Chapter 226 Chapter226-Offering a Helping Hand
Her face was ashen with despair, for at the end of the day, she was just a seventeen-year-old girl, thrust into the role of village chief without a clue about what to do.
Fight to the bitter end or surrender?
Could she even guarantee the villagers' safety if they surrendered?
She couldn't assure anything – only more humiliation awaited them.
"Boring!" Geoff declared with disdain.
"It seems this is all the strength you possess. Utterly uninteresting."
Seeing that the opposition had no formidable warriors left, Geoff turned and walked back to Jonas's side.
Jonas, brimming with satisfaction, clapped him on the shoulder.
"Hahaha, well done, Geoff!" he exclaimed.
Pleased with Geoff's performance in battle, he then loudly signaled to the warriors of the Cheetah Tribe.
"Advance, and annihilate them completely."
The warriors of the Cheetah Tribe, still reeling from the shock of Geoff's devastating prowess, now approached with a mix of fear and determination.
At Jonas's command, they brandished their gleaming swords and charged forward.
The Frost Raven Tribe's finest warriors were nearly all slain, but the few remaining fought back desperately, with only a minority choosing to flee.
Those who ran were mercilessly struck down by cold arrows, leaving none alive.
Even as the Frost Raven Tribe seemed on the brink of defeat, the Cheetah Tribe struggled to overpower them completely, causing Jonas great frustration.
The surprise attack on the Frost Raven Tribe had been a resounding success, but if the battle dragged on too long, other tribes would learn of it and surely come to claim their share of the spoils.
Even their own village might fall victim to a sneak attack.
The battle needed to end quickly.
Geoff, however, did not partake in the ongoing fight.
For a knight, especially one as proud as he was, the earlier battle had already been a source of shame.
To lift his hand against these weaker opponents would strip Geoff of the right to be called a knight.
"Chief, you must flee!" The last few warriors of the Frost Raven Tribe were shielding the chief and a dozen villagers.
They valiantly held back the onslaught of the Cheetah Tribe warriors, but it was only a matter of time before their defenses were breached.
"Hold the line, brothers! At least ensure the chief's safe escape!" cried a Frost Raven warrior.
No sooner had his words fallen than he was struck down, a blade piercing his chest.
In his dying moments, he turned, driving his spear - once Howard's, traded the previous night with the chief's family - into an enemy, taking one last foe with him.
For the Cheetah Tribe, dragging out the battle would be disadvantageous, even if they eventually managed to annihilate the Frost Raven Tribe.
Jonas cast a pleading look at Geoff.
"Geoff, I implore you to intervene once more. I know you are reluctant, but we must resolve this quickly. I hope you can understand."
"Hmm... very well," Geoff hesitated, knowing the Cheetah Tribe owed him a debt of gratitude.
It was hard to refuse Jonas's earnest request.
"Hold your attack!" Geoff's commanding voice boomed across the battlefield, instantly silencing the clash of arms.
The Cheetah Tribe warriors obediently stepped back, understanding that Geoff was about to take action.
A path cleared for Geoff, and it became evident that the Frost Raven Tribe was doomed.
"It's over..." The realization dawned on the faces of the Frost Raven villagers.
"No one can withstand Geoff's might again."
Indeed, the Frost Raven people had fought valiantly.
Without Geoff, they might have stood a chance against the Cheetah Tribe on their home ground.
But now, their expressions were filled with helplessness and despair.
Their fate seemed sealed.
Tina and Kellman were busy tending to the wounded when Kellman found himself hesitating about whether to intervene.
Tribal skirmishes like this were against the Empire's laws, but since the emergence of the Night Demon, the Empire's control had significantly weakened.
Kellman had been observing Geoff for some time.
Given Geoff's strength, victory was not certain.
If they chose to flee now, they could certainly escape unscathed.
Amidst the crowd, Howard, observing the village chief -- a girl named Laxa -- biting her lip in distress, sweat beading on her forehead, couldn't help but frown.
In his eyes, if the young chief had been more ruthless, there was a chance to lead the surviving members of the Frost Raven Tribe to safety.
Recently, villagers of the Frost Raven Tribe had been herded by the warriors of the Cheetah Tribe, their panic-stricken minds unable to think clearly.
This chaos disrupted their chances of escape, forcing them back under the escort of the valiant warriors.
