Chapter 9: 09Discovered!
A young boy rushing in the forest at an unbelievable speed that was even rare in the wind element manipulators. The boy had the sword on his back and hastened with an angry face.
That was Arthur. After admitting Claire to the physician at Helen's house, Arthur flared up in extreme anger. He would let bandits pay for what they did. Although he was in an extreme anger state, he didn't lose his sanity but it's the other way; he knew what to do.
Arthur had learned the location of west skull bandits and quickly made his way to them. It surprised him to learn that West-skull bandits were based behind the dormant volcano.
Bandits were a nuisance not because they were strong, but they were extremely good at hiding and wouldn't leave the trail behind to trace. If not for Arthur being lucky and finding the outpost, he might have a hard time finding the location.
Sometime later, Arthur arrived before the large bark. The tree bark was humongous and had no trace of life around the tree.
This was one peculiar tree, absorbing all nutrients and life through the roots, making the land around it unfertile and dead.
This peculiar tree had roots protrude and formed a cave-like space. The cave-like space was too narrow to enter.
But from what he learned from the Reve, he knew it was a concealment technique that bandits used to hide their base.
Arthur walked over to the small space but didn't stop and kept walking until he went through the bark before coming to the other side.
'He really didn't lie' Arthur thought and found he was in some cavern.
While Arthur was observing the cave, he didn't know his arrival already had been reported to the west skull bandit leader.
The bandit captain didn't lie at the base location, however, not because he was cowardly or betrayed the leader to save his life. But it was another way.
He knew if Arthur were not to exterminate now, powerhouses behind the Ashtide family would definitely get the wind of the news, and eventually, their organization would meet its end.
'If I tell him the news, he will try to save his parents, but he will die in the leader's hands,' Bandit captain Reve thought and revealed the location.
When they saw someone entering the camp, they neither stopped them nor attacked, instead reported his arrival to the leader.
As one of the most powerful bandit groups under the Windville bandits, they had their ways to communicate with the leader. After all, the gnome technology had spread far and wide.
——
The dawn broke. Following the first ray, countless rays fell on a West-skull headquarters. That was a square-shaped camp and had built the four watchtowers on each side of the square's edge.
They connected the watchtowers with the vertical point-shaped log fence preventing anyone from entering the base.
On top of each tower, two guards monitoring with a weapon in their hands, and each had extremely high exceptional senses that transcend any normal human. The entrance of the camp was on the east side, with a large door.
"I actually kinda feel pity for them," Jack said as his keen eyesight fell on the iron cell that was currently imprisoning a man and woman.
"Tsk..why should we? The leader had already given them leeway. He promised them to leave as long as they tell the treasure the location," Liam laughed wickedly, "Though he likes to break promises."
"Let's see how it will end. I heard someone powerful backing our leader," Jack muttered as he looked at the other two guards who were taking rest.
It was their shift now, they would take shifts in a six hours period, continuously monitoring the perimeter.
Inside the wooden square fence were many hexagonal tents pitched side by side, leaving ample space between each tent. It was a large base and had over fifty tents.
Among the tents, one tent had especially pointed out, bigger and luxurious. That was West-skull bandit leader's tent, Stanwick.
"Dear, about Claire, do you think she will be okay?" Emilia asked in worry.
Alvar sighed as he didn't know how to reply. When the bandits attacked them, Claire blocked the attack to help Ava escape from their clutches.
Even though Claire looked like a weak girl, in fact, she wasn't. She had great aptitude in the fire element and was in the manipulator first stage.
"First his wife, and now daughter? I feel bad for Layman. I don't know how to face him," Alvar shook his head in sorrow.
While they were talking, a man walked out of the tent. He had green pupils and a skull symbol on his forehead that made him look sinister. He wore a stoic face with a scar crawling across his face from the right eye to the left jaw.
Behind him was another guy following him. He wore a sky-blue colored hood that hid his body. He had a wand hanging on his waist.
The Wands were the common weapons of the manipulators, although they were only basic weapons he was the manipulator, as Arthur suspected.
Stanwick and the hooded guy stopped at a prison holding the pair, and Stanwick crouched down so he could see their expression and said, "I heard someone infiltrated our base to save you."
Alvar and Emilia had confusing expressions because they had no one to save except, could it be Layman?
No, he should be on the way to the Lastgrove. Then who is it?
"Someone, so young."
"Someone with a sword of an obsidian steel."
Stanwick needed not to hint anymore as their countenance turned ugly.
Why is he here? Reckless brat!
Shouldn't he be traveling along with the Layman?
If he is here, where is Layman?
Did he go to save Claire?
Many questions ran on their minds, but that only made their heart worry. Until now, they thought, even if they would die, both children were safe and sound.
But now knowing one of them was coming to save them despite knowing it was dangerous, would they feel happy or worry?
"Stanwick, I will tell you the location, premise is to spare my children," Alvar said, gritting his teeth.
"Hehehe, not yet…." Stanwick gave a sinister laugh and said, "I change my decision. Let that brat come and entertain us."
"Stanwick~"
"Young lady! It's too late to repent," Hooded man cut off her words, "Learn from your sister, she agreed to bore your husband's children."
After he finished talking, he raised his wand and chanted a spell in the Ancient language.
Then two ice colored magic circles appeared beneath him, one rotating left, another right. Then snowflakes came out of them completely covering him before disappearing along with the man.
<<Two Circled Spell: Snow Blink>>
———
After Arthur went through the tree, he found himself in the cavern and when he turned around, he could see the cavern from previously he entered.
'I think they only cloaked the entrance from outside.' He thought and walked inside without delaying anytime. Sometime later, he saw the other end of the cave where the light was coming from them and exited through it.
Arthur arrived before the West-skull base but what surprised him was no one guarding the door nor watching from the watchtower. He found suspicious and about to enter the door, but what came next made him realize they already discovered him.
"I know you are there. No need to play hide and seek, your parents waiting for you."
Arthur frowned as he didn't understand how they found him? Whatever, since they already know I am here, I can only deal with them in confrontation. But they still hold mum and dad as a hostage, they might blackmail me using them. I need to be careful.
Arthur made his way as he devised a plan on how to deal with them. He unsheathed the 'Quick-Flash' before entering the base. He didn't know what awaited him inside the camp, but whatever it was, death was an option.
Arthur then walked inside the camp. When he entered the camp, he saw it looked more like a village. If he didn't know it was a bandit base, he would've thought it was another normal village.
He saw many women who were washing clothes and cooking. Although they were working, they resembled more like dead logs. There was no life in their eyes as if they fell into the abyss of depression.
'They all abducted?' Arthur frowned and saw they were hinting at him to escape.
Arthur but shook his head and shrugged helplessly, 'Trap? But I have no choice.'
The bandit village was not as big as Ashton, so he could see a large number of bandits gathered a hundred meters away from him.
Realizing that was where his parents held, he quickly made his way towards the group.
When the bandits saw Arthur walking towards them, they created the path so he could see his parents.
However, they never would've thought this action touched Arthur's reverse scale.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone