Chapter 29

"--- It's been breached!?"

One of the reserve team members, shocked, tried to run towards the main road, but Kalil immediately stopped him.

"Wait! If we move separately, the confusion will spread!"

"Then what are we supposed to do? My family is at home!?"

Ignoring the angry outburst, Kalil gave instructions to everyone.

"All married men, run home and protect your families, then gather at the Rakudoi dojo! Leave your belongings behind. The enemy is apes. They won't take money! Hurry!"

Ryo, who was about to follow those running to their families, was held back by Kalil grabbing his collar.

"What are you doing! My mom and Shiraha are---"

Kalil, with a stern expression, brushed off Ryo's protest and called out to Remi.

"Take care of Ryo's house."

"Eh? Okay!"

Remi, who had started running with his father, hesitated for a moment but then quickly ran to Ryo's house, perhaps realizing that wasting time was futile.

Without explaining the situation to Ryo, Kalil quickly gave the next set of instructions.

"Single men, head to the main road to provide support. Avoid combat as much as possible, prioritize maintaining combat strength and protecting the Rakudoi, and ensure a safe retreat. Injured individuals, move to the Rakudoi dojo first. Reinforce the walls from the inside with tables and chairs from nearby houses!"

"Are we going to hold this position?"

"Once they've invaded the village, holding this position will only lead to being caught between the forest and the village. The important thing is to maintain combat strength and wait for the knights sent by the lord. Hurry!"

After sending off the single men, Kalil finally released Ryo's collar.

"Ryo, cut off the head of the dead commander of the ape raiding party and take it with you."

"…Are you planning to provoke the ape troops coming from the main road?"

"To make them realize the failure of the raid. If they understand the tactics, some confusion will arise… hopefully."

"What if they get enraged and attack?"

"Then run through the main road to the town as fast as you can. I'll cover you and buy time. With your speed, you won't be caught unless they ambush you."

"That means Kalil will die."

"Probably. But if they've invaded the village, we need to buy time to prevent the entire village from being wiped out."

Kalil, looking grim, patted Ryo on the shoulder.

"Tell the advance team from the Adventurer's Guild the situation if you meet them on the way. Let's go."

With that, Kalil ran to the dead commander of the apes. Ryo, though reluctant, couldn't think of a better plan and pursed his lips. While Kalil was cutting off the ape's head, Ryo kept watch on the forest. Kalil, perhaps from his adventurer days, placed the blade on the ape's neck, stepped on the hilt, and efficiently cut off the head.

"Ryo, take it."

"…Okay."

Holding the still-dripping head of the ape, Ryo ran with Kalil to the main road. The villagers, who were starting to evacuate, screamed in shock at Ryo and Kalil running with the ape's head, but they ignored them and ran through.

"Ryo, it was fun creating sword techniques with you."

"It's still incomplete though…"

"Well, try to finish it. When you explain the cooperation, make sure to mention Kalil's contribution."

"Idiot. Contribute more first."

"I'm saying it because I don't think I can contribute much more---"

"Contribute more, I said!"

Kalil, smiling wryly at Ryo's loud retort, looked ahead. At the edge of the village, where fields stretched and a stone wall separated them, a huge fire was rising. The wooden wall separating the main road was burning, almost scorching the night sky.

Near the stone wall, several of Rakudoi's disciples, including Rakudoi himself, were engaged in fierce combat with the apes. On this side of the stone wall, the reserve team, including Baldo, had abandoned their bows and were engaged in close combat. The single men who had joined from the back of the village were also fighting with Baldo, but the situation was clearly disadvantageous. Most importantly, there were too few disciples. The wooden wall was already burning, indicating a breach, and the damage seemed severe.

Kalil increased his speed, shouldered his sword, and leaped over the stone wall.

"Rakudoi! Retreat with the disciples behind the stone wall!"

"Kalil!? The enemy is focused on us, it's impossible!"

Rakudoi knocked an ape down with a strike, creating space for Kalil to enter. Kalil slid into the opening and cut off the head of the fallen ape. At the same time, Ryo stood on the stone wall and raised the head of the ape commander.

"Look at this, apes!"

Though he doubted they understood the words, the sudden appearance of Kalil, who had just killed one of their own, and Ryo holding the head, drew the attention of several apes. Realizing the significance of the head Ryo was holding, the apes let out battle cries and pointed at him.

Understanding the situation, Rakudoi quickly gave orders to the disciples.

"Disciples, retreat to the dojo! Don't look back. The enemy will not pass!"

The disciples, already at their limit, turned and ran without hesitation, abandoning their swords and crossing the stone wall, crying as they ran towards the village. Noticing that the disciples who passed by included Remi's younger brother and other serious students, Ryo frowned. Despite the severe damage, there were no bodies of allies. There were no dead disciples or even reserve team members.

Then why had the defense line fallen so far?

"…Jude and the others must have fled."

If deserters appeared in the defensive formation of the Ox style, the front line would easily collapse. However, considering that they were facing much larger and more ferocious apes in their first battle, the remaining students, including Remi's younger brother, deserved praise. No matter how much training they had, the tension of their first battle would stiffen their bodies, and the fear of life-and-death struggles would invade their hearts. Remembering that they had often neglected physical training, it was impossible to rely on their half-baked skills. Their minds were not yet mature, so this outcome was inevitable.

The apes were staring at Ryo with murderous intent. Over twenty apes, filled with pure malice, were focused on Ryo. It seemed they had no intention of retreating even with their commander killed.

"Look closely!"

Ryo slammed the head he was holding to the ground with a thud. The overwhelming malice made his spine freeze, and the apes' enraged battle cries made his heart constrict. But he couldn't back down now.

Ryo clenched his teeth, slapped his trembling legs, and opened his eyes wide to observe the apes' reactions. The apes, roaring in anger, bared their sharp fangs and raised their weapons, charging at Baldo and the others, who were defending with wooden armor.

Ignoring the group of apes charging straight at him, Ryo noticed one that wasn't moving in the middle of the group. While the other apes were raging, this one, though baring its fangs, was suppressing its anger and observing the movements of the others.

"Kalil! The ape with the stone spear ten steps ahead is the commander!"

"Rakudoi! Create an opening!"

"Baldo! Defend the village!"

The counterattack began as they passed the tasks to each other like a relay. Rakudoi, holding his longsword parallel to the ground, started a powerful charge, leaving a trail in the earth. It was a charging technique from the advanced Ox style, which he used with a desperate resolve to cut through the group of apes charging at Ryo. The apes, like broken tree branches in a strong wind, flew through the air, their limbs and sometimes even their upper bodies.

Just as the ape commander, realizing it was being targeted, was about to thrust its stone spear at Rakudoi, Kalil, hidden behind Rakudoi, moved like a leaf, passing through Rakudoi and cutting off the tip of the stone spear. Kalil planted his sword in the ground, using it as a pivot to lift his body and deliver a powerful kick to the ape commander's temple. With the commander's head shaking, Kalil placed his supporting foot next to it, pulled out his sword with all his weight, and broke the ape's spine along with the wooden armor. Rakudoi then crushed the ape commander's head as it fell face-first.

Ryo, watching the entire scene from atop the stone wall, ran along it with his sword at his side. The group of apes, not realizing their commander had been killed, continued to chase Ryo. But this was fine. If the commander were still alive, they might have realized the futility of chasing Ryo alone and stopped. Now, without a leader, they were a disorganized mob. If they chased him in a rage, it would give the village a chance to regroup.

Jumping down from the stone wall, Ryo ran through the fields. The apes chasing him were not particularly fast but were trying to drive him towards the burning wooden wall. Suddenly, a part of the group of apes collapsed.

"Ryo, run!"

Kalil and Rakudoi attacked the group of apes from behind, creating a path for Ryo to escape. Ryo nodded and ran past Kalil and Rakudoi. As expected, the apes chasing Ryo turned to attack Kalil and Rakudoi, but suddenly, they all stopped and looked towards the main road with anxious faces. When Ryo and the others braced themselves, thinking their plan had been discovered, a cavalry unit charged from the main road at full speed.

"What the---!?"

Both the human and ape sides, caught off guard by the unexpected situation, tried to distance themselves from the cavalry. The cavalry, without slowing down, trampled the fields, drew their swords, and charged at the group of apes. The large apes were easily blown away by the horses and trampled to death. Those who managed to avoid the horses had their heads cut off by the riders' swords. The apes, overwhelmed by the overwhelming violence, could not resist. Even those who tried to flee were quickly caught and killed by the cavalry.

The village's forces were stunned, but Kalil noticed something.

"The cavalry of the Rosiz Viscount's family… reinforcements from the lord."

A single rider, likely the leader, separated from the cavalry, which was pursuing the apes, and approached Ryo and the others.

"I am Rasmor Rosiz, the next head of the Rosiz Viscount's family. Explain the situation."