Morning arrived quietly. The battlefield that once roared with chaos now stood in silence. Smoke still rose from the ruins of the village, drifting slowly into the pale sky. The ground carried the scars of last night burnt houses, broken weapons, and the lingering scent of blood.
But the war was over….
For now….
At the center of the temporary military camp, a large command tent stood firm. Soldiers moved around it with discipline, tending to the wounded, organizing supplies, and preparing for departure.
Inside the tent, General Rony sat behind a wooden table.
His armor was partially removed, revealing the fatigue in his body. A map of the region was spread before him, marked with rough sketches and notes. A few weapons rested against the side, and a lantern still burned dimly, though the morning light had already taken over.
His expression was serious.
Heavy….
A soldier entered the tent and saluted sharply.
"General!"
Rony looked up
"Report."
The soldier stepped forward.
"Sir, all survivors have been secured. A total of thirty villagers were rescued. We searched the area thoroughly… but the remaining civilians…" he paused briefly, lowering his voice, "...did not survive."
A brief silence followed. Rony closed his eyes for a moment.
"…Understood…..Continue..."
"Yes, sir, We have collected whatever resources we could from the village. Food, tools, and supplies have been secured. The soldiers are ready to move at your command."
The soldier hesitated slightly before continuing.
"There is one more matter, sir."
Rony opened his eyes again.
"Speak."
"The villagers… they have chosen a new leader."
Rony leaned back slightly.
"…I see."
"They want to follow Kai, the grandson of the late chief."
The tent fell quiet again.
Rony tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking.
"…Call him in."
"Yes, sir."
The soldier saluted and exited the tent.
A few moments later the tent flap opened again.
Kai stepped inside…. He looked tired, his clothes still stained from the battle, but his posture remained steady. There was a quiet strength in his eyes now something that had not been there before.
"General."
Rony gestured toward the chair in front of him.
"Sit..."
Kai nodded and took his seat.
Rony then looked toward the entrance.
"Leave us."
The guards inside the tent immediately stepped out, closing the flap behind them.
Now, Only the two of them remained.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
The silence felt heavy. Then Rony finally broke it.
"So… Kai."
His voice was calm, but direct.
"It seems the villagers have chosen you as their next chief."
Kai lowered his gaze slightly.
"…Yes."
Rony studied him carefully.
"That's not a small responsibility."
"I know."
Another pause…..
Then Rony leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table.
"But before we talk about leadership…"
His eyes sharpened
"We need to talk about yesterday."
Kai looked up. Rony continued,
"What happened here… was not normal."
His tone grew more serious.
"First, we hear the emergency bell. A signal that your village is under attack. That alone is rare."
He exhaled slowly
"But when we arrived…"
His eyes darkened
"We saw something far worse."
"A horde of monsters."
"Not ordinary ones… but mixed species. Wolves, serpents, buffalo type beasts… all attacking together."
Kai listened silently. Rony continued.
"And in the middle of that chaos…"
"…there was someone fighting."
"A figure… covered in shadow."
Kai's eyes shifted slightly.
Rony noticed
"I assume that was Aragorn."
Kai nodded slowly
"…Yes."
Rony leaned back
"And there was also an elf."
"…Jessy."
Kai confirmed quietly
Rony crossed his arms
"I didn't understand it at the time."
"But I saw something important."
He looked directly at Kai
"That man… Aragorn…"
"…was trying to protect all of you."
Kai clenched his fist slightly.
"…He was."
Rony nodded
"That's why we fought."
"That's why we risked our lives."
His voice softened just a bit,
"…To save the ones who were still standing."
Then his expression hardened again.
"But that was only the beginning."
He leaned forward once more
"The Buffalo King… "
Kai's breath slowed
Rony continued
"A Double S-Rank monster."
"Something that should not even appear near a small village like this."
His fingers tightened slightly.
"We had no chance against it."
"Still… we fought."
He paused
"But then…"
His voice lowered
"…night came."
The atmosphere inside the tent grew heavier. Rony's eyes narrowed slightly, as if recalling something disturbing.
"And that's when everything changed."
"A figure appeared."
"…No."
He corrected himself
"Not just a figure."
"…An army."
Kai stayed silent, listening carefully.
Rony's voice carried a hint of unease.
"A shadow army….!"
"Disciplined… silent… unnatural."
"I have fought in many battles."
"I have seen strong warriors… elite units… even rare magic users."
"But that…"
He shook his head slightly
"…was something else."
Kai's expression remained calm, but his eyes showed tension. Rony continued.
"And then came their leader."
"The man in black armor."
"The one with glowing blue eyes."
Kai slowly looked up
Rony's gaze locked onto him.
"I felt fear…..."
The words were simple.But heavy,
"For the first time in my life…"
"…I felt fear on a battlefield."
A long silence followed. Rony's voice became quieter, but sharper.
"The Buffalo King…"
"…evolved."
Kai's eyes widened slightly. Rony continued.
"A rare phenomenon."
"Something almost impossible."
"And even after that…"
He exhaled slowly
"…it was defeated."
"In seconds."
"No struggle."
"No resistance."
"Just… erased."
The tent felt colder. Rony leaned forward again. His voice now firm.
"So I will be honest with you."
"No ranks."
"No titles."
"Just truth."
He looked directly into Kai's eyes
"Tell me everything you know."
"Who were they?"
"That man…Aragorn….."
"The elf… ."
"And most importantly…"
"…that shadow army."
A pause
Then,
"Who… was that man?"
Silence filled the tent. Kai sat still for a few seconds.
Thinking...
Remembering...
Then he finally spoke....
His voice calm...
Honest…..
"I'll be truthful with you, General."
Rony didn't move…Kai continued...
"They came to our village…"
"…about two or three days ago."
A slight pause
"They were strangers."
"But…"
His eyes lowered slightly
"…they were not ordinary."
Rony leaned in just a little more. Kai looked back up.
"I'll tell you everything...."
And just like that the story began…..