Stampede at the Desolate Village

“I believe you’re already aware, Lord Yuri, but Alf Village is currently boxed in by four different nations.”

“The Trismalis Demon Kingdom, the Huge Beast Kingdom, the Holy Principality of Ames, and the Dragunov Empire. I know the names, of course. But there’s been no sign of any of them mobilizing for an Attack, has there?”

“That is true, certainly. However, the issue is the inverse. Even if the village were on the brink of ruin, not one of them would lift a finger to help. The Kingdom of Inraku is no different in that regard.”

“So, it’s a land everyone treats as a nuisance. Honestly, I’m surprised anyone still lives there.”

If I were one of the villagers, I’d have abandoned this place within days.

I wondered if there was some specific reason they couldn’t leave.

“I’m not privy to the exact circumstances of the village’s founding,” Alan continued, “but the population is mostly elderly. There are very few young people left. They can barely scrape by a living; they certainly aren't wealthy. It’s possible they simply lack the physical or mental energy to seek a life elsewhere.”

If that were the case, I’d need a strategy to attract outsiders. Improving the living conditions and finding a way to defend against external threats would have to be my first steps. Since I’d be the one doing most of the heavy lifting, my absolute priority for the time being was honing my magic.

“I see. But if the village has managed to survive this long in that state, does that mean there aren't many Monsters in the area?”

“No, quite the opposite. I’ve heard the original farmland was ravaged by Monsters. However, the village is so close to total collapse that there’s nothing left to steal. The Monsters likely don't see the point in attacking a graveyard.”

So the Monsters were there; they just didn't find the villagers worth the effort. On the bright side, securing a steady supply of meat might be easier than I thought.

“Thanks, Alan. That helps.”

I finally had a clear picture. There was nothing there—I’d be starting this development project from zero.

“By the way, Lord Yuri. Regarding the reward money for capturing those bandits... how would you like me to handle it?”

“Ah, that...”

No matter how much gold I had for initial expenses, it probably wouldn't be enough. However, I didn’t expect to have much use for currency myself once I actually reached the village.

“Could you hold onto it for me? I want you to use that money to buy whatever supplies you think the village will need and have them transported there.”

“I see. A wise move. Weapons, food... perhaps clothing as well?”

“Exactly. And if you know anyone you’d personally vouch for, I want you to invite them to the village.”

“...You don't want just anyone?”

I understood his hesitation. The frontier was a place no one in their right mind wanted to go. If I started getting picky about the personnel, we’d likely end up with no one at all. Alan stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“You realize I have no idea how many people I can actually find under those conditions, right?”

“That’s fine. I’m not expecting a crowd to form overnight.”

Still, it wasn't a total gamble. In the final acts of the original story, when the Royal Capital was destined to be swallowed by the fires of war, there was a scene where the commoners fled to the frontier to escape the carnage. If I could establish proper facilities now, Alf Village would become a prime candidate for those refugees.

The only problem was that by the time the plot reached that point, the fact that I was one of the masterminds behind the scenes would be common knowledge throughout the kingdom. I had to build up enough merit before then to have that region officially recognized as my land—to become a Lord in my own right.

To achieve that...

“It would be great if a Dragon or something showed up. I could rack up some serious achievements quickly that way.”

“Hahaha! Lord Yuri, there are no Dragons in this region. At best, you might find an Earth Dragon, but their hides are basically just rocks. You can't use them for materials, and the meat is too tough to eat. They’re a completely unpopular hunt.”

“I’m joking, obviously. No matter how much I’ve improved, I’m not crazy enough to pick a fight with a Dragon.”

“I should hope not. It takes dozens of veteran warriors who have exceeded Level fifty just to bring one of those things down.”

We shared a laugh. But deep down, I knew that the world was going to eventually demand that level of results from me. I needed to start preparing to kill one, just in case.

“Well, I should get moving. Sorry for taking up so much of your time.”

“Not at all. I wish I could have offered you better hospitality, but I apologize for the lack of preparation.”

“Don't worry about it. I’ll make sure you pay me back with interest when you finally visit my territory.”

“Hahaha, please, go easy on me.”

With Alan seeing us off, we finally began the final leg of our journey toward Alf Village.

A few days later.

Just as we were closing in on the village, my Presence Detection picked up an anomaly—an absurd, sickening number of Monsters.

Wait, I can harvest Magic Stones from Monsters, can't I?

My stock of Magic Stones for researching the refrigerator was running low. This was the perfect chance to replenish.

“Fee, hold on! I’m going to speed us up!”

“Understood-no! Wait, wha—eeeeeeeeek!”

I didn't just speed up the horses. I used wind magic to literally launch the carriage and everything in it, rocket-blasting us toward our destination via the shortest possible route.

---

Alf Village sat at the furthest northwestern edge of the Kingdom of Inraku.

Worn down by relentless Monster attacks, the buildings were shells on the verge of collapse. The fields had been trampled into dust, and with the wells gone dry, the few remaining inhabitants had to risk their lives dodging predators just to fetch water from the river. The population had dwindled to almost nothing.

Currently, the only residents were the Village Head’s family of three and a handful of others. They had already sent a request to the nearest town—though "nearest" was still several days away—to arrange for an evacuation.

Fritz, an Apprentice Mercenary, was the one who had accepted the job of escorting the Village Head during the move.

He carried a Spear longer than he was tall and wore a sword with a notched, battered blade at his hip. He was a tall man, and the jagged scar across his face gave him the look of a grizzled veteran. In reality, he’d gotten the scar falling down as a child; it had nothing to do with the Mercenary trade.

