"Mom! I can't believe I got accepted into the Hero Academy! I can't wait to start! Did you see Dad's face? He lit up like a candle lamp!" A young woman with white hair
"I did, and we're so proud of you. I know how hard it is to get accepted, so all of your hard work, dedication, and training paid off. Be proud, Janna, only the best of the best can be accepted there, and you proved that you're one of them." A woman who looked exactly like Janna said with a proud smile on her face.
These two were currently traveling to Vaudrille Capital City for Janna's new school life, as she had been accepted into the hero academy. They were accompanied by six well-trained knights who were escorting them to their destination safely.
"Madam Kirlia, we're approaching the bridge to cross and have come in contact with bandits. They're demanding a toll of three gold." A knight informed her.
Opening a little slot on the Carriage window, Kirlia handed the knight a bag that contained five gold coins.
"There are five gold coins in there. Tell them the extra is a thank you for allowing us to cross safely."
"Yes, Madam."
Janna turned to her mother, not happy that she gave in to the bandits' demands.
"Mom! They're bandits! Why would you pay them to let us cross? You even gave them extra! They're extorting us!"
Kirlia smiled, her daughter's inexperience coming forward. "My sweet, sometimes in life, you have to do things you don't want to do. Sure, those bandits are extorting us and are using the bridge here to demand money from travelers, but it's best to avoid conflict altogether. What if you're not able to defend yourself? Would you fight them still? Even if you can, are you traveling with loved ones? Or people who can't defend themselves? Even if you can defend yourself, why go through the trouble of fighting, risking your life, when you can simply pay and move on?"
Janna never thought about it that way. She always saw bandits as people who failed in life, and those who gave in to their demands were people who had no spine. But now, she really understood why people just pay and avoid all conflict.
"I've learned something from you today, mother. I was ignorant."
"Fufu, I'm glad you were able to see things differently, my sweet."
On the outside, things were not going as smoothly as they hoped.
"Here you go, three gold coins like you demanded, and two extra for allowing us to cross safely." The knight handed the bandit the bag of coins, respectfully at that.
"You know, we don't really get nobles around these parts, makes things go a lot smoother when they do end up passing by, earn some good coin during those times. But, seeing as how you casually handed us five gold coins, maybe the toll should go up to 10 coins, you know, to get you across safely." The bandit smiled, revealing his rotting yellow teeth.
"Now you're pushing it!" A knight yelled. "My lady went out of her way to give you two extra coins as a thank you, and you dare try to exploit her kind gesture."
"Hmm, all I'm hearing is that you can't pay up. So, what's it going to be? Ten coins, or your life?"
"Damn you!" The knight drew his sword, which prompted the others to do the same.
The bandit leader chuckled. "Your life it is, then. Get 'em boys!"
The coachman panicked, rushing to Kirlia's side of the carriage to inform her of what was happening. "M-My Lady! The bandits tried to get more money out of us, and when the knights declined, they started fighting. We need to get out of here!"
"Mom, I can help!" Janna yelled
"No! Stay put! Coachman, get us out of here!"
"Yes, my lady!"
The coachman quickly got back on the carriage and pulled the reins to leave, but as soon as he did, the bandits had already killed four of the knights and surrounded the carriage.
"M-My Lady, we're in trouble!"
Kirlia turned to her daughter. "Let this be a life lesson: the greed of people heavily outweighs their intelligence and kindness. Ready your sword, we may have to face them." She pulled out a wand as she was a mage and readied herself to face the bandits if need be.
"Wow. All of this for money? Seriously? You were even handed two extra coins as a thank you, yet you still demanded more? The greed in some people is absolutely insane."
Everyone turned, noticing Kai walking toward the group of bandits with his sword drawn.
"Hah, run along, kid. The grown-ups are talking!" A bandit yelled, stepping forward.
Kai smirked. "Then shouldn't you step aside as well?"
That really seemed to set off the bandit because he immediately charged at Kai with a rage so intense that Kai swore the man's eyes turned red for a few seconds.
He swung, aiming for Kai's throat, attempting to cut off his head in one swing.
*CLANG*
"Clang?" The bandit asked, wondering why his sword made that sound.
"It's interesting, really, to think you have no care for human life when I did nothing to you. Has your life been so miserable that you just felt like killing me just because? Well, who am I to judge? I've done some morally questionable things as well. At least I don't kill, though. Well, innocent people at least." Kai easily snapped the man's sword with his fingers, stabbing him in the chest with the broken blade.
Kai powered up, putting that 10,500 mana stat to use. "Now, who's next?"
Everyone froze, baffled by his power. Even Gwen didn't know Kai was that powerful.
"M-Mom, is he a Great Warrior?" Janna asked, her skin trembling from the sheer intensity of Kai's power.
"I-I don't know?" Kirlia replied. "But judging from his magic power, he's at least a Tier-10 warrior!"
"T-Tier ten!?" The bandit yelled, overhearing Kirlia's conversation as their door was open.
"H-Hey man, we don't want any problems. We were actually about to leave, you know." The bandits tried to play it cool, but Kai saw through everything. And he literally saw the whole encounter.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" He asked
The bandit leader fell to his knees. "N-No! We don't."
"So why are you telling me an obvious lie?"
"Please spare us! We'll leave, change our ways! Please! Please let us go!" He begged
"Save your cries for the families of the knights you kill and rot in hell." With a single stroke of his sword, Kai effortlessly cut off the heads of every bandit there, all of them rolling on the ground while some rolled into the river.
"Damn, that was pretty badass if I do say so myself. I felt like a fucking superhero. Or antihero, because superheroes don't kill. That's bullshit by the way. 'I won't kill because it makes me no better than them.' Then they proceed to allow the same villain to escape from prison for the 100th time and murder an entire city, yet when they lock them up again, they call that justice. Total bullshit."
"E-Excuse me?" A knight called out to Kai
"Ahh, oh shit! Sorry, I was lost in thought. What's up?"
"M-My Lady wishes to speak with you."
Kai shrugged and signaled for his coashman to come this way. "Sure, I've got some time."