My Guardian System: The Trader

"What kind of tough skin does this child have?!" Gart's brother exclaimed upon seeing Jem unhurt. However, this was just the beginning of his shock because what happened next made their eyes widen even more.

Jem mimicked what the opponent did. But, instead of tapping his hand to the ground as the opponent did, in Jem's situation, the ground itself flew towards his hand to become a large arm just like the opponent's. He used the Earth Manipulation ability that he imitated from Gart.

In a matter of seconds, they saw a copy of the opponent's giant earth arm in Jem's arm. Seeing the very ability he used by the opponent, "What the f*ck?!" Gart's brother exclaimed once again. Even Miles and the others were surprised as well that Jem could also use the same ability as his opponent.

But, Jem's surprise didn't end there. Seeing the ability he was struggling to learn where blood and sweat he invested was executed quickly by a younger opponent, it wasn't funny for him. He felt betrayed by his hard work in training.

With gleaming eyes, "Hm, I think this kid can copy our skill. T-truly a gem!" Beside him, his brother was gnashing his teeth as he was muttering. "Grr! It took me several years to master this ability and yet! This kid did it at ease!?"

"Let's recruit him!" Gart decided.

However,

"The f*ck are you saying, bro! I'm gonna kill him now! Don't intervene!" Gart's brother shouted and hurriedly rushed to Jem. "Grrr! Bastard! Let's see who's stronger!" He shouted bloodshot eyes. He was fueled by his anger. Be took pride in mastering the skill that's why it pained him to see someone use it as though it was so easy to learn.

Seeing the fast-advancing opponent, Jem did not disappoint him. He rushed too. At the speed of the two, they reached each other in an instant.

Bang!

Their gigantic earth fists collided. Everyone felt the force of that collision because of the sound of the impact. There seemed a strange pressure generated around them and swept the debris away from the two.

Looking at the result of their collision, it seems that the two were just equal. However, their conflict did not end there. In the ensuing moments, it was followed by a series of collisions. 

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Although they look like they have equal strength, to Gart, he could clearly see that his brother was at a disadvantage. In the repeated collision of the two Gart noticed that his brother's fist was slowly falling apart. He also noticed that before their fists' collision, the kid's giant earth fist made a faint gleam. Gart believed that the kid was enforcing some ability in his fist to strengthen it.

Jem was actually applying his [Smith] skill in his fist to out-powered his opponent. Though, he had to spend more magical energy. But it didn't matter as long as he won.

Soon it was obvious that Jem was winning in their fists collision. The opponent's gigantic fist was gradually crushing. He also outpowered him as every time their fists collided, the opponent backed away.

"I-Is what I'm seeing is true? Our kid is gradually defeating the opponent?" Abel asked incredulously.

"So it seems I'm not hallucinating, huh," Oldman Barn also said.

"Jem! You can do it!" Miles cried out to cheer up his childhood friend.

"Kid! I will really kill you!" With visible blood in his mouth, Gart's brother shouted furiously. Then he attacked once again.

But this time, he used an underhanded method.

Bam!

He used a faint and successfully landed an attack at the young opponent. Jem was sent skidding on the ground.

KRUSHHH! 

"Hehehe!" Jem heard a chuckle from his opponent.

Miles, on the contrary, shouted in worry. "Jem!"

He stood up a second later. Jem's face remained expressionless even though his opponent outfought him in terms of fighting technique and experience.

Actually, that expressionless face of him started to creep out his opponent. Even Gart wondered if this kid knew no pain. Only higher-level opponents could withstand that attack from his brother and remain nonchalant.

But this kid! How could he remain such a face? Could it be… he was truly higher level than them? Gart started to believe it.

While his opponents were wondering about his unnatural toughness, Jem, on the other hand, discovered his weakness.

As the two of them continued fighting, there were some occasions when his enemy hit him on some parts of his body and face. Jem understood that he had a low fighting capability against human opponents. Inside the labyrinth, he only fought against unintelligent monsters. So it was understandable that his hand-to-hand fighting capability wasn't so great. More or less, he was only at the beginner level in terms of martial arts.

