"The guild has credible intelligence that an ambush is expected on the way back," Arin said as he looked over the assembled recruits. "We do not know exactly how many people are expected to attack us, only that the chances of an ambush are extremely high." His expression became serious as he looked from one recruit to another.
"So be prepared to face actual humans who are willing to kill you and who have killed people before," Arin continued. "This group is known to the police, but there has never been enough evidence to prove their involvement in the previous disappearances and prosecute them." He paused briefly, giving everyone a moment to understand what he was saying.
"Now, I have no doubt that some of you have already wondered why it is your turn again, or why the makeup of this escort is a little too strange," Arin said. The recruits glanced at one another, and several unconsciously nodded. It had been obvious to most of them that this was not a random selection. There were simply too many unusually talented recruits gathered together for that explanation to make sense.
"You are here because every one of you excelled during your training and was among the first to graduate," Arin explained. "Because of that, the family has decided that you can benefit from experiencing something that training cannot properly reproduce." His voice softened slightly as he looked at their increasingly nervous expressions. "Unfortunately, that means seeing some real blood."
The reaction was immediate, with several recruits going pale while others stared at Arin in open shock. A few instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons, while others looked toward their friends as though hoping someone would tell them this was a joke. Arin felt a small amount of pity for them because he remembered having a similar reaction the first time he understood what killing another person actually meant. Unfortunately, there was no way to prepare someone completely for that experience.
"Now, let us set off," Arin said before the silence could become unbearable. He motioned for Bertho to take the driver's position, giving the recruits little opportunity to sit around and imagine every possible way the journey could end. Bill immediately moved ahead to scout the road, while the rest of the escort climbed onto the wagon. Nobody wanted to deal with a surprise attack, especially because the Sonnenbergs were much more accustomed to being the ones creating the surprises.
The wagon began moving through the outskirts of the city, leaving the safety of the developed roads behind. Arin remained alert as the familiar buildings gradually disappeared behind them, replaced by trees, marshland, and increasingly narrow paths. The further they traveled, the more difficult it became to see beyond the road itself. It was exactly the sort of environment where an organized group could hide hundreds of meters away without being noticed.
"Hey, Bertho, how does the law actually deal with something like this?" Arin asked after they had traveled some distance. "The police already know that we are probably walking into a trap, so surely they should be able to prosecute whoever attacks us." He wanted to understand exactly what would happen if the ambush went as badly for the attackers as he expected.
"Well, that is a complicated question," Bertho replied. "It is surprisingly difficult to prosecute someone when you have no idea who committed the crime and there are no survivors from the attack." He glanced toward Arin before continuing. "The System can help the police enormously if they have a confirmed crime scene, but it cannot magically produce evidence when nobody knows where the crime happened."
"If the police can locate the primary crime scene, they can investigate an enormous amount of information," Bertho explained. "But if there is no identifiable crime scene, no witnesses, and nobody survives to report what happened, then they are essentially blind." He shrugged slightly. "If we simply tell them that we never saw our attackers, then there is very little they can investigate afterward."
"So the law has not really changed," Bertho continued, "but the ability to enforce it has fallen off a cliff in certain environments." His expression became more serious as he looked toward the surrounding wilderness. "Inside cities, things are not nearly as bad because the new urban designs were built around the latest knowledge and System-assisted planning."
"The cities are designed to reduce crime and encourage people to remain calm," Bertho said. "The layout, lighting, public spaces, and defensive systems all work together to create an environment where committing a crime is considerably more difficult." He then looked toward the endless swamp surrounding them. "The wilderness is another matter entirely."
"That also explains why the governments are so focused on producing more psychiatrists and therapists," Bertho added. "They do not want the people returning from the wars to develop untreated problems that eventually turn into something much worse." He sighed before looking forward again. "Nobody wants to create a generation of people who become serial killers because society ignored everything they went through."
"That makes sense," Arin said quietly. He looked toward the road ahead before his expression hardened. "Enough talking. Things are about to get serious." He climbed onto the roof of the carriage and lay flat against it, using the structure and his clothing to blend into the wagon as much as possible.
The convoy continued along the wooden road leading deeper into the swamp. Thin mist had begun gathering above the water, drifting between the trees and creating an eerie atmosphere around the narrow path. The sound of the horses' hooves against the wooden boards echoed through the wetlands. For several minutes, nothing moved except the vegetation swaying gently in the distance.
