14 — OF SWEAT
The Southern Road snaked through wooded hills. Ideal terrain for
ambushes. They walked for three hours, alert, taking advantage of the
silence to practice.
— Front foot is turning, Zik noted.
— Shit.
Kael corrected his Stance while walking. Over and over.
[STANCE: +2 HOURS] [25/200 HOURS]
— The bandits operate near Twin Oaks Pass. Narrow passage.
Perfect for blocking caravans.
— How do you know that?
— It was on the back of the quest parchment.
— Ah. I didn’t look.
— Amateur, Zik smirked.
They arrived at Twin Oaks Pass around noon. Two large oaks indeed
framed a narrow passage between two hills.
— Classic ambush, Zik whispered, scanning the bushes. They’re
surely there.
— How do we proceed?
— I hide. You walk forward alone. Attract them, keep them busy.
I’ll control them from the shadows.
— Good strategy. Kael, use the training sword. Keep Sigurd in
reserve.
— Why? The real rapier would be more efficient.
— Exactly. Prove that you’ve progressed. Prove that it’s not
the weapon carrying you.
Kael hesitated, then nodded.
— Okay. I’ll use the heavy training rapier.
Zik vanished into the bushes with stunning fluidity. Invisible in
three seconds. Kael moved forward alone, clearly visible in his new
black duelist uniform. He had the heavy training rapier
strapped to one side and his short sword on the other. Five
minutes of conspicuous walking. Then, a voice.
— Halt, traveler.
Five men emerged from the woods simultaneously. Coordinated
encirclement. Armed. Dirty. Professional.
[BANDITS ×5] [LEVEL 5-6] [HP: 45-60 EACH]
The leader, a massive man with a greataxe, examined Kael with a
predatory smile.
— Nice uniform, kid. A lost duelist? Far from your training
hall?
— Just passing through, Kael said calmly.
— You’ve got a funny sword. Hand it over. And your pouch. And
your boots. And that fine shirt. Maybe then we’ll let you leave in
your underwear.
— No.
The leader laughed, a humorless sound.
— You’ve got guts. But you’re alone. We’re five.
Mathematics are cruel.
— Mathematics are indeed cruel, Kael replied, slowly dropping
into his Concentration Stance.
He drew the heavy training rapier with his right hand and the training main-gauche with his left. Feet: Forty-sixty. Torso
leaned. The heavy training blade pointed at the leader's throat,
while the short sword was held lower, ready to parry. The blur
appeared slightly around him.
— You are five. But you are slow. Predictable. And you are going
to die here.
[PROVOCATION]
[EFFECT: +10% AGGRO, ENRAGES TARGETS]
The five bandits growled, insulted.
— Arrogant little shit, the leader spat. Kill him. Slowly.
Three bandits charged simultaneously. Kael braced himself. The
heavy training rapier was three kilos of poorly balanced
metal, demanding and exhausting. The first bandit attacked from the
right. Kael glided. Not like before. Fluid. The Stance held.
[STANCE MAINTAINED]
He parried the bandit's rusty blade with a sharp of
his main-gauche, using the momentum to drive the heavy
training rapier forward in a straight line.
[CLOSE THRUST: 7 MP]
[22 HP]
[BANDIT #1: 38/60 HP]
The second bandit struck from the left. Kael glided again. He used
the main-gauche to deflect the blow upward, barely maintaining
his balance under the weight of his main weapon.
[STANCE MAINTAINED WITH DIFFICULTY]
The heavy training rapier was slowing him down. Every
movement required more effort. More precision. He was already
sweating.
— Breathe. Maintain the Stance. Glide, don't pivot.
Kael took a deep breath. Glided toward the third bandit, keeping
his dagger in a defensive guard.
[LONG THRUST: 10 MP]
[25 HP]
[BANDIT #2: 35/60 HP]
Meanwhile, Zik worked silently. A bear trap, camouflaged under
dead leaves. A net suspended between two trees. Three poisoned darts
ready.
