Section 4, Combat

It is nothing much; in fact, this is merely a skill passed down by my master, which can instantly enhance one's abilities. Moreover, that swordsman lacks significant technique and relies solely on brute force. For someone like me, who balances speed and strength, I naturally have no disadvantage. Leo's words, though somewhat ambiguous, are not entirely baseless.

The young man was dressed in simple cloth attire, with a half-length leather armor worn over it. On his back was a beast skin bag, and he held curved daggers in both hands, wearing a cheerful expression. However, his gaze kept shifting restlessly between his shoulders and knees.

Suddenly, darkness enveloped Fongseka, his mind spun in a haze, and his entire body felt numb and sore. When he regained his senses, the first thing he saw was a gleaming curved blade hurtling towards him with a whoosh

Jiawen was busy bandaging the wounds of the injured mercenaries with several guards. Meanwhile, on a rock beside the truck, Leo and Boban were sitting on the ground, resting and drinking water. Occasionally, mercenaries hurried past them, casting grateful and admiring glances at Leo.

Seeing the young man display exceptional skills, and judging from his earlier assistance, it seemed that he was on his side. Boban couldn't help but speak up, saying: "Mr. Fonseca, I never expected you to say such a thing. After your group's robbery, did you leave any survivors? You slaughter one village after robbing a household; haven't you done enough?" After saying this, he turned to the young man and said: "Thank you for saving Gavin. Once we return to the city, you will be a distinguished guest of the Solomon family. In addition to our heartfelt gratitude, if you need anything, young brother, we will do our utmost to assist you."

However, Leo was faster. As the bandits revealed their bows and arrows, he rushed to the back of the headless corpse of Feng Seika, placing the knife behind him. He lifted Feng Seika's body and charged forward towards the front of the bandit formation.

Feng Seika, leveraging this moment, took a step back and scrutinized the young man before him

Indeed, he has a master above him, Bo Ban thought to himself. For Bo Ban, it was not so much about the method Leo used to kill Feng Saika that mattered; rather, it was crucial to know as much as possible about an unfamiliar warrior. After all, in the underground world, due to various reasons, it is not uncommon for lower-tier individuals to kill those of higher tiers, which is not particularly surprising.

You little brats, come and take your lives!

Seeing this mark makes me unhappy

Leo directly expressed his anger through action

The decision was made, and Bofan called in Gavin to introduce him to Leo

No

Oh? I would like to hear more details. "Boban squinted his eyes, showing great interest, but his words and facial expression were quite different: "However, if you have any inconveniences, then there is no need to mention them, hahahaha..."

"Oh dear, then Mr. Leo can walk with us, right?" Gavin said, but suddenly remembered the family rules, his face turning bright red. He immediately stood up straight and said, "Elder Boban, Gavin has spoken without discretion, revealing the family's whereabouts in his words, and requests punishment."

Regarding the praise for Boban, Leo did not find it surprising. After all, he had been taken by his master to register as an adventurer near the Claw Forest at the age of 13, and had lived there for several years, gaining a considerable understanding of many things in the world. When he heard Boban complimenting him again for defeating Fonsaka alone, Leo felt it was appropriate to reveal a bit of information. Thus, he quietly said to Boban: "Actually, Mr. Boban, my ability to defeat Fonsaka is not because I am at a higher rank than him; on the contrary, my rank is actually two levels lower than his."

When the young man appeared behind Gavin, he had already been caught in Fonseca's peripheral vision. Although Fonseca did not know whether this young man was a mercenary of Boban, he was certain that the sword strike he delivered, swift as lightning, would inevitably bring Gavin down under his blade

The warm blood in the neck cavity gurgled down the arm, staining Leo's entire body in a grotesque manner

With arrows piercing his body, Leo approached the front of the bandit group's formation. He let out a roar and forcefully hurled the corpse of Fonsaka, which was filled with arrows, into the ranks of the archers, knocking several bandits to the ground.

"Forget it, we have come this far, and it cannot be considered a leak, so let's waive the punishment." Boban looked at Leo and smiled, saying, "Mr. Leo, would you be willing to accompany us to Bright City?"

Feng Seika leaned back to evade the vital point, stepping back a few paces, with his longsword pointed to the ground and his pupils constricted

With a swift lunge, he charged forward, using his left hand to deflect the opponent's longsword while his right hand aimed directly at Fonseca's throat, clearly asserting his position in a direct manner. Fonseca seemed unprepared for Leo's sudden attack, caught off guard as his longsword was easily parried by the dagger.

"Look at you, you really don't know how to speak," Boban said, giving Gavin a light slap and jokingly scolding him. "The Leo brothers are our own people; how could they possibly do anything to wrong our chamber of commerce? Look at you, you can't even express yourself properly." Turning to Leo, he seized the opportunity to ask, "By the way, Leo, are you passing through here on your way to Blake City?"

