RED HOOD ✔

PREPARATION

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, irritation coloring my tone as I faced Anna and Apsychos.

"We came for you," Anna replied, her voice a mix of frustration and concern.

I was torn. Sure, going back with them seemed like the right move—I was almost out of money, and they were my friends. But there was Ruth to consider. I couldn't just abandon her. "What about Ruth?" I asked, my voice firm.

Susanna sighed heavily, her impatience clear. "You're still on that?"

"Of course, I'm still on that. Either you take both of us or none of us at all," I declared, standing my ground.

Susanna clenched her fists, her frustration nearing a boil, but Apsychos gently held her hand, calming her with a touch. Sometimes, Susanna's passion got the best of her, and she needed someone to pull her back.

"Fine, deal. She can come," Apsychos intervened, his voice even and authoritative.

"What about Aunt Liza? Is she okay with this?" I asked, still wary about the arrangement.

"She just needs you home, Vincent. We have about two more days till the war," Apsychos explained.

Two days? That was sooner than I expected. There wasn't any time for arguments or hesitation. We had to prepare.

Once back at the village, we were each assigned posts according to our strengths. Thirty percent of Marshall's men fortified the first line of defense. I, along with other archers, took positions on the village walls. Ruth was placed at the first line of defense, and Anna stood at the second. Maurice, along with other spellcasters, remained at the rear. If the enemy broke through the first two lines, they were prepared to cast a defensive spell to protect the village by blocking all non-villagers from entering.

When Marshall learned that we were harboring Ruth, I made it clear: if anything happened to her, I would not rest until my sword went through his heart. He wasn't thrilled by the idea, but he had no choice but to comply.

Ruth's strategy for the first line involved exploiting the giants' weaknesses. Despite their strength and power, giants lacked armor, were slow, and had poor balance. She taught the front liners to utilize speed, advising them on tactics like targeting the legs to disrupt balance.

Meanwhile, I found myself teaching archery to the villagers. The giants were huge targets, but only a few spots on their bodies were truly vulnerable—the face, the knees, and, in desperate times, the groin. However, teaching was no easy task. I dodged arrows, got hit in the butt, and one misguided shot even broke Aunt Liza's coffee mug. But by nightfall, I had transformed a motley crew into a team of elite archers. I was exhausted but proud, though I hoped I'd never have to repeat the experience.

Just as I was about to retire for some well-deserved rest, Ruth pulled me aside. "Can you help me train the first line?" she asked. Her area of training focused intensely on power and precision, aiming to end the war at the first line if possible.

I agreed, though I admitted to myself that my combat skills were mostly instinctual—I didn't really know the first thing about traditional fighting techniques, nor did these villagers have access to the same mysterious energy that enhanced my abilities.

"So, I'm going to divide you guys into groups, Group A and Group B," I announced to the assembled villagers. I strategically placed myself with the group that included most of the Crooked Blade members. If Marshall had any plans to harm Ruth during the training, I'd be there to keep an eye on them and intervene if necessary. This was my way of protecting Ruth, ensuring she stayed safe amidst the chaos that was sure to come.