Chapter 232 Chapter232-Forced Breakthrough
Howard had no regrets about their decision.
Kaedwyn was a formidable opponent, and his word couldn't be trusted.
Moreover, Howard didn't want to put Tina at risk.
Women, especially one as attractive as Tina, would be in extreme danger in such a scenario.
Around evening, as they rested, Howard made a discovery.
He noticed marks on some trees that appeared to be deliberately left by someone.
Approaching for a closer look, he recognized them as signs made with a dagger.
"These are markers left by someone, and they're quite fresh. It means the person who left them isn't far away," he observed.
"We should change our route again," he suggested.
"Change the route again?" Kellman was growing weary of Howard's cautious approach.
Even Tina seemed frustrated.
She nearly complained, "Howard, I know you mean well for us, but at this rate, how long will it take us to reach Holy Light City?"
"Yeah, the Night Demons here are numerous. We fought all night yesterday. If we keep delaying, who knows what might happen later," Kellman added.
Their concerns were valid, but Howard had his own perspective.
"Look at these marks. Judging by their depth, the person who made them is skilled. He's leaving signals for his companions."
"We don't know how many of them there are. Have you forgotten what happened last night with the Empire Knights Order?"
"Although Night Demons are terrifying, we can handle them. Kellman and I can take turns fighting to get through the night. But if we're up against a large and powerful group of enemies, we'll be at a disadvantage."
After some deliberation, Kellman and Tina eventually agreed to compromise and followed Howard's suggestion.
Thus, the trio changed direction and continued on their journey.
They didn't stop, even at night, driven by necessity due to the constant harassment from Night Demons that made rest impossible.
They fought while making their way down the mountain.
The mountain was infested with an unusually high number of Night Demons.
Howard didn't know the reason for this, but his instincts told him to be extra vigilant.
Fortunately, due to the remote nature of their path, they didn't encounter any people who had been bewitched into attacking their own kind.
Although their progress was slow, by dawn, the trio had successfully traversed the mountain.
Tina immediately pulled out the map and said, "The road ahead should be easier, but it's a pity we don't have horses to quicken our journey."
"Carrying horses over this mountain would have been impossible. Let's rest briefly and then keep moving," Kellman suggested.
They found a spot for a short break, and Tina prepared food without lighting a fire, heeding Howard's advice.
Exhausted from a night of fighting, Howard and Kellman fell asleep while Tina was preparing the meal.
When they awoke, it seemed a considerable amount of time had passed, with the sun already high in the sky.
Tina served the prepared food, and after eating, the trio resumed their journey.
Shortly thereafter, as Howard and his companions passed a small path, they encountered another group of bandits blocking their way.
What puzzled Howard was that these bandits seemed to have been expecting them.
It was only when the bandits spoke that Howard realized the trap they had fallen into.
They had been completely outmaneuvered.
The dozen or so robbers in front of them were members of the Black Hawk Mercenaries.
Kaedwyn had anticipated that those blocked on the main road would take alternate routes, so he had positioned his men on all paths leading to Holy Light City.
Howard had to admire the extent of their planning, even if it was for robbery.
Fortunately, the number of bandits here wasn't large, and they didn't seem particularly strong.
However, Howard wondered if there were more skilled fighters hidden nearby.
But there was no way to avoid confrontation now; turning back was no longer an option.
Kellman stepped forward and said, "We have no choice but to force our way through."
Howard nodded in agreement, knowing they couldn't afford any more detours.
First, he was tired of evading, and continuing to do so would only diminish Tina and Kellman's regard for him.
Secondly, given the current situation, they had a chance to break through.
"Heh heh, our boss had already sent word to us about you," boasted one of the leaders.
He then turned to his subordinates, "Go inform Lord Kaedwyn that they're here. Ask him to send reinforcements quickly. We'll hold them off."
"It seems you have a clear understanding of your own capabilities," Kellman remarked, gripping his knightly sword.
Howard scanned the bandits, judging their combat strength to be manageable.
Together with Kellman, he charged into battle against the dozen or so bandits.
The remaining five or six bandits, unable to be contained by the two men, charged at Tina.
Fortunately, Tina was no pushover; she put down her luggage and managed to knock down a bandit with a single punch.
