Chapter 12: The Bandits of the Broken Ridge
The road stretched long and silent.
Karn already left the carriage he was on they are going somewhere backward so both karn and zangika decided it would be better to just left the carriage and walk for now while they are walking there was a place where the water level was too high zangika sucked atleast half of that into the void space while they are walking they saw
The carriage creaked as it rolled through uneven stone paths, surrounded by jagged hills and scattered forest patches. The sky was dim — evening slowly turning into night.
Inside the carriage, merchants sat quietly. No one spoke much.
Outside—
A blur moved.
Far above, unseen.
Karn.
Running across air.
Each step landing on invisible footholds created by Shadow Nexus.
Zangika's voice echoed in his mind.
"Three hundred meters ahead… multiple heat signatures… movement irregular…"
Looks like they are trying to rob the carriage
Karn narrowed his eyes.
"Bandits?"
"Not normal ones," Zangika replied. "Energy readings detected… similar to what this world calls mana users."
Karn oh no seems like worst thing
That can happen to them
---
Suddenly bandits attcked
Ambush
The carriage came to a halt.
Suddenly—
THUD.
A massive log dropped across the road.
Horses panicked.
Driver shouted.
From the shadows—
They appeared.
Four figures.
Three with blades.
One standing behind… calm… observing.
Zangika scanned instantly.
"Three melee fighters. One ranged. The one in the back is the strongest."
Karn hovered above, unseen.
"Let's watch first."
--
The Bandits
The leader stepped forward.
Tall. Muscular. Scar across his face.
A spear in his hand.
"Drop everything," he said calmly. "And maybe we let you live."
One of the merchants trembled.
Another bandit laughed.
"Or we kill you anyway."
The one in the back raised his hand slightly—
Energy gathered.
Zangika spoke:
"That's not electricity… not thermal… unknown energy type detected."
Karn: what it supposed to be it's obviously
"Magic."
Zangika:
Umm yeah i was just saying you know
"...jerk."
--
Karn asked should we intervien
Zangika it's on you well i don't give a flying f about them all that matters to me is you
Karn well how about a cool entrance you know imagine if they say my name and all the cool name they will give me for saving there lives
Zangika just say you wanna act like shadow and you know cool ok here is script just say it out loud
Intervention
Before things escalated—
A voice echoed.
"Hey."
All heads turned.
Zangika is my love and her boobs and
Ass is the best wait what zangika you don't need to say this out loud you know I'm shy karn embaraced jumped
Karn landed.
Soft.
Controlled.
Dust lifted slightly.
The bandits stared.
One of them laughed.
"And who the hell are you?"
Karn stretched his neck slightly.
"Just passing by."
Pause.
Then—
"I'll give you one chance. Leave."
Silence.
Then laughter.
The spear user stepped forward.
"You think you're a hero?"
Karn:
"No."
Im shadow
Zangika
Copyright alert baby
Karn hm
"I'm worse."
Zangika what the f is he saying
--
Fight Begins
The first bandit charged.
Sword raised—
Before it landed—
CLANG.
His blade stopped mid-air.
Blocked.
By nothing.
Zangika:
"Force field active."
Karn moved.
One step—
And he vanished.
Appeared behind the bandit.
THUD.
One clean strike to the neck.
Bandit dropped instantly.
Zangika
That's my love umma
Karn Stop don't do this in the middle of the fight
The others froze.
Zangika:
"Reaction speed increased by 42%."
--
Three vs One
Now serious—
Two rushed together.
One from left.
One from right.
Swords cutting simultaneously.
Karn didn't move.
At the last second—
He leaned.
Both blades missed by inches.
Karn grabbed one wrist—
Twisted—
CRACK.
Then kicked the other—
Sent flying meters away.
The spear user jumped in—
Fast.
Thrust aimed at Karn's chest.
Zangika:
Trajectory predicted."
Karn caught the spear mid-air.
Paused.
Looked at him.
"Too slow."
He snapped it.
Karn oh my god I'm so cool
Zangika you are you are my love
Clean.
Like wood.
--
Ranged Attacker Moves
From behind—
Energy gathered.
The fourth bandit finally moved.
A glowing sphere formed in his palm.
Zangika:
"Energy output rising. Equivalent to explosive force."
Karn:
"Let him."
The attack fired.
A beam-like projectile—
Fast.
Destructive.
Karn raised his hand.
"Galactic—"
A faint glow formed.
"Laser."
BOOM.
Both attacks collided mid-air.
Shockwave blasted outward.
Ground cracked.
Carriage shook violently.
Bandits stepped back in shock.
Zangika:
"Output matched at 12%. Recommend increasing power next time."
These heathens don't deserve to live how dare they try to hurt you deploying wepons
---
Spear Deployment
Karn extended his hand.
Space distorted slightly.
From void—
The weapon emerged.
The Spear.
Golden-white.
Sharp.
Alive with energy.
Bandits hesitated.
Zangika whispered:
"Let's test something fun."
--
Water Weapon
The spear shifted.
Internal channels opened.
Zangika:
"Remember the river?"
Karn smirked.
"Oh yeah."
Water compressed inside the weapon—
Pressure building.
Beyond anything natural.
"Fire."
A thin stream shot out—
Almost invisible.
The spear user dodged.
Barely.
Behind him—
BOOOOOM.
A chunk of mountain exploded.
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Even Karn blinked.
"...Okay that's stronger than I expected."
Zangika:
"I like it."
But i don't that bastard he should've just died instead of dodging
--
Chaos
The remaining bandits panicked.
The ranged attacker shouted—
"Kill him now!"
They rushed together.
Karn moved forward.
This time—
Fast.
Too fast.
Blades clashed—
But now it wasn't defense.
It was domination.
Strike.
Dodge.
Counter.
Every movement precise.
Calculated.
Zangika assisting every step.
"Left."
"Duck."
"Now."
One by one—
The guy who was uncocoius woke up and rushed from the behind karn slashed his wepon on that direction the water thin shot out and dismental the enemy and a huge noise came
Zangika looks like you just cut a mountain in half karn what
Zangika
Smughed let's focus only one left
--
Final One
Only the magic user remained.
Breathing heavily.
Terrified.
"You… what are you…?"
Karn walked slowly.
Im who comes at night and left at morning
Zangika
That's what prostitude does
Karn ok let's just pretend you didn't siad it and i have
"No idea."
The man charged one final attack.
Huge energy gathered.
Unstable.
Zangika:
"This might actually hurt a little."
Karn raised the spear.
"Then let's end it."
He thrust forward.
A concentrated beam—
10x amplified.
Pierced through the attack.
Through the man.
Through the hill behind.
A straight line of destruction.
Silence.
--
Aftermath
Wind blew.
Dust settled.
The battlefield—
Destroyed.
Carriage passengers stared in absolute fear.
One whispered—
"A… noble?"
Another—
"No… maybe a adventure r…"
Karn sighed.
"Great."
Zangika laughed softly.
"My hero."my baby
Quiet Moment
Karn turned away.
Ok walk like cool and let's get out of here gotta look mysterious and all zangika oh my look at you
Started walking.
Zangika:
"You enjoyed that." Right the attention and all
Karn:
"...Maybe a little."
Pause.
Then—
"We went easy."
Karn smirked.
"Testing phase."
--
Hidden Presence
Far away—
On a distant cliff—
Something watched.
Unseen.
Unfelt.
A voice whispered:
"Interesting…"
End of chp 12