Blue Leaf Village's Hidden Defense
Outside the Blue Leaf Village.
In a thicket of thorny vines and towering trees that guarded and concealed the settlement, Aria and the elves watched with wide eyes.
Right there beneath a massive tree trunk, Seo Moon-un-hwi and the group were hard at work.
“Dig! Dig! Dig!”
Geunyuk-i summoned a deep pit with a wave of his magic. The bandits immediately handed him a thick wooden stake carved with strange, glowing runes on the surface.
“A little more to the left. Perfect! That’s enough. Now cover it with soil.”
The bandits retreated with practiced steps, leaving the earth to be filled.
Geunyuk-i cast another spell to seal the hole shut.
“Whew… That’s done.”
“Is it really over?”
Aria asked. Seo Moon-un-hwi gave a solemn nod.
“That last stake was the final one. We’ve already placed the yin-yang, the three talents, and the five elements. The formation should activate any moment now.”
Before the words had even faded, tremors began rippling from the ground where the stakes had been driven in.
Uuuuung…
A mysterious blue light, like blooming flowers from the earth, rose from beneath the soil.
Swish!
The shining blue rays extended like luminous threads, spreading across the entire Blue Leaf Village.
Whoosh!
The light connected every stake planted throughout the village, then blazed with unbearable brightness before vanishing without a trace.
“Aaaah!”
“Oooooh!”
The elves gasped in awe, gazing at their home.
Seo Moon-un-hwi smiled warmly and said,
“Even if enemies come, you needn’t worry.”
“What will happen when a trespasser appears?”
“There is only one way out—the entrance. If we seal it completely, the entire village will be under the formation’s protection. Anyone who breaches the perimeter will be drawn into the Heaven-and-Earth Three Talents Formation and the Five Elements Six Harmonies Formation. The attackers will turn on each other.”
“…Thank you. You’ve gone to such great lengths for our village.”
“Hmph. I was merely doing what I had to. Ah! Before I forget—let me teach you how to manipulate the formation. Follow me.”
Seo Moon-un-hwi stepped into the village. Aria and the elves followed without hesitation.
Geunyuk-i clicked his tongue and muttered to himself.
“Tsk… I had to deal with teleportation circles too.”
“I should’ve learned formations too.”
“Don’t be silly. With your head, could you even manage it?”
“My head is fine! My mom always says that! I have a good head, I just never try hard enough!”
“I’ve heard that before, you brat! Who ever raised a kid that way?”
“Really? Tsk.”
The bandits gave envious glances as they watched Seo Moon-un-hwi and the elves disappear into the village.
Geunyuk-i shook his head in frustration and grumbled,
“Come on! Let’s go in too. We need to explain the formation and head to the Dwarf Village. We can’t waste time chatting.”
“You’re right. No time for this.”
“If we’re late, Lord Baek will chew us out again.”
Geunyuk-i and the bandits sprinted into the village. They stopped before the massive iron stake planted at its center, where Seo Moon-un-hwi was demonstrating the formation’s control.
“Here, feed in the required amount of qi—or mana—and you can control the formation.”
“It’s buried in the ground. We just touch it and pour in the energy?”
“Exactly. Place your hand on the soil and pour it in. The mana needed is…”
The more Seo Moon-un-hwi explained, the more awed the elves’ eyes grew.
Every elf stared at him with equal admiration. Seo Moon-un-hwi had to force down the twitch in his lips.
Heh… Finally, even I get to shine.
He wanted to savor this moment, so he gave every detail.
The elves—wise, intelligent beings—listened intently, missing nothing.
How long had he been talking?
Seo Moon-un-hwi sighed.
“When the entrance is sealed, even fellow elves will fall into the formation. So when you leave, set a password or install communication devices to confirm each other’s presence.”
“Yes, I’ll remember.”
Aria nodded firmly.
The sight was so beautiful that Seo Moon-un-hwi grinned like an idiot.
Geunyuk-i jumped in.
“Hmph. Communication devices are more practical than passwords. We use them in the camp too. When I come next time, I’ll bring some.”
“No, we wouldn’t want to impose too much…”
“It’s no bother. I’m actually quite skilled at forging artifacts. The spirit crystals in your camp are abundant—don’t refuse.”
“You’re already helping too much…”
“Hahaha! What kind of neighbors would we be without this?”
Geunyuk-i laughed heartily despite the elves’ grateful eyes.
“Then I’ll visit again when the artifacts are ready. Everyone, let’s go!”
