Louis and Cruz romaed closer, and closer to the village, but there was still a bit of distance till they got there.

“I still can’t understand how on point your hunches are.” cruz exhailed.

“They’re usually right, but sometimes they can be painfully wrong.” Louis stated.

Cruz recalled how easily he had outshined during their fight. If it could even be called a fight.

If Louis hadn't shown mercy, her story would've ended right there.

Cruz thought to herself, ‘This man. His has a reliable aura to him. He gives off a protective feeling, one that makes you feel safe. I haven't known him for long and I even tried to kill him, but I almost want to trust him fpr some reason.’

Louis’s steps came to a pause. trails of smoke could be seen off in the distance, coming from the vilage.

“I don't think that's normal” said Cruz, watching the smoke wiggle into the sky.

Louis shook his head, “It doesn't take genius to figure that out. Let's hurry up. Those fire's didn't happen naturally."

Louis sprinted at full speed, while Cruz tried to keep up.

Reaching the entrance of the village, smoke was evrywhere, and the scent of burning wood was strong, trickling up their noses.

Villagers ran around in a panic, fleeing as Bandits caused desturction. Houses were set up in flames, along with haystacks and belongings.

“Are these your men?” Louis wore a blank expression while asking.

An offened gasp flew from Cru's mouth.

“WHaa? I’m a bandit leader but even I’m not this messed up. These men don’t belong to me. From what they’re wearing, their from a group that I happen to be rivals with. I don’t care what you do to them.”

“I guess this area of the map just has lots of criminals wandering.”

Louis proceeded forward.

A bandit held the egde of his axe to the throat of a little girl, lost in ths chaos. She was terrified, tears running down her face as the Bandit yelled at her.

“I know there’s gold around here SOMEWHERE! Come on, KID! Spit it out! I'll have to hurt you if you don't speak up!"

“I...I….I d-don’t know!” The girl cried.

"Quit you're stuttering you little shit!" The Bandit lifted his axe, wearing a wicked look in his eye.

A low humming filled the air -Mmmmmmmmmmm-

Dark clouds hovered over the village as a powerful thunderstorm brought heavy rain.

Tmp. Tmp. Tmp.

Droplets fell rapidly, swiftly putting out the fires.

Clothes became dreched, and the Baandits all stood in shock.

“This...isn't just a thunderstorm.”

“Someone called it here with black magic...Were one of the villagers capable of this?”

For just mere vandits, even they could reconize the power it took for such a spell. The one responsible wasn't somone to be overlooked.

Louis stepped up, amplifying his voice with magic, catching every villager’s and bandit’s attention.

“Alright! Here's a message to each of you bandits! Ly Down you'r weapons and surrdened, or I, a former Royal Knight, will have to cut you down."

The villagers’s voices murmured as they felt relief from this savior.

“A Royal Knight came to help?”

“We’re saved.”

“Thank you, god!”

“Please! Deal with these devils!”

Louis’s glare reached the Bandits as he asked once more, “So, What will it be?”

Tmp...Tmp..Tmp..

A man with spiky grey-hair and a dark coat steadily came forward. His skin was as white as corpse, and his eyes were red like he was a demon. His sheer aura sent shivers down the villagers spines.

“Former Royal Knight? Haha! I don’t believe that one bit. If you had that kind of power, you would’ve already been killing us off. Well, not me, of course.”

“Are you their leader?” Louis asked.

A grin twisted across the man's face appeared on the man’s face, his teeth that resembled sharpened spikes. He raised his arms, looking at the sky above as he erupted with laughter.

“HAhahah! I am indeed. You can call me Jack...Jack The Ripper.”

His smile resembled a maniac who wanted nothing more than to cause bloodshed, no matter who the victim was.

Louis stroked his chin, recalling the name ‘Jack’

He did remember one of the knight’s mentioning a canceler by that name. If this man was that canceler, it was good that Louis showed up before any villagers were killed in cold blood.

“Yep. I think I’ve heard of you.” said Louis.

“I know you have. I am beyonnnnd popularrr.”

Jack's grin grew wider when he noticed the girl next to Louis.

“Sayyy. Is that you, Cruz? I heard that you talk poorly of me. How about we settle our little beef here?”

He whipped out a dagger and marched toward her, but Louis blocked the way.

“This girl is in my custody until I take her to the nearest jail. Until then, it’s my job to keep her alive to face her crimes.”

Jack bit down into his bottom lip, fresturated. As the blood dripped down his chin, he spoke like a maniac.

“You want to get in my way?! I’ll murder you! Hah, I actually planned to do that anyway. Let’s duel, then.”

Louis pushed Cruz behind, warning her, “Just stay behind me. I won’t let him get to you.”

Cruz felt awkward about this.

Was this really okay?

