Jason rolls his eyes at the low normal rating on the claws. While he didn’t exactly have a butchering skill, he should have more than enough ability to get better. There was likely some sort of catch to harvesting them that he had missed. Though, after a closer look at the description for the two feathers, another idea comes to mind.
They specifically mention that the magic from the wing has been focused on them. With that in mind, Jason guesses that he had made a mistake in harvesting all the claws. Rather, he should have only taken the primary claw from both feet. Though he can only shrug and promise himself to test it more later. After all, it doesn’t really make sense why the magic would get concentrated in one place so it had to be something the System was doing in the background.
After that though Jason doesn’t see anymore the next day. Of course there is a good reason for this which becomes clear the day after. They had managed to run across the territory of a small bandit camp. The problem with this is that while the number of bandits was small, their levels weren’t. Though Jason was happy to see the classics were alive and well.
Not that the downed tree across the road tactic was going to do much to him; it still marked the location of the ambush. Jason clearly wasn’t their main target but the bandits also weren’t going to turn down an easy mark. This could have gone quite badly if not for their arrogance.
While four of them only felt a break ahead of Jason and something he likely could have faced two at a time, the leader had a much deeper feeling of power. It wasn’t concentrated so they should only be a couple breaks ahead and not three. A mostly pointless distinction, as it would have just been a matter of how easy it was for the bandit leader to beat him. Good thing the leader was more of the sword and board type with heavy armor.
Jason raised both his hands and seemed to be going along with the leader as they started their spiel. Then Jason sprang to the side. He had already been mostly to the edge of the road in preparation to go around the downed tree and that got him close enough to reach the trees. The two bandits with bows didn’t even get a chance to react as they had lowered their weapons when Jason had seemed to give up.
Jason wouldn’t have blamed them, though whether their boss will or not is up in the air, just like Jason, in fact. Even with all that gear on he had a feeling that the bandit boss would be able to keep up and they definitely knew the area better. So taking advantage of his Energy, Jason did his best impression of returning to monkey.
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The slightest of Energy coating his hands and feet allow for unprecedented grip on command as he makes use of his movement skill in a way unlike anything before. He stuck tight to the first tree and scampered right up it before throwing himself to the next branch over. From there, it was just a matter of swinging from branch to branch.
Not a moment too soon as just behind him, the bandit leader slams into the first tree in anger before ordering the two archers to try and catch him. Jason, of course wasn’t going to stay around for this and while being a couple breaks ahead made the leader heads and tails ahead, the archers weren’t as fortunate. So, with the advantage in overall stats, even if his agility might be lower, Jason pulls ahead.
From there, it was just a matter of keeping as many trees between him and the two bandits as possible as the duo wasn’t above sending out a pot shot now and again. None of the shots came close, but they were in the right ballpark so Jason couldn’t slack off. Nevermind the fact that despite likely being well ahead of them in stats, brachiating took a lot out of him. Humans might be endurance hunters, but they weren’t meant to give chase through the treetops.
At least, that is what it seemed to the bandits chasing him. So as he slowed down they felt a thrill of excitement. They expected an easy fight with decent rewards, after all, why else would he have run so hard? That isn’t what happened.
Jason had been waiting for the other bandits to fall far enough behind to no longer be an issue. That out of the way, he took a couple of branches to find the right one and grabbed onto the far end. The branch bent deep but held before all that stored up potential was released.
Before the two bandits can react to the change in circumstances, Jason is flying straight at them, feet first. With a starred toughness, likely double or even triple his enemies, Jason’s feet reduces the head of the first bandit into a red mist in passing. The bandit never even got a chance to fight back before being reduced to the state of requiring a closed casket funeral.
Jason uses the sudden jolt to swing his arms forward in time to hit the ground and roll. Not too far, though, just enough to bleed off any dangerous momentum. Then it is back up on his feet, one heel acting as an anchor into a spin and Jason pushes off.
Like a gymnast, Jason soars through the air as he pulls his limbs in tight to increase the rotation. At the last moment, though, his leg flies out to complete a flying axe kick. The second bandit manages to react but this only means that Jason’s foot lands on his shoulder and shatters his collarbone.
Jason retracts the foot but this only causes him to pop up over the bandit as he had hooked his heel after impact. Then, as his momentum takes Jason up over the shoulder he brings his arm out and grasps the bandit’s face. One small crack later and the bandit dies while facing the wrong way.