Esdras watched in glee as the three struggled with all their power against the overwhelming number of hungry goblins.

[Stone bullet!]

Bran shouted and a pebble in his hand was shot at several goblins. The pebble might not look like much but it was tough and shot a terrifying speed killing two or more goblins with every shot.

Theo summoned water and launched a small wave at the feet of the goblin making them lose their balance and tripping many behind them.

This gave Tara the perfect chance to shoot wind cutters at them, an arc of condensed wind that was as sharp as a blade, killing and maiming a few at once.

But that was pretty much what they were capable of, besides Bran the two of them were only level 3 apprentices and could only manipulate and produce their respective elements.

In fact what Tara was doing was very close to a cantrip which meant that she was close to advancing to level 4.

"YOU! What are you waiting for?!" Someone shouted from below but Esdras was cleaning his mace as if he didn't hear anything.

"Sir..?" As soldier asked and the others were looking at him, waiting for him to give the order. Similarly he didn't say anything.

*Crash!*

Suddenly the wooden cage broke and several goblins quickly crawled in through the gaps sending the three of them into a panic.

They tried to focus on casting anything they could but.. they were only apprentices after all, the amount of mana they had was very limited. Without noticing Tara and Theo were out of mana

Tara quickly shoved Theo into the incoming goblins and backed away. The goblins tore through his fragile skin and bit into his tender flesh. Bloodcurdling screams echoed.

A horrific scene of guts and blood dyed the soil and not long after Theo eyes lost all semblance of life. This scene traumatized Bran and Tara to no end.

Suddenly Bran summoned whatever strength he had left and in a fit of madness he shot out several Pebble bullets and killed as many as ten goblins at once.

This caused the goblin hoard to pause momentarily but that was enough time for Bran to make a run for it out of the encirclement and into the woods.

"DESERTER!"

Upon seeing that Esdras hurriedly branded Bran a deserter and grabbed his mace.

"You guys keep a watch over the goblins here and I will pursue the deserter."

Without waiting for any reply Esdras jumped over the hill and completely ignored the goblins. After all we wouldn't want Bran to actually get very far.

In fact he was happy that Bran made a run for it, he had some questions he needed answered and he was resigned to not getting those answers and just killing them all but now a chance presented itself to him.

This made him very happy.

Esdras had an enhanced physique between him and the already exhausted and pure mage Bran, there was no compassion to begin with.

So, before long Esdras already caught up with him but he intentionally widened the distance. This was to give Bran false hope and to get a bit further away from the rest.

However, disappointingly Bran couldn't make it too far, a fifteen minute run was all he could muster.

"Stop.. fuck.. haaah!" Bran started crawling to get away in vain. Esdras didn't feel sorry for him.

"Stop right there, deserter. Do you know what the punishment for desertion is? Hm?" Esdras smirked and approached slowly.

"I'm not.. I just wanted to live! You bloody bastard!" Bran glared at him venomously.

"Okay, okay, enough games. First of all, why don't you tell me why you tried to kill me? You're gonging to die anyway."

Bran looked like he was collecting his breath and looked down. Esdras crushed his left hand into a bloody pulp with his mace.

"AGAAAAH!"

"I won't repeat the question. Bran, I don't remember talking to you let alone offending you to the point of a deadly grudge. Why target me?"

Esdras didn't see the point of raising his voice so he just softly asked in interest. This matter bothered him quite a bit ever since he came to this world.

"I.. I grew up on the trout farm with my father and mother, back then we lived a normal and peaceful life. I was smarter than kids my age and so my parents were very proud of me. But then.. a local noble set his sights on my mother and decided to take her as a maid when my father refused he was killed in front of me. You! You! It's you nobles who think you're better than everyone! If I have the chance I will kill every single one of you-"

Before this rant went on any longer Esdras slapped him across the face with a dumbfounded look.

"What the fuck are you rambling about, I don't give a fuck about your backstory dumbass!" Esdras facepalmed, "I'm asking why you tried to kill me specifically, did you make a deal with Robert? Who told you to take me out?"

"I.. what? Robert?" Bran had a confused look on his face, "T-Tara, when we were talking she said.. that it wouldn't matter if you died.."

Esdras swung his mace and crushed Bran's skull in one hit, he was somewhat disappointed. So Tara instigated it and Bran already had a burning hatred for all nobles.

As for this hypocritical asshole he naturally didn't care about his motives beyond that. Hatred for nobles? Sad story, unfortunately he took it out on the wrong person.historical

"That was a clean hit."

Esdras whipped around to the source of the voice. Under the shade of the giant trees a guy walked closer, he had a soft smile and short white hair that looked unusual on such a young man.

He was wearing a simple white shirt on black trousers and a cloak. He looked at the sight of a body with a crushed head and body parts splattered around but his eyes maintained a child-like innocence.