"OI, CHILL MAN!!" Hazuki shouted, eyes wide as several lizardkin bandits lunged at him with short swords and daggers.
Above him, spinning in joyful loops, Ridan cheered like it was a pay-per-view boxing match. No one else could see the smug, cloudy idiot grinning with devilish delight.
"Punch him! Yeah, kick him, Hazuki! Oop—your left, watch your left!"
Hazuki ducked under a wild swing, then side-stepped to avoid a clumsy thrust from another bandit. His movements were smooth—effortless, even—like he wasn't trying at all, yet still dodged everything.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" Hazuki barked, genuinely confused.
"I just wanted to buy some wares! Do you sell belts? Gloves? Food?!"
One of the bandits stumbled as his blade missed, blinking in frustration.
"This guy's mocking us!!"
From inside the wooden carriage, a young beastkin girl screamed in panic:
"They're bandits!"
Hazuki froze mid-dodge.
"...Wait, what?"
