"Wait... What's this?"

　the depths of the forest where the lays were at night Ray, Taenia and Louid came to raid the hideout of the bandits who were supposed to be there, but what they saw was unexpected.
　No, it was not unexpected that I could feel the smell of blood floating in my five senses, the flashy lighting, and the angry and screaming.
　a bush overlooking the robbers' hideout of caves Now the three Lays are hiding there and watching what's going on.
　And the scene unfolding before the three was the scene of a struggle between nearly 50 people and animals.
　a swung sword, axe, club shields and spears that can be held up to prevent it.
　Louid watched with astonishment, Taenia stunned, and Ray calmly watched the battles unfolding everywhere.

"Why is it fighting before we launch a surprise attack?"

　As Taenia mutters, Ray mutters as he watches the battle going on in front of his eyes.

"As far as we can see, it's probably a fight between thieves. No, it's not even a struggle."

　That's right. It was clear that not many of the men who were attacking as Ray had said, and who were both under attack, were wearing armor, only coats to protect themselves from the cold, and not knights. And similarly, given its equipment, the chances of an adventurer would be slim. Then the only thing left is a fight between thieves. And the battle has already fallen into a situation that cannot even be called a battle.k.
　There were probably about 20 bandits who had attacked and killed the Lays, while the other bandits numbered about 30, which was nearly 10 more than the other bandits, and the latter was clearly superior in terms of combat skills.
　They lose in quantity, and even in quality. It's clear that the few thieves have no chance of winning, and it's the bandits who run away as soon as they get into that situation. However, the larger bandits seemed to have completed the siege thinly and widely, making it impossible for them to escape. The aim was immediately understood by the three watching the battle. They are not surrendering the enemy, but trying to exterminate them. They're trying to kill every one of them.

"...what an unexpected sight!" It's not a thief's skill in the first place, you know."

　a Taenia muttering while watching a multitude of bandits

"Well, I guess it's about the average rank F."

　Louid also agrees in his usual extended tone.
　Rank F Adventurers are still a beginner's rank, but the thieves themselves are essentially a bunch of amateurs. When it comes to bad things, many farmers simply carry arms. What happens if such a person collides with someone who is as good as an adventurer, albeit at a low rank? The answer was now spreading before the three of us, a scene that looked like a one-sided massacre.

"What are you going to do? You're completely ahead of me."
"No matter what you say, I don't know what to do... I'm a little troubled." I certainly want the robbers' treasure, but there are too many enemies."

　We have two Rank D adventurers and one Rank C adventurer. As for the rank C ray, we can say it's out of the standard, but we only have the ability to match the rank. Moreover, one of them is an avant‐garde archer.
　That idea passed through Taenia's mind...

"Ah,"

　As Taenia thinks, Ray suddenly screams. It's because I found a face I knew while the robbers were fighting.
　However, he is not even close to that person. I met him only once. Moreover, Ray was about to be attacked.

"What's the matter, Ray?"

　Taenia asks if she has noticed Ray's condition.
　Point the finger at the man giving instructions to the larger bandits from behind.

"No, I was about to be attacked by a thief on my way to the city of Subursta. At that time, I made a preemptive attack and repelled him, but I saw his face there."
"Oh, you're a coward to attack Ray," And which one?"

　Now that he knows Ray's fighting power, he laughs and says so, but Taenia asks Ray, thinking it's only natural to attack him as long as he can't measure his physical strength.
　But... Taenia's cheek twitches at the sight of the man Ray pointed to. It was the same with Louid.
　His face is scarred, and at first glance he can't see anything other than a thief. And I have a huge battleax on my back. However, they are fighting with detailed instructions to their colleagues, betraying their appearance, and minimizing the damage they are doing so.

"Hold on, hold on. He's...
"Yes, I'm sure," I think it's the head egg of a wolf in the meadow."

　Yes, they knew the man's face. As Louid said, he was the head of a small elite band of thieves operating in the neighborhood.
　a band of thieves who do not act like useless murders or rapes against women like other bands of thieves, but disappear like the wind when they give out what they need. At times there was even a story that he sided with merchants and merchants who were being attacked by other bands of thieves.
　Of course, as long as they are still a band of thieves, they are subject to punishment. Still, they are far below the rest of the bandits in terms of risk, and some of the people even regard themselves as heroic.
　Taenia teaches Ray information about wolves and eggs in the grass that they know.
　While we were talking about it, the battle between the bandits continued, and the outcome of the battle became clear. There are already three survivors of the robbers who attacked the lays. One of them is a barbarian man with loose hair, probably the head of a band of thieves, and a huge battleax in some kind of monster's fur. Then there is a man with a bow and a man with a sword, as if to obey the man. The two, let alone the leader, are looking for a way to survive, with tears in their eyes and hands and feet trembling with fear of death.

"Egg! What are you thinking about?"
"What, what?"

　Eggs who reply to the boss's words with annoyance. Contrary to his tone, however, his eyes were directed at three sharp opponents.

