Ren knew this land like the back of his hand.
Having scoured every inch of the region, it took very little information for him to pinpoint the likely location of the bandit hideout. The location of the victims, the traces of Earth Magic, and the requirements for a perfect hiding spot—all pointed to one specific place. It was a location where those who had secretly fled the Imperial Capital could have vanished until today.
In the nearby mountains lay the nest of a monster species that used to thrive here. Known as the Forest Worm’s Great Pit, the terrain was a labyrinthine structure resembling a giant ant's nest.
(A hidden map you can’t enter without Earth Magic... It has to be there.)
With his destination set, Ren urged Io to run even faster.
The horse was more vigorous and swifter than when he had first taken her from Jelququ. Being a creature with the blood of a monster, Io carried Ren to the targeted hillside in the blink of an eye.
Ren dismounted in a corner of the mountain where patches of lingering snow still clung to the earth.
Standing before a nearly vertical mountain face, Ren placed his palm against the stone and soil. During the era of The Legend of the Seven Heroes, one could use Earth Magic here to alter the terrain, revealing the entrance to the Forest Worm’s nest that tunneled vertically and horizontally through the mountain.
The Forest Worm was a monster similar to, yet distinct from, the Earthworms found in the Eastern Forest of Clausel. While slightly more formidable than their cousins, the local population had been wiped out long ago. The nest that remained was nothing more than a relic of the past.
The challenge now was how Ren—who possessed no talent for Earth Magic—would force the entrance to open.
"Oh?"
Fortunately, he found traces where members of the bandit gang had recently used Earth Magic.
Though the terrain was expertly disguised to blend into the natural surroundings, the surface felt soft to the touch. A bit of gravel trickled down as he pressed against it.
Because of this, he wouldn't need to rely on the overwhelming brute force of his Iron Magic Sword or Great Tree Magic Sword.
Ren drew the Iron Magic Sword and delivered a single vertical flash against the mountainside. He briefly wondered if this still counted as brute force, but since the strike carved a neat, circular hole into the rock, he decided it was refined enough to pass.
"What should I do with you, Io?"
"Hihin!"
He felt it was too dangerous to leave her outside alone. Since Io neighed as if insisting she come along, Ren led her by the reins as he stepped into the darkness of the Forest Worm's nest.
The interior was spacious, wide enough for ten adults to walk side-by-side. Ren remembered this place as being pitch black, yet torches were mounted to the walls at regular intervals, their flames flickering.
"It really is here."
While he recalled the presence of treasure chests in this area, they were long gone. In their place were numerous signs of recent habitation.
Beside him, Io let out a bored yawn.
"Are you sleepy?"
"...Bruuu."
She seemed either tired or simply unimpressed. Ren made a mental note to give her a good brushing and a long rest once they returned to Erendil.
Ren scanned his surroundings while talking to his companion. The tunnels dug by the Forest Worms were broad and the walls were as smooth as if they had been polished. Though the circular chambers were somewhat irregular, they were connected by a network of vertical and horizontal passages, featuring simple stairs made of lashed-together logs.
As he ascended one of these staircases, a sudden chill brushed against the back of his neck.
From behind, he heard the sharp ring of a sword being drawn as someone rushed forward to intercept the threat.
Before anyone could reach him, Ren looked directly at the person who had tried to take his blind spot. The man, clad in a filthy robe, froze when he realized their eyes had met.
"Wha—"
Ren showed no mercy. He readied the Great Tree Magic Sword and drove the pommel into the man’s solar plexus.
"Ka... h... a..."
Ren didn't say a word. The robed man, who had tried to ambush him, was neutralized in an instant, his consciousness fading before he even knew what had happened.
"It definitely looks like the bandit gang."
Ren muttered this as he turned to see another group approaching from behind.
They were the swordsmen from the Arnevelde Company he had spoken with on the plains. They stood there, utterly stunned, blinking in disbelief at the speed and power Ren had just displayed.
"You've been following me since the plains. Were you really that worried?"
"You... you noticed us?"
"Yeah. You seemed harmless, so I just left you alone."
Ren turned back and continued deeper into the tunnels.
"If you're coming along, I'll leave that guy to you."
"A-Ah... Understood..."
The men—Imperial Guards disguised as merchants—exchanged glances. One of the four produced a set of magic tool shackles and secured the bandit’s hands. Once they confirmed the man was completely incapacitated, two of them hurried after Ren, while the other two remained behind to watch their rear.
"I have to ask," the Imperial Guard following Ren said.
"What is it?"
"How were you able to find this place?"
"I’m an adventurer, so I’ve studied the local terrain. I remembered there was something unnatural about the geography here, so I cross-referenced that with what you told me earlier and came to check it out."
The guards seemed to be probing for more information about his identity. Ren was well aware of their suspicion; if he were in their shoes, he would also wonder if a stranger finding a hideout so easily was actually an accomplice.
To put them at ease, Ren added, "If you check with the Guild, you can find out everything you need to know about me."
The guards fell silent after that, offering no further questions.
In less than ten minutes, Ren reached a large, open chamber. Torches lined the walls here as well, their light swaying eerily in a draft coming from somewhere deep within the mountain.
Suddenly, over a dozen shadows lunged at Ren from all sides. The members of the bandit gang were attempting a coordinated ambush.
