Before Aiden could take more than a few steps, a man rose from behind a wooden desk.
The mayor was middle-aged, dressed in plain but clean robes. When he saw Aiden, he didn't sit back down. Instead, he walked forward and bowed slightly, his gesture sincere.
"Sir Aiden," the mayor said warmly. "It's an honor to finally meet you."
Aiden inclined his head in return. "Mayor."
The mayor smiled, relief clear in his eyes. "Please, have a seat. This town owes you more than words can express."
As Aiden sat, he could feel it clearly now, the weight of attention, the unspoken expectations. Whatever job the mayor was about to offer, it wasn't going to be simple.
And for five gold coins, it certainly wouldn't be safe.
Aiden took a step forward and gave a small nod. "May I know what you need from me, Mayor?"
The mayor didn't waste time on pleasantries. He gestured for Aiden to sit, then folded his hands behind his back as he began to pace slowly across the room.
"I'll be straight with you," he said. "I need you to destroy a bandit camp in the mountains, and kill every bandit there."
Aiden's expression didn't change, but his attention sharpened.
"After the Stoneclaw Bear was dealt with, the balance around this town shifted," the mayor continued. "Those bandits took advantage of it. They've moved into the area the beast once controlled."
He stopped in front of the window and pushed it open slightly. Outside, the town looked peaceful, almost fragile.
"They're robbing merchants on the road," the mayor said, his voice heavy. "Some have been beaten. Some stripped of everything they owned. If this continues, no one will dare to trade with us."
The captain standing nearby clenched his fist. "We've tried to deal with them, sir, but they're holed up in the mountains. Rough terrain. Narrow paths. Too dangerous for ordinary guards."
The mayor turned back to Aiden, his gaze steady. "But you are different. You have someone strong under your command."
He bowed slightly, a rare gesture from someone in his position. "If you succeed, I will pay you five gold coins. This town may be poor, but we will scrape together every last coin if it means peace."
The room fell silent.
Aiden leaned back slightly, eyes calm, mind already weighing the risks and rewards. Five gold coins was no small sum, and bandits, unlike beasts, left bodies behind.
Perfect bodies.
He looked up at the mayor. "Where is this camp?"
---
Aiden crouched behind a cluster of jagged rocks, his breathing slow and controlled. From his position, he had a clear view of the bandit camp.
The cave entrance was carved into the side of the mountain, dark and uneven, with crude torches burning on either side. The smell of smoke and unwashed bodies drifted through the night air. Laughter echoed faintly from inside, careless, confident. These bandits didn't expect trouble.
Aiden's eyes narrowed.
He had already summoned his new undead, and it stood beside him like a silent shadow, fully equipped and completely still. Tonight wasn't a battle, it was a cleanup.
At level three, Aiden felt the difference in his body. Bone Shield and Bone Spear were etched into his instincts now. If he had to, he was confident he could handle a beginner practitioner even without his undead. But there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.
Two bandits guarded the cave entrance. One leaned lazily on a spear, the other sat on a rock, yawning.
Then they saw movement.
"Hey!" one of them shouted, straightening up. "Who's there?"
The figure walking toward them didn't answer.
It didn't slow down either.
The torchlight revealed a tall shape wrapped in leather armor, face hidden beneath a hood and mask. Its footsteps were steady, unhurried, as if the shouts meant nothing.
"Stop right there!" the second bandit barked, reaching for his weapon. "Did you not hear—"
The undead moved.
In a blink, it crossed the remaining distance. The first bandit barely had time to widen his eyes before a fist smashed into his throat. There was a dull crack. His body went limp, collapsing without a sound.
The second bandit swung his blade in panic.
Too slow.
The undead slipped inside the arc of the strike and drove its other fist upward, snapping the man's neck with a sharp twist. The bandit's eyes rolled back as his body crumpled to the ground.
Both guards were dead before their weapons even hit the dirt.
From the shadows, Aiden watched silently.
Clean. Efficient.
He rose to his feet, eyes fixed on the dark mouth of the cave. "Let's take out the rest," he murmured.
The moment they stepped inside the cave, torchlight flared.
Five bandits were gathered around a rough wooden table, half-empty wine skins scattered across it. Laughter died instantly when they saw the figure at the entrance.
"What the—?" one of them muttered, reaching for his blade.