It was the third day since Alex and others left Eria's City to Gato's village to complete a request to finish their rank-up test.
Currently, the carriage was stopped and the sounds of fighting could be heard.
Naturally, it was Alex's group fighting against monsters, few stray goblins to be exact. Alex was not participating in this fight.
Eleonora moved swiftly between three goblins slicing their throats.
Spurt!!!
Just like that a fountain of blood splashed around and tried to rain down on Eleonora, however, the latter was too fast, none of the splashed blood landed on her.
Meanwhile, the three goblins had fallen onto the ground clutching their necks trying to stop more blood from leaving through the cut they received, soon the three goblins turned into corpses.
On the other side, Meera knocked three wind arrows that instantly killed three goblins by piercing their heads. Sebastian and Golfak just beheaded two goblins while Gracier's fireballs burned the goblins who escaped Lucien's Water bullets to crips.
The fight, no it couldn't be called fight it was a massacre, the massacre quickly ended and after collecting the usable materials from the dead monsters, they joined Alex in the carriage and departed.
''Your group's overall strength is quite high. Your coordination during these three days had improved.'' Conrad said with a smile.
The others nodded their heads not saying anything, it was not strange if their coordination improved, they had been fighting together for three days after all.
''I wonder if the main group had managed to come in contact with the group of the rampaging monsters? If it's yes then how many have they killed.''
Alex suddenly said while glancing at Conrad, the latter smiled because Alex's goal was obvious, he was hinting him to spill whatever he knew because he was one of the Guild staff members, he knew what going on, on the other side.
In the past two days, sometimes Conrad will slip away with the excuse that he had something to take care of but Alex knew he was using those occasions to be in touch with the other party after having Silveria spy on him with her ability, too bad he couldn't hear anything.
''Who knows, maybe they are already fighting, or maybe not. I have no way knowing.'' Conrad responded with a smile.
'Bullshit'
Thought Alex and others, Conrad probably knew what's going on the other, and yet he was playing the dumb here. How frustrating, well they only need to concentrate on what they were tasked to do and hope whatever the main group was doing would not affect them.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped moving, startling those who were inside. Alex looked out the window and asked Sebastian who was acting as the driver with Golfak being the lookout.
''What going on?"
''There is a group of men blocking the road twenty meters ahead.''
To Sebastian's words, Alex's eyebrows raised, he quickly used his Divine Sense to check and indeed there was a group blocking the road twenty meters ahead, a group of seven men, however, that wasn't all, another two men were hiding in a bush on the left and another two on the right.
Alex's lips curled up into a savage grin, seeing this Gracier and Eleonora asked,
''Big brother what's going on?"
''What's up Alex?"
''A group is blocking the road making it impossible for us to advance,'' Alex explained.
Meera and Lucien were surprised, they quickly understood what Alex's words imply, same with Eleonora who couldn't help but grin.
Meanwhile, only Gracier seemed puzzled by Alex's words, sighing Alex explained to his sister the real identity of this group blocking their road.
''Let's step forward, however first-''
Alex announced before whispered something into Eleonora, and Meera ears, both
girls were surprised after hearing Alex's order, they wanted to know how he knew this, however, they quickly calmed down their curiosity.
Alex informed Sebastian and Golfak to stop after giving his sister some instructions and be ready at any moment.
Everybody stepped out of the carriage and looked at the group not too far from them.
As Alex had seen it with help of his skill, there was a group of seven men blocking the road.
These seven men were dressed in shabby leather armors, they had an unkempt appearance, their eyes were vicious.
When they saw the beautiful girls descending from the carriage they couldn't hide the growing lust inside their eyes.
A bulky man with better armor Alex judged to be the leader of this group of thugs advanced arms crossed and said,
''Leave all your valuable behind.''
Alex had a sense of déjà vu when he heard the man's words.
〖Isn't it because you used the same words a few days ago to rob Diaz and his men clean? Now karma got you. Karma is a bitch〗
Silveria said while not hiding her smile.
