Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

"Miss please forgive me for acting selfish but you must run when you have the chance," Alvara declared. 

Cynthia's delicate brows were tightly knitted together, her beautiful face was masked with an unconcealed worry. She knew that this moment would come; however, even she didn't predict that she would be this helpless when that moment came.

"Fools" the Brigand Master mocked looking at the ones that chose to struggle till their last breath.

With just a glance, it was already clear that they had an absolute numerical advantage, not to mention they also have strong ones amidst them who could easily contest with any of the guards and adventurers on the other side.

Then there was him a level 374 [Panzer Fighter], a rare class that he got after three class changes. A class that heavily boosted his Endurance, Defence and Strength.

Additionally, there was also the two bandit leaders who easily handle the likes of veteran adventurers such as Bignosio.

The outcome of this battle was already clear to everyone. The adventurers that chose to leave, thought about this very possibility and felt their survival chance was better on the other side.

The convoy of the Serene Palace merchant guild on the other hand only had a few people that can fight compared to the bandits. Seeing that everything would be decided after this fight, Cynthia turned around and addressed the people that chose to fight by their side.

"Sigh… wish I could say something inspiring at his moment where we need it the most. But I'm not a warrior hence I could only say a few encouraging words. Guards, adventurers it is only natural that one would value their own lives that is why I do not blame those that want to leave."

She paused and observed all those people that did not move even after being told so. She then continued:

"Since it is like that, I would like all of you to inform of a harsh truth. The enemy's numbers are in hundreds and there are even some strong ones amidst them not to mention the adventurers that have decided to go over on that side. If they all join hands, the chance of our victory is very slim, nevertheless, it is not nil".

"Although I would have preferred to say it in a more confident way, if we do win this battle, I will increase the rewards of every individual by ten times. Additionally, I also promise that the Serene Palace merchant guild would remember this favour, we will also help and back you in the future in any way we can".

Right after finishing her words, she deeply bowed her head. She knew how precarious the position she was in right now and all the benefits and promises that she could give right now, sounded as simply empty words.

The people who remained, looked at each other and nodded their heads, they then brought out their weapons and took a formation. Naturally, Simon was with the members of the convoy, although he found getting involved in all of this bothersome, he couldn't just allow them to get wiped out or else who will navigate a way for him to the capital?

<br/> His eyes scanned all the members who remained and stopped briefly on one particular person. The person was none other than the butler who was constantly triggering his instincts. Adalinda was quietly standing by his side enjoying the farce that was soon going to erupt.

After a few minutes passed, the brigand Master's patience ran out. He took out a large bastard sword from his space ring and pointed it towards the convoy.

"Kill everyone else other than the women" his fierce words generated an intense shout from these outlaws behind him who only knew how to shed blood. At his command, dozens of bandits ran forward and charged towards the members of the convoy on the other side.

The adventurers and guards reinvigorated their spirits, ready to meet the bandits that were rushing towards them. At this moment, Chuck who had a rich battle experience and was used to managing a whole guild, stepped forward to take the lead.

"You people better give your all if you want to survive" with a spirited shout, the [Guardian Knight] held a wide shield with a bull carved on it in one hand and held a long sword on the other. His figure was just like a boulder giving a sense of protection to those behind.

"Yeah!!".

As if it was not their first time fighting in coordination, these people after being gathered by Chuck showed an airtight formation that came to them naturally.

Simon was placed at the centre of the formation since everyone believed that his class was a mage. Hence he and Adalinda were stuck in the middle.

"Sigh, is this the situation you had in mind when you said the fun is just going to begin? You do realise that we need their help to reach the capital right? " he asked sighing internally.

"Hehe" the little girl simply acted coyly and smiled.

Simon shook his head and shifted his eyes away which landed on the army of bandits. From his observation, he instantly found the strong ones mixed within them and when some of them charged along with the other bandits, he would target these bandits with his magic.

Clanging noises of metal meeting metal, weapon colliding with weapons rang out. In an instant, the previously peaceful campsite was instantly turned upside down.

In the darkness of the night where the only source of light was the moonlight that sometimes penetrated through the thick layers of canopies, a fierce fight was currently undergoing near an area not far away from a small brook.

CLANG… with a wide swing, one of the silver guards was able to push back a bandit with his lance before another came charging at him.

WHOOSH… wind rustled and quickly formed a small sphere that rushed towards the incoming bandits injuring and halting their momentum somewhat.

Other than Simon, there were three other people at the eye of the formation whose classes were mages. The magic just now was from one of them, Novice tier Wind Magic Mastery [Wind Blast]. The spells from the mages shaved some of the burdens off their shoulders and allowed the warriors to firmly hold the frontlines.

Whenever it would seem that the formation would collapse, flame spears containing an intense heat, would target that specific spot. Each of these flame spears would accurately hit the area where the charge of the bandit was too intense. It was like they had a mind of their own.

These repeated attacks, allowed the warriors on the frontlines to firmly hold their ground. Everybody looked with awe and appreciation in their eyes when they gazed at the caster. These swift spells that did not take more than a few seconds to conjure, came from a young provisional adventurer.

CLANG… Two sickle like blades met a sleek long sword in the front lines that was covered in a green light and was instantly blown away. The female warrior with an alluring body and tight leather garb, used this chance to swiftly end the bandit that had perverted intention revealed on their faces.

The guard commander tightly kept the formation intact and helped wherever she saw the formation was about to break apart. This female warrior who stood tall in this battlefield, utilising her masterful sword techniques, skills and magic, was none other than Alvara the guard commander.

At this moment, she no longer stayed idle by Cynthia's side and kept running around the battlefield killing as many bandits to reduce the pressure on the frontlines. Alvara was a level 359 [Skyguard Warrior], a rare class with a high focus on Agility, Strength and Magic. Along with her mastery in gale magic, she was a force to reckon with.

Her light footsteps would immediately make her disappear from the line of sight of her enemies and her swift attacks could easily pierce through their armours like paper.

The sword that she carried was a [C] rank weapon called Sword of Twisted Vines and was bestowed to her by the mistress of Serene Palace merchant guild. The sword was discovered in a dungeon and according to some master swordsmiths, made from the body of a particular monster that was no less powerful than a disaster class.

One bandit after another fell at her hands in a fierce yet elegant manner.

On the other side of the battlefield, where the frontlines of the convoy were keeping the bandits away from the mages and non-combatants, Chuck and his group shined brilliantly. His rare class that gave him a well-balanced stats and along with his defence oriented skills, he was like a mountain that stormed waves of bandits.

The battle quickly fell into a stalemate where the brigands couldn't create a ripple no matter how many times or in numbers they charged. 

"Dammit, those two are too much for your members to handle. At this rate, they won't even be able to break through their formation" Bignosio cursed.

Despite having an absolute numerical advantage, they were still having difficulty dealing with the small numbers of the convoy.

The Brigand Master glanced at Bignosio and snorted, with his experienced eyes, how could he not notice that the one keeping most of the pressure off of their formation was not the woman warrior nor the grey armoured adventurer but instead the young man in casual black robes at the centre.

His mastery in flame magic was something even the Brigand Master was forced to recognise and the way he accurately halted the strong bandits to join the fray told others that the young man was extremely experienced in fighting groups of enemies.