Elves were quite nimble in forests. Timid as he seemed, the platinum-blonde elf with his red and runny nose ran quite well as he led me through the forest to his home. Was he truly trusting me? I didn’t think so.

It was more likely that he wanted an excuse to finally return, which he found with me.

We went deeper and deeper into the forests of Rascarte Kingdom, jumping over trees. The elf was rather adept at using mana to supplement his moments, and well, forest settings had become a second home for me.

I could tell he must have run away well.

A trail of smoke rose from a clearing. Marco and I rushed to the place. Unfortunately, there was nothing but remains of tree houses waiting for us.

A wide clearing was connected to a few paths. Deep inside this forest, the elves were living as slash-and-burn nomads. The farms were burnt off, the houses had crumbled and fallen to the ground.

Marco screamed.

“M-mom! Dad!”

He ran straight inside while I closed my eyes and spread my mana. It had become easy to notice presences after almost dying every day for the last six months. There was no one around, so it was ok.

I stepped into the remnants of the slash-and-burn settlement after Marco and looked around leisurely. It didn’t seem like the bandits had left behind many traces of their presence or their kidnapping. They made it seem like a natural movement of Slash-and-burn settlements. Good handiwork.

Kidnapping, I said, because there seemed to be about six to seven families living here. If they were all killed, their bodies would have been strewn around the place.

Of course, moving that many people alongside whatever number of bandits that must have come here was no joke. I could easily spot tracks, all over the ground and the path they took. I peered outward into the forest, some blood had dripped on their way as well.

I noticed two bodies a little distance away from the village.

The bodies facing the ground both had long platinum blonde hair. Though the shade was far murkier than Marco’s.

“Marco!” I called out to the elf. “Look here, are these your folks?”

The elf came running at my words, tears and snot covering his face. If they were his folks, it would break our deal.

Stolen story; please report.

I quickly moved over and pulled the two bodies over. Their faces came up, covered by blonde hair… there were no long ears. These were normal humans.

Marco and I both breathed a sigh of relief.

“These bastards… they must be the attackers!” The timid elf seemed to have gained some strength from anger, he spoke without stuttering for the first time! I was impressed.

I closed the eyes of both the corpses and snapped my fingers. A flame spread through and engulfed their entire bodies at once.

Marco looked on in surprise.

“There’ll be time to get angry later,” I pointed at the tracks left behind by the bandits. “For now let’s go and get the kidnapped elves back.”

***

Marco and I followed the tracks and went through the forest again. Our speed was far slower this time, but the elf had his share of uses. He was an expert in tracking, we found our paths much faster than I would have alone.

The tracks led us to the base of a mountain, Rascarte didn’t lack any mountains at all being a pass between the Empire and many of the weaker nations in the West. A single path led was laid down on the mountain climbing to the top with two armed bandits standing guard.

I hid Marco in the woods as I looked on at the mountain. A small fort had been made at the very top, that was where the bandits must be hidden.

It was safe to call me a mountain bandit-slaying aficionado by now. I had killed more mountain bandits in the last few months while coming to Rascarte than mountain bandits had wanted to kill me. So, even amongst groups of mountain bandits, these people were rather well-off.

I was almost surprised. The fort at the very top looked like something a baron or another noble would have commissioned, not something that two-bit thugs could just occupy.

“Marco, you stay here in the forest.”

“W-what… alone?”

“Yes. I’ll go and kidnap the kidnapped people.”

“R-rescue you mean?”

“That.”

Marco seemed dissatisfied with being asked to stay behind. Well, I couldn't care less. It was a deal. If not him, the rescued elves might know enough about Spirit Magic to teach me.

“Stay right here, alright?”

With those words, I pushed Marco down and stepped out of the bushes. The guards standing in the distance noticed me and their eyes widened.

“Hey! Who the hell are you?”

“Turn away right now if you don’t want to die—”

Before the guard could finish his sentence, my fist came to greet him good morning.

It was time to climb a mountain.

***

At the top of Cheney Mountain, the leader of the Cheney Mountain bandits sat alone in his room, his eyes were downcast at the recent turn of events.

All the mountain bandits around were in deep trouble. And to think this was all because of events happening in the lawless zone. As word would spread, he was sure that the entire underworld was heading toward deep chaos.

The situation was crazy, anything could happen.

Just as these thoughts entered his mind, the door to his chambers swung open.

His second-in-command barged inside and screamed.

“Leader!! It’s an ambush! There has been an ambush!”

“What?!” The leader shouted and shot up. “How many people? Who has dared to attack the Cheney bandits.”

“J-just one! There’s only one…”

The bandit leader and the second in command both pursed their lips.

“I see. Tell everyone to retreat right now, we’re running away!!”

“What?! But it’s just one!”

“You crazy bastard, do you think just one person would attack the house of mountain bandits if they couldn’t win? We are fucked, just run—”

The window to his room crashed to the ground and one of the bandits fell inside.

The wise mountain bandit leader realized it was already too late.