The following day, I meticulously packed my bag, fully prepared to depart from this mountain. I have a lot to do and staying on this mountain won't do me any favor. 

While I still lack a long-term plan and specific goals, I do have an immediate strategy for the short term: to seek out reliable allies which is very necessary as my skill only has juice for one hour. After that, I am on my own. Though I am not completely helpless without my skills, it's better to be safe than sorry, right? 

I was currently on the mountain named Gahm, a part of the Gar mountain range. It lies between the Deep Forest and the Great Fermunt Plain, both of which host two powerful nations within the central continent: the Empire of Razartya and the Kingdom of Yerlya. 

My ultimate destination is the Empire of Razartya, where I have a particular individual in mind whom I intend to recruit. Shouldering my bag, I embarked on my journey with determined strides. If I maintain this pace, I should be able to reach the border city of Razartya within the span of an hour or two. While I possess the ability to expedite my travel using my skills, I believe it is not worth employing them in this instance.

******* 

Tom, a young man who had turned to a life of thievery at the tender age of 15, found himself joining a notorious gang of thieves when he reached 16. His decision to become a thief wasn't driven by poverty or dire circumstances, but rather by the allure of an easy job. With a mere brandishing of his blade and a few threats, others would readily surrender their possessions, which he could then claim as his own.

Life had become significantly smoother for Tom since he joined the gang. Their increased numbers provided a greater sense of intimidation. However, occasional raids by soldiers and adventurers posed a constant challenge. Tom had faced perilous encounters with them in the past, narrowly escaping with his life. Despite these close calls, he chose to remain in the gang because he believed the rewards outweigh the risks. Easy money and the occasional chance to enjoy women were among the benefits he enjoyed. Consequently, he had never regretted his decision to become a thief—until today.

Everything had been unfolding according to plan as Tom and his gang established their camp just outside the borders of Razartya. This location was chosen strategically due to its lax security, minimizing the chances of soldiers discovering their presence. Their assumptions proved correct as no one had come looking for them, even after months of looting and violence. Moreover, they were confident that even if they were caught, they could secure their freedom through bribery, taking advantage of Razartya's reputation for corruption. That's why they decided to ambush a group of travelers near the border road today

 

"Halt! Drop everything you have if you wish to spare your lives!"

The command echoed through the air, causing a wave of panic and fear to ripple among the group of travelers. Their collective gasps and cries filled the space, a cacophony of terror. "Kyaaa!" one of the women screamed, her voice trembling with sheer fright.

"Run! Bandits!" another person yelled, breaking the spell of terror that had initially frozen them in place. Chaos ensued as the travelers scattered in different directions, desperately attempting to evade their assailants. The bandits, emboldened by their successful ambush, moved swiftly to seize their ill-gotten gains, ruthlessly cutting down anyone who dared to resist.

Tom was exhilarated at securing yet another great success, and even making it better he could also see a few women in the back from the corner of his eyes. He licked his lips at the prospects of what he can do today. his intentions grow darker with each passing second.

However, amidst his sinister musings, Tom's attention was drawn to something out of the ordinary. A lone traveler emerged from the distance, shrouded in black garments with a hood concealing their face. He carried a small bag on his shoulder, his steps measured and unhurried. The commotion around them seemed to have little effect on his confidence. 

Tom's instincts churned within him, a sense of foreboding growing with each step the mysterious traveler took. They commanded attention, captivating both victims and perpetrators alike. A palpable silence enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the echoing footfalls of the enigmatic figure. Even the breaths of those present seemed to be held in abeyance, gripped by an all-consuming fear.

At that moment, he doesn't know why but Tom's primal instincts screamed at him to be silent, to bow his head, and to close his eyes—and desperately plead for his survival to anyone who is hearing. To give him the strength to survive until this apocalypse situation passes over. 

With each advancing step, the weight of fear intensified within his heart, permeating every fiber of his being. Tom came to realize he was not alone in this terror; every person around him, be they his gang members or his victims, bowed their heads in shared fear, mirroring his own desperate plight.

As the mysterious traveler drew nearer, the tension in the air grew thicker. Tom's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. He struggled to comprehend what could command such fear and submission from everyone around him. The once-exhilarated feeling of success had evaporated, replaced by a chilling dread as the mysterious traveler approached and walked past Tom, and an overwhelming wave of dizziness and fatigue washed over him. The fear and anticipation had taken a toll on his body and mind, and he succumbed to the overwhelming sensations. 

To his profound relief, the Traveler seemed disinterested in him, their gaze fixed ahead as they continued their relentless stride. In that fleeting moment of respite, Tom felt an outpouring of gratitude towards any divine force that may be listening. However, his relief was abruptly shattered by the plaintive cry of a woman, cradling a frightened little girl in her arms."Help us", a woman cried. 

Tom's eyes welled up with unshed tears. Why would she do such a thing? He would have let her and everyone else go without a second thought. Why had she chosen to call this monstrous presence upon them? The irrationality of his questions was not lost on him, but in his current traumatized state, logical thinking seemed far beyond his reach. 

To his utmost horror, the Traveler halted his steps and turned around slowly, he could feel the man's gaze on him momentarily. And the first thing he thought was to be on his knees and ask for forgiveness or at least to ask for a painless death. 

"10...9"

Tom heard the traveler mutter 

***** 

My journey to Razartya was uneventful, I walked as long as I could, occasionally taking breaks, this body was human after all, and I do need to eat and take rest. 

But when I reached near the border I came across a robbery in action, I let out a tired sigh, no matter what world it is, these kinds of scums always exist as long as society exists. I thought of interfering but that was when my eyes caught on the individual in the traveler group. 

A strong individual, My senses and instinct said alike. 

It was good for me since I don't need to deal with this, I decided to walk ignoring the commotion that is happening to leave the thieves to that person. As I walked closer I could see the multitude was startled by my appearance, and the passive ability of Enigmatic charm started to play its part, making the thieves shake due to fear, and the closer I got to them, the more the fear became palpable. 

'Neat' I mused at the effect of the skill, it works better than I expected. 

As I walked past them, both bandits and travelers alike, bowed their heads. My wish for not to waste my time here was fruitful but it was then I heard a cry. 

"Help us," a woman pleaded, making me stop in my tracks. I turned towards them, observing the situation. 

The woman who called out to me had a child with her, her eyes filled with fear and hope, same goes for the rest of the group, the thieves on the other hand looked terrified for their life. But my attention was really focused on the individual, who sneakily moved behind another person to escape from my eyes. 

'Does she not have plans to interfere like me? If so, how was she supposed to get out of here?' I thought,

I didn't know and I didn't have time to learn it either, So I turned my eyes back to the bandits and started to count "10…..9….. 8"

At first, nobody moved but then one of the skinniest bandits started to run, he might be the brightest of them, it was a wake-up call for other bandits, seeing that I am not giving chase, the others also scurried away frantically, some screamed, others couldn't. 

"6….. 7….. 6…… 5"

By this time most of the bandits have already reached a fair distance in a short time which was impressive for normal humans, but it is to be expected because they are literally running for their life

"2….. 1….. 0"

As my counts reached zero the only ones who left were tired and bruised Travelers, the woman who earlier asked for help brought her hands together and was on her knees as if she is praying

I take it as their way of thanking me, I gave her a nod and resumed my journey.