Mine Mountain had suffered little damage. Its thick rock walls had kept the monsters from sensing the survivors inside Mine Cave, and its only entrance had been deliberately blocked with rocks. Unable to burrow through, the monster army had naturally gone around it.
A few punches shattered the boulder blocking the cave entrance, clearing a path through.
Sound traveled quickly through the mountain. The villagers hiding deep inside Mine Cave soon heard the commotion Chuan Wenwu made at the entrance, and Raphtalia called out warily, "Who's there?"
Hearing the strength in Raphtalia's voice, Chuan Wenwu felt relieved. He shouted into the cave, "It's me! Chuan Wenwu! Everyone, the Wave is over! You're safe now! You can come out!"
"It's Brother Chuan!"
Raphtalia brightened, her spirits lifting at once.
Brother Chuan and Brother Bruce had stayed outside to fend off the monsters and draw their attention, while she had taken charge of evacuating the villagers to safety. Rather than joining them in fighting the Wave's monster army, she had stayed among the frightened villagers to reassure them.
Armed with nothing but pickaxes and hoes, the villagers had almost no ability to fight. If they were simply left to fend for themselves after retreating into Mine Cave, any monster that broke in could turn it into a horrific slaughter. Someone with at least some combat ability had to stay and serve as their pillar of support.
Having experienced the slaughter of her own village by a monster army and lost family and friends to those monsters, Raphtalia had volunteered for the task. She would protect everyone!
"Everyone! The heroes have won! They've driven back the Wave! We're safe!" Unable to contain her joy, she announced the good news to the villagers.
"I-is it over... is it really over?"
"Thank goodness! The Wave