Download App
40.74% The Magic Arrangement / Chapter 11: The Bandits in the Wild

Chapter 11: The Bandits in the Wild

Chapter 11: The Bandits in the Wild

The wheels of the caravan creaked as they trundled along the dirt road, the morning sun now high in the sky, casting long shadows across the rugged landscape. The journey had been peaceful so far, the countryside stretching in endless waves of golden fields and dry hills, broken only by the occasional thicket or farmstead. Alden rode at the head of the caravan, his eyes scanning the horizon, his mind focused on the journey ahead. He had never travelled far beyond the Harroway estate, and now, with the weight of his ambitions pressing on him, the world seemed both vast and full of promise.

But the peace of the road was about to be shattered.

As the caravan rounded a bend, Alden noticed something unusual. A small group of figures stood ahead, blocking the road. At first glance, they looked ragged, their clothes tattered and their weapons crude—little more than makeshift spears and daggers cobbled together from scrap metal. It was immediately clear they were no simple travellers.

Bandits.

Alden's heart raced as he signalled for the caravan to halt. The workers behind him muttered nervously, their hands instinctively gripping the reins of the horses tighter. He could feel the tension rising in the air, the sudden shift from calm to danger palpable.

The bandits, perhaps five in total, approached cautiously. Their faces were gaunt, their eyes hollow from hunger and desperation. It was obvious they were ill-prepared and inexperienced, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. Desperation often fuelled the most reckless actions.

One of the bandits, a tall, wiry man with a patchy beard, stepped forward, holding a rusty blade at his side. His voice was gruff but shaky, betraying his unease.

"Hand over whatever goods you've got," he demanded, trying to sound menacing. "We don't want to hurt anyone, but we will if we have to."

Alden's mind raced. He had read about banditry in this world but had never encountered it himself. He could see that these men were poor, likely victims of the drought and political unrest that had plagued the land. But that didn't change the fact that they posed a threat.

The caravan workers looked to Alden for guidance, their faces pale with fear. Bran, standing nearby, reached for the short sword strapped to his belt, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for a potential fight.

But Alden raised a hand, stopping him.

"I'll handle this," he said quietly.

Without another word, Alden dismounted his horse and strode forward, moving with a calmness that surprised even him. The bandits watched him warily as he approached, clearly unsure of what to make of this nobleman who seemed unafraid in the face of their weapons.

As Alden neared the leader, he remembered something from his previous life—something that had nothing to do with plants or genetics but everything to do with survival. He had trained in Krav Maga, a martial art designed for real-world combat situations, focusing on disarming opponents quickly and efficiently. It was a brutal, effective system that relied on instinct and precision. In his old life, it had been a way to stay fit and focused. Now, it was about to save his life.

The bandit leader, emboldened by Alden's approach, lunged forward with his rusty blade, aiming to strike quickly and end the confrontation. But Alden was faster.

In a fluid motion, Alden sidestepped the attack, his body moving with a grace and precision that seemed out of place in the rough wilderness. He grabbed the bandit's wrist, twisting it sharply, forcing the man to drop his weapon with a pained yelp. In the same instant, Alden swept the man's legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.

The other bandits hesitated, shocked by how quickly their leader had been disarmed. But Alden didn't give them time to regroup.

He moved swiftly, targeting the next nearest bandit—a shorter man with a poorly made spear. Alden closed the distance between them in seconds, using the butt of the spear to knock the man off balance before delivering a quick strike to his midsection, sending him sprawling.

The third bandit, panicking, swung wildly with a club, but Alden ducked beneath the swing, stepping into the man's space and delivering a sharp elbow to his ribs. The bandit gasped in pain, collapsing to his knees.

In less than a minute, three of the bandits were disarmed and incapacitated, leaving the remaining two standing wide-eyed with fear. They glanced at each other, their resolve crumbling as they realised they were no match for the man before them.

Alden straightened, his breath steady, and looked at the two remaining bandits. "Leave," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "Now. Before I change my mind."

The two men didn't need to be told twice. They turned and fled, disappearing into the brush, their makeshift weapons abandoned in their haste.

Alden exhaled slowly, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He turned to Bran, who was staring at him in stunned silence, along with the rest of the caravan workers.

Bran finally found his voice. "What… what was that, young master? You took them down like they were nothing."

Alden shrugged, wiping the dust from his hands. "Just a bit of training from my old life."

The bandits he had disarmed groaned on the ground, clutching their bruises and broken pride. Alden motioned for the caravan workers to help them to their feet. "Let them go. They're not a real threat anymore."

The workers hesitated but followed his orders. The bandits, weak and humiliated, stumbled away, limping back into the wild with nothing to show for their efforts.

As Alden mounted his horse again, Bran rode up beside him, his expression still a mix of awe and confusion.

"I've known you your whole life, and I've never seen you fight like that," Bran said, shaking his head. "Where did you learn it?"

Alden gave a small, cryptic smile. "It's a long story, Bran. Maybe I'll tell you one day."

With that, the caravan continued its journey, the threat of the bandits fading behind them. But Alden's mind remained sharp. This world, while full of opportunity, was also full of dangers—dangers that couldn't always be solved with science or diplomacy.

Sometimes, a firm hand was needed. And Alden was prepared to use whatever knowledge he had from his previous life to survive and protect his dream.

The encounter had been a stark reminder: the world beyond the estate was harsher than the quiet fields of Harroway. If Alden was to succeed in building his vision, he would need more than just cleverness and crops. He would need strength, cunning, and the ability to defend himself against those who would take advantage of him.

But for now, the road ahead was clear. And Alden's journey towards securing the future of his work—and his family—was only just beginning


next chapter
Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Rank -- Power Ranking
Stone -- Power stone

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C11
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank NO.-- Power Ranking
Stone -- Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT