The morning light had yet to fully dispel the mist when the orcs approached the outpost once again. This time, they came with overwhelming force, no longer probing, but determined to conquer the stubborn stronghold.
"They've changed formation…" Cain squinted as he observed the enemy lines. "A straight advance, heavy infantry in front—they're going for a direct assault."
Standing beside him, Ze slowly drew his dagger and said coldly, "That leader hasn't moved yet."
"He's saving himself for the finale," Cain nodded, twirling his battle staff in his hand. "Change of plans. You'll be the core—hit-and-run tactics. Delay them."
Initially, Cain and Ze had planned to infiltrate the enemy ranks during the chaos and seize the opportunity to take down the orc leader. However, facing the overwhelming number of orcs, leaving only the other team members and villagers to defend would result in heavy casualties.
Cain quickly rearranged the formation: Ze would cut off the enemy's retreat and launch critical strikes, while Tario and Aina set traps and provided ranged interference. Roddy, along with a few young villagers, would guard the rear.
The initial clash was like sparks striking steel. Ze moved like a shadow within the enemy ranks, his dagger slicing through the air, landing fatal blows with precision—no one could stop him.
"Smoke bombs on the left!" Aina shouted. Smoke from the exploding fire arrows spread in the wind, throwing the orcs into confusion.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Tario detonated a pitfall trap, sending two orcs plummeting into it. Their screams quickly faded into silence.
Roddy, panting heavily, threw up wooden planks to block a breached section of the wall. "This side's secured!"
Wave after wave of attacks were repelled through coordinated tactics. The orcs began to grow chaotic, their roars becoming more frenzied.
"Ze, I'll create an opening for you. Use the side wall to cut off their retreat!" Cain exchanged signals with him through a glance.
Ze nodded and moved silently.
But just as he was about to strike, the ground suddenly shook violently.
The orcs' furious roars tore through the sky as the fourth wave of attacks surged like a tidal wave. The wooden walls of the outpost began to groan under the pressure.
From his vantage point, Cain's expression changed drastically. "Something's wrong… this momentum—!"
The next moment, the earth quaked.
Boom—!
The eastern wall of the outpost exploded as if it were paper. A towering orc, over three meters tall, stepped through the rubble. It was clad in iron-bone armor, its shoulders adorned with two massive horns resembling twisted roots, glowing with red patterns. Its hands bore enormous claws, so heavy they seemed otherworldly. Each step it took left a crater in the ground, and the wind howled with its fury.
For a brief moment, the entire outpost fell silent, broken only by the heavy breathing of the orc leader.
"That's… a Beast King…" Tario murmured in shock, his palms sweating.
"If it makes a move, we're all dead," Cain gritted his teeth.
The orc leader gave them no time to think, charging forward with astonishing speed for its massive size—a veritable steel hurricane.
Boom! The walls collapsed again. A defending villager failed to escape in time and was swept away by the massive claws, his shield and body flung several meters, lifeless upon impact.
"Ze, we need to team up against it, or we won't even have a chance to retreat!" Cain shouted.
Ze nodded, his expression unusually serious. "I'll draw its attention. You strike when there's an opening."
"You're insane!" Aina yelled.
"It's not insanity. It's the only way to stall it," Ze replied softly, his figure flashing as he charged toward the leader.
Moving at incredible speed, he circled around and aimed a precise strike with his dagger at the tendon behind the orc leader's leg. The blade landed, but only left a faint white scratch—it didn't even pierce the skin.
"…Its hide is tougher than my dagger," Ze muttered in disbelief.
The orc leader roared, swinging its massive claws in retaliation. Ze dodged with a roll, the ground splitting open where the claws struck.
"I'll blind it!" Tario shouted, casting a flash spell that exploded in front of the orc's face, momentarily blinding it.
"Let's try this!" Aina pulled a fuse, dropping a specially-made thunder grenade. It detonated with a deafening blast, sending smoke and metal shards flying.
The orc leader staggered briefly but soon emerged from the flames, only slightly scorched, its murderous intent rising.
It roared again, the sound wave shattering nearby wooden posts.
"Fall back—!" Cain yelled.
"Not yet!" Roddy gritted his teeth, charging forward with his shield to bash the orc's knee, trying to create an opening.
The orc leader was caught off guard and took a slight step back.
"Now!" Cain moved to cover Ze, who unleashed his full speed, aiming his dagger at the leader's throat.
But with the sound of metal clashing, the dagger snapped.
Ze was flung several meters by the impact, crashing into a corner and coughing up blood.
The orc leader swung its massive claws again, the wind pressure alone shattering Roddy's shield. He was sent flying to the ground.
"It's too strong… It's not…"
"Something humans can challenge!" Tario shouted as he cast a defensive barrier. "We can't stay here!"
Cain clenched his teeth, torn between choices, but he knew staying would only lead to more deaths.
"All units! Cover the villagers and retreat west! Tario, smoke bombs!"
