The bandits are hiding out in a cave... go figure.
The three of us are on a bluff overlooking the entrance to the bandit camp. Aside from a pair of guards standing just within the cave entrance, there is nothing to indicate the presence of anything suspicious here.
I hate to admit it, but these guys are professionals.
From what Sazh told us, the surrounding lowlands and foothills are riddled with caves and tunnels which all connect into one large underground system called the 'Mole-Hill'.
Because of these natural shelters, this region has long been a favorite of bandits and other groups trying to lay low. The Mole-Hill is far to massive for one single bandit gang to control, so the various factions carve up smaller, more defensible chunks far away from one another.
Sazh's gang, or more accurately Lyver's, is holed up in a section near to the surface. Inside is (supposedly) an east-west T-junction, east heading further into the Mole-Hill and the west terminating with a dead end in a larger cave chamber.
That dead end is where Lyver stays, while the others find whatever space they can in the rest of the T-junction.
Its a rather inconvenient space for attackers. There is only one clear entrance from the surface, and the only other point of attack is to try and find your way through the twisting, natural-born halls of the Mole-Hill.
Lucky for me I can teleport... and move through walls... and turn invisible...
Its honestly a little unfair. These guys can't really do anything to stop us.
At least, that's what I would assume, but Sazh has claimed this Lyver figure would give Sophia a run for her money, so we may be dealing with someone much more powerful than we've encountered.
This has made me very interested in this 'Lyver' fellow, especially the claim that he's considered one of the strongest fighters in the whole Kingdom.
This is someone who has existed in the context of this world’s... power-scaling? I suppose that would be the term. He's someone who seems to be considered very powerful by the people of this world, and even if its only at the scale of a country that's still a far more concrete data point to measure ourselves against compared to what we had up in the mountains.
Not only that, but it sounds like he used to be at least somewhat active in politics- or at least his totally hetero rival-crush is the Kingdom's current Arena Champion, a positionwhich seems to hold some martial authority.
That means he should be able to give us a much more nuanced and complete picture of this 'Re-Estize' kingdom in which we find ourselves.
The question is how we get him.
Kidnapping is... morally wrong. But it would be the easiest solution. Losing their leader may also cause the gang itself to implode and scatter- which may be a way to deal with the problem without needing to kill them all or allowing the gang to keep roaming around and hurting others.
The issue is I don't know if being kidnapped would make Lyver very inclined to help us, nor would slaughtering our way through his hideout.
But! I think I have a solution.
This Lyver guy is giving ronin vibes. Sazh said he wants to be the strongest swordsman in the kingdom, or at least strong enough to beat that champion guy. He may be a bandit leader right now, but I'm willing to bet that deep down his main goal is still strength and the 'way of the sword.' You know, anime shit like that.
If we can appeal to that side of him, maybe we can thread that needle and get him on our side.
So that's Plan A, kidnapping is Plan B, mass orgy of violence is Plan C.
For Plan A, one of us will approach claiming to be a wandering swordsman seeking powerful opponents. We may need to take down a couple of the grunts to lure out Lyver, but once we do we challenge him and defeat him, and from there hopefully he is impressed enough so that when we do kidnap him he interprets it more as a "fellow swordsman pulling me from a toxic environment" kind of way rather than a "I was kidnapped" kind of way.
Okay so maybe kidnapping is also Plan A but its a less traumatic version of it!
The only question is who do we send: myself or Morgan. Both of us are sword users, so in theory either of us can play the rolele— in truth though I don't know anything about swordsmanship.
I haven't had time to really experiment with it, but from what little I've tried to do it seems my new powers don't include any technical knowledge about swordsmanship.
I do feel like I have some instincts for combat, but all they amount to in regards to sword skill is just simple stabs and slices. Movements that allow me to exploit my overwhelming speed to just kill my opponent as fast as possible.
To use some fighting game terms, I fight like a gorilla. My buttons are so good I don't need to learn any combos.
Morgan, on the other hand, does actually know how to fight with a sword. If you took away all of their other powers and abilities, they would still be considered a masterful swordsman.
They aren't always the most gregarious when it comes to outsiders, but maybe that stoic warrior aesthetic is what we need.
"Ready Morgan?" I ask.
They nodded.
"Rememberer— as much as we want this Lyver character to work with us willingly, we still need to take Sazh's warning seriously. If this is someone who poses a serious threat to you, do not hesitate to cut him down, call for backup, or retreat.
"I understand, Sophia. Though frankly I cannot imagine the leader of these peons can pose a threat to me."
