Sounds of chirping filled my ears with the smell of fresh morning dew going up my nose. I opened my eyes and looked around the carriage. The oji-san was not in the carriage but the girl was over in the corner with her eyes locked on me. We made eye contact causing her to blush heavily and bring her head down to her knees covering her face. I stood shaking off my body and walked to the exit of the carriage. I stepped onto dirt once again as I stretched my back trying to get rid of the weary feeling that held my body down.

"Oh your awake now?" Sounded out from my right as the oji-san turned the corner.

"Yeah, when are we taking off?" I asked, I was starting to get excited about getting to that town.

"We were just waiting on you to wake up, want some bread?" He held his hand out with a circular piece of dry bread between his fingers.

"Yeah thanks and you can start up the carriage whenever now" I grabbed the bread from his hands saying a couple words before taking a bite out of the dry bread.

Shortly afterwards we were back on the bumpy stone road with the rocking carriage on the way towards the town. There was nothing happening with the only sound that of wooden wheels on stone, making a crack sound every time they would hit a stone or catch a bump.

This peaceful silence ended soon with the abrupt stop of the carriage with inertia carrying my body forward and then back, there were voices sounding out from the front of the carriage.

I reached my hand out and pulled back the curtain to see what was going on. There was 4 men who each held a sword in their sweaty hand, they all looked haggard with hardly any muscle. They were clearly bandits that have not eaten in some time.

"I will only say this once! Give me your food and money or I will kill you."

"I think it would be best to end this more peacefully, nobody needs to die today."

"Shut the f*ck up, give me the food or I will spill your guts on this stone road."

The oji-san was trying to talk out a peaceful solution but the outlaws were not listening at all. They advanced towards the oji-san with their steps making thumping sounds against the stone.

I grabbed the long sword that sat beside me for most of the carriage ride, I jumped off the carriage and faced the 4 men. The oji-san was beside me still sitting in the driver seat while the 4 marauders were 15 meters in front.

They stopped their advance as they noticed another stand beside the middle aged guy. This one had a sword but he clearly was almost scrawny like one punch would make him fall over and die.

"HAHAHAHAHA" Laughter sounded out as the 4 men joined together in great whooping laughter as they saw a scrawny man holding a sword too big for him.

"Who the hell are you? Are you going to try to hurt us with that sword pansy?" One hollered out as he held back his laughter.

I stayed silent as I myself knew how bad this looked but still it would be best to stand out and help this oji-san.

They continued marching towards us with their weapons drawn, they got 4 meters from me when one charged at me with his weapon ready to swing. He takes a step bringing his sword down in a vertical swing aiming for my head.

I side stepped the falling sword as it misses my shoulder by 2 inches. I grip the sword tight as I turn my shoulder and slash at him, sending my sword barreling into his shoulder. A sickening sword is heard as the sword rips into his flesh and cuts into the bones that plate his shoulder.

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"AAAHHHH" A scream tears through my ear as the thug feels the pain that a sword in his shoulder brings.

His scream ends shortly with his eyes going dull, he was not very strong and was already very malnourished. A single blade cutting towards his body starting from the shoulder was enough to silence him forever.

You have gained 100 exp. As per skill Champion of Umbra your exp has turned into:

1 Strength

2 Agility

2 Vitality

2 Intelligence

2 Wisdom

1 Luck

Suddenly my body becomes lighter, my mind quicker, my body more sturdy and stronger. The muscles become more dense as the blue screen fills my vision. It dissipates after 2 seconds and I face the next thug.

They are clearly frightened by how quick their companion died but they do not run. They are more cautious and all 3 approach at once. With three swords swinging towards me it would be stupid to block them.

I jump back as their swords fall in front cutting into the dirt ground. They try to readjust their stance but I manage to swing at one, the sword cuts into his rib cage as it tears into his midsection reaching his organs.

Blood and organs spill out through the opening I created as he holds on to his conscious trying to push his organs back in. He dies shortly after, falling forward with horror and pain painted on his face. The thug that stood next to him shrieked as he spun on his heel trying to make a run for it.

I step forward my sword digging into his back penetrating into his heart with the blade showing through his front, blood pours out of his back and front. He falls over as I pull my sword out of him drawing a fountain of blood that follows my blade. The last falls over onto his ass as he stares on in horror as each companion is killed. He howls as he tries to scramble onto his feet but he falls over again.

I grab his hair and pull his head back sliding my sword into his neck. He makes gurgling sounds as he cannot breath and blood floods in his mouth. Pulling my bright red sword out creates a splatter of blood that falls onto my face. A pool of blood forms under his neck as the thick sap soaks his body.

You have gained 300 exp. As per skill Champion of Umbra your exp has turned into:

5 Strength

5 Agility

5 Vitality

5 Intelligence

5 Wisdom

5 Luck

I step back away from the bloody mess and turn around back towards the carriage. Some drops of blood sat on my face in complete contrast to the pure white. It gave off an evil feeling. The oji-san is standing there with his face pale as he looked in horror at the mess that covered the stone road.

I kneel down to wipe the sword off on their clothes, trying to get some blood off of it. I stand back up and wander back to the carriage, step up and sit down against the same wall. Sophie looks at me wanting to ask a question but she does not. She swallows her words and continues to stare at the floor of the carriage.

The oji-san doesn't start moving until I was out of his sight, his face continues to stay pale as he whips the reins encouraging the horses to start moving. He does not speak but the scene continues to play in his mind as he leads the horses off to the nearest town.

The oji-san decides to forget about what happened, he knows that I did that to protect him and his daughter and he is thankful for it. He makes a note in his mind to not make me mad.

After about 2 more hours of continuous riding we come upon a line that leads towards a wall with an opening. Several men with armor stand around with some checking other carriages that attempt to enter the town. After 20 minutes of waiting we reach the guards who question the Oji-san about why he is there and what he is doing.

A minute goes by of talking to the guard who then peeks into the back to see the girl and I to which his gaze stays on me for quite a while.

"So? Is there anything wrong?" One guard impatiently asks, the guy is just staring into the carriage.

"O-oh no sir, nothing." He pulls back the drape and walks back to his post.

It seems we are given the okay as the carriage moves through the gate into the town. It sounds lively with many voices ringing out. It is the normal hustle and bustle of kids playing, neighbors talking and street vendors trying to get a good price for their wares.

I peek out from the carriage at the houses that we pass. They are mostly made out of wood with some stone for important parts, others however seem to be made of a material similar to straw. Those are probably the slums.

Soon the carriage stops as Sophie stands to get off. I follow behind her and step off the carriage as a house comes into my view. It looks slightly better than the others we passed with this one having a bigger yard. I see the oji-san who does not look pale anymore, he is standing near to the house looking at me with a slight smile on his face as he clears his voice and speaks.

"Welcome to Raduch"