With the entrance being so narrow, Culotte went in first to ensure there were no sentry rotations or anything else the bandits might find suspicious. After she signaled the all-clear, Superbia, Arrogan, Schola, and Filma followed, with Rei bringing up the rearmost position.
"It’s cramped in here."
The cave tunnel was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Fighting freely would be impossible for more than one person at a time.
Taking note of the surroundings, Rei spoke up.
"The order is Superbia, Arrogan, Filma, Schola, then me. Culotte, as I said before, your priority is securing the hostages. Once that's done, stay hidden in the shadow of the watchtower."
"I told you, Arrogan was just throwing up in that shadow earlier..."
Culotte pouted, her mouth twisted in a scowl. However, given that the alternative was waiting in the forest to protect merchants who were likely complete amateurs in a fight, she ultimately decided that hiding in the shadows was the better option.
"Alright, let's move. From here on, it’s a race against time. If you spot a bandit, kill them without hesitation. We need to prevent them from alerting their comrades, so take them down before they can even make a sound if possible. We’re launching a surprise attack while they're in the middle of a feast. The battle itself shouldn't take much effort."
Everyone nodded at Rei’s command. Culotte moved ahead, slipping into the passage on the right that led toward the jail.
Once she was gone, Rei and the others moved quickly and as quietly as possible down the center passage.
"Wait!"
Superbia, who was leading the way, signaled for everyone to stop with a wave of his hand before leaning back toward Rei.
"They're there."
"How many?"
"I didn't get an exact head count, but just as Culotte reported, there are roughly thirty of them. Most are drunk, and it doesn't look like they have any captives with them in the hall."
"Alright. We’ll start with a preemptive strike using ranged weapons, just like we did with the sentries. I’ll join in this time. Rei, Schola, and Filma—the three of us will lead with magic and arrows to throw them into chaos. Superbia, Arrogan, you two charge in once they're disorganized. I’ll hold the entrance to the hall to protect the two rearguards."
The group nodded. Superbia and Arrogan drew their weapons, ready to burst in at a moment's notice. Filma readied her bow, while Schola began chanting under his breath.
Confirming they were ready, Rei realized his longer weapons would be difficult to swing in the narrow tunnel. He returned the Mithril Knife to his waist and withdrew the Death Scythe—his magic catalyst—from the Misty Ring.
"Fire, follow my will and burn my enemies."
As he finished the chant, a fireball roughly thirty centimeters in diameter manifested before him, the ambient temperature in the tunnel spiking instantly.
Rei glanced at Schola, who gave a sharp nod to indicate he had completed his own incantation.
"Fireball!"
Rei's Fireball was the first to fly. It slammed into the center of a group of five men gathered around a bottle. The bandit who took the direct hit was instantly consumed by flames, his life snuffed out before he could even utter a death rattle. The impact scattered the flames, inflicting burns of varying degrees on the men standing nearby.
"What?! An ambush?! Everyone, get—"
One man near the burning corpses tried to rally his comrades, but an arrow from Filma pierced his forehead before he could finish the order.
"Attack! We're under attack! Kill them!"
Drunk as they were, they finally realized they were being slaughtered. A massive man at the back of the room, evidently the leader, roared the command.
The bandits scrambled for their nearby weapons—swords, axes, clubs, and bows—all eyes turning toward the hall’s singular entrance. But Schola’s magic was already waiting for them.
"Wind Blow!"
Visible only as a blurring in the air, dozens of invisible fists of wind slammed into the crowd simultaneously, battering the bandits.
While it lacked the lethal power of Rei’s Fireball, the effective range of the spell was several times larger.
"Uwah! It's a monster! A monster's attacking!"
One bandit cried out in terror as he watched his comrade collapse, knocked unconscious by a wind fist to the solar plexus. That single word—monster—sent a fresh wave of panic through the already rattled group.
"Shut up, you idiots! There are no monsters around here that use fire and wind magic! And the enemy is using a bow! Get it together!"
The leader roared, but it was no easy thing for a panicked man to regain his senses—especially for a bandit who lacked the discipline of a trained soldier or seasoned adventurer.
And then...
"Go!"
At Rei’s sharp command, Superbia and Arrogan charged into the hall, weapons leveled.
"Damn it! Fine! I'll do it! I'll do it!"
Feeling half-desperate—or perhaps simply using the adrenaline to force himself past his hesitation—Arrogan steeled his resolve to kill. He swung his magic sword in a wide arc, aiming for the gut of the nearest bandit.
"Gyah!"
The magic sword performed flawlessly. The horizontal slash passed through the bandit's torso with zero resistance, bisecting the man where he stood.
As entrails and blood sprayed across the floor, the bandit collapsed. Arrogan had taken a human life for the very first time.
"Arrogan, don't daze out! There are still more of them!"
Superbia shouted as he drove his longsword into a bandit's skull and threw a dagger to pin the arm of another man trying to draw a bow.
Realizing that now was not the time for moral conflict, Arrogan desperately swung his magic sword again.
From the entrance, Schola provided support with wind and water magic, while Filma fired wind-attribute arrows from her magic bow, picking off targets to keep the two on the front lines from being overwhelmed.
"Damn it! Kill those three in the back first!"
Heeding their leader's order, a few bandits broke away to rush Schola and Filma.
"With this much room, it's not a problem."
Rei stepped forward, blocking their path with the Death Scythe.
"Get out of the way, you brat!"
Fueled by a mixture of terror and alcohol-induced rage, a bandit swung his axe down at Rei’s head. To the bandit, Rei looked small and slender—no more than a child. He was certain he could crush him in a single blow.
