Bear School Astartes

”The wildfire has spread to this extent; it’s actually possible to rush out from the slope!”

Darkley’s subordinate said to him in his mind.

”This mountain isn’t that large, there aren’t that many combustibles, so theoretically there should already be a gap in the flames, just obscured by thick smoke and firelight. And as long as there are enough people pathfinding...”

As long as there are enough people pathfinding, they can step over others’ corpses to escape!

Darkley immediately realized, this was indeed a feasible plan.

It’s just a matter of choice: let more people die to find a way to survive for himself, or...

Or forget it!

Darkley instantly made up his mind, without a fraction of a second’s hesitation.

Watching from the outermost crowd, Lann’s [Turbid Flow] longsword once again stirred up a blood wave!

The tightly packed crowd instantly resembled a bitten apple pie, highlighting a gap.

Meanwhile, the Demon Hunter appearing again like a wisp of smoke at a distance had a slight stagger.

Darkley immediately caught on to this.

With further scrutiny.

The Demon Hunter’s breathing was even more labored than before; his stamina wasn’t inexhaustible. Although he had killed hundreds in a row like a war machine, this stamina was jaw-dropping, but after all... he had limits!

Moreover, the temperature in the mountain hollow had turned like a furnace, yet the Demon Hunter seemed hotter than everyone else.

The face under his silver hair was flushed with heat!

Generally speaking, such an enemy would not be feared. But because of the horrifying carnage he caused earlier, even when he showed this appearance, not a single Niflgaard person could summon the courage to defy him.

Not even one dared to meet his gaze!

The army that once swept through enemy forces had all turned into sardines crammed together, waiting to die!

This can’t go on...

Darkley thought.

The morale was entirely shattered, yet they hadn’t lost their organization, resulting in a group of sheep huddled together.

Unable to resist, not even able to flee.

Darkley didn’t know if the current situation was intentionally caused by the Demon Hunter, considering the disadvantage he suffered in the last fight at dusk.

This seemingly calls for...

”Ah, ahhh!!!”

Standing among the Niflgaard people, Darkley suddenly shouted, as if unable to bear the situation, breaking down.

There were quite a few around him also crying and shouting, but his cry was extraordinary.

Firstly, because of his position, he was the highest commander of this force besides Duke Adal.

Secondly, the plan approved by Darkley had been initiated, with Spiritual Masters starting to stir emotions and spirits of some individuals into collapse.

This method was exceedingly difficult; Joanna couldn’t last long nor affect many.

But in this situation, just a tiny bit of emotional prodding was close to causing a mutiny.

In an instant, Darkley drew his longsword and hacked down the Niflgaard soldier beside him.

Next, in a crazed state, he wiped the blood from the visor of his helmet, then attacked the soldier next to him!

”Don’t block my way... I want to run! No one better think I’ll die here!”

With a ’boom’, the soldiers exploded into chaos!

The last bit of rationality maintaining order vanished instantly from the soldiers’ minds.

Thus, in the collapse of emotions, in the panic, everyone around became untrustworthy, became a threat to personal safety!

Thus, the irrational soldiers began to hack at each other, hoping to ensure their safety.

Commonly known as a mutiny!

And the commander who started the mutiny quickly shed his deranged appearance.

With superb skills, he swiftly removed his distinctive armor and ornaments, and donned a common soldier’s outfit from the corpse of a fellow he had slain.

”No!”

On the cart stand, Duke Adal, watching helplessly as the mutiny occurred, screamed in despair.

He was the type who wielded power only under a perfect structure of authority.

Rules, laws... and now, with all trust collapsed, he suddenly realized he had become just an ordinary person!

Ordinary people can’t escape from wildfire.

”No no no... come back! Reorganize to extinguish the fire! Clear me a path!”

Duke Adal shouted from the cart stand below.

But at this moment, the duke’s lineage and heritage became meaningless.

Power comes from trust, trust in the system, trust in the rules...

And when the mutiny occurs, the trust within the army crumbles completely.

”Be careful, sir!”

Darkley shouted up with concern and warmth.

Now wearing an ordinary soldier’s helmet, in the chaos, Adal couldn’t recognize him as the ’mentally broken’ commander from before.

Darkley swiftly approached Adal, feigning to support him in retreat.

This somewhat warmed Adal’s heart.

”There’s still loyalty within our army, there still is...”

Adal muttered in a scatterbrained manner, appearing nervous. Far from the superior and imperious attitude he had initially.

”When I return to Golden Pagoda City... this was just me being careless... careless... when I return, all these chaotic rebels will face court martial.”

”Protect me, when I return, your future will be... ah!!!”

Before he could finish his promise of titles and rewards, Darkley tripped the duke’s ankle.

It was a skillful maneuver; with a ’crack’, the duke’s armored ankle twisted into a bizarre angle outward.

The duke himself could only clutch his ankle, unable to rise.

”Sorry, sir.”

In Adal’s incredulous glance, Darkley briefly lifted his visor and smiled at the great noble.

”Darkley?” The duke was first in disbelief, then his emotion shifted to uncontrollable rage. ”How dare you harm me!?”

”Not just harm you, but to keep us alive, you have to stay here.”

”Wh-what?”

”It’s simple, sir. We don’t want to provoke that Demon Hunter anymore.”

”You showed your face to him, you tormented his friends in front of him, and thus provoked him to start slaughtering us indiscriminately...”

At this point, Darkley’s mouth couldn’t help but tremble. He thought he would never forget the scene today, what the Demon Hunter had wrought.

”He can’t actually take all of us, but he certainly won’t let you go. Whoever stays with you is doomed to die. My mates and I aren’t ready for that, so you must remain... to appease that Demon Hunter.”

”And unlike you, although we orchestrated actions against him, we never revealed ourselves.”

Of course, those who went up with chains looking for trouble were promptly cut to pieces.