While we were traveling along the dusty trade road toward Targashar, the rhythmic sound of the horses’ hooves was suddenly interrupted by distant, metallic clashing and desperate shouts. As the carriage crested a small rise, the source of the noise became clear: a frantic skirmish was unfolding just ahead. Copez immediately pulled the reins, bringing the carriage to a jerky halt. He sat on the driver's bench, his face pale as he pondered our next move.

  “What should we do? Didn’t you say bandits don’t usually attack travelers or merchants on this stretch?” I asked,looking at Copez and waiting for his reaction.

  “I know what I said, but it is still not impossible for them to do this. Shit!” he hissed, his eyes darting around the surrounding foliage. “We could try to turn back, but they must have already noticed us. If they don’t want any witnesses to report them to the city patrols, they will chase us down.”

  He had told me earlier that bandit groups lived in fear of being reported to the city guards, but here they were, brazenly attacking in broad daylight.

  “The only real option for us is to help them, then, right?” I said, my voice steady as I resolved my mind to fight.

  “How can we do that?” Copez looked back at me as if I had suggested we jump into a dragon's maw. “All of us are non-combatant villagers, and I am just a merchant. Even if you have some fighting experience, you still don't have your memories. Unless you gain them back with a miracle right now, what can you actually do?”

  He looked over the other travelers in the carriage, his expression devoid of hope. He clearly didn't expect a amnesiac "villager" to change the tide of a battle.

  I ignored his skepticism and focused on the fight. On one side were men who looked like professional guards, and on the other were the unmistakable, ragged figures of bandits. I activated my ‘Identify’ skill to get a clearer picture of the threat.

  The defenders possessed various combat-oriented jobs like Swordsman, Spearman, and Warrior, with an average level of 20. The attackers, however, all held the Bandit job at an average level of 25. Both sides had roughly ten people engaged in the fray. Even though the guards were lower in level, they seemed to hold derived or specialized jobs that allowed them to maintain a stalemate against the higher-leveled bandits.

  Why did they attack a group they can't even defeat easily? I wondered. The tactical choice made no sense—unless there was a hidden factor.

  “You useless trash. You can’t even deal with something like that? I will educate you harder when we return,” a man standing behind the bandit line snarled. He was watching the fight with a bored, arrogant expression.

  ***

  Selbert

  Race: Human

  Sex: Male

  Status: Normal

  Equipment:

  Iron Sword○

  Leather Jacket

  Leather Helmet

  Leather Gloves

  Leather Footwear

  Silver Ring?

  Job: Bandit Level 35

  ***

  So, he was the reason for their confidence. Selbert was the strongest person on the battlefield, yet he hadn't even joined the fight. If he decided to step in, the guards would be slaughtered. If we stayed here, we would eventually be caught in the aftermath.

  Since I had no other choice—and because, deep down, this was the thrill I had been hoping for—I decided to go with the flow. I needed to spend my points effectively. I had 19 remaining points, and since I was finished identifying the enemies, I regained the 25 points from the ‘Identify’ skill.

  I distributed 21 points to increase my Strength, Endurance, Agility, Dexterity, and Sense to 7. I then swapped my iron sword for a Steel Sword from the shop, which cost 4 points. I used the remaining 19 points to set my experience skills to Level 4 and Level 3, maintaining a x20 experience multiplier.

  With my various job bonuses from Swordsman, Hunter, and Villager, my total stats were significantly higher than those of a normal Level 20 combatant.

  ***

  Stats: Job Bonuses: Total:

  HP: 140

  MP: 50

  SP: 82

  ***

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  I felt the surge of power through my limbs. I was confident now that I could take down the rank-and-file bandits, and even if Selbert joined, we had a chance to win. I unsheathed my newly acquired steel sword and rushed toward the enemies.

  “What the—! Hey, you idiot! Where do you think you are going? Stop!” Copez shouted behind me, his voice cracking with panic. He was startled by my sudden dash and continued to yell after me, but I didn't slow down.

  Selbert noticed the loud shouting. Thanks to Copez, I lost the element of total surprise, but it didn't matter. The bandits were too occupied with the guards to turn around in time. I approached from their blind side.

  Selbert seemed uneasy about my sudden intervention and began rushing toward the fray himself. I knew I had to take down as many of his men as possible before the leader could join the fight.

  I closed the distance with the nearest bandit. He turned, his eyes wide with anxiety, and tried to block my attack with a clumsy swing of his sword. However, the guard he was already fighting didn't miss the opportunity and stabbed him in the waist.

  “Agghhh!”

