That was Sophie's plan.
If his memory served him right, Bucce's guard captain should be the famous veteran, Marden. He was a veteran who had experienced the November War, just like Brando's grandfather.
Sophie knew about him because this NPC would teach the traveler the [Inspect] skill in the game.
But the reason why this veteran was famous was because during the first War of the Black Rose, he made a huge mistake as the guard captain of Bucce. He misjudged the purpose of Madara's army.
He thought that the enemy was just going to invade the borders as usual, so he moved the villagers of Bucce away. He originally had a chance to fight back and defeat the undead army's vanguard, and then retreat with ease.
Unfortunately, this opportunity was missed by him.
He should have become a hero of the kingdom, but in the end, he walked on a dark path. Sophie was both amazed and curious about such a person.
He was amazed at the latter's situation in the latter half of his life, but he was curious about how he discovered Madara's undead army in the first place. After all, this was the only variable in the entire Grinoires region.
"Could it be because of me?" An impossible thought popped into Sophie's mind.
But he immediately threw this ridiculous thought out of his mind.
Now he wanted to change history, and he had to think of a way to remind the enemy. Fire, in military regulations, symbolized warning and invasion. Sophie could only hope that the enemy was awake enough.
Banging sounds could be heard outside the door, and as the seconds passed, it was as if they were immersed in a tense atmosphere.
"Brando, they're coming in!" The Roman held the masonry hammer tightly with both hands, and she frowned as she stared at the kitchen door, as if she was afraid that it would be accidentally knocked open.
Sophie did not have the time to think about this, once the skeleton soldiers swarmed in, they would be dead. But when he heard Romaine's shout, he could not help but turn back to look at the door.
The kitchen door made a creaking sound, and sharp swords were constantly being stabbed and pulled out. Madara's swords were as sharp as the fangs of a beast. Something outside suddenly hit the door, and with a loud bang, a layer of dust fell from the roof.
The wooden door creaked and groaned, and the crack widened a lot in an instant.
"Calm down, calm down. Just treat it as a game. Sophie, think about all the missions you've been through. This time, it's nothing … "
He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself down. He wrapped the cloth soaked in oil around a bundle of straw and firewood, and tied it tightly with a leather band. He was very familiar with the process. Making a torch was a basic skill in the game, although it wasn't even a basic skill.
This was one of the better ones. He also knew how to make a torch that could only burn for five minutes. He remembered that he had tried it once in the underground tunnels of Nocturne and Hain using dry lichens and shrubs.
However, there was not much time left for him. Soon, the door shook violently again, and the door frame made a loud creaking sound. Dust flew everywhere, and then fell down in a flurry.
"Brando —!" Roman felt her heart was about to jump out of her throat. She blinked her bright eyes.
"I'm here. Don't worry, just hold on a little longer." Sophie was sweating profusely. He used the iron bar to saw the flint several times. Sparks flew everywhere, but he still couldn't light the torch.
After all, there were some differences between reality and the game.
The huge strength of the skeleton soldier first made the latch unable to withstand the force. It broke from the middle with a crack. The wooden door tilted, but it still didn't open.
A bare skeleton hand reached in from the outside, intending to break the latch from the inside.
The young merchant was shocked. She immediately raised her hammer and swung it, but the hammer hit the skeleton with a bang. The skeleton soldier of Madara didn't feel any pain. It paused for a moment, and then continued to pull the latch.
Roman saw this scene and was stunned for a moment. She even forgot about the hammer in her hand.
"Brando, Brando, what should we do …" She immediately asked nervously.
At this time, the flame finally lit up.
At the same time, the latch fell to the ground with a clang.
The door opened, and the skeleton soldier outside with a sword pushed the door open and stepped in. It turned its head, and the two red flames in its black eye sockets locked on to the two pale-faced young men.
What was the young man doing?
Before it could react, a black object grew larger and larger in the undead's hazy vision. Immediately, a hatchet was inserted into its head with a click.
"… This is your last move. When you throw the sword, remember to keep your hand steady and your center of gravity low. Don't hesitate. You must try to form a straight line between you and your target …"
"… If your enemy is a skeleton, then your best target is the joint between the shoulder blade and the arm, the thigh, or the spine. Unless you are confident that you can decapitate it, the skull is not its biggest weakness …"
"What the hell —!"
Sophie looked at the skeleton soldier that was leaning backward and couldn't help but curse in his heart. The 'throwing' technique in military swordsmanship was a profound skill, but for a veteran warrior like him, it was not a problem. But when he threw the hatchet, Sophie suddenly remembered that he was no longer a veteran.
In the game, with his strength, the hatchet would have split the skeleton in half along its skull. But now, just like what Brando learned in the militia training, the skeleton would only be slightly hindered. A hatchet inserted into the skull would not cause any damage to the skeleton's overall structure.
