Cosmic System: Road To Eternity

7. Werewolf Invasion

Kazuya's eyes widened in astonishment, unable to believe what he was seeing before him. It was not just a mere display of lights; rather, they were the luminous eyes of the Jinro, shining brilliantly in the dark, visible even from a great distance away.

"Sir, are those what I think they are?" Hiroshi inquired, recognizing the familiar pattern of lights approaching them. The answer was undoubtedly "yes," but Kazuya didn't need to articulate it explicitly.

"Quickly, go back inside and sound the alarm," he instructed Hiroshi urgently. "Gather as many brave elves as you can find."

Following his orders, Hiroshi rushed into the village while Kazuya observed the Jinro dashing towards their territory. He pondered why they would invade elven land at such an unusual hour.

The unexpected arrival in the dead of night implied that the approaching party had malicious intentions, and the village needed to be prepared.

Meanwhile, back at their dwelling, the trio was startled by the sudden blare of a loud horn. Aya and Asuka understood its significance, and their expressions turned serious.

"Aya," Asuka called out.

"I'm already on it," Aya replied, hastening to the other side of the house to ready their weapons, while Asuka went to retrieve their additional attire. This left Daisuke perplexed in the center of the room, curious about the unfolding situation as the other two hastily donned their pants and armed themselves.

"That was the warning alarm," Asuka explained to him after securing her shield.

"What is it for?" he inquired.

"It could be an assault from another race, who knows?" Aya responded, placing her sheathed sword beside her, mimicked by Asuka.

"Do you have a weapon?" she asked Daisuke.

Daisuke recalled the reward bestowed upon him by the system but was unsure how to materialize it. He had only seen it as a hologram and hadn't physically obtained it. Fearing potential embarrassment in front of the elves, he spoke in a hushed tone.

"System?" he whispered. "My weapon."

"Are you comfortable manifesting it before them?" the system queried.

Daisuke sighed, discreetly concealing his hands behind his back as if playfully hiding something from his companions.

Aya raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" she inquired.

Then, Daisuke revealed his hands, each holding a Bagnak.

Asuka chuckled, admiring the weapons he now wielded. "Impressive," she commented, while Aya shrugged nonchalantly.

The trio hurried out of the house, with each sister entertaining the suspicion that they were somehow responsible for the impending danger that prompted the sounding of the horn.

After all, they couldn't overlook the fact that earlier that day, they had violated the Jinro's territorial law and inadvertently caused the death of one of them. Should they be surprised now that the village seemed to be in peril?

In some inexplicable way, they sensed their involvement in the impending crisis, and they knew they had to take swift action.

***********

Meanwhile, at the entrance gates of the village, Chief Ronin, the leader of the elves, along with the skilled guard Kazuya and his assistant Hiroshi, stood in front. Many brave elves had gathered, each armed with a tool that could serve as a makeshift weapon.

In front of the gates, a large group of Jinro had gathered, standing on all fours with their menacing eyes shining brightly.

With Mazui, the leader of the Jinro, positioned before the elven village and a pack of growling Jinro behind him, the air was thick with tension. It was evident that lives would be lost in a matter of moments.

Mazui stood directly in front of the village, and the one standing in front of him was Chief Ronin.

"Welcome, Mazui," the elderly chief greeted courteously. "May I ask why you have honored our village with your presence?"

The chief's response left everyone puzzled. Why was he being polite to an invader who had brought an entire army?

"Based on your greeting, I can assume that you are someone who dislikes unnecessary violence," Mazui replied. "Unfortunately, my brother, Kurai, wants me to massacre all of you. My pack is eager for bloodshed. However, I can prevent them from ravaging your village if you fulfill one request for me."

Instead of questioning the Jinro's violation of their agreement, the chief asked politely, "Might I inquire about the issue at hand, Mazui? To the best of my knowledge, my people have always been faithful in meeting your demands. We have consistently fulfilled our monthly obligations since we signed the agreement, and none of my people have ever breached the territorial rules."

While the old man spoke, several elves held their tongues, attempting to restrain their anger towards the Jinro. Most of the challenges the elves faced were a result of the chief's aversion to conflict with the Jinro.

Now, the Jinro were taking advantage of him by demanding monthly payments and resources, merely to satisfy themselves and restrict the elves within their boundaries, preventing them from seeking better opportunities where their community could thrive. This was likely the primary reason why the village had not flourished despite its existence for centuries.

Nevertheless, the elves understood the chief's intentions. They knew he was only looking out for their well-being and would endure great humiliation to keep them safe. Perhaps it was thanks to him that the Jinro had not eradicated their clan thus far.

So, despite the growing provocation within their hearts, the elves maintained their composure and entrusted their fate to Chief Ronin, hoping for a positive outcome from this dialogue.

"You see, wise elf," Mazui responded, "that is where you are mistaken. Your side of the agreement was recently violated."

Then, Mazui motioned to one of his followers, instructing them to hand him something. The Jinro approached from behind, passing a cloth-wrapped object to him. It had been left on Kurai's dining table, and Mazui found it repulsive, so he returned it to Mazui.

Now, in the presence of the onlookers, Mazui unwrapped the object, causing them to gasp.

After receiving it, the subordinate returned to their original position, leaving Mazui to unwrap it himself.

"I can see that all of you recognize this sword," Mazui remarked, observing their reaction. "It bears the emblem of your people, doesn't it? I discovered it lodged in the head of one of our own, who was brutally slain by it. Unfortunately, the victim happened to be Maga, the foolish younger brother of both I and Kurai. We cannot overlook such a grave matter."