“Man, this is a joke. I can’t believe this was the only job left on the board.”

The frontier was a long, grueling trip. Escorting a group of elderly people meant the journey would take ten days at a minimum. For all that work, the reward was a measly ten Silver Coins. Considering a stay at a halfway decent inn cost a Silver Coin per night, he was looking at a massive deficit.

That was why the request had sat gathering dust for weeks. Fritz, who had been so broke he didn't know where his next meal was coming from, had only taken it on the condition that the Mercenary Guild pay half the reward as an advance. It was a desperate move for a desperate man.

“Let’s just get this done and get paid. This isn't the kind of place you want to linger.”

He’d heard the area was dangerous. Usually, the Monsters here spent more time fighting each other than humans, and as long as you didn't cause a scene, they generally left you alone. Still, Fritz moved with his breath held, trying to reach his destination without being spotted.

Finally, the village—or rather, the collection of ruins that used to be a village—came into view.

“Finally...”

There didn't look to be anywhere to rest, but he couldn't afford to waste more money anyway. He started looking for his client.

Rumble... rumble...

The ground began to vibrate.

“Huh? What’s that?”

Fritz looked around, but the source was invisible. The sound grew, shifting from a low hum to a violent roar.

RUMBLE, RUMBLE...!!

Then, he saw it. Or rather, he saw the cloud of dust that blotted out the horizon. He didn't want to believe what his eyes were telling him.

It was a tide of Monsters. Thousands of them. Most were relatively weak Wolf types, but in those numbers, they were a force of nature. The horde was pouring out of the forest, a straight line of teeth and claws aimed directly at Alf Village.

“I-I have to get out of here!”

Panicking, Fritz scrambled to find the client. He finally spotted an old man shuffling slowly toward him.

“Oh... are you the Mercenary?”

“I am! Are you the Village Head?”

“I am. My name is—”

“Forget the introductions! We have to move! There’s a horde of Monsters coming right for us!”

The Village Head turned his head slowly toward the thundering sound.

“So, it’s finally happened. I always feared this day would come...”

The village had been hit before, many times. The attacks had tapered off once the place became a ghost town, but the threat had always been lingering in the shadows. To Fritz’s shock, the old man didn't look frightened. He simply looked at the young Mercenary.

“Sir Mercenary. I appreciate you coming all this way, but I’m releasing you from your contract. Please, escape while you still can.”

“What?! But what about you?”

“You cannot save us from a tide like that. Not while trying to run. Take this—it’s the signed completion form. The job is done.”

The Village Head signed the parchment with a steady hand and thrust it at Fritz.

“B-But—”

“Go! There is no time for sentiment! Run!”

Fritz turned and began to bolt. He took three steps, then stopped.

Is this really how I go out? Running away?

He’d become a Mercenary because he’d been saved by one when bandits attacked his home years ago. He’d wanted to be that hero for someone else.

If I don't stand my ground now, when will I ever?

His hands were shaking so hard he could barely grip his Spear. He forced a jagged, terrified smile onto his face and spun around. Instead of running away, he charged straight at the dust cloud.

“Uooooooh! You won’t get past me!”

Driven by a surge of adrenaline he didn't know he possessed, Fritz began to tear into the lead rank. One Wolf fell, then another.

“Next! Bring it on!”

His eyes were bloodshot, his vision narrowing. Teeth grazed his arms and legs, but he didn't feel the pain. He was a dervish of desperate steel. But the numbers were too high. By the time he’d killed a dozen, his knees buckled.

His Spear had snapped in two. He’d drawn his sword, but the notched edge was now completely blunt, the tip broken off in a Wolf’s hide.

“Is this... it?”

He’d stood by his beliefs, but as he stared at the encroaching wall of fur, he felt nothing but regret. If only I were stronger...

A Wolf leaped, its jaws opening in slow motion. Fritz closed his eyes and braced for the end.

THUMP.

A heavy, sickening thud echoed. Fritz opened his eyes in confusion. The Wolf that should have been tearing his throat out was gone. In its place stood a boy with a fearless smirk, a Beastman girl, a shattered carriage, and a horse currently bolting for the horizon.

Did... did a carriage just fall out of the sky?

Fritz was catatonic. The boy spoke up, ignoring the carnage around him.

“I knew it. A Stampede. Flying here was the right call, Fee. Look at all these Magic Stones!”

“I told you-no! Don't use wind magic to launch the carriage-no! I thought my heart was going to stop-no!”

“Worry about that later. We have work to do! Look at all these Wolves... I mean, look at all this treasure!”

“Wolf monsters are dangerous-no! Be careful!”

“I’ll be fine. I can use area-of-effect spells now. Fee, get the bait ready.”

“Understood-no.”

Uttering nonsense, the boy raised a hand. In an instant, a massive pit opened in the earth. A few Wolves tumbled in, but compared to the size of the horde, it was barely a dent.

Then the Beastman girl acted.

“Hup, nano!”

She tossed a hunk of raw meat into the pit.

The Wolves nearest the hole twitched their noses. Driven by hunger and instinct, they ignored the humans and began leaping into the pit of their own accord, piling on top of each other to get at the meat.

“I figured they were starving because the village was empty!” the boy shouted.

“Yu—Lord Yuri! It’s going to overflow-no!”

“Seal it! Onto the next one!”

The boy dropped a massive slab of stone over the hole like a lid, then opened another pit further down the line. Over and over, they repeated the process. Before Fritz could even process what he was seeing, the terrifying horde had been neatly filed away underground.

“N-No way...”

Fritz watched them work, unable to accept that this was reality.