The beastman stood in the center of the clearing, casually rolling one clawed wrist. Behind him, the two remaining bandits chuckled, their weapons resting lazily on their shoulders.
Across the space, Ronan and the others held their formation, but the difference in raw power was obvious. The beastman alone had pushed three of them back like children.
"Ronan," Null spoke up, breaking the heavy silence.
The acting leader blinked, glancing back. "Yeah?"
"Do you trust me?" Null asked, tilting his head.
"Now?" Ronan frowned.
Null shrugged lightly. "Won't take long. Can you put your faith in me?"
Ronan didn't answer immediately. He traded a silent look with Derrik, Mira, Lyra, and Tobin. They all remembered the same thing: Null had taken down two bandits by himself, while the rest of them working together had only managed to subdue one.
Ronan exhaled slowly and lowered his sword. "You're the one who cleared two of them solo while we scrambled to handle one. Numbers don't lie. Yeah, you've got our trust."
"Thanks," Null said, rolling his shoulders. "Then here's the plan: I'll handle the furry boss alone. You guys work together to take down those last two standing behind him."
The two bandits erupted in theatrical laughter. "HE THINKS HE CAN FACE THE CLAW ALONE!"
Even the beastman chuckled. "Kid, you sure about that?"
"I know you're strong," Ronan said, ignoring the jeers, his frown deepening. "But that guy is on a different level. At least E rank."
Lyra stepped forward, her voice trembling as she clutched her staff. "Null-san... I can heal injuries, but I can't fix fatal wounds. If you take a mortal blow from that beastman..."
She couldn't finish the sentence. Null stared at her for a moment, then gently patted her head, ruffling her hair lightly. "Don't worry."
Lyra froze, her long elven ears twitching sharply as a sudden blush crept across her cheeks. "Y-You—!"
Null had already stepped past her, locking eyes with Ronan. "Trust me." There was no arrogance in his voice, just a quiet, unshakeable confidence that made Ronan's hesitation crumble.
"Alright," Ronan nodded, tightening his grip on his sword. "We'll do it your way. We'll finish those two as fast as possible."
"Then we'll come help you," Derrik cracked his knuckles.
Mira grinned. "Try not to die before we get there."
Null nodded lazily. "I'll do my best."
The beastman pushed himself off the tree trunk, his predatory grin returning. "Done planning?"
Null stepped forward, his hand resting casually on his sword. "Yep."
"Good," the beastman flexed his claws, his eyes gleaming. "Let's see if you're actually worth that confidence."
...
The battle lines shifted instantly. Ronan pointed his blade toward the two remaining bandits. "Derrik, Mira, same formation. Let's move!"
Derrik stepped forward like a walking fortress while Mira vanished into the trees.
Tobin raised his crossbow, and Lyra prepared her spell. The two bandits raised their weapons, welcoming the final act with wild grins.
Meanwhile, Null walked straight toward the beastman, the dry leaves crunching softly under his boots.
"So, you're the one they're betting on," the beastman said, tracking his approach. "You're either very brave... or very stupid."
"Probably both," Null shrugged, stopping a few paces away.
The beastman laughed and lunged, becoming a violent blur.
Null leaned sideways, the claws slicing empty air where his throat had been. Before his opponent could recover, Null's sword flashed upward, steel slamming against claw with a resonant clang.
"Good reflexes," the beastman grinned, launching into a brutal, rapid-fire assault of claw swipes and heavy kicks. Every strike carried a crushing force meant to shatter bones, but Null stepped backward, his blade shifting to intercept each blow by a thin margin.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Sparks scattered between them.
[Master, optical analysis categorizes the opponent's style as aggressive, close-range dominance. Recommendation: disrupt his rhythm.]
'Already working on it,' Null thought.
As the beastman lunged again, Null suddenly threw his sword straight at the man's face. The beastman blinked, swatting the blade aside easily, but the distraction was all Null needed. He had already closed the distance, two daggers flashing into his hands.
SHINK.
They struck like lightning—one aimed at the ribs, the other toward the collarbone. The beastman twisted violently. One dagger struck a claw, but the other grazed his shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood.
The beastman leapt backward, letting out a wild laugh. "HAHA! You can switch weapons mid-fight?"
Null casually spun the daggers in his fingers. "Of course. I am what you'd call a weapon master."
The beastman wiped the blood from his shoulder, his eyes sharpening. "Annoying." He rushed forward, faster this time, but the daggers vanished from Null's hands, replaced instantly by a short spear.
The beastman's claws slammed forward just as Null executed a sudden thrust. The spearhead shot straight toward his chest, forcing the beastman to twist sideways as the weapon grazed his ribs. He retaliated instantly, driving his elbow toward Null's jaw.
Null released the spear, letting the weapon drop as he slipped beneath the blow.
Mid-dodge, his hand grabbed the falling spear shaft again, spinning it in a wide, sweeping arc. The heavy staff-like motion forced the beastman to scramble back.
"How many weapons have you mastered?" the beastman laughed, genuinely impressed.
"Enough to bring you down," Null shrugged.
Across the clearing, Ronan's group had successfully isolated the remaining two bandits. Derrik absorbed their strikes while Mira and Ronan capitalized on the openings, their coordinated pacing finally overwhelming the eccentric thieves.
Back in the center, the beastman slammed both claws down toward Null's head. Null sidestepped smoothly, drawing a short, curved blade to deflect the strike.
CLANG.
They separated once more. For the first time, the beastman's arrogant grin wavered, his eyes narrowing. "You're actually keeping up. Most kids would be dead by now due to the sheer power gap."
Null rolled his shoulder lazily, entirely unbothered. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm getting tired of the constant monologues. Will you ever stop talking?"
The beastman's claws flexed, his predatory gaze locking onto him. "What an arrogant brat. Good. Because I'm just getting warmed up."