Under the dusky sky with red fading rays of the sun, a girl in her early twenties with a violet hair in ponytail is currently walking in the east road of the huge fortress. She was dressed in an army-like attire that is clearly showing her job as one of the protectors of the land—the Imperial Army.

The everyday life of a military personnel like her was no joke, they wake up earlier that the crows of cock just to do a morning lap around the east side of the city because it is where she was stationed, then from morning till sunset they are obligated to assist the citizens to do heavy works like manual laboring or such. That’s why every sundown almost all of her stacked energy is always depleted.

When the girl arrived at their post near the east gate her eyes automatically look for a free bench.

A man inside the post with black hair noticed her sit heavily in the bench outside the post, a weak smile appeared on his face before he grabbed a clay mug and fill it with fresh grape juice from the huge wooden drum. He approach the girl outside and give the mug of grape then he sit beside her.

“Here” the man said with his brusque voice.

The violet-haired girl receive the mug with her eyes focused on the beautiful horizon. “Thanks.”

Wind blows gently from east to west, it crushes the huge and sturdy walls of Aldebaran, giving the two a refreshing summer breeze.

“You know it’s not too late if you want to go with them, I mean you can still catch up if you go now.”

“I’ve already made my decisions. And I can’t leave ya’ to your own devices old man.”

“Tch. Look who’s talking, you really never change Christina.”

“You’re the only one who’s aging Hahaha.” She giggled in order to prevent the man from replying to her teases, and shortly after that she took a sip of the grape juice.”

Ichiro produced a grumpy face, he also look at where the girl is looking and when he get the chance again he continued with a serious expression. “I heard that Cazius have some kind of a plan.”

“I don’t give a damn shit about his tactics, as long as it is a dog of the king they’ll never see even a bit of my presence.”

Cazius—one of the thirteen war commanders of the Imperial Army, he was the one in charge of leading the adventurers of Aldebaran during this year’s holy war. Because of his grieve selfishness and rude perspective to lower rank adventurers, many people doesn’t like him, even in his own army there are some who hated him.

Ichiro reply with a weak voice. “Same goes for me, you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Now I regret saying it.”

“Hey old man.”

“I have a proper nam—” Ichiro paused when he see the reaction of the girl that is looking at the direction of the cursed forest with eyes shot opened.

He looked at the same direction to where Christina is looking.

“Look!”

“What is that?” he said while looking at the forest.

“Kobolds?”

Ichiro narrowed his eyes to get a clearer view of the unusual sight near the forest. “No there are orcs, goblins even hobs too!

“I thought their nest is on the west side?”

“This is bad! The defense force miscalculated their path.”

“That Damn dog! …I’ll inform the others!”

“Wait. I’ll do that, go to the bell tower instead. Tell them the current situation, we need to evacuate the townspeople as soon as possible.”

“What? Why?”

“Look. With our current number, there’s no way we can withstand that army of monsters...I hate to say this but this city is done. Defense is no longer our top priority now, it is the evacuation and safety of the citizens”

“But.”

“Christina! Please listen to me, at least to my last order.”

“…last”

“Go now!!” Ichiro raised his voice and in response, Christina run towards the gate and into the city as if forgetting her lost energy. The other guards inside the post who heard Ichiro’s voice immediately scanned the surroundings and see the monsters from the distance.

“Hang in there, I’ll return! With reinforcements!” she said while doing her best to resist the droplets in her eyes while running at the same time.

“…I hope you will….” Ichiro silently muttered to himself, a guard from the guard post approach him from behind.

“So in the end, you still has feelings for her sir.”

“No. It is because only old mans like us are allowed to die.”

The guard beside him smiled. “Absolutely Sir! We will fight and die like real men!”

“That’s the spirit! Now all units to battle station!! Archers aim for their legs! Magicians set the east meadows on fire! Others that can wield blades, we will prevent them from getting near the gate. We need to slow them down to buy time for evacuation!!” every members of the Army that heard the brusque voice rapidly go to their designated battle post. “One more thing! Don’t die yet!”

“““YES SIR!!””” the whole army replied in unison.

The archers on top of the wall began to drew their bow and aim at the east direction, when they finally released it countless arrows fly from the walls then into the monsters.

And then the battle for time has begun.

~~~

“Everyone evacuate as fast as possible! Monsters are coming from the east!” Christina continuously shout upon entering the huge gate.

All the townspeople that heard her doesn’t need any further information and they do as she said. It is because she was wearing a uniform of the Imperial Army that the citizens believed her words without doubt.

She just continue to run deeper and deeper in the city while shouting. And along with her voice the sun rays completely left the city, one by one lamps of different colors starts to appear.

It was a complete darkness when she finally reach the front of the tall tower with a huge bell on its top. With her unhesitating stride she opened the door of the tower.

“Monsters! ...Battalion size from the east gate… Hit the bell!”

“Whoa, calm down young one. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

The one who answered her was the bald monk inside. The monk put down his tea cup and approach the door of the bell tower.

“Battalion size of monsters approaching from the east, all townspeople need to evacuate.”

The monk was surprised the moment he heard the voice of Christina.

“Battalion?!...Gods please help us.”

The bald monk hurriedly rush onto the stairs of the tower, and when he reach the top he pulled the hanging huge log away from the steel bell. When the log was released a deafening metal sound echoed in every corner of the Aldebaran. The monk continuously repeat doing it until he produced a full three ring.

Christina rushed outside of the bell tower when she heard the third ring. Her next destination was at the northwestern part of the city—the Adventurer’s Guild.

It took her thirty minutes more or less to reach the adventurers guild and inform the clerks there about the current situation.

She didn’t even bother to wait for the response of the adventurers and people in the huge establishment, as soon as she finished saying that the city was under attack from east, she left immediately. Right now, Christina is running again at her fastest pace, resisting the trembling of her arms and legs because of great fatigue. When she reached the central plaza her vision starts to get fuzzy.

She stopped there and lean on the nearby tree while breathing heavily, she tried to move again but her feet doesn’t obey her anymore. But when she remembered the happy faces of her friends in the army and their happy moments it helped her to move again, but this time she tipped and fall to the ground.

Her gaze didn’t left the east route even a second. In the road many people were running away from there, but among the people there was a figure that she see, suddenly she felt a heavy pain in her heart. That figure was a group of orcs and goblins that is destroying every parts of the town and assaulting every people they grab. Just by seeing this a moisture in her eyes started to fall on her cheeks. Those group of monsters indicates one simple thing—Ichiro’s group has failed.

“Hey! What’s happening?” a gentle voice of a girl suddenly spoke from behind her.

She turned her head to see the source of the voice. When she see the girl, she already know who it was.

“Renia!”

Before her a girl with waist-long crimson hair, two round eyes of the same color. The girl was wearing white light armor and blue undergarments, a rapier with gold handle and average length is hanging to her waist, a gold necklace is also proudly hanging in her neck. The red-haired girl offered her hand to Christina.

“You okay?”

“I thought you’re enlisted to the war?” Christina said while wiping the tears on her eyes, Renia help her to regain her footings.

“Yep. My thanks to my father, he done this and that to delay me and when I was about to catch up to the army, an injured adventurer told me that there was an attack on the east side and some zircon tiers were already there, well let’s put it aside for now, tell me what is the current situation.”

“By now, I think the monsters are already trying to infiltrate the east gate.”

“The current army is way too few. We need to gather more forces.”

“Yes! Please help us! We need to hurry!”

“Yup. That’s usually what adventurers do.”

A loud explosion interrupted their reunion.

The explosion was from the gate, the two girls on the central plaza looked at each other and after a nod they both run towards the east gate. Just a few meters away from the central plaza the two girls had seen the group of army that is fighting an uncommon monster. It was 250 cm tall, a very huge humanoid figure holding a blunt wood in arm but with a head of a dog—a kobold. Their normal size was like the size of a human kid and a normal goblin, but this type of giant monster was classified by the guild as the leader of the pack.

“Ichirooo! Everyone!”

Christina run with unhesitating pace towards the group of Army that repelling the giant monster.

“Hey wait up! Oh geez. —Renia grabbed the handle of her rapier using her right hand, she closed her eyes and starts to whisper something. After three seconds she opened her eyes again but this time it was glowing with white light. When the light disappeared, her eyes came back to its original red color. She said immediately while pulling her rapier out—“ENCHANT, Lightning Property.”

