Chapter 5:The Road To war

Chapter 5: The Road to War

Kaito rode alongside the convoy, the wind brushing against his face as he looked ahead. The road stretched far, leading them toward the frontier city, where the real war awaited.

The past month had changed him. His body had grown stronger, sharper, faster. His sword no longer felt like a foreign object in his hands. He was ready.

Or at least, that’s what he told himself.

Leaving the Capital

The capital city slowly faded into the distance as their group traveled. The grand stone walls, the bustling markets, the towering spires—it all shrank behind them.

But just as they reached the outskirts, Kaito saw something he hadn’t noticed before.

Slums.

Rows of makeshift tents and wooden shacks lined the road beyond the city walls. Dirty-faced children ran barefoot, their clothes tattered. Thin, tired-eyed men and women huddled together, some watching the passing knights with hollow expressions.

Kaito frowned but didn’t dwell on it.

"They must have lost their homes because of the war. Probably attacked by the Demon King’s army."

The thought hardened his resolve.

He tightened his grip on the reins of his horse. If the demons were responsible for this, then they needed to be stopped.

He pushed forward, leaving the slums behind.

The Bandit Ambush

The journey to the frontier city was long, stretching across dense forests and open plains.

It was late afternoon when the attack happened.

A sharp whistle cut through the air. Then—

Arrows rained down from the trees.

"AMBUSH!" one of the knights shouted.

Kaito barely had time to react before masked figures burst out from the foliage, wielding rusty blades and crude weapons.

Bandits.

The knights reacted immediately, raising their shields as some of the arrows clanged harmlessly against their armor. Swords were drawn, and in an instant, the quiet forest path became a battlefield.

Kaito didn’t hesitate.

A bandit rushed at him, swinging a dagger toward his side. But before the blade could reach him, his body moved on instinct.

He twisted, sidestepped, and brought his sword down in a single, swift arc.

The blunt side of the blade smashed into the bandit’s gut, sending him crashing to the ground, gasping for air.

"Too easy."

Another one came at him from behind, but Kaito spun, kicking the attacker in the chest, sending him flying backward.

One after another, the bandits fell before they even had a chance to react. They weren’t trained soldiers. They weren’t even good fighters.

In less than a minute, the ambush was over.

The knights stood victorious, the bandits either knocked unconscious or groaning in pain on the ground.

The Order to Kill

Aldric wiped his blade clean and turned to the captured bandits.

"Kill them," he ordered.