The Bandit Demanding to Save the World
The village lay buried beneath a blanket of dark magic.
The flames, roaring and devouring every wooden house and tree, scattered embers like snowflakes into the darkness.
Only in the very center of the village, untouched by the curse, stood a colossal tree so vast its age defied reckoning.
Around its roots, tiny sparkles of light added an ethereal glow to the tree’s already breathtaking beauty.
Yet, in front of this wonder stood nearly a thousand kneeling elves, encircled by five hundred black-robed figures.
The man at their forefront, the elven leader Arwen, forced the words out through gritted teeth.
“Y-you… it’s your turn to honor the promise.”
“The promise? What promise?”
“D-didn’t we say that only I would be sacrificed and you’d leave?”
“Well… I don’t remember any such thing.”
“Grrrrgh! To dare mock us!”
Standing before Arwen’s fury, the black-robed figure let out a greasy smile.
“Again with that noble crap, huh? You elves only know how to posture while your brains stay numb. You actually believed us and even stopped your own fight on your own.”
“Grrrgh, how despicable!”
“That’s exactly why humans can rule the entire continent.”
The black-robed figure slowly knelt and continued.
“It’s why your kind hides in this backwater mountain village.”
SHWAAAAAK!
The black-robed figure backhanded Arwen across the face without warning.
“Kuuugh!”
Arwen staggered forward, crying out.
In the same instant, the black-robed figures rushed in and slammed him to the ground, then yanked him backward while tossing a black cloth over his head.
“Chief! I’ll never forgive you!”
“You trusted these humans! I’ll curse you even in death!”
“Fatheriiii!”
The elves writhed in helpless rage.
The black-robed figures charged in and rained blows without mercy.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
“Kuuugh!”
“Kyaaaaah!”
The elves tumbled across the ground like broken dolls.
“Tsk, you idiots. Who told you to believe us?”
“We’ve already collected all the elven blood.”
“Capturing a high elf was the main objective. Now take this blood back first.”
“But… aren’t we supposed to go first?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just go. When you return, pick out a few girls for yourself and enjoy to your heart’s content.”
The figures who had gathered Arwen’s blood stared at the female elves with lust-filled eyes before nodding.
“Understood. Then we’ll head back first.”
“Please, Master, take the young ones.”
“Got it. Just hurry back. He’ll be waiting.”
The figures bowed and quickly retreated.
Shortly after, fifty of the black-robed figures dragged Arwen out of the Blue Leaf Tribe’s territory.
Once the situation cleared, greed flared in the black-robed figures’ eyes.
The leader let out a contemptuous laugh.
“Kid, you’d think they were starving from how eager they look.”
“It’s not about hunger. These are actual elves.”
“Exactly. We’ve been selling them all this time, and now we get this chance?”
“Boss, you aren’t seriously planning to just drag them all back, are you?”
The leader grinned and nodded.
“Enjoy them a little. Don’t touch them all. Leave the ones we can sell.”
“Heh, that’s our boss!”
“Don’t worry. We’ll just touch one girl each.”
“I already marked mine, so stay away!”
The subordinates couldn’t hide their excitement.
“Oh, what about that flying thing we saw earlier? Did you find it?”
“It flew too fast. We couldn’t catch it.”
“That damned bird caused our zombies and ghouls to vanish. We tried everything to catch it, but it disappeared in a blink.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. What kind of creature was that?”
“A guardian spirit protecting the World Tree?”
The leader shook his head.
“Enough. Handle the bodies first, then have fun. Wipe the traces thoroughly.”
“Yes, boss!”
“Move it! The elves are waiting for us!”
As the subordinates scattered in glee, the leader slowly turned his gaze.
To the woman sitting beside Arwen, the elven chief.
Her unparalleled beauty and mysterious aura made the leader smirk sinisterly.
“Yeah… a day like this will never come again.”
“You will never be forgiven.”
“Still trying to play noble till the end.”
The leader grabbed the woman’s hair and yanked her head back.
“Even if you beg and cling to us, it won’t be enough.”
“All you’ll hear from us is resentment and curses!”
“Heh, go ahead and try. I can listen to anything. Especially just the two of us, in private.”
With a cold smile, the leader dragged the elf woman toward the figures.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Aria! Don’t let go of him!”
“Uwaaaah! Humans! I’ll never forgive you!”
“Shut up and stay still! You crazy bastard!”
“You men have no interest in us, so keep your mouths shut and stay put!”
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The elves screamed again as the beating resumed.
Watching it, Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Mother… please have mercy on us…”
Did Aria’s desperate prayer reach the World Tree?
Suddenly, the sparkling lights circling the tree grew even brighter.
FWOOSH!
The light was so blinding the black-robed figures cried out and instinctively closed their eyes.
That was when—
KIAAAAA!
A sharp bird cry echoed from afar.
That voice…
The black-robed figures twisted their faces even with eyes shut.
Back when they first attacked the elven village, that tiny bird had interrupted them.
Its cry was exactly this.
It came back! This time, I’ll kill it for sure!
The figures bared their teeth and drew their weapons as the cry grew closer.
BOOOOOOM!
A heavy boom shook the entire Blue Leaf village.
At the same moment…
“Why are there so many beast-headed people wearing human skin in this world?”
A voice sliced straight into every ear.
“Kuuugh!”
The black-robed figures snapped their eyes open to a scream.
The light from the World Tree had vanished.
In their sight: the fallen leader and a man standing over him, crushing his chest with one foot.
The man slowly looked around at the black-robed figures and spoke.
“You’re the ones who made Samsaek-i angry?”
“Boss! Get that foot off him!”
“You maniac! You want to die!”
“Do you know who we are?!”
The black-robed figures unleashed spells with vicious shouts.
“Confusion!”
“Curse Paralysis!”
The status-affecting magic wrapped Jin Chen’s whole body.
At the same time, the figures who drew their swords charged in, swinging wildly.
“Die!”
Swords slicing through the air to cut Jin Chen to pieces.
With a cold smile, Jin Chen kicked the leader’s body aside.
BOOM!
“Kuuugh!”
The flying leader collided with the charging swordsmen.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Kuuugh!”
The leader and the sword-wielding figures tumbled together across the ground.
“W-what?! The magic isn’t working!”
“Cast it again!”
“Grr, everyone attack!”
As the black-robed figures panicked and struck, Jin Chen slowly lowered the double-headed axe he had been carrying over his shoulder and said,
“Samsaek-i doesn’t kill without my permission. That’s why you’re still alive.”
“Die! Ice Spear!”
“This time you won’t escape! Call Lightning!”
“Try blocking this! Wind Blade!”
The four-circle and five-circle spells shot forward.
Jin Chen ignored them completely and continued.
“But what about me? Since I came, you’ll feel how much you resent living.”
Whoosh.
As he spoke, he swung the axe lightly.
ZIIIIIIING!
A crescent-shaped aura, red as fresh blood, flew toward them.
KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!
The massive aura obliterated every spell aimed at Jin Chen.
Even that wasn’t enough. The aura continued on to the black-robed figures.
“O-ora Blade!”
“C-cast more magic!”
“Barrier!”
“Explosion!”
The figures threw spells desperately at the aura.
“…Samsaek-i’s owed me quite a bit.”
Jin Chen slowly turned his head to look at the World Tree.
“I’ll pay you back properly.”