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Chapter 14: A Night of Blood and Fire

  Return from Willowshade

  Dusk had settled by the time Rin returned from Willowshade. His mind was heavy, but his hands moved with practiced efficiency, penning a detailed report to his father, Count Edwin von Everhart. Every detail was accounted for—the sealed demon sword, the hidden mana vein, and the danger that loomed over the village.

  Yet even as the ink dried, Rin’s thoughts lingered elsewhere.

  The bandits… They won’t stop until they’ve drained every ounce of mana from that vein.

  Then, the system chimed.

  [QUEST: The Fall of the Bandits]

  Objective: Arrest or eradicate the entire bandit group.

  Rewards: 2 Magic Farming Tractors

  Failure Penalty: Willowshade Village will be destroyed.

  [Accept]          [Decline]

  Rin’s lips curled into a cold smirk. “Even if there was no quest… I’d still end this.”

  He pressed [Accept] without hesitation.

  Count Edwin’s Decision

  Far from Duskwind, within the grand hall of Everhart Manor, Count Edwin von Everhart’s expression hardened as he read Rin’s report. His knuckles turned white as he clenched the parchment.

  “A mana vein… siphoned by bandits under our jurisdiction?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but the fury beneath it was palpable.

  Across the room, Countess Seraphina von Everhart watched her husband carefully, concern shadowing her violet eyes. “Edwin… Rin is still there. Can he handle this?”

  Edwin’s gaze softened for a moment, but only for a moment. “He’s capable… but this situation demands more than capability.” He stood, his decision made. “We’ll send reinforcements. Now.”

  Within the hour, Everhart’s elite forces were assembled.

  


      
  • Three 3rd Awakening knights


  •   


  


      
  • Fifteen 2nd Awakening soldiers


  •   


  


      
  • Thirty 1st Awakening fighters


  •   


  As they stood ready, Count Edwin addressed his army, his voice echoing with unwavering authority.

  “Duskwind is under threat. This is not merely about bandits.” His eyes burned with resolve. “This is about honor. This is about protecting our land and our people. Remind them why the Everhart name is feared.”

  A brilliant glow erupted as the teleportation gate activated, and his forces vanished into the night.

  Rin’s Preparations

  In Duskwind, Rin had wasted no time. He rallied adventurers from the Adventurer’s Guild:

  


      
  • Ten 1st Awakening mercenaries


  •   


  


      
  • Eight 2nd Awakening fighters


  •   


  Combined with his own forces:

  


      
  • Three 3rd Awakening warriors


  •   


  


      
  • Ten 2nd Awakening soldiers


  •   


  


      
  • Thirteen 1st Awakening fighters


  •   


  Yet, numbers were not the problem.

  Rin’s eyes lingered on the map Cain had spread before him.

  “Their leader and vice leader…” His voice was quiet, yet the weight of the words filled the room. “They’ve been absorbing pure mana from the vein for five years. Their strength… it’s almost at the 4th Awakening level.”

  Cain’s expression was grim. “Even with your father’s reinforcements, it’ll be close.”

  Rin’s jaw clenched. His mind was calculating possibilities, outcomes… and survival rates. Even with six 3rd Awakening fighters on our side… victory isn’t guaranteed.

  He inhaled sharply.

  “Then we strike first.” His voice was steel.

  But fate had other plans.

  Echoes of Envy: A Past That Fuels the Hunt

  The Bandit Hideout

  The air was thick with the stench of blood and unwashed bodies. The flickering light of torches cast eerie shadows against the jagged stone walls of the mountain cave.

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  On a worn leather sofa, a towering man with broad shoulders reclined, his expression unreadable but his eyes cold and sharp. The Bandit Leader. Beside him, a striking woman with raven hair toyed with a dagger, a scar running down her cheek—a reminder of the price of power. The Vice Leader.

  “Leader! Bad news!”

  A boy, no older than ten, stumbled into the chamber, breathless and wide-eyed.

  The leader’s gaze snapped to him, voice low but laced with menace. “What is it?”

  The child swallowed hard. “Our men… guarding the mana vein… they’re all dead. Killed by a young baron named Rin… and his mage.”

  For a moment, silence reigned.

  Then…

  CRACK.

  The armrest beneath the leader’s grip splintered. His jaw clenched as rage simmered beneath the surface.

  The Vice Leader leaned forward, her lips curling into a cruel smile.

  “Calm down,” she murmured, voice as smooth as silk but sharp as steel. “We’ll take it back… after we kill him.”

  The leader’s eyes narrowed. “We will.”

  But before another word could be spoken—

  “Leader!”

