CHAPTER 20: THE PLUNDER SYSTEM

It was simple enough for the experienced adventurer to ascertain the situation, feeling it firsthand.

’Breathe in, breathe out—fill your lungs with fire,’ he calmly focused.

As he drew into his lungs, heat expanded through his body. It took the edge off the pain, brimming his body with energy as if entering a second gear of adrenaline.

["Ascending Blaze"]

He ducked beneath the high kick aimed at his head, quickly countering with a swipe of his sword. Even with greater speed bolstering his weapon, the two halves of the doll-man parted to evade it.

Phoenix instantly reset his momentum, bringing the sword back around to cut downward through the bandit’s torso. With finesse like a feline, the wooden figure slipped back, narrowly avoiding the cutting edge.

’He’s nimble—but, I’ve figured it out. He can’t disconnect his body in endless ways. If I go for wide attacks, he can’t split apart,’ Phoenix thought.

As he spun himself around, he pushed forward, driving his blade forth. Flames spiraled around the sword, engulfing it in the shape of a jousting lance.

To his surprise, the wooden man managed to sidestep the quick thrust, avoiding the piercing heat. In that pivotal moment, the threads around the bandit’s body unraveled, being contorted by the motions of his hands.

Phoenix attempted to withdraw his blade to defend himself, but it was a moment too late—he was caught.

"Ngh—!"

The eviscerating threads slashed across his body, slipping through his armor. It felt like razor blades drifting along his skin, only pulling away as the damage was done.

All at once, the armor meant to shield him shattered, with his skin beneath enduring the gashes.

’He cut away my protection—?’ Phoenix thought, looking down at his bare torso as the cuts bled over his chest.

Left exposed, the threads quickly closed in again from the motions of Bruno’s hands. As they surrounded the adventurer, he took in a quick breath before slamming his foot against the ground—

"Flame Nova!"

—A wave of heat expanded as if the air roared, rippling outward. The fire rushed over the cobblestone courtyard, burning away the malicious strings.

Bruno clicked his tongue, jumping back as the flames stopped just short of reaching.

"You’ve got an impressive amount of mana, and resilience, I’ll grant you that," the wooden man complimented, withdrawing his threads into his body.

From the hum emitting inside the bandit’s abnormal exterior, the fiery man already knew what was coming.

’When his threads are pulled inside of him, he physically becomes a monster. He’s going to try and beat me up close and personal,’ Phoenix analyzed.

Focusing the flames around his body, it managed to stifle the bleeding enough to let him focus on the battle.

He looked ahead at the wooden figure, "Y’know, I’m not a fan of killing other people. It’s not my style."

The genuine remark somehow brought a smile to the bandit’s hard lips, "I’ll present you the same courtesy then. Turn around and I won’t finish the job."

"Thanks, but that’s not an option. See, this is a new job for me, so I’m not about to disappoint my boss," Phoenix answered.

"I see," Bruno said, clenching his fists, imbuing strength throughout his frame. "This is the choice we’ve led ourselves too, then. That’s our freedom."

"I don’t really get what you mean, but yeah, I agree!" Phoenix shouted, immediately gripping his sword as red-hot mana engulfed his position. In respect to his firepower, the wooden man kept his distance, not so hastily closing in this time.

As he clenched the handle of his blade, fire swirled around its black steel. The intention was clear between them both—it would end with the next strike.

’If I take one of those punches without armor, I’m a goner,’ he resolved, slowly inhaling.

The standoff lasted in the tense air as the moonlight watched over the ruined courtyard of the Haul Castle. It was the slight twitch of his own arm that prompted the wooden man to launch towards him.

Phoenix immediately swung his sword before the distance was covered by Bruno. The sparks coating his blade unraveled, popping off in the air—

"Nrgh?!" Bruno squinted.

—An explosion of fire wasn’t born, but a flash made by the erratic embers. Phoenix kept his eyes closed, clenching his sword as he quickly imbued it with all of the fire he had.

’I developed this in hopes of facing One-Eye myself and taking it down, but you got to it first, Boss, so—let me test it out here,’ the resolve surfaced through Phoenix.

Only seconds bound the sight of the wooden man, though it was just enough as the adventurer brought his flaming blade back.

He swept it forth just as Bruno’s eyes opened, sending a gathering of the burning element in the form of a screeching bird.

"Crimson Avian!"

As the elemental beast made contact with the wooden bandit, it exploded into burning fireworks. The impact shook the castle grounds, bringing light to the night-fallen woods that observed the battle, if only for a moment.

As the smoke faded, the wooden bandit was left laid out on the stone tiles, exuding steam from his body. He exhaled tiredly, walking over as he found the peculiar figure taken out, though with no lasting damage.

"You’re pretty damn tough, aren’t ya? I’m building my dream home out of whatever wood you’re made of, man," Phoenix remarked, resting his sword against his bare shoulder with a smirk.

On the ground, Bruno only quietly sighed, sinking into unconsciousness, "If you’re going to kill me, then kill me—spare me your taunts."

"No need for that," Phoenix said, watching the wooden figure fall unresponsive. "—I don’t think a sleeping man is much of a threat."

As he turned away, he looked around, trying to get a sense of his surroundings for once. The only pathway led towards the foreboding doors of the grandiose base.

"Now, where the hell am I? This is the Haul Castle, right? Do I just walk through the door, or..." He wondered, looking up at the massive structure ahead.

"Nope, this is where you stop, actually."

The words spoken right behind him brought the exhausted adventurer to quickly turn around. By the instincts drilled in him through a hundred quests, battling monsters of all degree, he raised his sword in defense yet—

"Huh?"

—It was gone; the blackened blade he relied on so dearly was absent from his grip. He looked towards the stranger dressed in a black coat, finding his sword held in the man’s hand.

"How did you?—" Phoenix asked.

The stranger answered, spinning the handle between his fingers, "Simple: whatever I want, I take."

Meeting the amethyst irises of the hooded figure, Phoenix could tell just from the air around him that the man was different. The density of mana felt like a winter breeze, as merciless as ice.

Even so, he didn’t back down—

"I don’t need my sword to beat—!" Phoenix began to say, gathering fire around his body.

At the very moment his resolve as shown, it was spat out along with the breath in his lungs. The pommel of his own weapon was slammed into his gut with such force it drove his consciousness to retreat.

The hooded man sighed, letting the adventurer drop to the ground, "You were kind enough to spare my friend, so I’ll let you take a nap. Now—you’re a timely guy, aren’t you?"

Launching his boot against the front gates that sealed the castle grounds, Leon opened them with sheer might. The sleek, gilded barrier was flung from its holdings behind the wind-bolstered kick.

Leon entered the courtyard with a huff, immediately finding his companion laid out face-down on the stone before turning his gaze towards the one responsible, "Are you done bullying my subordinate?"

"I gave him the same kindness you gave my friend," the hooded man asked, sliding the covering off. "Though, I guess you couldn’t kill Björn even if you tried."

What was revealed beneath the hood was a man no older than his early twenties with snow-white skin and messy, salt-and-pepper hair.

[Special Existence Recognized.]

["Elias"] [Level: 24] [Plunder System]

’Hold on—system? This guy—he has a system like me?’ Leon thought, reading the information filtered to his vision.