The first light of dawn broke through the horizon. Sunlight fought against the dark, pushing them back into where ever crevice they came from. Along with the dark, the swarm began to retreat. Their endless numbers turned tail the moment the sun was up, and Zach witnessed it. It was as if an invisible barrier had been erected, staving off the horn-ants from breaching inside. He even saw a pouncing horn-ants stopped midway in the air as if it rammed against an unseen wall. True to what the notification said, by daylight the fort was impenetrable.

Zach sat on a dead horn-ant, and for the first time took a breather after a long night of battling. It had a been fight that he did not want to do again if possible of course. Despite the enhancement in his stats, he still felt the brunt of the constant fight, especially in terms of the mental aspect. His physique was fine to be honest. The Safe Zone's regen bonus and his stats kept him alive with a slight tint of fatigue. But the weight on his mind was heavy. He no longer felt wanting to do anything else besides staring in a daze.

Nonetheless, his bounty through the night was plenty. He earned another level, reaching twelve after killing so many giant ants, and to be fair, the ratio of killing and level earned was quite bad. Zach assumed these horn-ants must be too low level when compared to him as another piece of evidence proving that fact. Both Mathias and Calrin earned three levels despite entering the battle late, reaching the double-digit, level ten.

To make things more infuriating for Zach, right at the moment those two reached level ten, both of them received an offer to choose a new skill to put under their repertoire. Zach didn’t want to talk much about what skills they got as those two kept bombarding him with questions, asking for advice on what skill to choose. It annoyed him how easy it was for those class people to earn a skill when compared to him. But hey, he reaped what he sowed. He knew the repercussion of choosing this path, and he had no other choice but to swallow that bitter feeling down. But at least his Swordsmanship skill rose to level four, a good consolation prize to soothe his jealous heart.

“I admire your knowledge and strength, my friend. But at the same time, this act of yours is a foolish one,” Mathias said. He had known the presence of the Shieldford family after noticing the new group of people defending the entrance and asking Zach about it. At first, he couldn’t believe his ears. Despite being the lecherous bastard of the Solksjaer house, Mathias still knew the relations between the noble houses of Brittania. He didn’t seem like it, but Mathias was a man that was keen on new information, especially on nobles. And the feud between Gardwin and Shieldford was an open one, where everyone knew.

“He’ll kill you if he knows your real name,” Mathias continued.

“It can’t be helped, I almost die out there, and if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be even standing here,” Zach claimed.

“Even so, what are you going to do if those two meet?” Mathias said. Referring to Zach’s older brother. “Unlike you who’s a recluse, your brother’s appearance is known by many, especially by the Shieldford.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know,” Zach said. Shrugging his shoulders. He expected the soon-to-be confrontation would be bad, but he hoped these men were rational enough. “Let’s just hope they’re not foolish enough to fight in a situation like this.”

“Gardwin!” a roar that carried an emerging bloodlust.

Zach sighed. It seemed he overestimated these people too much. Rather than trying to intervene as quickly as possible, Zach opted to just sit there and watched. He was too mentally tired to deal with this kind of shit, and his gurgling stomach only made it worse.

Orland drew his blade against Cyrus, who just had emerged from hiding underground. His complexion looked better the last time Zach saw him, but the man still didn’t look like he was at his best as if still plagued with injuries.

Ryden, the loyal bodyguard, was also quick on the uptake. The moment he saw the approaching stranger with a drawn sword, his blade too made an appearance. “Shieldford,” Ryden uttered, and Cyrus noticed it too.

“What brings you here, Lord Orland, to my fort,” Cyrus asked.

“Your fort? For someone who claims to be the master of this fort, where were you when I defended this place from those monsters,” Orland replied.

Cyrus slightly frowned. It seemed the people were not making things up, they did hear the voice of men beyond the safety of their underground prison, and it had to be this man of all people.

“As expected of a Gardwin, just a rat hiding in its hole. Don’t have the courage to even defend his own land. Pui,” Orland said. Ending his words with a spit on the ground. A blatant show of mockery.

“Hold your tongue, Shieldford, and my blade will not reach for your neck,” Ryden said. His glare was blazed in fury.

“Stop your barking, dog. I’m talking to your master, and not at a cripple bitch who likes sucking the small cock of his master,” Orland said with words full of poison. The Lord of Shieldford did not put any restrain on his tongue, especially not towards the Gardwin.

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Ryden ground his teeth, enduring the humiliation. The flame in him grew bigger as at any moment he could lash out with the fierceness of a beast. “Give your word, my lord, and I’ll end this feud between the houses,” Ryden said. Waiting for the word to come out from Cyrus’ mouth.

Cyrus watched and stared. Behind Orland, weary men were readied for another confrontation. Their numbers outmatched them, and just from first impression alone, Cyrus doubted his party could contend against Orland’s men. His roaming eyes then landed on a person sitting in the middle of the hole in the wall accompanied by two familiar faces.

“Brother!” Cyrus called. His word made Orland’s head turn.

Zach sighed. As he had expected, there was power in numbers, and what better way to call for help from one’s own family. His brother must have realized that for Zach to still survive even after venturing out there, then he must be strong.

“Calrin,” Zach said.