"Miss Roman, be careful!" Seeing that the skeleton was about to stand up again, he immediately pulled Romaine, who was in a daze, behind him.
"Brando …" Romaine was scared out of her wits.
"Don't worry, I'm here." Although Sophie said that, he was actually not very confident, especially when he saw the dense crowd of skeleton soldiers that were about to rush in.
In such a critical situation, he couldn't care less. He looked around, but there was nothing he could use. But the skeleton was about to stand up. What should he do? Should he just give up like that?
Sophie shook his head. He swore that he had never been so reckless in his life. Of course, the experience in the game didn't count. He only felt that his heart was blank. He could only take a gamble. If he didn't succeed, he would die for a righteous cause!
He rushed forward, gritted his teeth, and grabbed the skeleton's arm that was holding the sword. Then, almost subconsciously, he threw the skeleton backwards.
In a tense situation, people would often use all their strength subconsciously. The skeleton lost its balance and could not resist at all. It fell backward with a creak, and the skeleton soldiers behind it were all pushed back.
Madara's undead that were rushing into the room stopped for a moment. It was only for a moment, but it was enough.
The young man couldn't help but feel confused. He almost couldn't believe that he had succeeded. This was reality. Was he really that useless gaming geek?
He subconsciously threw the torch in his other hand at the dry straw, leather products, and firewood that had been piled up in the corner to ignite the fire.
The flame rose up in an instant.
"Let's run, Brando!" Romaine ran up from behind and grabbed his hand.
She felt that she had never been so nervous in her life. She remembered that the first time she met the young man next door was more than a year ago. She only felt that he was a little shy and easy to talk to.
But today, that ordinary young man had shown extraordinary calmness and bravery. Was this the 'reliable man' that Auntie had been whispering about, the kind of temperament that he had shown in the face of danger?
What a strange feeling.
Romaine couldn't help but have some inexplicable thoughts. She noticed that when she grabbed the young man's wrist, her heart couldn't help but beat faster.
"Brando?"
The smoke had already filled the air, and the kitchen was filled with the choking smell of smoke.
Only then did Sophie wake up with a start. Martha above, he actually burned down her grandfather's old house. Brando would have to bear the consequences this time, even though he was Brando now.
His mind was in a mess, but Brando's memories still prevailed in the chaos.
But soon, a dry, low voice came from behind the smoke. "Hurry up, undead soldiers. Put out the fire and get that bug out. We've only got a minute -- "
The voice reminded the young man that he was still in danger and had to find a way to escape. But Sophie knew that the low-level undead that were powered by the Soulfire were instinctively afraid of fire. It would be difficult for the lich to get his skeletons to overcome this in a short time, so this was his turn.
But fire was a double-edged sword, and he had to hurry.
"Miss Roman, follow me." Sophie pulled a roll of sausages from the ceiling and led Romaine to the back door. It wasn't that he was greedy, but it was almost a subconscious instinct for the players in 'The Amber Sword' to prepare food before escaping.
The fire was getting bigger and bigger, and the surroundings were in a sea of fire. Smoke filled the air, and the temperature rose rapidly. But Sophie quickly found the small door that delivered food in his memory. He pushed it and it was locked.
Sophie coughed, and Romaine coughed violently behind him. He calmed himself down and felt down, and immediately found the metal latch. He was about to open it, but hesitated.
Something else occurred to him.
… …
"Freya!"
Perhaps for the people living in the Elsen-Golan Mountains, the stars in April were not much different from the night sky in May. But since the end of the fifth month, the temperature had gradually risen. Looking down from the gentle slope of the Pine Mountain Range, it had been a sea of red and white flowers since the beginning of summer. In times of peace, this was the most peaceful countryside in all of Aouine, but for hundreds of years, it had been ravaged by the flames of war.
The girl looked up. In the summer night, the sky was crystal clear. From the west to the east, a bright belt of light ran through the night sky, passing through the many mythical constellations.
She was standing at the entrance of the village, looking up at the mountain. Freya was a little worried. The loud noise from before was particularly unsettling. Recently, there were rumors of undead movements in the vicinity, could it be …
Hearing the shout, she turned around and was surprised to see a young boy running out of the village. He ran to her side in a panic and bent down, gasping for breath.
"What's wrong, Petit-finis, what happened?" The girl's voice was soft and clear.
"Did you hear the sound just now?"
"Yes, that's why I came out to take a look." She could not help but look in the direction of the hillside. "I'm really worried about the Roman. Her aunt also went to the nearby town … I heard that it's not very safe recently. I asked her to stay at my house for two days, but she didn't agree."
The boy looked up at her and could not help but widen his eyes.
The girl's light brown hair was tied into a simple ponytail at the back of her head, which set off her heroic figure. She was wearing a tight gray leather armor with a thick cotton shirt inside. On her left shoulder was an armband with an abstract pine leaf painted with black paint.