  A young man, barely an adult, stormed into the chamber, his face pale, eyes wide with terror.

  “The army… they’re coming!”

  The Vice Leader’s expression hardened. “Details. Now.”

  “Baron Rin… he’s the son of Count Edwin von Everhart.” The young man’s voice shook. “He sent word to his father. I saw it—an elite force is coming through the teleportation gate. Three 3rd Awakeners… fifteen 2nd Awakeners… thirty 1st Awakening soldiers.”

  The cave grew deathly silent.

  Then…

  Low laughter echoed through the chamber.

  “Count Edwin…” The Bandit Leader’s voice was a growl, his lips curling into a sinister smile. “I’ve heard the tales of his bravery.” His fingers dug into the leather, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. “Perhaps it’s time I tested it.”

  Yet beneath the menace…

  A memory clawed its way to the surface.

  An orphan boy, wide-eyed and filled with wonder, discovering strength for the first time. But that wonder faded… as his friends surpassed him with ease. Even after his coveted 3rd Awakening granted him the Berserker class, he remained in their shadow.

  Envy… a festering wound.

  Then came him. The mysterious man who promised a darker path—one where power was within his grasp.

  And now… that power was his.

  “I won’t let it slip away.” His voice was a whisper, a vow laced with unyielding resolve.

  The Vice Leader’s gaze darkened. “This won’t end easily.”

  The leader’s smile returned—cold, merciless.

  “Good.” His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

  “Let them come.”

  A Night of Blood and Fire

  Rin had planned to strike at dawn.

  But the bandits struck first.

  Midnight.

  Fire engulfed Willowshade Village.

  Screams echoed through the night as shadows swept across the village. Bandits poured in like a tide of death, cutting down everything in their path.

  “ENEMY ATTACK!”

  A knight’s cry was cut short—his throat slashed before he could finish.

  Rin’s eyes snapped open.

  In an instant, he was on his feet.

  Outside, chaos reigned.

  Flames devoured houses. Corpses littered the ground. The acrid scent of burning wood and blood filled the air.

  Lucien and Elysia emerged beside him, both battle-ready.

  “Those bastards…” Lucien growled, his grip on his blade tightening.

  Elysia’s voice trembled with fury. “This isn’t just a raid. They’re… slaughtering everyone.”

  Rin’s expression turned ice-cold.

  “Then we end them.”

  He raised his fist high, his voice cutting through the chaos.

  “TO ARMS! WE FIGHT!”

  The Battle Begins

  The initial wave was manageable.

  Rin’s forces, though outnumbered, fought with skill and determination.

  Cain led the front, cutting down enemies with ruthless efficiency.

  Darius stood like an unyielding wall, his great sword cleaving through bandits with raw, unstoppable power.

  Selina moved gracefully through the battlefield, her healing magic mending wounds as fast as they were inflicted, keeping the frontline standing.

  Ronin unleashed torrents of arcane energy, his spells tearing through the enemy ranks with calculated precision.

  Lucien moved like a shadow, his strikes precise and lethal. Elysia protected the wounded, her

  magic creating barriers that deflected enemy attacks.

  They pushed the bandits back.

  But then—

  BOOM.

  A suffocating pressure descended upon the battlefield.

  Knights staggered. Soldiers fell to their knees, gasping for breath. Even Cain, a 3rd Awakening warrior, clenched his jaw, struggling to remain standing.

  From the smoke, two figures emerged.

  The Bandit Leader.

  And the Vice Leader.

  Monsters in Human Skin

  The Bandit Leader smirked, rolling his shoulders as if loosening up. His dark armor gleamed under the fire’s glow.

  “I was hoping for a warm-up before your father arrived.” His voice was deep, laced with amusement.

  Beside him, the Vice Leader’s smile was anything but kind. “They’re already trembling.” Her eyes glinted with cruelty. “How… disappointing.”

  A veteran knight let out a cry and charged forward—

  A flash of steel.

  A wet thunk.

  The knight’s head rolled onto the ground.

  Silence.

  The Bandit Leader wiped his axe clean, his smile widening.

  “Who’s next?”

  Facing True Power

  Rin’s heart pounded in his chest.

  They’re stronger… far stronger than I expected.

  Even with six 3rd Awakening fighters…

  Victory was no longer certain.

  Lucien’s voice was grim. “They’re monsters.”

  The Bandit Leader’s eyes locked onto Rin.

  “You think you can stop me, little noble?”

  He raised his axe.

  The air distorted.

  A monstrous aura crashed down on them, suffocating, relentless.

  Rin’s hands trembled. His body screamed to flee.

  But he stood his ground.

  This… this is what true power feels like.

  And now… he had to face it.

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