To defeat his opponent, he fired debris at the opponent at a speed like an arrow. Taking advantage of the situation, Jem attacked him sneakily.

Although the enemy noticed him, his speed was one thing.

Bam!

His punch successfully hit the enemy.

Guh! A groan escaped from his opponent's mouth as his body bumped on the ground and rolled many times.

KRUSHHH!

Though his opponent outfought him in fighting experience, in terms of speed and power, no doubt that Jem outranked him. Even without activating the third ring, he has some skills capable of enhancing his body attributes.

Without wasting the opportunity, Jem leaped in the air to shorten their distance in a shorter possible time.

While in the air, he lifted his giant earth fist above. He aimed to finish him quickly. At this moment, the opponent was still lying on the ground. That attack from him must have shaken his consciousness.

The opponent didn't notice that Jem's next attack was coming from above.

Pulling up his body and getting rid of the dizziness, he heard a shout from his brother. "Watch out!" But,

 Bang!

Jem's giant earth fist hit where the enemy was lying. The underground shook as if an earthquake happened. To where his punch landed, there were two silhouettes lying on the pit. One of them was barely unconscious, while the other had already fainted. It was Gart and his brother. Gart came and blocked Jem's attack before it landed on his brother. He used his huge sword as a shield, but it seemed like Gart underestimated the power of that punch.

"Y-you're not l-level 2, r-right?" Gart asked in difficulty as his vision started to turn murky.

"....."

After that, Gart lost consciousness as well and only silence remained.

With widened eyes and twitching face, "What the hell!" The leader of the casters exclaimed when his two guards were defeated.

At that instance, he heard hurried footsteps. When he glanced to his side, it was already too late, "Wha-?!" He exclaimed. But, "F*ck off!" 

Bonk!

After the yell, a wooden pole hit his wide forehead. Miles came with a wooden pole in her hands. She sneakily rushed towards the leader and smashed his head.

"Phew!"

She wiped the sweat on her forehead as she carried the wooden pole on her shoulder like a gangster girl.

The caster leader immediately lost consciousness after receiving that attack. There was only white in his eyes. And it seemed like stars were rotating above his head.

Seeing her acting like that, "Haha, Oldman, it seems like your granddaughter will be a furious lady in the future," Abel said jokingly.

"I know right. Though, I hope she grows into a proper lady, hah~"

Oldman Barn replied and sighed.

After the defeat of their leaders and their guards, the remaining casters surrendered to them. Abel hastily took action. But he had nothing with him to bind them. Fortunately, the young man handed him a rope. 

"Thanks, kid. Eh? By the way, where did you get this?"

Now that Jem thought of it, he wasn't carrying anything because it wasn't a planned departure. The monsters just came out of nowhere and he had to run to check on Oldman Barn.

"I saw it lying on the corner. Maybe it's their belonging," Jem lied. 

"Ah, I see. Damn! This looks brand new, though," Abel mumbled but still believed the young man.

Abel tied all of them. He also tied the two guards. He made sure to tie them better, especially those two.

After tying all of them, they collected the stones used by the casters.

Jem and the others were looking at the magic circle on the ground. 

"It isn't runes..." Miles muttered. It seemed like she was wrong at her initial thought.

"Do you know about it?" Miss Mona asked.

Oldman Barn and Miles shook their heads. "I only know how to farm and raise livestock. How about you Abel?" Barn said, then he passed the question to Abel.

"I've never seen something like that in my whole life."

Miles glanced at Jem. "How about you, Jem?"

Jem slightly squinted his eyes. He touched his chin as if thinking. "Hm, now that I'm looking at it from a closer distance, it really resembles the image I saw in a book when I was still in the academy. If I'm not mistaken it's called Ritual Gate."

"Ritual Gate?"

Miles and the others repeated his words.