Arthur watched as the bandit dropped to one knee, his breath laboured and uneven. He turned toward Borak, his voice calm but commanding. "Protect the girl. Make sure nothing comes near her."
The boar let out a low snort of understanding, its sharp eyes scanning the forest as it lumbered toward the unconscious girl. It stood vigilantly beside her, its tusks gleaming.
Arthur shifted his gaze back to the bandit, his expression unreadable. 'Even though his HP is dangerously low, I can't afford to get cocky. He's a bandit, after all—they always have tricks up their sleeves.'
'The only reason I was able to inflict so much damage on him was because of the sneak attack,' he thought, his grip tightening around his dagger.
'The sneak attack needed to be believable, so I took the chance to show weakness—cowardice, even—playing the part of someone unwilling and incapable of fighting back.'
His mind replayed the events leading up to this moment, analyzing every step.
'Luckily, I think he dropped his guard when he saw I was trapped. The stumble worked in my favour to lower his defences. He underestimated me, and he is now paying the price for it.'
Arthur's eyes scanned the clearing, taking in the details of the terrain. 'And luckily, he didn't think much of the area I brought him to. He thought I ran out of fear, but I chose this place for a reason.' His lips pressed into a thin line, his expression grim. 'It's secluded, tight enough that he couldn't run even if he wanted to. I made sure that the terrain worked solely in my favour.'
He tightened his grip on his dagger but made no move forward. Instead, he motioned to Sunless. "Sunless, attack him!"
The skeletal warrior gave a silent nod, its bony body moving with eerie grace as it charged toward the bandit. The ground seemed to vibrate slightly under Sunless's heavy steps, the air filled with an ominous tension.
The bandit remained on one knee, his head slightly lowered as if in defeat. But just as Sunless's clawed arms were about to come crashing down across his face, the bandit's hand shot upward with startling speed.
The bandit's dagger met Sunlee's bony hand in a sharp counterattack. The force of the strike sent Sunless stumbling back a few steps. The bandit rose slowly, his face twisted in pain but his eyes blazing with defiance.
"I underestimated you," the bandit admitted his voice rough but tinged with begrudging respect. "You played me well. I expected you to walk right into my trap like I fell for yours. But it seems you're smarter than you look."
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he kept his face expressionless, but inwardly, his mind raced. 'How does he still have so much fight left in him? His HP is critical—he shouldn't have this kind of strength.'
The bandit's smirk was faint, but it carried an air of triumph. "You've got guts, kid," he said, his grip on his weapon tightening. "But guts only take you so far."
Arthur didn't respond, his frown deepening. "Sunless, don't give him a chance to breathe—keep attacking!" he ordered.
Arthur wasn't in the mood to wait for the bandit to start drinking health potions and using a secret forbidden skill.
Sunless lunged forward again, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. The bandit parried the strikes, his movements slower but no less calculated.
Each clash of bone and steel echoed in the clearing, the tension growing with every exchange.
The bandit's attacks grew more erratic, his strength waning as Sunless pressed on. But his desperation made him dangerous—he lunged suddenly, feinting an attack toward Sunless before spinning toward Arthur.
Arthur's eyes widened as he barely sidestepped the swipe of the dagger, the blade grazing his arm.
Pain shot through him, but he bit back a curse, his focus on the bandit.
"Sunless, now!" he barked.
Taking advantage of the bandit's overreach, Sunless struck with a brutal claw to his side.
The bandit staggered, blood trickling from the deep gash Sunless had delivered. He clutched his side, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but his lips curled into a manic grin.
His knees wobbled as he struggled to remain standing, yet a hysterical laugh burst from him, echoing through the clearing.
"I won!" he wheezed, his voice filled with triumph despite his condition. "Hahaha, I won!"
Arthur frowned, confusion flashing across his face. "Huh?" he muttered, his grip tightening around his weapon.
Before he could make sense of the bandit's words, a series of system notifications appeared in front of him.
[A Venom Has Entered Your Bloodstream.]
[You have entered the state: 'Poisoned.']
[You will lose 5HP/min.]
Arthur's heart sank as he processed the information, his face paling. "Oh no," he muttered, the shock evident in his voice.
The bandit's crazed laughter intensified. "Your dagger was poisoned," Arthur growled, gritting his teeth.
"You bet it is," the bandit sneered, his voice cracking with malicious glee. "How does it feel to know you're already dead, boy?"
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening as panic gave way to anger. "Sunless, finish him off!" he barked. Then, turning to Borak, he commanded, "Borak, attack with Sunless! I'll protect the girl."
Borak let out a guttural snort, lowering his head as his tusks lit up faintly. Without hesitation, he charged forward, his massive frame barreling toward the bandit. Sunless followed in his wake, his bony arms raised and ready to strike.
The bandit barely had time to react. His eyes widened as Borak slammed into him, knocking him back several feet with a forceful blow. He staggered, coughing up blood, only to be met with Sunless's claws tearing across his chest.
The bandit crumpled to his knees, his grin faltering as his strength ebbed away. "N-No," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper now. "This... this wasn't how it was supposed to go..."
"I was meant to become rich, I was... meant to get the leader's approval...be his right hand."
Arthur stood protectively in front of the unconscious girl, his dagger at the ready despite the poison coursing through his veins.
"Finish him quickly," he ordered, his voice steady despite the droplets of sweat on his brow.
Borak let out another snort, rearing up before driving his tusks into the bandit's chest with a sickening crunch.
Sunless followed with one final, bone-crushing strike, and the bandit's body fell lifeless to the ground.