Around the same time, in Druhwood.

“Open the gate again, hurry! Tch. They really went and closed in on us. I did say close it behind me, but still...”

“Sorry, Chief! Just one second! Hey! I need help over here opening the gate back up!”

Grandfather and I were now waiting on the shut gate to be reopened, hindering our ability to swiftly make it through Druhwood. I couldn’t exactly blame everyone for being so frightened enough that they felt as if they needed the gate to be closed though. The gate was rather old and problematic, so it took some time to get it moving as it rarely was ever closed to begin with too.

Aaaaa! Come on, everyone! Let’s go already!!

I was feeling rather on edge still, and it felt as if the smallest inconvenience would make me even more irritable and worrisome. It hadn’t been as bad as before, but the fact remained that we had left Albel behind to deal with something of unimaginable strength—and that thought weighed on my mind. Yet, here we were simply wasting time due to an old gate. The quicker we made it to the merchant, the faster we’d be able to return to Albel and assist him.

“Almost...! There, we got it now! Move aside people, the gate is opening and the Chief is coming through!”

As it slowly crept open, the grinding sound of the fence being dragged along the dirt filled the area. Grandfather then galloped through as soon as the opening was large enough for our stead.

“You lot, listen here...”

He quickly ordered a few familiar faces to grab a few horses, some weapons and to meet us by the north gate with a lack of a thorough explanation. Even so, they listened without any questions asked and began moving—as we did the same. Making our way through Druhwood, grandfather suddenly decided to take a left turn toward our inn.

“Huh?! Grandpa...? Shouldn’t we be heading to the north gate as well?”

“We’ll be doing nothing but tossing our bodies at em ourselves, defenseless and without weapons, if we head out as we are now. Hurry and grab what you need, and I’ll do the same.”

“O-okay!”

I hadn’t thought about that at all, honestly. Stopping at the entrance, I immediately dismounted from the horse and ran inside, up the stairs and toward my room. Quickly shuffling through a few things, I found my secondary bag of trinkets. One that differed from the bag I used the other day. The trinkets here, were a bit more experimental—even dangerous. A bag that resulted from curiosity.

I never really thought I’d make use of these, but... It’s definitely better to have as many options as possible right now! And maybe, I won’t have to even use them in the end either.

I tucked the second back inside the first, and from there I turned toward a drawer where I stored several small drawstring bags. Ones that held shattered gems inside. Grabbing a few, I headed back downstairs. With his trusty, long bearded axe with him, grandfather had been waiting for me near the horse. He looked at me, a bit hesitant as he voiced his concern.

“...Are you sure you want to come along, Eru?”

“Yes! I don’t want to sit around and do nothing while you, Albel and everyone else is trying to handle this situation. I won’t get in the way either!”

Clutching at my back of trinkets, I was completely ready for whatever happened next. Grandfather nodded as he then gestured with the quick turn of his head to get on the horse. Heading toward the north gate, we finally arrived and several of grandfather’s close comrades were waiting for us there with weapons on horseback. They all turned to him in silence as he looked to each and every one of them and nodded.

“All right, you lot! It seems we have a problem on our hands, one that will decide whether Druhwood remains standing after today or not! This isn’t something the Enheim Forest can help us with either. This is something we must do ourselves—and immediately! Right now, a complete stranger—a traveler by the name of Albel is protecting us. Protecting Druhwood against the Chieftain of the Higrant tribe of Giants! Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it? Some idiot went and did the unthinkable. They might have possibly stolen the Higrant’s [Totem of Sanctity] and are currently fleeing north, ignoring a problem they alone plagued us with!”

As our stead walked beyond the entrance of the north gate, everyone turned toward us, readying to move at a moment’s notice.

“Now, I don’t like the sound of that at all—and I’m quite certain neither do all of you. That’s why, we’ll be taking back that totem and returning it to the Higrant Chieftain! Even if we have to drag the body of that damned thief in front of the Giant; we will protect Druhwood!”

“AYE!!”

Agreeing in sync, they all propelled their weapons into the air as we then began our chase. Heading north as a group, in hopes of catching the merchant and bringing back the stolen totem.

Just wait for us, Albel... We’ll definitely get it back to you in time!

❖

Slightly before, south west of Druhwood.

“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"

The roar from the Chieftain not only shook my eardrums, but my entirety as it felt as if I would almost lose footing on flat ground. The sound waves alone were coursing through my body, and if this hadn’t been some sort of [Intimidation] skill at work—it definitely had the prowess and effectiveness of one nonetheless.

Yeah, yeah. You have every right to be pissed off right now, but taking that anger out on any random person or thing your way? Don’t you think that’s a bit childish for a Chieftain? A supposed Hero? Well, that aside...

Name: [Chief of the Higrant Tribe, Kortbos]

Rank: [Special Beast], [Higrant Giant]

Level: [130]

Class: [Warlord Hero, Tier XI]

Alignment: [Lawful Neutral]

INFO: The current tribe leader of the Higrant Giants, in a special form, as the one who bears the responsibility and recognition of "Hero" amongst its own kind. When enraged, it has the ability to activate the fleeting skill, [Berserk Vitality], in which strengthens its overall abilities immensely and deals set damage regardless of Defense stat, skills or buffs. During that time, keep a distance and avoid at ALL costs. Weak against mental attacks and certain ailments. Strong against all physical attacks, poisons, stuns and pacification attempts.

With another look over its status once more, I attempted to quickly organize a plan of action on how to fight the brute. Luckily, its resistances were more tailored toward physical attributes, which hadn’t been more forte to begin with. It also seemed to resist ailments that were similar to the specialized spores that came from the treants.

