booktalesy Chapter 113 Everyone step back, I'll charge!
Chapter 113 Everyone step back, I'll charge!
Chapter 113 Everyone step back, I'll charge!
The whole day was calm and peaceful.
The demonic tide seemed to have been truly deterred by last night's battle, and no large-scale demonic armies appeared again.
Only a few demons roamed in the distance, but upon seeing the number of people in the camp, they wisely chose to stay away.
The group took turns on guard duty, resting, and eating.
Selena cast [Vitality Prayer] again at noon, keeping everyone in peak condition. Xiuqi spent most of his time meditating, restoring his magic power, and organizing the cards in his mind.
112 support cards are enough for multiple experiments. But now is not the time; he needs to conserve enough magic and mental energy to deal with any unforeseen circumstances.
As evening fell, the setting sun painted the forest golden and red.
Just when everyone thought the day would pass peacefully, something unexpected happened.
"Something's up!" Lynn, the wanderer on guard duty, returned to deliver the message, pointing to the forest to the west.
Everyone instantly went into battle mode.
Through the gaps in the trees, a dark shadow could be seen moving slowly.
Little devil.
There were about fifty of them, forming a loose but clear formation—the original demon in front, the cowardly demon in the middle, and the lesser demons behind.
There are no Thorn Demons.
"A small-scale demonic surge," Captain Cade quickly assessed. "It's probably the remnants of last night's large army, or they've come from another direction."
Captain Allen nodded, his expression grave: "Fifty isn't a lot, but we can't be careless."
He turned to all his team members, his voice serious: "Attention! Demons are resistant to many spells and are basically immune to poisons!"
Primal demons and Fearful Demons are resistant to freezing, fire, and lightning, and are immune to poison. Lesser Demons, in addition to these, are also resistant to non-magical attacks and blunt force, piercing, and slashing attacks from non-silver weapons!
"In other words," Cade added, "ordinary swords are very ineffective against lesser demons; enchanted weapons or silver weapons are best! Archers, check your arrowheads!"
The team members acted swiftly.
Blake took a small cloth bag from his baggage; inside was silver powder—
He had prepared this specially yesterday, and he hadn't expected to use it so soon. He began to apply silver powder to the arrow.
Tom examined his longsword, which was forged from fine steel but was not enchanted.
The other team members also made their own preparations.
Everyone was on high alert, ready to weaken the demon with ranged attacks once it was within optimal range, before engaging it in close combat.
This is the safest tactic.
But Xiuqi doesn't think so.
He walked over to the two captains and calmly said, "We can't play a passive defensive game."
Cade and Allen both looked at him.
"We now have twelve people." Xiuqi pointed to his own team. "The enemy only has fifty lower-level demons, and no great demon to command them."
If we passively defend and wait for them to fully deploy their formation, we can still win, but it will consume more time and energy.
He paused, then pointed to the forest further behind the demon army: "Moreover, if there are more demon armies on their way, delaying them here would be giving them the opportunity to combine their forces."
"You mean..." Allen seemed to understand.
"Take the initiative." Xiu Qi's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination. "Launch a surprise attack and annihilate them before they fully deploy."
Even if reinforcements arrive later, we'll have already taken care of one force, which will significantly reduce the pressure.
Cade and Allen exchanged a glance, both seeing hesitation in each other's eyes.
Taking the initiative means giving up defensive advantages and taking risks.
But they remembered the battle from last night.
I thought of the miracle of the Xiuqi Squad, which wiped out more than two hundred demons with the strength of four people (including the goblin warrior).
"Fine." Cade gritted his teeth. "I'll do as you say!"
Allen nodded, "We'll cooperate with you!"
But behind them, Tom and Blake both looked unconvinced when they heard this.
Tom muttered under his breath, "It's easy to talk big, but if you're so capable, why don't you lead the charge?"
Although Blake didn't say anything, his eyes conveyed the same meaning.
Then, they heard Xiuqi's next words.
