Chapter 42: Crush Them!
The victorious soldiers, faces beaming with smiles, advanced in unison toward the direction where Clark had fled.
Angela, who knew the truth, shouted in a clear and bright voice:
"We are the lord's soldiers, the shield that guards the territory, the sharp blade that defeats the enemy!"
"In a few minutes, the remaining members of the slaver group actually pinned their hopes on a few hundred kobolds, waiting for us to suffer heavy losses, and then they'll come out to take advantage."
As soon as these words were spoken, the soldiers burst into laughter, and Angela quickly added:
"I guess the reason is simple: the slaver group is scared, they've lost their belief in victory!"
"But they are destined to be disappointed. The lord personally dealt with all the kobolds, and we can catch them off guard again!"
When Matthew was mentioned, the soldiers all looked at him with reverence. Old John seized the moment and shouted:
"Victory!"
The soldiers shouted in unison:
"Victory!"
The fervent cries echoed across the flat wasteland and reached the ears of the slaver group.
A somewhat panicked Clark pointed in the direction of the voices and murmured in disbelief:
"These definitely aren't some newly recruited militia; they must be elite troops sent by the Ser Family!"
Bloodhand Kahn, clad in full metallic armor, standing at 1.9 meters tall, wielding a single-edged large axe, exuded a terrifying killing intent.
As a warrior on the verge of becoming a high-tier professional, Bloodhand Kahn not only possessed immense power but was also very experienced in battle.
Since joining the Pfizer Caravan, he had been through dozens, if not hundreds, of battles, big and small, encountering many dangerous and terrifying opponents.
He had personally killed burly orcs of tremendous strength in direct combat.
He had also beheaded trolls known for their exceptional regenerative abilities.
He had even ventured deep into the northern wilderness to hunt massive ogres with extraordinary power.
But he had never seen any enemies who possessed the terrifying coordination and momentum of these soldiers.
Their individual strength wasn't formidable; some weren't even professionals.
But their coordination was terrifying beyond words.
The unified march, the seamless formation, and the overwhelming momentum couldn't be explained away by Clark's claim of "elite troops."
At this moment, Kahn realized that trouble was brewing!
Not to mention the mysterious spellcaster Clark spoke of, who was likely hiding among them.
From this perspective, this young lord was clearly prepared for battle!
With a somewhat helpless frown, Bloodhand Kahn secretly made up his mind: if things went south, he would retreat immediately.
Making money was important, but staying alive was more important!
Before the battle had even begun, the difference in battle resolve between the two sides was already apparent.
This showed just how hard Matthew had worked to create the appearance and effect of an overwhelming victory.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Barking sounds echoed from afar as hundreds of figures emerged from the dark corners of the Dark Forest, snarling and baring their fangs.
The slaver group members, who had been a bit uneasy, finally relaxed, silently praying in their hearts.
Watching the tide of kobolds rushing forward, Bloodhand Kahn breathed a slight sigh of relief. Thankfully, they had this trick up their sleeves—it at least stabilized the situation.
But he was also very clear that he couldn't rely solely on these hundreds of weak kobolds. The outcome would still depend on these greedy and reckless thugs under his command:
"We were never particularly good at head-on combat—dirty tricks are our signature."
"As long as we win, the last one standing is the victor!"
"Once we defeat these soldiers, Bay Village will be ours for the taking."
"Haven't you all been holding back for a long time? Show them what you're made of!"
"And as for the consequences of failing to complete the mission, I don't need to remind you, do I?"
Hearing Bloodhand Kahn's cold tone, the already anxious members of the slaver group shuddered.
Spurred by both fear and greed, they flushed with excitement, glaring at the soldiers drawing closer, preparing for the bloody battle ahead.
A bloodthirsty grin spread across Bloodhand Kahn's face as he lowered his silver-white metal mask, leaving only his murderous eyes exposed. He shouted in a muffled voice:
"Melee fighters, charge with me! Once we break through the first line of defense, victory will be ours!"
"The rest of you, flank them and attack from both sides. I advise you all not to slack off, or I'll take matters into my own hands before any punishment arrives!"
The anxious members of the slaver group adjusted their positions, preparing for the fierce slaughter to come.
The advancing soldiers spotted the surging wave of kobolds ahead.
Kobolds were small, only about 1.2 meters tall.
They had dark red, scaly skin and pointy heads, resembling upright lizards more than anything else.
They were called kobolds because of the sounds they made—barking and howling that filled the air.
The kobolds wore no armor, only draped in dark red, tattered cloth, seemingly dyed with some kind of pigment.
Their weapons were equally shoddy, full of nicks and rust, clearly not well-maintained. Some kobolds even wielded stone hammers.
Despite their numbers, their formation was scattered, giving the impression they might flee at any moment.
Even with the overwhelming difference in numbers, the soldiers remained highly spirited.
They believed in what Commander Angela had said—that the mysterious and powerful lord would deal with these ignorant kobolds.
In fact, many of them were curious about how the lord would handle such a large number of kobolds.
Matthew lightly stroked his staff, checking his remaining mana.
After drinking a mana potion, his mana had recovered to 280 points, allowing him to cast 28 first-tier spells.
Considering the extra consumption of three fireballs, he needed to reserve 90 mana points, leaving him with 190 points to freely use.
A regular Level 2 mage could only cast three 0-tier spells and three 1-tier spells in total!
This was the power of an arcanist!
And it demonstrated the terrifying potential of Matthew's talents!
The soldiers had left the reed field of the wasteland and reached the edge of the Dark Forest.
The kobolds burst from the thicket, roaring as they charged.
The soldiers in formation didn't halt their steps; instead, they marched forward with larger strides under Angela's rallying cries.
They formed into neat square formations, eyes resolute as they spotted the slaver professionals behind the kobold ranks.
Angela stood up, raising her sword to point at the fully armed, burly warrior. Her body shone even brighter as she shouted crisply:
"Crush them!"