Bear School Astartes

Hacksaw’s words struck right at Duke Adal’s sore spot.

He once again thrust the tail of the steel scepter into Hacksaw’s scarred mouth and stirred it around.

The noble duke even looked down on the Niflgaard citizens not born in Golden Pagoda City, yet he, priding himself on his extraordinary lineage, led a force that could rampage outside large-scale battles, only to be ambushed by a group of maggot-like refugees.

Although there was essentially no loss in actual strength, this matter would undoubtedly become a laughingstock among the nobles for a while.

It was also his disgrace!

”Judging by your smug look, it seems my target isn’t in your group. You’ve already sent the Demon Hunter and the girl away, right?”

Adal suddenly lost interest in further questioning Hacksaw.

”Such great nobility, Northerner. But rest assured, you won’t save them for long because the forces I can muster far exceed your wildest imagination, frog in a well!”

”I, I’ll be watching.”

Hacksaw’s mouth bled profusely, but he still laughed and said.

”You will, but you won’t see it.”

Adal waved his hand to the infantry behind him: ”As I said earlier, roast him alive for me.”

Suddenly, outside the fiery field formed by the Ring Mountain, a black dot-like object flew in from a distance.

Although this Ring Mountain wasn’t large, its internal diameter was a near kilometer-long circle.

But that high-flying black dot from the gap was about to crash towards the innermost position!

Darkley, who was directing the soldiers to assist the Warlock’s magic in suppressing the fire, was the first to notice this abnormal black dot amidst the fiery light and ash-filled sky.

His neck followed the trajectory of the black dot, ultimately landing on the duke’s position.

Suddenly, ”Boom!” A loud explosion rang out!

A cloud of metallic reflective shards scattered, and even though the cloud was still several tens of meters away from the Warlock performing magic, the Warlock suddenly seemed to have acute gastroenteritis.

The blood vessels on his head swelled and turned beet red, followed by uncontrollable vomiting and convulsions.

The magic failed abruptly with the Warlock’s abnormal condition, and the comforting clouds were rapidly dissipating.

Alchemy Bomb!

Darkley immediately realized what it was, thanks to his in-depth research on his target after receiving the emperor’s appointment.

And, closely following, Darkley reacted to who might be using this Alchemy Bomb.

”Demon Hunter!” He shouted as if awakening from a dream, yelling toward the duke, ”It’s the Demon Hunter’s Alchemy Bomb!”

This word was even more deafening than the bomb!

Duke Adal sharply turned his head, and the half-conscious Hacksaw twitched his head up.

The duke’s lips first opened in astonishment, then drew into a large smile.

Ah, Demon Hunter...Demon Hunter!

Though this word before today was simply a mission objective, a gift to please the emperor.

But after Hacksaw’s series of humiliating moves, this word took on a different meaning in Duke Adal’s heart.

”Ha...haha!”

Low, beast-like laughter erupted from Adal’s throat.

”So you came knocking on my door, did you!?”

Adal looked at Hacksaw with a cruel and thrilling gaze.

You thought your sacrifice would amount to something?

You thought your actions were meaningful?

In the end...didn’t the great sun wheel still protect me!

That fool dares not to run! That fool dares not to flee!

Adal stepped forward in two strides, grabbing Hacksaw’s head and pulling it up, shouting in his confused eyes.

”Demon Hunter!!!”

”Assemble the troops! That’s the target! Move Pita further away to recover, never mind the damn mountain fire! Once he’s recovered, even if it drains him, he’ll clear the way for us! Now...”

”Advance the entire army!”

He shouted sternly: ”Watch, Hacksaw of Sintra, watch how I achieve my goal! Catch the Demon Hunter first, then the girl!”

Afterward, all the Niflgaard soldiers obeyed the duke’s orders.

Under Darkley’s coordination, most of the soldiers dealing with the fire dropped their tasks and picked up their weapons again.

Within the nearly kilometer-wide Ring Mountain’s basin, thousands of soldiers began to guard against the surroundings.

They’d heard of the Demon Hunter’s outstanding solo combat ability, but the longer they lived a military life, the more they believed in the military’s violence.

Nothing was more terrifying than an organized army.

An army is humanity’s finest creation on the path of destruction.

Until in the ruins burning with mead and carriage remnants, a gigantic figure leaped directly over the flames into this basin surrounded by the mountain fire.

The mountain fire was spreading downwards; the ground on which humanity stood was rapidly shrinking.

Gray smoke rose to the sky, and the temperature was climbing from the depths of winter.

”Look here, Demon Hunter!”

On Adal’s armored collar, a pin lit up, amplifying and projecting his voice far.

He stood on a high platform erected by the team, calling to Lann.

”Hero!” He shouted like an operatic tenor on stage, fierce and excited.

Hacksaw and Stuart, each held by two soldiers, knelt in front of him. He stood with the steel scepter behind Hacksaw.

”Another hero! How surprising, a hero from the northern barbarians! Why have you returned? What do you think you can do? Save him? Save his son? Or save more people?”

Adal looked at the Demon Hunter, uncertain if the legendary modified vision of the Demon Hunter could see his eyes, but he gazed steadfastly at the Demon Hunter in the distance.

”Want to save someone? Then you’d better come on over!”

Lann’s face was solemn, his chest rising and falling with his unsteady breath.

A massive rage and sorrow surged in when he saw Hacksaw and Stuart.

Yet his anger was suppressed within his frame...

Suddenly a ”shing!” sound!

The gigantic body almost instantly became a blur!

Charging into the dense ranks of the Niflgaard soldiers!

Unexpectedly, the formation of the legion seemed uninterested in stopping him. To the extent that Lann, charging like a speeding truck, didn’t knock anyone aside.

”Brute,” Darkley sneered, standing below Adal’s platform, and then issued orders to those around him.

”When he’s deep in formation, proceed as we planned earlier.”

”No problem,” Spiritual Master Joanna conveyed the commander’s orders to others dispersed across the battlefield.