“Huff! Huff!”

  A beautiful young woman could be seen running through the snowy forest while breathing heavily out of her lungs.

  Several arrows were lodged in her back, blood dripping from the wound but still, she ran. Because behind her, a pack of bandits was closing in.

  ‘Just a little further… just a little further…’

  She kept reassuring herself, though deep down she knew she wasn’t in any condition to keep running.

  “Don’t let her get away!”

  “Anyone who enters our territory doesn’t leave alive! Catch her!”

  “Shoot her in the legs!”

  The pursuing bandits shouted orders to one another.

  “How long do you think you can keep running, you bitch?!”

  One of them yelled before loosing an arrow from his bow...

  Swish!

  The arrow flew at an incredible speed and buried itself in her leg.

  "Ugh!"

  She had already been barely managing to escape their pursuit, but this strike made her leg go numb.

  Tak!

  “Huff! Huff!”

  She stumbled and fell onto a thin sheet of snow, her blood instantly staining the white surface crimson.

  ‘Damn it!’

  For the past three days she had been on the run, evading one enemy after another.

  She had fought her original enemies and slain them, only for these bandits to suddenly appear in her path and take up the hunt.

  It wasn’t that she was weak, far from it. But at that moment, she simply didn’t have the strength to fight them head-on.

  So she had chosen to flee.

  She had managed to take down a few of them along the way, but their numbers never seemed to end. And after two relentless days of pursuit, the bandits finally caught up to her.

  “Ah… it’s been so long since I’ve seen a woman this persistent.”

  “She’s been giving us trouble for two whole days.”

  “This bitch killed my friend! I’ll make sure she dies for that!”

  The bandits surrounded her. Seeing this, the girl panted heavily and warned:

  “Huff! L-let me go… or else you’ll regret it… you’ll all die…”

  “Let you go? What do you take us for? We’re not just any bandits—we’re the White Frost Bandits. Got it?!”

  The White Frost Bandits were a notorious group that plundered and slaughtered across the northern mountain ranges.

  Because of scum like them, the Silk Road was a constant death trap for merchants.

  Capturing them was no easy task, these mountains were brutally cold, and ordinary people couldn’t survive here for long.

  And even if someone did manage to venture in, the bandits would gang up and cut them down without hesitation.

  In short, they have no morals.

  ‘What the hell are bandits like them doing so far from the actual Silk Road?’

  No one knew the answer.

  One of the bandits kicked her hard in the stomach.

  “Ahh!”

  She groaned in pain, but the bandit kept his foot on her stomach and said with a sinister smile,

  “Now do you get it, girl? You’re in serious trouble. We’re not just some run-of-the-mill thugs.”

  She struggled but responded,

  “Huff! Whether you’re members of the White Frost Bandits or not… huff! It doesn’t matter. In the end, you’re still just bandits—pathetic thieves who run with their tails between their legs when real trouble comes.”

  “...”

  "Huff! What do you think? That you can stay safe forever hiding up here in these mountains? Huff! Huff! Try stepping down into the lowlands, no one will even treat you better than a stray dog."

  The bandits’ faces twisted in anger.

  “Did you hear her?!”

  “She dared to talk about the White Frost Bandits like that! She’s going to regret it!”

  As they debated the most painful way to kill her, one of them spoke up:

  “Listen up. This one’s arrogance is through the roof. Killing her isn’t enough we need to break her pride first… so… why don’t we have our fun with her before she dies? What do you say?”

  “Heh heh! Now you’re talking!”

  “It’s been too long since we’ve had a good time! Today’s the day!”

  “We’ll shatter this bitch’s pride into pieces.”

  They began voicing their filthy intentions one by one, their words making the girl’s expression burn with rage.

  ‘These bastards!’

  She bit her lower lip hard.

  She hadn’t expected them to stoop this low. Death would be better than what they were suggesting.

  But then...

  From the snow came the sound of someone running. All the bandits, and even the girl lying on the ground, turned toward the sound.

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  And then, a young man, perhaps eighteen, appeared before them.

  His face was almost divine, framed by long, thick hair. There was a serene, almost detached calmness to his expression. This boy was none other than, Sharv.

  Sharv came to a stop before the bandits, his gaze sweeping over them as he muttered something strange to himself.

  “This?.. So the physician is here? In the middle of these bandits?”

  The bandits blinked, unable to understand what he meant. One of them yelled at him,

  “Hey! Who the hell are you? And why are you here?”