"Io, stay back."
Without a hint of panic, Ren released Io’s reins and sent her to safety.
The Imperial Guards drew their swords to fulfill Radius’s orders, but they found themselves unable to move, transfixed by a sensation they had never felt before. Or perhaps, they simply realized their intervention wasn't necessary.
Ren moved slowly, the Great Tree Magic Sword in hand. Facing the swarm of bandits, he whispered to himself.
"That's a relief."
The guards couldn't quite grasp the emotion behind those words, but they understood the result immediately.
A series of muffled impacts echoed through the chamber.
One by one, the bandits were struck down, their consciousness reaped by Ren’s blade with effortless precision. When the Earth Magic User at the rear began to chant, Ren closed the distance in a blur of motion.
"Eh?" the magic user gasped, his voice pathetic.
He tried to manifest a spell, but Ren’s power seemed to mock the attempt. Vines summoned via Nature Magic erupted from the ground, binding the man’s legs. Panicking, the man swung his staff, trying to heave the earth upward to block Ren’s path.
His magic never reached its target. Ren was faster. He delivered a heavy blow to the man’s torso, and the half-formed spell collapsed, leaving behind nothing but a few jagged mounds of dirt.
It was a display of remarkably swift skill.
"Could you help me carry them out?" Ren asked.
The Imperial Guards realized then that Ren’s "relief" had been born from the realization that the bandits were a threat he could handle without having to go all out.
As they began securing the prisoners, the guards whispered among themselves.
"The enemy was supposed to be a group of seasoned combatants, but this..."
"It’s clear that the boy is on an entirely different level."
"Exactly. Look at his targets—the solar plexus and the nape. He captured them all alive without killing a single one."
Ren didn't overhear their conversation. He joined the four guards in hauling the bandits out of the Forest Worm's nest. At the base of the mountain, they found several Regular Knights who had arrived with wagons to transport the prisoners. It seemed the other Imperial Guards had coordinated the backup.
The sight of the entire bandit gang being hauled away in a state of total unconsciousness was almost surreal. The caravan began its journey across the plains toward Prince Radius’s camp, intending to continue toward Erendil from there.
Having received the report, Radius rushed out of his tent. He saw the captured bandits and Ren, who stood there without so much as a scratch.
Just as a stunned Radius was about to question his guards, a piercing scream tore through the air.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
One of the bandits, who should have been securely bound and unconscious in the wagon, erupted in a violent frenzy. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin had darkened to a bruised, reddish-black hue.
Enshrouding his arms in black mana, he snatched a sword from a nearby knight and lunged—first at Ren, and then at Radius standing behind him.
"Wha—!"
Radius gasped, his mouth opening to shout orders to his guards, but Ren was already moving.
Still mounted on Io, Ren drew the Iron Magic Sword in a single, fluid motion.
(As I thought. The Demon King Cult is involved.)
The Power of the Demon King bestowed upon the cultist was spiraling out of control. It was easy to guess that the mastermind behind the cult had rigged the man to go berserk as a final, desperate measure.
The Imperial Guards rushed forward to form a defensive wall. They were elites, forming a formation designed to protect both Radius and Ren with absolute certainty. In terms of raw skill, the guards were far superior to any bandit, even a berserk one.
Yet, the disposable pawn of the cult continued his charge.
From atop his horse, Ren looked down, his voice cold yet laced with a hint of sorrow. "I won't offer you any sympathy."
Inside, he felt justified in his decision to remain on guard.
Ren gripped the Iron Magic Sword and raised it high. The Imperial Guard standing directly in front of him suddenly looked back, sensing a crushing, undeniable pressure radiating from the boy behind him.
Then, Ren swung.
The shockwave of the strike whistled past the Imperial Guard's ear.
When the guard turned to see where the blow had landed, the berserk bandit was already on the ground. He was still breathing, but he was completely incapacitated, with no hope of standing again.
It looked like a simple strike, but the fluctuations of mana within that pressure belonged to a very specific, legendary school of combat.
Radius watched the scene, his breath catching in his throat.
"Unbelievable..."
Because Ren was facing away, Radius couldn't see his expression. However, he could tell from the boy's voice and stature that they were close in age. And yet, the sheer refinement of that Strong Sword Art was staggering.
Without looking back at the stunned onlookers, Ren pulled on Io's reins.
"I’m heading back to Erendil. I have someone I need to report this to. If you need anything else, contact the Guild."
The boy who had just displayed such vivid, overwhelming power rode away.
Radius, finally finding his voice, ordered his guards to re-secure the man Ren had neutralized. The guards moved to obey, though their faces remained pale with shock.
"Your Highness," one of the Imperial Guards whispered. "There is no mistake. That was a Strong Sword User."
"Yes... I agree," Radius replied, his voice barely audible over the wind sweeping across the plains.
None of the other prisoners showed signs of awakening. Ren had knocked them out so thoroughly that they remained in a deep stupor.
The man Ren had just struck down was the leader—the Earth Magic User. Unlike the duo Ren had encountered in the Baldur Mountains, this man hadn't possessed enough innate strength to survive the power granted by the Demon King Cultists. He was never meant to be a true warrior; he was always intended to be a disposable pawn that would go berserk and die.
In the end, that was likely the truth behind the entire incident.