Chapter 19: What Comes Around Goes Around
Although he did not get much rest last night, Ryan woke up shortly after the sun had risen. After a couple of years of early morning training with Nailah, he developed a mental alarm clock that always woke him up soon after sunrise. This may be seen as a positive thing, however, for him ...
Ryan: "Yaaawn~ Damn. I hate sleep deprivation."
… it was more of an annoyance he could not shake off.
Knowing that he would be unable to fall back asleep, Rayn got up from the bed. After doing a few stretched, he fixed the bed and folded the sheets.
He went towards his backpack and to grab something from his pack. The thing he grabbed was strapped to the pack's side and was long and wrapped. He carefully unwrapped the cloth to unveiled two swords: one was a heavy iron blade and the other was a curved, single-edged sword.
Grabbing the iron blade, Ryan went outside and started swinging it, causing big airwaves. He normally used this sword to train his strength and dexterity. Although he was the type of person that likes to prioritize speed and skill over brute strength, without some power, the damage he would deal out would be miniscule, if not zero. After taking half an hour to finish his routine, he went back inside the house and grabbed a cloth from his pack to wipe himself from his sweat.
After another hour of finalizing the clean-up of his home, Ryan was beginning to pack up and leave. He still had his journey to continue with so he could not stay for much longer. He only came back here to remind himself of some sweet memories. He smiled when he looked back into a more cleaner looking house and walked out closing the door behind him.
Ryan: "I'll be back."
However, this peacefulness did not last long before he came in contact with a bunch of not-so-friendly-looking people.
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Many days ago, a convoy from Culbert was heading towards the capital, Sienne to deliver many luxurious goods. These goods were presents for Sanaki who was about to be crowned the next Empress of Begnion.
It seemed that this piece of information was somehow leaked and got into the hands of a well known and feared bandit crew operating around the Culbert. They staged a night ambush and attacked the group when they were at their weakest and managed to successfully steal all of the riches the convoy was carrying.
When this news reached the ears of Valtome, the Duke of Culbert, he went into a rage and threw a huge fit. He sent a message, ordering many of his elite soldiers to find this group of bandits and slay them. He even went as far as to post a bounty for their heads: 20000 gold for accomplishing the job and another 10000 gold if they also were able to recover the stolen goods.
Thus the fire was fanned and many soldiers, mercenaries, and even other bandits were desperately trying to find any information about the whereabouts of this group. Even if the bandits were well known, that much money would have anyone want to try their luck. With that amount set for the reward, anybody would be able to live out their lives more luxuriously or even retire at a very early age. Even warriors from other cities came to join the hunt. Basically, all able fighters on the Eastern side of Begnion were out hunting these bandits.
The group of bandits did not expect such an overwhelming response from Valtome and started to flee for their lives. They were chased wherever they went and were always on the move. Luckily, they were able to run away from the fights they could not win and defeat most of their pursuers in the fights that they could. However, their luck would soon run out.
With no other option, their only path of escape was to journey through the Desert of Death and make it into Daein to the north. This, in return, caused to meet him.
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Ryan was just staring curiously at the people approaching him. He was able to deduce that they were most likely bandits from the way that they looked, but he was also wondering why did they appear here of all places.
Ryan: 'This place is near the border of the desert, so there is almost no activity happening out here. If they are bandits, they should know to go where people are most likely to appear.'
As he was trying to figure out the reason why these people were here, the bandits were also having their own discussion. They were also wondering Ryan there was a farm, much less a person, in the middle of nowhere.
Bandit 1: "Why is there a person way out here? And what's with the rundown-looking farm?"
Bandit 2: "Boss. What should we do about him?"
Bandit Boss: "What else? We kill him! Although we don't know why there's a place like this here or why there's someone actually living here, we're still on the run. We can't leave any witnesses. And plus, he's just one man."
All of the bandits smiled widely and followed his decision.
As the group of men was coming closer, Ryan put down his backpack and grabbed his sword, this time, the single-edged one. He waited to see what they would do and they started to surround him. In about half a minute, there were around 20 bandits all wielding weapons pointing them towards him.
The leader of the group had a creepy grin and started talking.
Bandit Boss: "What is a person doing all the way out here? Are you lost?"