The moment the elves left, Geunyuk-i switched to casual speech.
“Like the general who returned victorious, we teleport!”
He stepped onto the circle and vanished.
Seo Moon-un-hwi and the bandits blinked in shock, then bowed to the elves and hurried after him.
“Lord Baek actually asked you to do that?”
“No.”
“Then why did you say you would?”
“Well… I just blurted it out.”
Seo Moon-un-hwi chuckled.
The laughter died quickly.
He had already spent too much effort on the formation himself.
“We should probably keep this a secret from Lord Baek.”
“Wise. If I admit it, he’ll start distributing all the camp supplies.”
“If it’s just a loud outburst, maybe I can survive hanging from a tree for a week.”
Geunyuk-i shuddered at the thought.
The two exchanged a look, nodded firmly, and sealed their promise.
Together we go. No betrayal.
They stepped onto the teleportation circle heading to the Dwarf Village, still receiving the beautiful elves’ farewell.
***
Meanwhile, at the camp.
Even in the late afternoon, the camp was lively.
“Kyaaaah!”
“Kyahaaah!”
The bandits’ battle cries echoed across the entire camp.
The women weren’t idle either. Some worked the fields, others helped the old blacksmith or gathered wood.
A few children played war games with sticks cut from trees or drew pictures in the dirt.
Baek-i and the Sabel Tigers were out on the hunt, along with the griffons.
Yet the camp still looked much like any ordinary mountain village.
Two figures watched quietly from the training grounds.
Grombal and Solian, sitting on the floor, gasping for breath.
“Huff… This is happiness, right?”
“Yeah… it looks that way.”
“No worries, no fears.”
“I know exactly where that happiness comes from.”
Grombal nodded.
“Strength. The power to protect against any enemy.”
“Exactly. That strength lets them smile freely.”
“We’ll get there soon. No, we’ll make it happen. Me… and you.”
The two clenched their fists tightly.
They had sworn to grow stronger and turn this place into a paradise like the village.
But that promise would be shattered by a voice.
“Do you really think that?”
“O-Oh! Lord Baek!”
“We’ve only just started training!”
Grombal and Solian stood at attention.
Bbakbbaki repeated, “Watch again.”
“What?”
“Look closer. What do you sense from the soldiers?”
“Hmm…”
The two still grinned, looking perfectly content.
What on earth was he asking?
When they looked puzzled, Bbakbbaki spoke.
“It’s not just our strength that keeps them happy. Of course that matters, but there’s another reason they can laugh like that.”
“What is it?”
“…The real reason?”
“Mutual trust.”
Even after hearing it, the two remained puzzled.
Bbakbbaki continued anyway.
“Even without Lord Baek, even without us, they would fight with weapons in hand. They’d charge forward—fearing nothing, knowing they might die—children and elders alike, gripping sticks like babies.”
“Uuu…”
“Why? Because this is our home. We believe Lord Baek will return no matter what. And… if it’s Lord Baek, he’ll definitely take revenge for us.”
Bbakbbaki’s words made their eyes tremble.
“It’s not just faith. They’re working their hardest too. For the camp, for everyone, they’re doing everything they can to support it. They know better than anyone that depending only on a stronger man makes one no better than a slave.”
“…Slave.”
“Only expecting protection?”
“The one who taught us that is Lord Baek.”
Grombal and Solian shuddered.
The soldiers, once only smiling, now looked different.
Just like the bandits—yet somehow more.
“There are things you can only protect with strength. But if you judge everything by power alone, you’ll never be like them.”
“We… will remember.”
“Teachings… thank you!”
The two bowed deeply to Bbakbbaki.
He nodded casually and turned.
“You’ve rested enough. Now resume training. You won’t reach your daily quota unless you move without rest from now on.”
“We’ll finish our quota.”
“We’ll do our best.”
The two answered with military precision. Bbakbbaki turned to leave.
Then his expression grew cold as he gazed at the tightly shut camp gates.
At the same moment, a chilling voice echoed from beyond.
“Dark Break!”
“Dark Orb of Hell!”
Kwaaaaang!
The entire camp shook violently with the explosion.
Bbakbbaki leaped toward the gate and roared,
“Enemies! Everyone, prepare for battle—yeee!”
The words were barely out when another explosion thundered.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
A fissure appeared in the gate and shattered it open.
Boom!
Shards of the broken gate flew into the camp.
And beyond them, enemies appeared.
Three figures in black robes.