Sophia sighed. "Well... lets just hope that confidence doesn't get you killed."
Morgan gave Sophia the barest hint of a smile, which I think is the most emotion I've seem them express so far, then leaped down from the bluff into the clearing below.
I fuckin' hate guard duty.
Ripple had been living the bandit life for as long as he could remember. Years of killing, robbing, and pillaging anything not bolted down had made him a hardened criminal willing to do anything for a score.
Standing guard was not something he was used to.
Guards and lookouts were shit those military types did, nothing bandits like them should be bothering with. Ripple thought the whole thing was stupid- why did they hole up in these gods-forsaken tunnels if they were just gonna play soldiers about it anyway?
But since Lyver had taken over the gang he had insisted on posting lookouts like this every night. And while Ripple might not like it, Lyver was stronger than Ripple, so what he says goes.
Still a pain in the ass.
The crunch of boots treading over leaves shocked Ripple from his thoughts.
He brandished his spear towards the tree-line and shouted. "Who the hell was that?"
He received no response. Instead, the shadows cast by the light of the full moon above danced and twisted themselves longer and longer, shades prowling from the tree line towards the hapless Ripple.
Ripple took a step back.
"W-who the fuck is there?"
One of the shadows, barely ten feet from Ripple, pooled into a black, stygian circle. The pool then rose into a spout, and out from it stepped a figure, their gait calm and ordered, as if they had not just stepped from an inky pillar of darkness.
"That would be me." The figure said.
The figure was a... man? Woman? Ripple couldn't tell. They had pale skin and dark black hair tied up in a top knot. They wore a long coat which went down to below the knee- a bandolier crossed their chest. The coats neckline took a deep V shape, exposing a white under coat and a set of chain-mail glittering beneath the moonlight. They had piercing gray eyes framed by a set of round wire-framed spectacles, the glass tinted an orange-red.
Holstered to their belt was a single sword, long and curved like the one Lyver used, and along side is was some kind of wooden... hook? It wasn't like anything Ripple had seen before, with a long body topped by a curved handle of some kind, and various metal bits sticking out from it.
"A-ah, and who would you be, little miss? Not many people with a pretty face like yours end up in these parts... we wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"I do not believe that will be an issue, but thank you for your concern."
"Hey now— no need to get all back-chatty with me. I don't know who you are, but this place is off limits. Turn around— now."
"This is the lair of one 'Lyver Brightblade,' correct?"
The fact this person was being so cavalier with him threw Ripple off. He was used to using fear against his victims, but this individual seemed to pay him almost no mind at all.
He had to take back control, especially if this person knew that Lyver was here.
He pointed his spear towards the figure.
"...must you insist on violence? I asked only a simple question."
Ripple remained silent. The time for talk was over.
The bandit lunged forward, aiming for a swift jab straight to the strangers throat.
His strike met only air, as the figure disappeared in an instant.
"Wha-?"
Ripple felt a sharp pain on the back of his head as the figure swatted him with the strange wooden hook they carried.
"...I do hope your comrades prove less irksome." The figure muttered, and before long Ripple found himself fading into unconsciousness.
Morgan took a few moments to consider the collapsed bandit before them.
On the one hand, killing him now would make the rest of their task easier... but on the other hand Philo had instructed them to refrain from killing 'unless necessary.' Morgan was not entirely sure what 'necessary' meant in this context, but they knew for a fact that this grunt posed them no threat... so killing them now would be a violation of their mentor's edict.
But then, what to do with the unconscious brigand?
They could just leave him here... but their job was to make enough of an impression to lure out Lyver...
Morgan grabbed the listless Ripple by the collar off his shirt, dragging him behind them as they strode into the bandit lair.
"Any word from Sazh?"
"Not yet, boss."
"Hmmmm."
Lyver stared into the fire pit he and his dozen men sat around.
Lyver was growing worried. It wasn't like Sazh to spend this long on a raid. Usually he found an easy target and came back with a pile of loot... or wrote the whole thing off as a pointless waste of time and came back home as soon as possible.
Lyver was relying on Sazh's ability to tell when a region had fully dried up to make a decision on whether to pack up and leave.
The Mole-Hill was a near perfect base of operations. It kept them safe from the authorities and adventuring parties while also allowing them to remain highly mobile. Striking at anytime from anywhere using its twisting maze of caverns and caves as camouflage for their movements.
"Boss!"
One of the grunts... Tarel? Darel? Lyver couldn't be bothered to remember their names. The only name worth remembering: Ezra— was far from the nonsense Lyver was playing around with out here.
