Wiping out the bandits.

"What do you mean?! Ugh, forget it! Drop your valuables and run! You both look like wealthy people, yet you walk without guards, and I can't sense any mana from you. You must be some kind of crazy duo!"

The leader of the bandits, a rugged man exuding the aura of a sixth-order mage, signaled his men to surround them.

"It seems they're not friendly… how pitiful." The one with long, flowing black hair and piercing crimson eyes sighed as if disappointed. "But before anything… could you tell me the way to Wilfharm? We're kind of lost." His gentle tone carried a relaxed air, as though he wasn't standing in the middle of an ambush.

The bandits burst into laughter, mocking the absurdity of his request. However, their leader?

"Turn right from here and walk about two kilometers. Then turn right again, and you'll come across a stream with special properties—it's said to heal the righteous. After that, turn left and keep walking until you leave the forest."

Without hesitation, the leader detailed the directions as if compelled by something beyond his own will.

"Thank you! Now, carry on." The black-haired man smiled pleasantly, his expression radiating gratitude.

"What the—?! What did you do to me?!" The bandit leader stumbled back, eyes wide with confusion. It felt as though something had hijacked his body, forcing him to speak against his will.

"What's the matter? You look confused," the traveler mused, completely unbothered by the fact that they were surrounded by bandits.

"That's not the question!" The leader gritted his teeth, gripping the large axe on his back tightly. "The real question is—who are you two? Where did you come from? And what the hell did you do to me?!"

The man tilted his head slightly before answering with a calm smile.

"I'm Seraph, and this here is Beel. We're just travelers exploring the world. As for what I did… I simply asked a question, and you answered. And where I'm from? That's something I can't quite tell you."

A deep sense of unease crept over the bandit leader. His instincts—honed from countless battles—screamed at him. If I don't kill them now, I won't survive this encounter.

"I don't know why… but my warrior's instinct is telling me that you're dangerous! If I don't kill you, I'll regret it!" The leader dashed forward, raising his axe high before bringing it down in a devastating vertical slash.

CLANG!

His attack was stopped. Not by Seraph. Not by Beel. But by a third figure—a woman with long, flowing aqua-blue hair and sharp blue eyes, brimming with intense emotions.

"You two should escape while you still have the chance," she said, her voice serious and unwavering. "You could die any second without even knowing how it happened."

Sheon.

Before the bandits could react, another figure burst into the fray. A powerful punch connected with a bandit's chest, sending him flying like a broken kite.

"Get out of here! Run while you can!" Leonel shouted, engaging the remaining bandits. Though they numbered over fifty, they were all fourth-order and below—hardly a challenge. It was his first time killing humans, and to his surprise, after slaying about five, he noticed a slight increase in his magic stat. So, I can grow stronger like this…

Meanwhile, Seraph and Beel continued walking away from the battlefield at a leisurely pace, completely indifferent to the chaos behind them.

"I'll have to thank you for the trouble," Seraph said casually, as if discussing the weather.

The bandit leader's eyes widened in realization. "Wait! I remember you! You're that lone adventurer from Wilfharm! You must've taken a quest to hunt us down… Too bad you won't be able to return to claim your reward."

With a powerful swing, he sent Sheon flying over three meters.

Damn it! Sheon gritted her teeth. She had the skill, but the bandit leader specialized in raw physical strength, while she relied on magic. Her physical training was just enough to wield her blade skillfully, but in a contest of brute force, she was at a disadvantage.

As the battle raged, one of the bandits broke away from the fight, dashing toward Seraph and Beel with his sword poised for a thrust.

SHHH!

In an instant, the bandit was engulfed in flames. No screams. No remains. Not even ash.

It had happened so fast that nobody noticed.

Leonel, growing tired of using his fists, decided to approach things differently. After all, he was a mage.

"Wind Slash!" He swiped his hand horizontally, releasing a thin, sharp blade of wind that cut through the remaining ten bandits in front of him. Their bodies fell before they could even process their deaths.

Meanwhile, Sheon was still locked in battle with the leader. He was stronger than she expected, but she had come too far to back down now.

"Moon Sword Technique—Moon Severing Slash!"

Her sword glowed silver as she swung it vertically, unleashing a powerful wave of mana. The leader's weapon was split in two as if it were nothing more than paper.

"This is your end."

Her figure blurred, and in the next instant, she was behind him.

SLASH!

With a single swing, both of his hands were severed from his body.

"ARGH!! Damn it!!" The leader fell to his knees, staring at the stumps where his arms used to be. He turned to look at Sheon, his eyes filled with fear. "Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!"

Sheon gazed down at him coldly.

"I'm just one of the countless people whose lives you've destroyed."

Her sword gleamed in the moonlight as she raised it once more.

"Killing you here is the only way for you to atone for your sins."

SHING!

Her blade cut through his neck, severing his head from his body. The moment the killing strike landed, Sheon felt a weight lift from her chest—a burden she had carried for too long.

For a brief moment, silence fell over the battlefield.

Then, without a word, Sheon turned away from the corpse, her grip on her sword tightening as she felt the wave of victory course through her! Even still tears rolled down her eyes freely as it did not feel as it was supposed to.