According to the "Mole Man."
Every day at dusk, they would burn a batch of people to sacrifice to God Rudra in Heaven.
This location was still over a hundred kilometers from Orario, making the round trip over three hundred kilometers. With only two or three hours left until dusk, running back for reinforcements was impossible. Roy could only go alone.
If he hadn't known about this, Roy could have simply turned and left. But since he did know, turning a blind eye would surely leave a nagging sense of guilt. He was an adult with a normal sense of right and wrong.
Roy returned to the caravan, told everyone the situation, and received unanimous support.
Thinking they were going to save lives, the young lads eagerly wanted to rush forward and join Roy. It was the older guards who had to knock some sense into them with their scabbards, reminding them that their low-level skills would only make them a burden.
"Mr. Roy, go ahead. We can handle this distance!" the big man said earnestly.
The closer they got to Orario, the higher the safety factor.
The suburbs outside Orario had vast farmlands planted by Familias like Demeter. To prevent the fields from being destroyed or looted, basic security forces were deployed. In essence, they hired adventurers from other Familias, mostly the Ganesha Familia, as guards.
If they encountered danger, they could ask them for help.
For the sake of Orario's economic development, the Ganesha Familia members would not allow caravans to be plundered.
The two parties split up. The caravan sped up its journey towards Orario to call for backup for Roy.
Roy forcibly dragged the "Mole Man" towards the bandits' main base. Guided by the man, they entered the deep mountains, traversing uneven, winding paths.
After more than half an hour, a base, seemingly built out of caves, appeared in their sight.
Roy cursed inwardly. They're hiding too well.
This deep, old forest served as a natural barrier. Without a guide, even if hundreds of people were called in to search for days and nights, they might not find this place.
Roy lay on the ground, rolling several times, deliberately covering his clothes and face with dirt.
He intended to sneak in with the "Mole Man."
Since there were three Level 2 remnants at large, directly charging in would surely cause one or two of them to escape, and Roy would not allow that. During the sacrifice, the three Level 2 members would certainly show up to demonstrate respect for God Rudra.
This time, Roy wanted a complete sweep!
Making the "Mole Man" walk in front, Roy followed closely and whispered, "Don't leave my five-meter radius, or I'll kill you instantly!"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"
The "Mole Man" nodded so fast his head was a blur. He knew Roy wasn't joking. At the slightest sign of abnormal behavior, Roy would strike without mercy.
This was the ruthless person who had annihilated both the Rudra Familia and the Apollo Familia. At this distance, even a single second was enough for Roy to kill him three or four times and then desecrate the corpse.
The two walked toward the main base.
At the entrance, only seven or eight people had returned from the battle, lying on the ground like defeated soldiers among the hundred-plus members.
"Who the hell was that kid?"
"He dared to charge at over a hundred of us alone!"
"Stop talking! That guy is a monster! That spear throw killed two people at two hundred meters!"
The bandits complained, having survived a near-death experience. The terror on their faces had not yet dissipated.
"Speaking of which, he kinda looks like the Bud of Justice..."
Someone timidly whispered the observation.
At that remark, the surrounding area fell into a dead silence. Horror crept onto the faces of the bandits.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The bandits comforted themselves, but their bodies involuntarily trembled. They might not be so afraid of Level 3 or Level 4 adventurers, but being targeted by "Bud of Justice" meant annihilation at the very least, with an unknown upper limit.
What kind of decent person starts a fight aiming for annihilation? The martial world isn't about fighting and killing; it's about relationships and etiquette...
"Lov, you survived too! That's great! It seems we are both lucky."
"Yeah, lucky..."
Roy and the "Mole Man" appeared at the entrance, looking shaken, and greeted everyone.
A burly man, who was also a Rudra Familia remnant with Level 1 strength, gritted his teeth. "If that little bastard falls into my hands, I'll make sure he pays dearly, cutting him into a thousand pieces with the sharpest knife!"
Lov was the "Mole Man's" real name. At this moment, he wanted to cry. Brother, please stop talking! That murderous god is right next to us!
Roy looked completely unconcerned, even joining the bandits in complaining about the "murderous god" who attacked them. He blended in perfectly. Everyone was so rattled that they didn't notice this anomaly.
After all, they were just a group cobbled together temporarily half a month ago.
People joined every day, and others left.
They had no concept of "comrade," so they didn't remember who was around. Seeing Roy, they simply assumed he was a newcomer brought back by the "Mole Man."
"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-H!"
A piercing scream drew everyone's attention, and they all turned their heads.
A middle-aged man was strung upside down from a large tree. The bandits who had just returned from the earlier skirmy looked brutal, and one lashed the man mercilessly with a spiked whip. The screams were incessant.
The surrounding bandits roared with laughter, inciting the whipping. They didn't have the guts to attack the "Bud of Justice," so they vented their anger on these weaker victims.
With everyone distracted by the torture, Roy secretly observed the layout of the main base.
The bandits used the dense caves as their stronghold.
Some of the caves were fitted with iron bars, specifically used to imprison the people they had plundered.
At a glance, about seventy or eighty people were locked up in the caves. It seemed like a lot, but even more people had died. The large pit in the clearing was full of ashes, belonging to those who had been burned alive in previous sacrifices.
Suddenly, Roy stopped. He spotted a slightly familiar figure in one of the cages.
It was a Half-Elf with pointed ears and clear, emerald-colored eyes.
Her medium-length brown hair was glossy. Her beautiful appearance wasn't as flawlessly sharp as a true Elf's, but rather possessed a more rounded, natural charm. At just fifteen years old, her youthful face held a touch of cuteness.
Aina Tulle?
Roy stepped forward and quietly asked, "What's the story with that brown-haired Half-Elf?"
The "Mole Man" looked up. "I heard she's a new Guild staff member. She was traveling to Orario with a caravan and we rounded them all up the day before yesterday."
As he spoke, the "Mole Man" cautiously watched Roy, afraid of causing any displeasure.
Roy's expression was one of mild exasperation.
Was this the butterfly effect?
Their elimination of the Rudra Familia led to the remnants of the Familia becoming mountain kings outside Orario.
Aina, who had just graduated from the academy, successfully applied for a Guild job, only to be captured by these heinous remnants en route. She shouldn't have suffered this ordeal.