Chapter 22: The Level 100 Monster Mission Begins
At the same time, within the stronghold of another of the seven great bandits within a thousand miles—the Lion's Pride Bandits.
A bandit scout was reporting to his leader: "Boss Black Snake, the entire Higuma Bandit force of 30,000 was wiped out last night. Not a single one escaped."
"Oh? So it's true? The Higuma Bandits have been completely destroyed?" The man known as Black Snake wore dark robes that seemed to emit a shadowy aura, a coldness lurking within the darkness.
As he spoke, a pot of green thyme on the table before him instantly withered and blackened.
"Yes, Lord Black Snake. I went to inspect the Higuma stronghold personally. The news is confirmed. Higuma and all 30,000 of his bandits are dead. None escaped."
The scout recalled the horrific scene of corpses littering the ground and couldn't suppress a shiver.
"Do you know who did it? The Higuma Bandits' strength was no less than ours. I've never heard of any force within a thousand miles capable of annihilating them in a single night."
A trace of concern tinged Black Snake's icy tone. A force that could so easily destroy the Higuma Bandits could just as easily destroy them.
"I don't know. But I heard that before it happened, an outsider named Kaizen Reiya threatened to slaughter the Higuma Bandits and incited over six hundred people from Windmill Village to go with him. I don't know if it was them..."
The scout remembered something and added.
"An outsider player? One of those who bumble around in the starter villages killing chickens and rabbits?" Boss Black Snake sneered. "That kind of trash, ten of them couldn't match a single local villager. To dare claim they would slaughter the Higuma Bandits? A minor bandit could crush him with a finger. Such rumors are unbelievable. There must be another, more terrifying force behind the destruction of the Higuma Bandits."
"Yes, Boss is absolutely right."
The scout nodded repeatedly.
"Pass down my orders. Strengthen our defenses immediately. At the same time, we must find out who destroyed the Higuma Bandits. Notify the other five bandit groups to investigate this matter together. This person... or force... might be targeting us bandits. If we don't unite and communicate, we could be next."
Black Snake's cold voice held a hint of fear.
"Yes, Boss Black Snake!"
...
Soon, the other major bandit groups, including the Savage Wolf Gang, received the news. The fact that the Higuma Bandits had been wiped out overnight plunged them all into panic.
They began investigating everywhere, searching for that mysterious and terrifying power.
Simultaneously, they began strengthening their defenses.
Although many mentioned Kaizen Reiya's boast about slaughtering the Higuma Bandits, they all dismissed it as a grand joke. After all, an outsider player, no matter how strong he was on his first day, couldn't be more than Level 1 or 2. Annihilate 30,000 bandits? Preposterous.
All the bandit forces were scrambling to investigate the mysterious power that had destroyed the Higuma Bandits overnight.
Until they found out who was responsible, they wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully. The kind of disaster that struck from the heavens overnight, wiping out tens of thousands in a matter of hours... it was too terrifying.
...
Meanwhile, Kaizen Reiya, still enjoying Makino's gentle company in the village, was also getting busy.
"Ah Wang, spread the word for me. Anyone who brings me information on Haig's whereabouts will be rewarded with 10,000 gold coins."
"Some villagers have seen Haig. Have them describe him to a sketch artist. Post the drawings everywhere. There will be a reward for any useful information."
Kaizen called Ah Wang over and gave the orders.
Ah Wang was stunned upon hearing this. Brother Kaizen is truly ruthless. By the looks of it, he wants to eradicate the root of the problem. Good thing I'm his ally, not his enemy.
Ah Wang secretly rejoiced.
"Yes, sir!" Ah Wang acknowledged and turned to leave.
A Dragon Egg! Finding it was a monumental opportunity.
It could hatch into a dragon, a Sacred Beast born at Level 300, with a growth rate far surpassing that of human players.
In his previous life, this Dragon Egg had been obtained by an ordinary American player, who rapidly rose to become a superpower on par with the Four Emperors, dominating an entire region.
In this life, Kaizen naturally had no intention of missing out on such a miraculous item.
However, he currently lacked the ability to capture the Dragon Egg.
He still had to take things one step at a time. His most immediate priority was to go and kill the Level 100 King of the Near Shore.
According to his past life's memories, the one who slew this colossal sea beast would receive a Village Founding Token from the World Will, along with several high-quality treasures. They would ultimately become a lord of their own territory.
In this life, reborn, Kaizen was already ahead of the game.
He would stay one step ahead, kill the King of the Near Shore, and seize this opportunity he never had in his previous life.
"Still, killing the King of the Near Shore won't be easy. I must first master the Lightness Skill: Water Treading. Then I need to commission a golden weapon—a spear gun or a harpoon—capable of piercing its defenses to deliver the killing blow."