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Chapter 31
Morning came, and the teams moved into their respective positions. The village of Eldervale was eerily silent with the streets empty, houses hollow, wind whispering through broken fences.
At the village gate, Drufas stood tall, his eyes scanning the horizon. The dawn light spilled across the fields like fire. In the distance, a vast flock of beasts approached, shaking the ground beneath their claws.
Drufas turned back toward his team.
"Alright, everyone," he shouted, voice firm. "You've seen where the traps are set... you know the plan. Stick to it…"
He paused, a small smirk crossing his lips.
"...and don't die on me."
With that, he stepped back into the shadows of the village, taking his post. Around him, the others exchanged nervous smiles. Adventurers were used to danger but this was more than a quest. This was a war for their kingdom.
The Enemy Arrives
From beyond the ridge, the beasts charged forward a thousand strong. The first ten were mounted by men clad in black armor, their armor pulsing with purple energy that shimmered in the light.
Their leader, a man in his thirties with long white hair and piercing yellow eyes, rode ahead. A scar ran down his left cheek, and his short beard was trimmed with soldierly precision.
"It seems the village is abandoned," he said, his deep voice carrying through the silence.
A second man rode beside him, short green hair, brown eyes sharp with curiosity. "Could they have known we were coming?"
The leader's gaze shifted, scanning the deserted streets.
"Perhaps…"
Then... BOOM!
The earth erupted as one of the beasts stepped onto a hidden magic trap. Fire and dust exploded through the air, consuming dozens of creatures in a blinding blast.
The leader's eyes widened. "It's a trap!" he roared. "SPLIT UP!"
The ten riders scattered, each leading a portion of the beast army into different parts of the village. The green-haired man stayed by the leader's side as chaos spread across Eldervale.
The Traps Spring
"Not yet," Lily whispered, grabbing the archer's wrist before he could loose an arrow. Her eyes stayed fixed on the movement below.
Moments later, more explosions burst through the village. Sand, flame, wind, and water traps detonating in sequence. Each blast tore through the monstrous horde, shredding their numbers until half of them lay scattered across the ruins.
By the time the smoke cleared, only five hundred beasts remained.
At the village square, the ten riders regrouped, their surviving forces surrounding them.
"We were tricked," muttered a man with black hair and a scarred jaw. "Should we call for reinforcements?"
"No," the leader replied coldly. "Our mission was never to reach the capital. We finish what we started with whatever's left."
He raised his sword and at that moment, a rain of arrows fell from every direction.
"An ambush!" the scarred man shouted.
"Ambush indeed…" came a voice from above.
Drufas leapt down from a rooftop, landing before them as the knights and spear fighters rushed in behind him. "And now we take you in for questioning!"
The Clash
"Attack!!!" the white-haired leader roared.
The riders spurred their beasts forward but the creatures refused to move. They snarled and thrashed, held in place by unseen magic.
"What—?! Why won't my beast move?" one shouted in panic.
"That's because my boys and girls," Drufas said with a grin, "are doing their jobs over there."
He flicked his blade upward and in one clean motion, severed the heads of the beasts the riders sat upon. The mounts fell, lifeless.
The riders jumped down, drawing their weapons. Behind them, the rest of the horde collapsed under a coordinated assault from the Soulburn team spears, spells, and steel cutting through the chaos.
"What a bother," the executioner grumbled, resting his axe on his shoulder. "Didn't even get to enjoy the fight."
"I wouldn't call this a victory just yet," Lily murmured. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Those men… their energy feels wrong."
"She's right," the shield user added. "They're not just ordinary warriors."
The True Enemy
"Bold of you to try that," the white-haired leader said, his tone calm but edged with danger. He looked over his shoulder at the carnage behind him. "Tell me… what Cross do you belong to?"
Drufas blinked. "Oh, us? We fall under no Cross."
"Is that so…" the leader said, glancing toward his men. "Impressive, for a group of C-ranks."
He add as his golden eyes shifted toward the green-haired subordinate, who gave a single nod.
"I'll admit," the leader said. "You've caught me off guard. But at least I want to know who are you?"
"I'm Drufas — the messenger," he replied, smirking. "And now, leader of this blue army."
Drufas replied as frowned slightly, noticing that none of the enemy soldiers had moved to attack. "You can move, can't you? Why not strike?"
"And fall into another trap?" the leader chuckled. "No thanks. I prefer to think things through."
"That's something we won't allow you to do!" the archer shouted, firing a volley of arrows.
The arrows whistled through the air but none struck their marks. One man with long black hair tied in a ponytail merely glanced upward, then back down and the arrows twisted mid-flight, veering off course.
"Did he just… redirect our arrows?" the archer gasped.
The green-haired man looked to the leader again, awaiting his signal.
The leader smiled darkly. Taking one deliberate step forward, he triggered a glowing explosive rune but instead of detonating, the magic circle dimmed and vanished harmlessly.
"What—?! Why didn't it explode!?" the executioner shouted, disbelief in his eyes.
The leader chuckled, a deep, sinister sound. His armor shimmered with black-purple energy. "Well, Drufas… it'll be an honor to kill you myself. And if you manage to live long enough…"
He drew his blade, the metal wreathed in dark flame.
"…you might even learn my name."
His grin widened.
To be continued...