The air in Elandria was tense, as if the land itself could sense the coming conflict.
Leonard Eldridge stood atop the newly reinforced village wall, scanning the dark horizon. The militia and villagers worked below him, their faces grim as they tightened barricades and checked weapons. The faint light of dawn crept over the barren landscape, revealing no sign of the bandits yet.But Leo knew they were coming.
Garret climbed the ladder to join him, his expression set in a hard line. "Scouts spotted movement to the south," he said. "They'll be here within the hour. It's a large group—more than we've faced before."
Leo nodded, gripping the hilt of his sword. "How are the defenses holding?"
"Better than they've ever been," Garret admitted. "The walls will slow them, and the barricades should keep their main force bottlenecked. But even with the improvements, we're still outnumbered."
Leo looked out over the village. The people were tired but determined, a reflection of the hope they'd begun to build under his leadership. For their sake, he couldn't afford to falter."Then we make every move count," Leo said. "No mistakes."
The bandits struck just as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon. Their war cries pierced the morning air, accompanied by the rhythmic thunder of boots and hooves.
The ragtag group of marauders surged toward the village, wielding stolen weapons and wearing mismatched armor.From his vantage point, Leo estimated their numbers to be at least fifty—far more than the village's militia of twenty men and women. But Elandria's defenders had the advantage of preparation.
"Archers!" Garret bellowed. "Take your positions!"The militia's archers lined the wall, their bows drawn and ready. Torran, the blacksmith, stood near the main gate, his massive hammer resting on his shoulder.
Mira, the healer, moved among the villagers, ensuring the wounded were prepared to retreat if the battle turned.
Leo stood at the center of it all, his hand hovering over the glowing spiral on his palm.
He had saved a few tokens from The Rebuilder's Arsenal for this moment.
[Tokens available: 5. Would you like to make a pull?]
"Yes," Leo said aloud, his voice steady.
"Now."The translucent interface shimmered into view, and Leo pressed the pull button. Light swirled, forming the first item.
[C-Rank: Barricade Stones (Portable barriers that expand when thrown)]
Leo grabbed the small, smooth stones that materialized in his hand. Each one pulsed faintly with magic, and he immediately recognized their potential. "Garret!" he called, tossing a handful of stones to the militia leader. "Use these to block the main breach points!"
Garret caught the stones, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What are these?"
"Trust me," Leo said. "Just throw them where we need barriers."
The next pull glowed faintly before solidifying.[D-Rank: Enchanted Arrows (Pack of 20)]Leo handed the quiver to one of the archers, a young woman whose hands trembled slightly as she accepted them. "Aim carefully," he told her. "These will count for more than just one shot."
The bandits were closing in now, their formation tightening as they prepared to ram the gate. Leo activated the Guardian's Beacon, the magical flare projecting a shimmering dome of energy around the main barricade.
"Hold the line!" Leo shouted, his voice cutting through the noise.The bandits hit the walls like a crashing wave, their makeshift battering ram slamming into the reinforced gate.
Arrows rained down from the defenders above, many of them finding their marks, but the sheer number of attackers threatened to overwhelm the militia.Garret hurled one of the Barricade Stones into a gap where the wall had begun to splinter. The moment it hit the ground, it expanded into a sturdy barrier, blocking the breach entirely.
"Not bad," Garret muttered, tossing another stone to seal a second weak point.
Meanwhile, the enchanted arrows glowed faintly as they flew, each one striking multiple targets or igniting on impact. The archers marveled at the effectiveness of their new weapons, their confidence growing with each successful volley.The tide of the battle began to shift.
The bandits, expecting an easy victory, found themselves struggling against the well-fortified village.
Leo fought alongside the militia at the barricade, his movements unrefined but determined. When one bandit tried to climb over the wall, Leo struck him with the flat of his blade, knocking him to the ground.
Garret quickly dispatched the man with a swift strike."You're getting better," Garret said with a smirk.
"Let's hope it's enough," Leo replied, sweat dripping from his brow.The air hung heavy with the aftermath of battle as Leo approached the retreating bandits' leader.
The tall man stood at the edge of the battlefield, his mismatched armor smeared with dirt and blood. Despite the chaos around him, he seemed eerily calm, his stance almost casual.
Leo's sword remained at the ready, but the man made no move to attack. His face was partially obscured by the shadow of his hood, but his eyes gleamed with unsettling confidence.
"You fought well," the leader said, his voice smooth and steady. It wasn't a compliment—it sounded more like an observation, as though he were appraising a chess opponent who had made an unexpected move.
