"Is everyone prepared?" I cast a quick glance at the three companions gathered in front of the gate after several minutes of walking. Each one of us is handed a small pouch containing rations for the journey ahead.

"Lead the way," Josh declares.

As we depart through the gate, our group proceeds forward thru the grassy vast plains, with Alpha and Josh at the forefront. I follow slightly behind them, and Rue trails behind me. I catch Rue muttering to himself, but as soon as he realizes I'm watching, he closes his mouth and offers me an innocent smile, his eyes crinkling.

Josh voices his suspicion, "This kid is acting fishy."

"I agree," I reply thoughtfully. "It's rather unexpected to see someone as young as him wielding such a weapon. I wonder what his true intentions are for following us."

"I've noticed him constantly glancing at you," Josh remarks toward Alpha. "Maybe he's taken an interest in you?"

Alpha simply shrugs nonchalantly. "Beats me."

Interrupting their conversation, I raise my left hand and inquire, "Regarding the tower they mentioned... When do we expect to arrive there again?"

Alpha responds, "We might reach it by evening. It would be wise to conserve some energy. I believe we'll make it by infiltrate the tower at night while they're all asleep."

"A nighttime raid, then!" exclaims Josh with enthusiasm.

Alpha nods in agreement, and we continue on our way. Along the path, I spot a pair of curious wild boars in the distance. Two of them start charging toward us.

"We've got company!" Josh shouts, swiftly drawing his bow.

The boar has a dark brown body, with no horns but pointy nose. Their distinguishing feature is their pointed noses, which seem sturdy enough to knock an ordinary person off their feet. Their charging speed is known incredible. However, they lack of manuver. They kind of need several seconds between charging.

Alpha, Rue, and I ready our weapons, except for Rue, who appears unarmed. The boars rush at us with incredible speed.

Josh and Alpha position themselves at different locations, while I take a defensive stance with my sword. Josh swiftly shoots an arrow into one of the boar's eyes, causing it to collapse near me. I rush towards the fallen boar and swing my sword, ending its life.

Meanwhile, the second boar charges swiftly at Alpha. He exhibits incredible agility, skillfully sidestepping the charging beast. As the boar closes in, Alpha executes a vertical slash with his sword, effortlessly cleaving the creature in two.

However, our respite is short-lived as six more boars come charging towards us from the distance. Josh sounds the alarm, "More incoming!"

I quickly position myself in front of Josh, ready to defend, while Alpha stands nearby, poised for a swift counterattack. Rue, ever graceful and agile, elegantly maneuvers to the side.

Josh prepares his bow, attaching flint to two arrows and igniting them. With a single pull, he releases both arrows, each striking a boar accurately in the head. Their charge is abruptly halted.

Following Alpha’s lead, I execute a swift slash with my sword, severing the nostrils of one of the charging boars. It falls to the ground, writhing in pain, and I swiftly deliver a fatal stab to its heart.

I steal a glance at Alpha, marveling at his expert swordsmanship as he dispatches the remaining three boars with ease.

With the threat of the boars vanquished, Josh retrieves his dagger and begins to collect meat from the fallen creatures. He remarks with a smirk, "Can't let good meat go to waste, right?" as he busily goes about his task.

"Great job, everyone!" Rue applauds enthusiastically, showing his appreciation.

"You didn't do a thing, kid!" Josh exclaims, his frustration evident.

Alpha, observing how Rue skillfully maneuvered to avoid the charging beasts, finds himself impressed. However, it also raises his suspicions about Rue.

"You guys up front killed them before they even got close to me, so I figured I'd take it easy for now~" Rue responds playfully, his tone light-hearted.

Disregarding their playful banter, I turn my attention to Rue and inquire, "Rue, I've noticed you talking to yourself along the way. Who have you been talking to?"

Rue's expression suddenly shifts to panic, but he quickly dismisses it, feigning innocence, "Talking to myself? Oh, you must be imagining things~ Aha-ahahaha."

… Sus picious.

Is he having some kind of delusion or whatever coming out of that age of preteen?

Choosing to let the matter rest for now, I let out a sigh and refocus on our mission.

As the sky gradually darkens, the tower slowly emerges on the horizon. It bears a striking resemblance to one of the towers in the capital, constructed from similar materials. The structure is rounded, culminating in a castle-like tower at its pinnacle.

In the distance, we can discern several humanoid figures, although they remain indistinct to the naked eye.

"Is that the tower the guild mentioned?" I inquire, squinting ahead to get a better look.

"Exactly," Alpha confirms, briefly glancing at Josh. "Hey Josh, how many people do you see inside?"

"I spot three figures near the campfire in front of the tower," Josh replies.

I'm intrigued by his keen eyesight and question, "How can you tell? I can't see them clearly."

"It's the archer's instinct," Josh explains with a grin. "Sometimes you just need to focus and pay attention to your surroundings."

Rue interjects, adding his observation, "Actually, there are four," as he points toward the tower. "You missed the one leaning against the wall."

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Josh's eyes widen in surprise as he looks back at the tower. "Damn it! You're right!"

Clearly frustrated, Josh's pride takes a small hit.

Alpha raises his hand to grab our attention, then gestures toward a nearby pile of tall rocks. "Let's take a breather here for a bit. We'll launch our attack under the cover of night."

"I'm on board," I agree, sensing the weariness in my legs. "Some rest would be a welcome relief."

Josh and Rue nod in agreement, following Alpha's lead.

As the four of us gather behind the rocks for hours, eating the boar meat we just hunted, and resting. I slowly drift myself off after glancing at the sky.

Then, the moment we are waiting for arrives.

Scratching my eyes, I see Alpha, Josh and Rue are gathering in one spot. It takes a short time until I am fully awake and join the conversation.

