Chapter 40: The Bandit Leader Subjugation - V (2/2)

Merlin lowered the lantern's hood to diht, he then hid the lantern under his cloak before he approached the ghost Although it was cheap, the h to prevent the lantern's faint light fro out

The previously dry forest floor had now become mud due to the various pools of blood that had formed in the area It was much harder to traverse, and the slipperiness of the e When co to keep himself stable

Merlin could feel his hand start to itch as he got closer He glanced at it, noticing that the purple blight under his skin was spreading up his arm much faster than it previously was

The creature previously had her back to Merlin, yet still noticed him approach, it seemed she had some for as a tracker

She dra her body around to face Merlin, as if she were a puppet on strings Rather than floating, it washeld up in the air by her various thorn tentacles,bony claw-like fingers parted, like the talons of a large bird getting ready to i the gap between her and Merlin in an instant But before she could strike Merlin, he quickly uncloaked the lantern and swung open its hood, bathing her with its light

Merlin watched as the ghost's skin started flaking away, and it seehost pulled herself away fro herself into an unlucky bandit, sending hi into a tent, there was a loud crash but no noises followed He seemed to be alive still, as Merlin hadn't yet received a notification of his death

The ghost pounced towards another bandit, i her teeth into him Merlin watched as within seconds the man was drained of colour, and the previous wound that Merlin had caused the ghost vanished instantly

「Bandits re: 8」

After the creature appeared to have healed, it turned its attention back on Merlin A tentacle flew out from behind her and thrust itself towards him

Merlin stepped out of its path and sliced down on the tentacle, unfortunately the tentacle was surprisingly tough, so the cut was shallow Nevertheless, it seerier at hihost, lantern in hand He ducked under a quick horizontal sweep by another tentacle, using his e to slide ever closer

As he reached within seven metres, another tentacle thrust towards him, yet as he stepped out of the way of that one, another tentacle swept at his legs A thorn i for a couple meters until it unhooked itself He was thrown a fewon his back in a pool of blood, his long white hair, or at least the parts that had been subed, were now stained a deep blood red

Pain shot up his leg, causing him to flinch, he couldn't yet will hilance at his health, that attack alone rid him of fifteen points of health

As Merlin's attention snapped back to the ghost, he noticed that it was engaged in combat with the bandits once more One of the bandits was i thehost attempted to throw hih her tentacle, albeit et tossed into the mud

Merlin watched as the bandit slid towards him, he could now identify the man as once just a silhouette in the distance It now host's lethal attack and dealt dae in return It was Jackson, the bandit leader, as the boss of the caher than the rest of the bandits, putting hihost's level

Merlin forced himself to crawl out of the blood pool and limp over to Jackson When he arrived he had a proper view at the diseut, and the strea down the side of his lare was abetrayed

"You--" He tried talking but his speech was cut off by hi out blood, when he see is here, aren't you?"

Merlin's expression darkened, the feeling of guilt he previously suppressed with rage had bubbled up to the surface once more, a few seconds passed before he nodded somberly

"I take back what I previously said about you" Jackson let out a pained laugh before continuing "You're the smartest assassin my father has ever sent"

「You have completed the quest, "assassinate the Lycoa bandit leader", visit the uild to receive your rewards」