Chapter 1 - Section 6: Traveling Saint Party

The journey to the battlefield was marked by an eerie silence that hung heavily in the air.

The hundreds of combatants gathered together were of mixed opinions, some downtrodden and wishing they could have ignored the summons and stayed in relative safety back in their hometowns or cities or even just back at the camp itself, while others were battle maniacs who were already spinning tales of their future heroics they would achieve in the coming battles, on how they'd become dragon, or giant slayers, procuring scales, and monster materials worth their weight in white gold coins.

However, among this entire adventurer army, there was a single party that stood out.

Each member was carrying humongous packs upon their backs, which looked like they'd be crushed under the immense weight.

Despite this, they soldiered on without a care of worry on their faces, seemingly unfazed by the imminent danger that awaited them.

The troupe was no stranger to the others in the camp, for their members had been performing many deeds of goodwill in the days prior to the forthcoming battle.

They sold healing services, potions, and tonics, making a right fine mint that might outshine the very rewards from the coming harvesting of the monster stampede at the same time, but making it so that the adventurers could face this oncoming danger in peak physical and mental condition.

Upon closer inspection, the party itself did not look like much in terms of combat power.

However, even knowing they had a mountain of goods worth an even larger mountain of gold coins, not one other party would make a move against them for fear of retaliation from every single other party in the field.

It was clear that their reputation preceded them.

As the adventurers continued to file into the frontlines, a hastily built fortification came into view.

Running the width of the field, nothing but simple wooden pikes formed up to create natural walls to hamper any beast or monster that might charge this way.

The sight was both impressive and overwhelming, signalling the gravity of the impending danger.

Satou remarked how back on earth this would look similar in a way to the fields of Flanders during the First World War as their battle lines looked a lot like the trenches that once lay in the earth of those fields.

As he stared at the defence his companions were gazing up at his face, embarrassed that he must've been pulling a queer look upon his own face for them to look at him in such a way.

Quickly shaking his head he looked at the company of girls that were just now placing the large packs they carried all this way onto the ground heaving sighs of exhaustion, and rotating their arms as if to unstiffen their weary shoulders.

This was, of course, all one giant ruse, the bags that were twice the height of their bearers were lined within by wooden frames to keep their shapes but otherwise was filled with naught but air, but as they were set upon the ground Satou transferred contents into each pack from his own inventory so that none would know about his power, and just stared at the company in amazement more so at the young girls who many would doubt could carry a pack filled to the brim of hundreds of potion vials each not weighing much but a supply so great that even the largest of warriors would be troubled to run smoothly lest they potentially damage the cargo that was placed in their care.

"They sure look raring to go don't they?" <Raisa >

"As all warriors should be, it would be a disgrace to the great war god Ares to stand before such a prospective battlefield and tremble in fear" <Heracles >

"W..well I mean it's not like everyone who here is strong enough to survive this coming conflict sire priest so surely that god of yours would forgive those who are here to do their duty regardless of their willingness to die for the cause" <Primrose >

"My apologizes my lady, I meant no offence there are many forms of courage and one who stands here on the frontlines has courage enough to not be looked down upon Ares, those who ran away from the march are those I meant those words against" <Heracles >

The conversation continued back and forth with both sides eventually being locked in an endless circle of apology.

Satou stretched his neck peering over the horde of armed men marvelling at the site of his first true battlefield, omitting the otherwise merciless clash that had happened before outside the city.

Though still fresh and unaffected by the carnage that is sure to be coming, the air is still fresh with a slight bit of morning chill enough to cause the occasional heavy breath out to produce a faint fog.

In the distance, if one strained their eyes beyond the front a great dust cloud was coming ever closer, harking the arrival of the stampede against this motley host, a stampede filled with all manner of beasts beating their own hasty retreat from the summoned heroes who killed without mercy or regards for territorial boundaries.

While we could attain great merit by way of participating as combatants and increasing our levels and skills a great deal, though satou, the very thought of facing such monstrous creatures was daunting, especially in such large numbers, not something I could subject Raisa who might have a power-levelled body but no real combat experience, even more so towards Primrose who was weaker than and with even less combat ability than Raisa.

Heracles off to the side was preparing to fill a triple role as he wove through the battlefield slaying both beasts, saving lives, and selling consumables.

That left just me, who would be diving deeper into the combat with Kurama to sell our wares as best we could while engaging only when absolutely necessary, the girls on the other hand would take up place at the backline, and maintain a supply back at the frontline fortifications themselves.

As these thoughts wander around his head the surrounding adventurers still get stares as if they were crazy.

The stares they got as they set off toward the field of battle were nothing short of what they expected.

After all, if one knows a battle is coming, how often do you see merchants rushing to the frontlines, when a battle is about to begin?

The thought brought bouts of laughter to my mind ever as we carried on, to the frontlines where a hastily built fortification was constructed running the width of the field, nothing but simple wooden pikes formed up to create natural walls to hamper any beast or monster that might charge this way.

The adventurers formed a wall of flesh, and iron behind these fortifications.

