Takeshi stood proudly before the massive crowd, with every gaze fixed upon him.
"Who's that fool?"
"Probably one of those stupid villagers, hahahaha!!"
"But to break down that enormous door… That's almost impossible for an ordinary human."
Whispers spread among those wearing the same green cloak, while the chained villagers stared in shock and disbelief.
Souta entered the hall carrying Eve on his back. The moment Eve saw what was inside, she shouted:
"They're the villagers!"
From what Takeshi could tell, they were part of a gang, since they all wore the same outfit—just like the Skull King's gang.
"Eeeeeeve!!"
One of the chained villagers forced himself up, breaking the rusty chains that held him, and shouted her name.
He was a bearded man with black hair like Eve's, and eyes just as bright. In other words, he was Eve's father—Aaron.
Before Eve could say a word, Aaron was slammed into the wall by one of the gang members.
"D–Dad!!"
Eve screamed, choking on her sob, while Aaron looked up to see the man holding a sword. Fear filled his heart—not of dying, but of dying in front of his daughter, leaving a wound in her soul that would never heal.
The man raised his sword high and sneered:
"You should've closed your ears and pretended you saw nothing, you idiot!"
He brought the blade closer to Aaron's neck, smiling cruelly.
"People like you—talentless trash—deserve death! But we, who are far above you, have shown mercy and pity for your weakness. Simply put, you should accept the fate that we decide—"
Before he could finish, his head slammed against the opposite wall, right beside a jar filled with farming tools. His nose broke along with the wall, leaving a fresh, clear imprint of a fist on his face.
"And who are you to decide that?"
Takeshi stood there, arm still extended. Aaron looked up at him with wide eyes, stunned—just like everyone else in the hall, both the chained and the criminals.
At the broken doorway, Souta set Eve down and took a deep breath. The faint spark of hope in his heart had turned into a flame of courage that burned through his veins. He shouted:
"Have you given up so easily?! Have you abandoned your pride, your homes, and your farms to strangers?! Instead of fear and cowardice—stand up and fight bravely! If you don't, then what's the meaning of being from Eldra Village, untouched by evil for generations?!"
The villagers hesitated. They wanted to stand, to fight—but they couldn't even bring themselves to speak. Souta's words stirred their hearts, yet it still wasn't enough.
"Why?"
Eve spoke in a trembling voice that barely reached Souta beside her. Then she clenched her teeth, tears in her eyes, and screamed:
"Why are you waiting for outsiders to save us?! Why aren't you like my mom, who refused to abandon our home no matter how small it was?! Why are you still so afraid?!"
No one expected such words to come from an eight-year-old girl—scolding men, women, even children older than herself.
The gang members all drew their weapons from under their green cloaks—swords, axes, and sharp knives. Then, their leader stepped forward: a huge man covered in red tattoos, reeking of blood, holding a massive spear taller than any grown man. His name was Kursh.
He glanced at the villagers, then fixed his gaze on Souta and Eve.
"You've signed your own death warrants. The fate of these villagers was already decided—to become slaves for a handful of gold coins."
The villagers could barely comprehend what was happening when Takeshi muttered softly, his voice filled with regret that only those near him could hear:
"The fear of trying… the fear of facing the unknown… Damn it, those are traits that fill me with regret."
Then he raised his voice so everyone could hear:
"Fear of death is a blessing, but sometimes that blessing turns into a cursed burden—and when it does, you must break it."
He pointed his hand sharply toward Kursh and continued:
"You can choose to fight for your freedom, or stay silent and lose what's left of it! There's no shame in dying for your goal! Die with dignity, rather than live in chains!"
A boy, about twelve years old, barely standing on his trembling legs, cried out:
"I want to fight—!"
His mother tried to pull him back silently, afraid for his life. But his courage, along with the words of Takeshi, Souta, and Eve, ignited something deep within the others.
Men, women, children, and elders—all rose up. They broke their fragile chains and ran toward the farming tools before the eyes of the gang.
As the villagers moved, the gang prepared to attack—but Kursh stopped them at the last moment, shouting:
"Stop! We're leaving."
Everyone froze—the villagers, the gang, Souta, and Takeshi alike. None of them expected the gang leader to retreat so easily.
Kursh lowered his spear and stared deeply at Takeshi.
"Don't think you're the reason I'm backing off. In fact, you've disappointed me."
Takeshi frowned.
"Disappointed you?"
"The only thing that sets you apart from these villagers is your physical strength. Beyond that, you're a complete failure with no talent. I'm leaving not because of you, but because I don't want to damage my merchandise's appearance. We'll be gone now—but I'm sure we'll meet again, in Galleon City."
He turned and left, leaving Takeshi stunned. Takeshi tried to stop him, but a hand rested on his shoulder—it was Aaron.
"That's enough. You've saved us… truly, thank you."
Eve came running toward them, crying, and leapt into her father's arms. Her tears soaked his shirt and the wounds across his body.
The gang left the village, heading south. Minutes passed after the incident as the villagers reorganized themselves. The village elder personally approached Takeshi and Souta to reward them for saving Eldra.
"Take this, young men."
He handed them a small pouch filled with coins. Takeshi wanted to refuse, to say something noble like,
"There's no need for that, as long as you're safe,"
or,
"I can't accept this—it was my duty to help."
But his empty pockets and current situation convinced him otherwise. Inside the pouch were about six hundred silver coins—equal to six gold pieces. A decent reward, though not nearly enough for their bravery.
Takeshi and Souta headed to their carriage even though it was already night. Takeshi didn't want to waste any more time; his biggest fear was that his sword might already have been sold or taken far away. The sooner they reached their destination, the better. Though the villagers offered them a place to stay, they refused and chose to leave.
The carriage rolled out of Eldra Village. Takeshi leaned against a pile of hay in the back while Souta sat at the front, holding the reins of a new horse the villagers had given them—the previous one was too exhausted. The moonlight lit the road ahead.
"If you get sleepy, tell me so we can switch," Takeshi said.
Souta chuckled, hiding his fatigue.
"Don't worry, I'm blazing with energy!"
Sleep crept over Takeshi's eyes—he'd exhausted himself today. Covering his face with a hand, he muttered:
"Do you think that girl's mother is okay?"
"You mean Eve's mother? She should be fine; her injuries were minor."
Back in the village, at Eve's house, the door creaked open. Eve and Aaron stepped inside—only to be met by the sight of Eve's mother lying against the wall, a faint smile on her face.
"Mom, we're home!"
Eve didn't understand yet, but Aaron froze. The smell of blood and death filled the room.
"Mom? Are you sleeping?"
A tear rolled down Aaron's cheek. He dropped to his knees, covering his face with trembling hands.
"Eve… your mother—your mother is gone!!"
"Huh?"
The sparkle in Eve's eyes faded under the moonlight streaming through the crack in the wall, replaced by tears.
Her sobs grew louder as reality sank in, until she too fell to her knees and cried her heart out.