Chapter 11: Stockholm Syndrome 2

"Rargh!"

The weird kid did not reply. He simply roared and rushed forward.

Sutak Ormsindro rushed forward as well. He threw a left hook punch towards the kid. The kid was able to parry the punch with his right arm.

This had made the bandit leader grin. Even though he was not expecting his hook punch to be parried that easily. He was still prepared in case such thing was to happen.

A right uppercut!

But the kid was decisive. He took a step back to avoid the incoming attack.

"That's where you're wrong kid!"

The right uppercut was actually connected to his ability activation. An earth pillar was about to manifest where the kid had retreated. This was a trick designed to impale mutated beasts. Too bad the kid would have to suffer this as well.

Sutak did not hesitate to use such a brutal skill.

However,

The kid was able to avoid the attack! He took a side step and evaded the spike completely.

"What?!"

Sutak could not believe what he just saw. His setup was perfect and the positioning of the earth spike was spot on. There was no way it could be evaded just like that.

But he no longer had any more time to admire the movements. The kid was already rushing forward.

Burn!

The kid's ability ignited. Flames were now shining on both of his fists. As if they were gauntlets that was blessed to a warrior participating in a great combat.

"Tch! So do I!"

Sutak refused to give in. He threw a left straight towards the incoming kid. This was easily avoided though. But that did not matter. The real aim of the punch was to pinpoint the direction where another earth spike would emerge.

The kid took a half-step backwards. Rather than completely avoiding the earth spike, he waited for the attack to fully manifest near him.

Bam! Bam!

He then punched the spike with his flaming fists.

The lackeys sounded surprised with what the kid had done. There was no way such weak punches could destroy the [Earth Spike] ability. They began to laugh at the kid's poor judgment.

However, Sutak did not do the same.

This might have puzzled the others who have seen it. But he was different. He understood what those punches were for.

They were not done to break the ability. The kid punched the spike to propel himself towards his chosen direction. He was using it to boost his mobility.

This was similar to a pinball that hits the pillars and obstructions within the game board to change directions.

"Not yet!"

Sutak responded quickly. He manifested another earth spike near him. But this was a mistake. The spike might be able to provide him a certain level of defense, but this had also blocked his line of sight.

Bam! Bam!

The kid used the redirecting punches once again. This time, he was able to close the distance. At such a close combat, Sutak would be unable to manifest an earth spike without disrupting his own stance. His ability was more of an entrapment type of skill after all. All he could use in this range would be his own boxing prowess.

But against those flaming fists, he was not confident that he could put up a decent fight.

BAM!

A flaming right straight had made contact with Sutak's left guard. The exploding force upon impact had dislocated his left arm.

"Such force!"

Sutak could not help but curse. He grunted as he took damage. His left guard was practically destroyed in one hit. He was open to a serious beating now.

A flaming right straight was about to hit him in the face.

However,

"[Wind Chains]!"

Ethereal chains made of air had suddenly wrapped around the kid. This had stopped his advance and nullified his attack.

Unfortunately such ability would only be able to hold the kid for a few seconds. In fact, he was about to break free. Fire was at an advantage against the wind element after all. And the kid surely knew about this aspect.

But then,

"Release!"

The voice who casted the wind ability responded readily. The twisting force infused along the chains had suddenly been unleashed.

This had tossed the kid away while spinning. He then slammed down the ground. But it seemed like he did not mind. He quickly rose up and was about to regain his fighting stance. The damage dealt was probably not that high anyway.

However this was more than enough.

"Got you!"

Sutak rushed forward. He was familiar with the skill that was just casted. He was aware of what was about to happen when he heard the 'release' command. That was why he was able to move immediately. He was able to anticipate the direction where the kid would be tossed away.

The bandit leader was now in a perfect position to launch an attack.

BAM!

His right straight punch landed on the kid's face. The solid hit was able to knock the kid down the ground.

Drop!

The kid lost consciousness immediately. Sutak was aware that the kid was already injured. He just fought the white cat after all. In addition, he was mentally and emotionally exhausted after witnessing such an unexpected scene in front of him.

He was probably only able to fight because of the strong drive for revenge or what not. This was similar to a headless chicken that suddenly sprinted in action. Once, the adrenaline subsided, it would drop down lifelessly.

But Sutak was not pleased by the result. In fact, it left a bad taste in his mouth. Fighting two against one. The opponent was even injured at that. And yet barely winning. How tasteless indeed!