She was responsible for the deaths of many knights and even tried to kill him. She would understand it if she was left to die. Instead, however, Louis stood bravely defending her.

'I don't feel worthy of his protection.' Cruz thought to herself.

Cruz “He’s a canceler. If he kills you, you’re going to stay dead with no resurrection. Don’t risk your life for me. I’m a bandit. I'm responsible for many deaths.”

Louis smirked, “Don't be dumb. You already surrendered, and now it's my job to see that you're put in a cell. I will see to it. Don’t worry about me, I have a hunch that I’ll be alright.”

Jack spun around, voicing the terms of the fight at the villagers.

“Evevryooonnneee. Watch as I kill you’re little savior. None of my men will jump in to help. This will only be a fight between me and him. HAhahah. If he happens to win, I will let you live. If he FAILS, I will SLAUGHTER you ALL. AS BLLOD AS POSSIBLE!”

Jack's neck nearly snapped as he quickly looked back to face Louis, “Tell me, Former Royal Knight. Are you ready?”

In the fearsome moment, the villagers placed all their hope in Louis, cheering him on.

“You can do this!”

“You used to be a Royal Knight, right There's no way you'll lose.”

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“Kill that devil of a madman!”

“Please! You have to win!”

Hearing these voices filled with high expectations, Jack grinned eerrily.

“Looookssss like they alllll believe in you.”

"Looks like it. Hell, I believe in myself to. A little to much." Louis held out his hand, chandinting into the wind, “Summon: Blade of Light, come forth.” His voice nearly echoed

An angelic magic circle formed underneath his grip, slowly a gleaming sword revealed itself. It was like a weapon from the heavens, capable of cutting through any evil in it's path.

Lifting it, Louis clenched it tightly.

“Alright, I’m ready.”

A look of phychotic exitment sprung across Jack's face, “Ahhaha, That’s a blade that easily cuts through flesh and armor. What an advanced summon. Most can’t pull off a summon that advanced. I hope you don’t disappoint me.”

“I’ll try not to.”

Fwosh.

Jack came forward, rapidly swinging his daggers. Left and right, Louis gently evaded and parried the swings as they continued.

Clink. Clink! Clink! Clink!

Jack flung his daggers forward, but when they came close to hitting Louis, they staggered aside and missed.

“Spirit Smash!!” Louis shouted.

“Not happening!” Jack rolled out of the way as an unseen force splintered to the ground.

Crackle!

He had dodged a force that was supposed to be invisible, meaning he had some sort of 'True Sight' ability.

‘So spirit magic won’t work. That’s fine.’ Louis thought to himself.

Jack’s blood-lust smile greatend as he pulled out a spare blade.

Swoosh! Fwsh! Slash! Clink!

The floor underneath them vibrated as they locked blades.

“Pretty impressive.” Jack complimented.

“Hoesntly...Any praise from you just feels like any insult.” Louis replied as his blade metled through both his oponent's daggers.

Sizzle!

Jack's body jerked back, a burning sensation slit his arm.

“Aghh!"

Gently, a trail of steam flowed out from his open wound. His flesh slowly melted, until his arm was hanging on a single strand of skin. Not for long, however, it soon broke off, splashing into the mud.

Now, he was left without a limb, putting him at a disadvantage.

Louis kept a strong grip on his sword of light.

“Without the use of your arm, you're pretty much done for. Give up.”

Jack only laughed at his sugestion.

“Hahah! As if! I can fix this, no problem." He then chanted a spell that only a fanatic would use, "Sanity: Grant me regeneration!”

His red pupils shined.

Blup! Blup! Blup!

His flesh began growing back the shape of his missing arm, till was fully regenarated.

Louis was all to familiar with the kind of magic his enemy had casted. He'd seen to many evil individuals use it.

A 'Sanity' spell. A kind of spell will grant you something, like strength or magic power in exchange for a peice of your sanity. In this case, it granted regenration.

When this type of magic is used to many times, the user will start to lose their true self, becoming just like Jack. It created to many evils, thus, Sanity spells were forbidden. Under direct law of the kingdom, any one who uses them must be exicuted on sight.

'What an idiot. No wonder he has no brain.' Louis thought to himself.

Jack was pumped up, throbibng with exitement.

“Ahahah, Let’s keep going!”

He showed no sign of giving up causing Louis to sigh.

The fight continued.

Five long minutes passed as the two were at a stalemate.

Slash! Slash! Clink! Clink!

Cruz tensely watched the fight before her unfold.

Both Louis and Jack evenly parried eachothers slashes. Even though Louis was faster with his weapon, his strength and skill was on par with Jack.

As much as Cruz believed in Louis, it didn’t change the fact that the outcome was unclear.

Jack shouted with laughter, a red glow in his eye.

“HAhahahah. I’m going to get serious now!" He made another chaotic desciron, casting another sanity spell, "Sanity: Dramatically increase my stats!”

