. Quite the flashy move, pupil." Jason responds with a thumbs up.
The leader gritted his teeth, his pride warring with the reality of the
situation. Finally, he softened his grip on the axe. "This isn't over," he spat, glaring at Jason. "You'll regret crossing us."
Jason didn't respond, he just waved them goodbye as he watched the man retreat. The other ruffians dragged their unconscious friends and followed their leader, casting wary glances over their shoulders as they disappeared into the forest. Once the clearing was quiet again,
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Chanty pushed off the tree and strolled over to Jason, her arms
crossed. "Well, that was entertaining. I would have loved to see more of your unorthodox techniques. Impractical as they may be, they are fun to watch. By the way, what's this one you just performed called? "
Jason rubs the back of his head, his tone casual. "Oh, that? I call it Shin Shory-."
"That was incredible! You didn't even use your sword!" Interrupted Alisa, her wide eyes filled with awe. The party of four, who had been frozen in place throughout the fight, finally seemed to snap out of their stupor.
The younger boy, Rooney, nodded enthusiastically. "You made it look so easy. I've never seen anyone
fight like that before."
Jason turned to face them, offering a big smile. "Thanks! I do my best. That aside, how are you guys holding up? You're not hurt are you?"
The auburn-haired girl nodded quickly. “W-we're fine, thanks to you.”
The scrawny yet tall boy steps forward, his face flushed with gratitude. “We don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up the way you did. Those guys weren’t going to leave us alone.”
Jason gave a small nod, glancing briefly at the others. The second boy, a shorter but sturdier figure, seemed less shaken than his companions, though he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot. The second girl, with short black hair and a wary gaze, remained quiet but studied Jason with a mix of curiosity and awe.
The auburn-haired girl lowered her spear and offered Jason a brilliant smile. “Thank you for helping us. I’m Alisa. These are my siblings, Rooney and Karen.” She gestured to the shorter boy and the other girl, who both nodded in turn. “And this is our friend, Terry." she gestures to the scrawny one.
Jason gave them a polite smile. “I’m Jason, and this is my master, Chanty.” Chanty gave a lazy wave, her expression relaxed.
The party of 4 nod to the Martial Artist before Alisa begins to speak." I'm sure you're wondering how we got mixed up with those brutes. Well, we just ran into them and out of nowhere they wanted Karen and I to join their group, and when we refused…”
Her voice trailed off, and Rooney clenched his fists, his face hardening. “They got aggressive. We tried to stand up to them, but…”
Terry interjected, his tone defensive. “We could have taken them on if they didn't have us outnumbered. It wouldn't have ended well for us if a fight had broken out.”
Jason nods in understanding. “Yeah. Shit happens. Alot of these things can't be helped.”
Alisa nodded, her expression somber. “You’re right...”
Karen decides to speak up at that moment. "I remember you two. You came into town a couple days ago."
Jason perks up at this. "Yeah! So you're from Lassie Town, then. Are those guys from there too? I don't remember seeing any of them, though."
Karen shakes her head. "No, they're not. We've never seen them before either. They must be a group of adventurers passing through."
Jason considers things for a moment. "Those guys come off more as bandits in Adventurer clothing than anything. There's a good chance you guys will encounter them again while you're out here, but next time they'll have an even bigger bone to pick with you. So, you got any plans for that?"
The group of 4 turned pale at the question while Chanty shakes her head as if feeling sorry for them.
The 4 regain their senses soon enough and ask for a moment to consider things, as they huddle up and talk in hushed whispers like they're football team, or something. After a couple minutes of this, they all turn to face Jason as Alisa speaks for the group. "You're right. If we run into those guys again, we're basically goners. However we still have some options. One way is to somehow sneak past them, and head back to town to inform the Guild and warn other adventurers about them. Another way is to meet up with other parties from town, and stick together so we can rival their number and deter them from trying anything funny. But either of those are pointless if we run into them again beforehand."
