Mark : "Why there's so many guards in the camps ? Are they taking over or what ? Well I can always sneak in to see what's going on . " I mumbled.

Unlike last time where I just walked in , this time I try to will sneak in like a ninja . The last thing that I want is being check by a guard .

Using my lightning step , I quickly bypassed the guards who were guarding the place . They were a bit startled by the wind that I provoked , but they didn't seem to be bothered by it . Mission success , I safely made into the camp . I quickly approached the closest bandits to me.

Mark : "Excuse me , but what's going on ? I just came back ."

Bandit : " Oh , Pitur Calar and his guards are taking over the kidnapping squad . "

Wow , they're calling their group the kidnapping squad ? Bandits naming sense boys .

Mark : " Why they're taking over and who's Pitur Calar ? "

Bandit : " Brat , you just came today or what ? "

Mark : " Yeah something like that . "

Bandit : " Well , Pitur Calar is the right hand of the commander of Olrik city guards , Leonian Anarlin . There's a group outside killing us when we're working , so they're taking over to catch them . We are going to stop our activities until they catch the culprits. "

Mark : "Oh , ok thanks . Good to know . "

Oh man , me who wanted to end this . Now they're all trying to hunt me down . What a pain , I have to start all over with the guards now . But it's a good opportunity , since I have to deal with them soon or later . Two birds with one stone .

Guard : " New orders ! We going to make ten group of twenty man each . Our job will be patrolling around the area to bait the killers and take care of them . "

Without realizing I was already put into a group a twenty man , there's something weird , the guards are wearing something different . It looks like what we're wearing except that theirs are blue , ours are red .

It seems that every group was equitably separate with ten guards and bandits in every group. Well whatever not that I care it's the same thing for me anyways . Our group quickly departed into the forest .

We have been patrolling for couple hours , all we did was walking in circle. It started to really get annoying , how are they going to find me if I was with them since the beginning .

Guard : " Okay let's take a break . "

Finally , I can go hide somewhere and explode them with my beam attack .

It was fishy , the guards started to surround us the bandits . I have a bad feeling about this . They all draw their swords .

Bandit : " W-What are you doing ? "

Guard : " Just getting rid of trash , mister Hammerbon don't need you guys anymore . So die !!!!  "

Bandit : " Please no ! I got a wife and children . I won't say anything , please spare me !"

Guard : " Don't worry , I will take care of your family , mostly your wife though . Hehe ."

All the guards started to run at us swords at hand . The bandits starting to draw their sword too . One of the guards is running toward my direction . So they're going to one versus one us , huh.

Forget what I just say . Ten more soldier in armor are coming out of the bushes . I side stepped the soldier blade and quickly right jab him , his teeth were flying out of his mouth . I seized his throat and break his spine. Two more guards who seemed to notice what I just did , dashed at me , one from each direction , trying to flank me . I casted static field to stun them followed by two lightning ball to blast their heads into ketchup .

We can clearly see who was winning , the guards are has more team work and were more experienced . Throwing lightning chain and ball continuously , I started to roast them all without distinction . At first they didn't understand on which side I was , then they started to run in all direction trying to escape from me .

After making sure that they're all dead , I scouted the area to see if it was the same elsewhere . Obviously it was the same , the guards were originally two hundred not one .

I didn't want to confront them separately it will cost too much mana to fight them like that . It's convenient for me if they're all assembled in a same place so I can turn them into ashes .

Secretly following them , they all gathered at what has been the bandits camp . They were all grouped in front of a armored knight in blue cape . There's easily more than one hundred fifty man .

It was the perfect occasion for me , I started to cast lightning beam aiming at one corner , so I can blast as much person as possible in three shot . The beam take three seconds to charge before launching .

After the first shot landed and exploded 1/3 of their guards , they were shocked and confused . Then they all tried to know where the shot came from , But it was already too late.

When the second beam exploded 2/3 of them is dead . They all started to regroup and raised their shield at my surprise ,actually I thought that they will get scared and start to run everywhere .

