THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

Two weeks later, we are now on our way to Syldavie. As soon as I drop Anriette in Mercuria, I will head to Floras. I must find Demether and Veronica and make them pay. For the past two weeks, we didn't have problems. No bandits, no Longinus, nothing. I even hunted a deer to change from the gragoras K'nor keeps bringing back. Anriette ate almost half of it in two days. What kind of appetite does she have? She doesn't eat that much usually.

Today, we are walking on a road that should bring us straight to Tatradum. Although it would have taken a shorter time if we went to a town and took a carriage, I didn't want to.

"Why are you so afraid of carriage? Did you have a bad experience with them?"

Anriette has her head tilted to the side as she asked. As I see her unkept and ruffled hair, I remember that it has been a month or so since I last cut my hair. If Selene was here, she would…Yeah, she is not anymore, there is no need to think about her.

"I am not afraid of carriages. It is just that this guy might be too frightening for people."

"Ah, I see. Fufufu."

"Why are you laughing?"

"Oh, it is nothing. I just tought that you were refusing to take a carriage because you had a phobia or a trauma of them. I was imagining what kind of face you would make if you ever rode one."

"Well, sorry for you, I don't have anything like that. I don't like fish, though."

"Eh? Why? Roasted fish with salad is so good. We should try it when we get back."

"My old maid made me see how she gutted one when I was little. It was so disgusting I..."

"Mr.Dragonroad?"

How? How can I be talking of that bitch while smiling? Even though she is the origin of all of my pain. How? What kind of degenerate am I?

"Mr.Dragonroad…Kevin, are you okay?"

"Y-yes, I am. Anyway, like I said I don't like fish."

"I-I see."

Suddenly, I hear a dozen of heartbeats in front us. They are still a bit far but they are certainly coming towards us.

A few minutes later, from the forest, we see bandits coming out. One, two… Thirty of them appeared. They are heavily armed. Twenty of them are wearing metal armors and holding good looking weapons. The rest have leather armors and bows.

"We are the red gnoll group! Leave all of your valuables, the girl and you pet here, and we will let you leave alive!" 

Among the bandits, one of them advances and speaks while holding his greatsword with both hands after planting it in the ground. His greatsword is slimmer than William's sword, but it has the same length. He seems to be their leader.

After he finishes talking, he retreats, and the ten men holding bows aim at us. Five of them are aiming at K'nor. So, for once, people are not afraid of him. That's good. Though in a bad way I guess. Also, all of them are using auras. This is going to be really interesting.

I take out my raizen and also use physical Angas aura.

"You stay here. K'nor, protect her."

"Woof!!"

I whistle to K'nor, and he launches a huge wind ball at the archers. Two of them are hit, but the others evade it and shoot their arrows. One of them in particular seems to spin and is faster than the others. Is that a script or just technique? If it is a script, it looks weak. 

There are eight arrows coming. I jump and knocks back three of them. The spinning arrow comes and suddenly changes direction in mid-air. Although it surprises me, I still manage to smash it with the rest.

Right when I land, I pounce on the group rapidly while K'nor launches another wind ball. When I am about to strike one of the archers, a huge guy comes and blocks me with his shield. He is almost as bulky as William, but not as strong. I push him back easily. Or so I thought, he actually deflected my attack while retreating, making me believe that I was pushing him back.

"Interesting!" I didn't know you could use a shield like that.

He moves away and behind him, the archer already aiming at my head.

"…The wind of victory: Piercing gale!"

He shoots an arrow that spins just like the previous one. So, he is the one that shot that arrow.

Although that arrow is going crazy fast, I use Disperse right before it reaches me and appears behind him, cutting his head clean. It flies in the air and blood spurts like a water fountain. A blood fountain, so to speak.

"Gregory!!!" The huge guy who just blocked me runs in furry and use Titanic slash. He seems to be the defensive type, so I will keep him for later. I want to see that shield technique again.

I use Disperse and reappear in front of another guy in metal armor. He shudders and tries to jump back, but I cut his arm while he is retreating.

"Gyaa!!!" While he screams, I stab through his helmet and with a light push, I pierce through. The tip of the blade comes out on the other side.

I can hear the huge guy coming to me with two others from behind. The rest are facing me, holding their shields, trembling a bit.

"Target the beast first! " The same guy as before standing behind them, give a new order.

I have learned from last time that suppressing the leader quickly ends the battle, though it is not easy. And those guys don't look weak at all.

Most of them use their physical aura like it is no big deal. Can I really defeat them without using anything else than physical Angas? Let's see if i can challenge myself.