Bear School Astartes

Perhaps the army of the Niflgaard people is indeed well-trained and resolute.

Among these soldiers, some have managed to regain their resolve after the despairing losses and impending collapse.

A Niflgaard Crossbowman removed the sharp-tipped arrow from the crossbow string and replaced it with a blunt arrow.

This was a non-lethal warning arrow.

The arrowhead had a structure similar to a wind instrument, shaped like a small iron camel.

As the arrow flew rapidly, air passed through the ducts, creating a sharp and distinct sound.

Different warning arrows produced different sounds, used in the army as various commands following the temporary regulations by the pre-battle commanders.

The Niflgaard Crossbowman, though dripping with sweat and his lips pale and trembling, maintained a determined gaze, with a steady hand loading the arrow.

He wore an expression of resolute determination, as if putting his life and death aside.

His stone crossbow wasn’t aimed at the enemy he couldn’t catch but at the sky.

In his mind, perhaps in the next moment he would die, but the warning arrow in his hand would send a warning to his comrades, allowing them to group up and sweep the surroundings!

This terrifying northern monster, the demon would eventually be crushed by the iron hooves of the Niflgaard army...

But just as time in the material world moved forward, a voice beside them spoke softly in words they didn’t understand before the respected Niflgaard Crossbowman could press the trigger on his stone crossbow.

”Secret Art: Dragon Flash!”

The voice was young and calm, as if a passerby greeted them at the moment they passed each other on the road.

And then... a fierce storm like magic!

The first slash of the Dragon Flash was a diagonal Kassaya cut.

The Niflgaard soldier standing in front of Lann had a smooth plane sliced from his right shoulder to his left rib by the Lady of the Lake’s Sword.

The detached limbs slid down along the plane with blood splattering.

But this was only a prelude to this move known as Secret Art.

After the first person was killed by the real blade, an inexplicable airflow began to gather.

These violent streams of air lifted roots, soil, rocks and the cold blood on the ground!

A huge vertical Air Blade, suddenly burst forward in front of Lann like a lawnmower!

”Slash!” A brief and explosive sound blasted their ears.

The three people in front of Lann, the first was neatly cut in half along with his armor.

The second one, his armor let out a mournful cry of metal tearing, the dark heavy steel armor split half-man’s height from top to bottom, and the body inside, of course, shredded along with the steel.

And the last one, the respected crossbowman about to shoot the warning arrow.

The air blade, after shredding two fully-armored soldiers, was somewhat weakened when reaching him.

But the surging airflows still managed to penetrate the gaps in his armor, causing violent pressure changes inside his skull.

When Lann stepped over the corpses, reaching him, the crossbowman was clumsily pulling off his helmet.

Blood began to pour from his nose and ears, his irises covered in blood vessels, finally spilling out from the corners of his eyes.

The Demon Hunter, with the hand not holding a sword, easily caught the falling warning arrow mid-air.

”The noblest human emotion, is ’sacrifice’.

Lann spoke calmly, placing the warning arrow beside the crossbowman’s face.

Despite nearing death due to the drastic pressure change inside his skull, the soldier still looked at the arrow he never managed to shoot with a gaze that could be called persistent.

”You never gave up your duty and mission till the last moment, you are deserving of respect for your selfless sacrifice. But...”

Lann pushed Aron Dite to the crossbowman’s face, using the blade to turn his head towards his own, staring into his bloodshot eyes.

”Why would a warrior like you do such things, soldier?”

Lann’s amber cat eyes fixated on him, stubbornly seeking an answer.

”You should have fought against the most formidable enemies of this world! Shot giants with your crossbow arrows! Hunted griffins with your fearlessness! Returning home gloriously or dying with honor! Why...”

”Why would someone who understands ’sacrifice’ act against civilians? Even torture them?!”

”Why...”

The crossbowman on the ground opened his mouth, blood flowed from it, blood-red teeth, blood-red throat... his ghastly smile resembled a demon.

”Stupid question... Because they resisted us! They deliberately misled us, threatened our safety, they deserved to be eliminated! Heartless ingrate Northern barbarians should die!”

”’Ingrates’ and ’ungrateful’... What exactly should the Sintra People thank the Niflgaard people for? Your invasion and slaughter?”

”You call us invaders?”

The crossbowman’s eyes revealed disbelief, as if wronged and misunderstood.

”Ignorant Northerners, we came to stop Temeria’s intention of seizing Sintra! We protected this country from the barbarians! The Empire established power balance, Sintra will bask in the Empire’s civilizational glory! These people will become civilized people! Decent people!”

Looking at the other’s twisted and firm eyes, Lann opened his mouth, but couldn’t say anything.

”Civilization... is it?”

He wore a bitter expression, as if wanting to laugh, but couldn’t.

”To forcibly impose your ’civilization’ on others without regard, using it as a justification for massacre and torture on their land, proclaiming ’justice’...”

”Niflgaard, you truly are a world superpower.”

Embodying ’superior thoughts’ of the Anglo-America nations, you’re destined to be a world superpower!

It’s that frustrating and nauseating sense of familiarity once again.

Lann had nothing more to say to this Niflgaard person.

”Then... please take your ’justice’, and die.”

The crossbowman feebly spat blood at Lann, but it landed on his own face.

Still, he coldly smiled, never admitting defeat.

Even now, he still believed in his ’justice’ and ’civilization’.

”Squelch!”

The beautifully curved blade tip slid away from the crossbowman’s face, slashing across his throat.

In a series of blood-filled raspy gasps, the forest clearing fell into dead silence, with only a few Niflgaard warhorses tethered nearby.

These horses, trained to be nimble, smart, and brave, didn’t become agitated by the blood on the ground.

Lann swiftly flicked Aron Dite, instantly clearing its silvery sharp blade of blood, sheathing it.

Just as the Demon Hunter was about to leave...

”Beep!!!”

A sharp and distinct blast rang out not far away!

Lann paused, glancing at the ground where the warning arrow lay in the pool of blood.

He then grabbed the reins of a few horses, including Bopai, and rushed towards the source of the blast.