Bear School Astartes

Lann remained silent, without any excited movements.

He simply had a fireball floating above his left hand, and he walked towards the Beastmen crowding the square defense line.

But as his footsteps drew closer, the heat from the fireball also approached...

The Beastman at the back suddenly shouted, using a harsh and crude voice to speak a burst of Black Language.

He turned around, back facing the square defense line he had just tried to charge into. He nervously glanced at Lann, then quickly turned his head back and forth.

As if if he turned his head slightly slower, he would already be dead when he turned back.

His Black Language was spoken loudly, but no one knew what he said. However, many Beastmen trying to move forward immediately turned back, looking at the approaching Lann.

They seemed reluctant to be the first to approach Lann, but were unable to break through ahead.

Many pairs of Beastman eyes were already glancing towards the river nearby.

These Beastmen clashed with the square defense line for over ten minutes, leaving bodies and blood everywhere, but their frenzied charging never slowed.

But as soon as Lann arrived, they started to shrink back in fear.

Though the battle had only lasted ten minutes, news of ’a ghost’ in this town had already spread to the incoming Beastmen.

However, Lann did not hesitate even for a second because of the enemy’s fear.

After crossing a certain distance, he clenched his left hand, extinguishing the fireball hovering over it.

[Curse Technique · Fireball] not only causes damage but also explodes, which is too foolish to use on a tangled battlefield.

He had a more sensible tactical choice.

Just as the Beastmen were relieved by the disappearance of the fireball, suddenly... ”Whoosh~”

The sound of flames jetting came from his hand as he closed it and opened it again, pointing forward.

[Curse Technique · Fire Jet].

However, unlike what’s recorded in the Great Swamp Spellbook, the original [Fire Jet], like the Wolf Demon Hunter’s [Igni Rune] advanced knowledge, could form a continuous stream of flame like a flamethrower.

But now, with Beastmen and humans pressed together, the continuous [Fire Jet] had too high a chance of accidental injuries.

So Lann just snapped his fingers forward.

With a ”snap”.

An intense but controlled burst of flame swept forward.

Just like the initial [Igni Rune].

As Lann studied [Curse Technique], he began to suspect whether Curse Fire was intimately connected with life.

Mentos invested computational power in this direction, and now he could perform simple and limited ’small’ modifications on already learned curses.

This phenomenon undoubtedly proved his suspected direction was correct.

And the power of Curse Fire was much greater than normal flames.

The Beastmen scorched by the flames immediately erupted into a sharp and wretched scream, then they couldn’t care anymore, diving into the nearby waterways with a ’plop’, not considering the effect of their armor hitting the water.

The pain and fear brought by flames were instinctive.

Without any further push, the frontline that was about to overwhelm the Shield Guards was suddenly pushed back.

Lann approached, leaving a cold arc of blade light in the air with his Long Blade, the Beastmen crowded in front of the line peeled away like a layer of onion, becoming thinner and fewer.

Finally, when all the Beastmen before the line were dead, the Shield Guards gulped nervously, looking up at the tall figure in front of them.

”Please step aside,” Lann said softly.

The guards awoke from a dream and quickly stepped aside.

Lann beckoned backwards, and the corner he had detonated earlier with [Curse Technique · Fireball], several townsfolk led children or carried their chickens and ducks, ran towards them.

Finally, when the last person was inside the square defense line, Lann also walked in.

”Are these all people you saved?” Bard approached, realizing, ”And those from earlier too? How is the situation outside?”

Who can still save people in such a chaotic and dangerous town, there aren’t many with such skills.

”I severed the bridge connecting Long Lake Town with the shore, but don’t count on this to stop the Beastmen; they won’t give up just to kill the dwarves.”

Lann’s first sentence made Bard breathe a sigh of relief, but then he frowned again.

After briefly explaining the situation to Bard, the Demon Hunter turned toward Sorlin standing beside.

”Why haven’t you left yet?”

”We were about to leave, then you arrived.” Sorlin sheathed the Beast Bite Sword, which like the Lady of the Lake’s Sword, didn’t leave residual blood when killing. ”Now I’m trying to get Bard’s agreement to let us leave.”

”Oh, it seems Master Bard has risen to great heights now.”

Lann smiled without malice, causing Bard to shake his head bitterly, and then the Demon Hunter’s expression turned serious again.

”We need to get the dwarves moving quickly, or the casualties will be even greater! Do you know how many people didn’t come to the square because of the previous bells?”

”Every second the beastmen leave early will save a few more lives.”

Bard nodded, pursing his lips. Had it not been for the commotion of Lann’s fireball, he would have already given in.

