The wind carried the scent of pine and earth through the quiet village of Rimuru. Padrino Penduko stood at the edge of the forest, gazing out over the fields he had grown up tending. The rhythmic clatter of woodcutting and the distant hum of villagers preparing for the evening feast filled the air, but Padrino's mind was elsewhere. He wasn't from this world, and yet here he was—a villager, a humble nobody in the grand scheme of Xandros.

Reborn. It felt like an eternity since he first opened his eyes in this simple life. His memories of his past existence as Juan Pedro, a man of a different world, still flickered in his mind like a forgotten dream. The sounds, smells, and even the languages were foreign to him at first. He wasn't born with magic, nor with the divine powers that heroes of old carried. All he had were his wits, his sense of survival, and the faint memory of another life.

The village was bustling with activity as it prepared for the Harvest Moon Festival, a time of celebration, but also reflection. Rimuru was not like the great kingdoms of Xandros, which were built on magic, warfare, and diplomacy. No, this village survived on the strength of its people, and Padrino admired that. Still, he knew that survival alone would not be enough in the days to come.

Rimuru lay within the shadow of the crumbling Kingdom of Earlshide, a land whose days were numbered. Political instability and the rise of warlords had left the kingdom vulnerable. And beyond its borders, the Kingdom of Galdros loomed like a dark cloud, ever expanding, ever hungry for conquest. The villagers had no idea how close danger truly was. Padrino, however, saw it—felt it in his bones. He had been preparing, quietly and diligently, for when it would finally reach them.

"Thinking too much again?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.

Padrino turned, a small smile playing on his lips. Hinata, her long white hair shimmering under the setting sun, approached with a lightness that contrasted the weight she carried. Her soft blue eyes studied him with concern, her hands glowing faintly as they always did when her light magic responded to her emotions.

"Can't help it," Padrino replied, brushing off the moment. "The festival's good, but we can't ignore the signs. Galdros is moving, and Earlshide's council is too busy tearing itself apart."

Hinata nodded, her expression serious now. "You think it will come here? To Rimuru?"

"It's only a matter of time. The question is—will we be ready when it does?"

Hinata's gaze shifted to the village, where children ran laughing, and the elders prepared for the night's feast. "They don't know the world like we do, Padrino. They don't know what's coming."

"We'll have to change that. But not now." He glanced at her and saw the familiar lines of worry. She had always been strong, ever since they were children. Yet, even she couldn't hide the tension that was growing in the air. "Tonight, we let them celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare."

Hinata sighed and then smiled, a sad, knowing smile. "You'll never let yourself rest, will you?"

"Rest when it's over," he answered, his gaze drifting back to the horizon.

They stood in silence for a moment, watching the sun dip below the hills. The world seemed peaceful, almost deceptively so. Padrino knew better. He wasn't the same naive villager he had once been. In his mind, strategies were already forming, plans that he would soon share with Marko, his closest friend and the village's finest military mind.

But first, the village needed to be united, to understand that their fate was tied together, that they were no longer a forgotten corner of the world. Tonight, they would feast. Tomorrow, Rimuru would begin its transformation.

Later that night, the village square was filled with the sounds of laughter, music, and the crackling of bonfires. Long wooden tables overflowed with food, and the people danced in celebration of the harvest. Padrino sat at one of the tables, a warm cup of ale in his hand, but his eyes remained vigilant, scanning the crowd, noting the faces of those who would soon become more than villagers—they would become soldiers, leaders, and defenders.

"Padrino!" Marko's voice cut through the noise as he approached. His short, brown hair was messy as always, and his sharp eyes betrayed his relaxed demeanor. "You're not actually drinking that swill, are you?"

Padrino chuckled and set the cup down. "I've had worse."

Marko slid into the seat beside him. "You always know when to spoil a good time. You're thinking about Galdros, aren't you?"

"Always," Padrino replied. "We need to start preparing, Marko. They'll come, and when they do, we need to be ready."

Marko leaned back, folding his arms. "I've been thinking the same. I've scouted the surrounding areas, mapped the weak points. If we're going to defend Rimuru, we need more than just a few militia. We'll need strategy."

"Exactly," Padrino said, his voice low. "I need you to start gathering the strongest among us. Train them, but quietly. We don't want to raise any alarm just yet."

Marko's eyes narrowed. "And when do we stop being quiet?"

"When they start marching toward us," Padrino answered grimly.

As the night wore on, the village reveled, oblivious to the storm brewing just beyond their borders. But for Padrino, Marko, and Hinata, the weight of responsibility was settling in. Padrino knew what was coming. He had seen the rise and fall of kingdoms, though never from the perspective of a villager. This time, he wasn't going to wait for fate to decide.

This time, he would rise.