Leo shouted loudly, taking advantage of the gap created by his left hand, while raising his right curved sword high above his head, employing the techniques of Fonseca. He struck down with great force, and Fonseca did not back down, raising his heavy sword high above his head, meeting the attack head-on without flinching. The blades clashed against each other, producing only a crisp ringing sound.

Watching the terrified thieves and archers scatter in all directions, Leo grinned maliciously as he drew the curved twin daggers embedded in his back

Although the question was somewhat perplexing, Fonséca replied proudly: "Indeed, this is the mark of our bloodied hands. Now that you know, why not leave quickly?"

This long sword is definitely problematic, Leo sensed danger and rushed forward, but Fonseca seemed to have already completed his maneuver. With a flick of the long sword, he drew a cross and similarly advanced towards him.

In that moment of dazzling light and thunderous flash

Neither side employed any tricks; the long sword and the curved blade clashed violently, producing a resonant sound. In terms of strength, Leo might be weaker than Fonseca, but he was not at a disadvantage to the point of being knocked away. However, a sudden surge of scalding force erupted from the curved blade, sending him flying backward.

Leo was furious, completely forgetting that just a second ago he had been contemplating the same matter

Leo nodded and casually said, "My master asked me to come out and gain some experience on my own, so I plan to go to Braille City to broaden my horizons and learn some different things along the way"

A distance of ten meters is not considered far for both parties. Leo has not yet had the opportunity to sell his various underhanded tricks, and is preparing to organize the next wave of attacks. Suddenly, Fongseka's left hand shot upward, his wrist slicing along the blade of the sword, and blood immediately flowed over the blade. The long sword seemed to be able to absorb blood, turning completely crimson with each breath.

The longsword could not withstand the fierce strike of the curved blade, shattering on the spot, while the silvery neck guard of the armor was severed as if made of paper. Blood sprayed high into the air, and the headless corpse of Feng Seika, the second-in-command of the Bloodhand Thieves, stood abruptly on the rubble.

Damn! How could they play tricks on me!

With a thud, the severed head fell beside Leo, rolling a few times

With a single strike, the sword and blade parted

The young man glanced at Fonsaka, twirling the curved dagger in his hand, and said slowly: "Does the mark on your chest represent your Bloodhand Thieves' Guild?"

After a shocking silence, the ranks of the thieves erupted in chaos. Before the pitch-black demon, the renowned valiant general was cut down without the slightest ability to fight back. Witnessing this scene with their own eyes, the members of the thieves' group were filled with extreme fear. Without waiting for their leader's command, they all drew their bows and released their arrows. Amidst the fierce sound of the wind, hundreds of arrows flew towards Meng Ju, densely packed.

Jiawen tightly grasped Leo's hand, her gratitude evident: "Mr. Leo, I am not very good with words, but I will repay any kindness. From now on, as long as you say a word, I, Jiawen, will do my utmost, even if it means going through fire and water for you!" After saying this, she seemed to remember something, glanced at Boban, and added softly: "Of course, as long as it does not violate the family's orders..."

After all, there are still many unknown places in the world, and no one can definitively say whether there are gods of law or sword gods hidden among them. Moreover, given the heavy losses suffered by his own team, it would be best to invite such a powerful ally to join. As for the danger? Boban understood in his heart that as long as Leo did not take action, his merchant convoy would undoubtedly face annihilation. Therefore, the potential danger was very minimal.

Who knows that this young man not only faced himself without fear, but also, in the blink of an eye, blocked his own powerful strike—how astonishing it is that he managed to block himself, and with just one hand

Eliminating the archers in the distance significantly reduced the pressure on the merchant convoy's guards. Furthermore, with Fonsaca being slain by Leo in a single strike, the morale of all the guards and mercenaries surged. The situation on the battlefield quickly turned around, and apart from a few archers in the distance, none of the others managed to escape

Feeling the admiration of his subordinates for Leo, Boban chuckled and said, "This time we truly owe it to Brother Leo's assistance; otherwise, not only would we have suffered losses, but we would likely have all been left here."

Having been saved by Leo, Gavin had intended to thank him as soon as the battle concluded. However, due to the strict regulations of the guild, he could only attend to the injured first and then look for an opportunity to express his gratitude. Now, being called forward by Boban presented the perfect chance.

This attire does not resemble that of mercenaries or warriors from established families; rather, it bears some resemblance to that of wilderness adventurers or free demon hunters. At this moment, Fongseka was unwilling to meddle, letting out a low grunt, and said: "Young man, this is the business of our Bloodhand Thieves' Guild. If you are not a member of the Solomon family, you may stand aside. However, if you insist on opposing us for the sake of some strangers, do not blame me for taking your life."

As he approached step by step, the overwhelming aura of killing intent unsettled everyone, causing many thieves to freeze in fear: "Could this be the arrival of the Grim Reaper"