“Mao? Mao? Why are chuu just standing there like that?”

Chuu floated around my head as I stood perfectly still. There were two reasons I hadn’t moved from this spot. One was I had no clue where to go or where anything was. Along with the fact I hadn’t quite figured out my first heroic move yet, so I needed to plan accordingly.

The second reason was because I had hoped Chuu would get bored and just float away. Apparently three hours of silence wasn’t enough. The creature was truly something to be feared.

“Mao are you broke or something? If you answer me chuu. I’ll tell you a secret.”

Fool. I won’t fall for such a trick.

“Huh. Oh Mao, there’s some unsavory guys approaching. You might want chuu do something about that.”

Reflexively I flinched. Stop replacing words with chuu damnit! Just stop already. Also, there is no way a group of people would just show up out of the blue. Besides I, the great Mao would sense there…

SMACK!

One moment I could see a series of trees in the distance, the next I could see the ground. Someone had struck me in the back of the head.

“Wow that was a lot easier that I thought.”

“I know the guy was just standing there I almost feel bad.”

“Hurry up and check him for stuff.”

I should probably do something, but if I don’t move Chuu might think I’ve died then he’ll leave. Even though my face was down in the ground I was smiling to myself.

“Okay. Okay don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

One of the men who had attacked me started patting me down.

“He’s got nothing on him cept the cloths on his back.”

This is true.

“Well just take his clothes then.”

Well I guess that an optio…hey wait!

For some reason the man had reached for my pants first, so before he could even attempt to pull them down I grabbed him by the wrist.

“I won’t let you have your way me you fiends.”

The two men and Chuu stared at me.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

For some reason I felt like there was a misunderstand, the awkward pause was only making things worse.

“Hehehe. It’s too late for you two to leave with your lives. I’ll make your deaths quick. As for painless I can’t make any promises.”

The smarter of the two smirked smugly as he drew his sword, a standard katana. Nothing impressive he sloppily dashed toward me preparing to slash at my neck. Without think about it I brought my forearm up to block………… wait. Aren’t I human now?

OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT! That thing is gonna take off my arm. All I could do was watch in slowly motion as the katana’s blade neared my arm. Sadly, I shut my eyes afraid for the moment my arm would be severed.

I felt the blade touch my arm and then I heard something snap. There was no pain, not even the warmth of fresh blood.

“….huh?”

When I opened my I eyes I saw the blade of the katana lying in the grass and two frightened bandits. I looked my arm over ignoring the bandits for a moment.

“Well that’s good to know. Any way how should I punish you two?”

With a dark smile I held out my left hand with my palm facing upward a moment later a fireball appeared.

“It’s orange…well let’s see how strong this thing is.”

With a flick of my wrist I launched the fireball forward, somehow, I missed the bandits hitting the trees a couple feet behind them. The fireball expanded into a dome of fire as it exploded taking out at least ten trees. It was hard to even tell that there were trees there to begin with.

A frown worked its way across my face. “Damn. Looks like I’ve become considerably weaker. This will make things a lot harder going forward.”

The two bandits looked at the charred remains of the series of trees then stared at me with a surprising amount of fear in their eyes. Their faces went white.

“We’re sorry. We’re sorry. Please don’t kill us.”

“Don’t kill us, we’ll do whatever you want.”

“Alright if you say so.” I created a second fireball then laughed. “Then die an agonizing death by my flames. Ahahahaah….wait is that something a hero would say?”

“You…you’re a hero? A hero would never say something like that.”

“It’s true. It’s true.”

“Chuu.”

“Shut up Chuu. You two are right a hero wouldn’t say that.”

For a moment I pondered my next move I thought about it carefully then made my decision. I raised my left hand up and created another fireball this one was more than four times the size of the first.

“Wha…wha….wha….what are you doing?”

“You said you’re a hero that means you have to spare us.”

“Incinerating you. And I never said I was a hero. I’m gonna try to my hand at being a hero though.”

By now the two bandits were on the ground holding each other while tears and snot streamed down their faces.

“Then why are you gonna incinerate us? Huh that’s not what a hero does. You…you’re a monster. No, a demon. A despicable demon.”

The more those two talked the more annoying they became. “You heard what I just said. If you were to tell anyone I said those things you’d damage my budding heroic image. But if I incinerate you my image stays intact, sound logic actually.”

I looked at Chuu who seemingly nodded, which elicited hysterical wails from the two bandits. I rolled my eyes as I looked at the bandits. Hmm.

“You said you’d do anything if I spared you right?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“That’s right.”

“Strip.”

Everything went silent as all eyes were on me. The bandits looked as if they couldn’t even comprehend my command.

“Well.”

Since I hadn’t dissipating the fireball they knew I was serious. It took all of five seconds for them to throw off their clothes and begin bowing their heads while on their knees. Mind you I didn’t tell them to do that.

The fireball dissipated. And then I retrieved the articles of clothing I liked from the pair. A long red coat with a fur collar that looked like something a delinquent would wear. A pair of black pants that were torn at the bottom.

“I’m gonna try these pants on. I shouldn’t have to say this but if I catch either of you trying to sneak a peek.”

“We won’t.”

“We won’t we promise.”

“Chuu watch them.”

“Aye sir.”

“Don’t say that.”

The pants happened to fit just fine and the jacket was actually quite comfortable. I started walking off leaving the bandits alone then I stopped and turned around.

“You guys wouldn’t happen to have any money, would you?”

“Oi are you robbing us?”

I looked at Chuu as if the answer to that should have been obvious. I turned to the bandit and grabbed a hold of Chuu shoving him in the face of one of the two bandits.

“You see this adorable furball. He’s actually a blood thirsty beast.”

Without warning a mouth appeared on Chuu it opened revealing several rows of teeth. I was a little taken aback since I was sure Chuu didn’t possess a mouth. Anyway, the bandit in front of Chuu fainted, it looked like his soul was floated to the sky so I turned my attention to the conscious bandit.

“Give me your money. If you don’t Imma shove this adorable man-eating beast up your ass.”