By the sparse starlight and the faint glow of the distant bonfires, Shane could clearly see the group's skillful movements and their use of hand signals to communicate. They were obviously veterans.
Their target was clear: the convoys that looked the easiest to prey on and carried valuable goods.
"How should we handle this?" Erza leaned close to Shane, her hushed voice carrying heat that tickled his ear.
Shane's usual personality was steady; he never saved his trump cards for a last-minute show-off.
Since he didn't know their background, he would deal with them with full force.
With his mind made up, deep red ribbons fell from his shoulders, and Arash's True Name was whispered.
In an instant, Shane's eyes were endowed with the sharpness of [Clairvoyance]. His gaze swept through the darkness like a nighthawk. The number of bandits, their positions, and even faint Magic Power fluctuations...
Everything was in his sight!
But when he truly saw the opponent's strength clearly, he was slightly stunned, then immediately canceled the transformation.
He felt like a fool for being so battle-ready. How could Mages be so common?
From his observation just now, apart from the leader having Magic Power fluctuations, the rest were all ordinary people who only knew how to wave swords.
And even that leader's Magic Power was only slightly higher than his own.
Comparing it quietly with Erza beside him... Shane estimated secretly that this girl's current Magic Power was at least ten times his.
In other words, in terms of Magic Power alone, she was worth ten bandit leaders. And compared to himself... Shane thought somewhat sorrowfully.
"What's wrong?" Erza looked at his action of releasing and retracting instantly, tilting her head in confusion.
Shane rolled his eyes. Although with the increase in strength, releasing the True Name could be maintained for about ten minutes, he didn't want to waste stamina for nothing. It was really tiring afterward.
Looking at Erza's eager appearance, he thought for a moment, patted her shoulder, and showed his white teeth:
"For them, you alone are enough. I'll cover you!"
Erza had absolute trust in Shane's judgment.
Hearing this, she no longer hid her figure. Raising her sword with a clear shout, she leaped into the crowd like a vigorous young leopard.
Shane casually tore off the gray cloth strips wrapped around his right arm and infused Magic Power into them. The strips twisted in the air and turned into four gleaming longswords, which he tossed toward the battle group, hovering precisely beside Erza.
The bandits were a bit flustered at first when their tracks were exposed, but seeing that the person coming was just a teenage girl, they immediately relaxed. The expressions on their faces instantly turned into contempt and ferocity.
The leader shouted in a low voice: "Finish it quickly! Don't let her alert the others!"
But before his voice faded, the subordinate rushing at the front felt a flash of sword light before his eyes. His chest felt like it was hit by a heavy hammer; he flew backward without even a grunt and went limp on the ground.
Immediately after, a scene that terrified them even more happened.
Beside the girl, five swords rose with her arm like living things, instantly weaving into a deadly blade storm, whistling and dancing.
No one could take a single strike from her. upon contact, the bandits fell one after another like grass being cut.
The current Erza was a genuine Mage. Whether it was strength, speed, or control over weapons, she was not something mere bandits could handle.
The bandit leader's face changed drastically. He hurriedly raised his hand, trying to gather Magic Power for a sneak attack spell. But before his magic could form, a flying sword whistled toward his face, forcing him to retreat repeatedly, his magic abruptly interrupted.
Having sparred with Shane for so many days, guarding against sneak attacks had almost become Erza's instinct.
The battle ended quickly. In less than two minutes, the ground was full of groaning bandits, their weapons scattered everywhere.
Erza dragged the pale-faced leader to Shane like a dead dog, clapped her hands, and raised her face. Her eyes, dark as night, shone with light, like a little leopard that had just successfully hunted.
"Not bad." Shane looked at her like this and wanted to laugh a little.
"Too perfunctory!" Erza muttered dissatisfiedly, but the light in her eyes didn't diminish at all.
She was still savoring the battle just now. This was her first time fighting with magic, and everything made her heart beat faster.
Shane didn't reply. His gaze swept over the bandits lying all over the ground, finally landing on the dragged leader, and suddenly said, "Why didn't you hit harder? If you want someone alive for questioning, one is enough."
When he activated the True Name Release just now, he smelled the un-washable scent of blood on these people. Shane didn't feel it was necessary to show mercy to these desperadoes who lived by plundering.
These words were like a basin of ice water, making the just-awakened leader tremble all over, the blood draining from his face instantly.
He didn't expect this boy, who didn't look old and always had a lazy smile, to be so cold-hearted.
"D-Don't kill me!" He struggled with hands and feet, his voice trembling. "Spare me, my lord! We... this is our first time, we were forced!"
Erza looked at the leader begging for mercy in a sorry state. She wasn't used to killing people after all: "Let's tie them all up and hand them over to the city guards tomorrow?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Hand over to the guards! We confess!" The leader agreed hurriedly, cold sweat soaking his face mask.
Shane was still pondering, his fingers unconsciously tapping his arm. Of course, he knew the other party's claim of "first time" was a lie; he was just considering whether to spare Erza's feelings.
Seeing his expressionless face, the bandit leader felt a chill in his heart. The desire to survive urged him to look up suddenly and shout: "Wait! I, I know a piece of news! I know why so many people are rushing to Shirotsume Town recently!"
Shane raised his eyebrows slightly, interested. He didn't expect the unusually lively road to Shirotsume to really have a hidden story.
"Speak."
"There's a rumor in the city recently that a mysterious tavern has appeared in Shirotsume!" The leader spoke very fast, like grasping a life-saving straw.
"No one can say clearly where it is, but everyone says as long as you find it, any wish can be granted! Most of these people going to the city are going for this rumor!"
"Grant any wish?" Shane sneered.
This kind of ridiculous urban legend sounded no different from a fairy tale to coax children. Even if it were true, how could there be such a good thing without a price?
"It's true! I swear!" The leader pointed at the sky and earth anxiously.
"I heard someone really succeeded! Some got rich overnight, some had their chronic illnesses cured inexplicably! The news first came from a few Mages and traveling merchants. Otherwise, how could it alert so many people?"
Shane stroked his chin. He didn't believe the story, but...
He glanced at the bandits tied up like dumplings, calculating in his heart: These people might be exchanged for a bounty in the city. That's much more real than some so-called wish.
At this time, Noel, who was awakened nearby, poked his head out of the carriage and whispered, "According to the kingdom's laws, those with blood on their hands basically can't escape hanging."
"Fine, I'll spare your lives for now." Shane finally relented. "When we get to the city, I'll hand you over to the guards."
He shrugged. A person's bottom line could occasionally be flexible.
Thinking of his empty money pouch and the house the trial mission might require, Shane couldn't help sighing. In this day and age, lack of money could really stump a hero...
As for the rumor from the leader, it naturally went in one ear and out the other. He didn't take it to heart at all, just treating it as a ghost story.
Look, even Erza, who is easiest to fool, has a face full of disbelief.
His main purpose for this trip was to save enough money for the ticket to Magnolia and then head to the Fairy Tail guild.
At most... enjoy Shirotsume's famous hot springs while he was at it.