The soldiers, who hadn't fought in forever, lazily made a formation before heading out to meet their opponent. The fact that there was also only one person facing them didn't help their fighting spirit.
When Moira saw the soldiers' state, the only thing she felt was shame...
In a state of fury, she began yelling at them.
"You fuckers! If you don't take this seriously, I'm going to kill you all myself!"
When they heard the shouts of the Viper, they all straightened up and gulped. She wasn't kidding, and they knew it.
Their previously uncoordinated actions instantly improved, and they started marching with haste, ready to end this small skirmish.
In front of the ridiculous scene, Derrick was snickering. What the hell was this? Amateur hour?
When she saw Derrick's attitude, Moira couldn't control herself and wanted to join the fray, only to be stopped by her father.
"What do you think you're doing? Didn't you just listen to me, or are you not afraid of death? We don't know how strong he is"
Moira could only pout in response. How was this fellow going to beat 80 soldiers? His chances were zero, and there was nothing that could change her mind about that.
She considered herself fairly strong, and she could only fight 20 of them at once, even in their current weakened state.
Derrick patiently waited for the soldiers to arrive and surround him completely.
When they finally covered his last escape route, he spoke.
"I'll only say this once. Bend the knee and swear loyalty, or die. I am Akata's ruler, and future dominator of this world"
The soldiers, stunned by his speech, starting throwing looks at each other.
This guy was beyond crazy!
Without answering, they all lowered their pikes and started tightening the encirclement.
Derrick was surprised by their decent leather gear, suddenly feeling respect for Julio. He could recognize how this had clearly required a lot of work and investment.
Alas, the person they were up against was a monster... One which wielded so much power that they couldn't even fathom it.
The soldiers slowly kept advancing, with some even starting to insult him.
"Why don't you just throw yourself against my pike? I'm getting bored, and you're wasting my time"
"Exactly! Every moment I'm out here is a moment where my drink gets warmer"
"Does anyone want to gamble on how much time he'll survive? I'm ready to bet 1 copper coin on 2 minutes"
While they were all getting cockier and cockier, Derrick still didn't move, completely unfazed by what was happening.
His gaze was still fixed on the two people atop the wall, staring at them with his striking green eyes.
Uneasiness took Moira and Julio, as they realized that their opponent wasn't scared at all.
Weren't humans supposed to be terrified of death?
Suddenly, Derrick's face twisted into an evil smile and both of their expressions fell.
Before they could issue a command, he struck.
In a single instant, he had broken through the blockade and was now holding two beating hearts in his hands. They were the ones of the gambler and the drunkard.
Their brains didn't even have time to react, and when they looked at their chests, two gaping holes oozing blood could be seen.
"Trying to kill someone who has been compassionate and understanding wasn't your best move, I'm afraid... These soldiers will all die now. Come forth, Death Warriors"
42 bottomless holes abruptly appeared outside the encirclement, and out of them climbed armed skeletons.
Their eeriness and bloodlust, accompanied by their flickering red eyes and chattering teeth, made everyone terrified. Their rusty iron swords, excited by the chance of tasting blood, slowly scrapped the ground in a low and agonizing way.
The soldiers, still in stupor over the death of their two comrades, felt, for the second time in their lives, despair. It was so strong it even eclipsed the one they had felt when they were exiled from the Krakow Empire.
The carnage then unceremoniously began.
The skeletons jumped in the battle and began slaughtering without discrimination.
Fingers, arms, legs, heads... Every part of the body could be seen flying around, shortly followed by splatters of blood.
Heart-wrenching screams echoed from the corpses that still had pulses, but not enough limbs to defend themselves.
The battle only lasted four minutes, with Derrick still glaring at the two persons.
The result had been overwhelming, as not a single skeleton had fallen. It had just been a one-sided cleansing.
With the two hearts still in his hands, he started walking forward.
"Death Warriors, arise!"
The 80 fresh corpses instantly transformed into a dark goo, which then regrouped itself to form a gigantic ball of dark matter slowly rising from the ground. Shortly after, the sphere started rotating, with its speed reaching dizzying heights.
Underneath it gradually appeared a portal so dark that light itself appeared unable to escape and out of it, just like previously, came skeletons crawling out.
At the end of the process, 58 new skeletons had joined the ranks.
[You have maxed out the Death Warriors skill (100/100). If the Host wishes to increase its capacity, it has to evolve]
Derrick still hadn't stopped walking, slowly closing the gap that separated him from the stronghold.
Julio and Moira were petrified.
What had just happened? Their entire troops were... dead.
It had happened so quickly that they couldn't properly register the situation.
How... Why...
Their eyes were glued to the man who had his arms dripping in blood and his hands occupied by two hearts. It was a scene coming straight from the depths of hell...
Derrick looked undisturbed and serene, as if such a battle was simply... natural.
In his mind, they had relinquished their lives the moment they had taken arms against him.
It was a simple concept : the strong preyed on the weak. If you allowed yourself to be weak, you would die.
When he was a few meters away from the gate, he stopped and threw the hearts aside.
"I gave you the opportunity to surrender and yet... Ah, what a pity. I've never been very fond of such bloodshed, but they are necessary when both parties put their lives on the line, don't you agree?"
Derrick giggled, increasing the already sinister aura around him.
"What's going to happen now is that you'll convince all the villagers to follow me. If there are dissidents, tell them they'll die. As for you, Missy, you'll become one of my woman"
Moira snapped out of her daze the moment she heard his statement. This psychotic killer was trying to make her do what now!?
In a split second decision, she dashed downwards and towards Derrick, making her father yell in agony.
She refused to be forced to do anything, preferring death over dishonoring her late mother's words.
When he sensed her killing intent, the necromancer's eyes narrowed, with his previously calm demeanor changing to one of extreme might.
Armed with a long sword, she quickly closed the distance before swinging it with all her strength. It was her best chance, and she intended to go out brazenly instead of being the puppet of this murderer.
When the blade was about to reach him, she closed her eyes.
"Mother, please lend me your strength..."
*Ting*
Her momentum abruptly stopped, causing her to reopen her eyes.
However, once she did, goosebumps overcame her entire body.
Derrick had halted the blade with... one finger. His sheer strength had crushed her pathetic attempt on his life.
In fact, he had never been in real danger. The only thing he sought in this situation was establishing his dominance.
He had to make them feel his ruler title and what it represented.
"PLEASE DON'T HURT MY DAUGHTER!!! I'LL DO ANYTHING YOU ASK!!!"
Julio had also jumped down while going completely crazy, already begging on his knees and kowtowing non-stop.
"I think you've misunderstood me... You two were never in real danger. I've recognized your value, and I hope you'll serve me well"
He then returned his gaze to the trembling woman in front of him.
"Moira, right? I do not intend on forcing you to do anything, but you'll be my woman from today onwards. I won't touch you nor will I hurt you, unless you give me permission"
With a genuine smile, Derrick tossed her sword away.
"With this clarified, let's go meet my new subjects!"