Everyone had to defend themselves.

The Northern Faction Village had the Northern Faction Book. And the Western Faction had the Western Faction. It was like that.

They helped each other if things got tough.

It was one large village, after all.

However, in most cases, everyone had to stand on their own.

It wasn’t enough to hold a Village Chief meeting.

But it seemed like one would be held soon. The news was that an Orc tribe was coming down. He hoped they would pass by without going through the village.

This was because as he stayed in the village, he gradually became familiar with people’s faces and made friends.

If these people were to die, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but he still wouldn’t feel at peace. Especially the children he taught.

The Village Chief also asked for help at the village meeting.

Each village was to define its own area and subjugate any orcs they found, and the protagonist was asked to join in.

Orcs disliked moving in groups.

They enjoyed fighting at a disadvantage. It seemed to be because they believed the Warriors’ God would grant a powerful blessing if they achieved a miraculous victory.

If the orcs gathered, it would be dangerous. They had to be dealt with beforehand.

Aside from the Vigilante, those who participated separately were to be paid. It was in the form of villagers each contributing a small amount of money. Roughly, each person received about 20 silver coins.

Usually, those who lacked money volunteered.

They were people who didn’t have the means to survive the winter. Most were tenant farmers whose crops had failed. There were also a few former mercenaries.

I subtly asked Hansen, who was beside me.

“Hansen. Are you going out there?”

“It’s profitable.”

His answer was clear. He was a mercenary. If it seemed profitable, he would act. Conversely, if it seemed like a loss, he would withdraw. It was the same with the Golem. It was dangerous, but he stayed by the protagonist’s side.

He thought it was a loss, but it turned out to be a profit. His judgment was accurate.

“I…”

“Don’t think of following me just because I’m going. The choice is yours.”

I swallowed hard. It seemed to be because Hansen spoke with a stern expression.

I had been about to go out with a light heart, thinking it was just a fight. He objected to that.

I thought about it a little more.

Everyone had their own reasons for going out.

Those who undertook the dangerous task were compensated. The villagers gathered to pay the price. The byproducts of the orcs were to be kept by whoever dealt with them.

There was nothing really bad about it.

Anyway, it was becoming difficult to go gather herbs alone. Moving with people who could hold the line in front would be much safer for the protagonist.

I thought that since I was properly going out this time, I should bring back a lot of herbs.

The Village Chief also participated in the subjugation.

He said that in such matters, he had to take the lead to maintain his standing. That brought a little relief. With the Vigilante also participating, I figured there wouldn’t be any truly dangerous situations.

When the protagonist said he would participate, the Village Chief was delighted. It was reassuring to know that the orcs could be taken care of with a single magic spell.

After the decision was made, the people dispersed.

Rael also returned home. He needed to gather the equipment for the fight. Since he always wore his staff and robe, he only needed to grab his shield.

He never knew what might happen.

His body felt a little heavy with the shield on his back. He headed to the East Gate with Hansen. People were gathering there.

There were many people. Counting those who were leaving, there were thirty-two. Half were vigilantes, and the other half were tenant farmers and former mercenaries.

The rest decided to stay. Just in case, more people were needed to guard the village.

Before they left, the Village Chief clasped his hands and introduced his son.

It seemed like he wanted him to look after his son if a battle broke out. Rael nodded.

When he let go of his hands, a coin was placed there.

It was three silver coins.

Considering his age, Rael thought that he wasn’t the Village Chief for nothing. He remembered the name and face of the son the chief had told him about.

His name was Bill.

He was nineteen and well-fed, with a sturdy physique. Freckles on his cheeks were his distinguishing feature.

The Extermination Squad left the village.

Everyone was tense.

Although it was to reduce the number of orcs before they gathered, it was a battle for their lives.

It wouldn’t be strange if someone here died.

The vigilantes and former mercenaries seemed fine, but the tenant farmers were uneasy.

Clutching their farm tools tightly and scanning their surroundings with trembling eyes, it looked like they would immediately flee if a battle erupted.

The Village Chief noticed their apprehension and spoke about the compensation once more. He also added that those who fled would be severely punished. It was impressive to see him wield both carrot and whip.

However, Bill seemed not to have inherited his father’s strengths.

Throughout the walk, Bill clung to the protagonist, striking up conversations.

He wanted to become a mercenary.

Since the protagonist was also a mercenary, he wanted to hear tales of valor. As the stories were told, his eyes sparkled.

He seemed to harbor some fantasy about fighting. It was a fantasy that only a young man from a rural village, far removed from life-and-death battles, could possess.