However, a victory was still a victory. What was honor exactly? This was the apocalypse for crying out loud! Any kind of emotion that would not directly help one to survive was useless here.

Furthermore, Sutak was a bandit. Not just any bandit though, he was the leader of the Orm Bandits! He did not have the luxury to entertain petty sentiments such as honor or what not.

'If you want to blame anything, blame your tough luck kid. Of all the people you could face, it had to be the great I.'

Sutak thought. This was the final consideration that he could give towards the unfortunate kid.

But then,

"Hahaha! See that? My wind element can even defeat a Fire-user. Fire! Of all things it was fire! What disadvantage? What weaknesses? The Wind element is the best! The Faisa brand is the best!"

The man who used the ethereal chains laughed. He raised his hand with a victory pose. The other bandits were cheering after him. He was receiving praises left and right.

"Apatze!"

Sutak called out the name of the man. He was thin but tall, around 185 centimeters. He was wearing a hoodie. His favorite hobby was to brag on how good the vaccine brand that he had taken.

Faisa had given him the affinity for the wind element by the way. And apparently, this made him think that the he was unbeatable.

The lackey named Apatze looked at the Bandit Leader. The former had a huge grin in his face. He said,

"What now, Boss? Are you going to reprimand me for interfering you're fight? The one where you're going to lose, Boss?"

Sutak ignored the taunting voice of his lackey. The thin man in front of him used to be timid and quiet. He used to simply nod and follow orders with no questions asked. But ever since he developed an ability, he became more outspoken.

He was now assertive and had proclaimed himself as the Vice Leader of their group. He even began planning on taking over the leader position secretly. Well as secret as his now talkative mouth could be anyway.

The bandit leader shrugged off the petty words of a lackey. He was a gallant leader after all. He instead replied,

"No. Good job actually."

A gallant leader must not be afraid to give compliments when due. This was what they refer to as a power move in personnel management. It was a way to prove dominance in a group. He had just shown to the rest of the lackeys that he was cool, mature, and amazing.

This had indeed taken the thin man off-guard. He then laughed as he asked in return.

"Hahaha! Then what's the matter, Boss?"

"You're too loud. It's annoying."

"Me? Annoying?"

"Very annoying."

Of course after the carrot, the stick should follow. This was another power move performed by the one and only gallant leader.

The thin man seemed to had realized that he had been played. He clicked his tongue in defiance. He then grinned as he chose to take a different approach.

"Alright, alright. You're the boss, Boss. No need to get your bald head all wrinkled."

"I'm not bald! I'm clean shaven!"

Sutak snapped. The comment he received dealt critical damage.

He had always envisioned himself as a gallant leader. A mighty person that could lead his lackeys to the path of greater riches and glory. A figure that could make any target tremble upon hearing his great name.

But this image would always be broken whenever his hair style was being mentioned. That was why he never thought of this matter even once. But now that his condition was being described, he could not help but get angry. He wanted to hit the rude lackey this instance.

The thin lackey seemed to have noticed that his attack was effective. He grinned wider while feigning an apology. He said,

"Alright, alright. Tch, you Modar people are too uptight."

Modar.

This was the vaccine brand that offered an affinity to the Earth element. Once administered, the recipient would feel a sturdy yet invigorating sensation. This was apparently the reason why Sutak had a rigid personality.

Or so the lackey believed. He seemed to have developed a concept where people who avail vaccines would adapt a certain personality trait. And this would all depend on the brand they had taken.

For example, Modar would become stubborn and close-minded. While Faisa would become free-spirited and unrestrained.

But Sutak did not believe such mumbo jumbo. There were no proven scientific studies to confirm these claims anyway.

The bandit leader was about to reprimand the thin lackey. But the latter suddenly changed the topic of their conversation. Tch, classic Faisa habit.

"By the way, Boss, what are we going to do to that loser?"

Apatze asked in a serious tone. This was the reason why Sutak had not considered disposing the rude lackey. No matter how outspoken, assertive, and ambitious the lackey became, he always considered conducting business as sacred. He might say whatever he wanted but he had always placed the well-being of the bandit group first.

If not, then why did he not let the kid finish off Sutak in the first place?

The bandit leader fell silent for a few seconds. He pondered on what he should do with the unconscious person in question.

But then Apatze made a suggestion.

"Shall we go ahead absorb his soul energy?"