Nina learned [Body Enhancement] in a week. I… needed two weeks for that.

Nina released the skill.

“UU… Tired..”

If you’re not familiar with your mana control, you’re going to run out of MP. Just like Nina did.

“Nina. When you’re in battle, you can’t let your guard down and lose your control of mana.”

“I know, this skill is great. It could enhance your body and strengthen it.”

“Alright. After practicing let us go to the village. I want to see if I could get some potion recipes.”

“Okay.. I also need to buy some things. But, I don’t think you’re going to find any potion recipes unless you’re in the big city.”

Ah.. There were no potion recipe in the village!

“I could also use some potions.”

“Will they sell them to you?”

“I have you here. Why should I worry? Shoo.. Buy it now.”

“Che..”

Nina pouted.

After I walked alone to the mountain I could hear Nina screaming “Baka..”

We got information about bandits in the area. They kidnap people, take water and food. Judging from their area of activity I was able to make a guess about their general location. I have brought a knife for dismantling with me, which I borrowed from Nina.

When facing the group of bandits, it would be better for me to kill them one by one. However, my luck is bad.

“You! What are you doing here.”

I was a little surprised, because of a voice coming from behind. It was outside of my [Awareness] range. A man dressed in bandit outfit was standing there.

———

Name: Besse Sese

Race: Human

Job: Thief

Level: 15

HP: 93

MP: 33

Strength: 37

Agility: 60

Vitality: 44

Intelligence: 18

Magic: 16

Luck: 26

Passive Skills

Dagger mastery: Lvl. 2

Awareness: Lvl. 2

Active Skills

Dagger strike: Lvl. 2

Body Enhancement: Lvl. 1

Stealth: Lvl. 1

Steal: Lvl. 1

Appraisal: Lvl. 1

Special Skills

Hawk Eyes

————-

Whoa.. Was it because of the Hawk Eyes that he was able to notice me?

“Brat, you didn’t answer me?”

I need to play it low for now.

“Sorry. I came to the mountain to gather herbs, but it looks like I’m lost. Could you show me the way back?”

“I don’t know.”

(“Black eyes and hair. His appearance isn’t bad. I could sell him to some noble and get a lot of money from it. It’s my luck!”) he was appraising Yu’s body.

While the bandit was silently appraising him, Yu has activated his [Depriver], trying to take the special skill. He tried many times, but completely failed. After dozens of attempts, his head was stinging with pain. Can it be that my skill level isn’t high enough?

“Okay, what’s the name of your village? Vivid village?”

“No, it’s Resser Village.”

“Ooh.. Resser Village is that way.”

That man was pointing to the direction opposite of the real Resser Village. Yu understood that he was leading him to his camp.

(“It’s funny, this brat came here without any suspicion and listens to me to boot. However, isn’t he hiding something? He keeps his right hand close to his right leg.”)

“You, is it true that you lost your way when collecting herbs?”

“That’s true. Why?”

“On our way here, you didn’t lose your breath. You don’t seem to be tired either.”

“Oh..”

The bandit noticed that the air around him has changed. His right hand prepared to take hold of a dagger that he was hiding, strapped onto his right leg.

“I now know the location of your hideout. Anyway, how many people are there?”

“Hah? Are you out of your mind, brat?”

“Uncle.. I know you’re a level 15 thief. It’s easy for me to kill you.”

(“He knows my level and job. Analysis skill?”)

“Just knowing my level or skill you believe you could defeat me? What is your level?”

He took a stance in a way that would let him escape to his hideout anytime he wanted to. He could call for reinforcements.

“It’s level 8. I have no job. Is there something wrong?”

“Just level 8. Mere level 8 trying to kill level 15?”

(“Is this boy crazy? It looks like I was worried for nothing.”)

The moment he let his guard down, two fireballs were launched. The old man just kept on standing still in surprise.

“Wha.. How can you use magic?”

“It’s only a fireball. A basic spell.”

“Stupid! I know that.. but you casted two of them at the same time. Without chanting! How did you do it, brat?”

