"Melee, go to the front!"

As White shouted a command towards the guards of the caravan, all the people with melee weapons moved their bodies towards the front of the narrow road.

Most of them were armed with spears with some armed only with swords.

Currently at their front are 5 ogres that are normally 2 times their size. They are a group of Ogre warriors that strayed out of their community to hunt for their food.

Ogres are a type of bipedal creature that is thought to have the same level of intelligence as humans.

Like Humans, they also form groups and live next to each other. Though because of their territorial and aggressive nature. Their community is always low, comprising at most 5-15 people.

Ogres eat basically almost everything from animals to plants, and even humans though rarely.

Seeing them on the mountain they are on though is rare as food should have been scarce which the Ogres don't really like to stay on.

Ogres mostly live close to forests where food is abundant. Most humans don't really have to deal with them as even if they saw ogres, they were always grouped up big enough that ogres don't attack them.

"Why are there Ogres here?"

One guard at the front says.

As they try to maneuver their body to form a barrier for the caravan, some guards wasn't able to help themselves but ask about the weird circumstance they are in.

"Don't mind the small details and focus on your enemy damnit!"

Said White as he try to make the guards focus on their enemy.

"That is small details?"

Suddenly, an Ogre decided to attack a guard that isn't looking but missed his target barely as the guard was saved on time by an old man named Black.

"Focus on the battle, you idiot kid!"

The guard, understanding that his life was almost crossing the afterlife just a moment ago immediately tried to recover.

"Yes!"

As the standoff continued between the guards and the Ogres. White continued to command the guards.

"Rangers, don't go to the front, stay on the wagons."

The wagons White is talking about are the wagons where the horses are removed. It was made to line up across the road to block the Ogres from and made to be a platform for the rangers to shoot their weapons.

Normally, archers would be found in front of the lines to shoot their enemies before going back behind the lines as their enemies close in. But because of the situation at hand where their scout first saw the ogres in a corner of a mountainous path. White decided to not attack them in fear of angering the ogres and instead focus on the preparation to hold their ground.

"Some of you, leave your weapons there and collect some rocks. Size doesn't matter."

"But, but. How are we going to protect ourselves?"

"Just let the guards at the front do their job."

Some are a bit hesitant but decide to obey anyway. The people with daggers and swords on the other hand just hid their weapons before obeying.

Some of them though that is armed with wooden spears instantly drop their weapons and quickly find some rocks they could see. They were the people who aren't fighters but is made to fight because of the type of threat they are facing.

"Can we really beat them?"

"That's easy!"

...

"Everything looks normal to my eyes."

In a village far away from the City of Orene, a small caravan can be found.

They were the caravan that White is guarding as they travel to the borders of the Kingdom of Numero.

As they were traveling, they saw a village near a mountain pass that they would need to cross to get to the next big city. The caravan then decided to stay for the full day there even though the sun had barely risen up in the sky.

This is due to the reason that crossing a mountain needs preparation. This route isn't really used much by travelers so not one of them actually knows how to traverse it.

If this crossing became successful, they would be able to get to one of the biggest city in the Kingdom at a much faster rate than the normal route. For merchants, this is a big opportunity for them to earn money as village to village trading isn't exactly that profitable as trading in a city.

As they ask the village to let them stay for the night, some of the merchants decided to also try to trade with the villagers. This is also to ease their luggage as they will try to cross the said pass.

Currently, some of the merchants in their caravan are talking with people in the village to let them know of their intent and to gain approval from them.

"No, it's weird."

"Eh? How is that weird?"

"Did you hear their explanation to us early on?"

"What? What's wrong?"

As the merchants continue to negotiate with the villagers. Some of the merchants are trading. White and his companions on the other hand though are eyeing the conversation from afar.

"They decided to trade when they heard the mountain pass is hard to cross, that's what's not normal."

"Isn't that normal? I also lessen up our luggage when crossing mountains."

"Yeah, but how they said it is weird. It's like, it's their first time hearing that."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

'If it's a military marching then it should be normal whether or not they are prepared, but for a Caravan that is full of merchants, even if not all. Some of them should have at least known this and should have informed others. From their wording and reaction though, all of them acted like it's their first time hearing of it.'

Although White didn't explain everything, he knows that his companions already know what he means.

"Well, we did know that this Caravan is weird already anyway but how exactly would this help us?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Well, it kinda became fun to prove the weirdness of this caravan. Hehe."

"Don't laugh idiot, you were just crying days ago how this is bad remember?"

As the three discuss the talks that are happening at their front, Isa suddenly noticed a villager having an unusual face as he talks to their Caravan leader Dray.

"Look at the face of that guy."

"You mean that villager?"

"Yeah, yeah."

She pointed at the guy he mentioned and both Black and White tried to look at the face of the person she pointed to.

"Oh, he kinda looks serious and unwelcoming. So it's also common even in the Kingdom. I heard Numero people were quite welcoming though?"

Said Black as he tries to remember his experiences when he visits villages back when he was a soldier.

"Idiot, old man. That's because you are going to take their people to sacrifice them in battle. There's no way that is " common"."

...

"They both got inside."

The villager they saw early on was now inside one of the houses with the leader of their caravan. The event wasn't something weird or rare but how it happened for them is what's weird.

"Oh yeah."

"What again?"

Suddenly, White thought of something.

"Who's going to investigate what did those two talk about?"

A question from White suddenly made them think. Although they were already traveling for quite a time already, they were still clueless on what's the deal with the caravan they are joining.

They did notice many things about the caravan but looking at their findings, all they could conclude is that most of the merchants here are beginners or people who weren't able to join the last caravan. If not for the fact that the amount of guards invalidate their idea, they would already be given no choice but to believe that this was just a normal caravan.

