HCB Chapter 630 Arrival
Chapter 630 Arrival
In the northeastern part of Rhône, the forest was darkened by twilight. The branches of the towering ancient trees intertwined like a net, cutting the last rays of the setting sun into fine spots of light that sprinkled on the damp, decaying leaves.
The mercenaries of the Eagle Band were setting up camp in an orderly manner, tamping down the felled logs into the soil to support rows of dusty tents.
Inside one of the relatively spacious tents, the flickering light of tallow candles illuminated a large map hanging on a frame.
Griffith, clad in silver-gray soft armor, the hilt of his sword gleaming coldly in the candlelight, placed his fingertips on a striking red circle on the map, his gaze sweeping over the tense crowd inside the tent.
"We are about to arrive at the mountainous region in the northeast of Ronna Territory. This area spans Ronna Territory, Thorne Territory, and Anda Territory, forming a triangular area where the three territories meet."
His fingertips slid slightly, moving along a thin, line-like mark on the map, the line weaving through the symbols of the continuous mountain ranges.
"This is the only road in the mountains that can accommodate convoys. The Yoda army is using this passage to continuously send soldiers and supplies to the Rona territory, like an unbroken bloodline."
In the candlelight, Griffith's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's:
"After arriving at our destination, we will first find a secluded stronghold to establish ourselves. Then we will continuously harass the Yoda garrison and supply trains near the road, dragging it out until the heavy snows of winter close the mountain passes, at which point they will naturally give up the idea of entering the mountains."
"I have a question."
Guts leaned against the tent pole, his arms crossed over his chest, the scabbards of his two swords hitting the pole with a dull thud.
“We only have about 500 men, while the Yoda army near the mountains has at least 10,000 men, plus the supply train. Even if we send all our men into battle, we cannot annihilate them all.”
"There is no need to annihilate them all."
Griffiths turned around, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power.
"Our goal is to get them to completely abandon this transport line."
"At the same time, the number of people is not an obstacle."
He added, tapping lightly with his fingertip over the mountainous area on the map.
"According to intelligence, many refugee civilians from Midland are hiding in these mountains. We can extend a helping hand to them in exchange for their trust. They are familiar with every inch of the mountain area, so it will be enough for them to be responsible for tasks that do not require direct confrontation with the enemy, such as gathering intelligence, keeping watch, and transporting supplies."
The words had barely left his mouth when the tent flap was abruptly flung open, a gust of cold wind carrying fallen leaves swept in, and a mercenary covered in weeds rushed in, his expression urgent.
"Commander, a group of Yoda's army has been spotted passing by on the east side of the woods. There are many civilians locked in cages on the wagons."
How many troops?
Griffiths immediately pressed for more information.
"There were about a hundred people, accompanied by more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages."
Griffith's eyes narrowed, and he immediately gave the order:
"Gus, take your stormtroopers to the rescue. Make sure the civilians are safe and the operation is swift."
"clear."
Gus responded and then gathered over a hundred mercenaries from the assault team.
"follow me."
Guss's deep voice fell as he darted into the woods, his figure weaving through the tree trunks like a cheetah.
The mercenaries of the assault team followed closely behind, their steps light yet swift, rustling the branches and leaves in the forest but without disrupting their rhythm.
Half an hour later, the forest ahead gradually thinned out, and a wide valley came into view.
A dozen or so simple horse-drawn carriages moved slowly along the dirt road, their wheels leaving deep ruts on the ground.
Each carriage carried a huge wooden cage, crammed with ragged commoners, men, women, and children, their faces filled with fear and exhaustion, their soft sobs and sighs carried on the wind.
Around the carriage, a hundred Yoda soldiers, armed with spears and swords and shields and dressed in gray-brown armor, occasionally struck the cages with their spears and berated the civilians inside.
Hiding in the bushes at the edge of the valley, Guts gripped his two-handed sword tightly.
He squinted and carefully observed the enemy's formation. Although there were quite a few soldiers, their formation was loose, and most of them were focused on getting on their way and scolding the civilians. Only a few were vigilantly observing their surroundings.
"Fifteen men on the left, seventeen on the right, ten leading the way, and those behind are not very clear. The one on horseback in the middle should be the leader."
He whispered instructions to the deputy captain of the assault team beside him.
"You two flank them from both sides and take out the sentries at the front and back first, without alerting the main force in the middle. I'll disrupt their formation and draw their attention."
The vice-captain nodded in agreement and gestured to the mercenaries on either side.
The group immediately dispersed, moving like ghosts along the edge of the valley in the grass, their footsteps so light they were almost inaudible.
Once the mercenaries on both sides were in position, Guts took a deep breath, pushed off the ground with both feet, and shot forward like an arrow. He was incredibly fast, leaping across several meters of grass in the blink of an eye and landing in the middle of the dirt road.
