POV: Yoshiya
The sound of steel striking steel echoed faintly across the battered walls of Korvath. The South Gate, once frantic with panicked civilians and scattered adventurers, now stood momentarily still. The last group of kobold raiders had been cut down, their bodies sprawled across the blood-stained cobblestones. Smoke curled upward from distant fires, blackening the sky like an omen.
Yoshiya wiped the sweat off his brow and turned toward Omina. She stood near the gate, blade dripping, chest rising and falling steadily—not exhausted, just focused. Beside her, their trained boars stamped their hooves impatiently, their tusks streaked with gore from the earlier skirmishes.
Then, Lia Shinsei arrived. Her once pristine uniform was torn and dirtied, a cut visible on her cheek. She half-ran, half-stumbled toward them, clutching a rolled-up parchment in one hand.
"Yoshiya! Omina!" she shouted, voice hoarse. "The North Gate has been breached. Chieftains and elites are pouring toward the Main Square. The west side's barely holding—thank the gods for the adventurers from Reflynne, or it would've fallen already."
Yoshiya's expression tightened. "What about here?"
"For now, the South Gate's clear," Lia replied, catching her breath. "But the Central District's collapsing. Fires, rubble, civilians trapped everywhere. I'm ordering you two to lead rescue and evacuation efforts. We don't have enough healers or beast-handlers to open paths."
Without hesitation, Yoshiya nodded. "Understood."
---
The streets of Korvath's heart were chaos incarnate. Flames licked the sides of timber houses, thick smoke made every breath sting, and terrified citizens huddled behind fallen beams or broken walls.
Yoshiya took charge quickly, his voice cutting through the panic.
"Boars, forward! Clear that debris!"
The beasts snorted and charged, slamming their tusks into collapsed beams and overturned carts, creating escape corridors through the destruction. Omina led small adventurer squads, slicing through kobold patrols that strayed into the district. Her movements were sharp, decisive—no wasted effort.
Meanwhile, Yoshiya knelt beside the wounded, weaving healing light through broken bones and burns, stabilizing people faster than most medics could even assess them. His hands glowed steadily, but his eyes were constantly scanning the battlefield, thinking three steps ahead.
"Block the alley near the old bakery!" he ordered a nearby spearman. "It's a funnel point. If kobolds get through there, the evac line will collapse."
The man obeyed without question. Yoshiya wasn't just healing anymore—he was commanding.
---
As they moved deeper, Yoshiya noticed the pattern.
The kobolds hadn't randomly swarmed the city—they'd punctured Korvath's defenses like a blade, breaching the North Gate and pushing toward the Main Square with frightening precision. The South Gate, ironically, was their blind spot—likely a strategic decision to funnel defenders north.
They knew exactly where to strike, he thought grimly. Korvath's layout works against us in a siege… narrow alleys, wooden houses… easy to burn, easy to choke movement.
He glanced at Omina, who was helping an elderly woman climb onto a wagon. Her eyes met his for a brief second, wordlessly syncing their efforts. They didn't need to speak. One led, the other struck—they'd always been that way.
---
Then, it came—a roar, not from beast nor man, but something deeper. It ripped through the streets like a shockwave, vibrating through Yoshiya's chest. Even the boars froze, ears twitching.
"That…" one adventurer whispered, paling. "That came from the Main Square…"
Before Yoshiya could respond, a massive column of black smoke rose above the rooftops, twisting into the air like a serpent.
And through the distant echoes, they heard it—a battle cry.
Raw. Furious. Unmistakable.
Kaito.
Omina's hand instinctively went to her sword hilt. Yoshiya exhaled, steadying himself.
"He's fighting alone," he muttered. "Of course he is…"
Lia reappeared from a nearby alley, leading another group of evacuees. "Yoshiya!" she called. "The center's on fire—literally and figuratively. If you're going to move, do it now!"
Yoshiya glanced at Omina. She gave a short nod. No words were needed.
"Alright," he said, gripping his staff tightly. "Let's move toward the Main Square."
The battle for Korvath had only just begun.