“(I lost my powers, got seen naked, I’m cold and now I got ambushed and lost my horse. Great luck as always…)” [Ava]

“You guys in the slave trading business?” [Ava]

The half-elf kept her grumbling to herself and asked nonchalantly while brushing the dirt off the sleeves of her dress.

“Slave trading? Hehe, sometimes, girlie. We sell off the ‘goods’ after we’ve had our fill. But, our main occupation is killing, stealing and killing some more. We’re what’d you call bandits.” [Bandit]

“We’re technically unemployed, miss.” [Unemployed man]

“It’s self-employed, you dumbass!” [Self-employed bandit]

“Doesn’t matter. Let’s just get on with it. I can’t wait anymore.” [Bandit]

The seven men approached the half-elf as they spread out to surround her. At this point, all of them were smiling lecherously while devouring her body with their eyes.

“You don’t seem scared, girlie.” [Bandit]

“Meh, I’ve been in worst.” [Ava]

To the question that was mixed with sarcasm and vulgar laughter, Ava shrugged her shoulders and got ready for the upcoming fight.

“That’s some mighty brave guts. Well, there’s nothing to be afraid of in the first place. We won’t kill you. In fact, we won’t hurt you at all if you behave.” [Bandit]

“She looks totally different from the other women that always squealed in fear.” [Bandit]

“Yeeaahh… But we’ll still make her squeal though.” [Bandit]

“Hehehe… I love strong women. The moment they break is the best~.” [Bandit]

“You’re disgusting as always… I prefer three-ways. No, four-ways. No, five! Make that six!” [Bandit]

Ava backed away while keeping her eyes on the man that had a round shield and sword. She purposely moved towards the one armed with a bow. Seeing her approaching figure, he spread his arms wide and attempted to hug her from behind. However, she quickly evaded by ducking and elbowed his right leg. The pain made him wince for a few seconds, which was long enough for her to make her way to his back by rotating her body.

In two steps, her left hand was holding his chin while the other pulled out the knife from the sheath on the right side of his waist. She kicked the back of his right knee to make him kneel on one leg since he was taller than her and placed the knife to his throat.

His friends’ expressions changed from lust to surprise. Then, they went to anger and wariness as the bandits pulled out their swords. Only the middle-aged, blonde-haired man armed with a sword and shield seemed calm. When he raised his hand, the five other bandits stopped moving and only glared at the half-elf. He appeared to be the leader of the group.

“Now that was actually pretty impressive. But, girlie, think about it carefully. Even if you’ve got that idiot as a hostage, you’re not gonna escape from the six of us. Hell, some of my boys can barely wait and would probably kill him to get to you.” [Bandit leader]

“H-hey, wait!” [Bandit hostage]

“Shut it! Listen, girlie, we’re not monsters. If you play nice, then we’ll play nice too. You’re a virgin? Yes? No? Well, let’s say you are. I’m gonna be your first partner. The first time’s a big deal, right? Don’t you want it to be pleasurable, not painful? I’ll be gentle so you’ll be used to it when my boys have a turn. But, that’s only if you let him go. Otherwise, you’re gonna be screaming in pain all night. What do ya say?” [Bandit leader]

Ava silently stared at the bandit leader’s disgusting smile with her sleepy-looking eyes for a few seconds. Then, as if making up her mind, she nodded her head.

“Yeah, I’ve still got my virginity.” [Ava]

Right after uttering those words, she slit the throat of her hostage in front of everyone. Blood sprayed out like a fountain as he collapsed on the ground and laid unmoving. The bandit leader’s smile vanished and he was red in the face. Just like him, the other bandits were trembling in rage.

“You want it? Come and get it.” [AVa]

Ava held the bloodied knife in a reverse grip and vigilantly watched the six remaining enemies.

“… What are you idiots waiting for? GET HER!!!” [Bandit leader]

With their leader’s shout, the subordinates rushed at the half-elf. They brandished their sword and used it to block her knife, but they were careful not to hit her. After all, their goal was to immobilize and sample her, not kill her. Their prey didn’t make it easy though. She warded them off using the knife that she stole and kept them at bay.

When one of the men succeeded at grabbing her right forearm, which prevented her from swinging her knife, she instantly let go of her weapon. Then, she caught it midair with her left hand before slashing her attacker’s wrist. As he screamed in pain and released his grip, she nimbly slipped behind him and used him as a shield against his allies. It stopped them for a moment before they quickly spread around to surround her.

So, she dispatched her useless human shield by stabbing the nape of his neck and pushed him towards the other bandits. This of course served to enrage them even further and their reluctance to hurt her was vanishing by the second.

