My body ached from the intense training of the previous day, a deep, satisfying soreness that spoke of progress. "Argh," I groaned, stretching. It was worth it. I had learned the fundamentals of sword stance, deflection, thrust, and more.
I woke in my usual room and drank the water I kept on the bedside desk. Sigh, let's try to train more today.
My beloved longsword rested quietly within my storage magic. I ate a breakfast of unfamiliar, spiced meat and crisp crimson leaves. The cuisine was wildly different from what I was used to, but I'd already acquired a taste for it. Oh well, no time to nitpick.
Stepping outside, I was greeted by the village's lively atmosphere. Draughts moved with purpose, engrossed in their daily routines. It struck me how this world and my own shared a universal constant: the unyielding rhythm of daily work and duty. Everyone, it seemed, had rules to follow.
As I walked towards the training grounds, many Draughts greeted me with deep respect. I returned their gestures, feeling a mix of gratitude and unease. This unearned reverence, granted simply for being an outsider, was a heavy mantle to wear. I hope this war ends soon, before the innocent here are corrupted by its hatred.
---
[Training grounds]
Clang! Thunk! Clang!
The sound of metal crashing against metal echoed across the training ground, emanating from a fierce spar between two mage-swordsmen. The duel was so intense that others stopped their own practice to watch.
"Argh," I grunted in frustration. My opponent was incredibly strong. I kept swinging, hoping for a lucky hit, but it was useless. His defense was an impenetrable wall.
"Great Hero, you're trying too hard," my opponent said, deflecting my blows with the ease of someone swatting a fly. "There are other ways to break a defense, you know?" Argh, this is so annoying.
"Tell you what," he continued, suddenly stopping and shifting into an offensive stance. "As someone with more experience, I'll give you some guidance." I immediately mirrored him, settling into a defensive posture, ready to block anything from the front. Whatever he does—a swing, a thrust—I'll parry it.
The Draught smirked, reading my intentions as if they were written in the air. "Watch out!"
I braced my sword, ready to parry and counter-thrust. But he did something different. Instead of a direct frontal assault, he executed a perfectly horizontal swing aimed directly at the flat of my blade.
I tried to deflect, but the single, precise clash sent a jarring shock up my arms, wrenching them aside and leaving my torso completely exposed.
What!? How? It felt as if all the power had been drained from my limbs. My opponent rested his sword on the ground, a knowing smile on his face.
"H-how did you do that!?" I asked, genuinely astonished.
"It's simple. Your defense is immature. You shouldn't point your sword directly at your opponent if you hope to deflect. I applied a basic principle. When you focus all your power forward to deflect, you leave the sides of your blade vulnerable. Any attack targeting the blade itself from the side will render you defenseless, no matter how strong you think your guard is."
W-wow. I had never considered that. It was pure physics. I looked at my sword with newfound respect, realizing I was learning more with every clash. I will become stronger!
"Hehe, you've got a huge smile there," he teased. "Let's continue this spar, unless you're scared." An uncontrollable grin was indeed plastered on my face. There was no way I was stopping now. COME ON!
We resumed, our swords clashing in a fierce, metallic symphony.
---
[The northern area]
Dozens of Naughts lay heavily injured and bleeding on the ground, while others stared warily at the peak of a crimson mountain. There, a dark, humanoid entity with glowing white eyes held Cherry by the neck, her body limp as she struggled feebly against his grip.
---
[Cherry's POV]
It had begun as a routine day. Cherry was "training" the Naughts, a process that involved beating them until they were laid out on the ground. They took it in stride, laughing at their own continued defeats.
She watched them from a stone slab, a faint smile on her face, like a teacher observing determined, if clumsy, students. "Sigh, hopeless bunch," she said, shaking her head. In their relentless drive, she saw a reflection of her own past self.
Suddenly, a voice, cold and devoid of emotion, cut through the air. "Oh, found you~"
An explosion ripped through the center of the training ground, instantly killing several Naughts and leaving others maimed. From the smoke and debris emerged a dark figure wreathed in shadow, its only distinguishable features being two piercing white eyes fixed on Cherry.
"Huh? You're differen—" the creature began, but Cherry gave it no quarter. A magic bullet shot from her fingertips, aimed directly at its head.
"Such weak att—" Boom! It barely dodged, but the blast tore a massive hole through its left arm.
"This fucking—!" Its arm began to regenerate, but Cherry was already in motion, unleashing a relentless barrage of magic bullets.
"Heh, mortal." It vanished, reappearing behind her. But Cherry was faster, delivering a powerful back kick that sent it flying. "Guh!" The entity crashed through multiple structures before embedding itself in a mountainside with a thunderous impact.
She immediately turned her attention to the injured Naughts, channeling a vast amount of mana to heal them. The dead, however, were beyond her help.
The surviving Naughts weren't cowed; they were enraged by the unprovoked attack. They rallied around their leader as she worked.
Meanwhile, the dark being pulled itself from the rubble. "Tch, how can a mortal deal such damage?" it muttered, its form knitting back together. "I was going to ignore you, since you weren't my target. But since you insist on playing the hero, I'll give you a fitting end." It vanished once more.
