The forest echoed with the thunder of gunfire. Smoke curled from the barrels of rifles Itsuki had crafted, while villagers fired from behind walls, barricades, and cleverly positioned watch towers. The bandits, expecting simple spears and bows, faltered under the sudden barrage.
Itsuki stood atop the central wall, dual-wielding a rifle in one hand and his dagger in the other. He moved swiftly, coordinating attacks, shouting commands:
"Focus fire on the flanks! Don't let them break through the gate!"
Lyra's arrows rained down with deadly precision, picking off anyone who tried to climb over the barricades.
Elara's militia held a perfect shield line, blocking and pushing back enemy advances, while Itsuki's rifles and the villagers' makeshift firearms tore holes in the enemy's ranks.
Selene ran along the walls, supplying ammos and tending to the wounded, her quick thinking keeping the lines from faltering.
Despite their skill, the bandits' captain pushed forward with a small squad, cutting a path through traps and defenders. Itsuki spotted him and knew the fight would not be won without a direct confrontation.
"I'll handle him," Itsuki said, gripping his dagger and adjusting the rifle slung across his back.
He leapt down from the wall, landing with cat-like reflexes. Bullets whizzed past him, but his Power of Adaptation allowed him to move faster, dodge precisely, and strike with deadly efficiency. Each swing of the dagger and pull of the rifle trigger was calculated to maximize damage.
The bandit captain was skilled, but he had not faced an opponent who could anticipate his moves before they happened. Itsuki adapted with every swing, every shot, and finally disarmed him with a swift strike. The captain fell, defeated.
Seeing their leader fall, the remaining bandits panicked. Some fled, some surrendered, and the battle that had begun with chaos ended with victory.
Itsuki surveyed the battlefield. Smoke lingered, the wounded were being tended, and the villagers exhausted but alive cheered. Guns, bows, swords, and traps had all played their part, but most of all, the courage and unity of peoplein this village had won the day.
Itsuki wiped his dagger clean, looking over the village that had just survived its first major threat.
"This is only the beginning. We will grow stronger… and no one will ever threaten our village again."