Alpha lays out the plan. "Here's the strategy. We have two swordsmen and two archers among us. During the night raid, Josh and Rue, you'll take the initiative to eliminate two of them outside. Your accuracy should catch them off guard."

Josh, with skepticism in his voice, questions Rue, "No problem for me. But this kid doesn't even have arrows or a string for his bow. How does he plan to shoot without those?"

Rue, oozing confidence, replies, "Oh, I shoot wind arrows. No need for strings or arrows. That’s why it's called The Stringless."

Josh raises an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe. "You're telling me the truth? That's a tough pill to swallow."

Alpha chimes in to confirm, "This kid can indeed shoot wind arrows without a string."

With a playful demeanor, Rue teases Josh, "Well, it seems this brat might have better archery skills than you."

Josh, clearly frustrated but unable to refute Rue's claim, retorts, "What do you mean, you little brat!?"

Sensing the growing tension, Alpha steps in, "That's enough. kid, I expect you to be actively engaged during the fight. Teamwork is crucial here. Do you understand?"

"Of course!" Rue responds playfully. "I promise not to disappoint."

Alpha then turns his attention to me, locking eyes. "And Rai... can you kill a person?"

Alpha's question catches me off guard. I've never taken a human life before, only smaller creatures like goblins. The idea of ending a human life, especially those who have turned to criminal acts like bandits, is unsettling. I find myself uncertain about whether I can go through with it.

However, recognizing the necessity of our mission, I offer a hesitant nod in response.

Alpha, showing understanding, says, "That's okay. I understand you're new to this. You won't act hastily upon first sight. Inflict some wounds, and let nature take its course."

With determination and unease intertwined, I affirm, "I'll do my best."

Alpha proceeds, "Good. The raid begins on my mark. Remember, Rue and Josh, ensure clean kills without unnecessary harm. We want to strike swiftly and catch them off guard."

"Understood," Josh confirms, his resolve unwavering.

"Alright, let's cha--"

Before Alpha can finish giving the command, Rue suddenly summons his weapon, a mischievous smile dancing across his lips.

"Actually..." Rue interrupts himself, his grin directed at Josh. He casually positions his left hand behind the bow's grip and pretends to draw an invisible string. In an instant, a powerful gust of wind gathers at the tip of his bow, coalescing into a formidable wind arrow.

“[Volley.]” he whispers in a serious expression for the first time.

WHOOSH!!

With a resonant impact, Rue releases the arrow, which astonishingly ricochets off the tower and strikes the three bandits from behind.

We all stand there, our jaws dropping simultaneously in awe of Rue's display of skill.

Maintaining his sweet smile, Rue remarks, "Looks like our raid just got a whole lot easier."

Josh, his disbelief evident, clears his throat and points at Rue's bow. "Y-y-you can't be serious!"

Alpha urgently interrupts, pointing at the remaining bandit attempting to enter the tower, "Josh! Don't let that one get inside!"

Reacting swiftly after shaking his head vigorously, Josh grabs an arrow, takes aim, and releases it with pinpoint accuracy, piercing the bandit's chest.

In his frustration, Josh delivers a swift punch to Rue's head, who protests, "Ow! What was that for!?"

"If we wait any longer, you'll miss your only chance! You should thank me for not breaking your concentration!" Josh retorts, his frustration palpable.

Unable to deny Josh's logic, Rue lets out an annoyed sigh.

Alpha takes charge, ignoring their squabble, and shouts, "The coast is clear. Let's move!"

With Alpha leading the way, we rush toward the tower. I follow closely behind, with Josh and Rue bringing up the rear.

...

"INTRUDERS!" a voice bellows from within the tower, setting off an alarm.

"Crap, they know!" Alpha curses. "Stay close to the wall, everyone!"

Inside the tower, there's an intriguing arrangement with a pair of tables positioned at the center, facing each other and right in front of the door. A clear path stretches ahead of us. Bookshelves line the stone brick walls, and several chairs are strategically placed in front of the bandits who stand as our adversaries, using them for protection.

The interior of the tower itself appears spacious, with a spiraling staircase at the right end of the round wall, leading to a wooden half-platform on the second floor.

Arrows rain down upon us, but Alpha skillfully parries most of them with his sword, allowing me to make a dash for the chairs. With a powerful kick, Alpha leaps toward them and swings his sword, swiftly beheading two bandits who were waiting behind.

Josh, displaying his sharp aim, swiftly releases an arrow, taking out the last bandit near the long table at the other end of the room. Alpha follow closely behind.

Rue perches on a substantial wooden beam, sending arrows flying toward the bandits positioned above us on the stairs. Meanwhile, I engage in aclose-quarters duel with a bandit armed with a hand axe.

Clang!

Despite being outnumbered, the bandit defends valiantly. Alpha intervenes, rushing forward and using his sheer strength to crush one of the bandit's heads against the wall. He then delivers a lethal pierce from behind with his sword.

"That was... terrifying," I comment, my nerves slightly rattled by the intense encounter.

"It was necessary," Alpha replies while pulling his sword.

Rue quickly informs us, "There are two more bandit archers on the floor above," as he heads towards the stairs.

Josh, filled with skepticism, questions, "How can you tell?"

Rue playfully responds, "Archer's instinct~!" before darting off laughing.

Josh, growing increasingly frustrated, chases after Rue who is laughing while running, shouting, "Y-you... GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BRAT!!"

Turning to Alpha, I express my concerns, "Are things alright?"

"I'm fine," I assure him while waving my hand. "I don't want to be a burden. I just need a moment."

Alpha advises, "If things get dire, make sure to find safety." I nod in understanding.

Together, we ascend to the second floor.

#

End of Chapter 16