Chapter 60: Bandits? Just Like That?
Chapter 60: Bandits? Just Like That?
Rod and Mira claimed they needed to take a break and get some fresh air, asking the carriage driver to wait for a moment. The driver, finding their request reasonable, cooperatively guided the carriage to a shaded spot for a rest.
Rod led Mira a bit further away, out of the driver's line of sight.
From the driver’s perspective, he could only see Rod’s back, with Mira’s figure hidden behind him. The driver lit a cigarette and shook his head, muttering, “Young people these days…”
In reality, the two were simply discussing their situation.
“I’ve seen through the Scuttle Crab’s eyes. There are no other carriages or horses on this road, so it’s likely that they’re targeting us,” Rod explained.
Mira frowned. “But why? Can we identify them?”
“Strangers… The one with the staff has the ‘Phantom Lord’ emblem on the back of his neck,” Rod said, raising an eyebrow. “The Scuttle Crab was noticed, but they’re a bit cautious and let it pass.”
“‘Phantom Lord,’ the ‘Master of Phantoms’?”
Mira knew that Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail had a history of conflicts. Occasionally, when mages from the two guilds met, there would be minor skirmishes.
Rod nodded. “Yeah, the guild that’s often mentioned alongside Fairy Tail as one of the strongest in Fiore.”
He recalled the profiles of Phantom Lord’s guild master and top mages, and these two were clearly not among them.
Rod thought for a moment. “I have three plans. Help me decide which one to go with.”
The thought that someone in their guild could propose plans instead of rushing into battle without thinking must have pleased the guild master greatly.
Just to be safe, Mira asked, “Among the three plans, I assume one of them isn’t to charge in and throw a Blast Crystal, right?”
“Am I that brutal? Throwing a crystal to kill someone just because they’re standing in the middle of the road? Even dark guilds wouldn’t do that.”
Jenny might have something to say about that.
“The first plan is the easiest. Since we know their position, we can simply go around them,” Rod said. “This avoids any potential conflict and keeps us safe. The downside is that we won’t know their true intentions, and they might target us again in the future.”
Mira nodded. “And if they’re not after us but after the guild, other members might be in danger.”
“Plan two is to continue on our way and counterattack if they make a move. They’ll be the ones to initiate the conflict, and the Council will deal with them.”
“However, we don’t know their magic or their strength. We might be overmatched, and it could put the carriage driver in danger. I don’t recommend this option.”
If Erza or Natsu were here, they’d probably choose this one. As long as they were in the right, they’d just fight first and ask questions later.
Mira agreed that she and Rod weren’t suited for such impulsiveness, especially with the number of Blast Crystals they were carrying.
“So, the last one must be the safest?”
Rod nodded. “Yes, the third plan is to rest here and send a few monsters to scout and deal with them. If that fails, we can still go around and report back to the guild master to handle them.”
As long as these weren’t Phantom Lord’s top mages, the guild master wouldn’t need to get involved.
Mira believed Rod could handle it himself. She nodded. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Mr. Guard. Do you need any assistance?”
“Please rest, Miss Mira. I brought some snacks, and I’ll also entertain the carriage driver to keep him from getting anxious.”
Mira smiled. “Very well, Mr. Rod.”
Rod immediately took action. He first called the Scuttle Crab from the rear to the front, ensuring they had a clear view of the area to avoid being ambushed. This was called anti-gank awareness.
Next, he summoned two groups of Stone Beetles, instructing them to burrow underground and approach from below.
Then, he summoned two groups of Shadow Wolves, using their stealth to move through the trees and bushes along the road.
Rod sent out one last group of Beak Birds, instructing them to spread out and fly low, ready to launch an aerial assault at any moment.
As for the final group of Beak Birds and the two Magic Toads, Rod had to conserve his magic, using it only as a reserve force. He couldn't exhaust himself before the battle even began.
Mira watched the monsters leave in groups, wondering if their enemies were just two people or twenty.
...
A kilometer away, behind a small hill.
The mage with the flute asked, "Sta, we've been waiting for an hour. When are they going to show up?"
The mage with the staff replied, "Be patient, Faru.
Anyone traveling from Hargeon to Fairy Tail will have to pass through here. Even if they're slow, they should arrive by noon."
"Uh-huh." Faru idly pressed the holes on his flute, then suddenly said, "Have you ever seen those big crabs? They're so strange, running around so far from water. What kind of species are they?"
"Who knows, maybe they're common around here." Sta pointed with the tip of his staff, "There's another one."
Faru licked his lips, bringing the flute to his mouth, "How about we catch one and see how it tastes? We haven't had breakfast because we came early to intercept them."
"Don't do anything unnecessary," Sta said, "If we can make Fairy Tail look bad, we'll have a chance to transfer to the main headquarters.
Then... we'll be able to meet Mr. Gajeel! The powerful Mr. Gajeel!"
At the mention of the name, Sta's eyes were full of admiration, and Faru's face showed longing.
"Huh, why did that crab stop moving?"
"Maybe it thinks we're food?"
The crabs' size and appearance were quite intimidating, making the two mages tense as they raised their weapons to face the crab.
Just then, the ground beneath them began to shake, and two Ancient Stone Beetles emerged from the earth, each grabbing the mages by the waist with their pincer-like mouths.
"Ah! Monsters!"
"What is this thing?"
In their panic, one mage lifted his staff, and the other blew his flute.
Suddenly, two more Stone Beetles burst from the ground, aiming for their staff and flute.
A single Light Bullet shot from the pentagram at the tip of the staff, and a Sound Wave Bullet flew from the hole at the end of the flute, each hitting a Stone Beetle.
The two Stone Beetles hit the ground and split into four Mini Stone Beetles, continuing to follow Rod's orders and charge forward.
"What kind of monsters are these!"
The two mages were now in a state of panic, realizing that their desperate attacks only increased the number of enemies!
Without any information, the prospect of fighting monsters that multiplied with each attack was naturally terrifying.
But they had no choice but to continue their assault.
However, six Shadow Wolves then leaped out from the bushes on the side of the road.
Four regular wolves bit down on their wrists, causing their weapons to fly out of their hands. The two two-headed wolves stood in front of them, their four mouths growling softly into their ears.
The four Mini Stone Beetles mechanically continued their 'remove weapons' task, charging toward the flying weapons.
Sixteen stony legs pounded the ground, crushing the staff and shattering the flute.
Unable to free themselves from the bites, their weapons destroyed, and the menacing wolf heads growling in their ears, they could smell the blood in the wolves' mouths and feel the saliva splashing on their faces...
"We're dead..." Sta fell into despair, giving up all resistance.
Faru fainted, his eyes rolling back in his head.
Six red-furred Beak Birds, one large and five small, flew low and landed nearby. Their orders were to launch an aerial assault if the enemy resisted strongly, but they had no need to do so now.
Observing the battlefield through the eyes of the crabs, Rod's face showed disbelief. Despite all his careful preparations, the outcome was...
"Is that it?"
(End of Chapter)
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