System notifications popped up in front of Harutos eyes one after another.
* [Level Up]
* [Level Up]
* [Level Up]
A soft glow surrounded him for a moment as the strength from the levels settled into his body.
Then another message showed up.
* [The last member of the bandits is dead.]
* [9/10]
A new notification followed away.
* [New Skill Unlocked]
* [Silent Walking]
Haruto let out a breath as he read the messages. The forest around him returned to its calm like nothing had happened there moments ago.
He quickly checked his status in his mind confirming the skill and the changes from the level-ups.
So only the leader is left now he thought.
Just as he lifted his head his eyes suddenly focused on the space in front of him.
Miyuki appeared there.
Haruto had used his skill to call her to his side. Because she was now bound to him through the taming contract he could summon her whenever he wished.
Unlike the time Miyuki did not look surprised. She had already felt the connection through their bond.
She looked at Haruto. Then quickly glanced around the forest.
"So we killed all the bandits?" she asked quietly. "Now only the leader is left."
Her eyes returned to Haruto.
"But how did you know they would be weaker when the leader wasn't with them?"
Haruto looked at her calmly.
"When I first saw them earlier something felt strange " he explained. "The other bandits didn't feel like they had any skills."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"At first I wasn't completely sure.. When they attacked us I realized something."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he remembered the moment.
"The leader has a type of magic that increases the strength of those around him."
Miyuki listened carefully.
"That's why they felt stronger before "
Haruto continued. ". Once they separated from him that power disappeared."
He looked deeper into the forest toward the direction where the leader had gone.
"That's why I split them apart."
His voice grew quieter.
"Without the leader they were much easier to defeat."
The forest wind rustled through the leaves above them.
Now one enemy remained.
After a few minutes had passed the bandit leader stopped chasing. Decided to wait.
He stood near the edge of the forest path his arms crossed as he glanced around impatiently. His men should have already returned by now.
No one came.
Minutes slowly turned into hours.
The forest grew quieter as time passed. The sunlight had begun to shift casting shadows between the tall trees.
The leaders expression slowly darkened.
"Those idiots…" he muttered under his breath.
At first he thought they were simply taking longer to track down the boy.. As more time passed without a single one of them returning an uneasy feeling began to grow inside him.
Something was wrong.
Finally the leader let out a breath and began walking into the forest himself.
His heavy footsteps crushed the leaves beneath his boots as he followed the direction where his men had gone earlier.
"Hey!" he shouted after walking for a while.
His voice echoed faintly between the trees.
"Where are you all hiding?"
No reply came.
The silence of the forest only made his irritation grow.
He continued moving between the trees occasionally calling out to them again.
"Stop fooling and answer me!"
Still nothing.
As he walked farther the strange feeling, in his chest slowly grew stronger. The forest felt quiet… almost unnatural.
Then after a few minutes of walking he finally reached the area where his men had been searching earlier.
The moment he stepped into the clearing—
He stopped.
His eyes widened in shock.