The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow over the forest’s edge as Katsuo and Taka finally emerged from the dense forest. After days of trekking through the rough terrain, the sight of an open field and a small village beyond was a welcome change.

Katsuo stretched his sore muscles, feeling the strain of their long journey begin to ease with the sight of the vast land.

"Finally," Katsuo muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"I thought we’d never get out of that forest."

Taka chuckled, adjusting the sword on his back.

"What, you didn’t enjoy the quiet? No masked men knocking you out for a whole two days. I’d call that peaceful."

Katsuo gave him a side glance, shaking his head.

"You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Not a chance," Taka replied with a grin.

"Now come on. Let’s see if we can get a warm meal in this village."

The village was small but bustling with activity as the locals tended to their crops and livestock.

Katsuo noticed how their clothes were simple, worn from hard labor, and the atmosphere, though lively, had a sense of unease to it. As they walked deeper into the village, the two of them were greeted by several villagers, all with polite nods and welcoming smiles.

An older man approached them, his face lined with age but his posture strong. He carried a large farming tool over his shoulder and looked like he’d been working in the fields all his life.

“You folks passing through?” he asked, his voice gruff but kind.

"That’s the plan," Taka said.

"But it looks like you could use a hand."

The man chuckled and scratched his head.

“You’re not wrong. These crops don’t plant themselves. But we’ve been dealing with something worse than just hard work lately.”

Katsuo perked up at that, his curiosity piqued.

“Worse? What do you mean?”

The old man sighed, lowering the tool and leaning on it.

“Well, there’s this… creature. A bat. Big as a tree, and it’s been eating our crops. We’ve lost half our harvest to that thing already this season.”

“A bat?” Katsuo repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s what’s causing you all this trouble?”

“More than trouble, son,” the man replied, his tone darkening.

“That thing’s dangerous. We tried to chase it off a few times, but it comes back every few nights. Last time it came, one of our men… didn’t make it.”

Katsuo glanced at Taka, who was listening intently but hadn’t said anything yet.

“Why not just hunt it down?”

The old man shook his head.

“We’re farmers, not warriors. We tried, but it’s fast and strong. It picks us off one by one when we get too close. We’re running out of options.”

Katsuo turned to Taka, his resolve hardening.

“We’ll take care of it.”

Taka raised an eyebrow, looking amused.

“Oh, we will, will we?”

“Yes,” Katsuo said firmly, turning back to the old man.

“Tell the village to rest easy tonight. That bat won’t be bothering you again.”

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The man looked surprised but hopeful.

“You mean it? You’d really help us?”

Taka chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“You’re such a hero, Katsuo. You’re going to fight off the big, scary bat all by yourself, huh?”

Katsuo ignored Taka’s teasing and nodded seriously.

“We’ll handle it. Just make sure everyone stays inside tonight. I’ll deal with the creature.”

The old man smiled gratefully.

“Bless you, son. We’ll follow your advice. If you manage to rid us of that thing, you’ll be doing us all a great service.”

As night fell over the village, Katsuo stood on the outskirts, watching the line of trees with a sharp gaze. The moon hung high in the sky, casting eerie shadows over the fields. Taka, sitting lazily against a fence post, yawned.

“You know, I could be sleeping right now. Or eating. Or doing literally anything else.”

Katsuo shot him a look.

“If you’re going to sit this one out, at least be quiet about it.”

Taka grinned.

“Oh, I’m just here for the show. Don’t mind me.”

Katsuo huffed and turned his attention back to the forest. He could feel his pulse quicken, the anticipation of battle building inside him. The villagers had all retreated to their homes, the streets eerily quiet. He had promised to keep them safe, and he wasn’t about to let them down.

Hours passed, and the silence grew heavier. Katsuo stood patiently, his sword at his side, but there was no sign of the creature. He began to wonder if the bat would even show up tonight. Just as he was about to suggest they call it a night, a movement caught his eye—something large emerging from the shadows of the forest.

“There it is,” Katsuo muttered to himself, his heart skipping a beat.

The bat was massive—easily the size of a full-grown tree, just as the villagers had described. Its wings spread wide as it glided silently through the air, heading directly for the village’s fields. Katsuo’s grip tightened on his sword, his muscles tensing.

