The forest pressed in on them from every side, its ancient trees standing like silent sentinels beneath the growing light of morning. A solemn hush blanketed the group, Shunjiro at the front, Itsuki just behind him, Yoshinori and Tetsuo flanking them on either side. They had followed the faint trail for hours, hoping desperately it would lead them to Aya, the missing girl they were tasked with rescuing. But as every moment ticked by without progress, frustration gnawed at their resolve. Shunjiro clenched his fists, gaze roaming ahead. “We can’t give up. Aya has to be out here somewhere.” His voice trembled with an undercurrent of anger, the fear that they might be too late eating away at him. “Let’s keep our eyes open.” Itsuki spoke in a gentle tone, but beneath it lay a steadfast determination that matched Shunjiro’s. “She’s counting on us.” They continued deeper into the forest, branches clawing at their cloaks and boots catching on tangled undergrowth. Suddenly, Itsuki halted, snapping the tense quiet. “Smoke,” she hissed, gesturing up through the interlaced canopy. Shunjiro raised his eyes, squinting into the patchy sunlight. Sure enough, thin plumes of dark smoke curled upward, staining the pale sky. “Could be a campfire… or something worse,” Shunjiro said, adrenaline igniting in his veins. All at once, the faint sound of shrieks and screams carried on the breeze, turning their blood to ice. They broke into a run, hearts pounding, each footfall echoing as they raced through the underbrush. Minutes later, they emerged at the forest’s edge, breath ragged. The sight before them stole the air from their lungs: a small village in flames. Buildings burned in orange tongues of fire, terrified villagers huddling in corners or fleeing for their lives. A menacing group of raiders, nine of them, marched among the chaos, weapons brandished openly. Their harsh laughter reverberated off the raging flames. Shunjiro’s fists trembled. Then he spotted a young girl among the huddled captives, a child clutching a dirty doll, face streaked with tears. “Aya,” he breathed, molten anger searing through him. “We have to save her.” Standing just behind Shunjiro, Yoshinori felt his heart sink as he assessed the situation. Nine raiders… and judging by their aura, at least a few of them are strong. He ground his teeth, thinking, This is definitely a B or A rank mission if these guys are experienced fighters. Normally, an entire squad of proven adventurers would be called in for something like this. They were only recognized as F rank. Even if they were individually about D or C rank in practical skill, this could be a bloodbath if they made a mistake. “We’re going,” Shunjiro snarled under his breath, eyes blazing with fury. “Hey,” Yoshinori said in a hushed voice, hoping to bring reason to the table. “We’re F rank, Shunjiro, lowest rung. They might be B rank or higher. This mission is beyond our capacity.” Shunjiro’s jaw clenched. “So what? We can’t leave these villagers to die.” “I’m not saying we should leave,” Yoshinori clarified. “I’m just reminding you we need to be cautious. One wrong move, and we’re done.” But what choice do we have? This could be my village one day. A breath of tension weighed on them as they surveyed the scene. The sight of the terrified villagers being corralled like livestock fueled Shunjiro’s fury. No matter the rank, we can’t stand by. They counted the raiders in hushed whispers. “Eight guards,” Yoshinori noted, eyes narrowing. “And that one in the center must be their leader. Nine in total.” Shunjiro’s hands curled at his sides. “We’ve got four. That’s more than enough,” he spat defiantly. Yoshinori’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Don’t underestimate them. Their stances and spiritual pressure suggest B rank skill. We’re outclassed. If we go head-on, we might get Aya killed, not to mention the rest of these villagers.” Shunjiro’s face burned with frustration. “I can’t stand back while they do this. We’ll have to rely on surprise and guts.” Itsuki’s usual optimism had faded to grim determination. “I’ll support however I can, but if anything goes wrong, we could be fighting for our lives.” Her worry laced her words, they all knew they were punching above their weight, but her gaze remained steady, unwavering in her resolve to defend the innocent. Tetsuo flexed his fingers, scanning the robed figure barking orders near the captives. “That has to be the leader,” he said. “I’ll handle him. I might not match him blow-for-blow, but if I can cause enough chaos, we might have a shot.” A short, tense silence fell as they considered the stakes. Yoshinori was the first to speak