"What?" Lyver asked.
"We got an intruder! Some... freak is just walking through the base!"
"...Walking? And we're just standing by like a bunch of kids who pissed their pants?"
"W-well... they've got Ripple with them!"
"...Who?"
"Y-you know boss! Ripple!"
Lyver searched his recent memory. He recalled some loudmouth bandit who had objected to his ascension to gang leader. The stupid fucker had tried to take Lyver on 1v1. That went about as well as you could expect. Since then Lyver hadn't heard a lick from that goon, meaning this 'Ripple' had probably folded like a bitch. No one worth remembering.
"Okay? Then kill both of them. I don't need weaklings hanging around me."
"B-b-but sir-"
"ENOUGH!" Lyver shouted. Seriously, could this circus not maintain itself for even a day without him? "Either deal with this now or die by my own blade— your choice."
If these morons couldn't hold themselves strong in the face of even a single intruder, then what was even the point of ganging up with them?
The grunt who had delivered the message grimaced, then clutched the hilt of his sword.
Heh, seems they think I'm an easier fight than whoever is trampling down our halls.
Most men may have been frightened by such a realization, but not Lyver.
He was lucky enough to understand his place in the pecking order of strength. He knew that the only man in this nation, nay, in the world who was stronger than him was Ezra Moongallows himself... the Kingdom's very own Champion of the Arena.
"C'mon then, boy, draw that sword of yours and let me make an easy example to the rest of these shits." Lyver said.
The young bandit flinched, thrown off by Lyver's bravado. But before he could draw his blade for one side or another, he was knocked off his feet as a massive weight was suddenly hurled against his back. The grunt had been tossed to the ground by the unconscious figure of another bandit, one Lyver vaguely recognized as belonging to Ripple.
"Forgive me for interrupting, but I would prefer if I could conduct my own business before you all turn on each other like a bunch of pissants."
From the darkness beyond the fire came a voice, impossible to ascribe gender or accent to.
Lyver stood up, drawing his katana and brandishing it towards the voice.
"Sorry about that. Pissants are most of what you'll run into around these parts... but who are you?"
Out of the darkness and into the light of the fire stepped a figure. Androgynous and clearly dressed for battle, but beautiful and stunning unlike anyone Lyver had ever seen before.
Lyver tilted his head, signaling for his men to fan out and encircle the stranger. In the meantime he'd keep them distracted.
"Who am I? I think that's a question better shot back at 'ya. I'm not the one barging into someone else's home, now am I?"
"...I'm not the one attacking travelers on the road."
"Hey! Don't get upset just cause we have to make a living too."
"How quaint. Are you the one called Lyver?"
"Maybe... what's it to you?" By this point Lyver's men had almost entirely encircled the stranger. They were either superbly confident or superbly stupid, by Lyver's reckoning.
"I am told you are the second strongest in this Kingdom, is that true?"
Damn bitch. Who told you that?
"I may be, but who are you?"
"Just a swordsman interested in challenging the strong."
"Is that so, eh? Well sorry to say I don't waste time on novices."
The stranger raised an eyebrow at that, then tilted their head to the pair of collapsed bodies by the fire.
"I had hoped your lookout and his cushion would have been proof enough of my strength."
"What? You want credit for beating those clowns?"
"...'Clowns'... really? I thought they were your allies?"
"Well, seeing how they lost to someone like you, I can't give them any higher prai-"
"Shut up." The figure snapped. "I grow weary of this farce. Answer me this— worm— you and your men... do you enjoy the suffering you inflict on others?"
Lyver was shocked by the sudden acidity with which the stranger spoke, so much so that he took an involuntary step back.
"W-what do you mean?"
"Don't play coy. You know exactly what I mean. Do you take pleasure in your banditry? Does your heart stirr with joy as you murder those not capable of defending themselves?"
"We've been known to get a little rowdy, sure."
"We? Does that include yourself?"
"The hell's it matter to you?"
"My Mentor has an interest in you. They seem to think you worthy of their attention. I am not one to disregard a directive from her, but I will not allow a filthy ape motivated by the whims of his base desire's to meet my Mentor... so I ask again, do you enjoy hurting people?"
Lyver took another step back. All his instincts were telling him to run, to flee from here and hide for the rest of his life but...
But he had his pride as a swordsman, and he couldn't just let that go, not until he beat him.
"I've never partaken myself... but I often let my men indulge in their vices."
"Ha!" One of the other bandits exclaimed. "And indulge we do! Want a demonstration?"