The blade of her rapier began emitting white light for almost a couple of second followed by the electricity that comes out from nowhere. A smile appeared on her lips before she launch a full speed dash toward the monsters, some of electricity were left on her trails.

“Why are you still here?!” Ichiro who’s lying on the ground said ferociously. He’s holding a part of his stomach while some of his bloods flowing out from it.

“I told ya’ I will return, now close your mouth old loser!”

“GRRROAAARRR!!!” a loud scream of the kobold leader startled the nearby townspeople. Even Christina and Ichiro who’s having their reunion looked to where the loud noise came from.

The monster screamed not because he’s just letting out a battle cry but rather because of the searing pain on his left arm. It was supposedly holding the makeshift blunt but now it was just lying on the ground before him. It was a clean cut with a little bit of burned flesh producing violet colored blood, the leader was very angry about what happened to his left arm. He look to where the culprit was and see the girl with crimson hair. And out of his rage he picked up the makeshift blunt with his remaining arm and swing it ferociously to the adventurer.

“Great strength is nothing if you can’t hit your target fool!”

“GGRRRRRAAAGGGGHHH”

The monster’s and the adventurer’s movement has a very high gap when it comes to speed.

Renia’s type of combat can be compared to dancing, she just move swiftly around the raging monster and because of her soft and quick movements the monster can’t even deliver a blow or even touch her.

“Who is that young girl?”

“A friend of mine, she was known in the capital as the Crimson Heroine.”

Ichiro and Christina’s gaze never left the gold tier adventurer.

Renia ended the one-sided battle by launching a full force attack that is targeting the monster’s heart. Her whole rapier impaled the tough meat of the kobold leader, its suffering was ended by volts of electricity from the adventurer’s rapier.

Just about when the body of the kobold leader tumbled on the ground, three more full-sized kobold leader appeared on the gate and they were accompanied by five hobgoblins.

The crimson heroine lets out a sigh upon seeing a new round of foes. “Sheesh, three kobs and 5 armored hobs! As time passes they are increasing and increasing. What a ppaaaiinnnn” she inhaled deeply then followed by exhale, the flames in her eyes at that time seem to be replenished, she smiled and said. “Alright! Bring it on! Greater Enhanceme—”

“Renia look out!”

Renia’s chanting was interrupted by Christina who’s shouting a warning to her. She look at her back and see something with very fast approaching, Renia who’s still enhanced with lightning property took a light speed triple step sideward. In her vision, it was like a tornado, but a tornado can never be that fast. When the unknown object pass through her, a strong blow of wind with a spear inside gets clearer to her sight.

“Graaarrrbb?”

The spear that was evaded by Renia headed immediately to the group of monsters in the gate, it exterminated the couple of kobold leader by passing through their chest as if it was just paper and also the three hobgoblins didn’t manage to survive the impact of it on their head.

Renia was very surprise to see the middle tier monsters die in just a blink of an eye.

“Hey! Wait for me you’re too fast!”

The sweet voice of the blue-haired little elf in sorcery uniform echoed in the roads of the city. Renia and the army all looked in the same direction to where the spear and the voice came from. They’ve seen two adventurers running towards the gate.

“Sorry! I’ll go ahead! My spear is not slowing!—A boy in light armor with red hair and cyan eyes answered the elf. It doesn’t take too long before he rephrased his words—“Oh well, on second thought, you’re more important than that.”

The boy stopped running and waited for his partner’s arrival. When they are finally close to each other the red haired boy produced a smile and began patting the head of the little elf.

“…That’s quick…but well… Thanks…”

“Hey! I know you!” Christina shouts at the red haired boy.

“Eh? Oh, it’s been a while officers. Chiyo use your magic on him.” He remember seeing the lady soldier from his first time of coming to this city. He remembered too well that Christina and Ichiro were the one who told him the directions of the city.

He instructed the little elf to use her magic on the fallen Ichiro.

“I’m fine, no need to.”

“No you’re not old man.”

“She’s right, your wound looks terrible. Chiyo please.”

“Okay! This is the second time I will use this magic.” The elf sorcerer replied.

Ryuji smiled while touching the head of the elf. “No problem. Save the last for later.” Chiyo kneeled down in order to reach Ichiro.

“So you finally became an adventurer huh?” Upon meeting Ryuji’s gaze, Christina ask a friendly question.

“Yes. Thanks to both of you.”

When the white light appeared on the hands of the elf sorcerer, Ryuji scanned the whole place. “Mind if I ask a question?” he asked with his usual low-pitched voice.

“Yeah.” Christina is the one who replied to him.

Ryuji point his hand to the Crimson Heroine that is still in combat with the remaining kobold leader. “Who is she?”

“You don’t know her?”

“Yes I don’t. I’ll just ask her myself. Chiyo I’m going to help at the front lines, can you assist to treat the wounded here?”

“Alright! But are you sure you can without me?”

“I’ll give it a try!”

“Please be safe or else Liliana will kill me. I’ll follow you later!”

“Yes please!”

Ryuji then run away from the group and head straight to Renia.

