The other prisoners hesitated briefly, pondering Kai's words before gradually freeing themselves from their cages. Kai, on the other hand, strode forward, showing no signs of fear or hesitation. His outward composure masked the uncertainty he felt inside.
He knew his limits all too well. The "Sacred Bond" with Zara had granted him beast-like strength and heightened senses, but what good was strength without the skill to wield it effectively? Unlike the feral precision Zara displayed in battle, Kai had little to no understanding of combat. He could swing his sword with raw power, but hitting his target accurately was another matter entirely. Still, he was driven by the one advantage he had—his immortality. Knowing he couldn't die gave him a strange sense of confidence, even if his impact on the battlefield would likely be minimal in the grand scheme of things.
Especially against such overwhelming odds.
The bandits vastly outnumbered them, and it would take more than brute strength to turn the tide. That's why Kai brought more allies into play. He had told the prisoners he wouldn't force them to fight, but he knew full well that their escape meant they had no choice. The bandits wouldn't let their human "products" just walk away. The slaves would be forced to fight for their freedom, whether they liked it or not. Their presence would at least divide the bandits' attention, giving Zara and himself a better chance of success in rescuing Ariella.
After all, as strong as Zara was, Kai doubted she could realistically take on all the bandits alone. He shared her strength through the "Sacred Bond", and while formidable, even she had limits. She might be able to cut through dozens of enemies, but exhaustion would catch up to her before she could eradicate every last one of them.
That's where his plan came in.
'Damn, why do I feel like a commander? A good one, at that!' He couldn't help but smile to himself, feeling a surge of pride for having come up with this strategy. Maybe he had a hidden talent for strategic warfare? Though his speech to the prisoners had been awkward, it had the desired effect.
Behind him, more than a dozen footsteps followed, the liberated captives marching forward like an army of their own. Kai's smile widened slightly, his heart racing. A mix of nervous anticipation and dread gripped him, knowing the terrible battle that awaited outside. Already, he could hear the distant clang of steel, the roar of warriors, and the agonizing cries of the dying. The weight of the coming battle pressed on his chest.
Yet, for some reason, it made him feel more alive than ever before.
Before he could dwell on that thought, someone ran up beside him, tapping him on the shoulder. It was Gabriel, his fellow student.
"Hey, bro!" Gabriel called out, his voice bright despite the grim circumstances. Mostly because his mundane hearing enabled him from hearing the battle outside.
"I wanted to thank you again. Seriously, you're a life saver. I forgot to ask earlier—what's your name?"
Kai glanced at him with indifference, slowing his pace slightly. Gabriel was tall, with some muscles in his lean stature yet seemed like the kind of guy who was popular with everyone—easy-going, friendly, the type of person people gravitated toward. He must've been well-liked at school, not just for his looks but for his approachable personality. His presence was a stark contrast to Kai's more reserved nature.
After a brief pause, Kai finally responded, "Kaiser... from Class F."
Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise. "Class F? No way! I heard Class F had a tough reputation, no wonder you've got the guts to hold a sword. I wouldn't be surprised if, when we reunite with the other sections, Class F gains an exceptional reputation."
Kai frowned slightly. He never liked receiving praise. Compliments always made him uncomfortable, and he didn't see himself as anything special, especially in this situation. His flat reply came out almost automatically, "Maybe."
The conversation died there, Kai's awkwardness in social situations quickly shutting down any attempt at small talk. Gabriel, however, being the social butterfly he seemed to be, was already thinking of a new topic when Kai abruptly stopped in his tracks. The moonlight filtering into the cave entrance caught his attention.
They had reached the exit.
The oppressive darkness of the cave gave way to the pale radiance of the moon, casting long shadows across the open clearing outside. The vast expanse of grass stretched before them, and to the right, nestled against the mountainside, stood a mansion—a structure that looked both ancient and foreboding in the moonlight.
But all of that paled in comparison to the battle unfolding in the clearing near the mansion.
Kai's gaze was immediately drawn to the figure at the center of the chaos—a lone woman, surrounded by bandits. Zara.
