The Journey Continues

Kade groggily wakes up, his whole body feels like a train wreck. A teary-eyed Jenny and two other woman rush over to him.

"Kade, you're finally awake!" They woman joyously shouted.

"Betty tell the village that our savior has awoken," Jenny ordered, and the woman named Betty quickly ran out to tell the village the news.

"Why is it you always get hurt, and I have to take care of you. Promise me you'll stop getting hurt." Jenny yelled as she squeezed the life out of Kade.

"Ahhh, My… body." Kade squirmed.

"Oh, you crybaby." Jenny giggled. I'll leave you by yourself so you can rest, and later the village would like to thank you in a celebratory feast."

As the two woman left Kade asked the soul chip 'How long was I out?'

'After mentally and physically exhausting your body you have been asleep for sixteen hours. Your constitution has dramatically reduced your recovery time.' The soul chip replied.

Thinking about the brutal fight yesterday Kade wanted to jump in joy, he has survived against the odds. After the ordeal, Kade has realized that he must learn some long range abilities.

Since water wave is close combat technique, he must be near his enemies which is way more dangerous than ranged combat. Also, ranged combat can be more useful than close combat in certain situations. Lucky the water wave tier has a long ranged water whip at the advanced stage he can learn.

'Mortals must not be underestimated' Kade thought. 'Even an official adept will lose when faced with billion of them. The adepts spirit will easily be exhausted.' Yesterday the bandit company exhausted Kade's spirit, which almost cost him the fight between the bandit leader. There are even some mortals like the bandit leader who can rival apprentice adepts.

Kade rested for two more hours, he got up and went outside the house. When he came out outside a crowd erupted with cheering and applause.

"Thank you Master Kade!"

"You have saved our village!"

A group of children leads by Victor and Sarah walked over. "Thank you for saving our village Master Kade." They said in unison. Kade proudly smiled, this is the most recognition he has ever got, even on his days on earth.

"Silence," The village leader Myo said and gradually the chatter died down.

"As the village leader, I would like to thank you on behalf of the village for saving us from the bandit calamity. There will be a feast in your honor, and we humbly request you to stay.

"Thank you guys for the feast, I will stay and celebrate," Kade told the village.

"Then let this feast commence!"

The village erupted with activity once again. They set up long table rows that spanned the entirety of the town. All types of food were brought out, and jovial music was played. People joyously danced and the kids played. Kade happily indulged in the food and music. He looked over at Jenny who was looking at the dancing.

Kade walked up to Jenny. " Will you dance with me?" He asked her.

She nodded, and they walked to the village square. Kade used to take dance lessons in community programs when he was an orphan. So he was quite a proficient dancer. Jenny and Kade joyously dance to the happy music and drink the night away.

Hours later the feast dies down, and everyone leaves. Wives help their drunk husbands home, and the remaining children whine to stay longer. Kade and Jenny return to her house alone, as Jenny's siblings had already returned a long time ago.

They walk in the house, and they see the kids already sleeping, exhausted from the feast. Kade and Jenny look at each other and immediately begin to kiss. Kade gropes her snow bunnies passionately and starts to take off her clothes. The pair jump in the bed and intimately spend the rest of the night together.

Kade wakes up at the crack of dawn. He looks at his side and sees Jenny is gently sleeping next to him.

' If I don't know she is she is going to persuade me to stay. I'm sorry Jenny" He thought. Kade got up to put his clothes on, he walked to the door and looked back wondering If he would ever meet Jenny again. 'She is only a mortal, and adepts live for hundreds of years, she would only cause me pain when she dies." Kade counseled himself as he walked to the village chief's house.

As he arrived at the center of Rendall village, he knocks on the door of the village leaders home.

"Come in, Kade" Myo says.

Kade opens the door and walks in " How did you know I was coming?"

"You are an apprentice adept; you did not come to this village to loiter around, I assume you are on a mission. That is why I expected you would leave today."

"You're right I will be leaving today. I would like to thank you for the feast yesterday it was great. I was wondering if you know the bandits base location."

"I am not worthy of your praise; the bandit camp is 10 miles to the south of this village."

"Thank you, Myo."

"Good luck on your mission master Kade, if you ever come back to this humble village we will gladly receive you."

Kade leaves and starts the journey to the bandit conclave. He sets out the village and walks on the forest trail for 3 hours. In the distance, a group of men is seen gloomily standing around the campfire. Kade steps closer to them.

"What do we do know, the elites and the leader of this bandit company are dead. There is nothing for us here; I say we move to another region and start real jobs." A bandit said. The rest of the bandits agree with him as they discuss their future after the collapse of their group. Little did they know the individual who has caused their downfall was standing right behind them.

"Hello," Kade calmly said as he stood behind the bandit gathering.

They all turned around and looked in terror at the demon who has caused them their greatest suffering. The bandit who talked earlier takes the lead and wearily asks "Why are you here, the battle is over please leave us in peace."

"Your bandit company has caused and the village great harm. I am here to discuss reparations." Kade exaggeratedly said.

The bandits look at each other and contemplate whether to laugh or cry at Kade's extreme shamelessness. He was not that injured from yesterday's fight and only suffered from exhaustion. Also, the bandits did not cause any damage to the village.

Looking defeated the bandit says " Yes, you are right. I will take our treasure room, and you can take what you want." The bandits looked depressed, not only has this little wench killed their comrades he is also taking their treasures!

The bandit and Kade walk to the far side of the camp and stop at the entrance of a cave. The bandit steps into the cave, and at an intersection, he turns a nearby rock and the path changes. A door appears, he walks toward it and opens it with a key.

The Inside of the room holds enough coins to fill the coffers of a minor noble. But Kade looks uninterested; he was looking for things that could be useful for adepts. As he started losing hope a blood-colored crystal caught his eye.

'Soul chip, what is this stone.' '90% blood origin stone which can increase your chance of becoming a bloodline adept. Also, increases your bloodline potential.' Kade looked excitedly at the stone which was worth millions of Sovereign crystals, the adept currency of this world. Since he wasn't a bloodline adept, he wouldn't use the stone. He was planning on selling it in the adept conclave would instantly make him rich. Kade wasn't disappointed because in his eyes wealth is a form of power.

After putting the stone in his bag, he turned to the bandit "Take the coins and jewelry to Rendall village and help them improve it. I suggest you stop being bandits and make a stable income working at the town. The bandit contemplated Kade's idea.

"You're right, working at the village would be a more stable job. I think the boys wouldn't mind living at Rendall village and working there. I am tired of being an outlaw that's at death door every day."

"Ok, make sure you all behave there. The village leader will seek me out if any of you try anything." Kade threatened.

"We wouldn't dare." The bandit said as he nervously shivered.

Kade leaves the cave and heads back to the forest trail. 'I have already delayed the mission long enough. But the rewards I obtained here made it worth it.' He thought.

"On toward the stone giant tribe!"