[TRAP SET: BEAR TRAP]
[TRAP SET: NET]
Bandit #3 charged brutally toward Kael. And stepped directly into
the trap.
[TRAP TRIGGERED]
[32 HP + IMMOBILIZED 30 SECONDS]
[BANDIT #3:
28/60 HP]
The bandit screamed, trapped, desperately trying to tear it off.
— There’s a second one! the leader shouted. A goblin in the
bushes!
Zik threw his three poisoned darts. Three clean hits.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
[POISON APPLIED ×3]
[BANDITS #1, #2, #4: SLOWED -30% SPEED FOR 45
SECONDS]
Kael took advantage of the slowdown. But the heavy training
rapier was already exhausting him.
[PM: 50/74]
Bandit #1, slowed by the poison, attacked clumsily. Kael glided,
parried with themain-gauche, and counter-attacked with the
heavy training rapier.
[CLOSE THRUST: 7 MP]
[28 HP]
[BANDIT #1: 10/60 HP]
Glide. Finish.
[CLOSE THRUST: 7 MP]
[12 HP]
[BANDIT #1: DEAD]
One down. But Kael was panting. The heavy training rapier
burned his muscles. Every move cost him.
The leader and bandit #4 converged simultaneously on Kael.
— Focus on the duelist! the leader ordered. Ignore the goblin!
Two against one. The two strongest. Kael repositioned into his
Stance, crossing his blades. His legs trembled slightly. Muscle
fatigue. The leader attacked with his axe. Raw power. Kael tried to
parry with both swords crossed, but the impact of the axe was too
much for the heavy training rapier to deflect easily. It
knocked him back three steps.
[STANCE LOST]
Shit. Bandit #4 took advantage of the opening, striking his flank.
[18 HP DAMAGE]
[KAEL HP: 174/192]
Kael groaned in pain, quickly repositioning.
Feet. Torso. Weapons.
[STANCE RESTORED]
The leader charged again. But this time, Kael glided perfectly.
[STANCE MAINTAINED]
The axe split the air where he had been a second before.
[LONG THRUST: 10 MP]
[31 HP]
[BANDIT #4: 29/60 HP]
Zik surfaced behind bandit #2, still slowed by the poison.
[SNEAK ATTACK: 26 HP]
[BANDIT #2: 9/60 HP]
[DAGGER FINISH: 11 HP]
[BANDIT #2: DEAD]
Two down. Three remaining. Bandit #3, still immobilized in the
trap, tried frantically to free himself. Zik threw a poisoned dart
straight into his neck.
[ENHANCED POISON: -10 HP + PARALYSIS]
[BANDIT #3: 18/60 HP -
PARALYZED]
The bandit collapsed, conscious but unable to move. Three against
two now. But Kael was exhausting fast.
[PM: 26/74]
The heavy training rapier slowed him down. Every thrust was
expensive. Every parry with the short sword sent vibrations
through his tired arms.
The leader and bandit #4 coordinated their attack. Simultaneously.
Two opposite directions. Kael glided, parried the leader with the
heavy training rapier. But he couldn't bring the dagger around fast enough to block #4.
[22 HP DAMAGE]
[HP: 152/192]
[STANCE LOST]
He stumbled, breathless.
— He’s tiring! the leader yelled. Finish him!
Kael breathed with difficulty. His muscles screamed. The heavy
training rapier felt like lead, and the main-gauche felt
like it was slipping from his numb fingers. But he repositioned
himself. Stance. Again. Always.
[STANCE RESTORED]
Bandit #4 attacked. Kael glided. He swept the bandit's weapon
aside with the dagger, creating a massive opening. With a
final surge of strength, he drove the heavy training rapier
home with cold precision.
[CLOSE THRUST: 7 MP]
[CRITICAL: 38 HP]
[BANDIT #4: DEAD - HEART
PIERCED]
The bandit collapsed, eyes wide in surprise. Remaining: the
leader. And the paralyzed bandit #3. The leader stepped back,
reassessing the situation.
— You’re good, kid. Really good. But you’re at your limit. I
see it.