A surge of dark energy traveled through his veins as he overflowed with laughter.

“HAHahahahaha.”

Louis stood in utter shock. As he looked down at his chest, he found blood gushing from a wound.

"What?!....."

But How?! When was he cut?!

He didn’t have time to think this through, his body was became limp as he slowly fell through the air.

‘....’

Thump!

He laid motionless, his blood spilling out, forming a red puddle around him.

His life faded into nothing.

Jack stood over with a grin.

“Hahahah! I was so fast that you didn’t realize I even cut you."

Cruz felt a slight emptiness in her heart. She didn’t even know Louis for long, but she had great faith in him. And now, he was dead.

“No…”

Faliing to her knees, she recalled Louis’s words, “I have a hunch that I’ll be alright.”

'....'

It was the one time his hunch had to be wrong.

Unexpectedly, Louis's voice spoke again.

“Okay...I'l give you a little credit. I didn't even notice you slashed me.”

Cruz’s eyes lit up as she saw him rise back up. Was this a miracle?

Jack’s face twisted into disgust.

“Huh!? You’re not dead? Explain yourself!”

Louis patted the dirt from his clothes then shook his head in disappointment.

“Gosh, you really are a noob. Not only do you overuse harmful spells that rot your brain, you don’t even understand how your canceling works. Don’t you know, passive abilities can’t be canceled. Duh, Idiot. Rememwner when you tried to throw you're dagger at me? They missed beacuse of one of my other passive abilities."

“I'll just kill you again!”

Jack suddenly appeared behind Louis, shoving his dagger through his back.

Shank! Stab!

Thump!

Louis fell as his blood flooded around him. His life faded into nothing.

“There! Now you’re really dead!”

“Nope...You didn’t even kill me that time. Almost..” said Louis, slowly getting back to his feet.

Fortuntley, he survived that one. The mana in his body was depelted, so resurection wouldn't have save dhim that time.

'Thank you, luck.'

It was a good thing he did a lucky toss earlier.

[This Is A Moment Where You Truly Need Strength. ‘Blessing of Strength’ is now active. Your strength will exceed your opponent's.]

[This Is A Moment Where You Truly Need Speed. ‘Blessing of Speed’ is now active. Your speed will exceed your opponent's]

‘It’s about time it decided to activate.’

Louis lifted his glowing blade.

“Now, let’s wrap this up.”

“Oh! I will!” Jack yelled.

Jack sent a barage of slashes forward, but they all missed.

Slash! Slash! Sash!

“Oh?! You can keep up now?!”

He swung his dagger dowards, clashing against his rival’s sword.

Clink! Bounce!

“!!?” Jack gasped, stumbling back. His weapons were knocked into the sky, leaving him unarmed.

Louis stomped forward and slashed Jack's arm off. For a second time.

Slash! Thump!

He fell down in agnoy, holding the spot where his arm used to be. When Jack looked up, he was being held at the edge of a sizling sword.

"Anyone who uses a forbidden spell is to be killed on sight. I can’t spare you. But, I will let you say some last words.” said Louis.

“Last words. How about this……." he pused, then shouted a phrase as loud as possible, "GUST!"

A giant wave of wind blasted against Louis, pushing him back.

Swoosh!

It was just enough time for Jack to escape. He ran off, disappearing into the forest.

Louis regained his center of balance and was about to chase after, but the bandits surrounded him.

“You ain’t getting past us!” one shouted.

They were afully bold agsint a man who could send them to the after-life. Their bravery didn't make sense, but Louis comended it.

"Wow. I'm surpised you guys aren't running. Here's something special for you." He kneeled down, poking the ground with the tip of his finger, "Traveling Shock!”

Bolts of lighting wiggled across the ground, then travled up the lages of the badnits.

ZZzzzz

Electricity corused through their bodies, till the dropped dead foaming at the mouth.

Of course, Louis wanted to make a joke and say, "Well that looks like a shocking expirance."

But he refrained. He insteaed focused on the last remaining bandit. This one was intentially left alive.

Someone had to be alive in order to answer questions.

The Bandit’s eyes filled with fear. He tried to run away but was blasted down by a heavy bolt of fire.

Blast! ZzZZZ.

Badly injured, he passing out.

“Oops. Guess that was too much...I’ll just have to question him once he’s awake again.”

Voices of the vilagers shook the air, hapily.

“Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“You did it!”

“The bandits are defeated!!”

“Well done!”

In mere seconds, they all gathered around Louis, celebrating the victory.

Cruz stayed sitting, trying to relax her heart rate. From watching the entire battle, her pulse was jumping. She felt light-headed and wobbly.

‘That...was scary to watch.’

Above all, she was happy that Louis succeeded and survived. That was the only relief she felt in the moment.