She danced through the hateful crowd like a whirlwind, her movements fluid and lethal as she wielded twin swords. The blades gleamed in the moonlight, flashing as they cut through the air and tore into the bandits that dared come near her. Every strike was precise, every movement calculated, as if she were performing some deadly ballet on the battlefield. Her ferocity was unmatched, yet there was a strange grace to her fighting style—a mixture of elegance and savagery that left the bandits scrambling in terror.
Blood sprayed across the grass, and bodies fell at her feet, but Zara showed no signs of slowing down.
Kai stood frozen for a moment, watching in awe. Even with the strength he shared with her, he couldn't imagine being able to move like that. She was a force of nature, unstoppable in her pursuit of death.
The noise of the battle intensified as more bandits rushed in, hoping to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. But Zara, with her crimson eyes glowing in the moonlight, cut them down one by one, her twin swords slicing through armor and flesh with terrifying ease.
"Kai, that's your friend?" Gabriel asked, his voice shaky as he took in the scene. "She's... unbelievable."
Kai nodded, his mouth dry. "Yeah. That's Zara."
But as powerful as she was, he knew she couldn't hold out forever.
Kai's grip tightened on his sword as he took a step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. He wasn't sure how much help he could be in the coming battle, but one thing was clear: Zara needed him out there. And Ariella still needed to be rescued.
"Wait, I know we're gonna fight to escape but... don't tell me we're going against "that"?" Gabriel blurted out, his voice betraying the growing fear inside him. The other prisoners, catching up to Kai, stopped in their tracks. Their eyes widened in horror at the sight of Zara's brutal battle, murmuring their doubts and complaints among themselves.
Kai halted abruptly and glanced over his shoulder, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You're free to hide," he said, his voice calm yet laced with challenge, "but I doubt you'll live long that way... Steel yourselves! You either die as a slave or die as a warrior. It's up to you to decide."
With those words, Kai dashed forward, leaving the fearful murmurs of the prisoners behind. He knew they had wills of their own—everyone does. And unfortunately, Kai wasn't exactly overflowing with charisma to bend those wills to his cause. Some would undoubtedly hide, cowering away from the inevitable confrontation, but others—*the tougher ones*—might fight for their freedom. His speech had been blunt, but it wasn't empty; there was truth to it. Now it was up to them.
He gritted his teeth, his face grim as he sprinted ahead with newfound speed and strength, the wind whipping against his face. Every stride he took, he could feel the raw power Zara had given him through the *Sacred Bond*. It made him faster, more agile than he'd ever been. But despite this, Kai knew his limitations. The chaotic battlefield ahead, where Zara stood as the epicenter of violence, wasn't where he needed to be.
Not yet.
Zara was already the main focus of the battle, and the bulk of the bandits were being drawn to her deadly dance. Kai couldn't afford to dive into the heart of that chaos, where enemies could swarm him from all sides. He wasn't like Zara—he lacked the skill to handle multiple opponents at once. Even with his immortality, being overwhelmed would mean being butchered, helplessly torn apart.
'No,' he thought. 'I can't let that happen.'
Instead, he veered to the side, deliberately avoiding the thick of the battle. His plan was simple—circle around the main skirmish and catch any bandits off guard, picking off stragglers in smaller groups. He wasn't there to fight head-on but to backstab loose enemies, create distractions, and slip into the mansion under the cover of chaos.
Rescue Ariella. That's the priority.
The sounds of battle—clanging swords, dying screams, and battle cries—grew louder as he approached the edge of the battlefield. Keeping low and moving swiftly, Kai weaved between trees and boulders, staying just out of sight. He could still see Zara, her crimson eyes glowing like fiery embers in the night, cutting down the bandits with precision. However, despite looking so fierce and deadly, bathing in the blood of her countless opponents as she made a path of corpses.
Zara was making little to no progress, while her stamina keeps on diminishing. Yet an amused smile never left her face, enjoying the battle as she danced with her sword.
Still, she's too preoccupied with her opponents to advance. It's up to Kai to make some changes.