The beginning of the battle

Kito nodded his head, his gaze determined. He positioned himself at the far left, preparing to face the monsters he had already encountered during his secret training sessions in the forest. The village archers and mages were already in place, ready to launch their attacks on the approaching creatures. Kito could hear the rumbling of the monsters' footsteps as they quickly approached.

The first wave arrived, composed of were-rabbits and horned wolves, creatures that Kito had already faced during his training. They were numerous, leaping with surprising agility. Kito knew this was the moment to prove his worth and put his skills to the test.

He brandished his sword and rushed at the were-rabbits, cutting down several of them with deadly precision. The horned wolves charged with their fearsome horns, but Kito skillfully dodged and counterattacked with swift, powerful sword strikes. The monsters fell one after another as Kito demonstrated his combat prowess. Recently, his leveling up combined with the purification potion allowed him to easily overpower these opponents, which had troubled him only a few months ago.

Kito then focused on his earth magic skills, creating a protective wall to block the assaults of the remaining monsters. He didn't want to use too much magic, saving himself for what was to come. The were-rabbits and horned wolves were easily repelled, giving Kito and the other village fighters a moment of respite to prepare for the second wave.

Kito took a deep breath, readying his mind and body for the rapidly approaching second wave. He now saw monsters he had only rarely encountered during his training: the spiky boars. Their imposing appearance, covered in sharp spines and possessing devastating strength, made them formidable adversaries, almost on the same level as Kito himself.

The second wave began with a powerful charge from the spiky boars, who rushed straight at the village defenders. The archers and mages struggled to repel them with their ranged attacks, but the monsters' resilience was impressive. For now, the fighting archers and mages didn't use any spells or used very low-level spells, which was the main reason these waves took time. They didn't want to exhaust themselves needlessly!

Kito, remembering his previous encounters with these monsters during his training, knew he had to act with caution and strategy. He first used his earth magic to create a protective wall, slowing down the spiky boars' charge and forcing them to go around the obstacle.

Once they had slowed down, Kito went on the offensive. He used his dark magic to blend into the shadows and slip behind an isolated spiky boar. He then struck with his shadow spear, accurately targeting the rear leg joint, where he knew the monster was most vulnerable. The spiky boar cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground, unable to get back up.

Taking advantage of this, Kito rushed at the next monster, skillfully wielding his sword to avoid the sharp spines and deliver swift, effective blows. However, another spiky boar managed to surprise him from behind, headbutting him and sending him flying. At that moment, his grandfather gave him a look, as if to make sure the injury was minor, and Kito nodded to let him know he could still continue.

Kito, now even more determined, returned to the battle. He called upon his earth magic to launch balls of earth at the remaining spiky boars, stunning and slowing them enough for him to approach and strike with his sword.

As the spiky boars fell one after another, Kito felt fatigue beginning to set in. On his part, for this second wave, he had not conserved his mana.

Finally, the second wave was eliminated. Kito, out of breath but victorious, rejoined the other village defenders.

The other villagers looked at him with admiration and respect, and Kito felt pride well up inside him, despite his exhaustion.

The village defenders took a few minutes' respite before the arrival of the third wave. Kito quickly returned to the villagers, who were impressed by his combat skills. His parents were shocked to discover that their son could fight so well and use magic.

Kito approached his mother, a talented mage with healing and mana restoration skills. She looked at him with a mixture of wonder and concern.

"Kito, I didn't know you were so skilled at fighting and using magic. Where did you learn all this?" she asked, trying to understand how her son had secretly acquired these skills.

But seeing the next wave of monsters about to arrive, she didn't give him time to answer.

"Well, I suppose we'll deal with that later. Let me heal you for now."

Kito nodded and knelt before his mother, who gently placed her hands on him. A soft light enveloped his body, healing his wounds and quickly restoring his mana. Kito felt a sensation of warmth and vitality coursing through him, calming him and renewing his strength.

Once the healing was complete, Kito stood up, ready to face the third wave with his fellow villagers. His parents, though still worried, offered him an encouraging smile, showing him that they were proud of him and what he had accomplished. However, deep down, they were shocked and surprised. They didn't want to show it during this crucial moment and decided not to let anything show.

The third wave was about to arrive, and it would be much harder to defeat. The monsters' level began to increase rapidly, as well as their numbers.

His grandfather approached him and said, "I think this will be your last participation in this battle. I'll isolate a more powerful monster for you to train against, and I'll guide you during the fight."

Kito understood. Between each wave, the monsters were becoming more powerful, but above all, more numerous. With his numerous fights during the first and second wave, he took the opportunity to increase his stats, anticipating what was to come. He also asked Lysar to retrieve, without being noticed, the magical cores of the slain beasts and bring them to him, moving through the shadows.

Then, a growing noise could be heard. It was none other than the third wave of monsters, and these creatures seemed far more ferocious and dangerous.