If Howard had been in charge, he would have sacrificed a few villagers, forcing them to fight against the Cheetah Tribe instead of disrupting their own formation.
It was a cruel strategy, sacrificing some for the survival of the majority.
"What should we do?" Laxa pondered frantically, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find a way out.
She could only watch Geoff approach slowly, her eyes filled with despair.
Was the Frost Raven Tribe destined to perish under her leadership?
"Make way."
Howard pushed past the Frost Raven Tribe warriors, stepping forward to confront the approaching knight of the Cheetah Tribe, Geoff.
He couldn't stand by and watch everyone die.
It was also a matter of self-preservation; if all the Frost Raven Tribe members perished, he, Kellman, and Tina would likely meet the same fate.
The three of them alone couldn't stand against these tribal forces.
The despairing Laxa, hearing Howard's voice, looked up instinctively.
She recognized him, the man they had once sought to kill, now unexpectedly stepping forward to aid them.
"If he survives, I'll honor him as a warrior in his burial," she thought wistfully.
But even his willingness to help seemed futile, as no one here could match a knight.
Kellman, too, was a knight, but his armor had long been damaged, and now, clad only in a simple robe, he looked rather forlorn.
No one could have guessed that he was the famed leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries.
Laxa's thoughts were tinged with sadness, overwhelmed with negative emotions.
While everyone was grateful for Howard's intervention, like Laxa, no one believed he could win.
Howard had just taken his position when several Cheetah Tribe warriors charged at him, infuriated by his audacity.
This unknown youth daring to challenge their knight seemed like a mere distraction.
Geoff, however, had little interest in Howard, sensing no aura of a strong warrior about him.
Challenging him seemed nothing more than the delusions of a madman.
Taking a deep breath, Howard snatched a large sword from the hands of a nearby Frost Raven Tribe warrior.
Having returned his own sword to Kellman, he was currently unarmed.
He then burst forward, to the surprise and confusion of onlookers, and swiftly cut down several Cheetah Tribe warriors.
"Protect the villagers and charge to the rear with me!" Laxa's crisp voice echoed, instilling a sense of hope.
Even a stranger was fighting for them; she had no reason to give up.
The villagers, momentarily stunned, quickly turned and rushed towards the Cheetah Tribe warriors who were encircling from behind.
Jonas, observing this unexpected turn of events from a distance, felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
They couldn't let them escape; it would lead to endless trouble.
He shouted urgently, "Everyone, attack! Do not let the Frost Raven Tribe escape. Geoff, finish off this man quickly!"
Geoff was compelled to act once more.
Although Howard had killed a few of their warriors, he still didn't regard Howard as a true threat.
"Kid, blame your bad luck," he said coolly.
"You've got some skill, but it's insignificant in my presence. Rest easy in your death; dying by my hand is no injustice."
With that, Geoff raised his sword and charged, closing the distance to Howard in a flash.
His sword came down with a terrifying force, surpassing any attack he had previously launched against the Frost Raven warriors.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal clashing echoed as Howard's body involuntarily sank under the impact, barely managing to block the strike.
Geoff, slightly taken aback, stared at Howard.
He hadn't expected his near full-force blow to be parried.
"State your name," Geoff demanded, a hint of respect in his voice.
"I, Geoff, acknowledge that you indeed deserve the honor of falling by my hand."
Howard suppressed the discomfort in his body, having barely managed to block Geoff's powerful strike.
"Who lives and who dies is yet to be determined," he retorted, parrying Geoff's blade and attempting a counterattack.
But Geoff was quicker, delivering another fierce slash.
Without hesitation, Howard rallied his strength to spar with Geoff.
The onlookers watched in disbelief as the two exchanged blows evenly.
"How is this possible... How can Geoff not easily defeat this young upstart?"
Not only was Geoff himself in shock, but Jonas, anxiously observing from a distance, began to wonder if Geoff was holding back or going easy on Howard.
"Geoff!" Jonas bellowed, his command tinged with fury.
"Get serious! End this quickly and don't hold back!"
Geoff realized he had to finish the fight with Howard swiftly, without further delay.
His demeanor suddenly changed, becoming more intense.
Kellman, watching from afar, immediately tensed up, sensing the shift in Geoff's aura.
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