Myriad's Conquest 10 Retreating

Yarra's men were reinforced by a militia unit from Seastar, led by Lord of Seastar himself, Adrian Dornan.

Zilong, who has been given the temporary command by Adrian, is leading Seastar's group to try penetrating the west flank of the beast's encirclement from the east in order to rescue Yarra's men which have been surrounded.

At the same time, Yarra's men also trying to breakouts from encirclement by fiercely attacking the beast's west flank from their position in the middle with all of their might.

This combined a.s.sault from both sides greatly weakened the beast's west flank. Both Yarra's and Seastar's forces are able to force their way deeply into the horde's ranks.

If this situation continues, then Yarra's men will be able to escape through the path which already secured by Seastar's forces.

10 minutes later, Zilong and his group have stopped their attack and changed their tactic to be defensive.

"Schmidt! Defend your area properly."

"Rieker! You're doing a good job, keep it up."

"Felron! Just swing your polearm, don't stab it. You only need to keep those beasts at bay."

"Sillian! Protect the lord. Don't let him be harmed."

"Heiss! Guard our rear as long as possible."

Zilong gave instructions to each member of the 1st squad. Afterward, he turned his body around and set his vision at 20 meters ahead. He saw Yarra's men were already advanced as deep as they could and many of their people have fallen thus far.

Zilong along with Adrian and the 1st squad could only do this much. Because, if they move much deeper than they already had, with only their small number of members, they won't be able to maintain the path that they have already secured. Which will jeopardizes Yarra's men efforts to escape from encirclement. Another grim consequence, Seastar's militia will be surrounded as well.

And now, there is an only little bit of distance between Yarra's men and their still unknown reinforcement, but the presence of dozens of beasts prevented them from getting closer to each other.

The lion man along with the elf man leading Yarra's men to focus their attack towards the west while disregarding their other flanks. This leads to many casualties on Yarra's men's side because their other flanks are almost unprotected.

But they have no other choice. If they are not doing it, they won't have enough power to break through the beast's ranks.

"Dawn of Heaven Strike!!!"

Bzzt!!!

Bzzt!!!

Zilong shouted and activated his Blue grade combat technique. East Dragon Spear on his hand began to emit flashes of lightning all over its body. Zilong quickly aims his spears towards the beasts in front of him as he dashed forwards.

Zilong's Agility is truly no joke. In just a few milliseconds, he already arrived right in front of one of the beasts and thrust his spears into its head.

Duar!!!

Guargh!!!

Zilong's spear penetrated through the thick skins of a beast that looked like armadillos. The beast was instantly killed. Not only that, Zilong's high Strength and const.i.tution amplified the power of his combat technique, thus the technique's leftover energy still able to hit and killed several other beasts as well.

Zilong's strike is capable inflicting almost comparable damages to the enemy as Adrian's Gold grade Gloria's Wings.

The elimination of dozens of beasts by Zilong just now further weakened the beast's ranks on the west flank. The lion man, who is now just 20 meters away from Zilong's position, sees that, and he became even more fierce as he attacks the beasts. He rallied his fellow villagers behind him, "C'mon people!!! Just a little bit further, then we're free!!!"

Adrian, who positioned himself in the center of the militia formation, currently watched the entire situation carefully. He is being protected by one of the 1st squad's member.

At this moment, Adrian is basically incapable of fighting. He is too tired as most of his stamina was drained when he used Gloria's Wings earlier during the battle's eve.

Since moments ago, he already contemplating about himself. Ever since being summoned to this world, there are many times when he is simply not like himself back on earth. Adrian that lived on earth was calculating, calm, and more careful. While the current Adrian is rash, too eager, and too energetic.

An example of his eagerness is when he rushed towards numerous beast's ranks earlier without a.s.sessing the enemy first. Fortunately, the hordes only consist of Normal grade beasts, Adrian and his team is still able to handle them.

Another example is when he used Gloria's Wings without knowing the technique's effect, which making him couldn't fight anymore because of extreme tiredness from only using it once.

These two conduct is very risky, it could cost Adrian his life if he is not lucky or he wasn't careful.

Thus, he had decided once he gets back to Seastar, Adrian wanted to contemplate further in order to restrain himself. This rashness cannot be allowed to continue.

***

Boom!!!

It looks like the lion man, the elf man and the rest of Yarra's men finally able to breakthroughs after they annihilated the last beast that stood between them and Seastar's forces.

