"Hey—stay back! Don't come near us! Don't come near us!" one of the bandits shouted, his voice shaking with fear. He tried to back away, but panic overtook him. Suddenly, he spun around and bolted.
Before he could run far—Nolan was already there.
In a blink, Nolan appeared in front of him. His eyes glinted, cold and unyielding. He reached out, grabbing the man by the face with one hand, lifting him off the ground effortlessly. With a swift motion, Nolan's other hand grabbed the second bandit by the jaw.
BOOM!
The force of Nolan's punch sent the first man flying into a tree. The impact splintered the trunk, piercing him with jagged wood. He went limp. The second man's head twisted unnaturally as Nolan's grip tightened, and then—he too collapsed. Silence fell over the clearing.
The remaining six bandits froze, staring wide-eyed at Nolan. One of them, trembling, raised his sword with shaky hands and charged. The blade cut through the air with deadly intent, aimed at Nolan's chest.