Back on the battlefield, Cherry finished her healing. The remaining Naughts, alerted by the commotion, had gathered, ready to fight.
The dark being materialized among them, a wicked lance of shadow in its hand. It instantly impaled several Naughts who stood in its way. "Scram, PEASANTS!" it roared, charging toward Cherry.
Furious, Cherry met its charge. The dark being paused, hurling its lance with immense force before continuing its assault.
Cherry skidded to a halt, pulling her fist back. "HAAAHHH!" Boom! Her punch shattered the incoming lance, the recoil causing her to stagger. She steadied herself and charged again.
They collided in the center, each landing a powerful blow to the other's face. A shockwave erupted from the impact, throwing them apart. The dark being's head was vaporized.
"WHAT ARE YOUUUU!" it screamed, its head reforming instantly, dashing the Naughts' hopes.
Cherry's face was less damaged, and she healed it instantly with a flicker of magic. She looked at the creature with contempt; it had never been a true threat to her life.
"DESTROYYYYYYYY!!!!" it shrieked, charging again. Cherry met it head-on.
For a brutal minute, they exchanged blows until Cherry began to overpower it, finally blasting the creature away once more.
She was tiring, her energy and mana finite. This fight needed to end.
The being healed again, its rage palpable. "HOW!? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU MADE OF!?" It schemed, and its glowing eyes then darted toward the gathered Naughts watching the fight. A sinister smile twisted its features.
Cherry, recognizing its intent, screamed, "RUN AWAY!!!" But it was too late. The dark being shot toward the spectators. She had to follow.
The Naughts scattered, but the entity was faster. It appeared before them, forming another lance to skewer them.
As the lance descended, Cherry threw herself in its path, conjuring a shimmering barrier of light. The lance struck, held at bay.
"GOT YOUUUUUU!" The dark being unleashed a surge of energy that made the very air crackle. The lance, which had barely scratched the barrier, now shattered it effortlessly, piercing deep into Cherry's stomach.
"GAHH!" A cry of pure agony was torn from her lips. She collapsed, coughing up blood.
The Naughts, who had held back believing she didn't need help, now surged forward to attack.
"Tch, these peasants." The dark being grabbed Cherry by the hair and vanished, leaving the Naughts' attacks to hit empty air. They searched frantically until their eyes were drawn to the peak of a tall crimson mountain. The entity stood there, holding Cherry's limp form in a chokehold.
---
[Background]
"I'll have fun draining every drop of energy from your body, hehe," it sneered.
The Naughts below erupted in fury. They had been attacked, their kin killed, and now their leader was being mocked. Without a word, without a plan, they arrived at a single, desperate decision: to use the trump card they had trained for years to use against the Draughts.
"RAHHHHHHHHH!!" A collective roar shook the valley. A violent red energy began to erupt from each Naught. They were performing a forbidden martial art, one that channeled pure life force forged through near-fatal training.
AURA.
The energy suffused the air, a palpable pressure that weighed on everyone, especially the dark being.
"WHAT THE FUCK! Now what are these peasants doing!?" Its grip on Cherry weakened under the onslaught. Her nearly lifeless body slipped from its grasp and fell to the ground.
The Naughts' assault didn't end. The collective energy coalesced into a towering beast with red skin, two black horns, and savage eyes, wielding a giant axe.
It swung. Its purpose was singular: annihilation.
"No, no, no, no! How!? I must retreat! My body isn't strong enough yet!" The dark entity tried to flee, but it was too late. The axe's edge grazed its form, and its shadowy body began to disintegrate into nothingness.
"FUUUUCKKKK!! I'LL COME BACK AND GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE, MORTALS!!!!" Its voice echoed as it vanished from existence.
The spectral beast faded away. A wave of excruciating pain immediately washed over every Naught who had participated. Those who had stayed behind rushed forward with purple flasks—stolen from the Draughts—to heal the backlash of the aura.
The remaining Naughts rushed to Cherry's side. Her body was deathly pale, her muscles atrophied, her bones starkly visible beneath her skin.
Panic set in. They carried her to a hut and administered the healing flasks, but the effect was minimal. Soon, they ran out.
"Wh-what should we do? She doesn't have any mana left to sustain her life," one Naught cried, cradling Cherry's head.
The others stood in helpless silence, exchanging desperate looks.
"We have to reach out to the Draughts," declared a uniquely armored Naught, the army's general.
"Are you crazy!? They are our enemies!" several shouted back.
"I know! But we have no other choice! That dark being said she wasn't his target. That means whoever he is after must be with the Draughts. We must tell them the situation. This is no longer just our war; there's an outsider who plans to kill us all!" The grim logic hung in the air, undeniable.
"Well said, my brother," a voice spoke from the corner. A seasoned warrior stepped forward. "You cowards! Will you let our leader die like this? That bastard will return, and without her, we are lambs for slaughter! The only way to save her is with the Draughts' magic. A war is between two cats; there's no room for a monkey in this!" He glared at them, his rage a catalyst.
"Now what are you waiting for!? Prepare the transport! We are going to the land of the Draughts!"
The order was met with immediate action. They had no other choice. Their only path forward was to save their leader, even if it meant crossing into enemy lands.