First Night Ambush

Jin So-yul had been with the vigilante training since early morning as the sun rose on the 7th floor. There was much lacking, but the most urgent was how to hold a shield.

"Hold the shield in front of your body and brace it with your shoulder. If you lift it with your arm, it'll get pushed back in one hit."

"L-like this?"

"Lower. Spread your legs and drop your center of gravity."

She went around correcting them one by one. Every time clumsy hands made the shields waver, nearby members propped them up. No combat experience whatsoever, but the will to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠protect each other ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was there. That much didn't need teaching.

By the time the sun reached midday, the vigilantes' formation was starting to take shape. The height of raised shields evened out, and the spear tips pointed in a roughly uniform direction, however awkward. The fruit of morning repetitions. Not perfect, but it would do. They weren't expected to withstand an orc's blow outright. Just enough not to collapse on impact.

While helping with training, she spotted Karunda. He was driving sharpened stakes one by one into the outer palisade. Installations clearly meant to slow orc charges, if not stop them outright.

As she approached with a footstep, Karunda spoke first.

"Wanderer, you have your own tasks."

"These won't hold them back."

"Still, we do everything we can."

"Hold on a moment. Could you step back briefly?"

Confirming he'd retreated a step, she dropped H-beams from her #Inventory at intervals.

'Not plentiful, but it'll help.'

Boom, crash—they slammed into the earth, kicking up dust. The steel beams lined up along the northern palisade looked plenty sturdy.

"Ho... the wanderer's power. Impressive indeed upon second glance. You handle spatial magic too?"

"Not quite. It has range limits."

Karunda nodded as if he'd ask no more, then began filling the gaps between H-beams with stakes.

"Wanderer."

"Yes."

"This isn't your first time, is it? You seem familiar somehow."

"...I've been through something similar."

"What happened then?"

Orcs pouring through crumbled fences, screams scattering. Before the blood on her sword could dry, another died; beneath shattered house debris, a hand protruded.

"...We won. But I couldn't protect everyone."

Karunda's hands paused briefly. Then he chuckled softly.

"Then protect them this time."

"...Yeah. That's all it takes."

"Wanderer! Deployment complete!"

A familiar voice—Torn. Jin So-yul thanked Karunda and turned.

"Seven groups of three. Three to the north, two each to east and west."

"Good work."

She inspected each as she moved. They wouldn't come from one direction. Emergence points were random too.

"Torn."

"Yes."

"Tell each directional group: Shout immediately on spotting orcs, raise shields and hold. Eyes forward, no need to engage—just make noise, and I'll come running."

"...Understood."

Torn nodded and dashed to each post. While rechecking the west, she saw a boy. Fidgeting with his spear blade, side profile about seventeen. The youngest in the vigil.

"Ilon. Apprentice at Karunda's forge."

Torn had returned.

"He's young."

"He insisted. Couldn't dissuade him. Not being native here... couldn't break the villagers' resolve."

Jin So-yul watched Ilon. His fingers trembled over the blade. Yet he rose steadily to share water with others.

'Villagers' resolve.'

She circled the village once more. Palisade state, paths between houses, night patrol routes—all etched in her mind. Dusk fell, torches lighting every corner. Vigilantes stood shields forward, spears gripped, in practiced formation.

Before locking his door, the Village Chief looked to Jin So-yul. She nodded curtly to his bow.

She could do this. Her constellation was with her. Her one-handed sword, sharpened by Karunda and unused since, gleamed keen. Jin So-yul took position at village center, overlooking all. Ten seconds to any direction.

Now, just one thing mattered: Could the vigil hold until she joined?

Wind blew. Torches flickered, shadows danced. One vigilante regripped his spear. A sharp clink of metal pierced the quiet.

How long they waited...

Tablet top-left overlay lit up in unison.

Six enemies, three directions. Fewer than floor 6 for a first raid. Speeds suggested scouts probing east and west, two warriors charging north ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head-on.

Zoom out, fingers spreading screen wide. Village panorama evoked a game. Was this why other constellations treated the world as playthings? We differed in essence and power, of course.

Shoving aside lingering thoughts, I moved my finger.

Jin So-yul appeared as a dot, expression unreadable. But soon her shout echoed.

Spot-on. Matching my overlay numbers exactly brought brief relief—until Torn's voice followed.

First contact: east palisade. Scout low and swift, hooking hands over top to climb.

East group shields locked, spears aimed over. As scout crested, spears thrust. Tips grazed green arm, blood sprayed; it tumbled outward.

