They left Millhaven just after midnight, moving through the tunnels beneath the village to avoid any watchers Gareth might have posted. Elena led the way with a shuttered lantern, its narrow beam barely illuminating the rough stone walls as they navigated the maze of passages.
"These tunnels connect to the old mine workings about two miles out," Elena whispered as they walked. "From there, we can circle around and approach the supply depot from the east. Should put us downwind and give us the best cover."
Ryo followed silently, trying to process the fact that he was about to deliberately attack people who were probably just trying to make a living. In his old world, the worst thing he'd ever done was cheat on his taxes. Now he was planning what amounted to a military raid.
"Having second thoughts?" Elena asked, apparently reading his expression even in the dim light.
"No," Ryo said. "Just adjusting to the reality of what we're doing."
"Good. Because once we start this, there's no taking it back. Gareth's going to know exactly who hit his depot, and he's going to respond accordingly."
They emerged from the tunnels into a wooded area north of the village. The night was overcast, with thick clouds blocking most of the starlight. Perfect conditions for moving unseen, but it also meant they had to rely entirely on Elena's knowledge of the terrain.
"Stay close and step where I step," Elena murmured. "The ground's uneven out here, and a twisted ankle could get us both killed."
They moved through the forest like ghosts, Elena's training evident in every careful footstep and controlled breath. Ryo found himself naturally falling into the rhythm of stealth movement, his body somehow knowing how to distribute his weight and avoid the branches that would snap underfoot.
[STEALTH] has increased to Level 3!
[NIGHT MOVEMENT] - Level 2
New passive ability: Enhanced low-light navigation
After an hour of careful movement, they reached a ridge overlooking Gareth's supply depot. The site was exactly what Elena had described—a clearing with three large tents, several wagons, and a handful of guards who looked more bored than alert.
"Count four guards," Elena whispered, handing Ryo a small spyglass. "Two by the main tent, one walking a perimeter, and one who should be watching the road but is probably asleep."
Ryo studied the camp through the spyglass. The guards were armed but not armored, and their positions suggested they weren't expecting trouble. The depot itself was more storage area than military installation—exactly the kind of soft target that could be hit hard and fast.
"What's the plan?" he asked.
"We take out the sentries quietly, then torch everything we can't carry," Elena said. "The goal is to destroy as much of their supplies as possible and get out before reinforcements arrive."
"And if we get caught?"
"Then we fight our way out and hope we're faster than they are," Elena said grimly. "But if we do this right, they won't know what hit them until we're already gone."
Elena pulled out a curved dagger and checked its edge. "I'll take the perimeter guard first—he's isolated and his route brings him close to those trees. You wait here until I signal, then move down and deal with the one by the road."
"Deal with him how?"
"However you want, as long as he ends up dead and quiet," Elena said bluntly. "This isn't a tavern brawl, Ryo. These people are enemies who will kill you without hesitation if they get the chance."
Ryo nodded, trying to push down the voice in his head that was screaming about how wrong this felt. These guards weren't the bandits who'd attacked him yesterday—they were just men doing a job, probably with families and people who cared about them.
But they were also part of an organization that was planning to starve an entire village into submission. Sometimes there weren't any good choices, only necessary ones.
Elena disappeared into the shadows with barely a sound. Ryo watched through the spyglass as she stalked the perimeter guard, moving from tree to tree with the patience of a natural predator. When the guard passed beneath a low-hanging branch, Elena dropped behind him and her blade found his throat before he could make a sound.
The signal came a few minutes later—a brief flash of her shuttered lantern. Ryo made his way down the slope, using the same careful movement techniques that had gotten them this far. The guard by the road was exactly where Elena had said he'd be, slumped against a tree and snoring softly.
For a moment, Ryo hesitated. Killing someone in a fight was one thing—this felt like murder. But then he thought about the villagers who'd welcomed him, about Marcus helping repair his tavern, about the children he'd seen playing in Millhaven's streets.
[RESOLVE] has increased to Level 4!
[ASSASSINATION] - Level 1
Warning: First deliberate kill detected
Achievement unlocked: Crossing the Line
Ryo's hand moved without conscious thought, covering the guard's mouth while his other hand found the base of the man's skull. A single sharp twist, and the guard went limp. Clean, quiet, and probably painless.
He felt nothing. No guilt, no satisfaction, no emotional response at all. Just a cold certainty that he'd done what needed to be done.
Elena appeared beside him like a shadow. "Good. Clean work. Now let's finish this."
They moved through the camp systematically, Elena taking the remaining guards while Ryo focused on destroying supplies. Sacks of grain went into a pile for burning, weapons and armor got their leather straps cut, and anything that looked valuable found its way into the bags they'd brought.
"Ryo," Elena called softly from the main tent. "You need to see this."
Inside the tent, Elena had found what looked like a planning table covered with maps and documents. But it wasn't the strategic information that had caught her attention—it was the pile of correspondence sitting beside it.
"Gareth's not just some local bandit," Elena said, holding up a letter with an official-looking seal. "He's working for someone else. Someone with enough influence to get him military-grade equipment and professional soldiers."
Ryo scanned the letter over her shoulder. The handwriting was elegant, educated, and the language was formal enough to suggest nobility or high-ranking clergy.
"Can you make out the signature?"
"Partially," Elena said. "Looks like it starts with 'Lord' something, but the rest is smudged. What's clear is that Gareth's being paid to destabilize this entire region, not just rob travelers."
"Why would someone want to destabilize rural farming communities?"
"Lots of reasons," Elena said grimly. "Maybe they want to buy up land cheap after the current owners are driven out. Maybe they're planning to build something here and don't want to deal with existing settlements. Or maybe they just want chaos for its own sake."
She stuffed the letters into her pack along with the most important-looking maps. "Either way, this is bigger than we thought. Gareth's not going to give up just because we cost him some supplies."
They finished their work quickly, piling anything flammable in the center of the camp and soaking it with oil from the cooking supplies. Elena struck sparks with her flint and steel, and within minutes the depot was burning brightly enough to be seen for miles.
"Time to go," Elena said. "That fire's going to bring every bandit in the area running."
They made it halfway back to the tree line before the first shouts echoed from the direction of Gareth's main camp. Horses were being saddled and men were grabbing weapons, but they'd have to search the entire area to find two people moving carefully through familiar terrain.
[STEALTH OPERATIONS] has increased to Level 2!
[TACTICAL WITHDRAWAL] - Level 1
New skill acquired: [SABOTAGE] - Level 2
Experience bonus for successful mission completion
As they made their way back through the forest, Ryo found himself thinking about the guard he'd killed. The man's face had been peaceful in death, almost relieved. Maybe he'd been tired of the bandit life, or maybe he'd just been tired in general.
"You okay?" Elena asked quietly.
"I killed a man tonight," Ryo said. "I should probably feel something about that."
"Maybe you should," Elena agreed. "But maybe feeling nothing is what keeps you functional when you need to be. Not everyone's built for this kind of work, but those who are... well, they tend to survive longer."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?"
"It's supposed to be honest," Elena said. "We're not heroes, Ryo. We're just people doing what needs to be done to protect the things we care about. Sometimes that means making choices that decent people shouldn't have to make."
They reached the tunnel entrance just as dawn was beginning to lighten the eastern sky. Behind them, smoke was still rising from the ruins of Gareth's supply depot, and they could hear the distant sounds of angry men trying to salvage what they could.
"So what now?" Ryo asked.
"Now we wait," Elena said. "Gareth's going to be furious, and angry people make mistakes. We just have to take advantage."