Simon dodged another knife, some arrows, and a rush of rusty bdes. The thieves were by no means trained swordsmen. There were a few of them who knew how to throw or swing properly, but it was not enough to hit him.

  As Simon threw counterattacks, he understood more of the old man’s training method. The old man was right; through experience and practice, he had improved. He didn’t even feel the need to use his sword.

  “What the hell are you doing?! He already knocked a bunch of us! Kill him now!” The leader of the thieves screamed, manically.

  Simon smirked at them, and the thieves who saw his face instantly grew angry. It was the reaction that Simon wanted as he was testing the limits of his dodging skills.

  The attacks became reckless, more violent, and more savage.

  ‘I’ve seen that move before!’ And he countered with a punch in the face. ‘Again from the back!’ he turned and spped the shit of another one that fnked behind him like he had an eye on his back. ‘Why do they always go for the back?’

  The voices of the thieves were moans of pain and disbelief.

  But after another round of dodges and counterattacks, it grew dull for Simon. ‘Slow, weak,’ there was nothing for him to practice in the fight; he started to go into offensive starting with another counterattack; he grabbed a thief’s arm and threw him hard, instantly knocking out four thieves.

  As another attack came, he did the same move.

  The combination of footwork and positioning did the trick. ‘The old man was just on another level!’ It was a validation in his mind, comparing what he experienced in the old man’s training and some battles he had been through.

  The leader who was observing as he approached could tell that the boy was no ordinary opponent. As he moved closer, sword at hand, he was struck by something even more unsettling—Simon was doing all of this with his eyes closed. “Monster!” the leader shouted, unching his attack.

  A quiver ran down Simon’s spine as danger loomed behind him. With swift footwork, he dodged the attack aimed at his back.

  “Fnk! Fnk him! Don’t attack on the same damn side!” Hearing the assaint barking orders, Simon realized it was the leader of the thieves. ‘He revealed himself?’

  With a swift motion, Simon grabbed the leader’s shoulders and spun him around. He was using the leader as an effective weapon to create a clearance in the middle of the battle. He then pushed the leader’s body into the ground before he twisted the leader's arms and forcefully pinned him to the ground. “Are you targeting the vilge south?” Simon questioned the leader.

  “FUCK YOU, BOY!! AAAAAAARGHGH!!!” The leader screamed, but then Simon broke a few of his fingers, releasing a wave of bloodlust.

  The leader, who had shouted, almost fainted, but Simon made sure that the leader maintained his consciousness using the pain. (Pying with the broken finger) “Answer me, please. Are you targeting the vilge south?”

  “NO!!! Aargh… we are waiting for a carriage!! A carriage!! AAAARGH!!!” The leader's response was strained by pain. Simon then snapped his broken fingers back into pce.

  “I see... You keep your life for now.” Simon smiled at him and finally opened his eyes. “Is that all I need to know?” Simon added another question, gesturing to the other finger of the leader. Now that the thrill of the battle had him roused, he wanted more.

  The leader trembled, attempting to look at the boy’s face, but his neck wouldn’t turn any further, allowing him only a brief gnce. The boy was ruthless, devoid of mercy or emotion in his eyes, and the leader was certain he was no ordinary human. ‘Snake Eyes!’ the leader thought, staring at his captor’s face. It was his unlucky day.

  “Shit.”

  Princess Caravan.

  It was already nighttime, and as the princess predicted, they arrived near where the commotion was. Their travel halted, everyone immediately moved to their post. The forest on the east side of the main road, where the caravan had stopped, was called Creek Forest.

  The caravan was made up of three carriages. The first carriage was a dummy, while the piece of dungeon core was on the second carriage, where four knights guarded it. The princess’s carriage was at the front.

  They assembled a party consisting of the princess and four other women. Given that this was the frontier, the nobles were accustomed to fighting, especially against monsters, so everyone was an experienced fighter.

  She wore chain armor over her upper body, flowing into a short skirt, with shoulder guards on both sides and a breastpte set atop it. Her arms and legs were protected only by arming leathers. A sword rested in her hand, and she looked every bit the noble she was.

  “Yes!” The other women answered. The party dressed lightly, opting not to wear their heavy armor like they do when they do dungeon dives.

  Diana nodded, then her sight fell on the back of Kiara; the princess’s attendant was a hunter; she always acted as the scout of the team. She scanned the forest, and the deafening silence of the usually bustling forest registered with her. Something had happened in the forest, and they were about to find it out.

  She felt Diana’s stare. “We’ll need some lights.” She suggested.

  They entered the forest with their torches and left the artifact in the hands of those who were left. The party moved with the hunter in the front and the princess next to her.

  Although the party was in a tense situation, the princess only had a faint motivation.

  ‘I’m so tired. Investigating is such a hassle, and I’d rather sleep. But it’s my duty. Father would scold me if he knew I didn’t look into this!’ She thought, gring at the dark forest.

  ‘Wait!’ Then she remembered that Father was not home; he was on a dive with his trusted knights. ‘I should finish this quickly so I can rex in the castle!’

  With renewed motivation, she cast a spell for the party.“Oh wind, grant our stride your gale of speed! {Aeon Gale}!”The princess raised her hands.

  The others spoke almost as one. “I accept!”

  Wind burst from the princess’s palms, slipping into their boots and guards. The metal hummed softly as the spell took hold.

  “That’s better!” Kiara said, while the others added, “Thanks, Princess!”

  Their equipment glowed faintly, their steps lighter and surer as they moved through the forest at speed.