The cold wind of the early morning pierced through leaves and steel.
Ryuu, walked along the main path to Pamenfla, accompanied by the birds singing beautifully.
His recently healed ankle is still felt strange, but it's much better than then before.
As he continued walking, he passed through forest, small rivers, and wide plains that seemed endless— when suddenly, a scream came from the north.
"Someone, Help me!!"
Without wasting any time, he drew his sword and raidsd his shield as he ran towards the source.
There, he saw a person who appears to be merchant is getting ambushed by four bandits, desperately trying to protect his cart with nothing but a stick.
"Stop right there!" Ryuu shout.
He then rushed forward and clashed with a bandit. The echo sounds of their colliding steel spreading to every direction.
Meanwhile, the other bandits kept pressuring the Merchant, launching their attacks. Seeing this, Ryuu perform a shield bash to the bandit in front of him and rushed forward to protect the merchant from their attack.
Thanks to his fast reflexes and shield, he manage to block their attacks before launching a counterattack that killed one bandit. However, there were still three bandit left to worry about.
He then leaned towards the merchant, and whispered to him.
"We can't fight them, I need you to get on the box seat again and let me open the way. After that, I want you to gallop your horse as fast as possible."
The merchant then asked him.
"Then what about you?"
"Don't worry, I'll jumped onto your cart once you spur your horse," Ryuu reply.
"Alright then"
As both of them agreed to escape, Ryuu charged the bandit behind them and neutralize him by slashing the bandits arms followed by the merchant as he mount to the box seat back.
Then he returned back and performed a shield bash to all the bandits in front of them followed by the merchant as he spur his horse.
Ryuu jumped onto the cart successfully. However, one bandit managed to jump as well.
"I got you, you bloody bastard" The bandit says.
A clash then erupt in the cart as the bandit start to attack Ryuu blindly.
Ryuu was pressed by the bandit attacks— heavy, fast, and strong.
He even got slashed in his chest, but luckily his leather armor managed to stop the bandit's rusty sword.
As the bandit lose his balance when the cart shaken by a rock, Ryuu launch a shield bash that throw the bandit from the cart sending him crashing onto the ground.
The merchant keeps galloping his horses in max speed before slowing down as they had manage to get away from the bandits.
The merchant then turned to Ryuu.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, that bastard almost got me there. Luckily my leather armor manage to stop his sword." Ryuu said as he open his armor.
"I see. Thank you sir, if you didn't there I think I had already become a dead meat."
"You're welcome. And, do those bandits usually appear around here?"
The merchant then sat in front of him before answering.
"No, it's maybe because the kingdom patrol is ordered to return home to help the kingdom repair the damaged buildings within the capital."
"Ah, I see. That's because the fire that erupted there isn't."
"Yes, that's right."
The merchant then took a waterskin and drink before continue.
"By the way, where are you going sir?"
"Ah, I am going to Pamenfla. I am an adventurer and my quest is right in there."
The merchant rise his eyebrow.
"Pamenfla? That's also my direction, as payment of helping me. I'll bring you with me."
"Really? That's good, walking in foot is makes me really tired."
"Well then, you can sit here and let me spur the horse."
The merchant then return to his box seat, and spur the horses. This time, the horse is just moving slowly as there are no threats anymore.
As time after time passed, and the sun has fly higher. The cart was now arrive at the three way junction the captain had told him before, and they took the east branch.
The cart then started to entering a dense forest, where the situation becoming tense as the sunlight is becoming harder to pierce the trees.
"Wow, this place is kind of terrifying." Ryuu said as he start to looking around.
"Yes, but don't worry. Even tho this forest is pretty dense and dark, no bandits are ever seen nearby since there are many wolves in this forest."
"Wait, aren't pack of wolves is dangerous as well?"
The merchant then looked at the forest before continue.
"Wolves are dangerous, yes. But these wolf never attack carts because we merchant always bring an anti-wolves crystal."
He then show the crystal to him, the glow of the blue crystal that makes him stunned. The merchant then explain.
"This crystal can release a bunch of blue mana. And, these blue mana can only be obtained by killing a goblins and extracting their mana. The mana from the goblin is making the wolves think there are goblin near them so they didn't dare to approach us since goblin always hunt them for accessories."
"I see."
They then continue to move on, and as the time passing by the village has been seen from afar.
As they entering the village, they saw farmer working on their field, kids running, and the women are chatting each other while cleaning their yards.
"I'll stop here." Ryuu said as he jumped from the cart.
"Yes, thank you for helping me before."
Ryuu then wandered around, and approach to a man standing crossing his arms as he watching the people in the village.
"Excuse me sir." Ryuu said to the man.
"I want to search for the village chief house."
The man then looked at him up to down before he asked.
"Who are you?"
"I am Ryuu Zi Holmes, adventurer from oakhaven."
The man eyes widen in surprise.
"Oakhaven? What is an adventurer from a city north of here doing in this small place?"
"The details are not important right now, because I received a quest from captain George of the seventh garrisons in the southern border to here."
"I see. If you searching for the chief, his house is right there." The man said as he pointed to an house.
"Thank you sir." Ryuu said.
Ryuu then walk on the road to the house pointed by the man, and start knock on the door.
"Wait, I'm coming."
Then, the door opened revealing a mature man about 40th years old. Standing in front of him.
"Excuse me sir, is this the village chief's house?"
"Yes, it is. What's the matter, who are you?"
Ryuu then took off his helmet, and said.
"I am Ryuu Zi Holmes, adventurer from oakhaven, coming under the quest from Captain George of the seventh garrison on the southern border."
"So he was the one that sent you, come inside and we can talk about the details."
Ryuu then went inside, get ready for the challenge to come. And so, the quest meant to pay his debt was about to begin.