As I slowly make my way into the cave, I activate my Stealth skill.
"Hey Eevee, what is this Inventory I unlocked earlier, and how do I use it?"
Eevee: "I'm surprised you're just asking about that now, Host. The Inventory has basically limitless space and keeps items suspended in time. The only limitation is that you can't put living things in it. However, on that note, the Host can enter it at anytime. But don't worry about forgetting what's in there, as the system keeps them listed in your mind, almost like photographic memory."
"That can be pretty useful. How do I use it, though?"
Eevee: "For items, all you need to do is imagine a rip or a tear in the air in front of you. If you want to enter it yourself, then just think about a door appearing."
I slowly reach down and pull out one of the swords and hold it as I imagine a tear in the air in front of me. Slowly but surely, an inky-black tear in space appears, and I slowly put the sword inside it. As my hand enters it, I feel a chilling cold that quickly disappears. I quickly drop the sword inside and pull my hand back, and the tear vanished as if it wasn't there. "Where is my Inventory located? Was that the void?!"
Eevee: "Yes and no. Technically, it's a sub-space of the void."
I stick my hand out again, and the same inky-black tear appears again, and the sword drops out and into my hand. "I could get used to this; it's almost like my old magic weapon." I start making my way deeper into the cave again. A few moments go by, and I start hearing what sounds like voices up ahead. I slow down a bit. "Why do bandits always like cold, damp caves..."
I come up to a hole in the cave wall with light coming through it and slowly peek around the corner, spotting three bandits drinking what looks to be beer, sitting on some stools around a fire.
Bandit 1: "Hopefully, we find some merchant carrying a lot of cargo tomorrow so we can make some money."
Bandit 2: "Yeah, we didn't steal anything good today other than this beer. When are we supposed to change shifts with those two idiots outside again?"
Bandit 3: "Not sure. They will probably come in when it's time to switch, though."
I activate Inspect and note that none of them are anywhere close to my Agility or Strength stat, so I quickly come up with a plan and wait for one of them to fall asleep or have the need to relieve themselves.
~20 minutes later~
Bandit 2 gets up from his stool. "I'm gonna go to sleep. Wake me when those idiots come in to switch." He goes into the corner where what looks to be a bedroll is laid out and falls asleep.
"Perfect, now's my chance!" I pull out one of my swords and grab a decently sized rock from the ground. I burst from my hiding spot, throwing the rock with a snap of my wrist at the third bandit's head. It connects with a sickening thud before he even registers my presence, sending him sprawling.
Without a pause, I sprint full speed at the first bandit, who's now scrambling to his feet, pulling a short sword from his belt, his eyes wide with surprise. I quickly slash at his chest, aiming for a quick kill, but he manages to bring his blade up, deflecting mine with a clang. "What the fuck, where did you come from?" he snarls, his voice laced with shock.
I don't respond, immediately following up with a rapid second slash. Our blades clash again, a harsh, ringing sound reverberating off the cave walls. He's definitely the strongest of the three, but I have the element of surprise. I push hard against his blade, forcing him off balance, then thrust my sword into his throat. The blade sinks deep, and he gurgles, choking on his own blood as he collapses.
My attention immediately snaps to the bandit in the bedroll. He's struggling to sit up, his eyes barely open. I cover the distance in a few strides, my sword arcing down in a clean, swift cut. His head rolls from his shoulders with a wet thwack before he can even fully register the danger.
I then turn, my senses already attuned to the third bandit, who is now charging at me, sword held high, his face contorted in a mix of rage and fear. I slowly sheathe my sword and dodge to the side as his desperate vertical slash cleaves the air where I was a moment before. As he overextends, I quickly grab his wrist, my grip as strong as iron, and twist his wrist, knocking the sword free with a clatter. He spins, trying to kick me, but I anticipated it. I grab his foot, pull, and trip him, sending him crashing to the ground with a grunt.
I press the tip of my foot onto his chest, pinning him. "Where are your buddies? Are they deeper in the cave?"
The third bandit spits at me, a fleck of saliva landing near my boot. "When our leader catches you, he will rip you apart!"
"Not if I catch him first!" I snarl back, and with a swift, decisive motion, I bring my foot down, crushing his head with a sickening crack.
As the metallic scent of fresh blood fills this portion of the cave, I quickly search all the bandits, stripping them of anything valuable. I find some gold coins, two iron swords, an iron dagger, and a pair of leather bracers on one of them. I toss them all into the Inventory. A system window immediately pops up.
[Host has acquired 5 gold coins]
[Host has acquired iron sword x 2]
[Host has acquired iron dagger]
[Host has acquired leather bracers]
[Does host wish to equip bracers?]
[Yes or No]
I click yes, and an inky-black mist wraps around my forearms, then vanishes, leaving the bracers in its place. "You never told me about this, Eevee!"
Eevee: "You never asked."
"How am I supposed to ask about something if I don't know about it being a possibility?" Eevee doesn't respond, and I quickly move on, leaving this area of the cave, moving deeper.
I come across a large open area that's covered in gold, weapons, and armor where the remaining four bandits and their leader are eating and drinking. The leader looks straight at me with a predatory grin on his face and yells, "Looks like we have some company, boys! Go show them some hospitality!" I quickly pull my swords out and prepare for all the bandits to come charging at me.
All the bandits stand, quickly pulling their weapons and some shields out.
Bandit Leader: "You got some guts, kid, walking right into our home like this. But those guts are going to be on the floor in a minute!"
I take a fighting stance, holding my two swords ready. The four bandits fan out, attempting to surround me, while the leader remains by the bonfire, watching with that same predatory grin.
One bandit, wielding an axe and a crude wooden shield, charges first. I anticipate his slow swing and easily parry his axe with my left sword, while simultaneously thrusting my right sword towards his chest. He tries to block with his shield, but my blade glances off it and sinks into his shoulder. He howls in pain, dropping his axe. I quickly follow up with a kick to his knee, bringing him down, and then a swift slash across his throat.
Two more bandits rush me simultaneously, one with a sword and the other with a spear. I block the sword strike with my left blade and deflect the spear thrust with my right. The bandit with the sword quickly swings again I parry his sword again, then pivot, using the momentum to spin and deliver a powerful kick to the spearmen's gut. He doubles over, gasping, and I bring my left sword down in a quick arc, severing the spearmens head from his body.
I then turn towards the swordsman. There's no hesitation, My movements swift and brutal. My left sword flashes in a horizontal strike aimed not for a block, but for his sword arm, biting deep into muscle and bone. A guttural scream rips from his throat as his weapon clatters uselessly to the ground. Before his shock can even register fully, my right sword follows through, a swift, savage chop aimed directly at his neck. The blade bites through flesh a sickening thud as his head hits the cave floor, blood spurting from his head. His crumples, lifeless before the echo of his scream can even fade.
The remaining bandit, seeing his comrades fall so quickly, hesitates for a moment. He's got a short sword and a buckler. He tries to circle around me, looking for an opening. I don't give him one. I feint a lunge to my right, causing him to raise his buckler, then quickly shift my weight and dash to his left, thrusting my sword into his side. He gurgles, dropping his weapon, and I pull my sword free just as he collapses.
Silence falls, broken only by the crackling of the bonfire. The Bandit Leader slowly claps, his grin widening.
Bandit Leader: "Impressive. Very impressive. You took out my men faster than a goblin takes a dump. But now, it's just you and me." He stands, revealing his imposing height and muscular frame. He draws a massive, two-handed greatsword that gleams in the firelight. "Let's see if you can dance with a real blade."
I ready my swords, my senses sharpened. This is going to be a tougher fight.