Ava rotated her body to the right and strongly turned her head to the right as well. Her wet hair moved like a whip and hit the face of the man approaching from behind. He was momentarily stunned, long enough for her to plunge her knife between his legs. The defeated foe screamed hysterically and fell to the ground while bleeding profusely.

With enemies on all sides, the half-elf somehow managed to hold on and take out three of them. However, she soon reached her limit when the leader, having lost his patience, charged at her like a mad bull. The shield in his left hand knocked away her knife and the sword in his right forced her to backpedal multiple times. She greatly leaned backward to dodge a decapitating blow and let gravity take hold of her. Breaking her fall, she nimbly rolled away.

Unlike the rest, he was wholeheartedly trying to kill her.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Just as Ava was about to get up, a bandit standing behind her slashed her back and inflicted a shallow wound. Fresh blood flowed from the diagonal cut and turned the white dress red.

“Urgh!” [Ava]

The half-elf painfully groaned because of the burning sensation and slowed down from the damage she sustained. The bandit leader saw an opening and bashed the girl with his shield, causing her to fall down. He then stomped on her stomach to keep her in place.

“Gah!” [Ava]

“Pin her down!” [Bandit leader]

Following their boss’ orders, the three bandits sheathed away their swords and swarmed their fallen prey. One pinned down her arms above her head while the other two each held a leg. As they pulled it towards them, they forced her to spread her legs, which allowed the bearded man armed with a sword and shield to kneel between them.

“Relax. We’ll treat that cut on your back. But, first… You’re gonna wish you hadn’t killed my boys, girlie.” [Bandit leader]

The blonde-haired leader said threateningly as he ripped off the front of her dress, exposing her breasts hidden by her white bra. Seeing the flawless skin and the two soft mounds fanned the excitement of the four bandits.

“I’ll be taking that precious first time!” [Bandit leader]

Smiling lecherously, the bandit leader fiddled with his belt.

“Haha! It’s an elf! A half-breed, but still an elf! I’m next!! I’m definitely next!!” [Bandit]

“Whoa there! I should be next! I deserve it!” [Bandit]

“What the hell did you do to go before me, huh?!” [Bandit]

“I wasn’t born from a fat cow’s rear end!” [Bandit]

“Huuh!!? You want me to kill you!!?” [Bandit]

“How about you guys fight it out while I take a shot at her?” [Bandit]

““You’re going last!!”” [Bandits]

Ava ignored her injury and was struggling to break free while the bandits, believing in their victory, were laughing vulgarly and deciding the order after their boss was done. Her hands that were groping around caught a small pebble in the grass. She flicked it upward using her wrist and caught it in her mouth. Then, she spat it out and it flew into the right eye of the man that was holding down her arms.

“Arghh!!” [Bandit]

He yelled in pain and let her go as he covered his eye. The half-elf stretched her arms out and grabbed his shirt before pulling him towards her. As he was basically leaning on her, she pulled out the sword hanging on the left side of his waist. Holding the weapon in her left hand, she swung it horizontally after pushing away the man on top of her. The blade made a cut on the arm of the bandit holding her left leg, but the other two backed away and were out of reach. Still, since they were focused on the sword and released her legs, Ava successfully kicked the bandit leader’s groin.

“Gahh! This half-breed bi-argh! HOLD HER DOWN!!!” [Bandit leader]

She kicked him twice.

Unfortunately, Ava didn’t manage to escape and the four men wrestled the sword out of her grasp. She struggled, nearly broke free, but was soon immobilized after kicking someone’s family jewels, mainly those belonging to the leader of the lawless pack. This repeated a couple of times until said leader could no longer control his rage. As such, he began mindlessly punching her torso, head and face despite his subordinates’ pleas of keeping her looks intact.

They took a few steps back since they knew that once he lost his cool, he would lash out at anyone. Ava did her best to defend herself, but she couldn’t overcome the difference in strength between her and her burly, red-faced attacker. Her fatigued, wounded body was steadily growing powerless as each blow blackened her consciousness.

Because the bandits’ eyes were focused on the half-elf, no one noticed at all that a third party was approaching them.

When Dreck finally caught up, the scene that awaited him was three men standing around two other individuals. It was dark, but he could tell that one was the girl that he was chasing after. She was on her back and wearing a torn dress. The other was a middle-aged man that was straddling her and beating her up in a fit of rage.

Dreck’s head blanked out for the second time that night. But, this time, it was because of the overwhelming rage that threatened to swallow him whole. All expressions left his face and a cold, yet intense light dwelled in his eyes. Once again, his body moved on its own. His hand automatically went for the sword hanging on his waist.