'Shut up Sil. Mine was different.' Alex shouted back.
〖How so?〗Silveria asked in amused tone.
Not replying to Silveria Alex said,
''What if I refuse?"
The bulky man laughed and said, ''Then I will kill you after enjoying the women in front of you. I assure you, you will like it. If you don't want to die leave all your valuables behind and scram. Ah! The three women count as valuables, by the way, you men can scram for all I care, I don't swing that way.''
''But leader, that pretty boy can be useful to us. You know, hehehehe.'' One of the men on the right said while looking at Alex with lecherous eyes.
Alex felt goosebumps rising all over his body when he felt the man's hot gaze.
''Shut up, Goldat I'm talking here.'' the leader shouted, forcing the man, Goldat who spoke earlier to shut up.
Meanwhile, Eleonora almost burst into laughter when he heard the man's name, glancing at Golfak she said.
''It seems you found your lost brother. Ah! To think he turns out to be a thug.''
Golfak's face darkened, he almost cursed at Eleonora, however remembering her words, that gaze, he swallowed back his curses.
Alex glared at Eleonora forcing the latter to stop teasing Golfak while inwardly himself was doing his best not to laugh, Golfak and Goldat really sound alike.
Shaking his head Alex and the leader of the thugs' locked eyes, the latter asked.
''Pretty boy, what do you choose?"
''Scram and let us pass.'' Alex said.
''wrong answer. You are going to die. Boys kill the man and leave the women behind.'' the leader shouted before unsheathing his blade, the others followed suit, they dashed toward Alex's group.
Alex's eyes turned cold as he said, ''Eleonora, Meera, Gracier you know what to do.''
The girls nodded their heads, Eleonora disappeared into the left while Meera aimed her bow toward the right, Gracier also pointed her finger in the same direction.
The leader who saw this suddenly had a bad feeling and before he could speak Alex disappeared and appeared in front of him with his knife slashing at his neck, hastily bringing his sword up, the leader blocked the blade.
Pakin!
He thought he had escaped calamity, however, he felt a sudden suffocating feeling assaulting him making him dizzy for a second, that a fatal mistake that cost him his head.
Alex had used his skill Intimidation on the poor man.
The bandit leader's head left his body and started dancing in the air. Blood spurted from the headless body.
Silence descended upon the scene.
The remaining bandits were scared when they saw their leader who got quickly eliminated like a goblin. Sebastian used the chance of his opponent being surprised to quickly kill him, he moved toward another one.
Alex threw a Black Bettie's at one escaping thug, the knife pierced his neck from the back, the man dropped them.
"Run"
Shouted the remaining men after seeing the men waiting in ambush being eliminated, their heard anguished cries after numerous fireballs raining down on the right where the two men were stationed in ambush, Meera and Gracier combination was perfect, they quickly eliminated the two hiding men.
Eleonora also quickly eliminated the other two men on the left by appearing behind them and sliced their throats like a professional assassin.
Alex killed another thug, Sebastian also killed another one. Surprisingly, Lucien also killed one, however only Golfak did not kill any, he fought well but couldn't bring himself to finish the man after injuring him. His hands were shaking, it must be his first time hence he couldn't bring himself to do it, he didn't have the courage.
"Coward."
Eleonora who just came back muttered in disdain. She tried to quickly go finish the man, however, Alex stopped her and look at Sebastian in the eyes, the latter instantly understood what Alex wanted, swiftly moving behind the scared bandit, he gave him a hard chop on the neck making the latter lost consciousness.
On the other side, Gracier couldn't watch the dead bodies on the ground, she spun around and started puking, Meera's complexion wasn't looking good either, however, she had it better, Eleonora brought them elsewhere. Alex guessed it was to help the girls calm down after their first kill.
Alex did not feel anything after killing three-man, well three thugs who were after his valuables and his life. You either kill or get killed.