"Why are you waiting for strangers to save you!!"
Eve, the little girl, screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears streamed from her shimmering eyes like a waterfall as she addressed the villagers.
"Why don't you fight too!?"
The situation was clear: everyone was terrified—either of death itself or for the lives of their children and relatives. While they feared becoming slaves, that fear was eclipsed by the terror of being killed. Everyone had surrendered out of cowardice, except for Eve's mother, who had fought out of fear for her daughter and was attacked because of it. This realization filled Eve with overwhelming disappointment.
The slave trader in front of her pushed his spear closer and shouted in her face:
"Shut up, brat!"
However, she did not fall silent.
"Why was my mother the only one among you who fought!!"
Takeshi cast a quick glance toward Eve, simultaneously trying to close the gap in his defense.
'Damn it, what is this child doing!!'
Before he could regain his focus, he heard a heavy stride approaching. He turned just in time to see Seishi's green-scaled fist hurtling toward him with insane speed. Takeshi barely managed a split-second reaction to evade the crushing blow.
He was desperately searching for a way to quiet Eve; he realized her grief had peaked after seeing her father Aaron's helplessness. But the problem grew even more complex when a trembling voice beside Eve joined in.
"You can do something better than just sitting there like this!!"
Sota's voice exploded through every corner of the hall, nearly bursting the eardrums of anyone standing near him.
"You can fight too instead of waiting for Takeshi to do everything! The tools are behind you—take them and fight! Even if it means some of you die, it is far better than all of you becoming slaves!!"
The villagers weren't the only ones feeling the sting of a guilty conscience for watching Takeshi while waiting for his victory; Sota felt it too. He realized he had thrown himself into a place where his fate was either death or slavery if Takeshi ended up losing. What set his heart racing with courage and determination were Eve's words. Though directed at the villagers, they had moved him as well.
Even as the slave trader beside him pressed a spear closer and closer to his neck, Sota continued to speak:
"Choose either death with honor or permanent slavery! Your fear for your children will make them slaves for their entire lives. Is that really what you want?!"
The Spark of Courage
His words, combined with Eve's, stirred the hearts of the villagers. The regret flowing through them—the shame of surrendering so quickly and waiting for a savior—began to transform into a feverish courage that preferred death over humiliation.
In contrast, those words filled Takeshi's heart with regret, even though he had done nothing but the right thing.
'I should have just lied, what an idiot.'
'I shouldn't have said the villagers will decide my reward after I win... I should have just given them encouraging words...'
'I really am just a coward...'
Takeshi bit his lips in anger, lifting his gaze to scan the shackled captives in the massive hall.
'Be brave, you bastard... If I can't act in a situation like this, how can I ever get my sword back?!'
Takeshi took a deep breath, opened his palm, and raised his hands high.
"I cannot do this alone... I need your help, villagers. I need your help so we don't become merchandise sold for a cheap price."
One of the chains clattered. A child, roughly Eve's age, stood up. He raised his trembling hands and shouted:
"I want... I want to fight with you!!"
As the boy's mother tried to pull him down to silence him, several others stood. At first, it was just the young children, their hearts moved directly by the scene. Even though they didn't fully grasp the meaning of "slavery," they preferred fighting over experiencing it. Soon, the elderly rose—those who realized no one would buy them anyway and that they would likely remain "dusty merchandise" regardless.
From among the elders, the oldest man stepped forward. He was short, hunchbacked, and wore a light cap over his bald head; his beard nearly touched the ground. He was the Village Elder.
"We will not surrender now. I have spent decades building this humble village... I will not give up now."
The Elder's words affected the rest. First, the men who had helped build the village stood, followed by the women who had supported them. Finally, even the newest residents rose to their feet.
"Sit back down, you bastards!!"
Despite the shouts and threats of the slave traders, the villagers stood tall despite their hesitation and fear. Most realized the traders wouldn't actually harm them as long as they hadn't crossed a line yet, so they waited for a single signal to rush for the farming tools to use as weapons.
Despite the boldness of the plan, Takeshi knew the chance of success was nearly zero. Most of the traders likely possessed special abilities, giving them a massive advantage over the common folk.
Aaron, Eve's father, noticed the anxiety on Takeshi's face. Ignoring the trader standing over him, he said:
"Don't worry. Even if it means our death... it's better than slavery, according to what you, your friend, and my daughter said, right?"
In a decisive moment, the Village Elder raised his hand and brought it down, screaming with all the strength left in his frayed vocal cords:
"NOW!!"
The Merchant's Arrival
Without hesitation, the villagers surged toward the walls behind them where the farming tools were kept. But the slave traders were already in motion, raising their weapons and preparing their abilities to strike.
The villagers didn't even have enough time to grab a single shovel. The plan had failed the moment it began.
But suddenly, the traders froze. A deep, gravelly voice echoed from the far end of the hall.
"Stop, you fools..."
A massive man emerged, wearing the same green robe. He was dark-skinned, his face marked with red tattoos in the shape of straight lines. He was mounted on a powerful black horse capable of carrying his immense frame.
This man was the leader of the slave traders. His name was Kursh, nicknamed "The Great Slave Merchant."