The moon hung low over Surat's hinterlands, the night's, silver light slicing through the forest canopy like a talwar's edge. Jai Vora, nine years old, led his nine followers—Vikram, Ram, Shashi, Kali, Kofi, Amir, Ravi, Manoj, and Annu—through the dense woods three kilometers from the bandits' mountain stronghold. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the only sounds their muffled steps and the distant hoot of an owl. Jai's stats burned in his mind, a beacon of his reborn purpose.
The Emperor System, its AI-spirit voice buzzing with electric anticipation, had sparked to life hours earlier, granting Jai a new quest: "Recover the Lost Shipment. Reward: +5 Power, +5 Charm. Bonus: Map of bandit location." A glowing map unfurled in Jai's mind, pinpointing the bandits' temporary camp in the forest, where they'd settled after looting the Vora family's spice shipment for the Mughal king. "System," Jai whispered, gripping his sword, "you're my MVP tonight. Finding 16 bandits in this jungle? That's like spotting a diamond in a coal pile."
"Flattery won't boost your stats, kid. Sixteen bandits, three to four with Strength above 10, leader's got Strength=19, Agility=18. They're seasoned killers, coordinated like wolves. Your crew's got heart, but don't underestimate them."
Jai's team, masked in dark cloth, moved like shadows. Their weapons—swords, blades, bows gleamed faintly, bought with Jai's hard-earned 50 silver. The system's map guided them to a clearing where the bandits' camp sprawled: crude tents, a smoldering fire, and two oxcarts laden with stolen saffron and cloves. Sixteen figures lounged or patrolled, their laughter coarse, blades glinting. Jai's Ability Detector scanned superficially: most had average stats (Power=7-9, Agility=6-8), but four stood out with Strength=10-12, and the leader—a hulking man with a curved dagger—radiated Strength=19, Agility=18, his movements fluid yet predatory.
Jai crouched behind a banyan, his Wisdom=105 weaving a plan. "They're tough, but we're smarter. Kofi, Amir—your Power and skills match their leader. Take him down. Vikram, Manoj, use bows to pin their archers. Ram, Shashi, Kali, Ravi, Annu, pair up, hit the strong ones first, then the rest. We surround, strike fast, no mercy." His followers nodded, their loyalty, a silent steel binding them. Shashi whispered, "For Vora's honor." Kali's eyes blazed, his Health=14 steadying his grip.
They fanned out, encircling the camp like a noose tightening. Jai's heart thundered, but his Charm=9 steadied his voice. "Now!" Arrows flew from Vikram and Manoj, their Perception boosted to 7 and 16, catching two bandit archers in the shoulders. Chaos erupted. Kofi (Power=31 with sword) and Amir (Power=29, Agility=15 with blade) charged the leader, their movements a deadly dance. The leader roared, his dagger flashing, but Kofi's strength met Amir's Bladework precision. Kofi's sword clashed with the leader's dagger, sparks flying like fireflies, while Amir darted in, his blade slicing the leader's flank. The bandit's Agility=18 kept him alive—barely—until Kofi's crushing blow to his chest and Amir's swift cut to his throat ended him, his body crumpling like a felled tree.
The battle exploded across the clearing. Ram (Power=17 with sword) and Kali (Power=18 with sword) tackled a bandit with Strength=12, their blades a whirlwind as they parried his axe. Shashi's blade (Agility=15) danced through a second strong bandit, his Wisdom=15 guiding precise strikes. Ravi (Power=17 with sword) and Annu (Power=19 with sword) felled another, their teamwork seamless. Vikram and Manoj loosed arrows, pinning weaker bandits, while Jai darted through the fray, his Power=14 and Agility=9 slashing at legs, disabling two. The bandits, though practiced killers, faltered against Jai's coordinated assault, their cohesion unraveling as their leader's body lay still.
Blood stained the earth, but Jai's team fought with purpose, not cruelty. Within minutes, six bandits lay dead, including the leader; four were wounded, groaning; and six surrendered, their weapons dropped. Jai's voice cut through the night. "Tie them up". Kofi and Amir bound the survivors with rope from the carts, their faces grim but resolute. The oxcarts, heavy with stolen spices, were secured, their wheels creaking as the team prepared to move.
Under moonlight, they trekked back to Surat, the carts rumbling softly. At the city gate, they left the tied bandits and the leader's body before the guardhouse, a note pinned to the corpse: "Bandits who plagued the Deccan road, ended by Wings of Freedom." At the Vora home, they parked the carts in the shadowed courtyard, another note tucked among the sacks: "Vora's shipment, returned by Wings of Freedom." Their identities masked, they slipped away, the night swallowing their steps.
By dawn, Surat buzzed with the news. Merchants whispered in the market, guards marveled at the gate, and Anil wept with relief, clutching the note. "Wings of Freedom," he murmured, pride swelling for his unseen saviors. The city hailed the mysterious group, their deed a spark of hope against lawlessness. Jai, back in his cot, grinned as the system chimed: "Quest complete: Shipment recovered. Reward: +5 Strength, +5 Charm. Bonus: Reputation boost for 'Wings of Freedom.' You're a legend, Jai!"
In his heart, this was more than spices—it was the dawn of Vora Trading Company, a blade aimed at the EIC's heart.