“Hu-guh…!? Huh…?” [Bandit]

When one of the bandits heard the sound of footsteps and turned his head around, he was unceremoniously stabbed through the stomach. His mind couldn’t register what just happened. He stood still, dumbfounded, as blood leaked from his wound and mouth.

“Wha-?!” [Bandit]

His friend next to him reflexively drew his sword out, but his wrist was grabbed and Dreck easily stole his weapon before using it to pierce through his chest. Two enemies were eliminated in the span of five seconds.

Leaving the sword stuck in the body, Dreck then rushed towards the ruffian sitting on the half-elf. Having noticed the new enemy, the middle-aged man had brought forth his shield to block any attack. Still, he was caught unprepared when the intruder launched himself at him like an arrow. He tackled him off Ava and the two rolled away from her. Dreck kicked him in the face before either of them even got up and broke his nose.

“DIIIEEE!!!” [Bandit]

The remaining bandit lunged at him and swung down his sword. The brown-haired prince dodged the attack by shifting his body to the side and planted his foot in the attacker’s face. The bearded man stumbled backwards and was soon tackled to the ground. Dreck took his sword and stabbed him in the throat, reaping his life. Before he could take a breath, he quickly ducked and rolled away as a sharp blade nearly decapitated him.

“DAMN YOU!!” [Bandit leader]

It was the bandit leader that was furious and bleeding from his broken nose.

“YOU BASTARD!!! YOU KILLED ALL MY BOYS!!!” [Bandit leader]

With sword and shield in hand, he ferociously attacked Dreck, but the expressionless prince, experienced in combat, blocked all his strikes and dodged his shield bashes.

“What the hell?! You trying to be a hero!? Save the girl?!! After I chop your arms off, I’ll let you watch as I rape her!!!” [Bandit leader]

“… Someone like you…” [Dreck]

The moment the bandit leader strongly lunged forward to stab his wretched foe, his blow was parried and his enemy shifted to his right. Dreck swiftly swung downward and cut off the bearded man’s right hand that was holding the sword.

“GYAAAHH!!!” [Bandit leader]

As he fell to his knees while screaming in agony and grasping his bleeding stump, the victor looked down on him with cold eyes.

“Gargh!” [Bandit leader]

He kicked the dirty, rugged ruffian in the face, causing him to fall on his back.

“GYAAAAARRRRHH!!!” [Bandit leader]

Then, stepping on his chest, he stabbed his sword into his left elbow and twisted his weapon to enlarge the wound until the forearm was torn off. The bleeding and near-death blonde-headed man wildly thrashed on the ground while screaming his lungs out.

“Someone like you shouldn’t touch her with those filthy hands…” [Dreck]

Muttering in a chilling voice, the cold, expressionless prince stepped away from his defeated opponent while watching him like a predator. The twitching, yelling and half-conscious bandit leader rolled on his stomach. He curled up on his knees and pressed his forehead against the ground.

Dreck raised his sword over his head. Murderous flames were quietly burning in his eyes.

“W-whai-!“ [Bandit leader]

The first slash hacked through half of the bandit leader’s neck. A sickening crunching noise resounded as blood flew out along with his voice that sounded like a dying chicken. Then, the second strike cleanly decapitated him. The grass was dyed red. The enraged prince stood still with a sword and clothes stained in blood. Now that all those scumbags had been eliminated, his emotions slowly returned to normal and his steely eyes hurriedly searched for the girl he had been chasing.

She was still there, lying on the ground in the midst of corpses.

Dreck threw away his sword and rushed to her. After getting down on one knee, he examined her condition which made him grit his teeth in anger and frustration. The girl had several bruises on her face that turned her skin purplish. The same injuries were also visible on her chest which was no longer hidden by the torn dress. Moreover, blood was seeping from the cut on her back.

“Ugh…” [Ava]

Ava groaned weakly. The repeated blows to the head gave her a slight concussion and the blood loss made her feel woozy.

“Miss, can you hear me? Hold on. I’ll have your wounds treated right away.” [Dreck]

A frantic voice pulled up her hazy consciousness from the foggy sea.

“Huh…? The seven…?” [Ava]

“If you’re talking about those scumbags, they’ve been dealt with. You’re safe now.” [Dreck]

Although Dreck wanted to reassure the wounded and fragile half-elf, his words caused her beautiful face to distort in dissatisfaction.

“… Three out of seven… Should have trained more…” [Ava]

After muttering those words, Ava examined her savior that was clad in armor before asking him a single question.

“And who the hell are you…?” [Ava]

Then, she lost consciousness.