"Should I start asking the guards?"

"Too early. I don't think they even think that they trust us that much."

"You got a plan kid?"

White wasn't able to answer the question immediately so his two companions look at him. What they saw was White with his hand on his chin.

"Actually... I do have an idea."

..

"That sounds like a good plan."

"Agreed."

"Right?"

When the Caravan gain permission to enter the village, the people of the caravan immediately moved back to their wagons that is stopped right outside the village.

After entering the village, they were allowed to stay on one side of the village that wasn't already occupied and were allowed to camp there.

Some of them though were able to get themselves to be able to stay inside some houses.

White, Black, and Isa on the other hand although was allowed to enter, were made to stay at the end part of where their main camp is.

The villagers were worried because of their numbers and thus became wary of them. But for the caravan though, even if they are wary, they are happy enough to be given a spot inside their walls.

"So who's going to go?"

"It's your plan, so shouldn't you at least volunteer?

"Well, it's not like we'll pick you anyway as you're an old man. No one would trust you."

"You've got a problem with me huh?!"

"What?! Doesn't mean you beat me always back then, you're going to beat me now, old man!"

Both White and Black suddenly stand up from their seats. From afar, it looks like they were having a quarrel which is getting heated up by the second.

Other people who saw this though didn't even try to meddle but instead, some of them even cheered the two. The villagers also seeing what's happening called out to other villagers to view what's going to happen.

The two continued to throw insults at each other but not for long as in a matter of just a minute, swords were already drawn out.

"Let's just fight this out, Old Man."

The first one to draw his sword was White who was armed with an arming sword. Black on the other hand seeing White draw his sword immediately draw his shorter short sword.

"Oh, a fight!"

"Oh!! I'm on the old man. He looks more experienced."

"Nah, the kid will definitely win. His sword is longer."

""Fight! Fight! Fight!""

Both of the two tried to taunt each other to attack to which both sides failed as no one seems attacking.

This made the watchers angry and disappointed so they also taunt the two to start fighting already.

As they were taunted by other people, the two didn't immediately charge but did close into each other in a slow but careful manner.

Some of the watchers who saw this sudden grow quiet all to more for the guards who were watching.

When the two got close to each other enough that they felt the need to stop in their tracks. White suddenly started to slash at Black.

With the distance the two have, White has enough range for an attack to allow him to reach for Black's hand.

Black with his range wasn't able to reach White beside the sword but as he defended with his own sword, he used this time to close in on his opponent.

Noticing what Black is doing, White moved immediately to distance himself from Black enough that Black's attack hit only the air.

""Woooah!""

With the sudden exchange, excited cries were heard coming from the crowds as they also grow by the minute.

"Is this all you--"

Before Black could even finish, White already started his attack by slashing at his sword to move it to the side before using the distance his sword have gone to slash at the body of Black.

Black managed to dodge by a centimeter but instead of continuing of going into the distance. He moved the same way as early on and go into point black range against White before using that momentum he got from moving forward to push the body of White as hard as he can with his body.

As he do this, he also used his hand to track the sword of his opponent so that even if it slashes at him, he would be able to defend. This should be unlikely though as his body already blocked the arms of White that are needed to slash at him. It was more of the instinct of Black that came into him which is why he has done this.

White seeing Black's plan tried to act fast. But because Black suddenly closed in on him with Black's arm guarding against his sword, he wasn't able to form any counter.

So instead of countering, he just decided to focus on not falling from the push. But when he tried to move his right foot, he noticed that it was stuck so he wasn't able to dodge as he planned. Because of that, he was left no choice but to accept the charge of Black head-on.

Why White's right foot is stuck is because Black put his own against him. It was to trip White so that his fall would be inevitable to which it did.

Instead of just falling on his back though, White used the momentum of the fall to roll back and was easily able to go back on his feet like nothing has happened.

"What a crafty old man."

"You're too early to beat me, kid!"

The two continued to fight while the crowds continue to enjoy watching them. Although no one seems to be winning, it was quite obvious for many that Black is the more dominant fighter.

For the Guards, it's only a matter of time before White loses to Black. For the non-fighters though, all they can see is an exciting fight between two equal fighters facing against each other to the death. But before the two even could finish the fight that seems to have no end, the leader of the Caravan, Dray intervened.

He walked from the back of the crowd towards the middle and started to scold the two.

"Hey! You two! Stop Fighting!"

"Ha?"

As Dray walks towards the two fighters, the crowd who were watching them is now looking at him.

When they heard what's his intention. They became disappointed and because of that, they throw some insults to the young merchant which the young merchant just ignored.

"I don't want to pay a three person's worth for just two that will survive nor do I want to pay 1-2 people who can't even fight."

"Ha?"

"Eh?"

The two who were just suddenly fighting are now looking at Dray also. The two who were just fighting suddenly stopped when they heard him shout.

For the crowd, It was like the performance is over that everyone was left wondering if the fight was even real to begin with.

"Ohh, sry about that... We just got heated up."

"Yeah, yeah, it was just a friendly match you see.."

After they stopped fighting, their attitude turned 180 degrees and their earlier angry faces now look like they were just there to have fun.

"Well, I'll leave it at that."

Drey was also shocked by the response of the two but decided not to dig deeper.

He immediately goes into his business and leaves.

'Well, at least now I know how great of a fighter they are so at least there's that. Maybe it's because they were great fighters that they have a great discipline when called out.'

Black and White on the other hand fixed themselves before going back to their place.

As the two walk back to their original place to camp, they were greeted by Isa who is looking at them like she has just done a job well done.

"Thanks, Isa."

"Good work Mr. White."

"What about me kid?"