Chapter 5: The Blue Whip


    After the bandits offered Fayrouz a chance to join them in exchange for sparing Fulan''s life, Fulan had acted without hesitation. His body erupted in a faint white aura, and he lunged at the bandit leader with blinding speed. The fight that followed was chaotic, but in the end, Fulan had only managed to take down four of the nine bandits. The remaining five had activated their cloaking abilities, vanishing from sight and leaving Fulan vulnerable.


    Every second counted now. One wrong move could mean death. Fulan''s mind raced as he assessed the situation. *''I have two options: rely on Fayrouz''s ability to sense Menma, or start swinging blindly like an idiot. Either way, staying still is the worst thing I can do!''*


    *Whoosh!*


    Fulan disappeared from his spot, darting to the left in a burst of speed. His movements were erratic, his attacks random. He swung his fist through the air, the sound of his punch cutting through the silence like a sonic boom. The bandits, still invisible, realized that a single hit from Fulan could knock them out cold, just as it had done to their comrades moments ago.


    But Fulan''s strategy had a fatal flaw. The bandits were no amateurs. One of them, a quick-thinking and naturally intelligent man, had already analyzed Fulan''s ability. *''He''s fast, but he''s just swinging blindly. If I time my attack right, I can take him down the moment he misses.''*


    As Fulan prepared to strike again, the bandit moved. His sword, invisible to Fulan''s eyes, sliced through the air toward Fulan''s neck. The bandit''s lips curled into a confident smile. *''This is the end!''*


    But before the blade could connect, something unexpected happened. A glowing blue bandage, radiating a soft azure light, wrapped around the sword, stopping it mid-swing. The bandit''s eyes widened as he turned to see Fayrouz standing nearby. Her blindfold was gone, revealing eyes that glowed like the sky, the same vibrant blue as the bandages now coiled around his weapon.


    *Whoosh!*


    Fulan reappeared in front of the bandit, his fist already in motion. The bandit barely had time to think, *''Wait… I forgot about her! She can track Menma! Damn it, just give me one second to—''*


    *Bang!*


    Fulan''s punch landed squarely in the bandit''s stomach, the force of the blow sending him flying backward. His eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness, crumpling to the ground.


    Before Fulan could react further, Fayrouz''s glowing eyes flickered. She clenched her fists, and the bandages, now free from the sword, shot through the air like serpents. They wrapped around another invisible bandit who had been sneaking up behind Fulan, squeezing him tightly until blood trickled from his mouth.


    "Stop! Stop! I can''t take it anymore!" the bandit screamed, his voice filled with agony.


    Fayrouz''s bandages weren''t just for show—they were a weapon, flexible and deadly. The bandit''s cries confirmed that their power had increased significantly since Fayrouz had removed her blindfold. Was this the true extent of her ability?


    With five bandits down, the tide of the battle had turned. Fulan heard the sound of footsteps retreating, and Fayrouz''s voice cut through the chaos. "They''re trying to run. One is on your right, five steps away!"


    *Whoosh!*


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Fulan didn''t hesitate. He darted to the right, his foot connecting with the bandit''s back. The impact was so powerful that the bandit''s spine nearly shattered. Meanwhile, Fayrouz''s bandages snaked through the air, capturing the remaining two bandits with ease. The bandages had grown longer and more fluid, their movements almost hypnotic as they coiled around their targets.


    Fulan took a deep breath, his chest heaving as he tried to steady himself. He glanced at the bandits, now immobilized by Fayrouz''s glowing bandages, and then at Fayrouz herself. Her eyes, still glowing, shifted from the color of the sky to a deep ocean blue. Fulan felt as though he were being pulled into their depths, the intensity of her gaze momentarily overwhelming him.


    But the moment passed, and Fayrouz''s voice brought him back to reality. "The blue whip?" she asked, her tone calm but curious.


    Fulan blinked, shaking off the strange sensation. "Do you have a name for that weapon?" he asked, gesturing to the bandages.


    Fayrouz glanced at the bandages, which now glowed with a soft blue light. Their shape shifted, transforming into a dark blue scarf that she draped around her neck. "It''s not a weapon," she said simply. "Just an old gift from my mother. I used it as a blindfold on the cart to block out the light."