Then Arin spotted Bill returning.
"What did you see?" Arin asked as Bill approached the wagon. He raised himself slightly from the roof while keeping his eyes on the surrounding forest. Bill slowed down beside the wagon, his expression showing that he had found exactly what they had feared. "There is an island about ten kilometers ahead where the path crosses the water," Bill reported.
"They have split their forces around it," Bill continued. "They are positioning themselves so they can surround us and cut off every possible escape route." He frowned as he remembered the positions he had seen. "Once the entire convoy reaches the island, there will be almost nowhere for us to go." He sighed because the plan was simple, but undeniably effective.
"Then they actually know what they are doing," Arin said. He had hoped that the attackers would simply rush them from the bushes, but this changed his assessment considerably. Whoever had planned the ambush understood how to use the terrain and knew exactly where the wagon would become vulnerable. That meant they had experience, and experienced enemies were far more dangerous than desperate amateurs.
"Okay, then this is what we will do," Arin said as he sat upright. "When we reach the island, I want as many people as possible to disappear into the surrounding bushes without being seen." He looked toward the recruits, who were listening carefully. "I have no doubt that the attackers will remain hidden until their scouts give them the signal that the entire convoy has reached the island."
"That should give us the advantage if they believe we have fallen into their trap," Arin continued. "They will expect everyone to remain on the road because they think we have nowhere else to go." A faint smile appeared on his face. "We can use that assumption against them." The recruits began exchanging nervous but determined looks as they realized that Arin already had a plan.
"Bill, I want you and Tom to move back once we reach the island and take up an advantageous position," Arin ordered. "I would rather avoid unnecessary deaths, because losing people is expensive and, more importantly, completely unnecessary." He looked directly at Bill. "Your priority is the ranged attackers, especially anyone who looks competent."
"Also check whether they have prepared a magic circle," Arin continued. "If they have one, destroy it immediately before they can activate it." His expression hardened. "If these people are competent enough to prepare an organized ambush, then I do not want our recruits charging directly into their strongest position."
"That would just be feeding people to the sharks," Arin said with clear dissatisfaction. "This is not our element." The Sonnenbergs were used to attacking supply lines, controlling the battlefield, and choosing where the enemy would fight. Being forced to travel through a prepared ambush was the exact opposite of how they normally operated. Arin hated the feeling of walking directly toward an enemy who had already chosen the battlefield.
"Got it, boss," Bill replied.
He immediately sprinted away from the wagon and disappeared into the mist-covered path. Arin watched him go before lowering himself slightly and checking his equipment once again. He counted his arrows carefully, making sure that every shaft was in its proper place and that nothing would slow him down when the fighting began. He had no intention of discovering that he was missing something after the first arrow was already in the air.
"Arin, just relax," Bertho said from the driver's seat. His voice remained surprisingly calm despite everything they had just learned. "Nothing is guaranteed to go wrong, and besides, this is supposed to be a test for us as much as it is for the recruits." He kept his eyes on the road while guiding the horses forward.
"We are being pushed outside our comfort zone," Bertho continued. "The mission is not simply to deliver the money anymore; it is to bring everyone back alive and safe." He glanced toward Arin with a small smile. "That is probably why the family chose us instead of sending another ordinary escort." There was confidence in his voice that Arin found strangely reassuring.
"You are right, Bertho," Arin replied. He sat upright on the carriage roof and looked toward the mist ahead. "I just wish our family had chosen a less educational way to teach everyone this lesson." Bertho laughed quietly, while Arin returned his attention to the surrounding swamp.
Behind them, the recruits were struggling with their own thoughts. They had trained for years to fight monsters, protect civilians, and survive dangerous environments, but none of those exercises had prepared them for the possibility of deliberately killing another human being. The knowledge that the enemy was waiting somewhere ahead made every sound seem louder. Even the gentle creaking of the wooden road beneath the wagon now sounded like a warning.
Some recruits silently checked their weapons for the third or fourth time. Others stared into the mist, wondering whether someone was already watching them from behind the trees. None of them wanted to admit how frightened they were, especially with Arin and the other experienced fighters nearby. Yet beneath their fear was another realization that slowly began to settle into their minds: this was no longer training.
The wagon continued toward the island.
And somewhere ahead, nearly two hundred armed men waited in the swamp, believing they had already caught their prey.