Chapter 7: Richard's Strength (Part 2)

By this time, the bandit leader had finally arrived. He had not expected this man to be so fierce that he could kill three men in just a moment. With a loud roar, he suddenly jumped up then brought his axe down on Richard in a hack.

Displaying amazing reflexes, Richard turned and blocked the axe with his scabbard.

"Illusionary Flash Sword!"

With his gathered momentum, he burst out astonishing strength as he swung his sword towards the bandit leader's neck. Out of desperation, the bandit leader raised his hand to block Richard's sword. He was ready to sacrifice his hand to save his life but the sword didn't stop for even a second as it cleanly sliced of his hand continuing to go through his neck cleanly slicing his head off.

The bandits who were ready to pounce on Richard instantly froze in place when they saw their leader's head roll on the floor.

"Dead… leader's dead… leader's dead!"

Losing their backbone, the bandits were all scared witless as their hearts trembled in fear. Looking at the man who stood beside Bandit leader's corpse with a face that was as tranquil as water, all the fighting spirit they had possessed earlier melted into endless panic and fear.

In the short deathly silence, Richard slowly sheathed his sword. For the rest of these trashes, he didn't need his blade. With a cold expression, He slowly walked forward. Following his movements, the eyes of the closest bandit shrank in fear; he then let out a shriek as he desperately turned around to escape. His actions also immediately woke up all of the bandits from their shock. All of them started to escape one after another in fear, and no longer cared about anything else.

"Want to run?" Their escape did not give Richard a sense of relief; instead, a touch of ice-cold murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He displayed a very ingenious body movement technique, and caught up with the group of escaping bandits in just a few breaths of time… Had these bandits scattered when running away, he wouldn't have any means to do anything. However, his successive slaying of about a dozen bandits plus their strongest leader made the hearts of these bandits give birth to an enormous fear toward him, which made all of them subconsciously escape in the opposite direction of where he was before. Moreover, that direction was also the only exit of the rear mountain.

Behind the group escaping for their life, he leaped high into the air, taking off the jade pendant hung around his neck. The jade pendant had a grey stone embedded in its middle. He looked at it and signed. This was a family heirloom that contains very destructive power meant to be used in life and death crises. It had already saved his life once in in the past when he was besieged by very strong enemies. He was very reluctant to use it since the number he had left was limited but since he had already displayed his strength, he had to make sure that none of these bandits escape or else If word of him is spread out, it would invite unnecessary trouble for him.

He took out the embedded golden grey stone and threw it towards the escaping bandits and escaped towards the rear. When the stone came in contact with the atmosphere it emitted a huge lightening cloud which to the dismay of the escaping bandits enveloped all of them releasing a blinding golden radiance.

BOOOOM!

Sky covering lightening exploded with a bang from where the stone had landed; the wildly released lightening energy turned into layers and layers of lightening clouds and scattered outwards, instantly shrouding a radius of over sixty meters in the surrounding area, mercilessly engulfing all of the bandits. Looking at it from the sky, it was as if a beautiful golden flame had suddenly bloomed with the grey stone as its centre. However, every single strand was very lethal.

Countless miserable screams of agony resounded from within the enormous lightening cloud. The cries were so miserable that it was as if they had come from the depths of hell's ninth level. But the lightening did not feel any pity for the screams, and continued to blossom without mercy; layers and layers of flickering lightening gradually bloomed into larger and larger lightening clouds.

The mayor as well as the villagers, who was standing far away, had long became complete stunned from watching. Although the mayor was old, and had seen countless experts from his younger years, none of it could compare to the man in front of him. This strength, even the Vice Admirals in the Navy couldn't compare. How could such a person be an ordinary blacksmith?

"Defeating a C ranked warrior in just seconds coupled with about a dozen D ranked warriors. Such strength he should be A+ rank or more. This strength is enough to serve as a Yonko executive. Indeed, father is not an ordinary man. And from the manner he defeated them; this probably isn't his full strength!" Rayden faintly muttered as he looked at his father who had destroyed a 300 manned bandit group in just a few minutes with shinning eyes. Even though he had the System which would unlock more awesome techniques as he got stronger, the swordsmanship and strength system of this world wasn't weak either. Without a trace of Qi and spiritual energy, they could unleash such strength. He began to wonder what the results would be if such strength system was blended with his qi based battle skills. "I wonder what that burst of thunder attack was. It doesn't seem to be a devil fruit attack."

As Rayden wondered what that attack was, the lightening clouds had already blossomed to its largest size, while the sound of the miserable screams had become quieter. The intensity of crackling lightening continued for about five minutes before it gradually died down. Richard stood there silently until the devastation stopped completely. He then turned around and walked towards the gathered villagers. The villagers were now viewing him with gazes filled with awe and fear.

They had never imagined that the ordinary blacksmith who had lived amongst them for so many years was so strong. In this world powerful strength is respected above all else so at this time Richard's position in their hearts had risen to an unprecedented heights; even higher than their mayor. Of course the mayor also noticed this but there was nothing he could do about this. Richard had earned this based on his own strength.

"And with such a strong man in this village, we don't have to ever worry about bandit attacks ever again." The mayor begun to think of things he could offer Richard to ensure that he could continue to stay in this village.

"Dad!" at this time Rayden who was standing at the far side began to run towards his father together with his mother with his cousin Jack behind them. Seeing his family, the entire murderous atmosphere around him instantly disappeared replaced with a broad smile on his face. He looked at his son with some surprise. He had noticed that his son hadn't displayed any unusual expression upon witnessing such a bloody scene.

"He ready did inherit the 'Gol' family genes. It seems I will have to start the training program soon before I leave. Those guys in the New World are beginning to get really restless!"

When Martha finally arrived by Rayden, she held his hand and worriedly asked

"Richard, are you okay?"

"Do you believe such people could really hurt me?" Richard answered as he picked up his son Rayden into his arms.

Martha nodded her head in approval. Yes, depending on what she knew about her husband's strength, even if twice the number came, they wouldn't be a match. At this moment, Richard moved towards the mayor together with his family,

"Old Barry, it seems I will have to bother you to help me clean up this mess. We wouldn't want these corpses to draw the attack any of the ferocious beasts lying deep in this island." Even though to him these beasts weren't any trouble, it would be troublesome if they attacked when he wasn't around.

"Yes Mr. Richard, you don't have to worry about that! I'll immediately organise some of the villagers to clean up the surrounding corpses." The mayor respectfully replied.

Richard nodded to him and moved towards the village with his family. The villagers separated and allowed them to pass. It stayed like this until the family of four disappeared into the villagers. Mayor Barry began to order the men to clean up the scene.

….

That very night, both sides of the main hall were filled with lit lamps, and the entire hall was extremely bright. His father continued to sit where he usually sat, with his mother on the left breast feeding his little sister Adley whilst he was sitting on the right. The table was still covered with meat as well as plates of vegetables and grains.

Rayden blew through the meat on the table like a twister, and then raised his head up. "Dad, Mom!"

"Hm, what is it?" Richard looked at his son, and Martha did as well.

Although their son's intelligence caused them boundless joy, it didn't startle them too much, because in this vast world, there were plenty of people who were devilishly clever.

"I want to train!" Rayden said seriously. "I wish to train to become a Swordsman like you!"

Seeing the serious look on her son's face, Martha began to laugh. "Train to become a swordsman? Richard, our son wishes to train to become just like you!"

"Swordsman?" Richard looked at his son coolly. "Do you know what training to become a Swordsman means?"

To Be Continued

(Comments and Criticisms are needed)