The periphery of the Blackfang Ravine camp was quiet now, the few sentries Drake had encountered dealt with swiftly and silently. Twilight deepened into early night, the main camp illuminated by flickering torches and a large central bonfire, casting dancing shadows against the ravine walls. Coarse laughter and drunken shouts echoed from the center, confirming Warden Marta's intel about lax discipline after the sundown shift change. Drake (Level 12) used the noise and deepening shadows to his advantage, melting away from the refuse heap near the smuggler's tunnel exit and moving cautiously towards the denser cluster of tents near the bonfire.
"Okay, need to find the Chief's quarters. Likely the largest tent or maybe that cave entrance further back. And Lyra's locket... Chief probably has it or keeps valuables nearby. Need to avoid large groups if possible."
He kept [Relic Hunter] active, the faint stamina drain negligible compared to the advantage it provided. It didn't highlight bandits directly, but it did subtly outline sturdier structures, heat signatures from campfires, and occasionally, faint energy traces from magically imbued (likely stolen) items within tents. He skirted around the main bonfire area, sticking to the shadowed spaces between tents and supply piles.
His stealthy approach couldn't last forever in the relatively open camp. A group of four bandits – two Level 12 Thugs, a Level 13 Bandit Marauder hefting a large two-handed axe, and a Level 11 Bandit Lookout seemingly returning from a post – stumbled around the corner of a large tent, nearly colliding with him.
"Oy! Who's there?" one of the thugs slurred, squinting into the shadows where Drake stood.
No time for subtlety now. Drake exploded into action. He charged the Lookout first, ignoring the melee fighters momentarily. The archer barely had time to draw his bow before a combo of perfected slash nearly cleaved him in two. << Target Eliminated! EXP +130 >>
The Marauder roared, swinging his heavy axe in a wide, telegraphed arc. Drake met it with his shield, activating [Defend]. << Perfect Defend! Damage Taken: 0! Off-Balance Applied! >> << Relentless Assault: +42 Stacks! >>
He used the Off-Balance window to land two lightning-fast perfect slashes on the Marauder, whose heavier armor absorbed more damage than the thugs'. << Damage Dealt: 70! >> << Damage Dealt: 75! >> . The two Thugs closed in, swinging clubs. Drake sidestepped one, used another Perfect Defend on the second (<< Damage Taken: 0!>>), and continued focusing fire on the more dangerous Marauder. His attack speed was already noticeably increasing from the stacks. Within seconds, the Marauder fell. << Target Eliminated! EXP +180 >>
The remaining two Level 12 Thugs were dispatched almost instantly under the fury of Drake's maxing [Relentless Assault] stacks, his sword a blur of perfect execution. << Target Eliminated! EXP +150 >> << Target Eliminated! EXP +150 >> << Relentless Assault stacks faded. >>
The entire engagement lasted less than thirty seconds, but the noise of the brief, brutal combat – the clang of the block, the Marauder's roar, the final thuds – likely attracted attention. Drake quickly looted the bodies (minimal coin, vendor trash) and immediately moved deeper into the camp, using the momentary confusion before a general alarm could be raised.
He followed the direction indicated by the largest tent and the presence of tougher-looking guards. Two Level 14 Bandit Veterans, clad in slightly better, mismatched metal armor and wielding sturdy axes, stood guard outside a large, reinforced tent reinforced with wooden beams and animal hides, set slightly apart from the others near the back of the ravine. Crude banners bearing the crossed pickaxe and dagger insignia flanked the entrance.
"This has to be it. Chief's tent. Just gotta get past these two."
He couldn't easily bypass them. He charged directly at the closer one. The Veterans reacted faster than the thugs, raising their axes defensively. Drake initiated with [Basic Slash]. The Veteran attempted a block. << Skill Success! SCR 100%! PERFECT EXECUTION! ... Damage Dealt: 60! >> . The Veteran grunted, surprised by the force. He swung his axe. Drake used [Defend].