    "Really?" Fulan raised an eyebrow. "When we got on the cart, you were already wearing it, so I didn''t realize. In that case, the name I gave it seems fitting."


    "Why does it need a name?"


    "You use it in fights, don''t you?"


    "Only because it''s the closest thing I can reach."


    "That still means there''s no harm in naming it."


    Fayrouz fell silent, her expression unreadable. Fulan rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the defeated bandits. "We still have over half an hour of walking ahead of us. You''re not expecting us to carry all of them, are you?"


    ---


    At the gates of Saikono Village, the closest settlement to the Kingdom of Saita, two guards stood watch. Unlike the guards of Petita Village, these men wore sleek black uniforms reminiscent of ancient ninja attire. Their spears rested firmly in their hands, and on the left side of their chests was a badge that read, *"Recognized Guard of the Kingdom of Saita."*


    The atmosphere was dull and monotonous, as usual. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, occasionally obscuring the sun before revealing it again. The routine was so mundane that one of the guards yawned loudly, his eyes closing for a moment. When he opened them, he glanced down the dirt road leading to the village and froze.


    "What''s that?" he muttered.


    The other guard followed his gaze. At first, the scene was hazy, the figures in the distance nothing more than blurred silhouettes. One of the shadows seemed to be carrying something—or rather, dragging it. The guards tensed, their grips tightening on their spears as they prepared for potential danger.


    But as the figures drew closer, the scene became clearer. It wasn''t a threat—it was a girl with long black hair and a boy with messy, short black hair. The boy wore a simple black jacket and gray pants, while the girl was dressed in a dark blue-black coat and loose black silk trousers. What caught the guards'' attention, however, was the glowing blue belt around the girl''s waist. From it extended nine tails, each one wrapped around a person. The tails shimmered with a faint azure light, and the bodies they carried floated effortlessly above the ground, as if suspended by some unseen force.


    The girl''s eyes glowed the same soft blue as the tails, a clear sign that she was using her Menma to maintain this bizarre spectacle. The boy walked beside her, his expression calm but slightly amused.


    One of the guards stared in awe. "It''s like a super spider carrying its prey..."


    The other guard, however, was quick to piece things together. "Wait, there are nine people wrapped in that blue stuff. That means..."


    His companion''s eyes widened as the realization hit him. "You''re telling me these kids took down the bandits *by themselves*?!"


    By the time Fayrouz and Fulan reached the gate, the guards were on high alert, their spears raised defensively. Fayrouz placed a hand on the glowing blue belt at her waist and spoke in her usual calm tone. "They''ve lost consciousness three times already. They''ll wake up for the fourth time soon. You should lock them up immediately."


    As she spoke, the blue tails began to shrink, their glow dimming as they retracted. The guards glanced at the bandits'' bruised and battered faces, and a shared thought crossed their minds: *''Did she keep knocking them out every time they woke up? That''s... brutal.''*


    The belt transformed once more, shrinking until it became a simple blue bracelet. Fayrouz slipped it onto her wrist, her glowing eyes fading back to their normal color as she examined the bracelet for a moment.


    The guards were stunned. They had never seen an ability like this before. As they stared in awe, Fayrouz turned to Fulan, who stood beside her, and said, "You were right. It''s much lighter now."


    Fulan began walking toward the village gate, his tone casual. "I''m still surprised you didn''t think of this sooner. How long have you been using that scarf? You should''ve turned it into a bracelet or a ring in this heat. Though I guess it''s better as a scarf in the cold."


    Fayrouz followed him, her voice calm but curious. "As a scarf in the cold?"


    Fulan nodded. "Yeah, it''s a scarf. In battle, use the name I gave it. But the rest of the time, call it a scarf. Otherwise, your mother''s gift loses its meaning."


    Fayrouz walked in silence for a few seconds before responding. "By the way, I never agreed to that ridiculous name."


    "What?!" Fulan exclaimed, feigning offense. "It''s an awesome name! *The Blue Whip of Wonder!*"


    "No, it sounds childish. Knights don''t name their techniques."


    "But you''re not a knight yet. I don''t see the problem."


    "Hmph... Maybe I''ll consider it..."


    The guards, who had overheard the entire conversation, exchanged glances. To them, it seemed as though Fulan and Fayrouz had known each other for years. In reality, it had only been a day.


    ---


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