with decisive calm. “Alright, let’s approach this tactically. Tetsuo can isolate the leader if he can create some kind of barrier or wall to separate him from the others. Meanwhile, I’ll engage five of the raiders, if possible, using ranged or area attacks to keep them occupied. Shunjiro, that leaves three for you and Itsuki to handle.” Shunjiro’s eyes flared. “I can take three, no problem.” Itsuki’s face showed concern, but she nodded. “I’ll stay right behind you, ready to heal or disrupt them if they get too close.” “We have to make them think we’re more than we are,” Yoshinori cautioned. “Hit fast and hard, don’t give them time to realize we’re F rank amateurs. Keep them off-balance.” Despite the swirling dread in his gut, Shunjiro forced a confident grin. “Let’s do this. The longer we wait, the more danger those villagers are in.” They crept forward, pressing themselves against the blackened walls of a smoldering house for cover. Tetsuo closed his eyes, then thrust both hands onto the ground, channeling spiritual energy. The soil beneath them shuddered. In the distance, one of the raiders shouted in alarm. A thunderous crack rumbled through the burning village as a stone wall erupted between the raiders’ positions, splitting the group neatly in half. Cries of confusion rent the air. Startled cursing followed as the men scrambled to regroup. “That’s our cue,” Tetsuo muttered, forcing an adrenaline-fueled grin. With surprising agility for his large frame, he sprinted along the top of the newly formed wall, scanning for the leader. When he spotted the tall robed man menacing the captives, Tetsuo gathered his strength. “Let’s see how tough you really are!” With a battle cry that echoed across the burning village, Tetsuo leaped from the wall, fist pulled back. The leader barely had time to turn before Tetsuo’s punch connected with a sickening crunch. The force sent the robed man crashing to the ground, dust and embers flaring all around. A chorus of gasps and panicked screams spread among the villagers, but for a brief instant, the raiders stood in stunned silence, uncertain who or what had just hit them. The shock of Tetsuo’s blow provided the perfect opening. Yoshinori vaulted over the stone barrier with a fluid motion, landing among five of the raiders who found themselves abruptly cut off from their leader. His eyes glittered with icy calm. “Surrender now,” he said, voice low, “and no one else gets hurt.” One raider, an axe-wielder with a jagged scar across his nose, bared his teeth in a twisted grin. “You think four upstart heroes can take us all?” His comrades fanned out around Yoshinori, weapons at the ready. They’re calling our bluff, he realized. I have to make them believe I’m at least their equal. “Your funeral,” he replied coldly, brandishing his blade with lethal poise. Meanwhile, Shunjiro and Itsuki raced to the other side of the stone wall. They found three raiders, already recovering from the initial shock. One raised a battered sword at Shunjiro, eyes flicking between them with a sneer. “Only two kids? You brats must have a death wish.” Shunjiro’s rage simmered close to boiling. “You messed with the wrong village. We won’t let you hurt these people anymore.” Itsuki stood just behind him, hands glowing faintly with supportive magic. Though the heat of the flames and the presence of these armed bandits unnerved her, she refused to waver. “We’ll make this quick,” she said, voice steeled. Across the courtyard, Tetsuo squared off against the leader, who rose to his feet with a groan. The man glared, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. “You think you can stop me, you F rank whelp?” He spat. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.” Tetsuo’s brow furrowed, fully aware that this was no ordinary thug. The man’s stance, the aura rolling off him, was more than any novice adventurer should face. But we have no choice, Tetsuo reminded himself. He clenched his fists, calling on every ounce of strength. “Just watch me try.” The captives crouched near the still-smoldering rubble, eyes wide with hope and desperation. Aya, clutching her tattered doll, watched with silent terror. Though the four adventurers exuded confidence, each of them knew the truth: they were deep in enemy territory, facing an unexpectedly B rank challenge far beyond their official F-rank clearance. Yoshinori’s mind raced through the probabilities; if each fight grew protracted, the raiders could regroup and crush them. They had to overwhelm or outmaneuver them quickly, using every advantage the element of surprise granted. “This is insane,” Yoshinori muttered under his breath, bracing himself.