The second Veteran moved to engage. Drake ignored him for a split second, landing two more perfect slashes on the Off-Balance first Veteran. << Damage Dealt: 65! >> << Damage Dealt: 68! >>. He then spun, meeting the second Veteran's attack with another Perfect Defend.
He now danced between the two Level 14 Veterans. It was more challenging; they coordinated slightly, trying to flank him. But his perfect defense negated their primary attacks entirely, and the Off-Balance debuff created constant openings. His [Relentless Assault] stacks climbed rapidly towards the cap as he landed perfect hits on whichever target was vulnerable. Within thirty seconds, both Veterans lay dead.
<< Target Eliminated! EXP +220 >> << Target Eliminated! EXP +220 >>
Drake quickly looted them, finding slightly better vendor trash and a few silver coins. He glanced around – no immediate alarm raised yet, though the sounds of combat might soon draw others. He pushed open the heavy flap of the Chief's tent and stepped inside.
The interior was larger than expected, dimly lit by oil lamps. Furs covered the floor, stolen crates served as furniture, and a large wooden table dominated the center, covered in crude maps, wanted posters, and half-eaten food. Sitting at the table, cleaning a wicked-looking notched cleaver, was the Bandit Chief (Level 15, Named Elite). He was burly, heavily scarred, wearing surprisingly well-maintained (likely looted) leather armor. He looked up as Drake entered, surprise quickly turning to a predatory grin. Hanging prominently from a leather thong around the Chief's thick neck was a delicate, tarnished silver locket.
"Well, well," the Chief growled, standing up, hefting his cleaver. "Looks like a little sheep wandered into the wolf's den. Come to pay tribute?"
Drake ignored the taunt, his eyes fixed on the locket. "Give back the locket you stole from the caravan."
The Chief laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "This trinket? Found it on some sniveling girl after we dealt with her master. Like it? You'll have to take it!" He charged, cleaver raised high for a powerful overhead chop.
Drake met the charge, shield ready. This felt like a real fight.
The Chief was faster than the Hulks or Sentinels, his attacks powerful and relentless. He used basic combat skills – a [Heavy Cleave], a [Brutal Kick] meant to break Drake's stance. But Drake's execution was perfect. Every cleave was met with a Perfect Defend, negating the damage entirely and applying Off-Balance. Every kick was sidestepped, Drake using the brief opening to land another perfect slash. [Relentless Assault] climbed relentlessly – 200, 400, 600, 800 stacks. Drake's sword became a blur, the damage per hit escalating significantly.
The Chief roared in frustration, his heavy attacks consistently negated, while Drake's seemingly basic slashes, delivered with perfect timing and amplified by the stacking passive, carved away his health. After a tense minute of perfect defense and relentless offense, Drake saw his chance as the Chief overextended on a cleave. He sidestepped, and unleashed a final flurry of 100% SCR hits while [Relentless Assault] was capped.
<< Damage Dealt: 120! >> << Damage Dealt: 215! (Critical!) >> << Damage Dealt: 122! >>
The Bandit Chief gasped, dropping his cleaver, and collapsed. << Bandit Chief Defeated! +2500 EXP! >>
Drake stood over the body, catching his breath. He quickly looted the corpse, retrieving gold, a surprisingly decent [Rare Bandit King's Cleaver] (though useless to him), and finally: << Loot Acquired: [Grandmother's Silver Locket]! >> << Quest Objective Update: Recover the Locket! >> << Quest Complete: [Merchant's Woe]! Reward: 2000 EXP, 1 Gold Coin, +100 Oakhaven Regional Faction Reputation! >>
The combined EXP from the Chief and the quest reward poured in. Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 13! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
Drake assigned the points, feeling the boost. Level 13. Locket recovered. The main threat eliminated. He could hear shouts outside the tent now – the Veterans' absence finally noticed. It was time to leave, but the question was whether to fight his way out or use the hidden tunnel again.