It was true. Kael was panting. His arms shook. The heavy
training rapier wavered in his hand.
[PM: 19/74]
The leader charged one last time. All his power. All his rage.
Kael glided. One last perfect glide.
[STANCE MAINTAINED]
The axe passed an inch from his head.
[LONG THRUST: 10 MP]
The heavy training blade pierced the leader's throat. Not
elegant. Not perfect. But lethal.
[45 HP]
[LEADER: DEAD]
The leader collapsed, drowning in his own blood. Kael turned
toward bandit #3, still paralyzed in the trap.
— We... we surrender, the terrified bandit gasped. Pity.
Zik approached, dagger in hand.
— Bandits who surrender never start over, he said coldly.
[FINISHER: DEAD]
Silence. Five dead bandits. Kael and Zik standing, alive,
exhausted.
[COMBAT ENDED]
[+350 SHARED XP]
[KAEL XP: 1250/700]
[LEVEL
7 REACHED!]
Kael dropped both the short sword and the heavy training
rapier. His arms no longer responded. He sat heavily against a
tree, panting as if he had run a marathon.
— Dammit... he whispered. Dammit.
— You won, Zik said. With the heavy training rapier. Without Black-Forest's blade...
— I almost lost. Several times.
— But you didn't lose. That’s what counts.
— You’ve progressed. Truly. The Stance made the difference.
Not the weapon.
Kael nodded weakly.
[LEVEL 7 REACHED!]
[HP: 10 + (7 × 26) = 192 HP]
[FULL RECOVERY: ODD LEVEL UP!]
[HP: 192/192]
[MP: 10 + (9 × 7) + 10 = 83 MP]
[SKILL POINT: +1]
— Endurance, Kael murmured.
[ENDURANCE: 26 + 1 = 27]
[RECALCULATED MAX HP: 10 + (7 × 27) = 199 HP]
[CURRENT HP: 199/199]
They searched the bodies. 47
coppers. A few low-quality weapons. Some dried food.
[MONEY: 3 → 50 COPPERS]
— Back to Hill-Furt, Kael said, standing up painfully. Validate
the quest. Pay our debts.
— Good idea. I need a real meal.
They walked in silence for an hour. Then Zik spoke.
— You could have used . It would have been easier.
— Yeah.
— Why didn't you draw it?
Kael touched the thick cloth case strapped to his back. The rapier
lay there, silent.
— Because... I need to know if I’m worth anything without it.
If it’s me progressing, or just the weapon compensating.
— And?
— I’m progressing. Slowly. Painfully. But I’m progressing.
— Thank you, Narrator.
Return to Hill-Furt. Quest validation at the Guild counter.
— Southern Road bandits. Eliminated. Five bodies confirmed by
our scouts. Excellent work.
[QUEST VALIDATED]
[80 COPPERS RECEIVED]
[MONEY: 50 → 130
COPPERS]
They repaid Kassios immediately. 10 coppers.
[MONEY: 130 → 120 COPPERS]
Then up to the third floor. Valdris's office.
— Master, Kael said. We owe you 85 remaining coppers. Here they
are.
Valdris took the money, nodding with satisfaction.
— Debt honored. Good. How was the fight?
— Tough. I only used the training sword.
— Show me your hands.
Kael held out his hands. They were still trembling slightly.
Valdris smiled.
— You fought hard. Your muscles suffered. Good. Very good. True
progression comes from suffering, not ease.
— I almost lost several times.
— But you didn't lose. And now you know exactly where your
limits are. That is precious.
They returned to the Guild. Quest board.
[YELLOW QUEST]: HILL TROLL 150 coppers - Bear Rank - Very high
risk
— The troll, Kael said. 150 coppers.
— You sure? Trolls are level 8-9.
— We beat five bandits. We can handle a troll.
— ...
— Narrator? You’re quiet.
They took the parchment.
[QUEST ACCEPTED: HILL TROLL]
[DIFFICULTY: VERY HIGH]
[REWARD: 150
COPPERS]