She also had a short sword at her waist. It was a medieval Western European short sword. The iron plate on the sword guard had a flame emblem.
If Sophie was here, she would be able to recognize her attire at a glance. Bucce's militia. The Golan black pine was the most common tree in the Elsen-Golan Mountains, and it was also the emblem of the local forces in Bucce.
However, the guards were well-equipped and equipped with battle robes. Only the local militia would wear the gray leather armor sewn with the fur of the Gray Mane Cow.
In Erouine, every local youth would receive militia training. This training usually started when they were 14 years old, between October and March every year, and would only end when they were 19 years old. Youths and even adults who had received the training could become militia at any time during peacetime, and become the most important backup during wartime. Therefore, ever since the decree was issued during the Year of Thunder, militia training became one of the most important military measures in Erouine.
"Doesn't that kid live there? I heard that he was a militia in Braggs." The boy was puzzled.
"Tsk, the people in the city are not trustworthy." The girl flipped her long ponytail and could not help but frown. "It's because that guy is there that I don't feel at ease!"
"You're just prejudiced, Sister Freya."
"What do you know … Forget it." The girl lectured without turning her head. "Alright, if you have something to say, say it quickly. Boys shouldn't talk too much like girls, okay?"
Petit-finis shrunk his neck. "Did you know, Captain Marden has already ordered the guards to gather!"
Freya's bright eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. "Captain Marden? How did you know? "
"That guy Bretton told me." Petit-finis blinked and replied. "When I came out, he was already on his horse reporting to the guards."
"Do you know what happened?"
"I don't know." The boy shook his head.
The girl turned her head and looked at the direction of the hillside worriedly. In the darkness, she could only vaguely see the outline of the manor.
"Wake everyone up, we're going too."
"Freya, it's so late, Aunt Syl will kill us!" The boy widened his eyes and asked in disbelief. "Let's wait for tomorrow's news?"
"What a coward!" The girl couldn't help but glare at him, but she also knew that Petit-finis was telling the truth. Thinking of her aunt's deterrence, even though she was the captain of Bucce's militia, she still didn't dare to act rashly.
"Aren't you the same …" The boy just muttered, but he saw the girl turn her head and solemnly signal him to keep quiet.
"Freya?"
"Shhh —" The girl tilted her head and made a 'listen' gesture. In the darkness, there was clearly a faint whining sound.
"What's that sound?"
The whining sound came from afar. It was above her head and was very fast.
The girl's face changed. She raised her head and wanted to avoid it, but it was too late. A black shadow suddenly plunged down from the sky and drilled into her shoulder, causing her to scream and fall backwards.
"Big Sister —!"
"Run, Petit-finis, run!" The ponytailed girl shouted in pain.
Arrows fell like rain.
… …
Sophie stopped.
"What's wrong, Brando … cough cough?" The future merchant girl probably felt that something was wrong and couldn't help but ask.
Sophie didn't answer. He remembered something.
When Madara launched the attack, it was in the game. In the game, it was inevitable that they couldn't avoid the players. Unlike the NPCs, players didn't work at sunrise and rest at sunset. It could even be said that a considerable number of them were true nocturnal creatures.
He remembered that when Madara launched the operation, there were also players in other places who interfered with them. Players like himself, but most of Madara's operations were successful.
Why?
Yes, he finally remembered such an era. When the ancient country of Erouine was dying, its neighbors were ushering in such an era, a turbulent era.
A gathering of generals …
Sophie couldn't help but sigh. In this era of Madara, not only was there an endless stream of legendary generals whose names would shake the continent, but it also benefited from the military reform seven years ago (year 368, the Black Rose Revolution). This reform created a solid foundation for it, and it cultivated an endless stream of excellent apprentices that supported the country's war strength from the bottom.
And this strength would eventually be displayed in such a war.
In the first Black Rose War, Madara's army showed strong execution and judgment that was enough to make everyone look askance. But unfortunately, until the fall of Erouine, the world didn't have any real vigilance.
That was exactly the case.
The country in the darkness was rising, and soon it would be like the sun in the sky.
"Those guys are not ordinary."
As an old enemy, Sophie had a deep impression of Madara's outstanding officers. Only those who had fought with them for a long time would know how shrewd they were.
Sophie's hand rested on the cold door latch, and his heart turned cold. The moment he closed the door, the enemy would have already launched an attack on Bucce. They wouldn't give him the time to provide an alarm to the village, even if it was just a possibility.
And there might be Madara's skeleton soldiers behind the door.
What should he do?
… …
(PS. This chapter is 5000 words. Be kind! Make a wish. If I can make it to the front page tomorrow, I'll add a chapter on top of the double update!!!)
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