The lion man approaches Zilong. He crossed one hand on his chest and spoke, "Thank you... You have no idea what will happen to us if you aren't here. Again we give our greatest grat.i.tude."

Zilong cupped his hand in response and calmly replied, "There is no need for that. Furthermore, if you want to give your thanks. Please, gave it to our lord over there. We only follow his order."

Zilong also pointed his finger on Adrian behind him. Seeing that, both the lion man and the elf man were confused and they could only exchange glances to one another. They both thought since the spear-wielding young man in front of them called an even more young man behind him a lord.

Wouldn't that mean that young man who had a pale face and somewhat tired yet calm expression is actually a n.o.ble?

But as far as they know, there are no n.o.bles in the northern area of Wilderness Island. They have heard a n.o.ble in the middle area of the island who ruled a small trading town near the west coast and some tribal chieftains who called themselves kings in further south. But that was it, nothing more.

Adrian sees their confused look, and he is stupefied, 'Do they know we're still in the middle of a G.o.dd.a.m.n battle?!'

Adrian then waved his hand and speak a little bit loud, "Alright, I'm sure you have a lot to ask and so do we. But we can save the chit chat for later. Look, our situation here is still not good enough. We need to get the f*ck out of here fast!"

Hearing that, both the lion man and the elf man suddenly realized that they are still half surrounded by the beasts. Excited feelings that they have got from being able to meet up with their reinforcement have vanished instantly. That is right, they are still far away from being able to relax.

The lion man then spoke to Adrian hesitantly, "Then... What should we do sir... Eh... No... Lord?"

"Can your men follow my orders?" Asked Adrian.

"Yes, they can... Although they weren't soldiers. But our chief who is a former soldier has trained us before... We're definitely able to follow you," It is the elf man who replied this time.

Adrian nodded, it is good enough for him, "Good. Before that..."

ROARRRR!!!

ROARRRR!!!

Before Adrian could finish speaking. A deafening roar thunders throughout the surrounding land.

This particular roar sound is extremely frightening as it is completely different from any ordinary beast's roar. It's ominous, more deep, and grander.

All of the beasts that surround Yarra's and Seastar's men stopped their activity while cowering in fears. Meanwhile, Adrian, Zilong and the rest of the people here traced the roar's source located from across the river, near the burning Yarra Village.

A pair of large sharp eyes with blueish colors is staring at them from within the blanket of smoke. An outline of something huge where the eyes are attached to also could be seen as well. A heavy sound of breathing that mixed with occasion growls came from that outline too.

All of the men around Adrian felt dreadful feelings start creeping on each of their hearts. Even Zilong who always calm and compose is frowning as well, as he had a premonition of something ma.s.sive is coming.

Adrian had a bad feeling about this, he hurriedly shouted, "RUN!!! F**king run to the west! GO! Quick!"

Whether the Yarra's men or Seastar's militias, all of them started to run frantically after they heard Adrian's command.

"HEY! Lion! What's your name?" Adrian called out the lion man who is running beside him.

"It's Leo sir... No... Lord!" The lion man named Leo shouted his name.

'Tch... It's a very typical name, huh,' Adrian complained inside his mind.

Adrian is running while looking behind him. Honestly, things are pretty much chaotic. Most of Yarra's men are running everywhere in very unorderly fashion while Seastar's militia although they also retreats in panic, they still able to maintain their discipline by running together in a group. Luckily, the beasts only stood around without pursuing them at all.

Adrian looked back at both Leo and the elf man and spoke to them, "HEI! Both of you! Don't let your fellow villagers scatter everywhere. Make them stick to each other. We don't need any more casualties, do you understand?!"

Both of them understood and nodded, "YES!!!"

Afterward, they split and begin to try controlling their fellow villagers.

Even Adrian also helping them by shouting loudly, "Don't run around by yourself!!! Stick close to each other!!! Your families already waiting a few kilometers to the west..."

Then, he also gave Zilong an order, "Zi, you must help in controlling them as well."

Zilong quickly complied.

Not long, thanks to their efforts, Yarra's men begin retreating in an orderly fashion. Adrian had positioned himself along with the 1st squad on the rear line. At this moment, the combined forces have retreated from the battlefield's vicinity completely. It's very strange that the beasts didn't pursue them at all.

Adrian stopped his feet on top of a hill while looking back at the earlier battlefield few hundred meters to the east. He isn't alone, other people especially Yarra's men also set their gaze at it too.

They mostly see their burning village with indescribable emotions. Sad, angry, powerless, disappointed, every kind of bad emotions is written in their faces.

