"Sir, don't stray too far from me later," Ashina whispered, clutching Field's arm tightly. "I'm confident we can break through."
Field understood her intentions and gave a firm nod. "I will, but unless it's absolutely necessary, I'd rather not flee."
"Leave the cart here for now. Ready the crossbows," he instructed. Field had learned from their previous encounter and had come prepared this time.
"Roar!"
A gnome-like monster vaulted over a crumbled wall with its long arms, landing squarely on a guard. Its massive jaws opened wide as it began tearing into its target.
"Crunch, crunch~"
The sharp sound of teeth gnashing against armour echoed through the air, making everyone's hair stand on end.
The guard, startled and pale with fear, thrashed wildly, but the creature clung to him like a leech, refusing to let go.
Fortunately, Ashina acted swiftly. Drawing her longsword, she slashed the creature cleanly in two with a single strike.
"Is this… a corrupted monkey?" she muttered, frowning as she studied the corpse.
Its long limbs and tail left little doubt—it was indeed a monkey.
As if some kind of signal had been given, the entire village of Rum suddenly erupted into chaos.
One after another, gnome-like monsters appeared, leaping and swarming in every direction. They were everywhere, a dark and overwhelming tide that surged forward like a torrential flood, consuming the village in madness.
Field forced himself to stay calm. His eyes darted across the minimap, analysing their surroundings and calculating their next move. One misstep could doom them all.
"Run! Head southeast—there's a large courtyard over there!" he ordered.
One gnome-like zombie, two, then ten… More and more of the twisted creatures scrambled over the ruins of Rum Village, leaping into Field's line of sight.
"Fire!" Field's shout cut through the chaos. The soldiers had been waiting for this moment and instantly unleashed their crossbows. The jumping monkey-like creatures were struck mid-air, blood bursting into sprays as if they had hit an invisible wall. The ground was soon littered with lifeless bodies.
"Clear the way," Ashina commanded, gesturing for the draconic wolf to charge forward. The creature advanced swiftly, spewing deadly flames as it paved a fiery path.
Ashina herself stayed behind to guard the rear. Five monkey-like monsters lunged at her simultaneously, their sharp claws slicing through the air. As they lined up in a single row, Ashina moved like lightning. Her cavalry sword flashed, leaving a trail of cold steel, and in the blink of an eye, all five creatures were severed in half, their blood spraying like rain as they crumpled to the ground.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed one of the creatures crawling rapidly across the ground, preparing to leap for a surprise attack. Without hesitation, Ashina raised her slender yet powerful leg and stomped down hard on the creature's head.
"Splat!" The monster's skull exploded under her heel, its eyeballs rolling away like loose marbles.
Thanks to Ashina's efforts, Field and the others made it into the courtyard. The soldiers wasted no time barricading the entrance with stones and rotting furniture, sealing them inside.
"This place isn't safe. Fall back further and use the buildings for defence," Field ordered, glancing at the minimap again. The red markers representing the monsters stretched endlessly, like a vast tide. However, there was one silver lining—the creatures weren't targeting them specifically. Their real destination seemed to be elsewhere; Rum Village was just collateral damage.
"Block the gates and take turns resting. They're just passing through—they'll leave soon enough." Field's voice was firm as he rallied his troops, injecting a glimmer of hope into their weary hearts.
With the draconic wolf, Ashina, and the soldiers holding the line, blocking the gates was no difficult task.
Before long, however, the corrupted monkeys launched a relentless, storm-like assault.
Unfortunately for them, Field's army formation was like an unyielding seawall. The soldiers at the gate stood their ground, their heavy armour and massive shields forming an impenetrable barrier. The monkeys couldn't break through no matter how fiercely they attacked.
Ashina's giant wolf proved even more formidable, akin to a flame-spewing tank. Its thick armour made it nearly invincible, impervious to the corrupted creatures swarming over it. No matter how many clung to its frame, they couldn't so much as chip a single scale. The only downside was that Ashina, once again, had to dismount and fight as an infantry soldier.
Field gasped for breath, his chest heaving as his heart pounded like a war drum. The cursed lands had earned their infamous reputation, and surviving this far was no small feat—luck played no small part.
"We need to build towering walls as soon as possible," he muttered, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. At least the monsters weren't heading for the grand winery, a small blessing in an otherwise dire situation.
For half an hour, the group fought on, covering for one another as the relentless wave of monsters gradually thinned out and began to fade.
"Phew… I'm exhausted," Ashina said, pulling her longsword free from the last of the corrupted corpses. She shook off the blood and grime splattered across the blade. Even as a Chosen, her strength had limits.
This was the largest wave of undead they had encountered since arriving in Nightfall Territory. Fortunately, with the last corrupted monkey slain, the area was finally cleared of the monstrous threat.
"You've worked hard," Field said, his heart aching as he looked at Ashina, drenched in sweat. She hadn't just held the line but also dealt the majority of the damage and alleviated the pressure on the others' defences. Thanks to her, not a single soldier had fallen.
It was fair to say that everyone had been relying on her, dragging her down. Yet, training the soldiers was a necessary step.
Ashina gave a playful wink and smirked. "Hmph, there's no such thing as a free meal of meat."
"Thank you, Lady Ashina," the soldiers said, embarrassment evident in their voices. Their initial hostility and wariness had vanished, replaced by pure reverence.
In this world, humans didn't view demi-humans favourably, unlike the peculiar attitudes of people on Earth. Demi-humans were seen as unclean—beasts born of unnatural unions between humans and animals.
"Take a half-hour break, then we'll move," Field instructed, poking at one of the monster corpses with his longsword. He was curious about their biology and the reason for their migration.
Rum Village, after a decade of corruption, was little more than a heap of ruins. Most houses had collapsed, and shattered windows dotted the landscape. Calling it a village was generous—it was more like a giant garbage dump. Field had little hope of finding anything useful.
After the Break
"Teams of five, search for loot. If it's useful, take it," Field ordered.
Nightfall Territory was desperately short of supplies. Pots, pans, even bits of scrap wood—all of it could serve a purpose.
Setting the mist-repelling lamp in the centre of the village, Field stood and surveyed the area. He began to consider whether Rum Village might serve as a potential stronghold.
After wandering through the village, Ashina returned to report. "Sir, I noticed a peculiar plant in the yard of an old farmhouse. It's glowing faintly green, and I can sense magical energy from it."
"Oh? Let's have a look," Field said, springing to his feet. The word "magic" immediately piqued his interest. "Could it be one of those legendary treasures from novels?"
They arrived at a house on the west side of the village. The main structure had collapsed, but the yard's stone wall, sturdier than the usual wooden fences, had held up well over the years.
In the middle of the yard, Field spotted a small patch of green plants glowing with tiny specks of light. They radiated a vitality that seemed to pulse with life itself. Curiosity overcame him as he approached, crouching to examine them closely.
"They look like freshly sprouted bok choy," Field muttered, poking at one with his finger.
A strange odour wafted up as soon as he disturbed the plant.
"Achoo!" Field sneezed violently, the scent overwhelming his senses.
Ashina chuckled softly at his reaction. "Sir, you shouldn't go around touching strange things so recklessly."
"Wait, are you alright?" Her amusement vanished when she saw Field's dazed expression. His eyes had become unfocused, and his movements sluggish. Alarmed, Ashina rushed to his side to check on him.
Field's forehead throbbed with visible veins, and sweat poured down his face. Suddenly, his body stiffened, and an inexplicable reaction surged within him.
Through his disoriented state, he caught a whiff of Ashina's faint, pleasant scent.
As if acting on pure instinct, Field's hand shot out and grabbed Ashina's wrist.