Two puppets in the likeness of Tris and Rin stepped out into the light.
Each of their hands gripped a weapon—a dagger in the left, and in the right, the wooden club once wielded by the invaders.
Seeing the two children armed, stepping over the corpses at the doorway and emerging outside, the villagers recoiled in fear.
"Murderers! We sheltered you for the night, and this is how you repay us?"
A woman shouted, pointing angrily.
Then, from somewhere in the darkness, a voice rang out:
"You damn well ought to be ashamed."
At the same time, a 'magic bullet' hidden in the darkness was fired, instantly blowing apart the head of the woman who had shouted earlier.
The sudden scene threw the villagers into chaos. And to worsen the turmoil, the puppets of Tris and Rin charged into the crowd.
They attacked indiscriminately, adult or child, man or woman, striking down everyone before them.
The villagers, of course, were not ordinary folk. Each one possessed combat ability, and even the children seemed to have undergone training. Yet every attempt at resistance was crushed.
Despite their numbers, the fight tilted entirely toward the two emotionless children. They moved too swiftly for anyone to even graze their clothes. Swords, spears, and arrows all missed their mark.
Each swing of their blades spilled blood.
Their seemingly slender arms wielded the wooden club with terrifying speed and strength, felling grown men with ease. Attempts to surround them collapsed instantly.
Thus, the two continued their relentless slaughter, cutting down villager after villager. The scene resembled two starving wolves tearing into a flock of chickens.
By now, the villagers realized the vast gulf between themselves and the children they had once thought easy prey.
Overcome with fear, they began to scatter, desperate to flee. Each cared only for their own life, abandoning even their children to fend for themselves.
Those slower than the adults quickly became the first victims.
Tris had no intention of letting anyone who gathered here tonight survive. Children raised in such a twisted environment, if left alive after their parents were slain, would only grow into future threats. Tris would not make such a foolish mistake.
Amid screams and cries, the puppets' weapons swung mercilessly, ending life after life without hesitation.
. . .
A large group of villagers ran toward the village gate, desperate to escape.
Seeing the gate right before their eyes, their faces lit up with joy and hope. But that hope quickly vanished, replaced by despair.
From atop the watchtower near the gate, Tris leapt down, blocking the entrance.
In his hand was a small knife still stained with fresh blood. It was not hard to guess that the guard stationed on the tower had already been dealt with.
Channeling a bit of spiritual energy, Tris flicked the blood from the blade and tucked it back at his waist. Then he drew his familiar black sword and charged at the villagers.
Realizing that the one they thought was behind them now stood directly ahead, panic spread through the crowd. They immediately turned to flee in another direction. Yet Tris's speed was overwhelming; five of them were cut down in an instant.
Seeing the remaining villagers scatter in all directions, he did not give chase. Instead, he turned toward the gate and cast a magic upon it to prevent anyone inside from escaping easily.
Now the villagers were like fish trapped in a net, beasts locked in a cage, with no way out. The two of them did not need to rush; they could take their time and wipe out the entire village.
. . .
This village had two entrances. While many tried to flee through the main gate, others sought escape through the smaller side gate on the opposite end.
Unluckily for them, someone was already waiting there, ready to block their path.
That side gate also had a watchtower built beside it. The guard stationed there was already dead, the cause of death a 'Magic Bullet' that struck precisely in the head.
Of course, Rin was not the one who did it, as she had only just begun learning magic. The true 'culprit' was 'Feathers', one of Tris's puppets.
Rin herself was hiding near the rear entrance of the village.
As soon as the crowd of villagers came into view, she raised her hand, activated the ring she wore, and fired a 'Fire Ball' straight into the center of the group.
The explosion instantly killed three and wounded many others around them. Immediately after, a second 'Fire Ball' was launched, killing and injuring even more.
Keeping the last shot in reserve, Rin drew her weapon and charged forward while the villagers were still reeling in confusion and panic.
Her warpick came crashing down, shattering the skull of one man and killing him instantly.
Another nearby, enraged, thrust his spear at Rin by reflex. But she deftly raised her small shield to deflect it, then countered with a precise swing of her warpick into his side.
The impact and injury dropped him to the ground, gasping in pain.
Rin stepped forward and delivered a crushing blow to his head, ending him at once.
Looking around afterward, she saw that the remaining villagers had already seized the chance to flee.
Tris's decision to unleash his puppets on the villagers earlier had shattered nearly all of their will to resist. As a result, they now prioritized escape over fighting.
Since Rin had been instructed only to guard the gate, she did not bother chasing those who fled and remained at her post.
Some of the wounded from the earlier 'Fire Ball' blasts still lay groaning on the ground, not yet dead. Rin then approached and methodically finished them off one by one.
. . .