Rael thought about how he used to be the same, and Bill seemed endearing.

Bill was older than the Protagonist. Yet, he looked young.

“Rael.”

“Hansen.”

“It’s the enemy.”

“The enemy?”

Hansen pointed at the ground and spoke. I recalled he had been practicing his Tracking Skill.

My expression hardened involuntarily. As I spread mana around, something caught my senses. There were ten Orcs.

When I told the Village Chief, he didn’t believe it at first.

Others didn’t believe it either.

Among the Vigilantes, there were several Hunters. They also said they didn’t know. That’s what they said, but it was disbelief.

They were people who hunted while deceiving the presence of beasts. It was strange to think that a child had noticed first when even they didn’t know.

Rael didn’t say much. It would be revealed soon anyway.

I recited a spell in advance.

It was a spell to create a Water Golem. It consumed a fair amount of mana, but not as much as the Necklace.

Even if the Protagonist poured all his mana into it, it would only last about five minutes.

If concentration was broken in the middle, he had to start again. If he failed once, he would just waste mana and couldn’t summon it. There were many restrictions.

It would be different if he ate about five Blue Flowers. Otherwise, he would have to train his Breathing Technique for ten years to use it a bit more freely. Right now, it was ambiguous.

On the other hand, the Water Golem only used about a tenth of the mana. Its duration was also close to an hour. It was much better.

As we headed in the direction he pointed, the Hunters’ expressions also changed. They also noticed and prepared to fight. Bill looked at the Protagonist. It was a look that asked how he knew.

Ignoring that, I prepared to fight.

The Hunters started first.

Bows had an incredibly long range.

If you could see it, you could hit it with a bow.

As arrows pierced the trees, the Orcs screamed from afar.

They didn’t run away. They despised cowards. Turning their backs was an act of a coward.

The Hunters shot arrows.

But what hit was minimal. It was because of the trees.

Even if they were hit occasionally, the Orcs were all strong-boned, and one or two arrows in their arms or legs wouldn’t make them flinch.

I looked at my allies.

The Orcs’ monstrous roars as they charged were already causing a stir. Ten of them was a lot.

But it was manageable.

The Protagonist just needed enough time to use Water Ball three or four times. Even that much would allow the Extermination Squad to handle them.

He thought back to the Trade Caravan. The numbers were similar then. Ten Orcs at a time were easily dealt with. He just needed to do the same again.

It was then. Something else registered in his senses. More Orcs had appeared.

Rael thought. The Orcs were still roaring monstrously. It was enough to make his ears ring.

Their shouts seemed to be calling their comrades.

He quickly spoke to the Village Chief. The people became even more agitated.

The Village Chief asked how many there were.

Rael’s senses detected five more Orcs. They would have to face a total of fifteen.

Now they were at a disadvantage in terms of strength. It was the worst.

The ten Orcs each hid behind trees. It was a ploy to ambush them along with their allies.

The Village Chief divided the numbers.

The numbers were split evenly, but one side had relatively stronger forces. The strategy was to first eliminate the five Orcs with the more elite members. It wasn’t a bad plan.

The other side just needed to wait as long as possible and buy time. To endure, a considerable number of Vigilantes were included.

Rael was on the side with five Orcs.

Bill patted his shoulder, saying, “Good luck.” Honestly, he wished Hansen was there instead of him. He felt a little uneasy.

Hansen was on the side with ten Orcs. After glancing at him, Rael headed in the opposite direction. He thought he needed to return quickly.

He was an ordinary Mercenary. It wouldn’t be strange if he died at any time. He seemed to have grown subtly fond of him during that time.

The Orcs appeared. Rael shouted to the most Veteran Soldier among the Vigilantes.

“Just protect me!”

“What?”

“Maintain the line at the front!”

The Vigilante did not listen.

It was as if he was asking what I was talking about, as he had to finish quickly and return to the Village Chief.

Rael immediately cast a spell. If he showed them, things would change.

Water Ball!

He fired a Water Mass. The Orcs screamed and swung their axes. The axes shattered, sending fragments flying. When the Water Mass hit an Orc’s head, brain matter oozed out. It was a gruesome sight.

He cast the spell again.

This time, the Orcs hid behind trees. They weren’t very thick trees.

Water Ball!

He fired another Water Mass.

The trees exploded, and the consecutive Water Masses crushed the Orcs’ chests. They coughed up blood and collapsed.

While he rapidly shot four arrows, two Orcs had already died. The people’s eyes were tinged with Gnoll aura.

