At dawn, Rosen, Shaw Polay, and 20 fully armed Silvermoon Rangers set out ahead of the main army towards Moonlight Town.

The group traveled on horseback. Rosen wasn't very experienced at riding, but luckily Shaw Polay had picked out the most docile horse for him. Though a bit tired, Rosen managed to keep up without slowing the group down.

Thorough preparations had been made for this mission. Rosen alone was given two medium-grade potions and three runestones filled with intermediate spells. All he had to do was squeeze the runestone hard to trigger the stored spell.

On the way, Shaw Polay, clad in dark silver plate armor and a silvery-gray tabard, carefully explained the upcoming battle plans to Rosen.

"Latest intelligence from the front lines indicates that Baron Phyllin has defected, but the situation in Moonlight Town is unclear," he said.

"Our initial task is to investigate the specific circumstances around the town and prepare for the army to seize it."

Rosen nodded in understanding.

Decked out for combat, he wore a thick leather cap, studded leather armor for decent defense without sacrificing mobility and spellcasting.

Glancing back at the Silvermoon Rangers behind him, he saw that each emanated an aura of grit and prowess. Such warriors could be a great asset if loyal, but a fatal dagger to the heart if they betrayed their oaths.

He quietly asked, "Uncle, have you figured out everyone's circumstances these past three days?"

He was wary of hidden blades from House Valpus lurking among them.

Shaw Polay nodded slightly. "I've sounded them all out. They're neutrals. They don't care who becomes Count of Omishea as long as they remain loyal to the current Count."

"Good to hear," Rosen said, though he still kept a basic guard up around the Silvermoon Rangers. Trust wasn't built overnight, after all.

And as Rosen observed the warriors, they too eyed him in turn. Some clearly thought the army mage looked rather young.

After about an hour of travel, a mocking voice called out from behind.

"General, aren't you going to introduce us to the little boy?"

Shaw Polay instantly recognized this as a seasoned soldier testing Rosen's abilities. He wouldn't blame the man - no warrior wanted an untested greenhorn watching their back on the battlefield.

With a loud laugh, he turned to Rosen. "Show these blind fools what you can do, lad."

Rosen smiled slightly and focused his will, hurling a magic missile at a boulder by the roadside, about the size of a plow ox.

Applying his Spell Finesse technique, he channeled a tenth of his mana into the strike. A fist-sized blazing point of light flashed through the air almost too fast to see, accurately striking a crack in the rock 70 meters away.

A thunderous boom rang out as stone fragments sprayed everywhere. When the dust settled, the great rock had been reduced to countless pieces, completely shattered!

The Silvermoon Rangers involuntarily cried out at the display. Their contemptuous looks toward Rosen faded somewhat.

Even Shaw Polay seemed surprised. "Your magic has improved again, Rosen."

"All thanks to Lady Xilandes' tutelage," Rosen said modestly.

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"Ah, no wonder," Shaw Polay realized. To him, Xilandes was a magical prodigy nearly equal to Aunt Velverosa in her youth.

Seeing only confusion on the faces of the soldiers behind him, clearly unfamiliar with the name, he explained, "This Lady Xilandes is Rosen's mentor, a rank 12 certified mage. She's a rare magical genius."

Understanding dawned on the men's faces.

One of the ranger captains leading the group, named Hamill, had been the skeptical voice earlier. He laughed, "With such an acclaimed teacher, your magic must be formidable indeed. But you're still young - I suspect your mana reserves are lacking?"

He voiced the concern shared by all. On the battlefield, mana was crucial, sometimes even more than techniques. A mage drained of mana was useless.

Rosen carefully assessed the strength of his mana pool. "I can still cast around 18 missiles of that power," he reported.

With his Starlight Bracelet and emergency meditation, he could actually unleash 25 in succession, but this was enough to shock the warriors.

"Incredible, for one so young to have such deep reserves," marveled Captain Wilson, the other leader. "But think nothing of it, lad. No mage's strength is absolute on the battlefield. Your inexperience may lead to slips, but we'll support you as comrades-in-arms."

Rosen dipped his head gratefully. "I appreciate your understanding."

After that, none of the Silvermoon Rangers bothered Rosen further, though he sensed they wouldn't be fully convinced by mere talk. Only real combat could prove his mettle in their eyes.

Seeing his men accept Rosen provisionally, Shaw Polay continued briefing them on tactics for the upcoming mission, laying out thorough plans that left no room for objection. He might act the fool at times, but his professional military training shone through now. And as a high-level warrior himself, he knew war.

A while later, the group arrived near Moonlight Town. After a brief respite, Shaw Polay brought out a map and assigned tasks.

"Hamill, take four men and scout the perimeter."

"Wilson, take your squad and comb the Northern Maze Forest for any dwarven ambushes."

"The rest come with me to that ridge and watch for signs of trouble. Light the red smoke signal if anything happens."

"Yes sir!" the captains responded and split off.

Shaw Polay turned to Rosen. "Let's head up high."

Their party of seven climbed to the top of a hill overlooking the town. From this vantage point, they peered down at Moonlight Town through a spyglass.

Even on this fine sunny day with all the snow melted away, not a single soul could be seen out and about. The castle, streets, even the normally bustling central square, all stood eerily empty, devoid of so much as a dog.

"Strange, where is everyone?" Shaw Polay muttered. "Not a soul visible, even in the castle."

At least some signs of life should be visible - people still had to eat, drink, and take care of necessities even after transforming into beasts.

Rosen had been observing too, using his adventure log's zoom feature to scrutinize the town even more clearly than the spyglass.

"I suspect no one has been active here since yesterday, or even earlier," he said.

Shaw Polay looked startled. "How can you tell?"

The Silvermoon Rangers also turned curiously toward him.

Rosen pointed at the open-air tavern in the town center. "Look at the frost on its fireplace, uncle. It means no fire has burned there for some time, else the warmth would have prevented frost from forming in the shadows."

Shaw Polay nodded vigorously. "You're absolutely right. The tavern is always bustling with patrons, so the fire would stay lit. No frost could gather on the hearth otherwise."

One ranger asked, "Could the whole town have gone up into the mountains?"

A plausible theory.

But Rosen shook his head. "We'll know more once Captain Hamill returns. Up close investigation is needed."

They waited patiently.

About half an hour later, a sudden bestial howl rang out from the town, echoed by more inhuman cries, as if a wolfpack were baying in unison.

Swiftly after, numerous oddly-moving figures could be seen streaking out of the town's wooden buildings, sprinting on all fours with preternatural speed like beasts, though clad in human garb.

Over 300 of these unnatural creatures poured forth, all converging toward the southwest side of town. Just as the observers on the ridge grew perplexed, a loud bang sounded from the southwest, followed by a burst of red smoke - the agreed distress signal!

Shaw Polay paled in shock. "What's happening?!"

But Rosen had already realized. "It's an ambush, uncle!"

Mind buzzing, Shaw Polay froze up for a moment in this crisis, his first real taste of war despite countless drills and training.

Seeing him paralyzed for two full seconds while the mutated horde below swelled past 300, Rosen immediately said, "Split into two teams, one to rescue Captain Hamill, one to report back!"

The proper move was actually to abandon Hamill and retreat at once. But he knew Shaw Polay would never accept that.

The words jolted Shaw Polay out of his daze.

He tapped two of the Silvermoon Rangers. "You two, ride back and inform General Valpus right away! Use all your runestones, watch for ambushes on the road, and hurry! Just say the townfolk have fully mutated and retained enough intellect to lay traps."

Unsheathing his blade, he charged toward the red smoke. "The rest, with me to save Captain Hamill!"