As I stood there motionless, the battlefield passed before my eyes, but my mind was blank. Each waking moment is a sore sight as thousands more innocent people perish.I know I am in no position to act like a saint, but…neither do I kill for sport. In truth, I knew I was going to die on the battlefield; I was seeking it, but taking the lives of others was part of the occupation; while it had to be done, the deaths of each and every one of my victims live on in my nightmares. Every night, I wish I could go to sleep without a nightmare. I hope to god I don't have to take another life, but it seems my soul doesn't redeem itself. However, this time, I don't have a choice. My eyes focused back on the reward as reality was slowly starting to settle in. I tried to swipe away at the window before me to get a clearer view of what was to come, but a second window popped up. Sub-Quest 1: Survive the WarInformation:The Rihiki Tribe is planning an invasion of the human nation. Use your wits to survive the war.Reward: Rune-crafting abilityBonus reward (Win the war): Mysterious Item "What the fuck are runes…" I muttered as I swiped away at the window once more.The sun was starting to rise, but it seemed the beasts weren't stopping—the onslaught of animals extending into the horizon. Countless numbers relentlessly, recklessly dashing their way at us, but their progress has slowed. I immediately looked around for a new quiver, scouring the dead bodies nearby. But to my grim realisation, I was alone on this wall segment. Everyone else was dead. The corpses had similar facial structures, with tanned skin and white hair that drooped over their lifeless faces. Ash grey eyes stared into the ground as they lay there motionlessly. Alongside them were the beasts I found below, too lifelessly on the ground.I ran to a nearby corpse and snatched his quiver of approximately 20 arrows before dashing back to the edge of the wall. Looking down, the beasts continue to scale the way, making significant progress as they climb upon the piles of corpses beneath. As I wound up the bow, my mind thought back to the old days, reminiscing Arlene's touch as she guided my rugged hands into position into a stiff wound-up position as I pointed the arrow at the target's centre."Remember to breathe out when you shoot." Her whisper echoed in my ear as I trusted my instinct.As I let go, a sharp whistle drizzled out into the blaring horns in the background as the arrow struck the beast right in the head, causing its now lifeless body to plummet back into the pile of corpses."Is this really how I should be affecting the war…?" I muttered. The window stated that surviving the war is one…but to win the war… if what they are doing is going to win the war in the first place, they wouldn't need to rope me in. No, it wouldn't be that simple. I should be doing something that can majorly impact this war… I looked around to track my options to find a slightly torn rope ladder leading to a higher wall segment. I hesitated but ultimately decided to climb it. Explore the area you are in before you plan where to park. My mentor taught me this motto back in the sniper course.As my eyes came level to the higher level, I came noticed an old man donned in armour of black plates with gold linings. He had long black hair with streaks of grey extending down his neck. As he turned to take a sip from a bowl of black liquid, he revealed his broad shoulders and strong shoulders from his sleeveless armour. His eyes unwavering as he looked across the battlefield. Stood beside him was a young boy, short and petite. He occasionally turned to talk to the general. Two other people defended them, armed with spears.As I tried to take another step, I hesitated; what do I do…is skipping the chain of command tantamount to punishment in this world? Will I get executed for this…? My mind raced through the possibilities as my anxiety crept into my thoughts. My surroundings had blurred as I tried to reason with myself, but I ended with the final answer:"If you ever hesitate, just take the first step, then improvise. You're good at it!"Arlene's words floated within my thoughts, blowing away the fog of uncertainty."Sir! I am reporting!" I yelled, hoping to be heard amongst the chaos; I stood at attention.
"At ease." The old man looked over to me. His face was older than his body implied. Wrinkles and scars littered his sagging cheeks, and his dried lips and droopy eyes told the story.