“Yes, milord,” Calrin replied.

“Can you pretend to be me, and go over there,” Zach said. It was too bothersome for him to deal with such matters after going through such a long night.

Calrin grew flustered, stammering on his words, and before he could answer, Mathias intervened.

“Excuse me, but no. You’re not letting my trusty shield be the scapegoat of your own doing,” Mathias said.

“I’m a shield?” Calrin got confused.

“It’s just a joke, Mathias,” Zach said. Getting up as he dusted off his torn-up pants. “I’m not evil enough to throw my comrade into the mouth of the beast. On second thought, can you just burn them for me?”

“Sod off, and go handle it yourself,” Mathias said. “I doubt any of them could leave a mark on you after what I saw last night.”

“Fine, fine, fine,” Zach lazily replied. He left the two as he prepared to deal with this family feud.

Meanwhile, Calrin was slightly smiling. “I’m milord’s comrade,” he excitedly whispered.

A man covered in dried blood with ragged clothes drew closer to the two parties. Orland who saw from afar had been glaring like mad as if the truth was poking needles at his heart. “I should have known,” Orland said. “A fucking Gardwin that lies through his teeth. No wonder you volunteered to bring us over here. This is all a big trap to kill the head of Shieldford. But know this, even if I died, the Shieldford’s name still lives on, and you,” Orland pointed his finger at Zach. “I should have left you for dead, and let those ants eat your flesh until there’s nothing but bones.”

“You have done well, Lord Zach,” Ryden chimed in. “Your lord father will be proud of you as we end the head of the snake, and begin the end of the Shieldford house.”

Zach sighed. This crippled knight was pretty good at making things worse. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” Zach asked Cyrus, who had been quiet through these verbal fights.

“Why did you bring the Shieldford here?” Cyrus asked. Looking at Zach straight in the eye.

“There’s strength in numbers, and after what happened last night, we really need the numbers,” Zach said. Well, it wasn’t exactly his plan, but both parties bartered for their own benefit, and Zach managed to keep his precious life.

“But they’re the Shieldford, brother,” Cyrus said. “Have you forgotten the blood feud?”

“A feud that began a century before I was born, and does it really matter though? We have monstrous insects roaming out there trying to eat us alive, and who knows what else lurks in between the trees. Yet we’re here fighting among ourselves because of a feud of already dead people,” Zach said. Trying to drill some sense into these people.

“This isn’t our way, brother,” Cyrus said.

“Humph, the fall of Gardwin is close. Their lineage is tainted by boys who don’t honor the house’s pride,” Orland said. Sneaking a mock in whatever possible to the noble house he most hated.

“Fucking hell,” Zach cursed. Shaking his head. “Can’t you at least be grateful to the Shieldford? You do know that if it wasn’t for them guarding the entrance, you guys won’t be able to come out here unscathed. So where’s the honor in that? Shouldn’t a knight or a nobleman be grateful after being aided?” He tried another way. Trying to let them see to be grateful for what the other party had done.

“Ignore the foolishness of Lord Zach, my lord. Even without these bastard Shieldfords, the door of the fort would stand until morning comes,” Ryden said.

“Brother, a blood feud of our house is no small matter to scoff at,” Cyrus said. “We owe our ancestors for what we are right now, and upholding justice for them is the smallest way possible of honoring their souls. Stand beside us, brother, and don’t let the name of Gardwin down.”

“Enough of this. I grew bored hearing about your useless chatter,” Orland said. “Since I can’t take your father’s head, the eldest son would do.”

“Father! No!” Jeyne stood before Orland. Her arms were wide open, a sign of asking Orland to stop. “Have you forgotten, father? Sir Reacher saved us. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be standing here alive.”

“You had been fooled, daughter. That bastard lied to you, and now he had led us here in a trap to kill us off in one swoop,” Orland said. The matter of a blood feud or perhaps hate even distraught the mind of a tactical genius like Orland, eluding him to the truth.

“No, it is not, father,” Jeyne said. “Hate has clouded you, and have you forgotten the sincerity Sir Reacher had shown to us in our moment of plight?”

Orland did not want to accept it. He denied the reality that his daughter had reminded him of and let his hate fuel his rage. “Step aside!” he pushed Jeyne to the side and raised his sword up high.

“Let’s end this farce!” Orland roared. “Men to arms!”

Ryden and Cyrus readied their blade. Preparing to fight.

But again, Zach sighed.

“Fuck this,” Zach whispered.

Right before the two opposing parties clashed, one man let his blade sing. Screams of pain rang loud, and knees fell to the ground. Orland, Cyrus, and Ryden were kneeling with their hands bleeding, and unarmed. All of them had shocked and pained expressions as they gazed at the one that was still standing. In a blink of an eye, Zach defeated them all, and this time he had another sword in his hand. One sword to the neck of Orland, while another to Ryden. He disarmed and used it in an instant. Dominating them all, leaving all who had spectated speechless.

“Now, where was I? Oh yes, be nice or—”

Right there and then, a voice cut him off.

“What in the seven hell is going on here?” it was a familiar voice.

Zach turned and saw who it was. This time it was he who was shocked.

There they stood, Dayana and Teena. Alive and well.