Berserk: The Prophet

The carriages, except for Cadi's, eventually stopped in an inconspicuous corner of the mansion. Green and Bazzo alighted and were led, along with the others, to a secret hideout within the mansion.

After all, as a chess piece, all you need to know is what to do.

After a long and tiring journey, Green and his companions, being laborers, naturally needed to pack their meager luggage and weapons, and then get a good night's sleep to replenish their energy.

.........

【Fantasy Continent - Barkley】

early morning.

Thanks to the antivenom serum, more than half of the soldiers survived, while those who lost too much blood or had weaker immune systems were not so lucky.

On an open field, piles of firewood were set ablaze, the flames engulfing everything and turning the bodies of the soldiers who had not survived to ashes. It was a silent ceremony, without funeral music or eulogies, only the crackling of the flames and the heavy breathing of the soldiers.

Green stood at the edge of the cremation pile, his gaze fixed on the flames, silent. Because the army was always on the move or on patrol, Ali's body had already been cremated separately by his comrades while he was unconscious, as a farewell.

But Green could still sense Ali's presence, as if his soul still lingered on this land, and some of Ali's remains were kept in a small box in his luggage.

He probably wanted to be buried next to Sanna, right? Green had that feeling, hoping they could keep each other company in another world, and hoping there would be no more war and suffering there.

Green was determined to bring Ali's remains back to Port Tulai so that he could rest in peace beside the tombstone of the female cavalryman Sanna.

The wounded soldiers, who were seriously injured and left disabled, were quickly taken to nearby villages by the army for accommodation. Once they recovered, they were able to return to their hometowns. In many parts of Barkley, and even in villages, they were proud of them and would assist in the training of the village militia.

And...telling children about their experiences on the battlefield, stories that may be embellished, but they will also become part of the village, inspiring a new generation of young people.

As dusk fell, Barkley's army decided to rest for a few days in a nearby village. Since Barkley's allied forces began guarding the border, many villagers who had been separated from their families due to the worship of the Serpent Cult, or who had taken refuge in the forest, began to return to their villages to rebuild.

Green and Seranti were put in a fairly cozy little house that looked recently renovated. Outside the house was a lush green meadow where several sheep were grazing leisurely.

The villagers warmly welcomed their arrival and busied themselves preparing food and comfortable beds for the wounded soldiers in the house.

As for food, replacement bandages, and medicine, they were naturally obtained from the army's supplies, since the village had already been ransacked by the heretics of the Serpent Cult and there was no spare space left.

The children who were lucky enough not to be captured by the Serpent Worshippers were very thin and stood on the other side of the house, starving at the meat that the soldiers were cooking in the pot.

Despite the adults in their families warning them not to go over there and cause trouble for the soldiers.

These children, of varying ages, should have been growing up, but the village on the border was constantly on the brink of danger. Even though some of them were older than Green, the lack of food meant they were not much taller than him.

No matter when, I still can't bear to see such suffering. They look even thinner than when I first met Ali, constantly surrounded by war.

Fortunately, the quartermasters had prepared a reward for their hard work that day: a large pot of cooked oatmeal porridge and a few pieces of dried meat. The children eagerly gathered around the pot, as they hadn't eaten anything good in a long time. The adults, though hungry, managed to suppress their impatience and, after expressing their gratitude, took their seats.

During conversations with the Barkley soldiers and comrades around him, Green learned that the nearby villages were already used to the occasional harassment by the Serpent Cult. Many families had children whose fathers were Barkley soldiers who had enlisted in the army, and everyone was a blood relative of a martyr. Whenever the Barkley army came to resist the Serpent Cult, relatives could visit them. Boys would be sent to various castles and fortresses in the vicinity for three years of military training and patriotic education. The villagers could be described as scouts and decent militiamen. They were simple and honest, and the village militias were usually quite large.

After all, being located on the very edge of the region, we must mobilize the entire population to be ready for any danger at any time.

However, the scale of this attack by the Serpent Worship Cult was truly rare. Although the nearby militia and scouts had ordered the villagers to evacuate early on, several supply depots and villagers' shelters were still wiped out by the Serpent Worship Cult. Even with the combined efforts of the militias from several nearby villages, they were unable to mount any decent resistance. They were severely weakened, and every family suffered casualties.

Scattered soldiers in the army were weeping, their faces hidden behind their hands. They all seemed to be soldiers from Rose Castle, for this was their hometown.

"Ugh..."

As Green watched the soldiers face their loved ones with joy and sorrow, he couldn't help but sigh. Even in such harsh conditions, they did not complain about the country or fight over food. Instead, the scene of the soldiers and civilians working together was truly moving and heartwarming.

If only people could understand each other like this.

To witness such a scene in the face of a real disaster is truly a testament to the brilliance of humanity.

............

During his few days in the village, Green gradually adapted to life there, helping the villagers repair houses and fences with the soldiers, teaching children swordsmanship, and even participating in a night patrol of the village.

Their presence here was not only to ensure the wounded soldiers could recover peacefully under the professional care of doctors, but also to protect this land and its people, and to eliminate the water source that had been poisoned by the Serpent Worship Cult.

Green even consulted Trunks and devised a plan on how to better assist in the village's militia training and how to utilize their combat experience to improve the village's defenses.

At night, Green and his companions sat around a campfire in front of the village, talking about the future.

"...I don't have any dreams. Back in my hometown of Vanscare, I just wanted to come out and earn more money to make my family better off. My seriously ill mother can no longer do any heavy physical work, and I have several younger brothers and sisters." Osman scratched his head sheepishly, thought about his younger brothers and sisters who should still be laughing on the island, and then smiled as he drank a glass of beer.

“We’re all pretty much the same, with fierce and irritable mothers and younger siblings who are just waiting to be fed. But that kid Paley is out here trying to steal more money and a few more women, hahaha!!” Drey teased the youngest of the three.

"Ha, of course I need to snatch a few considerate women to do housework! One to warm the bed, one to start the fire and cook, and another to give me a massage, how impressive would that be! You know how fierce the women on the island are..." Peli and Delai joked as they downed a beer and chewed on dried meat.

Green smiled with a touch of relief as he watched their little squabbles. Everyone had their own little hopes, like tiny sparks of hope.

“And what about Akasha?” Green asked.

"My dream..."

"It's a myth passed down among the people of Vanskelle..."