The three of them watched as Saruto stepped forward and rolled his shoulders like someone preparing for a light morning stretch instead of a life-or-death fight.
Bandit-1, the leader, cracked his knuckles. "Alright boys, easy haul. Grab the bag, grab them, leave the maid. she scares the crap out of me."
Bandit-2 raised a hand. "Boss, she really does..."
Before Riot could blink, Saruto bent down, picked up a handful of dirt, and threw it directly into Bandit-1's eyes.
Bandit-1 screamed. "AGH—MY EYES—WHY THE DIRT—?!"
Saruto didn't wait. He rushed Bandit-3 and kicked him right in the knees, hard enough that Bandit-3 dropped his bat-weapon and clutched his leg.
"OW! Who attacks the leg first?!"
Saruto grabbed the fallen weapon, then threw it straight at Bandit-4 direction, behind Bandit-3.
It hit him squarely in the forehead.
Bandit-4 fell on his back, arms spread. "Huh...? What the hell just happen??" Speaking dizzily, as if the man got amnesia.
Riot stared, jaw loose. "I hate that I'm impressed. I hate this so much."
Bandit-2 tried to punch Saruto from behind, he bent down after noticing something on his feet.
Not to dodge, but to tie his boot.
Bandit-2 punched the air above him, missed, twirled forward, and tripped over Saruto's back, collapsing face-first into the ground, almost cracking his neck. (Literally)
Saruto stood up calmly. "I warned you," he said, even though he absolutely hadn't say a single warning.
Bandit-5, the last uninjured one, stomped forward.
"That's it! No more playing around!" He pulled out a dagger, charging straight toward Saruto like an idiot.
Saruto reached into his sleeve and pulled out… a small beetle.
He flicked it at Bandit-5's face.
The beetle landed on Bandit-5's cheek.
"B-BUG?! GET IT OFF ME!!" Bandit-5 screamed louder than anyone else, resemble a high-pitch girl voice.
He stumbled around, tripped over Bandit-3's still-suffering leg, and felled on the ground trying to remove the harmless creature.
"Mhm..." Saruto nodded to himself proudly, like this was planned.
Bandit-1, finally wiping his eyes, squinted in literal disbelief. "Th-That's enough! I'll handle this myself!"
He charged in swinging a club.
Saruto stepped aside. Not gracefully—he simply fell sideways, landing on the ground.
The club whooshed past where he had been.
Bandit-1 blinked. "Did… did he dodge by collapsing??"
Saruto, still on the ground, swept his foot out and kicked Bandit-1's ankle.
Bandit-1 toppled over like a dropped sack of potatoes and hit the dirt with a loud thud.
Saruto stood up, breathing hard but clearly satisfied.
Bandit-3 raised a shaky hand. "W-We surrender."
Bandit-5 seconded. "Never again… I don't want to fight someone who weaponizes bugs."
Bandit-1 groaned. "Boys… retreat…"
They didn't even run. They limped away. Slowly. Sadly.
Elena stepped forward and placed a hand on Saruto's arm. Light shimmered from her palm, healing the forming bruises in seconds. "All... Done~!"
Riot watched everything with an expression that said his soul had left his body.
He stop forward and opened his mouth about to ask something.
"Hey... are you really the same pers—"
A drop of water hit his nose.
"Huh?" Riot pause in confusion.
Then another.
Within seconds, heavy rain poured down through the forest canopy.
Riot snapped his head up. "Seriously?! Now?!"
Elena pointed ahead. "There's a small village. Take cover there~"
Riot sighed in defeat. "Fine. Whatever. I'm too tired to question anything anymore."
Saruto picked up the bag again like nothing happened, and the three of them ran through the rain toward the shelter ahead.
The rain fell harder as they ran, turning the dirt path into soft mud. The trees shook under the weight of the sudden storm, and every step splashed water up their legs.
