The warriors of the village gathered and discussed the approaching King Bear.
According to Veronica, the corpses had been appearing one after another upstream. It seemed that bear had a habit of storing its prey in water to prevent it from spoiling. An animal with both intelligence and strength like that would truly be a tough opponent.
I returned to the room we were borrowing, bringing Noah with me. The village was becoming a flurry of activity, and everyone seemed to be waking up to see what was happening.
“What’s going on? Someone just appeared out of nowhere.”
“The cause of the illness was the bear. And now it’s approaching the village…”
Nina and everyone else looked at us as if asking what on earth was happening. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to accept it if we told them that a bear had suddenly appeared right after things had calmed down.
“The bear? Is that why it’s so dangerous?”
“Well, it’s not just any bear. Its claws are this long. It seems to be something out of the ordinary.”
We looked at each other, wondering what to do. For the time being, I had Noah, who looked like he was about to die, sit on the sofa. But he swayed and tried to stand up.
“You need to sit down.”
“I, I, I have to… direct everyone…”
I see. Even though he’s young, he’s the commander now. If he’s not here, the unit will fall apart. I guess I’ll have to take him with me.
“Everyone, stay here. I’m going to take Noah and go see White Crow.”
“Hey, aren’t there bears around? I’m going with you.”
“Yes, I will accompany you as well.”
Philiana and Nina decided to come with me. I carried Noah on my back and gently scouted the situation outside. The adults were building fences, and the children were evacuating in the opposite direction. Several torches flickered in the darkness.
“Alright, it hasn’t arrived yet. This way.”
I ran, being careful not to bump into anyone. Poor Noah, having to work in a place like this. He probably only ever saw bears in zoos. Right now, he’s in the same situation as me, having been thrown into this world. He’s never even held a sword, let alone gotten into a fight. It’s impossible to ask him to go and see the outside world all of a sudden.
Just then, a scream could be heard from far away. A bad premonition crawled up my arm like a cold sweat. I couldn’t help but swallow. Nina and Philiana drew their swords, their eyes turning towards the source of the sound.
“Run! We’ve been breached! Don’t stop! Take the children and run!”
A man was desperately shouting towards us. Hearing this, the people around them panicked and began to flee, dragging the fallen children. The men were also running, letting out screams.
“Ah, is that!”
A faint golden glow could be seen in the distance. The crown illuminated by the torch seemed to make its presence vividly known. And its size was such that I wondered if what I had seen before was just a child. Its claws were longer and thicker than my sword.
The bear raised its hand towards the troublesome fence at its feet. The tightly assembled logs were blown apart like toothpicks. Its blade-like claws cut through the wood as if they were real swords. I understood why the village guards were fleeing.
“Hey, where are you guys going! If you’re men, fight!”
Amidst the flying screams, Emmett’s angry shout echoed. He grabbed a nearby guard and shook his shoulder. But the one being held had already lost the strength in his legs.
“I-It’s impossible. That… that monster… I’ll be killed.”
“Tsk! Hey, isn’t there anyone who can fight?!”
At the front, a Harpy mage was throwing fireballs at the bear’s face. But to the bear, it probably felt no more than gnats buzzing around its face. It was only making it more agitated.
“Hero, I’m sorry, but please take Noah there alone. I will remain here.”
“You can probably do it. We’ll hold them off here.”
I knew they would say that. I really didn’t want them to go, but if we let that bear invade, our lives would be in danger. The remaining members who were on standby emerged from the huts behind.
“Oh my, it looks like something serious has happened.”
“Elana, if you’re going, put on your cloak.”
“I know, it’s such a hassle.”
Her disguise to avoid detection. She covered herself with cloth and put on a mask shaped like an animal’s face. It was suspicious, but better than nothing. Even as we spoke, the bear was steadily advancing into the village. The injured and agitated beast was destroying everything in its path.
“W-What are you people? Women should flee.”
“Is this the time to say that? We’ll change its path. Gather the mages’ magic and attack from the side.”
Emmett looked confused at Nina’s instructions. Moreover, he was surprised to see a girl, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, quickly passing by.
“Damn it, that’s right. I’ll get this monster back. To the right, attack from the right!”
Alright, this is our chance to deliver Noah. I weaved through the fleeing crowds and headed towards the tents that lined the path.
