Chapter 657 – Rune Knights.

“The rune knights will punish you!”

A woman dressed in simple commoner garb shouted at a man while standing defiantly in front of a group of women and children. Her eyes were fixed on an obvious bandit, his grin wide as he spoke.

“What’s that? Punish me? You think you’re worth something?”

He moved closer and grabbed her by the ponytail. His breath stank of alcohol and tobacco.

“Why do you think I’m here? Because a lord allowed me to be. Now shut up. It’s not my fault you were born weak.”

The man threw the woman into the small group of people huddled in the corner. The place they found themselves in was damp and dark. It was not even a proper dungeon with stone walls. Instead, it was a cave with iron bars keeping them from fleeing.

“You’ll see. Things have changed…”

Though the woman had been beaten, the light in her eyes did not fade. The bandit who had thrown her began to frown, unsettled by the strange resolve she showed.

“What’s wrong with these bastards?”

He stepped outside, slamming the iron door shut, and glanced at the other cells. More people were crammed inside. They had not been there long, yet something felt off to him.

“They usually don’t behave like this. Could what they are saying be true?”

He turned to another bandit who stood nearby, scratching his oversized belly and yawning.

“They are probably just crazy. Don’t listen to them. No one is coming to save a bunch of useless farmers. The nobles do not care about them when they can sell a few monster parts for food.”

“Hah. You’re probably right.”

“And even if someone comes, as long as we have that man with us, everything will be fine.”

“Yeah. There is no way that man is losing to some backwater knights and guards. We are lucky we got this job.”

“Beats working in the mines.”

The two men started laughing as they looked at the prisoners in the cells. For some reason, they all seemed almost cheerful. They were different from the people the bandits had kidnapped in other regions. Usually, this was the time when captives begged the most. Instead, these prisoners kept shouting about rune knights who would come to avenge them.

“Wait… isn’t that?”

As they were about to sit back at the table where they had just been eating and drinking while keeping watch over the prisoners, they heard it. A loud bell, the one their allies were meant to ring if their hidden encampment came under attack.

“Hah, you see? I told you!”

The same woman stepped closer to the bars and pointed at the two men as they began to panic. They glanced at each other, their faces paling slightly, though fear had not fully set in. Their camp was large. They had plenty of bandits and warriors, more than enough to fight off a group of adventurers, which was what they assumed this was.

“Shut your mouth, bitch!”

One of the men shouted as both grabbed weapons from the wall. They were not shoddy at all, surprisingly well-made for people who were supposed to be mere bandits.

“Just wait until we get back. I am going to have some fun with you when I come back.”

After threatening the woman, the two ran out. They joined the other bandits, who were clad in high-quality gear, deep steel armor, and in some cases even dwarven enchanted weapons and shields. They were outfitted like proper soldiers backed by a noble or a wealthy merchant. However, once they reached the end of the corridor, their laughter quickly died.

The hidden encampment had been carved into the side of a small mountain, concealed behind trees and a magically hidden gate. It was not something that should have been easily discovered or breached. Magical lamps lit the interior, and a full barracks stood stocked with arrows and replacement weapons. This was not a simple bandit camp but an organized movement that had existed even before the city’s ruler was replaced. It had survived for years without being uncovered, so when the bandits saw their gate buckling under immense pressure, the sight was shocking.

“What is happening? How did they find us? Did someone betray us?”

The question had barely left the bandit’s lips when a thunderous crack split the air. It did not come from the ceiling but from the reinforced gate. The illusion clearly failed as the entrance shattered beneath a colossal pillar of ice. It was massive, larger than a battering ram, and it grew even bigger as it forced its way through the gate. Moments later, the ice burst apart, dissolving into a storm of snow.

“W-what?”

Through the uneven opening, armored soldiers poured in. Each was heavily armed, their enchanted weapons making the bandits’ own gear look like rusted iron. The moment steel met steel, the difference was obvious. Runes shone with blinding light as the bandits’ enchanted weapons buckled and cracked under the overwhelming surge of magic.

“Do not panic. We still have the ballistae. Fire!”

Not all was lost. Inside their headquarters, they still had siege weapons positioned and aimed at the lone entrance. Their allies had already mounted them and were ready to fire.

However, when one of the massive bolts launched forward, it struck a shimmering shield of light and shattered.

“M… Mage!”

One of the bandits shouted as they tried to break through the barrier blocking their attack. Then they saw the figure clearly. A person clad in a blend of robes, armor, and runic enchantments stood before them. Their garments shone brightly as colorful runes shifted across the fabric. Their arms were raised wide, and they were chanting under their breath. Even though the ballistae continued to fire, the bolts could not pierce the magical shield. Worse still, their enemies had their own ranged weapons.

A line of crossbowmen stepped forward, carrying ordinary crossbows loaded with strange bolts. The shafts were wooden, but strips of parchment covered in runic script were wrapped around them. The bandits understood the moment the first explosion struck.

“T-those bolts have magic scrolls on them! Take cover!”

One of the ballista crews vanished in a roar of fire and splintered wood. The enchanted bolt they had just loaded detonated in their faces, bursting into multiple smaller projectiles that exploded in rapid succession. The shockwave rolled through the cavern, extinguishing half the magical lamps and plunging the encampment into shadow. Screams soon followed as the battle unfolded.

“Fall back! Form up around the leader!”

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The bandits scrambled as their earlier bravado dissolved. They had fought militias, merchant guards, and even high-ranked adventurers, but this was different. These soldiers advanced in tight formation. Their shields overlapped with accuracy. Every strike left a lingering trail of mana, reinforced by magic and supported by a mage who appeared to be tier three. With so much stacked against them, only one person could turn the tide: their leader.

“Do I have to do everything myself?”

The man was large, gripping a pair of axes forged from enchanted metal that glowed with red aura. When the bandits saw him, they cheered. He was an aura user, a warrior nearing level two hundred with a rare class that was not easily defeated. To strengthen their chances, several others of similar rank moved in beside him. Their strongest force had arrived, and confidence surged through the ranks.

“So, you’re the little piggy trying to ruin my fun? Are you a woman?”

Without hesitation, the bandit leader strode forward. The explosive bolts hurled toward him were swatted aside by his aura covered axes. He looked powerful and utterly confident as he approached the armored soldiers and the woman mage who seemed to command them.

“Put down your weapons and surrender. If you do, your lives will be spared.”

The mage’s voice echoed through the hidden camp, backed by magic. The fighting stopped for a moment, but instead of yielding, the bandit leader threw back his head and laughed.

“That voice? So you’re not some old crow. You sound like a beauty. I have decided. You will be my next plaything!”

After licking his lips, the man grasped both axes and summoned his aura. He cleaved the air, and a surge of crimson energy shot forward to collide with the magical shield. While his previous attacks had failed to break through, this aura strike did not. A gash resembling a cross split across the barrier as the energy burst against it.