"Our 33rd squad will lead the charge." Xiuqi's voice echoed clearly throughout the camp. "You two squads will support our team from the flanks, forming a pincer movement to cut off the demons' retreat and reinforcement routes."
Tom and Blake's expressions froze instantly.
The slap in the face came too quickly.
Cade and Allen, on the other hand, had expressions that said, "I knew it."
This young apprentice monk seems to be more than just talk.
Xiuqi finally looked at Cade and Allen: "Captains, please have your men ready. After we charge, you will follow up from the flanks and be responsible for clearing out any remaining enemies."
Cade and Allen exchanged a glance, both seeing the same unwavering determination in each other's eyes.
"Understood!" the two answered in unison.
Their expressions suggested that they had anticipated Xiu Qi's decision—or rather, they had enough trust in Xiu Qi's decision.
This made Blake and Tom even more uncomfortable.
On what grounds?
Why is it that this mage apprentice, even younger than them, commands such trust from two veteran captains? Why does he dare to lead the charge? Why...?
But there was no time left for them to think it over.
Xiuqi raised his right hand and began to cast a spell.
"【Blade Protection】".
The cold, metallic sheen covered Ado, Max, himself, and then Link in turn.
Level 4 [Blade Protection] consumes a lot of energy, but Xiu Qi's mental strength is in excellent condition under the effect of the Blessing Divine Art, and with the spiritual energy nourished by the rare meditation stone, he can fully withstand it.
"Set off."
Xiuqi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable determination.
Addo and Max took steps at the same time.
The ogre's massive body was like a moving fortress, its robes and chainmail gleaming coldly in the setting sun. A spiked club slung over its shoulder, each step causing the ground to tremble.
Max followed closely behind, his massive eight-foot-three-inch frame and two-handed greatsword making him look like a god of war.
Xiuqi walked five steps behind the two, "Bavarian Moonlight" already unsheathed, its blade gleaming with a cool light.
Link followed twenty paces behind, his longbow half-drawn, ready to fire an arrow at any moment.
In the shadows of the woods outside the pass, a silver-gray figure moved silently.
Cade and Allen quickly organized the team.
"Shieldbearers, prepare to engage! Archers, provide cover fire! Rogues, flank and harass! Priests, focus on healing!"
As orders were issued one after another, the eight team members, though apprehensive, carried them out swiftly.
Only Blake and Tom exchanged a glance at each other from the back of the group, their eyes filled with suspicion and...
The fans are eagerly anticipating a good show.
They wanted to see if this young monk was really as powerful as he claimed.
In the northwest, in a clearing in the woods, more than fifty demons were slowly making their way.
Twenty-five original demons were in front, fifteen cowardly demons were in the middle, and twelve lesser demons were behind.
A typical sweeping formation consists of one primary demon as cannon fodder, a cowardly demon providing poison mist suppression, and lesser demons providing ranged fire support.
They lacked elite command, acted haphazardly, and maintained loose formations.
Some of the original demons even scratched their bodies with their muddy hands as they walked, some cowardly demons roared at each other, and some lesser demons played with their iron forks out of boredom.
It was a completely undisciplined ragtag army.
Then, they heard a sound.
It wasn't the howl of a demon, nor the chirping of insects in the forest, but...
Heavy footsteps.
Boom!Boom!Boom!
Like war drums striking the earth, the sound grew louder and louder as it approached.
The demons stopped in their tracks, their murky eyes fixed on the direction from which the sound came.
The forest was torn apart.
First appeared a massive head, covered by a cloak and chainmail. Then came the shoulders, the chest, the waist...
The ten-foot-tall ogre, like a giant straight out of mythology, stepped into the open space.
Ado's bright yellow eyes swept over the horde of demons, and a low growl escaped his throat. It wasn't a roar of fear, but rather... a low growl of excitement before the hunt.
The demons were stunned.
The next second, Max stepped out from behind Ado.
The eight-foot-three-inch goblin warrior, his two-handed greatsword gleaming coldly in the morning light, his scarlet eyes locked onto the cowards in the demon ranks—those units that could spew poisonous mist.
Then, there's Xiuqi.