"Ubuian, what's your name." He asked as I eased up."Matthijs," I said."Odd name." I read from his lips. "So, Matthijs, what do you intend on reporting?" the king asked. His voice was raspy and strained as he tried to talk louder."… Do we have any knowledge of the weaknesses of these animals?"The old man glanced over to the boy, "As of right now, what we know is that the Rihiki Tribes are known to be weak to heat—not fire, but heat. Their hard skin actually serves as an insulator and cannot be burnt…One glaring weakness is that they move slower when exposed to heat."That's why they slowed when the sun came up… But what can we do… thinking back to the reward… "Rune Crafting…" I muttered.The group didn't seem shocked by my words; they were merely watching on, perhaps because runes were the power system in this world. I should probably explore it once I'm done with this war."May I know what runes can do?" I asked."Practically anything!" the king replied, stroking his bearded chin, where disparate white strands stood out against the black. "But we need an alchemist to apply them. Not everyone knows how to use them.""…Is there a rune to heat things?"The king glanced at the boy, who appeared deep in thought. He scratched his head as he stared at the ground near my feet."…It's possible," the boy said finally."Guard Jabun, fetch the Royal Alchemist!" the king commanded, his voice rich with authority and strength yet tempered with humility."Yes, Your Majesty!""What do you intend to do?" the boy asked, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. He looked no older than fifteen, but his demeanour suggested he was the king's advisor."Oh… never mind, I know. Leave the rest to me." The boy's eyes widened in realisation as he suddenly grasped the plan, astonished that he hadn't thought of it sooner.He leaned in and whispered in the king's ear."HAHAHAHAHA! EXCELLENT!" The king's laughter boomed through the hall. "Guards! Relay my orders! Combat engineers start digging a moat 40 clicks wide around the area the monsters are invading! Foot soldiers, hold your ground!"I watched on, hoping my intentions were understood clearly. The plan was simple: create a moat and heat the oil within it to deal with the invading creatures and remove the pile of corpses."How do we heat up the liquid in the moat?" the boy asked, his eyes reflecting deep thought. Perhaps runes couldn't be applied directly to the liquid."Fill the moat with oil and place several metallic objects inscribed with the heating rune," I explained."Why metallic objects, Matthijs?" The boy's curiosity seemed insatiable. I sighed, trying to recall my primary school science lessons, though the specifics eluded me."Metallic objects have higher thermal conductivity," I managed to say, though I knew little beyond that.The boy pulled out a notepad and began jotting down notes. "Ubuians have such unique knowledge!" he remarked, clearly impressed."Oi, Matthijs. I'll give you your orders now," the king interjected."Yes, Your Majesty!" I responded promptly."Oversee the orders and coordinate the soldiers below. I want the moat to be dug and filled with oil and the metallic objects with runes placed to heat it. Ensure the removal of the pile of corpses and prevent any more beasts from climbing up.""Yes, Your Majesty!" I shoutedAs I climbed back down, I noticed more about the kingdom I was set to protect. Little medieval huts filled the streets that sprawled around the hill, stretching as far as the eye could see. In the centre stood a grand and mystical castle, reminiscent of those I had only seen in history books and at historical sites. Even from the wall, the castle's immense size was apparent, towering over the tiny houses below.A tall wall encircled the nation, punctuated by occasional watchtowers. Flags hung above, fluttering with pride in the cold wind.As I took my final step down, the chaos on the ground was overwhelming. Hurt soldiers lay against the walls, their groans of pain filling the air."OI. LISTEN UP!" I tried to yell, but the screams of suffering drowned out my voice."Try again," I heard whispered as a hand patted my back."OI. EVERYONE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing across the battlefield. For a moment, I captured everyone's attention.Glancing to the side, I saw a middle-aged man, similar in age to my previous life. He had a clean-shaven face and a sharp jawline. His eyes were a mystical blue, partially hidden by a dark brown hood. His white fringe hair peeked out from beneath it. He wore rugged rags that covered his small, slightly built frame. In his left hand, he held a large brown branch that extended above his head, standing firm and straight like a rod of authority."Listen up! The king has given me orders to manage the manpower here! I need…" I scanned the area, noting the soldiers scattered in small groups."Engineers, gather here! I need you to dig a moat where the piles of monsters are located. Mr. Alchemist, are there floating runes?"A slight nod from the alchemist confirmed my suspicion."Alright, Mr. Alchemist will apply runes to the base of the pile. Meanwhile, someone needs to pull the pile to the ground. Dig a moat and fill it with oil. Once that's done, report back to me. As for the rest of you," I gestured to the other soldiers, "form two lines of ten soldiers each to defend the engineers while they work. Alternate with another group every fifteen minutes. Clear? Now move!" I shouted, but the soldiers remained unmoved. My sharp gaze turned uncertain, questioning if my orders were understood."Why should we take orders from some Ubuian slave?" one soldier called out. I realised the challenge—being of the same race as the corpses I saw on the wall might undermine my authority."SOLDIERS, YOU WILL OBEY MATTHIJS, OR THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED INSUBORDINATION." A somewhat high-pitched voice rang out from behind me. I turned to see the same boy from above, holding onto the ladder with one hand.A murmur spread through the crowd as the soldiers hesitated again."OI. I'm not here to let you all lose your lives. If we fail, we all fail together—me, you, your families and your friends. We don't have time for petty feuds or prejudices. We need to win this war. So, are you in or out?"A low murmur spread among the soldiers as they began to move. I scratched my head and shook it in frustration. The pace was far from ideal, but it would have to suffice for now. I gave the boy a thumbs-up and directed the Alchemist toward the pile of corpses."Mr. Alchemist, is it possible?" I asked."Of course," came the old, raspy reply. With his wooden cane, the alchemist drew mystical symbols on a single corpse. A faint blue light emanated from the carvings, casting eerie shadows as the symbols began to glow. Slowly, the bodies started to levitate.As this process continued, I headed back through the large gate, searching for the soldiers who had gone to retrieve the oil."We're here, Ubuian!" a shout echoed from a distance as the soldiers pushed barrels of oil toward me."What do you need us to do?" asked a short girl, approximately 165 cm tall. Her arms were toned and defined through her skin-tight sleeves. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her sharp blue eyes seemed to pierce through me. Her features momentarily blurred in my mind—it was Arlene…