First a hoard of Undead, and now this spore-resistant Chieftain, huh? Guess it’s just not their week. Not like I’m one to talk when I have to be the one to deal with it all too. Anyways, let’s see. Hm. Mental attacks, maybe? Then I’ll need to—

“Human... Human... Human!!!”

“Huh!? Shit...!”

His budded anger blossomed in an instant after those words left his mouth. His roar earlier was one thing, but the ferocity behind his gaze and aura now seemed like something else entirely as he lifted his war hammer toward the sky. I immediately dash toward my right on instinct, in attempt to avoid any sort of attack from hitting my planted [Abysmal End]. And in doing so, he in turn twisted his body toward my current direction, slamming the war hammer into the ground with staggering force.

“Ghrg...!!!”

As the war hammer met the soil before him, an earthquake seemingly consumed the area as pieces of Aerith were sent flying in every direction—rather sporadically and without any accuracy. My body tumbled along that same ground as I couldn’t hold a balance amid the brute’s seismic wave. In between the dust clouds, I eyed the area where my stave was the second I could. It still remained upright with only a slight slant somehow.

“Aha. This really is going to be one hell of a headache, huh?! For a second there, I even thought maybe you wanted to have a little chat, but fool me once...!”

Planting my feet in preparation amid the roaming dust clouds, I quickly withdrew my [Spiritstaff of the Auburn Giant] and began casting without the preemptive advantages of my regular stave. The moment I could make out Kortbos’ silhouette, I casted my spell and resumed running toward my right, circling the brute.

“Casting: [Sinking Ground]!”

The spell erupted from below Kortbos’ legs, turning his attention to the ground as the brute’s entirety began to sink slowly within the soil beneath. This was nothing more than just a spell to buy some time in order for me to get back to my original position. Preparing to cast my next spell while continuing on my path, I doubled down.

I can’t be too quick about returning there just yet. I need to bait at least one more attack out of Kortbos first. If I don’t, he might end up using that war hammer the second I return. So, c’mon, big guy! Let me at least get one more smash out of you!

“Summoning: [Winter Pack]!”

With his focus on the mushy ground beneath his feet, a pack of wolves were now descending on his position next. Their only objective would be to simply dance around Kortbos and bait out another attack from him.

Now, I just need to stay away from that area—

“Annoying! Don’t... Look... Down... On... Me!!!!!”

“!?”

The top of his war hammer was now facing down, as he then lifted his hands above his head and slammed the hammer into the puddle of soul under him. The area around him cracked, splintered and even splattered in separate ways all around him—destroying all three of the spectral wolves the process. The field once again became a cloudy mess. I could even taste the soil as the traveling clouds of dirt smacked my face.

“Pthu!! He’s just not letting up at all, huh? Dammit, now where—?!”

“Human!!!”

A silhouette amid the dust lingered over me, accompanied by a ghastly shout that sank into my skin and bones—leaving me rattled in fright and unable to quickly move out the way. An impact of steel then met my stomach before I could even react. My body rag-dolled, creating a significant amount of distance between Kortbos and myself as I was sent flying like a pebble skipping over the surface of water. And as my bodied stopped, I let go of my quarterstaff as I attempted to lift myself back up to my feet to no avail.

“...!!!”

My body wouldn’t listen as it cycled through attempts at lifting, only to keep falling back down. Not a single word allowed itself to even escape my mouth, it felt as if I couldn’t even breathe to begin with as I roughly coughed out blood and spit.

It had been a direct hit from the Chieftain’s war hammer, against a robe with a meager Defense stat. I had screwed up—terribly so—yet I was still alive. The first real taste of damage since arriving upon Aerith, and one I know I would never forget. Tossing over to my back, I could feel the ground shake ever so slightly as Kortbos began slowly walking toward me. My eyes remained on a blurry sky, and as my breath slowly began to come back, my words tiptoed out and wandered into the air.

“...Aha... What...do I do...now?”

I could barely even move, let alone talk. Yet, I knew I needed to do something. Even if it was while laying down.

“If you can...move your arms, then...do it! I won’t let it...end like...this, dammit!”

With every fiber in my being, I then lifted and slammed my right fist against the ground in frustration as I took in a deep, painful inhale of air. As my chest inflated, my entirety stung excruciatingly so. Regardless, I needed to accept this pain—here and now. Or else, I wouldn’t be able to do anything at all. I then exhaled with an intense roar of my own.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Without skipping a beat, I immediately began slow casting a Divination spell without my stave as I grabbed my quarterstaff near me.

“C-casting: [Detect Other]!”

I shortly became aware of where exactly the Chieftain currently was and just how far the distance between the two of us had been. He had actually thrown me further than I could have imagined, and continuing toward me at a rather slower pace than before for some reason.

Is it being cautious all of a sudden...? Doesn't matter. Take all the time you need. Thanks to your gift from earlier, I feel like some sense was knocked into me. This is nothing more than just a simple bump in the road, right...?

“Now, shall we...get started again...?”

A series of spell casting commenced while I still remained lying down. One by one, toward what I had in mind now. It didn’t go exactly as planned, but the distance he had thrown me to had given me some extra time now. Not only that, but it had allowed for me to conceive an even better idea than before. A silver lining established in the pits of a near-death experience.

And as the tremors increased in volume, I began finishing up the last touches as my [Winter Pack] stealthily ran away from where I was laying. The brute now finally towered over me once more, but this time, bringing along with it a question.

“Human... Totem... Where...?!”

“...Sorry, I don’t have it, but—!”

He didn’t allow me another word as the downward and overpowering swing of his war hammer once again met my body. This time, together with the ground. And as the dust settled, my body seemingly remained mangled in a crater made by the Chief of the Higrant tribe, Kortbos.