Although he was surprised, but he managed to dodge them by hair’s breadth. I approached him while taking out the dagger.

“[Dagger strike]!”

It was a dagger skill that enhances the power of thrusting and inflicts critical hits but, of course, it didn’t trigger, because I deprived him from it.

“[Dagger strike]!“

That technique, I unleashed it on him. It struck the gap in his armor.

“Aaaah…”

That uncle crouched down and held onto his abdomen.

“Please… Spare my life…”

I used this opportunity to get information from him. The number of bandits is around ten or twelve. They sell the children and women they kidnap as slaves. They also have some treasures.

“Wait.. You promised to spare my life..”

“If that’s so, weren’t the children and women also asking for help?”

“No.. That’s different..”

I didn’t wait any longer and activated the dagger skill. [Dagger strike Lvl 2]. The power of this skill cut open the uncle’s stomach. In the process, the dagger that I borrowed from Nina shattered. It couldn’t withstand the power.

“I’m sorry Nina. I’ll make it up to you later.”

I walked nearby the bandit’s hideout. However, I could only sense one person. Did that uncle lie or are they not inside their hideout? I didn’t care. It increased my winning percentage anyway.

Wait.. There are two corpses on the ground. And that’s.. Nina?

“Nina.. Why are you here?”

With a very big smile she replied:

“I decided that it was more fun to tail Yu.”

She.. She neglected my order and followed me here. My eyes fell on her and I saw her status.

———

Name: Nina Levers

Race: Human

Job: Thief

Level: 14

HP: 81

MP: 25

Strength: 23

Agility: 57

Vitality: 25

Intelligence: 18

Magic: 12

Luck: 22

Passive Skills

Dagger mastery: Lvl. 1

Trap search: Lvl. 1

Awareness: Lvl. 1

Silent step: Lvl. 2

Active Skills

Steal: Lvl. 1

Disarm trap: Lvl. 1

Stealth: Lvl. 2

Stalking: Lvl. 2

Body Enhancement: Lvl. 1

Special Skills

None

————-

Her skills have leveled up once again. Maybe it’s because of the combination of [Silent step],[Stealth] and [Stalking] that she was hardly getting detected by [Awareness]. What’s even more ridiculous was, that Nina skills are going up day by day. Even I, who deprives others from skills, am still left behind by her progress.

“It’s tiring.. Let’s get back to Stella. Let’s see what she is going to say, if she knew you’re going alone to exterminate bandits.”

“I was just randomly walking! But you, what are you doing here? Didn’t I ask you to go to the village?”

“I was going to go the village after making a short trip to here.”

“You! If you’re caught and kidnapped, what am I going to do?”

Yu neared and gave Nina a dekopin. (TL note: a flick of finger on the forehead)

“Auch.. It hurts… Huhuhu..”

Nina was pressing her temple with her hand.

“Now, I can report the bandits quest too.”

“Eh, there’s such quest?”

“You didn’t know? It was five gold coins! Five!”

“Alright. But I want to check their treasury first.”

For a group of bandits to have five gold coins placed on their heads, they should have a lot of good treasures, right? He went inside and opened a hidden chest. He knew about it from the uncle before.

Seven gold, 332 silver and 586 copper.

Loot from Bandits:

Shadow Pendant 5

Steel Dagger 6

Steel Knife 6

Antidote potion recipe and poison recipe.

“Nina.. Even their loot is good.” Yu threw the pendant to her. Nina looked at it.

“Shadow pendant (grade 5): can avoid the effect of [analysis Lvl 3]. It can also hide the wearer’s status.”

I wonder if the effect will get triggered when someone wears it.

“Nina.. These dagger and knife are for you.”

“Really? I kinda wanted it when I first saw it.”

“Yeah..” it was also a compensation for her dagger that I broke earlier.

Since she received the dagger and knife, her mood has improved. Today, I will give a finishing touch to the bath.

“Nina, you should go to the village to sell the equipment from the bandits. This is your punishment for going against my order.”

“Uuuuu… All right..”

From tomorrow on, while training with Nina, I could try making some potions.