They were about to charge but then retreated. They realized that there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

The power of the Water Ball seemed stronger than usual.

He didn’t know why. The only difference was that he was more anxious than usual. He was worried about Hansen.

Rael quickly ran after clearing out all the Orcs.

By the time he arrived, the two sides’ formations were just clashing.

There were ten Orcs, meaning three Mercenaries had to fight each Orc. And those Orcs had charged all at once.

Screams and battle cries mixed. As the two sides intertwined, something flew into the sky. It was flesh.

There were ears, wrists holding swords, and even necks.

Hansen!!!

Rael’s heart pounded.

He prayed that none of those belonged to Hansen.

The fight was turning unfavorable.

As soon as the front lines clashed, three people died. They were all Tenant Farmers.

Being Tenant Farmers who only tilled fields, they were not accustomed to fighting.

Some of them dropped their Weapons and turned their backs.

Only three people died, but morale collapsed.

I remembered the Goblins. They were also quick to flee as soon as a few of them died. It was exactly like that now.

There were also those who stayed and huddled together.

Among them were Hansen and the Village Chief.

A choice had to be made.

The Protagonist felt like they would survive if they also turned their back and ran away.

It was possible if they were with those who were hesitating next to the Protagonist right now.

But they couldn’t. Hansen was a comrade.

He stayed by the Protagonist’s side when the Orcs stormed in.

The Protagonist couldn’t run away.

Then, someone shouted loudly and stepped forward.

“Father-!!!!”

Seeing the Village Chief in danger, he immediately rushed out. There was no hesitation at all.

Seeing that, the Protagonist felt ashamed.

The Protagonist thought of running away first. They were weaker than Bill.

Rael chanted a spell.

Magic was needed to break their morale.

Magic that shot out a Water Pillar seemed like it would turn the tide of the battle.

They hadn’t properly succeeded yet, but they had to do it now.

They had to save everyone.

For some reason, the Magic grew stronger whenever they were desperate. Rael was desperate.

Mana gathered.

Normally, they couldn’t control too much mana and would scatter it. They forced themselves to endure. There wasn’t enough time. It had to be faster.

They had to use it as quickly as when the Old Man properly demonstrated it.

Blood flowed from their eyes and mouth. Their legs trembled.

“Get out of the way!!!”

It was a blood-curdling scream.

Even amidst the battlefield, teeming with screams and shouts, the cry was heard by everyone.

The Water Pillar blew away everything it touched.

Not just the Orcs, but even the trees.

The battlefield fell silent.

The power was strong, but the range wasn’t wide. Only three Orcs in a straight line were killed. But the intensity left by that one blow was immense.

“Whoa!”

“Kill them all!”

People shouted.

Conversely, the Orcs recoiled. They couldn’t help it. If just one more magic spell like the one before came flying, it would be the end.

Rael didn’t have the energy for that. But leaving such an impression was important.

The magic he displayed just now revitalized everyone.

Fighting was all about momentum. The Extermination Squad began to push back the Orcs.

In the first place, if you just looked at the numbers, there were far more of them than Orcs. There was no reason they couldn’t win.

All Rael did was stand firm on his two feet.

That alone ended the battle in victory.

Everyone rejoiced. It was the joy of having survived.

Some even got angry.

“You fool!”

The Village Chief slapped Bill’s cheek. He was asking why he had interfered alone.

Bill approached, blood trickling from his mouth.

They weren’t very close, but words of concern spontaneously came out.

“Bill, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Bill smiled and put his hand in his mouth. A blood-soaked tooth came out.

“Even if he looks like that, he was worried about me.”

“Me…?”

Rael didn’t know much since he had no parents, but he didn’t think parents would beat a child who almost died like that.

Bill wasn’t the only one who got an earful.

A blood-soaked mercenary approached.

It was Hansen. Fortunately, he was unharmed.

“Rael!”

“Hansen!”

Rael smiled. It seemed Hansen had come to express his gratitude.

But what he saw was a stern face.

“Why did you do that?”

“Huh?”

“Why didn’t you run away?”

“That’s…”

Hansen’s expression was frightening. The answer came out on its own.

“Hansen, you were in danger.”

Hansen paused for a moment. But it was only for a moment.

“Tell me you won’t risk yourself for someone like me again.”

“Why? If I hadn’t stepped in…”

“Are you going to tell me or not?”

His demeanor was strange.

He saved him, but the protagonist didn’t understand why he was getting a warning. However, his expression was too serious to argue back. The answer came out on its own.

“Alright.”