Alisa hesitated before continuing. A look of nervousness on her face. “Do you think…we could travel with you? At least for a little while? I know it’s a lot to ask, but... ”
Jason crossed his arms, considering her request. These guys were cooked if he left them alone with those other guys running around out there. However, playing babysitter could undermine their own plans. "Let's say we grant your request. What are you going to do then? Backtrack to town, find and merge with other adventurer parties, or something else? Cuz I'll tell you right now, we're not heading back, at least not today. We just left town this morning, and we plan to be out here a couple days before heading back. We're not changing that plan even for you guys, so put that into consideration if you will."
Alisa is taken aback for a moment, but still nods in understanding. "You're right, it'd be too much to ask you to throw away your own plans just to protect strangers you just met. We'd be more than happy conform to your schedule, as we too intend to hunt out here for some days as well. We believe sticking close to you would be the best strategy no matter what. We'd be wasting precious time blindly searching for other adventurers out here in the forest when we could be hunting Hazard Beasts instead. We'll be sure to hinder your plans as little as possible. It's the least we could do. Is that a sufficient answer."
Jason finds her response reasonable. He turns to Chanty for her opinion. But she waves him off. "Oh, don't mind me. So long as you do all the protecting yourself, you can decide on your own."
Jason turned back to the group, his decision made. “Alright. You can travel with us for now.”
Alisa’s face lit up, and the boys exchanged relieved smiles. Karen looked as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Thank you,” Alisa said earnestly. “We promise not to slow you down.”
Jason nodded. “Good. Let's iron out the details as we walk. I have a feeling that together we'll be getting alot more done than otherwise.”
"I think so too. We look forward to working with you both." Was Alisa's earnest reply. After a bit more talking, The group began to move out. Jason and Chanty walked side by side with the other party, who's expressions a mix of gratitude and determination.
Not too far away, the group of ruffians trudged through the dense forest, their spirits low and their pride battered after their humiliating defeat at Jason’s hands. The leader, a burly man named Hardy, clenched his fists tightly as he stomped ahead of the others, his face a mask of simmering rage. The air thick with unspoken tension.
Behind him, the lanky man with the scar, Allen, broke the silence first. “So what now, boss? We just let that kid humiliate us and walk away like it’s nothing?”
Another ruffian, a shorter but stout man named Jerry, grumbled as he rubbed his sore ribs from the earlier fight. “Yeah, we’ve got to do something. We can’t let this slide, Hardy.”
Hardy abruptly stopped in his tracks, whirling around to face his subordinates. His broad shoulders loomed over them, and his piercing glare silenced the murmurs of dissent instantly.
“What do you want to do, huh?” he growled, his deep voice reverberating through the trees. “Go back and get your asses handed to you again? You think any of you could lay a finger on that kid? He didn’t even draw his sword, and he mopped the floor with us!”
The men shifted uneasily under his furious gaze. Allen opened his mouth to protest, but Hadran’s sharp glare stopped him cold.
“Listen up,” Hardy barked, pointing a thick finger at the group. “That kid isn’t normal. He’s some kind of freak. For now, we stay clear of any other parties, got it? We can’t risk running into another group with someone like him.”
There was a moment of sullen silence before one of the younger ruffians, a wiry man named Brian, muttered under his breath, “What kind of adventurer doesn’t even use their weapon? It’s like he was toying with us.”
Hardy glare snapped to Brian, and he took a menacing step toward him. Brian immediately recoiled, his back pressing against the rough bark of a nearby tree.
“You’ve got something to say, Brian?” Hardy growled, his tone low and dangerous. “Because if you do, say it louder so I can hear it clearly.”
Brian shook his head quickly, his face pale. “N-No, boss. Nothing to say.”
Satisfied, Hardy straightened and turned back to address the group as a whole. “Good. Now quit whining and focus. We’ve got a job to do, remember? We came out here to hunt Hazard Beasts, not pick fights with adventurers.”
Jerry frowned, still nursing his ribs. “Aye, boss. ”
“Good. Now let’s move. And remember—no more messing with adventurers. We can’t afford another setback.” As the group began to fall into line, muttering quietly among themselves, Hardy lingered for a moment. He turned back in the direction they had retreated from, his teeth grinding together in frustration. The image of Jason’s calm, almost dismissive expression burned in his mind like a brand.