“Go get ‘em, hero,” Taka called lazily from his spot.

Katsuo didn’t waste a second. He sprinted towards the bat, his feet barely making a sound. As he closed the distance, the bat let out a low, guttural screech, flapping its enormous wings and descending toward the crops.

With a swift motion, Katsuo leaped into the air and slashed at the bat’s right wing, the blade cutting deep. The creature let out an ear-piercing shriek, veering off course as it struggled to regain control of its flight. Katsuo landed on the ground, readying himself for the next move.

The bat recovered quickly, turning its glowing eyes toward Katsuo with a mixture of rage and hunger. It flapped its wings, stirring the air violently, and lunged at him with its sharp teeth bared. Katsuo dodged just in time, rolling to the side as the bat’s jaws snapped shut where he had just stood.

“You’re fast, I’ll give you that,” Katsuo muttered, circling the bat. He raised his sword, waiting for the creature to strike again.

The bat let out another screech and swung one of its massive wings toward Katsuo, aiming to knock him off his feet. Katsuo saw the movement and ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow. He countered with a quick slash to the creature’s underbelly, drawing blood.

The bat reared back in pain, but Katsuo didn’t let up. He pressed forward, landing another strike on its side. The creature flapped its wings wildly, trying to gain altitude, but Katsuo stayed on it, dodging its attacks and waiting for an opening.

The battle raged on, each strike from Katsuo chipping away at the bat’s strength. He could feel the rhythm of the fight now, his body moving in sync with the sword, just as Taka had taught him. But the bat wasn’t finished yet. With a final, desperate screech, it lunged at Katsuo, its jaws wide open, ready to crush him.

Katsuo’s instincts kicked in. He waited until the last possible second, his breath steady, and then, with perfect timing, he sidestepped the bat’s lunge. In one fluid motion, he brought his sword down, slicing cleanly through the creature’s neck. The bat’s head hit the ground with a dull thud, its body collapsing soon after.

Katsuo stood over the creature, panting heavily. His chest heaved with exertion, but a sense of victory washed over him.

From the distance, Taka clapped slowly.

“Well, look at that. You actually did it.”

Katsuo shot him a glare.

“It’s just a bat, right? Took me long enough, huh?”

Taka grinned, standing up and walking over.

“Yeah, you did take your sweet time. But I’ll give you credit—it was impressive. For a bat.”

The villagers, who had been watching from a distance, began to emerge from their homes. They approached Katsuo cautiously at first, but when they saw the bat lying dead at his feet, their faces lit up with relief and gratitude.

“You… you did it!” the old man from earlier said, his voice filled with awe.

“You killed it!”

Katsuo sheathed his sword and nodded.

“The village is safe now. It won’t bother you again.”

The villagers gathered around, some patting Katsuo on the back, others offering their thanks. One woman even rushed forward with a basket of food.

“Please, take this as a small token of our gratitude,” she said, smiling warmly.

Katsuo accepted it with a humble nod.

“Thank you, but I’m just glad we could help.”

Taka, standing off to the side, smirked.

“You really are turning into a hero, aren’t you?”

Katsuo rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

“Let’s just get some rest.”

The next morning, Katsuo and Taka prepared to leave the village. As they packed up their supplies, Taka glanced at Katsuo with a thoughtful expression.

“You did well last night.”

Katsuo blinked, surprised by the genuine compliment.

“Thanks.”

Taka’s tone shifted, becoming more serious.

“Remember this, Katsuo. If you become strong—and I believe you will—you need to use that strength for good. What you did here, helping this village, that’s the right way to use power. Don’t let greed or the hunger for power drive you. It’s a dangerous path.”

Katsuo nodded slowly, taking Taka’s words to heart.

“I understand.”

They walked in silence for a while, the village growing smaller behind them. As they approached a hill, Katsuo’s eyes widened as a city came into view on the horizon, its towering walls and spires gleaming in the morning sun.

“Looks like we’re heading into the thick of it now,” Taka said, his voice filled with anticipation.

Katsuo gripped the hilt of his sword, feeling the weight of it, but also the weight of his resolve.

“I’m ready.”