Now that we were finally here however the eyes still stayed fixed, some bearing grudge or desire, others with passion or joy.

Mixed was our company and while some wanted our goods, or others to claim the girls for themselves, they were held back by Heracles and my own presence along with the other adventurers who'd surely step in to stop any attempts to steal our goods.

Those among the crowd who had been assigned position or taken command stood atop piled-up mounds of earth so that everyone within earshot could see who it was that was speaking to them.

Across the sea of people, the same speech was being spoken about valour and bravery.

How to have courage but also know when to retreat.

Once they'd finished various old men took up their place dressed in all manner of long white robes, and among them was Heracles who'd vanished from our side at some point.

Many of the adventurers took a knee or clasped their hands together bowing their heads in a quick prayer before the assembled priests to gain one of gods many blessings in an attempt to increase their odds of surviving the coming conflict.

At the end of this prayer time the enemy was almost upon us, the beasts before us came into visual range, and the Army raised a thunderous cheer high up into the sky before every single person present charged forth to meet them weapons head unsheathed at the ready to reap lives and soil the earth with monster blood, save for a handful meant to be held back as battlefield medics or priests capable of either holy magic, or just providing a calm effect on those likely to be maimed, wounded, or possibly even killed.

Satou's party was among these holdouts, standing next to their massive packs on the ground before taking up a wooden crate-like tray with a thick leather straps that ran up and behind your neck like they were a stadium vendor hocking wares to guests.

Each crate was loaded up to overflowing with potions, antidotes, and the like the plan was for one person to act as both the guard and resupply while the others would run around the battleground providing mid-battle sales to the adventurers but since one generally cannot pay in the field of battle they instead would stake claim to some of the monsters the buyer had slain instead.

This would provide payment but also give even those who could not afford to pay at this time the chance to get back into the fight once again to achieve even greater rewards.

As the battle began, the adventurers were met with a wave of monsters that charged towards them with ferocity.

A few monsters and even more adventurers were sent sailing into the sky after the initial heavy blows and charges had been laid against the opposing sides.

The ground shook beneath their feet, and the air was filled with the roar of creatures that seemed larger than life coupled with the taste of iron as splashes of blood from both beast and man alike flew through the air painting the combatants and the earth with various shades.

The two sides intersected one another and a bloody melee was started as fights were occurring all over, one combatant would fall only to be feld by another who was at their own back,

Satou and his companions meanwhile, with determination unwavering even in the face of such a formidable force raced into the field of battles back and mid-lines making transactions as they went, selling concoctions to those falling back till they'd recovered enough to join the fray once more, they planted simple metal pegs with a tiny flag on specific beast designating the prey ownership in accordance with adventurer custom.

They used their merchant spirit to sell, potions, and tonics to help not only themselves but others who were injured in the fight.

Their bravery did not go unnoticed, and many other parties looked upon them with admiration.

Despite running low on supplies, they'd rush back to the fortifications before once again charging head first into the maelstrom of death, occasionally swapping out the manager of the supplies sending the former into the hellscape that awaited before them, the never-ending horde of adventurers pushing back the vast number of monsters as if they were a horde of zombies, a force of immortals who even once wounded would simply get up shrug it off before once again attacking.

They used their combat skills as best they could to take down the monsters on occasion with aid from those around them, when left with no other choice after planting their claim flags again.

Satou and Kurama raced around selling with one hand while firing repeating crossbows mounted on their other hastily taking both coin and lives as if a raging cavalry tearing through the adversary's line.

The battle was fierce, and the monsters were relentless, but the army persevered.

In the end, they emerged victorious, as the monster stampede which had been reduced drastically in number broke apart and scattered, various teams taking flight in a chase.

Our team having saved countless lives and gained the respect of all who witnessed their bravery, even though we did not have much in our way of martial merits none present could deny that we might contend for the position of who was most important in this battle.

Prim, and Raisa almost had a fan club developing as these two delicate lass's had killed more than any would have expected of them while they carried on their own duties at the same time.

Although they could have walked away with a mountain of gold coins from their sales taller than an adult man, Satou and his companions chose to use their acquired fortune for good.

They spread Earthling goodwill to the preservation of sentient life, knowing that this was the true merit of their fight and since he himself was not hurting for coin in the slightest.

It was a decision made with conviction and a sense of purpose that left no doubt in anyone's mind about their strength and resolve.

All the monsters they had been provided in payment for their services or that were slain by their own hands, were handed over to the association to be processed creating a slush fund to assist new adventurers with getting the bare minimum of equipment required to safely complete even the easiest of missions or affording medical treatment should something go awry.

And after many hours of battle the curtain on the first foray into the hands of armed massive combat concluded, the many adventures staying in the field to begin carving their prizes, while others slowly returned exhausted towards the camp.

From our own party, Heracles and I both bore on of our party members on our backs as they slept from their own exhaustion as we casually made our way back towards the camp ourselves.

For a forced request this had turned out quite well, and I can say I did my part to fix the mess my own countrymen had caused with their own ignorance and arrogance.