"On it!" Tario threw three black spheres, which exploded into thick smoke.
The orc leader roared furiously, slashing blindly through the smoke, demolishing stone walls and snapping wooden posts. The fleeing villagers screamed in terror, clutching children tightly as they ran.
Aina dragged Roddy, whose injuries were severe, his blood staining his clothes.
"Don't sleep, don't close your eyes—we haven't won yet…!" she cried.
Ze struggled to stand, his body aching, yet he gritted his teeth and picked up the broken half of his dagger, still intent on holding the enemy back.
At that moment—
A thunderous crack split the sky.
"—!"
A spear shot through the air, piercing the orc leader's left shoulder with precision, exploding into a mist of blood and triggering a furious roar!
The leader turned its head, only to see dozens of cavalry breaking through the mist from the forest. Clad in golden armor and flying battle flags—they were the elite forces of Akaseth!
Their commander raised his hand for another volley. A second wave of spears rained down like a storm. The orc leader deflected several with its claws but was struck repeatedly, stumbling backward!
Cain was stunned. "That's… the royal crest…! It's the central army!"
The elite squad quickly took control of the battlefield. Realizing the danger, the orc leader roared, forcibly tearing out the spear in its shoulder, and fled into the forest, vanishing into the night mist.
As the smoke cleared, the battlefield fell silent.
"…We… survived…?" Tario murmured.
Ze slowly stood upright, gazing at the golden-armored knight.
The knight said nothing, simply locking eyes with him—a gaze filled with subtle recognition and a silent reminder.
The smoke lingered, the ground littered with scorched earth and blood. The sky was gray, and a light rain began to fall, as if mourning the brutal battle.
After the reinforcements arrived, they quickly secured the perimeter and tended to the villagers. Central army medics dismounted and began treating the injured, their efficiency and organization a stark contrast to the earlier chaotic defense.
Roddy lay on shattered wooden planks, his face pale as paper. The chest plate of his armor was deeply dented by the orc leader's attack, his breathing faint.
Aina knelt beside him, her trembling hand pressed against his chest, her lips moving as if in prayer.
A faint green light emanated from her palm, barely visible, yet it seeped into his wounds like grass breaking through the earth.
Roddy coughed lightly, his furrowed brow seeming to relax slightly.
"…What did you just…?" Tario stared in disbelief.
Aina snapped out of it, as if she couldn't believe what she had done.
"I… I don't know… I just… didn't want him to die… and then images… sounds… appeared in my mind… I followed them…"
At that moment, a robed central army medic approached, frowning as he asked in a stern voice, "Where did you learn the technique you just used?"
Aina froze.
The medic narrowed his eyes, his tone cold. "That's not a common human healing spell—it's elven natural guidance magic. Who are you?"
All eyes turned to her, even Cain and Tario were stunned.
Aina turned pale, at a loss for words.
"She's one of us," Ze's voice intervened, calm yet resolute. "If she hadn't acted, we wouldn't be treating injuries now—we'd be digging graves."
The medic was silent for a moment before stepping back. "…No further inquiry for now, but she must be registered."
Aina lowered her head, whispering her thanks.
Roddy muttered beside her, "You're… the goddess of grass… sent to save us…"
"Don't talk, idiot. You're not dead yet…" she said with a laugh, tears welling in her eyes.
Hours later, the villagers were relocated behind the outpost, while the injured were temporarily housed in military tents. The central army worked with remarkable efficiency, completing personnel counts in less than an hour: thirteen critically injured, over forty lightly wounded, five missing. The list of the deceased was still being confirmed.
Cain and Tario assisted with investigations and reports, while Aina stayed by Roddy's side. Ze walked to the outskirts of the outpost, gazing at the charred edge of the forest, seemingly waiting for something.
"You still prefer working alone," a steady male voice called out behind him.
Ze didn't turn around. "You're here."
"Otherwise, you'd already be dead, a meal for the orcs."
It was the golden-armored warrior, now without his helmet, revealing a resolute face and a pair of eyes almost identical to Ze's—only deeper and more intense.
He stepped forward to stand beside Ze, speaking in a low voice. "Was this… just a temporary mission? Or did you decide to come to the frontlines on your own?"
"The gaps in the orders allowed me to choose," Ze replied curtly.
"Do you realize how much trouble this will cause?"
"Compared to letting more villagers die, I don't care about the trouble."
The man stared at him for a moment before saying slowly, "You're as stubborn as Mother."
Ze's eyes flickered, and he finally turned to face the man. "Why are you here? Did Father send you?"
"Father doesn't know. I volunteered."
"You're not afraid of damaging your position in the military?"
"If I didn't come, you'd die here—that would be the real loss." The golden-armored warrior finished speaking, patting Ze's shoulder.
"When you return, write a report. I won't cover for you."
Ze nodded. "I didn't plan to hide it."
The two brothers exchanged a look, saying no more. Between them, words were no longer necessary.