Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player



"A misunderstanding doesn't explain why there are more people hiding in the forest... This one looks young, he must have acted on impulse, but the others are just waiting for your orders, aren't they?"

Aric swallowed, realizing that Kaizen was not someone who could be easily fooled.

The bandits hiding in the forest, now aware that their initial attack had failed, emerged from the shadows of the trees so as not to leave Aric alone. Their faces were partially covered by hoods, making it difficult to discern their expressions, but some were so confident that their plans had never gone wrong that, even when it came to Kaizen in front of them, they smiled as if they had already won.

Kaizen remained calm and smiled slightly too.

The leader of the men in black, a tall, slender man, stepped forward and stood next to Aric. His eyes were fixed on Kaizen, appraising him with a mixture of defiance and respect. He spoke in a loud, firm voice:

"I hear you're really skilled, Kaizen. But unlike the empty monsters you're used to facing, we have our reasons and we'll fight for them to the end."

"If you have motives, you can explain them while lowering your weapons. I won't let you hurt anyone."

The leader of the men dressed in black raised his hand, signaling his companions not to advance. "We're not mercenaries hired to protect the road, we're bandits who live our lives as we please. We're not going to let some guy from the capital come here and tell us what we should and shouldn't do, do you understand me?"

Kaizen raised an eyebrow and looked down, disappointed. "Well, you've had your chances. Hey, Xisrith, can you open the trunk, please?" Kaizen asked, and everyone in his group looked surprised, but they were ready and allied to fight.

Xisrith nodded and opened the trunk. At that moment, the bandits and soldiers, who were now accumulating in the direction of the road opposite the carriage, began to think that Kaizen would give them something to stop, perhaps money? Gold? In their minds, that was something a man of Kaizen's fame could do for some reason.

So Xisrith opened the trunk and when the trunk lid lifted completely, the dim moonlight bathed a large, ornate box carefully made of dark wood. It looked old-fashioned, with dirty carvings on its surface. It was clear that the box contained nothing ordinary.

Xisrith looked at the box with curiosity and admiration. She knew that Kaizen carried items from his store with him, but this box seemed special, even by his standards.

She then carefully lifted the lid of the box, revealing what was inside. The moonlight shone on the polished blade of an extraordinary sword. It was a long, slender sword with a gleaming red steel blade and a hilt richly adorned with a honey-colored gemstone. The sword was truly magnificent. The blade was perfectly sharp, gleaming with a silver light, as if it were alive. Its hilt, in addition to the yellow stone, was worked in gold and silver, with intricate patterns that seemed to tell an ancient story.

Kaizen, with his unwavering calm, extended his hand upwards. There was no need to physically touch the blade; he summoned it to his hand with a simple movement of his fingers. The sword floated quickly from inside the box to his outstretched hand, as if responding to a call.

The bandits and soldiers, who had expected to receive gold or treasure, were stunned.

This gesture made it clear that what Kaizen was offering was not a reward, but an alternative. Either they chose to leave, or to fight.

Kaizen held the sword in front of him, its light shining brightly in the moonlight. He looked at the bandit leader with a serious but determined gaze.

"This is the Sword of Dawn, a weapon I forged myself. It is capable of channeling the energy of the air itself, and something tells me that this is a very good night to test it."

The bandit leader looked at the sword with a mixture of fascination and apprehension. He knew that the Sword of Dawn was a weapon that could only be wielded by someone very powerful, the look of it showed that, and it showed how Kaizen's reputation was not unfounded.

However, with a brief glance around, Aric and the bandit leader realized that they couldn't retreat without being branded cowards. So they looked at each other and smiled, challenging each other.

"I'll bet you 10 gold coins that I can kill him before you do," said Captain Aric.

"And I'll bet you 50 coins that you die before me! HAHAHA!" The other man replied.

The soldiers and bandits moved away, creating a wide space for the imminent confrontation on the road.

Kaizen held the Sword of Dawn over his shoulder, relaxed.

For his part, the leader of the bandits wielded a short sword with a serrated blade and Captain Aric wielded a spear with a sharp, gleaming tip, as did most of the other men in armor.

Silence dominated for a moment, only the wind whispering through the nearby trees, as if nature itself was observing the confrontation about to take place. At the same time, Andrew, Jayaa, Alina and Xisrith were also betting among themselves, but not on whether Kaizen would win or lose, but on how long it would take him to take care of everyone by himself.

Then the leader of the bandits broke the silence with a sinister laugh, his face contorting into a cruel smile.

"Let's see what this famous Kaizen and his Sword of Dawn are made of!" He exclaimed, advancing quickly towards Kaizen.

The bandit leader's sword blade flashed as he struck a fast and furious blow towards Kaizen. Kaizen, for his part, moved with surprising agility, easily dodging the attack.

Captain Aric, not wanting to be left out of the fight, lunged with his spear, aiming for Kaizen's flank, who held it in the air with <Psychokinesis>, blocking his movements.