The RUMBLE

Gazef felt hopeful, if a in his eyes powerful mage could testify to the strength of a fighter than he must be good.

-

"If you could contact him… I will offer him the same or even more."

"[message]" Ainz messaged Akabaru ready to negotiate and make a deal that would benefit them both

"Would you be willing to fight some mages?" The first question was simple, if he refused then Ainz would need to convince him one way or another.

"{yes of course, who wouldn't want to test their fighting ability?}" His answer baffled Ainz for a second, not knowing how to properly respond to such an enthusiastic proclamation.

"Then it is settled, the warrior captain of Re-Estize will also be headed that way and grant you a reward for your assistance." Ainz looked at Gazef who nodded, confirming that he would grant any reward that he was capable of.

"{sweet, a bonus then I will wait for them on the battlefield.}" Gazef couldn't hear Akabaru's words, but 

"He will be headed towards the mages, sir Gazef. He should arrive within a couple of minutes." Some of the warriors in Gazef's troop seemed excited at the prospect of someone joining them, they were resolute but now saw a chance for a victory.

"I am truly, truly grateful to you for protecting these innocent villagers and confining your friend to help. Also… I know it is very selfish of me and I have no authority to make you do anything… but I hope you can protect the villagers here, just one more time. Right now, I have nothing to give you, but I hope that no matter what, you will heed my plea… I beg you." The sincerity in Gazef's words caused Ainz to feel somewhat guilty, he would have protected this village even if Gazef hadn't asked 

"About that…" Ainz tried to stop the warrior Captain before he could do anything more but only caused Gazef to become more sincere 

"If you should ever visit the Royal Capital, I will give you anything you desire. I swear this on the name of Gazef Stronoff." Gazef tried to bow down but before he could Ainz stopped him.

"...There is no need to go that far… Very well, I shall protect the villagers. I swear that on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown." After hearing Ainz swear on his name, Gazef breathed a sigh of relief. knowing that even if they failed the village would be safe.

"Thank you very much, Gown-dono. Now I have nothing more to worry about. All I need to do now is charge boldly ahead." He made a self-deprecating joke, knowing that they were heavily disadvantaged in such a fight.

"...Before that, please take this with you." Ainz took out an item and handed Gazef a pendant with a heart on it...

"If it is a gift from your good self, I will gladly accept it. Then, Gown-dono. Time grows short, I must now leave if I were to meet your friend on the battlefield." Gazef looked down at the strange pendant but accepted it with graze.

If they waited too long then the friend might be going in alone, so they would need to meet in the middle.

"Then, I wish you all the best, Warrior-Captain-dono, but you shouldn't worry my friend is more powerful than you might think." Ainz had seen through his concern, even gifting him an item that would help him stay alive.

Gazef looked at the strange pendant in his hands. He thought it was probably a magic item by how it looked and fell. It could even be more powerful than his usual equipped amulet, but no way anyone would give that great of an item away, right?

Arriving at his horse, and ordered his men to get ready, and informed them that they would receive assistance on the battlefield from a powerful warrior, as the mage would probably not lie of his strength.

-

Akabaru received a message a little while ago, asking if he still wanted to fight.

He had said yes and Ainz even said that the warrior captain that would aid him would compensate him with whatever he wanted.

However now... Akabaru was a little disappointed, he looked at the warrior captain and noticed that he was more powerful than the rest but the strongest among ants was still an ant…

The warriors that he led were shabbily equipped with some missing parts of their armor and others had rusted gear.

Akabaru deactivated the item that was hiding him and appeared some distance before the group of riders.

Gazef was riding until he suddenly noticed Akabaru appear out of nowhere, thinking that he had just missed him while thinking about a strategy.

"Hello there, you must be the one Gown-dono talked about." The group slowed down, being careful to be out of range from the mages while preparing for battle 

"Yes, that's me." Akabaru was sizing the warrior captain up, noticing the amulet hanging from his neck

"It's nice to meet you, my name Is Gazef Stronoff I heard that you are quite powerful from how Gown-dono speaks about you." Akabaru would say he was flattered, but he knew that from their perspective it was all true.

"So I'm here to help you sir Gazef. You certainly seem strong enough to take any normal group fight head-on. So why do you need the help." comparing their strengths seemed to indicate that Gazef was the strongest here by a long shot, the enemy mages being just above the warriors he led only having slightly better equipment.

"Well, we are not fighting ordinary opponents. We are fighting one of the six scriptures of the Slain Theocrasy. Only they could gather that many mages." Gazef seemed to know as much as he needed for his position of head warrior.

"It should be fine with me around there to help." His confidence could probably be described as arrogance, but if one knew the power difference then one would realize that this wasn't even a real fight.

"I hope so… Do you have a horse with you?" The warrior captain looked around spotting nothing that could transport the warrior.

"Do I look like I need a horse?" His physical form was muscular, and he didn't have much on him, indicating that he either traveled without it or that he stored it somewhere away from the fight.

"No, I guess not. But before we begin could I get your name, I would like to get to know who I will be fighting with."

"Faer, meaning traveller." He liked the name, he had looked into naming his character that but couldn't as someone had already picked it.

"Traveller you say… you certainly seem like one, now let's go to battle sir Faer." Gazef seemed to accept the name as perfectly normal, not mentioning the obvious relation with the word fear.

"Yes let us go into battle." The only thing Akabaru was exited for was ready to commence.

-

They had no chance against them in ranged combat.

If they had skilled archers by their side, it would be a different matter. If not, he had to avoid a long-range battle with magic casters. Faer was also a melee combatant, or so it seemed.

Fighting a defensive battle would be even more stupid.

It would be one thing if they had stone-walled houses or a sturdy fort to fight from, but he had no confidence at all in the ability of wooden walls to stop magic. For all he knew, both Gazef and the houses might go up in smoke together.

He could try and shift the location of the battle to the village for more cover but if he did that, it would completely defeat the purpose of coming here in the first place. Therefore, Gazef had to put himself into danger.

"Hit the enemy hard and draw in the sentries from around the village. After that, fall back immediately. Do not hesitate and miss your chance to flee."

After hearing the energetic replies from behind him, Akabaru frowned thinking that most of them were going to die, and it seemed like they knew it.

"Don't worry, Warrior-Captain!"

"Yeah, we all came here of our own free will, to fight and die by your side, Warrior-Captain!"

"Please let us protect our country, our people, and our friends!"

There was nothing left to say. Gazef returned their shouts with a thunderous cry:

"Then, forward! Tear their guts out!"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Gazef's men spurred their horses forward to follow their leader. The galloping horses shot across the plains like an arrow loosed from a bow. As you ran beside them.

Still mounted, Gazef drew his bow and nocked an arrow to the string.

Though his horse shook and shuddered beneath him, Gazef calmly drew the string back. The loosed arrow struck its target unerringly, piercing the head of the frontmost magic caster… or at least, that was what he thought would happen.

"Cheh! It was useless after all. Maybe if I had a magic arrow, but… ah, I don't have what I don't have. Griping about it here is pointless."

"Well, at least they are prepared." Akabaru muttered as he moved forward

'Their intel is better than I thought. Otherwise, they would have never made such a plan.'