“Cocky little brat,” he muttered under his breath. “You think you’re untouchable? We’ll see about that.”
His fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as he imagined the day he could wipe that smug look off Jason’s face. He wouldn’t forget this humiliation. One way or another, he would make Jason pay.
With a final growl, Hardy turned and began walking again, his heavy boots crunching against the forest floor. His men followed silently, their earlier complaints stifled by the simmering fury radiating from their leader. The forest swallowed their retreating forms, the echoes of their steps fading into the distance. But as they vanished into the trees, the memory of Jason’s effortless dominance lingered in Hardy’s mind, a festering wound to his pride that wouldn’t heal anytime soon.
Back to Jason, Chanty and the party of four. The group trekked deeper into the forest, the sunlight filtering through the canopy above and casting dappled shadows on the ground. Jason walked at the front, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Beside him, Alisa kept pace, her curiosity brimming as she tried to strike up a conversation.
“So, Jason,” Alisa began, glancing up at him. “I can't help but notice you look around our age. Is it so?”
Jason tilted his head, his tone casual. “I'm 19, if that clarifies things.”
Alisa’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You’re only a year older than me,” she said, her voice tinged with awe. “And yet you’re… well, you’re ridiculously strong. I mean, you took down those ruffians like it was nothing. Most Adventurers your age wouldn't have managed that."
Jason shrugged modestly, keeping his gaze ahead. “What can I say, I’ve had good training.” he said, casting a quick glance back at Chanty.
Chanty, walking a few steps behind with her arms crossed, smirked but said nothing. She seemed perfectly content to let Jason handle the conversation while she observed in silence.
Jason had a couple questions of his own. "I noticed you guys all use spears. Is there a reason for that?"
Alisa explains. "We were all trained by my father. He's an expert Spearman, and taught us everything we know. He always goes on about how the Spear is the perfect weapon and all that. He's really laid back just like you. I'm sure you two would get along very well if you met each other. Hehehe~"
Jason snorted. " What's with people who use spears and claiming it's the best weapon? I've met other spearmen, and they say the same thing. " The image of an eccentric Wind Draklin came to Jason's mind.
This makes Alisa giggle. "There are legitimate reasons though. Spears have longer reach, so you can keep your foe at bay better, as well as control space. It's the easiest weapon for beginners to learn, and a sharp tip is great for stabbing deep and dealing heavy damage."
Jason debates her. "Yeah, I'll give you that, but a sword is more versatile. Any situation I'm in, the sword gets me out of. You find yourself having to fight in a narrow corridor with a spear, you're cooked!"
The weapons debate carried on for a few minutes till Rooney notices something. "You know I've been wondering for awhile now, but I've noticed your master is a martial artist, yet you carry a sword. What's the deal with that?"
Jason points to his blade questionably. "Oh this? I'm self taught in swordsmanship, after I was trained in Martial Arts. Hope that clears things up."
Rooney nods in understanding, satisfied with the answer. Alisa tilts her head, her curiosity only growing. Her eyes drifted to the small bird perched on Jason’s shoulder. The bird chirped softly, seemingly content with its place on Jason.
“That’s a beautiful bird,” Alisa said, pointing to it. “Is it your pet?”
Jason glanced at the bird, before rubbing its head with a finger. “Yup. Her name is Kiki. Say hello, Kiki.”
"Kiki!" The bird greets.
Alisa’s brows furrowed in confusion. “It's awfully well trained... Is it a tamed pet from town.”
Jason hesitated for a moment before answering. “Yes. Yes she is. ” He left out the part that he tamed Kiki himself. That would have been too much for their minds to handle.
The bird on Jason’s shoulder chirped again, as if adding its own opinion to the conversation. This only seemed to endear it further to Alisa. She reached out tentatively, her hand hovering near the bird.
“Does he let people pet him?” she asked, glancing at Jason. Without letting him answer, Kiki hops unto Alisa's shoulder which startles her a bit.
Jason laughs at her reaction. “Guess that answers your question.”
The bird tilted its head, studying Alisa for a moment before it nuzzles against her gently. Alisa let out a delighted laugh.