The figure, unflinching, snapped their attention to the loudmouth bandit.
"I think I've heard enough from the peanut gallery. I will remove you from this conversation now." The stranger held up a hand, wrapping their middle finger around their index.
"[Superior Technique— Steal]." They said.
At first, nothing seemed amiss... but before long-
"A-Ahhh!"
"Oh Gods!"
"B-Boss! Help!"
Lyver's men began clutching their faces, stumbling wildly and slamming into the walls and each other.
Lyver grabbed one of them by the shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself, dumbass!"
"B-Boss!" The bandit he had grabbed cried, then turned his face to meet Lyver's gaze, except, where Lyver expected to see another pair of eyes staring back, he only saw a pair of limp, empty sockets.
Lyver shoved the eyeless bandit away from him.
"Really? Is that all it takes to frighten the Kingdom’s second strongest fighter?" The figure said. In their outstretched palm they held a pile of... eyes.
They tilted their hand over, letting the stack of fleshy orbs tumble and splat to the ground.
"Your friends should count themselves lucky. Imagine what would have happened if I had stolen their hearts, or even worse their stomachs... they say a stab wound to the belly is the most painful way to die. Imagine if you lost the whole thing."
W-what the hell?
This was a monster, it was the only explanation. Some horrible beast who had wandered into their camp and thought them easy pickings.
Well, Lyver wasn't going to let them get away with it.
"You said you sought the strong? That your Mentor was interested in me?"
"That would be correct. I am pleased to see you posses basic recall ability."
"Heh- then let me give you a demonstration of that strength." Lyver said, then activated his ultimate technique- designed especially to defeat Ezra himself.
"[Enhance Self— Reflex]." As he spoke the word, The world around him slowed. He could see things moving as if the world had been slowed down compared to him.
In this state he had absolute perception and reaction. Anyone who stepped into that radius would be instantly subjected to his ultimate attack: [Bright Blade].
Except—
"...Ugh." The stranger seemed utterly unimpressed.
"Is this what passes for swordsmanship in this land?" They said. "Can we not have a simple bout of steel against steel?"
Lyver said nothing. After what he saw he wasn't fool enough to drop his guard.
"Fine. I'll play this game of yours. But after I knock the sword from your hands I expect you to answer my questions, then follow me out of this place with no objections. Understood?"
"Hmm… and what do I get if I win?" Lyver asked.
The stranger rolled their eyes.
"Whatever you want. How does that sound?"
Lyver looked to his men, now collapsed and shivering with terror on the cave floor.
"Fix them." He demanded.
The stranger gave a wicked grin in response. "You mean like a dog?"
"You know what the hell I mean! Put their damn eyes back!" Lyver yelled.
It was a mistake. In his anger he pulled his total focus away from his field, for just a moment, but that was all the stranger needed.
They lunged forward at impossible speed, far too fast for Lyver to track even with his enhanced senses.
He tore his katana from its sheath in a desperate attempt to slit the strangers throat before they did the same to him.
Clang
Lyver felt a shock wave pulse through his hands, up through his arms, and into the rest of his body. His sword clattered to the floor- the figure, having moved with terrifying speed to disarm him, now stood by his side, their gaze locked onto his.
He was beaten. His ultimate technique was nothing but a joke to them.
Lyver collapsed to his knees.
"Are we done here?" the stranger asked.
"Y-yes."
"Very good. Then come with me."
"Wha-?"
Lyver was hoisted to his feet by a powerful grip.
"Like I said— my mentor wants to talk to you."
Lyver swallowed his nerves. This person alone had dispatched Lyver's entire gang in less than a second. Who on earth could they possibly call 'Mentor?'
Who teaches a Monster like this? Lyver thought. Based on this person's power I can only guess that its some kind of demon... or worse.
Lyver swallowed again. Whatever this Mentor was, he would soon find out for himself.
Before they could get even a few paces away. Lyver felt a hand wrap around his ankle.
"B-boss!" The eyeless bandit stared listlessly upwards.
This was too much- Lyver looked towards the stranger. "Are you really going to leave them like this?" He asked.
"Hm? Who...? Oh, yes, right." Lyver, a little taken aback by how quick the stranger seemed to forget about the eyeless men panicking around them, nonetheless stood to the side as the stranger once again held out their hand.
[Reverse Superior Technique Steal- Return]
"I- I can see again!"
"Thank the Gods!"
"Yes yes- I have returned your sight. I do hope you all take this as a sign to give up on this life of banditry? To be frank, considering the suffering you have inflicted on others I am more inclined to execute you all right here... but I imagine that would upset you, yes?" The stranger said- looking to Lyver.
