Red Knight

After a few seconds, both Jajah and Ben somehow recovered from exhaustion. They breathed one last deep breath before they finally turned to look at their leader.

''Why are you in such a hurry, Leader, only to stop right in front of our hideout?'' Ben suddenly spoke with a faint grin. He walked forward and tapped the back of Jax's shoulder before he added, ''Let's get in and tell them about our...''

However, he was just about to finish his words when he suddenly noticed something ahead of him. He halted his steps right beside Jax as his eyes couldn't help widening in surprise and uneasiness.

''This... What's going on?'' Ben muttered as he subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

A bloodthirsty aura exuded from the mouth of the tree cave. All the three of them found themselves in a trance, couldn't push their feet to make another step forward.

They had to admit it.

This was fear.

And it was the first time in the many life and death struggles they encountered in the past they had felt this terrified.

Just what on earth was going on? Just what kind of monster was inside their hideout? And how were their friends inside? It couldn't be that they...

Those worried thoughts floated over their heads, but it didn't take long for them to find the answer. Because after a short while, someone came out of the tree cave.

To their surprise, it wasn't a beast or a monster.

It was not a demon either.

But on the contrary, it was a person. A single individual clad in a bloody red metallic knight's armor, having only his head bared open. He walked forward unhurriedly as if he was walking in the park.

But with every step he made, the ground was as though vibrating. And the closer he got with Jax, Ben, and Jajah, the harder it was for them to breathe.

Terror engulfed their hearts, they all fell into a state of utter stupor. It was to the point that all of them had the same thoughts running in their minds.

There was no doubt about it.

Facing this unfamiliar person could definitely end their lives!

''Oho? More interesting kids have come?'' The man in red armor suddenly spoke as he halted his steps a few meters away in front of the three. His voice deep and sinister, a faint smile was revealed on his lips.

After a moment of pause, he threw on the ground what was hung in his arms. And then he spoke again, ''These two here wouldn't answer me, so I accidentally killed them. Fortunately, three more have arrived to question. You brats will cooperate, right?'' A wide grin suddenly formed on his lips, ''That is if you don't want to end up in the same state as these two.''

Only at that moment did Jax and the others come back to their senses.

They shifted their gazes down to the ground, but to their shock and horror, what brought their eyes was something they never wished to see.

Who could have thought that the ones that the man in red armor had thrown on the ground were actually their friends?

The lifeless bodies of their friends!

How could they remain calm about this?!

Just the mere thought about it alone could immediately turn their terror into wrath.

''Me-mecaella! Leovicente!'' Jax cried out upon the sight of the corpses of his friends. His body couldn't help shaking, the corners of his eyes bared tears.

SWOOSH!

But one second after he cried out, Ben and Jajah reacted with different response.

Instead of crying out their pain, they moved swiftly to attack the man in red armor. Both of them just appeared right beside the man in red armor with their attacks ready to land.

Ben right now was wielding a dagger, aiming at the neck of the other party. On the other hand, Jajah's fist was now ready to crash the other party's precious lower part.

They really thought that with these combined attacks, they could bring the other party down. However, in the next moment, what they found was themselves, who ended up in the same state they thought for the other party.

Ben's face met the fist of the man in red armor, sending him flying and rolling furiously on the ground. He rolled a hundred meters or two away before he finally bumped into a sharp wooden object.

It pierced his back going through his chest.

Jajah, on the other hand, met his knees with her face, slamming her furiously and thus, sending her away in the same state as Ben. Although no external objects pierced her vitals, the impact alone was more than enough to dislocate most of her bones.

As such, one of her broken ribs pierced her heart, the other one pierced her lungs. And then the liver.

That too cost her her life.

After only exchanging blows like that, the two of them were defeated by the man in red armor without him breaking a sweat. As if what he dealt with were just insignificant ants, and it only natural for it to happen.

''How interesting. You brats are really dangerous for your age. If I was any slower, I could have gotten injured by you. That's definitely a shame to someone like me,'' The man in red armor then suddenly spoke. A wide grin surfaced on his lips as his eyes revealed his excitement.

And then he continued talking to himself, ''The talent of this band of thieves is surely surprising. It can almost rival the potential of those little kids in the capital.''

''Tch! Tch! Too bad, you guys offended the wrong person. All of you have to die here today since you don't want to cooperate with me.''

''Ben! Jajah!'' Jax was snapped back to his senses. He roared at his loudest, realizing that he had just lost the rest of his friends. Worry, sorrows, and anger spiraled in his heart. He really had the urge to fight back now and take revenge.

However, survival comes first.

He needed to remain clear-headed even at that kind of moment for him to realize how he would deal with this kind of situation.

Looking at that bastard, he could tell that he was on a completely different level compared to them. Even with all five of them at their peak to combine their strength and attack him together, the chances of winning were still close to zero.

Facing that bastard was simply a death wish no matter how he looked at it.

Just why on earth was a person of such caliber here of all places? Was it just to deal with them? Weren't they just insignificant kids in this countryside?

''You're the only one left, kid. And it seems like you're also the only one sane in this band of thieves. So, I will give you a chance. Answer a few questions from me and I will spare your life.'' The man in red armor spoke again. His voice grew colder, and hostility flashed in his eyes.