The scarface bandit leader was despaired.
He decided to be a bandit as he know that he will be the most powerful here. He'll live like a King and it was for last few years. He did whatever he want to do here because the settlers doesn't have a strength to fight back. Although they want to retaliate, they can't as they don't have the strength to do so.
Who knows that this day was his unlucky day.
At first, he felt lucky because one of the village's has bountiful harvest this year which means he'll also have a bountiful harvest.
When he saw the Elemental Fairy, he felt luckier.
When he saw the book stopped his lance, he knows that was a treasure. How can a paper stopped a big metal right? Which means that that book itself was a treasure.
He even felt more luckier. He even say to himself that this was the luckiest day of his past life. He felt like that his fortune for his past nine lives was poured in this very day.
Yet, he saw all his men died at roots that emerged from the ground. He saw all of that happened. He even saw one of his minions punctured by many roots as if he was the very tree itself.
He felt horrified.
When he saw the fifteen-year-old kid amidst the villagers, he just give him a passing glance. The kid looked like just a normal villager kid, maybe more neat and a little beautiful for a guy, but he don't feel out of norm.
Yet, he saw the kid summon a demonic tree and kill his band of bandits.
Maybe that was the reason why he don't felt threatened by the kid, the kid was really harmless. But his beast was not.
He known the Beast Taming Sect and he also know that the Beast Taming Sect won't bother with this puny, tiny village. Which means this guy was most likely a beast tamer not affiliated with the sect.
Affiliated or not, the boy was still more powerful than him and his life was still in the boy's hand.
The whole village was in disbelief. They known Cole for almost a year now and yet, they didn't know that he could kill strong bandits so easily.
Veneration rose from villagers heart.
Sometime later, a thought reappear. Cole came out from the forest eight months ago. They thought that he was just lucky. But seeing what just transpired, they now know that he wasn't just lucky.
He was not yet sixteen years old and yet, he could already do some forty years old in this village can't. He also defeated the scarface leader, the strongest of bandits, so casually. They can't even think what height Cole will achieve in the future.
The whole villagers' men was just standing there stiffly as if they saw something unbelievable, and yes, they really did.
After Cole checked the bandit leader, he turned back and face the villagers. He can't help but stifled a laugh. He known them for eight months and picked some of their quirks and personality and seeing them like this was just really look hilarious.
"I'll be back in a second." Cole spoke and all the villagers just nod roboticaly.
The strong was really respected here regardless of age.
Cole get out of villagers eyesight.
After he enter the forest.
"Groot, Blood Poison." Cole commanded. A needle-like root emerged from the group of roots that caged the bandit leader and pierce his wrist where his pulse was.
The scarface bandit leader felt horrified when he heard Cole's command and felt something pricked his wrist all the way to his blood vessels.
A drop of something was deposited in the bandit leaders blood vessels. Sometimes later, he felt pain. Too much pain.
"Ahhhh!!!!" The scarface bandit leader can't help but howl in pain. It was too painful. He felt like something was eating his arm and to his horror, the sensation started to spread. He even wanted to sever his arm yet he was so scared of the idea that he can't even find a tiny bit of resolve to do it.
So this is the Blood Poison. Cole said to his head. He know that this move will be something sinister and horrible but he didn't think that it was this horrible. Base on the bandit leader's reaction, he saw how painful it was.
Yet, he don't feel a tiny shred of sympathy. If he wasn't strong, he and the whole village will probably the one writhing in pain, if not dead.
Now, for the past days, his unresolved heart started to rose resolve to the highest level. He needed more strength and he will find the answer to the city. He needed to increased his cultivation.
But before that, he needed to solved his problem here.
"That is Armored Demon Treant' Blood Poison. It poisoned your blood and will spread throughout your body in an hour." Cole explained.
The scarface bandit leader paled face paled even more. He now really wanted to sever his arm and stop the poison from spreading more.
"But don't worry, This tree is the very antidote." Cole added while he patted the Armored Demon Treant.
Probably...
Hope rose from the bandits' heart. But as a notorious person he was, he knows that there were more to it.
"Wh-What do you want?" He asked. He knows that the reason Cole said that he can cure what he just cause was probably for him to co-operate.
"Your riches." Cole spoke plainly. "As a bandit for years, I know that you accumulated quite numbers of riches with you."
He knew it! This strategy was not new to him as he also often do this but it doesn't appear to him that it will also happen to him, much more done by a fifteen-year-old child.
"Of course, you can also choose to not cooperate." Cole hinted.
The bandit leader gritted his teeth. Of course, it was true that he could also not cooperate but he will die. Although he was not sure if Cole really can cure him but he was his only hope.
The bandit leader heart ached. Those treasures was accumulated by him from the all the passed year, yet, will only be benefited by a child.
He wanted to decline, but what will the treasures means if he can't use it as he would die today. Riches can be accumulated again if their gone but life wasn't.
His life was more important than his riches. So even he don't wanted to, he should.
Half an hour later, they appear in front of a mountain. They were in part of the forest with many trees and vines.