"I..." Lyver wasn't exactly in a position to judge- he had been willing to strike down his men just a few minutes ago. "Do as you will." He said.
The stranger responded only with a blank stare.
"I see." They said, then turned back to the other bandits. "Then I will let the rest of you live. I would advise you not forget this, and work to right the wrongs you have committed."
With that they turned back around, gesturing for Lyver to follow, and walked towards the exit.
"So... that's him?" I asked.
"Yes." Sazh said.
The man following behind Morgan was tall and well muscled— though not with the oversized muscles of a body builder, rather the honed physique of a martial artist or runner.
He had messy brown hair which hung down to just above the shoulders, and he wore a ragged black shirt and tanned leather pants.
He was in a state of total shock. His eyes downcast as he walked.
Uh oh. I hope Morgan didn't go too far on this one. Lyver seems a little... unwell.
"Teacher." Morgan said while giving a quick bow.
"Welcome back Morgan- I assume all went well?"
"Very much so. None among them were able to pose a meaningful threat."
Lyver winced when Morgan said that.
Poor guy... must have been totally outclassed by Morgan and is still trying to process.
Still, that's kinda disappointing. If Morgan can beat this country's second strongest fighter without breaking a sweat, then I assume the average power level of this place is fairly low. He may be able to confirm that for us... but I doubt he can warn of of any real threats we need to watch out for.
Still though. He can at least tell us about this world, act as our guide to this country.
Well, maybe better to ask him about it first.
"Hello. You are Lyver, correct?" I asked.
"I am." He was still visibly nervous, but he seemed to have recovered a bit more composure, managing to raise his gaze to meet my own as he spoke.
"Good! I do apologize for the... intrusion- but we were accosted by some of your men along the road—" I gestured to Sazh— "and after capturing him your associate here mentioned that you were a highly skilled warrior."
"Heh. If you had asked me an hour ago I would have agreed. Now though..." Lyver glanced towards Morgan.
"Right. Maybe I should start from the beginning. You see, we come from a community within the mountains where we study the way of the sword and the art of combat." Lyver's eyes lit up at that.
Its only partially a lie... the School of Body, at least according to the lore I wrote for it, seeks enlightenment through things like martial arts.
"So that's how you got that powerful?" Lyver asked.
I assume the question was directed at Morgan, but they've remained still and silent the whole time, and I assume that will not change.
"Correct." I said.
"Then what does that have to do with me?"
"We are... unfamiliar with the outside world. It would take too long to explain at the moment, but suffice to say we are trying to get the lay of the land which surrounds us— both in terms of the literal who, what, and where of this region, but also how developed the way of the sword is in this place. From what I understand- you at one point crossed paths with this nations 'Head Warrior,' so I assumed you would be able to help us on both those fronts."
"I see... you need a guide, basically?"
"Correct."
"But why? Seems to me with strength like yours it doesn't matter what you run into... what's the point of a guide if you're safe wherever you go?"
Hmm. I suppose the idea of some hyper-powerful strangers asking about local politics is a little suspicious. The main reason I want to know is so that I can pursue my plans- first to recruit adventurers, and then to turn our little village into a prosperous city-state.
I'd rather not reveal too much of the specifics of that plan to Lyver just yet, I'd like to get to know him better first. Even if only to ease him into a lot of the insane happenings which seem to surround me.
You know... while Lyver may not have been as strong as I had hoped right now... how strong can he get? Even I started out at level one... and back in Yggdrasil there were mechanics based around training up the NPCs...
Maybe the people of this world can reach the same heights of strength as us, they just need the right training and support.
"You see..." I began- "I'm something of a collector. I have learned much over the years, and I want to teach others how to walk the same paths and reach the same truths that I have. I'm on what you could call a recruiting mission- looking for potential disciples."
Lyver's eyes went wide.
"You mean...?
"Yes- I want you to join me, Lyver. Guide us through this land- and in exchange I will teach you all that I know."
Lyver stared at me for a few moments, genuine shock written on his face.
"You have been granted a great honor. I would suggest you accept it." Morgan, breaking their silence, said.
Lyver looked between the Elf and me, then closed his eyes in contemplation.
After a few moments he opened his eyes again, and unease and fear that had once dulled them was now washed away by an intense fire.
Lyver knelt down onto one knee.
"I accept. I gladly become your student."
Very good.
"And I gladly accept as a student. Now rise, Lyver, as the newest Disciple of Gentle Shade Monastery!"