"You're a thief like me, aren't you? But why are you doing this? Are you crazy?"
"...the same thief? Tuck...tuck...tuck... The same...? You mean I'm the same as you!"

　He laughs as if nothing was wrong with the leader's words, but in the next moment his face is filled with anger and he gives off a roar.
　The voice alone causes the other two bandits to drop their weapons to the ground and at the same time faint and fall to the ground.

(Is this... skill?)

　Ray muttering inwardly while watching the situation. Ray has no ability to sense magic, but watching this series of events, the shock wave technique used by the Mireine passes through his mind.

(That shock wave technique was also a skill invented by Mireine, who was not magical enough to use magic. so it's possible that the Egg man used the same skill.)

"Gut, gut, gut,"

　Things move on as Ray gathers his thoughts.As expected, he was leading the bandits, and even though he was roaring now, he just staggered for a moment, and turned his murderous gaze at Egg.

"Are you serious or are you serious about killing me?"
"Of course. You've been advising me for a long time, haven't you? It's good to steal. That's our job, isn't it? But don't kill people for fun. The more people we kill, the more we are hated by the people of the city, merchants, and guild adventurers. That's what I've advised you over and over again and again. But they didn't listen to me at all, and instead killed my assailant for fun, as a revenge or something."
"What are you saying? What's wrong with killing that prey? Blood splashes on the texture of the meat when you cut it. And the face of pitiful despair that comes to your face when you know you can't survive!? No! You must know the pleasure of killing humans and subhuman beings, not just monsters and animals!"

　The boss, glared at by eggs, screams as if to blow away the fear that was born within him.

"... that sucks,"

　Ray suddenly hears a voice like that.
　The muttered voice was definitely from Taenia, who was listening to the bandits fighting next to Ray.
　the first blow in the first attack I understood why they were the first to seek their lives without any intention of catching them.

"I can't believe that murder gives pleasure to me... and that it's a thief."
"Not at all. But that worst bandit is over, right? See?"

　Taenia turns her gaze back toward the cave at Louid's words. where Egg was staring at the leader with a huge battleax in his hand.

"That's enough. There's a line between thieves and their existence. You've fallen that far... I can't save you any more. At least I'll take care of it here."
"Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, do you,I!"

　With a shout, the leader also wields a battleax and attacks Egg.
　Together we had the Battleax, and the quality of the weapon was not so different from Ray's. It's definitely a good thing, but it's not like a magic item. But...

"It's sweet, you fool!"

　Egg flashed the battledax from the leader's hand with a whiff of cross-mowing, and in the next moment he struck the blade back to his head, bursting it with all his brains and killing him instantly.

"... That's great."

　What unfolded in front of the three is not a one-on-one battle, but a scene that should be described as a one-sided execution.
　Nevertheless, Taenia is stunned by Egg's sharpness in the battleax and exclaims.
　But it was until Egg turned his eyes to the bushes hidden by the laymen.

"Hey, the two hiding there. You seem to be trying hard to get rid of all the signs, but we're not as good as thieves in our day job. Are you among them?"
"...what?"

　Taenia raises doubts about Egg's voice.
　I was told that there were two of them. There are three people hiding in the bushes.
　But while Taenia is confused, Egg's words continue.

"Come out while I'm asking you politely. Otherwise, I'm going to set up an attack on them. I have ten seconds to spare."

　While counting one, two, three... eggs' companions lay their arms on the bush.

"What are you going to do!"
"Do you want me to leave? I can't do anything about them."
"Don't be silly! You're good enough, but we're only a drag!"

　In a brief argument, Egg's voice advanced to eight or nine... while those who were armed against the bush were ready to launch an attack at any time...

"Wait! I'll leave right away!"

　In this situation, Taenia, who thinks they can hardly survive, let alone Ray himself, calls out from the bush.

"Is that all right?"

　Ray calls out to Taenia in a low voice, but she shakes her head in a sigh.

"It can't be helped, can't it said. What else do you want me to do in this situation? Besides, as far as the reputation of wolves in the meadow is concerned, there may be no particular disturbance. Besides, I think there are two of them over there. So..."
"Just in case, there is a way we might be able to manage this situation. If I fail, it could be a real battle, but what should I do?"

　Ray interrupts Taenia and tells her so. At that moment, Taenia makes a reflex decision.
　If we keep going forward, we may certainly be able to get past it safely. But the other party is a thief after all. Even if it were a group of wolves in the grass that were said to be loyal.

"... All right." Louise, too?"
"Yes. I'll do something with my bow when it comes to the crunch."
"Come on! Stop it! Come on out!"

　Taenia turns to Ray as a different rant echoes.
　Ray nods softly and opens his mouth to the eye.

"I'll leave, and you'll wait here." When it comes to the crunch, I can run away while they are distracted by me."
"Is that really all right?"
"Well, dear, but as you said, I don't care if I'm the only one."

　Saying so, Ray leaves Taenia and Louid on the spot, takes the death size out of the mistling and leaves the bush."It hasn't been a long time since I last met you, but we met again in a rare place."

　with a death-size handle on one's shoulder and a keen stare at one's surroundings