"who!"
The Yoda soldiers at the front noticed the commotion, turned around abruptly, and saw Guts suddenly appear. Their expressions changed instantly, and they instinctively raised their spears to aim at him.
Guss didn't speak, gripped his longsword tightly with both hands, and charged towards the nearest soldier.
Just as the soldier was about to thrust his spear forward, a flash of cold light appeared, and Guts' longsword was already upon him.
With a "whoosh," the sharp blade easily cleaved through his armor and body, and blood gushed out, splattering all over Guts.
The soldier didn't even have time to scream before he collapsed to the ground, his body split in two.
"Enemy attack! There is an enemy attack!"
Panic-stricken shouts erupted from Yoda's army, and the soldiers turned and surrounded Guts.
After landing, Guts didn't stop. His two-handed sword seemed to come alive in his hands. He slashed horizontally, vertically, and spun around, each swing carrying a devastating power.
A soldier thrust his spear forward, but he twisted his wrist, his longsword precisely deflecting the spear tip, and then thrust forward, the blade piercing through the soldier's chest.
He suddenly drew his longsword, spraying a spray of blood, then dodged another longsword coming from the other side. He gripped the hilt with his left hand, and with a sudden burst of strength in his right, he swept the longsword horizontally, instantly cleaving three soldiers standing side by side in half at the waist, their bodies crashing to the ground.
"What kind of monster is this!"
A Yoda squad leader, looking at Guts who resembled a god of death, turned deathly pale and his voice trembled. He brandished his sword and commanded his soldiers:
"Quick, surround him! Slash him to death!"
More than a dozen soldiers rushed forward, forming an encirclement, and various weapons were simultaneously aimed at Gus.
Gus's eyes sharpened, and he slammed his feet into the ground, spinning around as he drew a circular arc of sword light with both hands.
The sounds of "thud" and "thud" continued one after another. The soldiers who surrounded them were all struck by the two-handed swords. Their weapons broke or their limbs were torn apart, and screams of agony rose and fell.
At the same time, the mercenaries of the stormtroopers also arrived. Like tigers descending a mountain, they charged into Yoda's army and engaged in fierce fighting with the enemy.
But the Yodas' attention was mostly focused on Guts. Wherever he went, Yoda soldiers were harvested like straw. Blood splattered as his longsword danced, and severed limbs were scattered all over the ground.
One of the Yoda soldiers was so frightened that his legs went weak and he turned to run away. Guts snorted and flicked his wrist. His longsword flew out like a meteor and pierced the soldier's back with precision.
He strode forward, drew his longsword, and charged toward the soldiers beside the carriage.
The civilians on the carriage were stunned at first when they saw someone coming to rescue them, then they burst into excited shouts, clinging to the cages, their eyes gleaming with hope.
The cries of "Save us!" and "Thank you!" rang out repeatedly.
"Don't make a sound, stay inside!"
As Gus slashed at the soldiers who approached the carriage, he shouted to the civilians in the cages.
Seeing the situation was turning against him, a Yoda officer gritted his teeth and charged forward with his broadsword.
"Damn it, I'm going to kill you!"
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands and slashed down at Guts' head, the blade whistling through the air with a sharp, piercing sound.
Guts neither dodged nor evaded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He gripped his longsword with both hands and parried the broadsword upwards.
With a loud clang, sparks flew from the colliding metal, making the eardrums of those nearby ache.
The officer felt a tremendous force coming from the blade, his arms went numb, and the broadsword almost slipped from his grasp.
Before he could react, Guts had already taken a step forward, and the longsword slid down the blade, piercing his throat.
The officer stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief, and slowly collapsed.
With the last Yoda soldier killed, peace was finally restored to the valley.
Guts stood in the pool of blood, leaning on his longsword, his body covered in the blood of his enemies, drops of blood splattering down his chin.
He looked up at the cage on the carriage and said to the stormtroopers behind him:
"Open the cages, check if anyone is injured, and take a headcount."
The mercenaries of the assault team immediately sprang into action, using their weapons to pry open the locks on the wooden cage.
The civilians rushed out of the cages, kneeling before Guts and the mercenaries, kowtowing repeatedly in gratitude.
"Thank you all for saving our lives!" "If it weren't for you, we would probably have died at the hands of these evil people!"
Guts looked at the commoners before him, his face expressionless. He simply sheathed his sword and said in a deep voice:
"Stop talking, pack up, hide the body and the carriage on either side of the woods, and come back to camp with us."
His gaze swept over the corpses and bloodstains scattered throughout the valley. He turned and walked toward the woods. After the mercenaries of the assault team finished their work, they escorted the civilians and followed closely behind, disappearing into the vast forest.