~~~

Ichiro cast an unflinching gaze to the little elf and said. “Hey miss elf.”

“Yeah?”

“Is he the one who threw that spear?”

“Yes, He threw it from near the central plaza, why?”

“No zircon tier, even gold ones, can threw at that distance and instantly kill a mid-tier monster.” Christina said while looking at the back of the red-haired boy with an uncomfortable face.

“Yes, I’m surprised at first because I know that my magic that boosted the spear throw has only limited range and yet it even fly across the gate. But it makes sense now on why a strong person like him was in lowest tier.”

“Huh?”

“What? You said that he had just became an adventurer recently right?”

“Yes but that’s not all of it, that kid, he has something that he doesn’t tell even to his party member.” Ichiro said with his gaze directed to Ryuji.

~~~

By seeing the familiar face of this red-haired girl, I decided to approach her and ask her directly of her name. Pass through many goblins my way is carved by the only weapon that is left on me after I foolishly threw by precious spear.

I’m not much yet used to using sword but time polishes my skills.

When I was a couple of meters away from the red-haired lass, she was pushed back by the impact of the kobold leader’s scimitar to her rapier. I caught her with my arms, she looked at me with surprised face.

“Who are you?”

“What? I will ask you the same thing” I answered with my low-pitched voice.

“Fine. I am Renia Esta Mytennheim, gold rank adventurer in the title of Crimson Heroine.”

For almost a second I thought that she was a summoned hero too. But when I review her words that explains it. “Mytenn? Hey you’re the daughter of Paul-san.

“You know my father?—she hold one of my hand and gently move it away so that she can stand on her own. “By the way. Thanks for catching me”

“Yeah he’s my personal guild adviser and welcome.”[Oh so that explains it. That is why she resembled the girl in Paul’s picture.]

“Okay I see, so now your turn to answer me.”

“I am Ryuji. But you can call me anything you want. I’d just begin as an adventurer, currently in the lowest rank I have no title.”

“…Yuji?” she muttered something but I didn’t heard it clearly.

“Did you say something?”

“Oh, pardon me. I just remembered someone from past…”

“I see” [Paul’s daughter is weird.]

“Hey.” Renia smiled then look at me.

“What?”

“Want to have a competition?”

“What competition?” [Did she just see my pitiful rank? I already said it to her and yet here she was challenging me to a competition.]

“See the flock of goblins there near the forest?”

“Huh? Oh, what about that?”

“Let’s race to there!”

“Are you serious? That is a whole army of demi-human evil forces.”

“What? Are you scared?”

“Okay fine. Let’s GO!”[I don’t know why but I atleast want to punch her in the face, but at the same time I’m too afraid to touch the goddess beauty.]

“This is gonna be fun.”

And then we both dive in the mouth of our enemy.