His grey robes fluttered in the morning breeze, and the blade of the sword "Bavarian Moonlight" shimmered with light.
His steps were steady, his eyes calm, as if he were facing not fifty demons, but fifty lambs to the slaughter.
At the very back, Link drew his bowstring taut, and his silver-plated arrow was aimed at a small imp that was opening its mouth.
The battle had already begun before the demons could fully react.
Ado launched the first attack.
Cannibals don't employ complex tactics; they rely solely on pure violence.
The spiked club swept across.
call-
A terrifying sweeping attack covering an area of 180 degrees. The five primal demons in the front row didn't even have time to dodge before being struck squarely by the spiked club.
boom!boom!boom!boom!boom!
Five muffled thuds sounded almost simultaneously.
The sludge-like body exploded under the barbs of the spiked club, black slime and shattered internal organs splattering everywhere.
The five primal demons were sent flying backward as if hit by a speeding carriage, knocking down seven or eight of their companions behind them.
One strike, five kills, plus knocking down a whole group.
Max followed closely behind.
The goblin warrior's goal was clear—to frighten demons.
Its massive eight-foot-three-inch body unleashed astonishing speed, crashing into the horde of demons like a chariot. It wielded its two-handed greatsword, the battle runes on its blade gleaming with blinding light.
The first sword strike is a vertical slash.
A cowardly demon attempted to spew poisonous mist, but the greatsword had already cleaved it from head to toe, slicing it in two.
The green poisonous mist dissipated with the death of its owner before it could even be released.
The second strike, a sweeping attack.
Three Primal Demons pounced, but Max didn't even dodge, swinging his greatsword horizontally.
The blade sliced through a perfect semicircle, and fine lines of blood appeared simultaneously on the waists of the three primal demons. They staggered and fell, their bodies severed at the waist.
The third strike is a thrust.
A small demon was chanting a small fireball spell, and Max's greatsword pierced out like a venomous snake.
The sword tip pierced precisely into the little demon's open mouth, emerging from the back of its head. The small fireball vanished with a "poof" in its palm.
Three swords, five kills.
Meanwhile, Link's arrows began to harvest.
call out!
The silver-plated arrow left the bowstring, drawing a white line in the air. Its target was a small lesser demon that was preparing to cast a spell.
The arrow struck between the eyebrows, piercing the skull. The little demon froze, then slowly collapsed.
The second arrow, the third arrow...
Link's shooting rhythm was frighteningly consistent.
He didn't fire blindly; each arrow was aimed at the most critical target—either a lesser demon that was chanting or a demon trying to flank him.
Every arrow was precise, every arrow was deadly.
Xiuqi walked ten steps behind Ado and Max.
His task was not to engage in a direct assault, but to eliminate any remaining enemies and deal with unforeseen circumstances.
The first escapees appeared—one or two primal demons slipped in from the blind spot where Ado was swinging his spiked club, their mud-like bodies writhing as they lunged at Xiuqi.
Xiuqi didn't even move a step.
He simply raised his left hand, his fingers slightly spread.
[Shuqi's Elementary Deflection Field] instantly unfolds.
The moment the two Primal Demons plunged into the force field, it was as if they had crashed into an invisible swamp. Their movements suddenly slowed, and their trajectories began to deviate.
Xiuqi's right hand moved the longsword.
It wasn't a complicated sword move, just two simple and direct thrusts.
puff!puff!
The sword tip pierced precisely into the throats of the two original demons, emerging from the back of their necks.
One blow kills.
Xiu Qi drew his sword, shook off the black slime on the blade, and continued to scan the battlefield.
At this moment, the slaughter on the flanks also began.
The princess appeared like a ghost at the rear of the demon army.
Her silver-gray figure appeared and disappeared in the shadows of the forest, and her extreme agility of 13 points made her feel like a fish in water on the chaotic battlefield.
The first target was a small demon that was chanting its second fireball.
The princess emerged from the shadows, and the hammer came crashing down.
boom!
With his skull shattered, the little demon collapsed to the ground.