Howard knew Tina was strong, but he hadn't expected her to possess strength comparable to his own in hand-to-hand combat.
Tina, usually appearing gentle and soft, especially towards Howard, was strong due to her character.
If she hadn't been capable, how could she have joined the Frostwolf Mercenaries? The strength she displayed was in no way inferior to Howard's.
However, the bandits, formerly members of the Black Hawk Mercenaries, proved to be quite a handful.
While each bandit's individual combat strength was not high, their coordination posed a challenge.
Kellman found himself struggling, surrounded by six bandits.
The situation at Tina's end wasn't promising either.
After a quick glance at both of them, Howard focused on the four assailants in front of him.
The breakthrough had to come from his side.
If he couldn't defeat them quickly and break free, they would be in danger once Kaedwyn arrived.
The four bandits he faced were tactically sound and cautious, making it difficult for Howard to gain the upper hand.
But with his rich combat experience, even without any added strength, Howard soon found their weaknesses.
Laxa, before parting ways, had given Howard two short swords, said to be ancestral heirlooms of the village chief.
Initially, he was reluctant to accept them, but Laxa insisted.
To the Frost Raven Tribe, and especially to her personally, Howard held a significant meaning.
During the battle with Geoff, if it hadn't been for Howard's bravery, the Frost Raven Tribe would have faced annihilation.
Seizing the opportunity, Howard drew a broken sword from his waist and swiftly cut off a bandit's right arm, followed by a lethal slash across the neck.
The bandits had underestimated Howard, thinking of him as just a young, inexperienced lad.
They were unprepared for his rich combat experience, which allowed him to capitalize on brief moments for counterattacks.
Howard's actions thoroughly disrupted their coordination.
His attacks, like a fierce storm, quickly took down two more.
When the last one tried to flee, Howard threw a short sword, striking him squarely.
The bandit wasn't dead yet, but Howard closed in and finished him with several more thrusts.
Seeing all their comrades who had surrounded Howard dead, the leader begrudgingly changed tactics.
Their original plan was to capture Howard and his companions, earning a significant achievement upon Kaedwyn's arrival.
Now, they had to abandon this potential accolade and switch from offensive to defensive maneuvers.
If they let their quarry escape, not only would they lose the chance for commendation, but they would also incur Kaedwyn's wrath – a sure threat to their lives.
At the leader's signal, the remaining eleven bandits blocked Howard and his group's path, flanked by insurmountable rocky terrain.
Howard faced a dilemma: to force a breakthrough or to retreat temporarily.
Time was slipping away, and Kaedwyn's reinforcements could arrive at any moment.
Unlike Howard, they could use the terrain to their advantage for quick movements.
If Howard chose to detour, it would cost them at least a day's travel.
"Charge!" Howard led the charge, with Kellman and Tina following without hesitation.
This was a moment of life and death; they needed to break through before Kaedwyn arrived.
As a battle for survival, and given the Frostwolf Mercenaries' reputation for valor in combat, Tina, an elite of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, and Kellman, the formidable commander, fought with such ferocity that it stunned the bandits.
"Clear the way!" Kellman roared.
The leader had thought that stopping three people with a dozen men was a sure bet, never anticipating this outcome.
Kellman was cutting down his opponents one by one, and in a blink, only a few of his men remained.
Unbeknownst to him, the moment he ordered the switch from ambushing to blocking, his men's morale had plummeted.
Moreover, Howard had already killed four of them before that.
The already low-spirited gang disintegrated.
What willpower can bandits truly have? Seeing most of their comrades dead, the leader and the last two bandits tried to flee but couldn't escape Howard's pursuit.
"Let's go, quickly!"
They needed to put as much distance between them and Kaedwyn as possible in the short time they had.
Tina nodded, shouldering her pack.
Kellman and Howard quickly gathered their weapons and briefly looted the spoils before continuing their hurried journey forward.
When Kaedwyn arrived, he was met with the sight of his men's bodies scattered across the ground.
He felt a surge of anger but wasn't surprised, considering their opponents were led by the leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries.
Without his personal involvement, it was difficult for his men to hold off someone like Kellman.
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