The bandits didn't hesitate.
Bandit 4 guy with the hoodie fired his gun in a quick reaction.
A swirling bullet of water magic hurtled towards Loki, it will automatically expand on impact into a suffocating water cube of enchanted liquid that would trap and drown its target.
At the same moment, Bandit 6 loosed her three fire arrows, the projectiles igniting mid-air with flames, streaking like comets.
Bandit 5, dashed behind Loki in a blur, his poisonous dagger raised, the tip is just a meter away from Loki's neck, poised to strike.
Bandit 2, moving with a blinding speed, his sword slashing in a deadly arc that reached Loki in under a second.
Bandit 3, grinned and raised his axe ready to bisect Loki in half.
But none of it landed.
Bandit 4 water bullet wobbled unnaturally in the air, losing balance.
It fell harmlessly to the ground.
The fire arrows sputtered and fizzled mid-flight, their flames dying out.
The poisonous dagger in Bandit 5's hand trembled uselessly, inches from Loki's back, while Bandit 2 sword hung suspended, quivering as if caught by an invisible force.
Bandit 3's Axe deflected by an invisible force as it was launched back from the wall.
Bandit 2, felt his cold composure shattered, his sword halted mid-swing, frozen inches from Loki's shoulder.
The force pressing against him was immense, invisible hands squeezing his lungs, his muscles, his very will.
"What—" his voice cut off abruptly, choked by the overwhelming pressure that forced the air from his throat.
His eyes bulged, veins popping on his forehead as he fought to maintain his grip on the hilt.
Bandit 5, was on his knees now, gasping for air like a fish pulled from water.
His poisonous dagger slipped from his fingers, clattering to the cobblestones with a pitiful tink.
"This guy—" he wheezed, collapsing forward onto his hands.
In that frozen moment, a shared realization hit in their minds, a collective thought pulsing through their heads like a death knell:"Can use gravity manipulation!"
Bandit 6 with the bow, still clutching her half-eaten bread felt her eyes widen in raw terror.
They all knew it then, they had a zero percent chance of winning.
Loki's tone remained cold, almost bored, cutting through the strained silence like a knife through fog.
"You got a cool sword." His eyes locked onto the Bandit 2, lingering on the blade.
The bandits didn't have time to respond.
Suddenly, an invisible force erupted from Loki—a gravitational tidal wave that slammed into them.
They were pushed back with brutal force, their bodies hurled against the alley walls with bone shat erring impacts.
Bandit 4 crashed into a stack of crates, splintering wood and groaning in pain.
Bandit 6 slid across the ground, her bow snapping under her weight.
Bandit 5 and Bandit 3 were no better, the latter's of their weapons clanging against the bricks as they struggled to rise.
In the blink of an eye, Loki unexpectedly appeared in front of Bandit 2, his movement a blur too fast for mortal eyes to track.
Loki choked the leader and his knee lashed out in a precise hit to the bandit's abdomen.
Bandit 2 breath exploded from his lungs in a ragged gasp, "Aghh—" his body crumpling as ribs cracked audibly under the force.
"L-Let go of me... you piece of shit!!" Bandit 2 shouted as his right hand ran through Loki's arm.
As he doubled over, Loki's hand shot out, snatching the sword from his left hand with casual ease.
The blade felt light in his fingers, its enchanted edge humming faintly with mana.
Loki swiftly swung the blade and dashed forward.
He moved through them in a single, fluid motion, the blade slicing the air with surgical precision.
They didn't even saw his hand moved.
The bandits' bodies didn't fall—they disintegrated.
Bisected into micropieces in an instant, their forms exploded outward in a fine mist of blood.
Limbs turned into shards, torsos burst into wet, heads dissolved, scattering across the cobblestones in a horrific display that made the alley red.
Marie, the woman who'd been hostage, pressed her back against the wall, her wounded hand clutched to her chest, blood still oozing between her finger.
Her face was pale, eyes wide with terror—not just from the bandits, but from the effortless carnage she'd just witnessed.
"T-thanks for saving me..." she stammered, stumbling backward until her back hit the wall solidly, her legs threatening to give out.
Loki sighed, wiping a stray speck of blood from his jacket with casual indifference.
"Hey, you have some money?" He approached her slowly, his footsteps echoing.
Marie's hands trembled violently as she fumbled for her wallet, pulling it from her purse with blood-smeared fingers.
"M-money? Sure, y-you can take everything I have..." She gave it towards him, her voice was shakimg, eyes darting to the gruesome blood around them.
Loki took the wallet without hesitation, flipping it open to rifle through the bills and cards.
In his thoughts, a fleeting doubt crossed his mind: "Isn't this practically robbing at this point?"
But he shrugged it off internally. "Well, I saved her, so who cares..."
He pocketed the cash—about 150 euros—and tossed the empty wallet back to her feet.
Marie didn't wait for more.
She ran, her footsteps pounding unevenly as she fled the alley.
Loki was left alone in the bloody hallway, the metallic scent thick in the air.
He knelt down methodically, going through the bandits' sack one by one.
Wallets stuffed with stolen cash, a few enchanted trinkets he pocketed.
All in all, another 300 euros or so. Not a fortune, but enough for a few decent meals. "I hit the jackpot today."
"I wouldn't save that girl if only Rémi didn't forget to gave me some money."
He stood, dusting off his hands, and glanced at the carnage one last time.
"What a mess," he muttered, stepping over a puddle of blood as he walked out.
Just another detour in his boring day.