Ayanokoji gathered his team in the forest, away from the village.
His expression was grim as he laid out what he had learned.
“The Cult is planning to kill the hostages regardless of what we do.
They’re using them as bait to lure Emilia into a trap, and once the trap is sprung, they’ll eliminate everyone.”
Rem’s face was pale, but her eyes burned with fury.
“We have to stop them.
We can’t let innocent people die.”
“I agree.
But we can’t attack head-on.
The Cult has at least forty members, plus Mabeasts in the forest.
And they’re expecting reinforcements within the week.
If we don’t act now, we’ll be overwhelmed.”
“So what do we do?”
Ayanokoji considered the options.
“We need to neutralize the Cult’s leadership and free the hostages before the reinforcements arrive.
A direct assault would be suicidal, but a surgical strike could work.”
He turned to Rem.
“You said the Cultists attract Mabeasts through the Witch’s miasma.
Is there a way to counteract that?
To repel the creatures instead of attracting them?”
Rem thought for a moment.
“There are spells that can mask one’s presence from Mabeasts.
They’re difficult, but I know a few.”
“Good.
We’ll need them.” Ayanokoji turned to the two soldiers.
“Your job is to create a diversion.
Attack the Cult’s perimeter from the south, draw their attention away from the village hall.
I’ll infiltrate during the chaos and free the hostages.”
The soldiers nodded, their expressions grim.
They knew the risks, but they were professionals.
They would do their duty.
“And me?” Rem asked.
“You’ll be with me.
I need someone who can fight if things go wrong.”
The plan was set.
They waited until the darkest hour of the night, when the Cult’s sentries were at their most vulnerable.
Then they moved.
The diversion began with a series of explosions—fire spells that Rem had prepared, designed to create maximum chaos.
The Cult’s perimeter erupted in flames, and their sentries scrambled to respond.
Ayanokoji used the chaos to slip through the lines, Rem at his side.
They moved through the shadows, avoiding the panicked Cultists who rushed toward the fire.
The village hall loomed ahead, dark and silent.
“Two guards at the entrance,” Rem whispered.
“I’ll handle them.”
She moved before Ayanokoji could respond, her morning star swinging in a deadly arc.
The first guard fell before he even knew she was there, his skull crushed by the spiked ball.
The second managed to raise his weapon, but Rem was faster, her chain wrapping around his throat and squeezing until he went limp.
Ayanokoji watched with cold approval.
Rem was efficient, ruthless—a weapon honed to perfection.
She was exactly the kind of ally he needed.
They entered the village hall, their footsteps silent on the wooden floor.
There were perhaps thirty of them—men, women, and children, their faces drawn and pale.
“Don’t be afraid,” Rem said softly.
“We’re here to help.”
The hostages stared at her, their expressions a mixture of hope and disbelief.
Ayanokoji moved to the door, his eyes scanning the darkness outside.
“We need to move quickly.
The Cult will realize what’s happening soon.”
Rem began organizing the hostages, her voice calm and reassuring despite the urgency of the situation.
Ayanokoji watched the perimeter, his senses on high alert.
They managed to get the hostages out of the village hall and into the forest before the Cult realized what was happening.
By then, the diversion had succeeded—the Cult was still fighting the fire, unaware that their prisoners had escaped.
But it wouldn’t last.
Sooner or later, they would discover the truth.
“We need to get these people to safety,” Ayanokoji said.
“The soldiers will escort them to the nearest village.
Rem and I will stay behind and cover your retreat.”
Rem nodded, her expression grim.
“Be careful.
The Cult will be hunting us now.”
“Let them come.”
The evacuation was slow and dangerous.
The hostages were weak from their captivity, and many of them could barely walk.
The soldiers did their best to hurry them along, but progress was painfully slow.
Ayanokoji and Rem stayed behind, watching the village for signs of pursuit.
The fire was dying down, and the Cult was beginning to regroup.
“They’ll send patrols soon,” Rem said.
“We need to be ready.”
Ayanokoji nodded.
“I’ll take the east side.
You take the west.
If we can delay them long enough for the hostages to escape, we’ll have won.”
The first Cultist appeared within minutes.
He was young, barely more than a teenager, his dark robes hanging loosely on his thin frame.
His eyes were wild, his movements erratic.
Ayanokoji killed him without hesitation.
A single strike to the throat, delivered with surgical precision.
The Cultist collapsed, gurgling, his life draining into the dirt.
More came.
Ayanokoji moved through them like a ghost, his body a blur of controlled violence.
He didn’t fight fair—he fought to win.
Throats were slit, joints were broken, and bodies were left broken in his wake.
But the Cult kept coming.
There were too many of them, and they were growing more organized by the minute.
“Ayanokoji-kun!” Rem’s voice cut through the chaos.
“We need to retreat!
There’s a Wolgram pack approaching!”
Ayanokoji turned to see the creatures emerging from the forest—massive, wolf-like beasts with gray fur and glowing red eyes.
They were drawn by the scent of blood and the Witch’s miasma.
“Fall back!” he shouted.
“Now!”
They ran, the Mabeasts in pursuit.
But Ayanokoji and Rem were faster, their training allowing them to maintain their lead.
They reached the rendezvous point—a rocky outcrop overlooking the forest—just as the first Mabeast caught up.
Rem turned, her morning star swinging in a deadly arc.
The weapon connected with the creature’s skull, crushing it with a sickening crunch.
But there were more.
The pack surged forward, their eyes glowing with hunger.
Ayanokoji grabbed a fallen branch and snapped it into a crude spear.
It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
“Stay close!” he shouted.
“Don’t let them surround us!”
The battle was brutal.
The Mabeasts attacked from all sides, their teeth and claws tearing at anything within reach.
Ayanokoji fought with cold precision, his spear finding gaps in the creatures’ defenses.
Rem was a whirlwind of violence, her morning star crushing bone and flesh with equal ease.
But the pack was relentless.
For every creature they killed, two more seemed to take its place.
“We can’t keep this up forever!” Rem gasped, her breath ragged.
Ayanokoji’s mind raced.
They needed a new strategy, something that would turn the tide.
And then he saw it.
A large rock formation above them, balanced precariously on the edge of the cliff.
“Rem!
The rock formation!
Can you knock it loose?”
Rem’s eyes widened with understanding.
She raised her hand, magical energy crackling around her fingers.
“I’ll try!”
The spell was powerful—a blast of pure force that struck the rock formation with devastating effect.
The rocks tumbled down the cliff face, crushing the Mabeasts beneath their weight.
The pack scattered, howling in pain and confusion.
Ayanokoji and Rem used the opportunity to escape, disappearing into the forest.
They didn’t stop running until they were miles away, their lungs burning and their bodies aching.
Finally, they collapsed against a tree, gasping for breath.
“Is it over?” Rem whispered.
Ayanokoji shook his head.
“It’s never over.
But we survived.
That’s what matters.”
They sat in silence for a long moment, the sounds of the forest slowly returning around them.
The Mabeasts had given up the chase, at least for now.
“The hostages?” Rem asked.
“The soldiers should have gotten them to safety by now.
The Cult was too focused on us to pursue them.”
Rem nodded, relief flooding her features.
“We did it.
We actually did it.”
Ayanokoji looked out into the darkness, his expression unreadable.
“We won a battle.
But the war is just beginning.”