  The bandit cried out and stumbled. I swung my steel blade as fast as I could, aiming for his exposed neck. The movement felt incredibly natural—so fluid that it felt as if I could do it for fun. This was the power of a Dexterity stat equivalent to 9 and Strength close to 8. My sword cut through his neck in a single, clean swing.

  His head flew, and his body collapsed to the ground. That was my first kill in this world—and the first time I had ever taken a life. Strangely, I didn't feel sick or uneasy. Logically, I should have felt some revulsion, but for some reason, my mind remained cold and focused.

  “T-thank you,” the guard I had helped gasped, his face covered in sweat and grime.

  “You can thank me later. We should focus on the others,” I replied. “Hold that bandit leader who is running toward us as much as you can. He is strong, so be careful. I will help the others so they can come to your aid soon. Just focus on defense until then.”

  “O-okay.”

  The guard didn't seem to fully grasp my plan, but he understood the urgency. He ran toward Selbert to intercept him. I moved through the rest of the skirmish, attacking from the weak sides of the remaining bandits. I made sure to deal the finishing blows whenever possible, hoping to maximize the experience points.

  As I helped the guards and killed the bandits, I directed the freed men to support the first guard I had helped. They formed a defensive perimeter around the bandit leader, holding him at bay while I finished the others. The first guard was injured, but with the support of three others, he was no longer in immediate danger.

  The tide had turned completely. We had eleven able-bodied people, including myself, while the bandits had lost five men. Including Selbert, they only had six fighters left. Three of the guards were encircling the leader, and a fourth was moving in to reinforce them. Seeing their defeat was imminent, the remaining bandits tried to flee. Two were cut down as they ran, and only three managed to escape into the woods. We didn't chase them; Selbert was still a major threat.

  We encircled him, leaving no opening for escape. Selbert looked around at the corpses of his men and back at us, realizing his situation was hopeless. He shouted something in a language I didn't understand, and the guards shouted back.

  “What are they talking about?” I asked the injured guard.

  “They asked him to surrender, but he refuses. He says he wants a one-on-one duel,” the guard explained.

  “Huh? Why would we agree to that?” I asked. “Is he thinking we’re idiots?”

  “No. He says that if someone duels him and wins, he will accept becoming a slave,” the guard replied.

  “Do we need his agreement to make him a slave?”

  “No. Since he is a bandit, we can sell him to a slave trader freely. But he is threatening to fight to the death and take at least one of us with him if we all attack at once.”

  The guards looked cowardly, pondering what to do. They didn't want to risk a desperate man’s final strike, but they didn't want to duel him either.

  This is a perfect opportunity to test my strength, I thought. I could gauge my prowess against a Level 35 opponent and potentially obtain a valuable slave.

  “What if I accept the duel?” I asked. “Does it end at surrender or death?”

  “D-do you want to accept it? Really?” The guard looked at me in disbelief. “You have already helped us enough.”

  “It’s okay. It’s good experience, and you can intervene if it gets out of hand. Can you answer my question?”

  “I don’t know if it’s a good idea, but yes. One of you must surrender or die for the duel to end. But we can intervene anytime since he’s a bandit.”

  “Okay. I want to accept, but I want to take him as my slave if I win. Are you okay with that?”

  “Hey, why are you doing this?” The guard still thought I was being a martyr.

  “Just give him to me as a slave if I win, okay?”

  “Huh… I don’t understand you at all. Okay, I don’t think anyone would object. Actually, it’s beneficial for us.”

  He explained my proposal to the others. They looked at me as if I were a madman, but they didn't object. They barked something at Selbert and moved back, creating a circle for us. Selbert looked at me with a satisfied smirk.

  He lunged at me in an instant, attacking like a mad dog. If I hadn't increased my Sense and Agility, I would have struggled to keep up. He was strong—stronger than any wolf or bear—but I was faster and sharper. My high Dexterity allowed me to parry his strikes effortlessly, leading his blade where I wanted and slowly tiring him out.

  The spectators were making noises of astonishment. I caught fragments of their conversation—words like "skilled swordsman" and "experienced fighter." It felt good to be admired, even if I didn't care much for their opinions. It was proof of my growth.

  As Selbert grew tired, I went on the offensive. He was no longer blocking properly. I was careful not to kill him, as a dead slave was worthless. I activated my Sword Dance skill, saw an opening in his guard, and struck his temple with the hilt of my steel sword.

  Selbert dropped his weapon and collapsed. He hadn't passed out, but he was dazed and unable to get up. That was enough.

  [Edited]