  Sharv looked at him and asked, in a calm voice.

  “Tell me… is any one of you a physician?”

  Hearing this, the bandit’s temper flared.

  First that girl, and now this boy both acting as if the White Frost Bandits were nothing more than petty street thieves.

  One of the bandit clenched his fists and was just about to reach for his blade when their leader raised a hand to stop him.

  The bandit turned in confusion, and asked.

  “But why, leader?”

  “Look around, we’re all exhausted. And do you really want to waste your strength on a mere child who doesn't even have any Internal energy?”

  “But...”

  “...”

  The two exchanged words, while the rest of the bandits kept their eyes fixed on the boy.

  It was, in fact, the perfect moment to make an escape.

  ‘Forgive me…’

  The girl whispered to herself, and then, making a quick decision, she raised her voice,

  “Listen, I’m a physician.”

  The moment she spoke, Sharv turned his gaze away from the bandits and looked straight at her.

  Then he asked.

  “But how can I believe you?”

  The girl paused and blinked looking at the boy, thinking is this boy mad?

  He had come looking for a physician, and now having seemingly found one he was questioning her truthfulness?

  One of the bandits spoke up.

  “Kid, you’ve got it all wrong. This girl isn’t a physician. She’s a swordswoman, a skilled martial artist, at that.”

  Another cut in.

  “Yeah, boy. She’s a killer who’s already taken down some of our brothers. Now tell me, would a physician kill people, or save them?”

  A third added.

  “That’s why we’re telling you brat, stay out of this. Otherwise, you’ll end up just like her.”

  Sharv ignored their threats completely, keeping his eyes on the girl and asked again.

  “Tell me, are you a physician or not? I don’t have much time, so answer quickly.”

  Seeing this the bandits anger rose even more.

  “This brat’s got guts, he’s ignoring us!” One of the bandits snarled.

  ‘Yes… just like that…’

  The girl’s plan was working even better than she’d hoped, turn the bandits’ attention toward the boy and slip away in the chaos.

  She hadn’t lied, she really was a physician. But she was also a martial artist.

  ‘That boy…’

  She couldn’t sense the slightest trace of internal energy from him, meaning he was likely just an ordinary person, not a martial artist at all.

  Could someone like him possibly fight and survive these bandits?

  Thinking of this, she felt a pang of guilt for dragging him into her escape plan… but she had no other choice.

  “Fuck! I can’t hold back anymore!”

  One of the bandits roared and charged at Sharv, his gleaming blade raised high.

  The strike was aimed for the boy’s neck, fast, brutal, and deadly.

  However...

  Crack!

  ‘?!’

  The sight that met their eyes made both the bandits and the girl freeze in shock.

  Sharv had twisted the steel-bodied bandit’s neck backward snapping it clean in a single, effortless motion.

  Thud!

  The man’s corpse fell to the snow.

  “Chandra!”

  “H-how… how is that possible?”

  Even the bandit leader was shocked.

  Chandra had been no ordinary man he was one of their strongest, a brute with a body as tough as iron.

  And yet… he’d been killed instantly. Without even a fight. What could that mean?

  ‘This boy… is no ordinary person.’

  Both the leader and the girl reached the same conclusion in that instant. Sharv’s voice cut through the cold air, his tone now like ice.

  “I don’t have time to waste. Tell me now, who among you is the physician?”

  His eyes were...emotionless, and his face remained calm, almost serene.

  And somehow… that calmness made the tension in the air all the more suffocating. One by one, the bandits began to sweat.

  The moment the bandits felt fear, they picked up their weapons, utterly shocked. Chandra was dead, that was one thing, but at the hands of a mere boy?

  And not just any boy, but one from whom they couldn’t sense a shred of internal energy?

  What in the world was going on?

  “So… none of you are a physician then?”

  Not a single bandit replied, but then the girl spoke up quickly.

  “L-Listen, I’m telling the truth! I am a physician! I can prove it. Bring me an injured person and I’ll show you that I’m telling the truth.”

  To her, this situation was actually working out quite well. If this boy came to her side and slaughtered all the bandits, it would be perfect.

  “...An injured person.”

  Sharv glanced at the bandits and began walking toward them. Seeing this, the bandits became frightened, and took a step back.

  A whole group of bandits, afraid of an eighteen-year-old boy? If anyone saw this, they’d laugh.

  Those Bandits gritted their teeths.

  “Haaa!”

  “Attack!”

  “Everyone fight together!”

