A deep, starless night shrouded the forest where they hid. Rian's mind flashed back to his final training sessions, to the sheer struggle of just landing a single touch on Bebegig. Now, before him stood an opponent of the same tier as his late master. The thought sent a cold sweat trickling down his spine, and he made a decision. He would return to the village and pray the bandits didn't follow.
"Alright, let's head back," Rian announced, his voice tight. "The rescue mission is complete."
Livi and Catty nodded in agreement.
They leaped through the canopy, their movements swift as they worked to erase any trace of their trail. When they finally arrived back at the village, the chieftain and RQ's parents were waiting anxiously for their return. A wave of pure joy washed over their faces the moment they saw Catty carrying a safe and sound RQ.
"Thank you. Thank you for saving our daughter," the chieftain said, his voice thick with emotion. "Words are not enough, but we have nothing else left to give you. Please, forgive us. But there is one thing we can offer: the respect of Cikubangsari village. You are our heroes, and whenever you pass this way again, we will welcome you with open arms. Thank you, young Rian, Catty, and you as well, Livi."
Meanwhile, back at the bandit camp, fury was a living thing. The boss stared at the bodies of his five dead men, his face a mask of rage. The hostage was gone. He gathered his dozens of remaining men, his voice a low growl that promised violence. "How could you let this happen?" he snarled. "Tomorrow morning, we burn that village to the ground. I know where the lion-kin's village is. We'll take every young woman we find and sell them to cover the loss of my men!"
Back in the chieftain's house, the earlier anxiety had melted into a quiet calm. RQ's parents could finally close their eyes and rest. To ease RQ's lingering trauma from the kidnapping, Catty stayed with her, the two of them falling asleep together.
Sunlight began to filter through the gaps in the cloth curtains, and the gentle chirping of morning birds soothed Rian as he awoke to a bright, clear day. Then, a frantic pounding shattered the peace. "BANG! BANG! BANG!" A man's voice shouted from outside. "Chieftain, this is an emergency! Open the door! I have an urgent report!"
RQ's father, startled by the commotion, hurried to open the door. A forest scout, one of the men assigned to watch the perimeter, stood there, panting.
"Sir, dozens of bandits are heading this way! They plan to destroy the village!" he said, his voice laced with panic. "And their leader… he's an Epic-tier adventurer."
Hearing this, panic painted itself across the chieftain's face. At that same moment, Rian came down from his room and asked what was happening. The chief explained the situation again, his voice trembling slightly.
"It seems the bandits who took RQ have found us. What do we do? They're led by an Epic-tier adventurer. His power is said to be equal to that of a regional hero."
The words 'Epic-tier' struck Rian like a physical blow. It was the same rank his master had held. He remembered the impossible difficulty of just touching Bebegig, and a raw, visceral panic seized him. "Can I really protect Cikubangsari this time?" he asked himself, his voice a silent whisper. He stood frozen, the chieftain's words echoing in his mind.
"If I had known this would happen, I should have just fought him last night," he muttered, clenching his fists in frustration. "Because of me, the people I need to protect are going to suffer." He excused himself and went back to his room.
A moment later, a raw shout of frustration tore from his room. Catty, hearing it from RQ's room, rushed over. "Rian, are you okay? What's wrong? Why did you scream?" she asked, her own voice filled with panic.
"It's nothing. I'm just… confused," Rian said, his hands trembling as he clenched and unclenched them. "I have to fight a bandit who's the same tier as Gramps. I couldn't even touch Gramps."
"Are you scared, Rian?" Catty asked, her voice soft with concern.
"Yes. I'm terrified," he admitted, his voice cracking. "When I think about Gramps' power… and I have to face that now… I'm not ready." His hands shot up, grabbing his own hair as the frustration became unbearable.
"Rian," Catty said, gently taking his trembling hand in hers. "This isn't your burden to bear alone. If you're scared, you can leave. Save yourself. What about your promise? Yes, I know. But your life is precious to me, too. The promise you made to me… I wouldn't mind if you broke it."
"But… I can't," Rian said, his voice thick with frustration. "Even without the promise, I want to help this village."
"If that's what you want, then you're not alone," Catty said, her grip firm and steady. "You still have me, Livi, and the others. This isn't your burden alone. Let's face this together, if your wish is to save this village from them."
"If I die," Rian said, his face a mask of fear and worry, "I want you to run. Save yourself. I want you to live. Don't become a victim of my selfish desire to protect this place."
"No, Rian," Catty said, her voice sharp and resolute. "I will live and die with you. If you die, then my life has no purpose. So you have to stay alive if you want me to live. Understand?"
"Okay… I understand," Rian said, a flicker of resolve returning to his eyes. "I'll do my best to survive. I want to protect this village."
"Good," Catty said, a small, teasing smile touching her lips. "You look handsome when you're confident."
"Alright," Rian said, a faint blush rising on his cheeks. "Let's go face what's coming." He took her hand and led her downstairs.
There were about fifteen to twenty people who could fight, including Rian, Catty, Livi, RQ, and the chieftain. The other villagers were gathered and sent to the village church for shelter. The chief gave the order to prepare for the bandits' arrival.
It wasn't long before one of the lookouts shouted, "Bandits spotted, coming from the forest!" The chieftain ordered his forces to prepare for battle. Armed with simple weapons, they stood firm, ready to protect their home.
Rian quickly gathered Catty, Livi, and RQ to lay out a strategy.
"RQ, I need you to protect the women and guard the church area. Ready your bow and use your skills to keep the villagers safe." RQ nodded and immediately headed for the church.
"Catty and Livi," he continued, "protect the villagers who are in danger, including the village fighters. I'm counting on your strength to keep them safe. Make sure the chieftain survives. Once the situation stabilizes, if you can, help me fight the boss. I'm going to intercept him first, keep him from entering the village. I'll duel him myself."
Livi and Catty nodded in understanding and joined the village fighters. Rian scanned the approaching horde, searching for the boss. Once he found him, he would engage.
The bandits crashed into the village defenses with brutal force. A fierce battle erupted, the clang of steel on steel echoing through the air. Villagers and bandits traded blows, and soon the ground was littered with the wounded. Just as a villager was cut down, Livi was there, cleaving through the bandit who had wounded him. With incredible agility, Livi and Catty became a whirlwind of motion—leaping, running, slashing here, stabbing there.
The chieftain was struggling, locked in a duel with a bandit who was much larger than him. Livi appeared at his side. He channeled wind magic into his sword and focused his mana into his legs. He exploded forward, deftly dodging a swing and slashing the bandit's arm. He leaped back, cut the man's leg, then vaulted into the air and brought his blade down on his head. The chieftain was safe.
Elsewhere, Catty was a vision of deadly grace with her crescent-bladed scythe. She spun the weapon in wide, sweeping arcs, keeping any bandit from getting close. One leaped at her, but she sidestepped and jabbed him with the butt of the polearm. As another bandit closed in from the other side, she pulled the weapon free and reversed her strike, the sharp crescent blade finding its mark.
From a distance, Rian saw it: a green glint from a necklace on a powerfully built man. He was huge, muscular, and shirtless, wielding a massive axe with a long handle. Without a second thought, Rian moved, heading straight for the man who matched Livi's description of the boss.
The boss noticed him. He turned, a cruel smile on his face, and readied his axe to attack.