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The Strongest Transcendent In History Is The Strongest
Chapter 12: The Puzzle
Katsume skillfully restrains the bandit, deftly securing his wrists with sturdy ropes while ensuring he cannot escape. Once she has successfully bound him, she drags him away from the scene of their confrontation, her determination unwavering. The journey is filled with silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of the woods around them.
When the bandit finally regains consciousness, he realizes he is not in a comfortable setting. Instead, he finds himself lying on a splintered wooden table in a dimly lit room, his arms firmly shackled to the sturdy legs of the table. The chill of the air seeps into him, but it is not the physical discomfort that jolts him awake; it is the piercing intensity of Katsume's gaze as she looms over him, her silhouette framed by a single flickering candle.
Katsume takes a moment to scrutinize him closely, allowing the dim light to reflect in her serious and determined eyes. "Who are you really?" she demands with a tone that leaves no room for defiance. "You're clearly not just an ordinary bandit. With agility like that, you've got training. So tell me, who sent you?" Her voice echoes in the sparsely furnished room, filled with an air of palpable tension.
The bandit, a smirk playing on his lips, responds with a cheeky tone, "Hmm, so you finally figured it out, huh?"
In a swift motion, Katsume slams the side of his head against the hard wooden surface of the table, the sound reverberating throughout the small room. "Just answer me," she insists, her voice low and unwavering as the depth of her seriousness escalates.
Unfazed by the physical assault, the bandit lets out a chuckle, taunting her. "Why should I tell you anything?" He leans back against the table, clearly enjoying the game they are playing, despite his precarious predicament.
Katsume matches his grin with one of her own, but there's a fierceness behind it that chills to the bone. "Well, if you don't want to be thrust into a world of pain that makes this little chat seem like a friendly conversation, I highly recommend you reconsider your position," she warns. Her tone is as sharp as her knife, and he understands that her patience is fading.
Panic begins to set in for the bandit, his bravado faltering as the implications of her threat sink in. "Alright, alright! I'll spill the beans," he exclaims, his voice a mix of resignation and fear. "Just promise you won't hurt me, and I'll tell you everything you want to know. The buyer's name was..." He trails off, but the weight of his admission hangs in the air, signaling a shift in the balance of power.
To be continued...