Immediately, Bard called out loudly, taking advantage of the fact that the next wave of beastmen attacks hadn’t arrived yet.

”Find a boat! The beastmen followed the dwarves here! The dwarves are willing to leave town, leading them away!”

Upon hearing this, two or three men among the townsfolk quickly dropped their weapons, grabbed long poles, and hooked boats from the waterways around the square.

”Don’t worry.” Sorlin, about to embark on the journey to the Lonely Mountain, was visibly invigorated.

He patted Bard’s arm: ”We’ll leave right in front of the beastmen, letting them believe that we have no ties with this town.”

”It’s best that way.” Bard, though unsatisfied, didn’t vent his anger due to his temperament, nor did he say anything pleasant to Sorlin.

He just coldly threw out a sentence.

Rong Buqiu leapt from the ground onto Lann’s shoulder, settling there.

Lann scratched Rong Buqiu’s chin, causing the Elu Cat to squint its eyes in enjoyment.

When he first arrived, he saw Philipp and Bofur wielding swords against beastmen, knowing that Rong Buqiu had brought the people of the Bard family over.

Lann felt assured about the Elu Cat, not just because of its skills, nurtured by him personally, but also because it was equipped with plenty of Alchemy Bombs.

Unfortunately, during the last visit to Airetusa, he didn’t give it a space expansion pack; otherwise, it could bear a larger load.

Taking advantage of the moment, the townsfolk, accustomed to everyday life in Long Lake Town, easily hooked two boats.

They were the small boats used by the townsfolk for daily travel; not large, but agile and enough for all the dwarves to sit in.

Sorlin stood at the edge of the square, organizing dwarves to throw supplies and equipment onto the boats.

Considering the architectural style of Long Lake Town, this square actually had a small dock for boats.

Earlier, townsfolk dazzled by Sorlin’s speech about the Lonely Mountain’s treasures now avoided the dwarves, not wanting contact, eager for them to depart quickly.

Sorlin understood this; however, amid the flickering firelight, the fatigue and lack of rest darkened his eye sockets slightly.

The dwarves hurried onto the boats, awkwardly handling the oars and long poles.

It’s not only because they were eager to reach the Lonely Mountain but also because they wanted to prevent further beastmen attacks on the people of Long Lake Town.

However, when Philipp and Ouin assisted Qi Li onto the boat, Sorlin stopped his two nephews on the dock.

”There’s only one day left until Durin’s Day. We must cross the lake within this time, and after landing, we have yet some road to cover. You’ll slow our march, Qi Li. You must stay here.”

Sorlin spoke calmly, avoiding the credulous gaze of his nephew.

”What?” Qi Li said weakly and pleaded, ”No, no! I must be present when entering the Ancestral Hall! I’ve grown up hearing stories from there! You know that, Sorlin!”

”If times were normal, I would care for you. I could carry you up to the mountaintop of the Lonely Mountain... but now, I can’t, Qi Li.”

Sorlin, no longer avoiding his nephew’s gaze, looked him earnestly in the eyes to show his resolve.

”This is the only chance for restoration in the prophecy! The entire team has walked for a year just for tomorrow! Look at your leg now, it can’t even move!”

As he spoke, Sorlin comfortingly patted Qi Li’s shoulder.

”Once we retake the Lonely Mountain, you can stay in the Ancestral Hall as long as you want; for now, rest here, understand?”

Lann and Rong Buqiu appeared at the square’s small dock: ”You need to move faster, Sorlin. The next wave of beastmen attacks won’t be long, especially once they know you’re here.”

The Dwarf Prince nodded, then turned to board the ship.

However, Philipp’s brother, Philipp, along with Ouin and Bofur, responsible for caring for the sick, stayed behind.

Sorlin didn’t look back, standing at the ship’s prow, waving forward: ”Advance! We go!”

The dwarves began rowing, while Lann followed on a nearby path, guiding them towards the town’s water gate.

Lann’s estimate was accurate; the beastmen attack surged again within a minute of their departure.

However, Bard was not as desperate as before.

He merely ordered the remaining dwarves to hide, then intentionally during the fight, had the Shield Guards drive the beastmen towards the waterways to let them witness the dwarves rowing away.

As expected, even with the beastmen’s twisted desire to torment, orders were orders.

Seeing their highest-priority target holding a boat leaving the place, the humans in the square seemed worthless in the beastmen’s eyes.

The vile and corrupted Dark Speech conveyed messages in cries, eventually echoed by horn blasts at the edge of the town.

On the square, Bard watched the beastmen’s silhouettes as they turned away, stepping on rooftops, showing not much happiness but rather continued concern as he looked gloomily toward the lonely snowy mountain.