Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

The bandit's laughter rang out, echoing ominously in the forest. "I like you, kid," he said between chuckles, his tone laced with menace. "Too bad I'm going to have to kill you anyway."

Arthur raised his hands defensively, taking a cautious step back. "Hey, hey, come on, man. What did I do to you?"

The bandit smirked, his eyes narrowing as if sizing up his prey.

Arthur continued, his voice quick and persuasive, "Just so you know, my grandad's the elder of the town nearby. I'm just out here in the woods to, uh, experience life. My bodyguards are in the shadows right now, watching your every move."

The bandit's brow furrowed as his gaze flicked briefly to the dense trees around them.

Arthur seized the moment, pressing further. "I don't want to fight you. Seriously, just let me go, man. I don't want unnecessary bloodshed around here. Think about it—it's bad for your reputation."

The bandit's eyes scanned the surroundings cautiously for a moment before his scowl returned. "Do you think I'm an id—"

Before he could finish, the realization hit him, Arthur had bolted. In the blink of an eye, the boy had dashed into the forest and left the girl without a second glance.

"Eh?!" The bandit's eyes widened in surprise before his expression twisted into anger.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"You little—!" He cursed under his breath, his gaze falling on the girl. With a swift movement, he knocked her out cold, hoisting her limp body over his shoulder.

"You're not going anywhere, kid!" he growled, dashing into the forest in pursuit. His voice turned sharp and menacing, echoing through the trees. "Stop trying to escape your fate!"

Arthur darted between the trees, his heart hammering in his chest. His breaths came in ragged gasps, as he heard the heavy footfalls of the bandit closing in behind him.

"Of all the times to be out of stamina," he muttered through gritted teeth, pushing himself to keep running. He risked a glance over his shoulder, and his stomach dropped.

The bandit was gaining ground, his black-clad figure weaving effortlessly through the forest. Worse, the girl's unconscious body was slung over his shoulder like a sack of grain. The sight made Arthur's jaw tighten in frustration.

"Come on, think, think!" he urged himself out loud, but his panicked outward thoughts were cut short as his foot snagged on an exposed root.

Thud!

Arthur hit the ground hard, dirt smearing his face as the impact rattled through his bones. "Ugh, you've got to be kidding me," he groaned, spitting out a mouthful of soil.

The bandit slowed to a halt a few feet away, his lips curling into a sinister grin. "Hehe, you think you can run?" he sneered, setting the girl down against a tree. "You're quick at running like a chicken, I'll give you that. But too bad—you're also too mature for your own good."

Arthur scrambled to his feet, his hand instinctively reaching for his dagger. But the bandit took a deliberate step forward, the confidence in his stride making Arthur's blood run cold.

"Any last words, kid?" the bandit taunted, his tone mocking as he drew a long, jagged knife from his belt.

The bandit set the unconscious girl against a nearby tree, taking a moment to glance around the clearing.

His sharp eyes scanned the area for any threats, his lips curling into a smug grin.

'Only two exits for monsters to come through. It's secure enough,' he thought, straightening up.

He turned his attention back to Arthur, who was still sprawled on the ground.

Slowly, deliberately, the bandit began to approach, his boots crunching against the underbrush with every calculated step. Each step seemed to echo in the tense silence, amplifying the dread he tried to instil in his prey.

"That's a nice dagger you've got there, kid," he said, his tone dripping with greed. His eyes gleamed as he took in the faint glint of the blade. "Bet it'll sell for a couple of silver coins."

He chuckled darkly, licking his lips. "And it'll be mine after I kill you. Ehehe."

Arthur didn't move, his chest heaving slightly as if in fear. His dagger remained loosely gripped in his hand, and he didn't seem to make any effort to rise. The bandit's grin widened, confidence blooming in his chest.

The bandit's hand shifted, gripping his own jagged knife tightly as he stepped closer. "Goodbye, kid," he sneered, raising his weapon high. "You're nothing but a stepping stone."

With a sudden burst of motion, the bandit brought the blade down, aiming directly for Arthur's chest. But just as the blade began its descent, something caught his eye—a faint, almost imperceptible smirk that flickered across Arthur's face.

The bandit's breath hitched in confusion. "What the—?"

Arthur's voice was low, almost a whisper, but the mocking tone was unmistakable. "Idiot."

Before the bandit could react, Arthur's free hand shot forward, grabbing a fistful of dirt and flinging it upward.

The dust and grit struck the bandit square in the face, forcing him to stagger back with a string of curses. His knife sliced through the air, missing Arthur by inches.

"Damn it!" the bandit roared, clutching his eyes as the dirt burned and blinded him temporarily.

Arthur didn't hesitate. "Sunless! Borak! Now!" he bellowed.

The sound of cracking bones filled the air as Sunless, who had been lying in wait on a tree branch above, leapt down with deadly precision. His skeletal hands slashed across the bandit's chest.

Critical Hit!

-35HP

At the same moment, Arthur summoned Borak, who charged into the fray with the force of a battering ram.

The ground trembled as the massive boar slammed into the bandit, his tusks gouging deep into the man's side.

Critical Hit!

-20HP

The bandit staggered backwards, his body wracked with pain from the simultaneous strikes. His HP bar plummeted, the red indicator flashing dangerously close to empty.

"What the hell is going on? How did these monsters just randomly appear out of nowhere!"

Arthur smirked, seizing the opportunity. He dashed forward, dagger in hand, and drove it into the bandit's exposed side with a swift motion.

Critical Hit!

The bandit let out a guttural cry, his HP bar dipping below 15% in mere seconds. His breath came in ragged gasps as he dropped to one knee, his weapon slipping from his hand.

Arthur stood back, watching as Sunless and Borak stood over the bandit.