Moments later, they appear on side of mountain with many vines. Scarface bandit leader moved the vines to the side and a hole appear with a with small wooden box inside.
Scarface bandit leader delicately removed the box inside the hole. Cole was sure that this box was really important to the bandit leader.
The bandit leader put the box in front of Cole.
His hand was even trembling and gripping the box hard.
Cole nodded and open the box. Inside the box, five pieces of gold and a one piece of cherry-like fruit appear.
Mana Cherry
A cherry full of pure mana. Consuming this fruit while in peak of Body Tempering Stage will increase the chance to breakthrough to Mana Gathering Stage by 90%.
Saying that Cole was disappointed was understatement. He was expecting a extraordinary treasure but it seems like he put his expectation so high. But after some thought, realization rose from Cole's head.
What can you expect from bandit of small villages. It was even miracle itself that he had five gold coin.
Copper was the lowest currency here. 1 Silver coin was equivalent for 100 coppers, while gold coin was 100 silvers.
The harvest of the villagers this year was expected to be sold for 2,100 copper coin or just 21 silvers. This was even with the help of Cole and Bell.
There were five families in the Forest Edge Village. And it could be said that the average annual income of every family in the village was just 400 coppers, or maybe more less. It was too little.
Sometimes, it was even robbed by group of bandits.
That was the reason why the villagers was all skin and bones.
Well, atleast I have the capital for myself. Cole console himself.
Seeing the disappointment in Cole's face, the bandit leader lose all hope. He searched his head that he could use as his leverage for himself. But he doesn't have anything with value on him except for one thing. Although he know that Cole won't be interested on that as he saw how powerful the kid was, still, this was his last hope.
"I- I also have my cultivation technique." Scarface bandit leader spoke with uncertainty.
Hearing what the bandit leader just said, Cole's feelings lit up. Well, he didn't encounter this world's cultivation technique since he arrived here and he was slightly curious.
Seeing the expectant face of Cole, Scarface bandit leader felt hope. He quickly rumble his robe and come out with a scroll of paper later. He offered it at Cole's hand.
Cole unfurl the paper and give it a glance.
Stone Body Tempering Technique
This technique will use the Earth's mana and strengthen the body. This cultivation technique has One Stage.
Seeing its data, Cole once again felt disappointed. Cole close his eyes and shake his head. He can't really expect something good from the poor bandit. However, this is what he see when he open his eyes again.
Do you want to update this Cultivation Technique?
Cole felt shocked but he answered no as he still has a unfinish business.
Seeing the disappointed expression on Cole's face, he pulled his last straw. "You don't need it but doesn't mean the Forest Edge Village don't need it."
After Cole heard what bandit leader just said, his face lit up.
Yes! He don't have use for this cultivation technique but for the villagers, it was definitely a treasure.
Seeing Cole's reaction, the bandit leader mood also lit up. He still have hope. "I can even personally teach them if that's what you want." He added.
Cole sneered in his head. "So you can kill them while I'm gone? Not happening." He spoke.
Scarface bandit leader shakes his head in exaggerated way. "No, no... I won't do that. I can even swear to the Heaven if you want." He answered quickly. This might be his chance.
While beads of sweat started to appear in the bandits head both from pain and nervousness, Cole started to question the system.
What is swear to the Heaven, System?
The Heaven will kill anything that violates his swear in his name.
Cole nod in understanding. If the scarface bandit leader really swear to the Heaven, he will feel reassure.
"Well, do it. Maybe I'll spare you if I'm satisfied." Cole spoke to the bandit leader.
Although, he said that he will cure his Blood Poison, doesn't mean that he will spare him and let him go. Humans was a vengeful creatures. If he let him go, he might comeback and kill the villagers and he don't want that to happen. So his resolve was to actually kill him after getting his treasures. But with this swearing to the Heaven, he will probably let him go if he's satisfied.
The scarface bandit leader pricked his finger and a drop of blood while he was chanting, "I swear to the name of Heaven that I will live in the Forest Edge Village to guide them to their cultivation and protect them from dangers to the best of my abilities." Then the drop of blood vanished into thin air.
Swear Complete.
Cole nodded in satisfaction after seeing the notification. Since the system validated it, he believed him.
"Groot, remove his poison." Cole commanded.
Groots walks and appear in front of pained bandit leader and once again pricked the bandit leader wrist. After the root entered his main pulse, fiber roots spread throughout the bandit leaders body. Seconds later, Groot removed his roots and the pain in the bandit leader disappear.
He was alive. Maybe a little weak but he was alive.
Seeing the weakened bandit leader, Cole summon Bell and command her to use Heal Pulse to the bandit.
Congratulations for the user for completing a Hidden Mission!
Hidden Mission 1
Save the whole village from danger.
Hidden Mission 2
Make any of the bandits turn to new leaf. Reward vary.
Rewards
Hidden Mission 1 :
+100 System Points
Skill Stone Rune : Protect
Hidden Mission 2 :
+500 System Points
Skill Stone Rune : Transfer