  The bandits shouted, charging toward Sharv.

  ‘...So Annoying.’

  Sharv picked up the sword that had fallen from Chandra’s body and, looking at the bandits with an expression devoid of emotion, and swung it toward them.

  Swish!

  The sword’s speed was incredible.

  “D-Duck!”

  “Dodge it!”

  Some at the back tried to doge it, but those at the frontline, they couldn't, they didn't had much time to react.

  “Aghh!”

  “Ughhh!”

  The sword pierced straight through the chests of two bandits, killing them instantly.

  Seeing this, everyone froze in fear. Even their leader was panicking.

  ‘Just who… is this bo..?!’

  Before the bandit leader, could even finish that thought.

  Sharv came running, right in front of him, attempting to twist his neck just like he had with Chandra.

  ‘!!!’

  At that instant, the leader channeled all of his internal energy into his neck to protect it, narrowly preventing it from breaking.

  And he was successful in his attempt. But doing so consumed a large portion of his internal energy.

  “Oh! So you’re strong, huh? That must mean you’re their leader… I figured as much... You protected yourself using internal energy?”

  Sharv had found the leader. But he still hadn’t removed his hand from the leader’s neck, keeping him wary.

  “But… you know something? There are some places in the human body that even internal energy can’t fully protect…”

  “...”

  “And one among those place is… your eyes!”

  “!!!”

  Poke!

  The moment he said that, Sharv moved his hand from the leader’s neck and brought it up to his face, gouging out both of his eyes.

  “Aghhhhhhh!”

  The bandit leader screamed in agony. The other bandits saw this horrible scene and shouted,

  “L-Leader!”

  “N-No!”

  The other bandits could only watch in shock.

  Blood splattered over Sharv’s fingers, and on his hands. His lips wanted to curl upward into a smile, but he quickly suppressed the feeling.

  ‘No… not now...’

  He kicked the leader in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. The leader clutched at his ruined eyes, screaming and writhing.

  Sharv turned to the remaining bandits and, in an icy tone, said,

  “Now it’s your turn.”

  ***

  “No-No, let me go, please...”

  Slice! Thud!

  “That was the last one... Looks like they’re all dead... except for one.”

  Sharv turned to look at the bandit leader, who was still clutching his eyes and screaming in pain.

  Sharv walked toward him, and the moment the bandit sensed him coming, his soul shivered. Trembling, he muttered,

  “Le–Let me go. I-If you kill me, the entire White Frost Bandits will come after you... I-If you spare me, then...”

  Before he could finish speaking,

  Rip!

  Sharv grabbed his hand and casually tore the nail off his thumb.

  “AGHH!”

  The man howled in agony. Even the girl watching felt a bit of shock what was this boy doing?

  But, Sharv didn’t stop. He took the bandit’s hand and, with his sword, sliced it in half.

  Blood gushed out in streams, and the man’s screams grew more unbearable. He then dragged the bandit over to the girl and said.

  “You said you were a physician, right? Then, heal this man’s wounds.”

  ‘oh! Yeah, I got it...’

  She's the one who told him to get an injured person to her.

  But these weren’t ordinary injuries—they were deep. Healing them would require a physician with great experience and skill.

  The girl had the skills, yes, but she lacked experience.

  “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? I already told you, I don’t have much time. If you’re not a physician, then you’re useless to me.”

  Saying that, he reached his hand toward her. But before he could do more, she blurted out,

  “W-Wait... I-I’ll do it, just give me a minute...”

  Sharv didn’t reply he simply looked at her, tossed the bandit toward her, and said.

  “Hurry up.”

  Then he went to sit under a nearby tree.

  ‘What the hell is going on?’

  She had thought she would easily escape from these bandits by using this boy, but now the boy had completely flipped the game with his strength.

  And now there was nothing she could do if she wanted to survive, she had to do as he said.

  “Haa!”

  Taking a deep breath, she began using her remaining internal energy to heal the wound on the bandit’s hand.

  ‘At least... the boy is good looking.’

  But his actions didn’t match that face in the slightest. She stole a quick glance at him to get a better look at his face.

  “Focus on your work, and make it quick.”

  Sharv’s words made her snap her gaze back to the task at hand.

  “Tch! Stop moving, or I’ll shove this needle into your ruined eyes.”

  She warned the bandit, who kept twitching in pain.

  Then, with thread and needle, and remaining her internal energy she began stitching up the half severed cut on his hand.