To be honest.
The fact that the Captain lost had everyone dumbfounded.
One against thirty, everyone was shocked.
But when all thirty pairs of pants were pulled down, that's when everyone was truly stunned.
The coachman's hand trembled, and the reins fell to the ground.
He'd been driving carriages his whole life, and now he was going to lose his reputation in his old age?
Judy's eyes widened, looking at the female bandit in disbelief, gripping her staff tightly.
“She wouldn't pull my pants down, would she?”
Eric also looked shocked.
His intuition had never been wrong; how could this woman be so strong?
“I didn’t feel like she was that strong.”
Atai'er explained:
“She has a special bloodline; your intuition hasn't advanced to Original Consciousness yet, so it's not working.”
Eric finally relaxed.
“What should we do?”
“Pay the toll and mind our own business.”
Eric didn't care either.
Because that’s how it had been all along the way.
Bandits also had rules; they usually just collected a reasonable amount and then left.
The female bandit finished off all the mercenary group members, then approached the boss with her sword.
“So you’re the one who wanted to throw me into the river?”
The boss was paralyzed with fear.
He had thought this woman had a strong background, but who knew she was strong herself?
“Hero, spare my life! I’ll pay, I’ll pay.”
Just like that, the female bandit began collecting protection money from carriage after carriage.
She probably wasn't a legitimate bandit.
Because she always took the most valuable items from the carriage, instead of just taking money and leaving.
After some commotion, she finally arrived at the last carriage.
Which was the carriage Eric and the others were in.
“Pay up or go into the river?”
Atai'er said nothing, silently pulling a pouch of money from his Arms and tossing it to the female bandit.
The female bandit was still not satisfied.
Her gaze kept sweeping over the three of them.
Judy pulled down her witch's hat and scooted back.
Eric sat cross-legged, his short sword resting on his lap.
Atai'er wore a hood, and no one could see his face.
Finally, the female bandit's gaze lingered on the green lantern beside Atai'er.
“That lantern is a magic item, isn’t it?”
With that, she pointed at Eric:
“Hey, shorty, go get that lantern.”
Shorty?!
Who are you calling shorty?
What era is this, and you're still discriminating based on height?
Eric trembled with anger, his hand involuntarily reaching for the hilt of his sword.
Seeing Eric not move, the female bandit turned her gaze to Judy.
She lifted Judy's witch's hat, peeked inside, then gently lowered it, helping to straighten the brim, not making things difficult for Judy.
Finally, she looked at Atai'er and said:
“Don’t make me do this, or I’ll pull your pants down.”
Eric applauded her bravery.
Inside the carriage, no one moved.
Seeing that the two were not cooperating, the female bandit frowned. She glanced at the three of them, not looking deeply, but instead drew her long sword and placed it directly against Eric's neck.
“Clang—”
The long sword and short sword collided.
“Shorty, you, get me that lantern.”
Eric looked at the long sword in front of him, gripping the hilt of his fine iron short sword, and pouted:
“Why don’t you just reach out and get it yourself?”
“I told you to get it. Are you short in height and also short in hearing compared to others?”
“Heh heh.”
Eric sneered.
Your mouth is pretty foul, huh?
The short sword gradually pushed the long sword away from his neck, and Eric said:
“Damn it, calling me shorty again and again. Is it so great to be tall, you damn it?”
The female bandit pressed down hard on her sword, but Eric merely exerted a gentle force, and the long sword was still guided away by the short sword.
The long sword was long, and the female bandit exerted force from the hilt, but Eric's short sword only parried the tip of the long sword.
A simple lever principle made the female bandit break out in a sweat.
Eric looked at this woman as if she were an idiot.
The female bandit's eyes, however, narrowed.
These people in the carriage were indeed not ordinary.
She suddenly withdrew her long sword, turned and jumped off the carriage, then looked back and shouted at the carriage:
“Are there no adults inside? Letting a child stand in front? If you have guts, come down.”
Damn it.
A scholar can be humiliated, but there's a limit.
Today, this idiot must be taught a lesson.
Eric, holding his short sword, flipped down from the carriage.
