This is the story of a magician and an elf girl.

When the light comes into view, it should be the beginning of a new day for people.

But for Jack, who was awakened by the frightening sound, the light that came into his eyes was neither sunlight nor moonlight, but the light of a fire that was enough to devour everything.

"What what?! What happened?!"

"Run away! The puppets are coming again!!"

"Those who can't fight, run to the inner side of the camp! Don't worry about the burning houses!"

"?!"

Jack, who was totally unable to get into the situation, immediately clenched his hands tightly on the railing in front of his eyes. He saw that the small house he was in was already dyed with the color of fire. If he continued like this, he would be burned to death in this cage that he could not enter or exit.

Hey, hey, hey, wait, what's going on? What the hell is this place? Is this hell?

"Hello! Anyone here! Please open the door for me! There's someone here! Hello!!"

In this situation where everyone was only thinking about escaping, Jack's cry for help was no different from a wail. Even if others really understood what he said, they didn't have the energy to help him escape from the hut full of log railings.

Damn it... No one is listening... This is going to be bad... Is there any way to pick the lock... Oh, right... Can't I just dig a hole under the door...

"OO ...

Jack, thinking quickly, immediately started to dig the sand under the door. Fortunately, the nearby terrain was a desert area, so there would be no problem even if he used his ten fingers to dig. All Jack needed now was a hole that his body could pass through.

Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up! ! Damn, my body still feels wounded... It hurts...

"Oh my god...it's too late!!"

Seeing that the roof was about to collapse, Jack crawled under the door without thinking twice. His skin was slightly cut by the wooden strips and felt a stinging sensation, but even so, Jack managed to escape at the critical moment and finally survived.

Wow… that was a close call… it was really a close call… what the hell is going on… where is this place… why are there so many people…

"No... is that... an orc...?"

Orcs are part of the sub-human race, and are also half-human, half-beast life forms born from the union of orcs and humans. They have been proven to be a race with a long history thousands and tens of thousands of years ago. Due to the wide differences in family and bloodline, their population was once only slightly second to that of humans.

But it was the first time since Jack was born that he saw so many orcs gathered in such a village.

"No... Let's not worry about this for now... What happened... Who started the fire..."

"Quack quack quack!!!"

"?!" Jack, who discovered the real murderer in an instant, reflexively dodged forward. The puppet that emerged from the burning hut attacked the living without fear of the flames.

Jack picked up a fruit knife from the ground and threw it at the puppet's forehead as a throwing weapon: "Assholes! It's you again..."

"Gah?!"

"Snap!" The blade that pierced through the frontal lobe stood firmly on the puppet's head. Jack looked carefully and saw that there were a large number of puppets attacking other orcs around him. Naturally, he would not sit and wait to die or do nothing to help.

Weapons, I need weapons... a dagger... an axe, a shovel is really a bit... ah, forget it!

"Drink!"

“Ahh?!”

Jack, who had no weapons at all, used the shovel as a blunt weapon and smashed the head of the puppet that was about to attack people. He then threw the shovel at the neck of the second puppet, fixing it firmly on the surface of the wooden house.

"Drink ah ah ah!"

“Ga ga ga?!”

Jack picked up a hoe and smashed it, gasping for breath. After watching the orcs leave, he fought with other puppets again.

"Oh? This thing you have is quite useful. Lend it to me!"

"Huh?!" It's not strange to find some weapons on a puppet. Some people die in battle as warriors and are reborn as puppets. Jack easily got a double-edged dagger and played it on his palm with a look of approval.

"Snap!" He held the knife in reverse and pierced the opponent's forehead, then used the gravity of the corpse to pull out the blade.

"Who is it?! Come and save us!!"

"?"

Just as Jack was about to find out what was happening, a cry for help came into his ears and stopped his body moving. The small wooden house that came into view was surrounded by several puppets at the entrance. He didn't need to ask why they were gathered there.

"Tsk... Hey! You bastard! Over here!"

"Gah?!"

Jack rushed to the cabin and provoked the puppets, and the undead turned their attention to him, revealing their hideous gums and fierce expressions.

"Snap!" Jack inserted the dagger into the head of the first puppet without saying a word, kicked the body of the puppet away and crashed into the second puppet, and used the force of the sprint to crash into the third puppet, causing it to fall to the ground, and then smashed its head with a stone on the side of the road.

"Hoo... Hey, it's okay, you guys——"

"Be careful!!"

"?!" Before Jack could react, the second puppet, which had already fallen to the ground, pounced on him.

What?! How is it possible... the brain should have already... ah...

"Quack, quack, quack..."

"Tsk... is it too shallow..."

The blade that had been inserted straight into the nose had not yet pierced the brain stem, and the puppet, still alive and kicking, held Jack firmly to the ground. Even if he wanted to retrieve the dagger, he would have to have a third hand free.

Damn it… I can’t move! I can’t hold it in anymore… I have to find a way… I have to find a way… I… have to… stay alive… ahhhhhhhhhhh…

"Gah?!"

“Drinka ...

Jack faced off against the puppet's brute force and poured all the strength of his hands into the opponent's elbows.

"Crack!" The sound of the arm joint breaking was heard, and the puppet that lost one hand was left with only a mouth and a hand.

"Snap!" Jack immediately reversed his position and pressed the puppet to the ground, pressing his palm on the end of the handle to apply force.

"Drink ah ah ah!"

"Kar... kar... kar..."

"Crack." The blade that penetrated into the skull finally destroyed the brain stem this time. The body, which could no longer transmit any electrical information, lost any signs of vital activity. Jack took a deep breath, sat on the puppet and pulled out the dagger.

"Um... Mr. Human... Are you okay? You weren't bitten, right?"

"It's okay... But you... Go away quickly, it's not advisable to stay here for long..."

"But...but...these children are still..."

"..."

Jack then noticed the children standing behind the orc, and he knew very well that they were no different from a burden as they were not good at escaping.

He is still protecting these children in this situation... This guy is as naive as I am...

"Show me the direction... I'll take you to shelter."

"Eh? Ah... OK, it's under that tree. Everyone should take shelter there..."

"That tree... isn't it dangerous? What if it catches fire..."

"No, that tree will never be stained red by the flames. Even the hellfire cannot burn it black. Anyway, we can talk later. Let's go."

"..."

Although Jack was concerned about what the orc said, if even the fire of hell could not burn it, it would indeed be the safest place for the current situation.

Why? Deserts are notoriously dry. Hell, how could this humble little village have such rich plant resources? These burning wooden houses, too, looked like they were built from at least several trees. Did these guys have some special way to grow such huge trees?

While he was still hesitating, several more puppets noticed the presence of Jack and the others. If he didn't leave here, he would probably become enemies with more puppets.

"Tsk... Got it, follow me closely and don't get separated!"

"Ok!"

Jack, who kept repelling the puppets along the way, opened a path for the orcs and other children like a guardian angel, even though he knew very well in his heart that going forward alone could increase his chances of survival. He didn't need to protect those useless burdens behind him. People have to protect themselves to survive. All life forms born in this world should know that this is an absolute fact.

"Ah ah!"

"!"

Jack threw his only weapon at the puppet to protect the child who was almost attacked by the puppet. He punched the puppet in the face, then used his calves to take away its balance, and finally stepped on its head to crush it.

"Mr. Human, knife!"

"Thanks……"

The orc who had recovered the dagger from the puppet's head kindly offered assistance to Jack, and the distance between them and the big tree was gradually getting shorter.

Who cares about that bullshit…they are just kids…if they watch them being killed, they will have nightmares tonight…

"Auntie! Is everyone okay?"

"Wendy? Are you okay? The kids too..."

"Mommy mommy!!"

"Oh my god..."

The parents who hugged their children tightly were so moved that they couldn't speak clearly. Although they didn't work so hard just to see this scene, Jack who was standing behind them still felt vaguely relieved.

"Mr. Human, thank you so much... If it weren't for you... we definitely wouldn't have survived this disaster..."

"You're welcome... There's no time to relax yet... Those guys are still wandering around. Once they gather here, it will be over. If there are any of you who can fight, please help me as much as possible..."

Seeing that the orcs, who were mostly young women and girls, didn't even know how to use a knife, Jack couldn't count on them to provide any help. Then he realized that there was probably no one else here except himself.

No, that's not right... I remember... there should be someone who can fight... isn't that person here... wearing... a black cloak... I can't quite remember his face... but it should be...

"Wait... do you know someone... wearing a black cloak..."

"Mr. Human! Please! My child was separated from me somewhere on the way! Can you please help me find her? Please! I will do anything for you..."

"Ah, okay... calm down. I didn't say I won't help you. It's just that if I leave here, can you protect yourselves..."

"Ah, about that..."

Just when Jack was still worried about whether they could protect themselves.

"Ah! The monster is coming!"

"Idiot! Hide under the tree!"

"!"

"Bang!" The vines lurking under the sand immediately tied up the puppet's body and chewed it into pieces as if it were food in its mouth.

"That... what the hell is that... it took the initiative to attack the puppet..."

"It's a dryad, Miss Linna's follower."

"Miss Linna...? Followers... do you have any servants of elemental spirits?"

"Uh... yes... Anyway, as long as we don't leave this tree, these dryads will protect us from the puppets' attacks... That's what Ms. Linna said..."

Jack had always thought that dryads only had defensive power, but this was the first time he saw such an aggressive dryad, although the servant named "Linna" was very worrying.

But now was not the time to think about these things. Jack, who knew very well that he had to lend a helping hand to the children, turned his back to the orcs and said, "Okay, then you stay here and don't leave. I'll be back soon. Do you understand?"

"Ah... yes... Mr. Human, you must be careful!"

"Ahh, you too."

Jack, who knocked down every puppet he met along the way, looked everywhere for the children, even though he knew that this heroic act would do him no good at all.

Jack probably vaguely realized that the bandages on his body might have been bandaged by them. He never liked to owe favors to others. If he could repay the favor in this way, then what would be the harm?