Reincarnated as the favorite of an obsessive goddess: gave me a system-Chapter 25: Population growth.
The sun finally began to set and the moon rose over the burning village, but the black smoke rising from the collapsed houses seemed denser than ever. Kai moved forward with a steady step alongside those liberated from the carriage, his daggers already drawn and his face a mask of contained rage. Valira stayed behind, hidden among the trees, obeying Kai’s order perfectly.
"There they are!" shouted one of the freed elves, pointing to the center of the main square. A dozen traffickers surrounded a group of cages. Inside, the captured villagers, men, women, children, and elders huddled together, some bleeding and others weeping loudly. Several of the traffickers were carrying sacks filled with whatever they had found in the inhabitants’ homes, while others kept watch with taut bows and drawn swords. The leader, a human about 190 centimeters tall, barked an order as a mage at his side prepared a fire spell.
"Intruders!" the leader roared upon seeing them approach. "Kill them all! Leave no witnesses!"
Chaos erupted in an instant.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
ENEMY DETECTED
Type: Human.
Threat Level: Rank C.
Distance: 10 meters and approaching.
The people freed from the carriage did not wait. An elf launched a stream of water that knocked down two archers in a single blow. A dwarf woman, her hands still trembling from the recently removed chains, summoned an earth shield that protected the group from the first arrows. Kai lost no time. He lunged forward without a second thought. His first target was the mage.
"Burning Arrow" he recited. The curved arrow of fire, perfected after days of practice with Allice, streaked through the air and embedded itself in the mage’s shoulder before he could finish his spell. The man screamed as the fire spread across his robe. Kai rolled across the ground to dodge a sword that sliced through the air where his head had just been. He sprang up and plunged both daggers into the chest of the swordsman attacking him. Blood splattered his face, but he didn’t blink.
"Absorption!" he shouted as a second mage launched an ice ball from the rear. The sphere disappeared into his palm. Kai smiled coldly and turned his hand. "Expulsion!" The ice ball returned, but this time empowered with his own mana to make it more powerful. It struck the mage full in the face, freezing him instantly. Kai approached and with a simple, light shove, the frozen body fell hard to the ground, shattering into tiny pieces scattered across the area.
All the people Kai had freed from the carriage fought with great fury. A human woman who had been captured along with her son took up a fallen bow and fired with impressive precision, taking down a trafficker trying to flee toward the forest trees. Elsewhere, a young wolf demi human threw himself at two enemies with only his claws, tearing throats with the rage of someone who had seen his family die minutes before.
The leader of the traffickers, furious, raised his massive axe and charged directly at Kai. "You! You’re the one who attacked the other group in the Merg jungle ruins!" he roared. "They couldn’t do it, but I’ll split you in two, you damn brat!"
Kai did not respond with words, but with actions. He dodged the first axe swing with a fluid movement and counterattacked with a series of rapid slashes. The leader blocked two, but the third opened a deep cut on his forearm. Blood gushed out. Kai seized the moment to recite.
"Retention!"
The air around the leader became dense, robbing him of oxygen. Kai’s mana dropped steadily, but the man gasped, his bulging eyes showing evident panic as he struggled to breathe, and he lowered his guard for a second. That was enough. Kai didn’t want to waste all his mana on this trash, so he stopped the spell, leaped onto the man, and drove a dagger directly into his throat before finally twisting the blade. The leader fell to his knees, gurgling, and finally collapsed.
The rest of the traffickers, seeing their leader fall dead in such a brutal way, tried to flee or surrender. They had no chance. The freed captives and the villagers already emerging from the cages surrounded them. In less than ten minutes, the last trafficker fell with an arrow in his chest.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
You have eliminated all enemies.
+200 XP
Level: 20 (300/500) 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
He closed the system message and the silence that followed was broken only by the crackling of flames and sobbing. Kai stood in the middle of the square, breathing heavily, his daggers still dripping blood. He looked around. The village was destroyed, houses burned, the central well collapsed, and the bodies of villagers who hadn’t survived lay on the ground.
But he also saw faces full of hope, mothers hugging their children, elders weeping with relief, and couples reuniting through tears. An elven woman ran toward a man who had just been released and threw herself into his arms. Both wept without shame. A small boy, no older than six, approached Kai and touched his hand. "Thank you... sir," he whispered with a trembling voice.
Kai knelt down and gently ruffled his hair. "You don’t have to thank me for anything, little one. We’re going to make sure this never happens again."
Those liberated from the carriage joined the villagers. There were collective hugs and shared mourning for the dead. Someone began to sing an old village song, and soon everyone was chanting it through their tears. Kai let the moment linger. They needed to cry. They needed to heal.
After a long pause to process everything that had occurred, Kai gathered everyone in what remained of the square. There were nearly eighty people, double the number they had in his own village. He climbed onto an overturned cart so everyone could see him.
"Listen to me," he said with a firm but warm voice. "My name is Kai. I am the leader of another village, one that is being rebuilt. There we have houses standing, a working well, fields ready for planting, and good people who have decided never to give up again despite having gone through the same situation as you. There, no one will sell you, and no one will chain you. There, you will be safe. I invite you all to come with us. I’m not asking you to forget what you lost here... only that you build something new together with us."
A murmur ran through the group. An elderly woman spoke up. "And what do we gain by leaving? This was our land."
Kai nodded with respect. "Your land will still be here. You can return whenever you want. But right now, this village cannot protect you. Mine can. We have trained guards and... powerful friends. I promise you that no one will ever hurt you again."
The silence lasted only a few seconds. Then, a chorus of "yes" and "let’s go" rose up. Everyone accepted. Some wept again, but this time out of hope.
From the crowd, a robust man with a reddish beard and calloused hands pushed his way forward. He was a middle aged dwarf with a fresh scar on his shoulder and a gaze that conveyed experience. He carried an improvised hammer he had taken from a dead trafficker.
"My name is Bram," he said in a deep voice, stopping in front of Kai. "I was the blacksmith of this village before these bastards arrived. I have forged weapons for adventurers and tools for farmers all my life. It surprises me that you share the name of the great hero, in fact, I was the one who made his sword. I will go with you without hesitation. I don’t believe in coincidences. If you are here, it is for a reason. I will forge the best weapons and armor for your village."
Kai extended his hand and Bram shook it firmly. "Welcome, Bram. Your hammer will be welcome. You can collaborate with other blacksmiths in my village." The dwarf bowed his head with respect. "Then, boss, whenever you’re ready. I’m set."
The group wasted no time. They used the two traffickers’ carriages and the horses they had left behind. Kai mounted Valira again, who greeted him with a soft neigh. Bram climbed into one of the carts along with several of the wounded. The return trip was slower, but safe. They sang low songs to keep their spirits up, and Kai rode at the front, watching the horizon.
They stopped in the middle of the forest to camp that night, as everyone needed to rest after what had happened. The next morning they continued their pace until Kai’s village finally appeared. Everyone in the village noticed the carriages, but Lyla was the first to come running out, followed by Thorne, Mira, Roshia, and Allice. Elara, in her mother’s arms, waved her hand enthusiastically.
"Kai!" Lyla shouted, throwing herself into his arms as soon as he dismounted.
He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. "I’m back. And I’ve brought more family."
Thorne let out a deep laugh and patted Kai’s back. "I knew you couldn’t stay still, boss."
Mira was already organizing the newcomers, assigning temporary beds and water. Roshia and Elara approached the liberated children, offering them flowers and smiles. Bram looked at the village with bright eyes. "This... this is a real beginning," he murmured.
Kai smiled, tired but filled with a peace he hadn’t felt in a long time.
