Chapter 15: The Ambush
Just as they jumped outside the coach, they saw many monsters—wolf-like creatures, double in size and triple in power, who typically lived in groups of four or six—surrounding the line of coaches.
The ground trembled slightly with their movements. The air was filled with the smell of fur, blood, and dust, while the passengers inside the coaches could only watch in terror.
"What is all this? He didn't tell me there would be this many monsters," Hira said in a shocked, surprised voice.
Rema, seeing the scene before her, clenched her sword tightly and said in a loud voice with glaring eyes, "Don't tell me, Hira, this is the reason why the driver wanted to talk to you—"
But before she could finish, the monsters began their attack, charging at them like a storm of claws and teeth.
Without hesitation, both of them drew their weapons and began countering the assault.
One monster ran at high speed, jumping toward Rema, aiming to slash her face with its long, metallic claws. She swiftly stepped aside, letting the monster land just in front of her, then spun and thrust her sword straight through its heart. The creature howled once before collapsing.
Another lunged at her side, but she turned her blade in a smooth motion and pierced through its chest. Blood splattered against the dirt, and her sharp eyes tracked the next threat. Six monsters attacked her one after another, but each one met the same end.
Hira, on the other hand, fought one monster while watching the battlefield closely. His movements were calm, almost methodical.
"This isn't a normal monster attack," he said in a serious tone as he cut through another creature. "They don't live in packs this big… there are at least thirty or forty of them. Something's off."
He looked around sharply, noticing the monsters' glowing eyes all fixed in one direction.
"And it looks like they're attracted to your red hair," he added, his tone even more serious.
"I know that already!" Rema shouted back. "I just want to know if this is the reason the driver wanted to talk to you—did you already know about—"
"Rema, protect the coach and kill as many monsters as you can! I'll check the front coaches and find the driver!" Hira yelled, cutting her off before running off as fast as he could, dodging another monster's strike.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Rema screamed angrily, swinging her sword to block a lunging beast. Monsters blocked her path, forcing her back. Rage burned in her chest.
She didn't dodge this time—she swung her sword in a furious arc, slicing the monster clean in half at the stomach.
Another monster charged at her at high speed. Rema ran straight toward it.
Slash!
With one motion, she severed its head. Blood sprayed the air. Seeing this, the remaining monsters hesitated, their growls lowering to uneasy whimpers.
The Front Line
On the other side of the line, near the leading coaches, two muscular men—bodyguards clad in dull iron armor—fought desperately with long spears.
"Aah! Die, you monsters!" the first man roared as he impaled a creature through its chest.
"Hey! Don't shout so loud! More of them will come—it's already dark!" the second man yelled back, sweat dripping from his temple.
"Oh, you think if we whisper, the monsters will politely ignore us?" the first man replied sarcastically, blocking another strike.
Before they could continue, Hira appeared from behind, startling both of them.
"Where's the driver?" he asked sharply.
The two men flinched, realizing they hadn't even noticed him approaching through the chaos.
"He's inside one of the two front coaches! Check them!" the second man said quickly, thrusting his spear at another monster.
"Thank you," Hira said, running forward.
There were three ekkas, four coaches, and one large coach in total. As he reached the first coach in the line, he yanked the door open.
"Driver, are you alright?" he asked in a serious, controlled voice.
"No, I'm not," the driver groaned painfully. He sat hunched inside, his left arm bleeding from an arrow wound. A single bodyguard, larger than most, stood beside him.
"Someone attacked me with an arrow," the driver said through clenched teeth. "I tried to keep driving, but a woman—or maybe a girl—suddenly ran across the road. I had to stop or I'd have hit her. Then—"
He winced as pain shot through his arm. "When I looked again, she was gone. The next thing I knew, monsters surrounded the coaches. I tried to restart, but another arrow came flying. My guard saved me, or I'd be dead."
The armored bodyguard beside him—their leader—nodded grimly.
"Yes. This isn't just monsters. There are bandits here too. We've got ten guards and thirty passengers. We can hold the monsters, but if bandits attack at the same time…"
He trailed off. The unspoken outcome was clear.
