Axel found Madame Rosalie's Inn near the central plaza. The client, an elegant middle-aged woman, looked him up and down with clear skepticism.
— You're the… Fairy Tail boy? she asked, frowning.
— Axel Drake, at your service. I'll be your escort mage, he replied with the most professional posture he could muster.
Behind her, the carriage was loaded with sealed crates—heavy ones.
— I'm a merchant of valuable items. I need to take these crates to Shirotsume. The road is dangerous, and my last guard… quit. Are you sure you can protect all this?
— My job is to ensure your cargo arrives intact. My Evasion Magic and physical strength are more than enough for any threat on the road.
Rosalie exhaled deeply. Her need outweighed her doubts.
— Very well. We leave in ten minutes. Your responsibility is total, Mage Axel.
Ten minutes later, Axel was seated beside the coachman, leaving Magnolia behind.
The trip began quietly. The road was winding, surrounded by dense trees. Axel activated the Emperor's Eyes (Lv. 2) in passive perception mode, scanning for Mana traces and potential ambush points.The Shadow Step was ready to be triggered at any moment.
Axel's thought:The system said "small bandits and wild creatures." Perfect. PC farm.
The first ambush came in the middle of the afternoon.
They were crossing a narrow stretch when four armed men—rusty swords and pathetic Body Enhancement Magic—jumped out of the bushes.
— Stop the carriage! the leader shouted. — Hand over the gold and no one gets hurt!
Axel jumped off the carriage before the coachman could even react, landing lightly on the dirt road.
[Warning: Enemy Level 8 – Bandit (x4)][ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: First Assault — Reward: 10 CP]
— Low reward… zero risk, he muttered.
The bandits stared at him, confused.
— A brat? Where's the real mage?!
— I am the mage. Axel stepped forward. — And I'm not in a good mood.
He didn't need offensive magic.
Axel activated Shadow Step (Lv. 4)—maximum speed. His body blurred, becoming a living mist.
In an instant, he was in front of the leader.The Emperor's Eyes highlighted the weak spot: the jaw.
One punch.
CRACK!
The bandit flew into the forest, knocked out instantly.
The other three barely understood what happened. When they tried to react, Axel was already among them.
With Strength 17 and Agility 19, he disarmed the first bandit with ease. He used the stolen sword like a club, striking the second bandit's skull.
The third attempted a weak spell:
— Stone!
Axel dodged gracefully, leaving a Shadow Step afterimage to confuse him. His kick slammed into the bandit's chest with brutal force.
THUD!
The last one tried to run.
Fatal mistake.
Axel appeared right in front of him, blocking the path. The man nearly collapsed in fear.
— Who… who are you?!
— Just a kid who needs Conquest Points.
The bandit threw everything aside and fled stumbling into the woods.
The entire fight lasted less than ten seconds.
Axel stood in the middle of the road, red hair swaying in the wind, without a scratch.
Madame Rosalie, peeking through the window, was completely speechless.
[Bandits Defeated: 3/4 (Knocked Out)][Escort Mission: Progress Updated][EPIC ACHIEVEMENT: Physical Dominance (Low Risk) — Reward: 80 CP]
— Eighty CP… almost half of what I expected for the whole mission! Axel beamed.
He now had 670 CP.Only 330 more until the Boosted Gear.
He tossed the sword aside and looked at the coachman, who was pale as chalk.
— Let's keep going. The carriage is safe. And please… don't ask who I am.
The coachman only nodded.
The journey continued.And Axel knew one thing:
At this pace, he would reach 1,000 CP before even arriving in Shirotsume.
Earthland was chaos.
And chaos… was his farm.