The princess's figure vanished the next second, appearing five steps away behind another cowardly demon.
The hammer struck the demon's spine, and the sound of bones cracking was clearly audible.
Disappears, then reappears...
The princess specifically targets lesser demons who attempt to cast spells; each appearance of hers disrupts the demons' rhythm, and each disappearance instills even greater panic in them.
What's most terrifying is that the demons don't even know where the attack is coming from.
They only saw their companions suddenly fall, their heads shattered, their spines broken, their throats slit... but the attackers were nowhere to be found, like ghosts.
Panic began to spread.
This already undisciplined demon sweeping squad quickly collapsed under the lightning attack of the Xiuqi Squad.
Ado's spiked club cleared an area with every swing, Max's greatsword was precise and deadly with every strike, Link's arrows took away a key target with every shot, Hugh's interception ensured that no one who escaped was able to return, and the princess's assassination plunged the demons' rear into complete chaos.
massacre.
One-sided massacre.
The battle was drawing to a close when Cade and Allen, along with eight other men, followed up from the flank.
They were prepared for a tough battle, and even mentally prepared to get injured.
But the sight before them completely stunned them.
Of the fifty demons, more than thirty have already fallen.
The remaining few original demons scattered and fled, while a few cowardly demons spewed poisonous mist haphazardly. The lesser demons had been almost entirely killed or wounded.
And the Shuki Squad...
Ado's armor had a few more white marks, but it didn't affect his movements at all; in fact, it made him even more excited.
Max's left shoulder bandage was soaked with blood again, but his fighting stance remained steady.
Link kept drawing arrows from his quiver and aiming at the little devils that were scattering in all directions.
Xiu Qi stood in the center of the battlefield, his longsword dripping blood, but his breathing was steady and his eyes were calm.
As for the mysterious wanderer in the Xiuqi team... he was nowhere to be seen.
"This..." Cade opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
Allen had the same expression.
As a wandering knight, his senses were sharper than those of ordinary people. He could vaguely sense a hidden presence moving on his flank, but its exact location... was completely impossible to pinpoint.
His level of stealth far surpassed that of any wanderer or assassin he had ever seen.
"Clean up the remnants, and leave the final blow to my contracted partner!" Xiuqi's voice pulled the two captains back to reality.
Cade and Allen then realized what was happening and quickly directed their team to join the battle.
The outcome was a foregone conclusion with eight people facing more than a dozen scattered demons.
Five minutes later, the last Primal Demon that tried to burrow into the woods was stabbed through the heart from behind by Max.
The battle is over.
From start to finish, it took less than ten minutes.
All fifty-two lower-level demons were wiped out.
As for the Xiuqi Squad, no one was seriously injured, and no one was even hurt.
When the team members began to tally up the results, a shocking statistic emerged.
Of the fifty-two demons, more than forty were killed by the Xiuqi Squad.
In other words, the four members of the Xiuqi Squad killed more than 80% of the demons.
The combined squad of 31 and 32, consisting of eight people, managed to kill fewer than ten.
This disparity left everyone speechless.
Blake and Tom stood at the edge of the battlefield, looking at the corpses of demons scattered on the ground, and then at Xiuqi's calm expression. For the first time, they truly felt... powerless.
That wasn't jealousy or resentment, but rather a sense of bewilderment after one's understanding had been completely overturned.
So this is how battles can be fought.
It turns out, the difference in strength can be this great.
It turns out that all their previous doubts and disdain were utterly laughable in the face of absolute strength.
Cade walked over to Xiuqi and patted him hard on the shoulder.
"Captain Xiuqi," the Shield Captain's voice was more sincere than ever before, "when we return to Summertown, I must treat you to a good drink. Not as flattery, but out of genuine respect."
Allen walked over and gave Xiuqi a deep look: "Now I believe it... Your ability to withstand the attack of hundreds of demons is not luck, but strength."
Selena stood a little further away, her deep blue eyes fixed on Xiuqi.
The young priestess's eyes were bright, with a gleam she herself was unaware of.