Threat or Get Threaten
We spent around two days preparing and buying stuff before setting off to the port town 'Randorainamu'.
We'd have gotten there right away if we just flew, but there's the danger of getting seen by people on the way which would be hard to avoid while carrying Alma and Reina.
It was an emergency when we ran from Daijel. There's no urgent need for that right now.
Before we left, I saw an old couple and two small children talking to Reina.
She patted the children with a smile before saying, 'I'm off!' and getting on our wagon.
Apparently those two came from the same bankrupt orphanage as hers. Judging from the gentle expressions on the old couple, I'm sure they'll grow up in a nice environment.
During the journey, the wagon we're taking to the port town is shaking so much my butt is hurting.
I should have bought a cushion... Ah, right, I can just put a mana cushion under.
Mana control is so handy. How's Alma and Reina faring I wonder?
...They're sleeping. Can't believe they can sleep with this much shaking.
Looking at the other passengers around, they all look nonchalant too. Huh? Am I just frail?
I mean who can blame me, I hail from a modern world with all the super comfortable vehicles.. Wonder how's my car doing now. Its battery's probably done for already.
"Lad, you heading for the port town too?"
A plump middle aged man wearing a merchant attire sitting in front of me talked.
I was a bit taken aback by the suddenness.
"Yes, we have a little business to attend there. Well, I won't lie that I'm looking forward to the marine products most though hahaha."
"Ah yup, the seafood there is definitely superb. I get you."
"I suppose that's your goal as well, mister?"
"Half of it. I mainly deal with selling products I stock up at Vinfitt stores. Then I sell stuff from the port town to another town, in short I go around a lot of towns peddling."
"I see. The variety of products sold at Vinfitt is quite bountiful that's for sure."
"Yeah, I might have stocked up a bit much even. Well, just means I'm gonna profit big too."
He laughed as he lightly whacked a huge luggage next to him.
Although there's a limit of goods one man can bring with them, this type of traveling merchants is surprisingly common. The effect they ultimately give to circulation of goods and money is huge.
And this man is one among such merchants.
After a half a day trip including several rest stops, smell of salty air wafted.
Looks like we're nearing the port town already. Sheesh, I'm gonna pass on wagons for a wh--
Kerplunk
My head suddenly took an impact as I was nonchalantly lost in thought.
It doesn't hurt thanks to my HP buffer, but something seems to have shoot through my head.
Ah, there's an arrow sticking on my head.
"U-uwaaaaaaaaa!!?"
The merchant man screamed out loud. Of course he would.
The coachman stopped the wagon in reflex.
Alma and Reina got up from their sleep with that scream.
"W-what's happenin'!? Huh, K-Kajikawa-san's heaaaaaad, it's!!?"
"Can't say, I've been sleeping... H-Hikaru, y-your head...!!"
The two woke up, turned to see me and proceeded to flap their mouth open and shut with pale faces.
"Yup, an arrow flew in and stabbed right to it."
"Eh, are you alright!? That looks fatal, like seriously that should've killed you!"
"Oh, it slipped right off. Yup, there's no blood, I'm fine, no worries."
"How do you expect us not to...!?"
"A-are you a stage magician, lad? Is this one of yer' tricks?"
"No, it seems like somebody shot it outside."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
All the passengers looked at me in blank amazement. But I don't want to stand out.
...Checking my status, that took out around 100 of my HP.
A hit like that should have been fatal yet I've still got plenty of HP left. Guess it's cause I'm not actually wounded for real.
I shuddered at the thought of this arrow hitting somebody other than me, like Alma or Reina then anger welled up.
Who the crap shot this! Unforgivable, I'm gonna stick this arrow on their knee and make them a guard! No wait, what am I even saying...
The thought of Assassin Guild behind this crossed my mind for an instant but apparently that's not it looking at the Map Screen.
Dozens of bandits have surrounded the wagon. These guys must be the culprit.
"Dumbass! Who told ya to shoot the passengers! Aim for the horses, the horses!"
"M-my bad chief, my hands slipped."
"Our goal is money! Not dead man! Argh, dammit. They're gonna send the authority now that somebody's dead, this hunting ground's spoiled."
Hmm, doesn't look like they're the type that kills at least. That first shot was apparently a gaffe.
Turned my head into a scene in a gag manga. Dammit.
"...Well fine. Oy, all of ya lot inside the wagon, hear me! Leave all your belongings and we won't take your life! Refuse and you're as dead as that passenger with an arrow on his head!"
I ain't dead yet! Well normally I would yeah.
"Don't think you can run! We've got this wagon surrounded! We got the road barricaded too, ain't no use running the wagon!"
There's a blockade made of random rocks and logs in the path ahead.
Why'd you even need those archers if you got that! Are you messing just around?!
"Get yer' stuff here if ya got it! Make it quick or--"
BWOSH something grazed the bandit's cheek.
It's the arrow I threw back.
Blood dripped down his cheek.
"!?"
"O-oy! The hell ya think yer' doing! Ya wanna die!"
"Shut the hell upppppp!!!"
My voice was so loud it even took me by surprise.
I tried powering up my throat and lungs with Energy Control and the result was not unlike a large megaphone.
However, my anger at the possibility of Alma and Reina taking the arrow overpowers my shock.
"Uh, w-what the who...!?"
"Oy, who shot that arrow just now!! I'mma beat you to pulp!!"
"H-hiiiie!!?"
Your screams won't make me forgive you, bandits.
I'm gonna beat you up and bring you to the authority! They're all just Lv20 mobs anyway.
"Y-you're mistaken if you think your loud voice's gonna scare us! We got more archers on our side! Surrender or eat a rain of arrows!"
Oh really. And?
I took several baseball-sized rocks out of Item Screen and coat them in mana, energy and life force to remote control them.
Seemingly thanks to my increased Dexterity, I can easily control five rocks without breaking a sweat.
Coated in mana armor, I referenced Map Screen and Mana Search to neutralize the bandit archers with these rocks.
"Gyaaaaaa!? I-it huuuuurts!!"
"M-my aaaarm!?"
"O-our archers they're all...!"
Now then, no more ranged threat.
According to Menu, they've got no Mages.
"Oy, get that trash mountain off the road pronto. I'll let you off with just handing you over to the authority if you don't resist."
"T-to hell with that! We ain't gonna surrender damn easily!"
BOOOM! A boulder broke into pieces next to the protesting bandit leader.
I just launched a mana armor coated rock at high speed, if that hit someone... I don't wanna imagine.
"Did you say something?"
"Oy! Men, get off your asses and dismantle that barricade, our life's on the line!"
The leader loudly and frantically ordered his men.
They were moving in an astonishingly orderly manner to remove the blockade.
Quit playing bandits and work as guards somewhere if you're this coordinated. Don't hafta wait till you get an arrow to the knee.
"Haa, guess that settles it."
I noticed several passengers passed out when I came back to the wagon.
Was the bandit raid that scary. I feel bad for them... No wait, the people still awake have Abnormal Status: 'Terror' (Object: Kajikawa Hikaru) displayed.
Yep, it's due to my roar earlier, thank you... How'd it come to this.
The barricade was gone after awhile and we put the tied up bandits on the luggage cart before resuming the journey.
Everybody was completely silence until we arrived at the town. I felt like I was in a bed of thorns with the occasional frightened glances sent my way.
Even the merchant who was talking to me earlier wouldn't turn to see me. No more of this.
Flying is really the best form of transportation between towns...
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