Chapter 82: The Armored Demon.

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Armored Demon.

Chapter 82: The Armored Demon.

"YOU BASTARD!!!"

One of the bandits finally snapped.

His face twisted with rage as he tightened his grip around the large axe in his hands.

"I’ll hack you to death!"

The armored figure didn’t respond.

He simply stood there, his sword hanging loosely at his side while his crimson eyes remained fixed on the approaching bandit.

The man gritted his teeth.

"Die!" He yelled as he raised his axe above his head before bringing it down with all his strength.

SWOOSH!

The heavy blade tore through the air.

Yet Osborne’s expression didn’t change.

To him, the attack was slow.

Far slower than he had expected.

His enhanced senses allowed him to clearly see the movement of the axe, from the moment the bandit’s muscles tightened to the moment the weapon began descending toward his head.

If he was an awakened, it might’ve been a different story, but facing a normal human.

’Too slow.’ He said inwardly.

Osborne raised his sword.

CLANG!

The axe struck against his blade.

The force of the collision caused the bandit’s eyes to widen.

He had expected to overpower the armored man with his strength.

Instead, Osborne barely moved. Moreover, he also felt a numbing sensation as if he’d struck down on iron.

The man’s arms trembled as he tried pushing down harder.

"What..." Only to gasp right after.

Osborne’s crimson eyes narrowed.

He shifted his sword slightly.

The axe slid off the side of his blade.

Before the bandit could react, Osborne stepped forward.

SWISH!

His sword flashed forth.

The next moment, the man’s right arm flew through the air.

"AAAAARGH!!!"

Blood sprayed across the cave.

The bandit stumbled backward, clutching the stump where his arm had been.

But Osborne wasn’t finished.

Another swing.

SWISH!

His other arm was severed.

The axe fell to the ground with a heavy clanging sound.

The bandit collapsed onto his knees.

"MY ARMS!!!"

His scream echoed throughout the cave.

Osborne looked down at him.

For a moment, he simply watched.

There was no pity in his eyes.

Only coldness.

The bandit had probably never imagined that the same fear he had inflicted on others could one day be turned against him.

Osborne slowly raised his sword.

The bandit’s eyes widened.

"Wait!"

SWISH!

The blade passed across his throat.

The scream that had been forming in his mouth never came.

His body trembled.

Blood poured from his throat as he desperately tried to breathe.

He coughed several times, blood spilling from his mouth.

Osborne leaned slightly toward him.

"How does it feel?"

The bandit’s eyes trembled.

Osborne’s voice remained calm.

"Being on the receiving end, I mean."

The man’s body slowly fell forward.

THUD!

Silence ensued, and like that, another soul was gone.

The other two bandits stared at the corpse.

Their faces had gone pale.

Neither of them seemed capable of believing what they had just witnessed.

The armored man hadn’t even struggled.

He had simply dismantled their companion.

One of the bandits slowly looked toward the other.

"We... we should attack him together."

The other bandit didn’t answer.

His grip around his weapon was trembling.

"Hey!"

He looked at his companion.

"Did you hear me?!"

Still nothing. The man’s eyes remained fixed on Osborne.

He could feel it.

Something was wrong.

The armored figure standing before them didn’t feel like an ordinary knight.

There was something about him that made his instincts scream.

Urging him to run, as if innate.

The same feeling prey felt when faced with a ruthless predator.

The first bandit swallowed nervously.

Osborne tilted his head.

"So you’re planning to attack me together?"

Neither man answered.

A faint smile appeared beneath his helmet.

"That’s fine by me." He said, slowly raising his sword.

"I’ll just have to play with the both of you for a little longer." He added, sounding pleased with the idea.

The moment he finished speaking, Osborne’s body suddenly stiffened.

His enhanced senses picked something up.

Danger.

His head snapped toward the entrance.

BOOM!

A ball of fire suddenly flew into the cave.

Osborne’s eyes widened. He immediately jumped backward.

The fireball flew past him.

BOOM!!!

It slammed into the stone wall behind him.

Flames spread across the surface, illuminating the cave with a bright orange glow.

The two remaining bandits froze.

Then their expressions changed.

Their fear was replaced by relief.

"She’s back!"

"Boss!"

A figure slowly stepped into the cave.

Osborne narrowed his eyes.

A woman now stood at the entrance.

She had short blonde hair that stopped around her neck, blue eyes, and a somewhat boyish appearance.

Her clothes were simple, but the way she carried herself made it clear that she wasn’t an ordinary bandit.

She looked around the cave.

Her expression immediately became displeased.

"What the hell happened here?"

Her gaze moved toward the dead bandits.

Then toward the stolen goods scattered around the cave.

Finally, her eyes settled on Osborne.

Her expression darkened.

"I was only gone for that long..."

She clenched her fist.

"...and some bastard knight thinks he can just invade my home?"

The two surviving bandits immediately rushed toward her.

"Boss!"

"That bastard killed them!"

"You have to avenge the others!"

The woman didn’t answer them immediately.

Her blue eyes remained fixed on Osborne.

There was no fear in them.

Only irritation.

Osborne studied her carefully.

’She’s a mage?’ He said to himself.

He could sense mana gathering around her body.

It wasn’t particularly powerful.

But it was definitely there.

The woman raised one hand.

Mana gathered around her palm.

Then a small flame began forming while she chanted an incantation.

Osborne watched silently.

The fireball gradually grew larger.

Then her eyes narrowed.

A fireball formed above her palm.

She grinned.

"I’ll make sure to melt you out of that armor like butter by the time I’m finished with you."

She said as she released the spell.

The fireball shot toward Osborne.

SWOOSH!

The bandits watched with anticipation.

Their boss was a mage.

There was no way this armored knight could survive.

At least, that was what they believed.

Osborne stared at the approaching fireball.

He didn’t move. Instead, he raised his hand.