Riot wiped his face. "If this gets any worse, I'm filing a complaint to whatever weather god is responsible."
Saruto didn't respond, too busy keeping the oversized bag from swinging into a tree.
Elena jogged beside them, somehow avoiding every puddle. "Village should be close. There's an inn, a stable, and a tiny soup shop that only sells one flavor."
Riot squinted. "Why only one? Also, how did you kno—?"
"They couldn't agree on a second one." she replied calmly, interrupting his last question.
Riot opened his mouth, then closed it. "You know what, fine. I accept it. Better than eating stone bread in my trainee day."
They finally reached the edge of the village.
Small wooden houses lined the path, each with a slanted roof and dim lanterns glowing under the stormy sky. Smoke rose from a few chimneys, bending sideways in the wind.
Riot stumbled under a nearby porch roof and exhaled. "Finally, roof."
Saruto dropped the bag with a heavy thud and leaned against the wall, trying not to collapse.
Elena brushed the rain water from her sleeves with magic."We should find a place to stay. Weather won't clear soon."
Riot nodded, then froze.
"Wait… is it just me, or is everyone staring at us?"
He was right.
Several villagers had peeked out of their windows.
A few stood on porches, holding buckets or washing cloths, all watching the soaked trio with an expression hovering between suspicion and pity.
One woman whispered to another, "Travellers?"
Her friend shook her head. "No… look at that man faces. They've suffered..."
Riot glared. "I can hear you."
A man in a straw hat pointed at Saruto. "Isn't that bag heavy for you to carry?"
Saruto didn't know how to respond, so he bowed politely, unfortunately his default smile give off a perverted vibe.
The man screamed and ran back into his house, since he's not gay. Has a loving wife and son at home.
Riot sighed, dragging a hand through his wet hair. "great. Perfect.. FANTASTIC! Now the whole village is scared of us."
Elena tapped his shoulder. "There, there. That place looks like an inn~"
Except for her, she's been awfully clean, thanks to her magic.
A wooden sign swung under the rain, reading: Bendriver Inn – Warm Soup, Comfy Beds, No Fighting Indoors, Don't wrestle with your partner loudly.
Riot stared at the last line. "…That rule existed before we arrived, right?"
"I doubt it." Elena replied.
They walked inside. The door creaked loudly as all three stepped into the warm interior.
A fireplace crackled at the far wall, and a few travelers turned their heads with mild curiosity. The innkeeper, a stout middle-aged man with a thick beard.
Looked up from behind his counter. The man blinked at Saruto and Riot drenched appearance.
"Uhh… rough trip?"
Riot answered with a dead stare. "You have no idea."
Saruto gently placed the bag down, the floorboards groaning in complaint, then he gaze at him like a normal human being when booking a room.
But it isn't the same with him...
The innkeeper flinched. "A-Alright! Rooms! I can get you rooms! But not with me!"
"Three rooms, please~" Elena smiled politely.
Riot raised his hand. "One is fine. with three bed, of course."
Saruto nodded in agreement, already half-asleep while standing.
The innkeeper hesitated, then shrugged. "As long as the place doesn't collapse, it's fine."
He handed them a key.
Riot stretched, exhausted. "Finally. Peace."
A thunderclap shook the windows, "AH?!" spooking him out of his own complain.
"The universe is testing me..." He said.
Elena walked ahead. "Let's settle in first~ I'll prepare the bed for you brother to sleep comfortably~"
Saruto followed silently. Riot dragged his feet behind them,
And just when they reached the stairs…
"Ah... ah... Achoo!" A loud sneeze echoed behind them.
Riot turned around lazily.
At the counter table, there's a seated of 5 person. Completely soaked, trembling bandit from earlier stood there, clutching a towel on them.
He looked at them.
They looked at him.
Bandit-5 sniffled. "…Please don't flick bugs at me again."
Riot covered his face with both hands, "I want to go home..." in utter frustration.
*
To be continued...
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