The Land Of Thorns
Behind the explosion part 3

The uncle's voice that sounded ignited the mercenaries who had seemed to put on a face of disbelief, now looked furious showing their fierce faces, and, and it looks like someone started to move to collide himself with one of the bandits, and then followed by the others to attack until the situation in front of it looks so chaotic.

Ludi and Uncle were seen preparing with weapons in their hands, Uncle ran towards Marlo swinging a heavy slash vertically towards him but Marlo held back with his iron bat, holding back, not to forget Ludi released an arrow targeting his foot until the arrow hit one of his legs.

Slightly in pain, Marlo resisted pushing his hitter firmly to throw Uncle by using it Marlo lashed a powerful punch with his other hand, he lashed a punch until it hit Uncle's face. Then dodging Uncle he ran shortening the distance with Ludi while he dodged the arrow that flew towards him.

He floated his beater so fast that Ludi could not dodge and was hit by his attack that it spewed a little blood from his mouth. In the blink of an eye, the blood that came out was instantly frozen. They had only moved for a short while but it had already made it difficult for the two of them to breathe.

“Are you guys sure you can stop myself in such a state?”

Marlo smiled grinningly watching the two of them who were still having trouble breathing. The more they looked the more they made him laugh.

‘It feels right - it's like fighting on a mountain.’

Thought Ludi who was sitting in a tight frame holding herself back from falling as she adjusted her breath, Ludi looked towards Uncle who was now starting to breathe regularly as he bounced back against Marlo.

‘What should I do. What should I do, thought Ludi.’

He thought back as he smacked his hand into the ground, then he looked back at the uncle who seemed to have difficulty fighting Marlo even though he seemed to be managing his breathing normally.

“Away from here Ludi, look at the others, they seem to be breathing normally. I think the more we get closer to him the colder the air around him.”

Shouted uncle to Ludi, then he resumed.

“Listen to everything, no one comes near here! … That goes for you too Ludi!”

Uncle's shout made them notice. Hearing that made Ludi look around him, seeing the crowds of people who returned to fight on the open ground. Ludi gritted his teeth he hit the ground again. Ludi quickly stood up and ran away from Uncle. He really looks disappointed.

While looking annoyed Ludi momentarily waiting and release his arrow repeatedly quickly then he continued running and again stopped for a moment repeating it in a replay, repeated, helping the other mercenaries defeat the bandits.

Seeing Ludi who showed himself archery like that made many eyes on him, an admiration for those who became his allies. But a horror to those who are his targets.

“Pacify yourself Ludi!”

Shouted one of the nearby mercenaries sheathing his sword, he quickly chased after Ludi and caught her. Being behind him he hugged so tightly locked Ludi that he could continue archery.

“What you do, control your emotions Ludi. Did you not realize you released so many arrows!”

Replied the rebellious Ludi tried to free himself from a mercenary who captured him so strongly that he stopped Ludi's steps.

“Just trust Uncle, he will definitely beat him!”

“Did you see his face? He's just acting pretty strong in front of you! You know why he retired to be a mercenary?”

“Sure I know, but I don't know what you mean Ludi.”

“He still has injuries since that incident! If you remember the events in the forest while fighting that terrible human, an event that you cannot possibly forget because at that time we all almost died!”

A bit of her story, Ludi recalled the events in the forest 2 years ago when they ran a simple mission coming from the city guards to check the state of the forest near the city of Rosten.

The mission becomes a nightmare for them as they fight a pale-faced man with bloodred irises who has the power to control a black creature that can resemble an animal he previously saw underground, which they called ‘black clot’, it was the same creature when they fought it in the forest.

They were all injured so badly, even Uncle who had the most impact for protecting them before giving the decision an order on them to go save themselves. Being in a panic makes them scattered from each other, which is where Ludi and his friends feel the loss of Marlo. A bad event that is still remembered by him.

“What can we do Ludi?”

Said the mercenary who seemed to loosen his guard, so that Ludi who was still rebelling could be released so easily, and now the two of them looked into each other's eyes.

Still not wanting to take it off the man then tightly gripped Ludi's head with both hands as he stared so seriously. It made Ludi immediately reply by clutching the collar of his protective shirt made of leather.

“You're an adult, older than me, you should understand. We've always been protected by him, before you were just a drunken tramp. I was just a bad boy before. You want to see her almost dead self again?”

“Thanks to him we became a hunter or a mercenary and formed our own group, making our name known in this city. Do you think he wasn't hurt against one of us.”

Hearing that made the person who gripped his head release Ludi, then Ludi pushed him away.

“You and the others can keep quiet or follow his orders to stay away from Marlo. I'll find something to stop Marlo!”

Upon seeing her who seemed to be speechless, Ludi quickly ran away leaving her heading towards the direction of the road, out of this area of the headquarters.

‘That storage warehouse, I have to go there. There must be something there that I can use.’

Ludi thought for a moment after he came out of the crack and noticed the buildings and roads around him. Ludi quickly ran towards the storage warehouse that had previously been the hiding place of the ambushing bandit troops, and without realizing it there are 3 people who are running into the building that has a secret door to the underground road.