"I have six bodyguards stationed here, three at each side. Six more are at the rear to protect the last coaches," he continued.
"Can't we just start the coach and move?" Hira asked.
"No," the leader replied. "Even if the driver could hold the reins, there's a fallen tree blocking the road ahead. The horses are panicking from the monsters' scent, and there's movement in the woods—bandits, waiting. We can't fight them and protect the passengers simultaneously."
Before they could decide, a man burst through the door, panting heavily.
"The bandits are attacking! They've surrounded us!"
Both Hira and the leader rushed outside, swords ready.
Fifteen men had surrounded the area, faces hidden behind rough masks.
"Hahaha! Kill them all!" one masked bandit shouted, brandishing a blade.
"Who are you?" the leader demanded.
"Attack!" the bandit yelled instead, and the group charged without hesitation.
"Form up! Protect the passengers!" the leader shouted to his men. Steel clashed, and the battle began.
The bodyguards fought fiercely, their armor clanging with every impact. Four men attacked the leader directly, while the others surrounded his comrades.
Hira, meanwhile, focused on the masked man who had given the command.
He moved swiftly—his blade flashing once.
Slash!
The mask tore apart, along with some of the man's hair.
Before the mask fell completely, the bandit covered his face with his hand and swung upward toward Hira's neck.
Thump!
Hira blocked the strike effortlessly and kicked the bandit in the stomach.
"Aah!" The man staggered back but stayed on his feet.
Hira lunged forward again, his sword slashing across the man's chest, leaving a long, deep cut.
Blood seeped through the fabric.
"Looks like you're not much of a leader," Hira said mockingly. "How did a weakling like you make monsters attack a convoy? Who's pulling your strings?"
The bandit's hands trembled, but he forced a smirk. "You should be worrying about your wife and daughter. My men are already heading for her!"
Before he could laugh, Hira grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
"So much melodrama," he said coldly. "Can't any of you villains come up with new lines?"
"it's looks like you doesn't give him some new lines"
The bandit's sword fell from his hand as he gasped for air.
Rema's Defense
Meanwhile, at the back line, Rema stood amidst a pile of bodies. She had just crushed the head of another monster that tried to approach the coach where Hina and Mira were hiding. Blood dripped from her sword, her breath heavy but steady.
The other monsters hesitated, but didn't retreat. Their glowing eyes locked onto her as they crouched low and—
Howl!
They howled in unison, shaking the night air, and then charged.
Some jumped, some crawled low, others flanked wide.
Rema moved like a storm—each swing precise and deadly—but several monsters broke through, racing toward the coaches.
"Not happening!" she shouted furiously.
"Thorns of Roses!"
The ground split open. Thick rose vines erupted, spiraling into the air. There were no flowers—only enormous thorns, sharp and metallic. The vines snaked forward, grabbing monsters one by one.
Clench! Twist!
The vines tightened, crushing the beasts until blood painted the earth red.
The air filled with the scent of iron and dirt. Even so, the last few monsters ignored their dead comrades and sprinted toward the coach.
Rema's eyes glowed faintly red.
The vines responded to her rage, stretching longer and faster—snatching every remaining monster before they could reach Hina and Mira.
The monsters screamed as the vines wrapped tighter and tighter until silence fell again.
The battlefield turned quiet except for the rustle of the vines retracting into the ground.
Nearby, a man who had witnessed the scene screamed in panic.
"Monster! Monster!" he shouted, running toward another coach.
"Help! Someone, help!"
But Rema didn't move. She stood there breathing heavily, surrounded by the carnage she had created. Her expression was calm—but her eyes burned with silent fury.
Hira's side
In the distance, the clash of swords continued. The smell of blood and fire filled the forest. Hira's side was still fighting the bandits, and from where Rema stood, she could hear the faint metallic echoes.
She turned toward the noise. "Hold on, Hira," she whispered. "If you die before explaining everything, I'll kill you myself."
She wiped the blood off her blade, then took a deep breath as a faint wind passed through the battlefield—carrying with it the cries of dying monsters and men.
The night was far from over.
—_—END—_—