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At the third shot, they even put a magical barrier to protect themselves . Well , it didn't help much since they all became some human mash .

Coming down from my sniper spot also known as tree , what's in front of me was pure gore coming straight from horrors movies . Missing limb were scattered everywhere , I wanted to throw up , if I didn't see before I will probably throw a hundred time over already .

Walking past the limbs , I was collecting the souls before going back to report my progress at  the 'base' . But suddenly my foot slipped and I found myself laying down on the grass covered by bloods .

Mark : " Argh, I will definitely need a shower after this . "

While raising myself , I saw the red caped knight covered in blood charging at me . My mana was depleted I could only throw a couple lightning ball , that what I just did but he just blocked with his barrier . Then a sort of magic circle appeared in front of him , he passed it , then the next moment he was in front of me , swords above his head and swinging downside toward me .

Instinctively , I took the a swords close to my left hand and try to parry it . But at the contact of his swords , mine just got cut down like it was some butter . Still acting with my instinct I tried to block with my right arms .

I know it's a mistake to do this but it was already too late , better lose a hand than dying . Then I remembered that I couldn't die.  FUCK ME !

Parrying the sword with my hand , it penetrate the flesh before stopping dead at the bone . He was surprised at the fact he couldn't cut my hand down .

I hurts but still , I was happy that my was hand is still there .

Grabbing his sword , so he couldn't move it . I punched hard at his face , he dropped his swords and fell to the ground , punching him couple time more to make he's dead.

After absorbing one hundred seventy eight souls , it gave me more than fifteen hundred stats in nearly all my stats. It nearly make me ten time stronger. Two screen pop up.

Soul eating sub skill unlocked .

Soul sensing.

Allow you to sense in ten meters radius , every being possessing a soul.

Oh man, thank you Hades . Let me offer you a prayer , Hallelujah .

Going back to the base to report my success , a demon quickly took me in a meeting room . Ygreth was discussing with Komir .

Ygreth : " Nice timing Mark , I think we need to accelerate the plan. Asmodius son , Balathan , is coming here to do some slave transaction . "

Mark : " Huh, ok . Who're they ? "

Ygreth : " Asmodius is one of the five demon emperor / empress , he worship Thanatos . He's responsible of the capture of our empress  Cyndshyra . So that's why we're going to interrupt their transaction and kill Balathan ."

Mark : " Wow wait , If you kill his son , aren't you afraid that he execute the empress ? "

Komir : " The five demon emperor / empress cannot die unless they're kill by their respective gods of deaths . "

Mark : " Why don't just capture him, then trade him for the empress ? "

Komir : " Because it will never work , and killing his son will hurt him more and send a strong message . "

Ygreth : " Well I we need to do now is wait for Lusella and Grellyse to come back from their scouting mission , so we can discuss the plan . Now I need rest a little bit , call me when they're back . "

After Ygreth left , there's only Komir and me .

Komir : " So , how is your mission going with the bandits ?"

Mark : " Oh , that's why I came back . It's done ."

Komir : " Nice , how strong you are now ?"

Mark : " Hehe , much stronger than before . I think I'm as strong as you now . "

Komir : " Hoho , I don't think so . Wanna do a arm wrestle to test your strength? "

Mark : " Let's do it . "

We sited in front of each other , arms wrapped , ready to go .

Mark : " Ok , at three . "

At three I pushed with all strength but in a split second , my arms was bend in the wrong way , then came the pain .

Mark : " Argh ! "

Komir : " HAHAHA , you see . You still have a long way to go before you can actually beat me in term of strength . Now if I was you , I better get's some sleep . Lusella won't be back tonight . "

He walked out of the room . I replaced my hand like it was , not without pain , then I healed the wound before finding myself a bed to sleep on . But I checked my stats before .

Name : Mark Sigfrid   Class : Lightning monk   Title : Soul eater

Heath point : 5864/5864   Mana point : 3210/5274

STR : 1923   AGI : 1504   DEX : 939

END : 2103   INT : 1349  WIS : 1683