Chapter 191 – Drunken Bandits.

Rusty crouched low in the undergrowth, his metallic frame merging with the darkness of the night. Ever since his meld skill had improved, he had been able to hide more effectively and even move without giving himself away. His form distorted slightly while in motion and he was never fully invisible, but the effect was convincing enough to deceive most.

The shadows clung to him like a cloak. Gleam hid within the darkness as well, aided by her own magic. Together they remained concealed, the air around them muffled by silencing spells, as they watched the bandits feast and brawl around their bonfires. The sight was strange, for none of the men looked wary in the slightest, as if the thought of being attacked had never crossed their minds.

Mugs slammed together, greasy meat was torn apart with filthy hands, and laughter rolled through the camp like a drunken chant. Many of the bandits staggered where they stood, half-conscious yet still gripping blades that had tasted blood not long ago. Rusty’s eyes glowed faintly. Their numbers were greater than he had first expected, nearly twice as many as the reports had suggested.

“This is more than the limit.”

Just as he had suspected, something unusual was happening here. This exceeded what the nobles would normally overlook, and he felt certain that if he ventured deeper into the camp he would uncover the cause. The fresh blood on their weapons suggested that they had recently robbed a merchant or kidnapped someone. If he could discover who their victim had been, he might find his answer.

Yet with so many torches and fires burning, even his refined elemental meld skill would not make slipping through the camp easy. He waited twenty minutes, but the group showed no signs of settling down. At last fortune intervened. One of the bandits staggered away from the firelight as nature called. He wore a full set of iron armor along with a helmet, the same type that Rusty had stored away and could easily recreate.

Rusty followed the staggering bandit while keeping to the shadows. Each step he took through the undergrowth left no sound, and his shadow-blurred body blended into the trees. The man stumbled toward the edge of camp, muttering curses under his breath, one hand fumbling with the straps of his armor as he searched for a spot to relieve himself.

When the man finally stopped, leaning against a tree and undoing his belt, Rusty moved. A metallic arm shot out, catching the bandit around the throat. The man gasped, but before he could shout, Rusty tightened his grip. It took a moment but eventually the man’s legs gave out and he passed out. He was not dead yet but in this state he was a perfect possession target.

Rusty dragged the limp body deeper into the darkness, away from the flickering glow of the campfires. He removed the helmet from the man’s head and placed it on his own. Once it settled, the metal shifted until it matched the style of the man’s helm. It was a Barbute with a cross-shaped cutout for the face.

“Let the possession begin.”

Thanks to the heads of Edmund and Oswald, his possession skill had advanced. In the past, he had taken over a member of the thieves’ guild, but the time he could remain inside that body was short. Now things were different. Even if a full day passed, he would likely still be able to control this bandit.

The helmet locked firmly over the bandit’s skull. At first, the man twitched as if trapped in a nightmare, but soon his movements stopped. Memories rushed into Rusty as his mind overpowered the host. Once the process was over, he gained a rough understanding of the situation in the camp. However, it was still wiser to confirm the scattered thoughts the man had left behind.

“Gleam, stay hidden. If someone sees you, it could cause trouble.”

“(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)”

“Remember to wait for the signal. If anything goes wrong, I will need your help.”

“( •̀ᴗ•́ )و”

There was always a chance he would be discovered once he entered the camp. Although he now carried the man’s memories, he could not expect to fool anyone who knew him well. If that happened and the bandits attacked, the only option would be to flee. Their numbers were great and their strength uncertain. If their leader was strong enough to face a monster of rank D or higher, then the situation would become dangerous.

Just like in the past, the sensations these humanoids felt were uncomfortable to him. The man was drunk, which complicated matters, but Rusty’s possession managed to sober the body through magical control.

“How do these humanoids live with this sense of smell? Disgusting.”

“There are more smells out there, Rusty. Not everything stinks. And you should cover up this man, otherwise the other bandits will discover us instantly.”

Rusty adjusted the borrowed armor while enduring the stench of sweat and urine. During the struggle, some of it had ended up on this body, but there was little he could do besides fixing his fly as Alexander instructed him to. His two guides could not remain close to him, so for the time being, he needed to cancel his skill that kept them in this world.

“Now, let’s do it.”

The drunken noise of the bandit camp grew louder as he approached, and for a moment, he felt the body’s heartbeat pulse in rhythm with his footsteps. The possession was working perfectly, and no one seemed to pay much attention to him. He moved forward into the camp through the exit the man had come from. Once inside, a voice suddenly called out.

“Oi, Kellen! Where’ve you been pissin’ off to?”

One of the men shouted while holding a half-empty mug of ale. His face was flushed and his grin was wide. Rusty forced the body to laugh as he tried to imitate the mannerisms stored in its memory.

“Nowhere, just pissin. What? Did you wanna see it?”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

He pointed toward his groin while locking eyes with the other bandit. The men around him roared with laughter and raised their mugs in cheer, but the one he had addressed did not look too amused by the crude joke.

“What did ya say, ya bastard?”

The drunk man did not look too pleased as his face turned redder. The other bandits started cheering while he stumbled forward. Rusty had not expected this reaction to his retort, but it was clear that the man was furious with him.

“I’ll knock yer teeth out!”