But...
"Judging by appearances is the mark of a third-rater."
A sharp metallic clank rang out as the falling axe hit the blade of the Death Scythe.
Or rather, it didn't even reach the shaft. The axe head struck the magic-infused edge of the scythe and was instantly snapped in two by the weight and reinforcement of the superior weapon.
"No way!"
The bandit froze, dumbfounded by the sight of his broken weapon. In that moment of hesitation, the literal Grim Reaper’s scythe swept through his waist.
"Gah!"
The bandit's body was severed cleanly, and he died before he even hit the ground.
Still, in a chaotic melee like this, you never know what might happen. I should use a little insurance.
"Magic Shield."
The moment Rei activated the skill, a Shield of Light manifested. As if guided by its own will, the shield floated to a position where it wouldn't obstruct Rei’s movements, hovering ready to intercept any incoming attacks.
"Rei, is that...?"
Filma started to ask in surprise, but quickly realized she didn't have the luxury of distraction. She nocked an arrow and took down a bandit trying to flank Arrogan.
The bandits were slowly regaining their wits, but they were still far from organized. Being interrupted in the middle of a drinking bout meant the alcohol was still in their systems, and the fog of intoxication didn't clear just because blood was being spilled.
Arrogan and Superbia pressed the advantage, determined to end the fight quickly. The magic sword continued to bisect enemies, while the longsword claimed heads and limbs with professional efficiency.
"Shit! These guys are too good! And two mages?! This isn't a normal subjugation!"
The leader spat, glaring at the three figures holding the entrance.
"Archers! Take out the one in the middle!"
Obeying the command, several bandits drew their bows and took aim at Rei.
"I won't let you. Flying Slash!"
Rei didn't miss the command. He swung the Death Scythe in a great arc, unleashing a shockwave.
The invisible blade of the skill tore through the three archers. Because the skill was still at level one, it didn't sever them completely, but the wounds were deep enough to ensure they wouldn't be drawing a bow string for the rest of their short lives.
"Rei!"
Filma’s voice rose in a panicked cry. She had spotted a bandit hidden among the corpses on the floor, aiming a bow directly at Rei.
She moved to fire, but she was a second too late—the bandit’s arrow was already in the air.
Filma's arrow pierced the bandit's skull a moment later, killing him instantly, but she couldn't stop the projectile he had already released. She braced herself to see Rei pierced through.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
Filma, who had reflexively squeezed her eyes shut, heard Rei’s calm voice.
Puzzled, she opened her eyes to see the Magic Shield that had intercepted the arrow vanishing like a mist.
"You see? Now, focus on thinning them out. They're starting to get their second wind."
"R-Right."
Nodding, Filma turned her focus back to the hall, concentrating her mind to call upon the spirits.
We're deep in a cave, so the wind spirits are weak. If I use the earth spirits carelessly, the ceiling might collapse... no, if I focus on the floor...
"Earth Spirit, grant me an Earth Spear!"
Responding to her call, sharp spikes of earth nearly a meter long thrust up from the floor beneath the bandits.
"Uwah!"
"What the—?!"
"Damn it, what's going on?!"
"Move! You're in my way!"
The bandits fell into a fresh panic as several of their own were impaled from below. This new wave of chaos, coming just as they had begun to stabilize, tasted like pure despair.
"Uoooooooh!"
As a bandit leaped back to avoid a spike, Arrogan descended on him with a roar, his magic sword flashing.
A few bandits, seeing their comrades being slaughtered by Arrogan and Superbia, tried to make a break for the hall’s entrance, only to be met by Schola.
"Ice Needle."
Dozens of frozen needles impaled them where they stood, dropping them to the floor in a heap.
"Damn it... you, and you. Follow me. And don't let the others see you."
The bandit leader, realizing they were on the verge of a total rout, watched as his men were picked off by magic, arrows, and that massive scythe. He whispered orders to his two closest cronies.
The two men understood immediately. They nodded and began to slip toward the back of the hall, masking their presence.
They were heading for a secret known only to the leader and his inner circle—a secret escape route.
The leader was more than willing to sacrifice his subordinates to save his own skin. He had chosen this cave as his base specifically because he could hide this tunnel leading from the great hall to the outside. If they could just get away, they could always rebuild the gang from scratch elsewhere.
They crept through the shadows, moving deeper into the hall while everyone else was distracted by the slaughter.
But someone was watching.
"Seven left in the hall. You guys can handle that, right?"
"What? Yeah, I think so... but why are you asking?" Filma replied, shooting a bandit through the shoulder.
"Because there are some rats trying to scurry away. I'm going to go dispose of them. Just in case... Magic Shield."
"Wait, rats?"
Ignoring Filma's confusion, Rei gripped the Death Scythe and summoned the Shield of Light once more. He kicked off the ground with a heavy thud, charging straight toward the melee.
"Rei?!"
"Whoa, watch out! Rei's coming through!"
Filma’s startled cry and Schola’s warning to the vanguards faded as Rei closed the distance.
"Sleipnir's Shoes, activate."
Using the power of the magic item to run through the air, Rei leaped. He kicked off the empty space once, then twice, sailing high over the heads of the fighting bandits.
"Huh?"
"What the—?!"
Arrogan and Superbia looked up in shock as Rei passed over them. He ignored them, taking a third and fourth step through the air before dropping down to the ground.
He landed squarely in front of the bandit leader and his cronies, blocking the path to their secret exit.