Deserted Forge, Silent Village.

The contest themes of @gamingphoto helps us seeing things in a video game that we normally ignore.

I rode toward Komatsu Forge and fought off a leftover Mongol who knocked me from my horse. I then chased fleeing bandits, only to watch them, and the peasants bodies vanish. Reaching the deserted forge, I scouted from high ground, found only corpses, and defeated a dog for a predator hide.

I set off on horseback toward Komatsu Forge, but suddenly realized the leftover Mongol from the previous patrol was trailing close behind.

The enemy charged forward and struck my horse, throwing me off my mount onto the dirt. I recovered instantly, drew my blade, and retaliated with a swift flurry of strikes, cutting him down before he could land another blow.

Standing over the fallen soldier, I executed a final strike to end his suffering.

Resuming my journey toward Komatsu Forge, I spotted a group of bandits fleeing the scene after slaughtering several local peasants.

I paused to inspect the area using photo mode to track down the victims, but when I exited the screen, the bandits had vanished into thin air.

Jin noted that Yuna and Taka should be waiting nearby at the forge, so I doubled back slightly to examine the peasants bodies and search a nearby supply chest.

However, upon returning to the spot, the corpses, the chest, and all traces of the attack had completely disappeared.

With the path clear, I rode directly toward Komatsu Forge, hoping to avoid further incidents so close to my destination.

Reaching the outskirts, I found the village eerie and deserted. Jin pointed out signs of Mongol presence, revealing that the forge had fallen into enemy hands despite Yuna and Taka seeking refuge there.

To survey the situation safely, I climbed to a high vantage point overlooking the settlement. Scanning the area, I saw no active Mongol patrols, only lifeless bodies scattered across the empty streets.

Suddenly, a vicious hunting dog lunged at me from the shadows. I parried its leap, struck back with my katana, and killed the beast instantly. Then I collected the predator hide from the animals dead body.

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