East overlay halted outside. Three spears menaced from atop.

East handled. Half-day training dropped their own scout.

No time to relax—west overlay surged over palisade. No H-beams there. Zoom: below landing was that boy.

Send message? Jin So-yul was dashing north. One body, even warned.

"..."

When had I hesitated before? Slapped my own cheek mentally, typed fast.

Before message arrived, scout crashed onto Ilon. Boy raised shield but buckled.

Scream pierced tablet. Body shoved down.

"...Damn."

When apostles risked lives beyond screen, I could only watch. Powerlessness clung each time. Self-consolation of inevitability rang hollow against unfairness.

Sudden headache stabbed.

"Ugh...!"

Clutched head. Some message flashed? Hallucination?

Ilon's comrades reacted. One blocked path with shield; other speared side. Not deep, but charge stalled a beat.

Jin So-yul arrived north, ejecting two rebars in succession. First burst left scout's head. Second missed.

One more ejection—toward scout prying north palisade gap. Rebar pierced chest, pinned to wood.

Thud—! First warrior shoulder-slammed north palisade. Screen shook with shockwave. Logs creaked open; stake pierced green hide, slowing charge. But it yanked stake barehanded, entering breach.

Second warrior clawed adjacent section barehanded, but H-beam interstice held firm.

North group backed up visibly. Screen dwarfed them—what of facing it?

Her shout halted feet. Shields up, holding—but could they?

Three rebars ejected simultaneous. Lodged in entering warrior's armor, halting advance but not piercing. She closed gap swift; one-handed sword sliced thigh. It staggered, swung axe slow for counter.

Paang—! Rebar to nape, down.

Second warrior still wedged in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠H-beams. Steel groaned but bent not. Jin So-yul ejected two more to ankles without pause.

As she entered sword range, it withdrew, reset. Kwaang—! Axe smashed ground. Screen shook again. But she twisted trajectory fully aside.

Deflect complete, eject. Orc twisted torso desperately. But as predicted, delayed rebar burst its head.

Straight to west. Five vigilantes held one scout. Two shields met axe swings; three spears exploited gaps—but lagging pace.

Yet they held. Faces grim with dread, but no surrender.

Scout full-swing iron sword. Unblocked meant death. But west six ducked as one.

Three rebars flew: deflected sword, pierced opposite arm, burst head.

Blood fountained over vigilantes. They slumped gasping. Jin So-yul raced to final direction.

East palisade outside. Earlier fallen scout, gauging situation, fleeing wounded to woods.

Gasping yet sprinting to palisade, she kicked off, vaulted over. East group gawked as she plunged into forest.

By the time her dot vanished from tablet...

Strength drained from limbs. Fingers trembled gripping tablet alone.

Still, first cleared successfully.

Torches crackled dying. Torn dashed west, hauled fallen Ilon up by shoulder, supported rearward. Arm abrasions, back bruises. Nonfatal.

But boy's face pale, tears welling.

Leisha soon arrived. Quick hands checked arm, applied salve.

"No major injuries. Lucky."

"...Thank you."

"Ilon, no crying. It's over."

"I... wasn't."

Sniffle undermined words, but none noted.

Jin So-yul scanned west group. Shields bore clear sword marks. Spear tips bloodied.

"You five held well."

"Because of you, wanderer. Just eyes front... that's all."

"Enough."

She patted risen Ilon's shoulder.

"Good job."

"...I, uh, just..."

"Turned away, sure—but raised shield first."

Ilon's lips quivered. Swallowed words, bowed deep instead.

Jin So-yul headed to east next. Red bloodstains atop palisade suggested solid initial response. Leader approached cautious.

"Thrust all at climb. Legs went jelly, honestly..."

"Perfect. East breach risked interior. You did great."

"Haha... Glad."

His legs still shook. Fear lingered on face, but he returned to group.

Finally north. Like east, unscathed—thanks to her priority rush. Their hold unchanged merit.

Gathered villagers, Jin So-yul spoke plainly.

"Everyone, good work."

"Hear that? Good work, all."

"One more day, us."

No cheers. But alive. No deaths meant tomorrow.

First night raid ended. Two remained. They'd swarm tomorrow night.

Karunda tsked over damaged palisade.

"Hold till tomorrow?"

"Yes. Not tonight."

"Got it. Repairs at dawn—rest, wanderer."

"...Thanks, Karunda."

"Repairs are my job. No thanks needed."

Jin So-yul smiled faintly.