Jasmine's First Kill

"Hahahaha! This guy has quite a few items that are worth the risk we took by coming out of hiding!" A scar-faced bandit who had a shaved head laughed uproariously as he kicked open one of the chests that had been looted from Arlo's carriage.

"What do you think, boss? Will they pay up the ransom money for this fatass?" He asked a man who was sitting on a chair nearby, leisurely drinking wine from his flagon.

"It's well and good if they pay up. Even if they don't, we can make plenty of money from selling the goods we got from this merchant." The leader of the Black Iron Gang chuckled. "Second!"

"Yes, boss!" The scar-faced guy perked up.

"Wait for a day and if they're still not ready to pay the ransom, start cutting off his fingers and send it to them daily!" The boss smirked sinisterly, his menacing red eyes shining with bloodlust.

Hearing his leader's instructions, Second's chest swelled with pride.

"You're so wicked, boss! Keke, that's why we follow you!"

"Mmph…mmph…"

However, not everyone was feeling the same. For Arlo, he felt nothing but despair. His business which had finally picked up after a long time would go to ruin if he didn't make it out alive.

"What is this? Do you have something to say?"

Second grinned and sent a kick towards Arlo's stomach.

"MMPH…!"

Arlo couldn't even scream through the cloth that was stuffed inside his mouth. All he could do was whimper.

"If you have anything to say you should speak up—"

"Hmmm?"

'Just now I felt my foot hitting something!'

"Hehe, you're hiding something inside your shirt, aren't you?"

Arlo shook his head vehemently and tried to crawl away from Second's hand that was reaching for his shirt.

He could only go so far with his limbs tied up and his shirt was torn apart by Second.

A spatial ring fell to the floor producing a clatter.

"Looks like you were hiding something after all!" Second picked up the ring from the ground and examined it carefully.

"What did you find?" The boss craned his neck from where he was sitting.

"Oh, a spatial ring, huh? This bastard is worth more than we thought if he was hiding another artefact like that. Maybe we should've asked for more from his people." The boss said with amusement as he took the ring from Second.

"Hoho, what is this? All of these are made of high quality silk?" The boss exclaimed happily as he took out roll after roll of silk from the spatial ring. There were even some banners and flags made out of pure silk.

"There is something written on this banner?" He unfurled one of the banners and took a good look at what was written on it.

'The Cult of the Merchant God.'

"Eh? Isn't this one of those gods worshipped in Varn? What is it doing in this part of the Continent?"

"Arghhh!"

"Boss, we are under attack!"

"What? Who dares to mess with us in this forest? Do they have a death wish?" He roared hearing the ruckus from outside.

———

A few moments earlier…

"Hah! Looks like those bandits are camping out here," Raymond said as he hid behind a tree and observed the silhouettes of a few people standing at the base of a massive tree.

A sizable hole was carved into its trunk which acted as the doorway to the interior of the tree that had been turned into the gang's lair.

"Let me see… there are one, two, three..six bandits in total guarding the tree," He counted before turning to his behind where Jasmine and Lyla were standing.

"Jasmine, take care of the guys outside. They are all in the Martial Master realm. You can handle them, right? It will serve as your dagger training!"

"Of course, master." Jasmine nodded and tapped on the leather belt that was worn around her waist.

Six daggers that were snugly sheathed inside the belt buzzed as Jasmine channelled her mana through them. Finally, she was going to use her newly acquired skill against humans who were in her league.

She had been at her wit's end trying to use it against her master who would dodge her daggers effortlessly every time she tried.

Strangely, there was no hesitation in her heart as she sent those daggers hurtling towards the people in the distance even though it was her first time taking a human life.

A wave of calmness washed over her as a painful scream from one of the bandits reached her ears. The same calmness she had felt while fighting wolves in the forest near the Capital City.

"Arghhh!"

"Boss, we are under attack!"

"Just as I thought. Their leader is inside. I can hear three different heartbeats from the tree. One of them is beating too fast," Raymond mused.

"It must be Arlo," Lyla added and took out her long sabre. "Shall I take care of the leader? He seems to be a Martial Sage,"

"Sigh," Raymond breathed out. Yet another enemy who couldn't even put a scratch on him.

Was he ever going to find someone that would make him unleash all of his power?

Raymond sat near the tree and leaned against the trunk.

"Bring Arlo and the leader to me. Take care of anyone else inside!" He nodded towards Lyla who disappeared into the shadow cast over by the massive tree.

"Hmm, let's count how many seconds it will take for her to bring them here."

"One, two, three, four—"

His counting came to a halt as the leader was dropped on the ground in front of him.

"Argh! What's a Martial King doing here? Release me right now! Do you know who I am? I am the leader of the Black Iron Gan—"

-Slap!

It was a resounding slap that cut off his outburst.

"I don't care who you are or what gang you represent. You've laid your hands on my people and you will have to pay for that with your life."

Raymond shook his hand which had slapped the gang leader to a near unconscious state.

"Mmph…"

"Lyla, why is he still tied up? You should've freed him the moment you incapacitated the leader. Poor guy has already suffered enough."

Raymond tsked in disapproval as he untied the ropes around Arlo's limbs. At least, Lyla had the decency to look away with her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

'I guess she is not used to saving hostages. She was an assassin, after all.'

"Huff…huff…My Lord, I am… huff… I am eternally in your debt!" Arlo grovelled at Raymond's feet even though he was short of breath due to the traumatic incident.

"Don't worry about it, Arlo. Rest for now. We will talk later."

"Jasmine, are you done?" He asked.

"Yes, master!" Jasmine beamed as she wiped her blood soaked daggers with a rag cloth.

"You sure look calm for someone who just killed a lot of people." Raymond pointed with a questioning gaze.

"Eh? Now that you mention it…" Jasmine frowned at her lack of emotions at taking someone's life. "Should I be worried, Master? I don't feel anything about killing them at all."

"No, it's fine. You will have to get used to it anyway. It's good that you're taking it calmly." Raymond shrugged. He didn't want to deal with an emotional Jasmine.

He wasn't the best at dealing with people and their mental issues. And spending his late teenage years alone on a mountain didn't do him any favours in that regard.

Raymond looked at the gang leader who was about to pass out due to the slap.

"Hmmm? Luna didn't say anything about bringing him alive, did she?"

"I think so…" Lyla pointed her sabre at the leader. "Shall I take care of him then?"

Raymond nodded and the sound of gurgling made by the leader made him take a good look at Lyla.

"Damn, Lyla! End him in one strike. Why are you making it painful?" He sweatdropped as Lyla twisted her sabre that was thrust into the leader's throat ending his life in a second.

'She is ruthless!'

"He must have kidnapped, tortured, raped, and killed a bunch of people. He doesn't deserve mercy!" Lyla defended her actions with a steely edge in her voice.

"Yes, My Lord! Don't waste your kindness on these guys! They don't deserve a painless death!" Arlo got up and kicked the corpse of the leader. "This fucker wanted to cut off my finger and send it to my family—"

However, his whole body shook and goosebumps became visible on his skin as a chilly wind blew towards their group from deep inside the forest.

"Dear God, what was that ominous wind?" Arlo paled as his heart started to beat crazily.

"The forest! There is something wrong with the forest!" He screamed and pointed his fingers towards a green-headed figure of a woman that was running towards them, holding onto her dear life.

"Vivian?!" Raymond recognised her instantly. There was no mistaking. That dishevelled hair and that face twisted in horror belonged to the elf that had piqued his interest these days.