Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 33: The Bandit Leader

Chapter 33: The Bandit Leader

The moment the bandit leader arrived, the battlefield tensed.

His confident strides and the unshaking gaze of his that did not exhibit any signs of fear or concern was a stark contrast to his underlings who had been scrambling erratically with no pattern as they fought like wild dogs.

He let out a low chuckle, his voice sweeping over the soldiers, "So this is what they sent to stop me?"

His gaze swept over the soldiers, unimpressed, "I expected more... You lot are barely enough to take me out."

He rested his massive blade on his shoulder, eyes gleaming with amusement as he spoke, "I will give you guys one chance. Drop your weapons and your equipment, then walk away and maybe... hahaha... maybe- I’ll let some of you live."

The soldiers bristled at his arrogance, unwilling to believe that they would not be able to take out a simple local bandit leader, but none of them stepped forward and neither did they drop their weapons.

At this, the bandit leader’s smirk widened, "no takers? I thought so. Haha, cowards! Then I’ll carve my way through each one of you."

Then one man stepped up.

The veteran soldier stepped forward, his grip tightening around his sword as he locked eyes with the imposing figure before him.

He had seen many battles, fought against countless enemies, and there was something about this man that just told his senses that he was dangerous. The unhidden bloodlust radiating from him- far stronger than what any bandit that he had taken out exhibited.

’This level of bloodlust... it shouldn’t be possible in a simple bandit leader...’ he thought as he brandished his sword. This was a man who had killed many.

"How many villages have you burned? How many innocent lives have you taken?" he asked, his voice sharp and laced with quiet fury, "You talk about strength, but all I see is a man who preys on those who can’t fight back."

"Haha! That is the way of the strong. It is the fault of these villagers for not looking for the strength to be able to protect themselves," the bandit leader smirked as he then pointed his blade towards the veteran, "Judging from your armour, you are a soldier. And you criticise me for picking on those who can’t fight back? The only way you’re able to survive battles and wars is through picking fights that you know you can win. How dare you talk to me when you yourself are a hypocrite!"

Hearing this, the veteran’s expression remained unreadable, he simply raised his sword in reply, also pointing it towards the bandit leader, "That is no way a soldier should act. If that is your perception of soldiers in the army then I will re-educate you right now."

The tension snapped like a bowstring. In an instant, the bandit leader lunged forwards at an agility that was not normal despite his bulky stuffy figure.

His blade ignited with a dark red aura as the temperature around his blade began to rise exponentially.

Ember Fang!

A heavy downward slash wreathed in a crackling flame. The sheer force of the strike caused the ground beneath him to crack slightly, the heat distorting the air around them.

The veteran’s eyes open wide in shock at this, this was a proper elemental sword skill and one that he knew about.

With practised precision, he countered as his sword began to shimmer with a bright bluish green glow.

Gale Sever!

A wind-imbued strike aimed to intercept the bandit leader’s attack. The force of the swing sent a razor-sharp arc of wind slicing through the air.

Clang!

A loud resounding clanging could be heard as the fire with the help of the wind spread out in all directions as a burst of fire enveloped both figures, blocking the view of the spectators.

Just as the swords met, the veteran was surprised by the bandit leader’s strength as he put all his strength into stopping the sword.

However, in the moment that he put all his strength into pushing the sword back, the bandit leader twisted his body at the last second, deflecting the attack with the flat of his blade.

The veteran’s eyes opened wide as he witnessed this, his movements were not just those of a brute- there was skill in his footwork, an understanding of battle that could not be honed by simply looting villages but through actual combat and years of bloodshed at that too.

The bandit leader then retaliated with a powerful kick to the veteran’s midsection.

Twack!

The force sent the soldier skidding backwards, his boots digging into the dirt as he barely managed to stay upright. Pain flared in his ribs, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to show weakness.

"Not bad," he admitted, as he shook his hands that were slightly shaking for the earlier exchange, "But I’ve fought worse."

The bandit leader chuckled darkly, "Then let’s change that."

The aether surged around him, the heat intensifying as flames coiled around his arms, "Let’s see how you handle this."

Infernal Break!

He slammed his foot into the ground, sending a wave of fire surging toward the veteran. The flames roared as they rushed forward, turning their battlefield into an inferno.

’I see...’ the veteran thought as he saw what was coming.

He then made a hand sign in the form of an ’okay’ gesture as he ran that across his blade.

In that instant, his sword began to glow with the same bluish green shade as a huge wind escaped from the sword.

Tempest Circle!

The winds emanated in a twenty metre radius around the veteran before they began to spin rapidly, bringing up dust and dirt. The figure of the veteran began to get harder and harder to see and a few seconds later, the only thing visible through the wind that was getting harsher was the glowing blade, which was still.

"Come... I have no words for a deserter..." the veteran spoke coldly, his voice being transmitted clearly despite the sounds of the winds.

In that instant, the bandit leader lunged again, this time at a faster speed as the fire seemed to propel him, his blade crackling with hungry orange flames as he entered low.

Scorching Sweep!

A flaming arc swung out, meant to take the veteran’s legs out from under him as he entered the swirling winds of Tempest Circle, immediately having his vision obscured.

The flames hissed as they met the cutting gusts, momentarily losing some of their momentum.

But the bandit leader pressed forward regardless, his fiery blade cutting through the storm but as he struck where the veteran should have been, he did not feel the sensation of striking anything.

With trained reflexes, he had sidestepped the strike, using the wind’s cover to reposition himself. He could hear the bandit leader’s controlled breathing, sense the shifts in pressure from within the storm.

The dynamics of the battle had shifted to one of instinct and precision- both men now relying not only on their sight but pure combat sense.

The bandit leader smirked, standing up as he looked around him, letting the wind guide his next movement.

His sword was still flaming and the winds carried the length of the flames even longer into the winds, he scoffed out, "Hiding in the storm? You think this will save you?"

The veteran’s voice cut through the wind, "It will be the last thing you see."

His form was nearly invisible within the storm then surged forward as his body suddenly appeared behind the bandit leader.

Wind-Step!

His blade flashed brightly as it cut through the mist-like cover, aiming directly for the back of his opponent.

But the bandit leader was just as experienced- he twisted, as the flame intensified suddenly.

Blazing Counter!

The clash sent another shockwave rippling through the battlefield, the elements warring against each other as the bandit redirected the strike and retaliated with a powerful overhead slash.

Sparks and embers mixed with the howling winds, creating a chaotic yet mesmerising dance of destruction.

The surrounding soldiers and bandits could barely see what was happening, but they could feel the weight of the battle between these two warriors.

The veteran gritted his teeth. He had underestimated just how much power the bandit leader still had left.

Each strike tested the veteran’s endurance, he could feel the weight of his opponent’s strength not wane but remain constant in every exchange. The control and technique that the bandit showed was too polished for a mere rogue, and the way he manoeuvred between stances reminded him of the footwork that he saw in higher ranks of the military.

Without warning, the bandit leader shifted his stance, feinting to the left before suddenly twisting and bringing his blade upwards in a deceptive, upward slash.

The veteran barely had time to react, managing to parry at the last second, but the sheer strength behind the attack sent a jarring vibration up his arm. The force of it nearly knocked his sword from his grip.

Before he could fully recover, the bandit leader’s smirk widened as his aura flared ominously.

The heat in the air intensified as an unseen force gathered around him. The veteran’s instincts screamed as he recognised this skill.

"Blazing Rupture!"