The atmosphere in the village grew tense upon hearing this. The Jinro were not simply visiting out of arrogance; they had a more significant motive.

Revenge.

After a few moments of silence from the elves, Mazui spoke again.

"Here's the situation," he began, addressing the village chief. "Unlike my brother, I am not a bloodthirsty maniac. Unnecessary killings are not my preference," he assured. "I assume you find that relieving, don't you?"

"I must admit, I do," Ronin replied. "And I respect that."

"Good," Mazui responded. "With that in mind, I don't think it's too much to ask for you to reveal the culprit behind this crime, is it?"

Ronin looked saddened, unable to provide an answer.

"Listen, whoever committed this crime violated territorial laws and murdered my brother. It amounts to two serious offenses," Mazui explained, stepping closer to Ronin. "Furthermore, consider this: for years, we have upheld our end of the agreement, resisting the temptation to exploit our superiority over your kind. And how do you repay us? By allowing one of your own to kill our brother? That hardly seems fair, does it?"

This statement heightened the tension in the atmosphere. The elves were now treading on thin ice, and depending on the outcome of this conversation, everything could collapse at any moment.

"I am genuinely sorry for your loss, Mazui," Ronin expressed. "Truly, I am. However, I do not know of anyone among my people who would commit such an act."

Mazui let out a sigh, recognizing that no matter how diplomatic he tried to be, it would always come down to this. Yet, he chose to give them a chance—not out of righteousness, but to ensure that when he and his pack embarked on their slaughter, they would do so with excitement rather than guilt.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, old elf," Mazui addressed Ronin. "This time, I need a better answer than 'I don't know'."

Ronin took a deep breath and stepped closer to Mazui. "I understand," he responded. "Take my life instead."

Mazui frowned, surprised by Ronin's offer. "What?" he questioned.

"If you only need someone to blame for the safety of my people, take me," Ronin proposed. "My children mean everything to me, and I would rather die than see them harmed. Do whatever you want with me, but please spare the others."

Mazui was taken aback by Ronin's courage and felt compelled to honor his request. Ronin's integrity touched his heart, and he began contemplating sparing them as asked. Despite the potential fury of Kurai, Mazui believed he could handle his brother's anger. Offering Ronin's body as the culprit would somewhat appease him, but witnessing Ronin's bravery made him reluctant to slaughter all the elves.

Unlike the other Jinro, Mazui stood on two legs and extended his paw, revealing sharp claws on each finger. He intended to end the old elf's life right then and there, delivering the body to his brother, aiming for a quick and painless death, likely through decapitation.

"I have a condition," the old elf interjected.

Ronin raised an eyebrow, slowly lowering his arm, unsure if it was appropriate to set conditions in such a dire situation.

"Go ahead," Mazui granted.

"Don't kill me here and now," Ronin requested. "I don't want my people to witness my death."

Mazui questioned, "Don't you want your people to witness your sacrifice?"

"No," the old elf responded. "If you kill me right here, your brother won't be satisfied. However, if you bring me alive to him, he will have someone to direct his anger towards. This way, my people will be spared his wrath. Do you understand?"

"Do you realize what you're asking, old elf?" Mazui challenged. "My brother is cruel. He would torment you every day for months before killing you. He would subject you to endless suffering without granting you death. I offer you a swift death instead, so why not take it?"

"If my death doesn't directly satisfy his thirst for revenge, he won't be content with just that," Ronin explained. "If he can make the culprit suffer under his hand for an extended period, he will have an outlet for his anger. His focus will shift from inflicting suffering upon my people."

The atmosphere grew even tenser as the elves listened to the conversation between Mazui and Ronin. They admired Ronin's selflessness and hoped that Mazui would consider his proposal. However, some were waiting for the opportune moment to act, as they didn't want their chief to endure such torment because of their actions.

Mazui was amazed by Ronin's selfless act and wished there was another way. "I accept your sacrifice," he informed the old elf, signaling for his pack members to apprehend him.

Just as two Jinro were about to capture Ronin, two swift arrows pierced through the air, finding their mark in the heads of the approaching Jinro. The arrows were expertly aimed, causing the Jinro to fall lifelessly to the ground, face down.

From the rooftop of a nearby house, a young archer shouted, "You'll have to go through me first! Our chief isn't going anywhere. Take that, Jinro!"

The young archer's defiant words grabbed the attention of everyone present. He had been waiting for this moment, fully aware of how the Jinro had been exploiting their village. Now, he saw a chance to fight back.

"You won't take our Chief while I'm here!" the young archer declared boldly, receiving cheers of support from the other elves.

Ronin turned back, witnessing his carefully devised plan unraveling before his eyes. "Foolish child!" he cried out in anguish. "What have you done?"

Before the young archer could release more arrows, one of the Jinro leaped toward him with astonishing speed. The Jinro effortlessly vaulted over the village fences, heading straight for the courageous archer.

The young archer braced himself, preparing to defend against the impending attack. However, he watched in horror as the Jinro soared above him, mouth agape and claws outstretched, ready to seize and consume him. In a split second, the Jinro tore the young archer apart with a chilling howl, showering the onlookers with a gruesome spray of blood.

The horrified villagers watched in shock and disbelief as more Jinro from outside the village stormed in, mercilessly slaughtering as many elves as they could find.

The village chief knelt down, his heart filled with despair and horror as he bore witness to the massacre unfolding before his eyes.

"You elves have left me no choice," Mazui uttered to the chief and his panic-stricken villagers. "But thank you for making it easier. Now, with a clear conscience, I can take delight in inflicting pain upon you."