“No need for Teacher to act, I’ll do it.”
“Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a child.”
“Heh heh, you’d better take care of yourself.”
The female bandit was not careless; instead, she continuously retreated, creating a long distance.
Eric spat disdainfully.
Just a slight exchange of blows, and he had already sensed the depth of this woman's skill.
Her level?
She could only bully ordinary Ranks.
Eric looked at his system panel.
【Character Name: Eric Garanode (Murmur of the Moon)
Info: Human (Half-elf)
Status: Good
Rank: Level 5 Hunter
Hero Rank: Level 3 Ranger
Legendary Rank: None
Title: None
Equipment: Vigorous Death-Thorn (Divine Artifact), Moon Elf Longbow (Rare), Wind Wolf Boots (Excellent), Leather Quiver (Common)
Talents: Child of the Moon (Initial Moonlight Blessing)
Skills:
Moon Elf Archery (Beginner)
Leatherworking (Beginner)
Altair Swordsmanship (Proficient)
Chop (Skilled)
Gale Slash (Beginner)
Silver Dew Blessing (Talent)
Radiant Resonance (Talent)】
In two months, Altair Swordsmanship became proficient, Chop skilled, Gale Slash beginner, Moon Elf Archery beginner, Hunter rose to Level 5, and Ranger rose to Level 3.
Eric’s growth speed even amazed Atai'er repeatedly.
There weren't as many extraordinary individuals in this world as imagined; in this mercenary group, only the Captain was a Warrior, an ordinary Rank.
And compared to ordinary Ranks and Hero Ranks.
One was in the heavens, the other on the ground.
Someone like Eric was already a figure who could pat others on the shoulder and encourage juniors.
“Are you ready?”
The female bandit across from him shouted, and without waiting for Eric to react, she quickly added:
“I’ll count to three, got it?”
Eric twirled his sword, smiled disdainfully, and nodded.
“One.”
“Charge.”
A red light flashed, and the female bandit instantly rushed in front of Eric.
A cheap trick.
Too bad it was useless against Eric.
He ducked down, dodging the female bandit's upward slash.
With a flick of his short sword and magic infused into his Wind Wolf Boots, Eric circled around the female bandit's waist, floating lightly in a circle, like a falling leaf dancing around a small tree.
The female bandit stopped and looked down.
Eric had cut a circle through her breeches from the front, from her knees up to her buttocks, revealing a large expanse of pale skin.
“Shameless.”
The female bandit gritted her teeth.
She looked back at Eric, an angry expression on her face, and once again took up a charging stance.
Eric helplessly tossed his dagger into the air and caught it with a backhand.
He said disdainfully:
“Don’t you like pulling people’s pants down? What? You don’t like it when it’s your turn?”
“You bastard.”
The female bandit flew towards Eric.
Eric, just like before, lightly floated behind the woman.
But as the female bandit passed Eric, she sneered, then gripped her two swords tightly and spun around rapidly.
“Spinning Slash.”
This spinning slash was extremely fast, perfect for dealing with those fast guys who liked to get behind you.
But when the female bandit turned around, her face was filled with shame and indignation.
Eric had already jumped onto the woman's back.
One hand reached out from behind the female bandit, wrapped over her shoulder, swept past her chest, and snatched away three buttons.
As he jumped away from behind her, his sword edge lightly grazed her back.
Eric floated to the ground.
The female bandit's collar was open, her shirt's back, along with her undershirt, was completely sliced open, revealing her pale, smooth back and collarbones to the sunlight.
【Altair Swordsmanship (Proficient)】
Eric’s control over distance was already at a masterful level.
His control of this sword strike was excellent; it cut through the shirt and undergarments without harming a single bit of skin.
“Oh, little brother is mighty.”
“Your clothes are all torn off, aren't you going to run?”
“Those legs, that back, brother knows how to play.”
The mercenaries who had climbed out of the water, still submerged from the waist down, all stood up and started jeering.
Eric lightly shook his sword, and the three buttons fell at the female bandit's feet.
“Now, is your mouth still foul?”
Ah, it’s finally my turn to show off in this world.