As he was talking, Ryan was rapidly analyzing the situation in his mind. He looked around and saw that there did not seem to be any magician's in this band of thieves. He also noticed that they had unusually high-quality weapons, all of them being at least B rank*. There were also some magically enchanted ones.
Ryan: "I could say the same to you."
Ryan then deduced the types of bandits they were: 8 of them had axes (3 on horses), 5 of them had swords (0 on horses), 6 of them had spears (2 on horses), and the last 2 had bows (0 on horses). Except for the leader, all of them are still in their base classes,
The bandit group used to have more men and horses, but after being pursued for the last few days, their numbers dropped drastically.
Ryan: 'I can take them. It'll be a pain in the ass, but I can take them.'
Bandit Boss: "You don't really need to know why we're here since you'll be dead anyways. However, I am feeling really generous today. If you leave all of your stuff behind, I'll let you live."
Ryan sighed in his mind.
Ryan: 'That is a really clichéd line.'
Ryan: "I don't think so. Plus, you'll just kill me anyways right?"
Bandit Boss: "Hahahaha. Was it that obvious?"
Ryan: "It's was written all over your face idiot."
The leader became angry after that insult.
Bandit Boss: "You little brat! I want him dead!"
After receiving the signal from their leader, the men wielding magical weapons used the magic within their weapons to strike Ryan and bows user shot their arrows.
However, before the attacks could be sent out, Ryan suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind an archer. The speed in which he did this was so quick, the archer had yet to release his arrow and everyone else was just staring at the spot where he once was. After the attacks were sent out did everyone notice that Ryan was no longer there. They spotted him a split-second later after he cut down the other archer. Within a second, Ryan had already finished off two of their companions and the others were inflicted with shock and a bit of fear.
The bandit leader was the first to snap out of it.
Bandit Boss: "Shit! He has a Skill, don't bother with ranged attacks anymore! All of you charge in and kill him!"
Ryan: 'Well you're not wrong, but also not right either.'
The leader was right to say that he used a Skill to kill the first guy, but he was wrong on how to counter it. The Skill he used was Vantage, a special ability which alerted him of any ill intent directed towards him within a proximity and allowed him to teleport around the target and strike first. This Skill is best used at the start of a battle and/or when the opponent is the least suspecting.
As the bandits were charging towards him, Ryan was cutting them down one-by-one. Using his other Skill, Adept, he was easily able to handle multiple people of a weaker class, even if some of them were on horses. The bandits were just rushing towards their own death by attacking him wildly.
After cutting down most of them, the remaining ones were now shaking in their boots. Some even tried to flee before they were cut in half by Ryan. It did not take long before the only one left standing was the leader of the group, but he fell on his behind when Ryan started walking towards him.
The leader felt helpless and afraid. Blaming the Goddess in his mind, he asked how did his powerful group degrade into nothing in just a few weeks.
Bandit Boss: "W-W-What in the world are y-you!? H-How were you able to defeat all of us!? We had better numbers, better weapons, and we still couldn't touch you!"
Ryan crouched in front of him.
Ryan: "You know, numbers and weapons don't mean everything. I don't really know how to explain this, but I think that quality is just as important, if not more important, than quantity. Even if you have one million worms, they'll still be prey to birds."
After a second of thinking, the bandit leader got on his knees and started bowed towards Ryan.
Bandit Boss: "Please let me go! I promise not to do any more bad things! Just please let me live!"
Ryan just stared at him for a bit, ignoring how this was another cliché scene.
Ryan: "I mean I would, but after thinking about it, I don't think that's possible."
Bandit Boss: "Why!? Please! I can change! I will change! Please spare me!"
Ryan just continued staring and stood up a second later with a tint of sadness in his eyes.
Ryan: "I wonder how many others said the same thing you."
The bandit leader flinched hearing what Ryan said. He trembled for a moment before he grabbed his ax and swung it at him.
Bandit Boss: "GODDAMMIT!!"
However, the ax did not hit its target. Ryan was no longer in front of the bandit and was now behind him. He swung his blade towards the ground to shake off any blood and slowly sheathed it. When the sword clicked and was completely sheathed, the bandit's head fell off.
Ryan: "If you can't stand things being taken away from you, don't take things in the first place."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AndyLyn
AndyLyn A longer chapter to make up for the last one.
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