Leo stepped closer, keeping his blade between them. "If you're so impressed, maybe you should consider not coming back."
The leader chuckled, a low, gravelly sound that made the hair on Leo's neck stand on end. "Oh, I'll be back. But not for the reasons you think."
Leo's grip on his sword tightened. "What does that mean?"
The man raised a hand, gesturing to the village behind Leo. "This place—this pitiful scrap of land—you're wasting your time trying to save it. Elandria belongs to the gods, boy. And they've already abandoned it."
The words struck like a blow. Leo narrowed his eyes, anger bubbling beneath his confusion. "The gods don't decide what happens here. We do."
The leader tilted his head, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Spoken like someone who doesn't understand their place. You think your fight matters? You're clinging to a dream that died long ago. This land, its people, its future—it's all dust in the hands of forces far greater than you."
Leo took a step forward, his sword glinting in the fading light. "If that's what you believe, why are you even here? Why attack us?"
The man's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with something dark and inscrutable. "Because even a dead land can have its uses. And because watching you struggle against the inevitable is… entertaining."
Before Leo could respond, the man reached into his cloak and threw something to the ground. A dense plume of black smoke erupted, obscuring him entirely. When the smoke cleared moments later, he was gone, as though he'd vanished into the ether.
Leo lowered his sword, frustration and unease twisting in his gut. The man's words lingered in the air like a foul stench, poisoning the small victory they'd won.
The village square was alive with activity as the defenders and villagers began the grueling task of recovery. The injured were gathered in Mira's makeshift infirmary, their wounds cleaned and bandaged with the healer's calm efficiency.
Torran led a team of villagers in repairing the damaged barricades, his gruff voice barking orders that kept everyone focused.
Leo stood at the center of it all, watching as the people of Elandria came together to mend what had been broken. Their resilience was inspiring, but the weight of the bandit leader's warning pressed heavily on his mind.
Garret approached him, wiping blood and sweat from his brow. "We held them off," he said, his voice steady but tired. "You should be proud."
Leo nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "That leader," he said, his gaze distant. "He knew more than he let on."
Garret frowned. "What did he say?"
Leo hesitated, the man's words echoing in his mind. "'Elandria belongs to the gods. And they've already abandoned it.'"
Garret's expression darkened. "Sounds like nonsense to me. A scare tactic, maybe."
"Maybe," Leo said, though he didn't believe it. The leader's tone, his confidence—it didn't feel like empty posturing. It felt like a warning.
Garret studied him for a moment, then clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever he meant, we'll deal with it when the time comes. For now, the people need to see you. Let them know their efforts weren't wasted."
Leo nodded, forcing himself to push the unsettling thoughts aside. "You're right. Let's focus on what we can control."
As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the village, Leo gathered the villagers in the square. They looked weary but alive, their faces reflecting both the toll of the battle and the relief of survival.
Leo stepped onto a makeshift platform, the spiral on his hand faintly glowing beneath his glove. "We've faced the worst attack Elandria has seen in years," he began, his voice carrying over the murmuring crowd. "And we stood strong. We fought back. We proved that this land is worth fighting for."
A cheer rose from the crowd, hesitant at first but growing louder.
Leo held up a hand to quiet them. "But this isn't the end. We've shown we can defend ourselves, but the challenges ahead will be even greater. We'll need to work harder, prepare better, and trust one another like never before. Together, we can turn this place into something stronger than it's ever been."
Mira stepped forward, her face softening as she addressed him. "You've given us hope, Your Grace. That's more than anyone else has done in a long time."
Torran grunted in agreement. "You lead, we follow. Just keep showing us there's something worth following."
Leo nodded, humbled by their words. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I won't let you down."
Later that night, Leo climbed the village wall, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. The bandit leader's words still gnawed at him, but he forced himself to focus on the present.
Eldric joined him, standing silently for a moment before speaking. "You've done well, young master. The people are starting to believe in you."
"They don't really have a choice," Leo said with a faint smile. "What else can they do?"
"It's not just desperation," Eldric said. "You've given them something to hold on to. That's more than most leaders ever achieve."
Leo looked down at the spiral on his hand, its glow faint but steady. The Gacha System had been a lifeline, but it couldn't solve everything. The mysteries of Elandria, the corruption in the temple, the role of the gods—those were challenges that no system could overcome for him.
"We have a long way to go," Leo said quietly.
Eldric nodded. "But you've taken the first steps. That's what matters."