ROARRR!!!

Suddenly, the frightening roar reverberated once again. This time it is accompanied by something that jumped across the river and landed on the south bank.

It is a ma.s.sive tigerlike beast with a size that almost reaches 10 meters long from its head to the edge of its tail.

The beast's fur is dark blue colors with white colored stripes. There are a sharp and majestic looking horn and double teeth attached to the head. The beast looked almost exactly like a saber-tooth tiger. However, this beast is enveloped by blueish aura around his body that feels really ominous.

Adrian tries to probe the beast's stat.

------

Name: Vargas Guardian Tiger

Race: Beast

Grade: Lord

Unique Skills: Sharp Claws of Harbinger (Gold), Ominous Phantom Aura (Gold), Blue Heavenly Roar (Gold)

Strength: 12.4

Intelligence: 6.2

Agility: 5.9

Const.i.tution: 10.1

Vitality: 7.8

------

LORD grade beast!!! Adrian was dumbfounded as his eyes widened when he is looking at the beast's stat.

It's the first Lord grade beast he saw since he arrived in this world. He never even saw a Leader grade beast yet. But now a Lord grade beast has come out.

The beast had three Gold grade unique skills. Adrian could easily discern all the skill's effect. The Phantom Aura one is probably a pa.s.sive skill that could release an ominous aura around the beast's body just like its name. Its effect could affect certain debuff to the enemies. The roar skill is obviously a roar which also has debuff effect such as demoralizing and brought fears to the enemies. The last skill is probably a combat technique with unknown effect.

The beast's physical stat is simply beyond what Adrian had imagined. As expected from a Lord grade beast.

There is a high chance that this beast is the ruler of the northern forest and it's the leader of the stampede earlier.

'But the beast's name... It sounds so generic... Vargas Guardian???' Adrian is thinking hard with his brain. He felt the beast's name didn't match with its high grade at all.

Other people around him also looking at the fierce blue beast with horrified expressions. The gulping sound could be heard coming out from their throats. They had never thought that they almost forced to battle against the beast if they haven't got out from there. They wouldn't have a single chance if they were really fought against such a ma.s.sive beast. They will be utterly annihilated.

One of Seastar's militia jokingly spoke to his comrade beside him who is coincidently a tigerman, "Heiss... I don't know but... That beast ain't your people's ancestor right?"

Heiss, the tigerman with fur similar to a Bengal tiger, glared at his comrade and roared, "F*ck man! Of course not, you dumba.s.s."

Adrian glanced at them before speaking to everybody, "Let's make haste back to our people in the west. That beast seems not interested in pursuing us. Let's get back fast before that beast changed its mind."

Everyone around him nodded quickly, they too wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. They felt pity about leaving their fallen villagers body, but they could do nothing with hundreds of beasts still sticking around the battlefield, and especially with that ma.s.sive blue tiger beast swaggering nearby.

As other people leaves, Adrian set his eyes on the Vargas Guardian Tiger one more time. The beast, in turn, is staring viciously at him too.

Both Adrian and the beast exchanged glances for a moment before he turned around his body as he thought, 'I'm sure we will meet again.'

He had that kind of premonition.

***

The journey back towards where Rogar and the rest of Yarra's villagers are located shouldn't take a long time. Along the way, Adrian is asking for a person named Gelian to Leo as he was requested by Rogar's daughter.

Who could imagine that Gelian is actually the elf man who is really good at the bow from before. Adrian was surprised by the revelation that this handsome elf man is Rogar's son-in-law. He could only shake his head and smile wryly in the end.

Leo had mentioned that originally, Yarra's chief had organized a force of 70 men to fight a delaying action in order to allow most of the villagers to escape to the west. The chief is a former soldier originate from the mainland. He occasionally trained the village's young men on how to fight and imparting simple military formation to them. Thus, at minimum, Yarra's men knew how to fight in discipline manners.

Fortunately, the chief was killed just before they destroy the bridge. Not only that, Yarra's men have lost 33 men in total. More than half of their number survived, to which they could be counted still lucky. But loss is still a loss, and they grieved for the fallen.

Leo and Gelian had tried to inquire from where did Adrian and Zilong come from. They somehow already knew as they recognized the members of the 1st squad since they have seen them in the past. Especially Gelian who routinely making trips to the old Merlin Bay Village to visit his father-in-law, of course, he already knew people like Schmidt and Heiss. But, they still could not understand the relationship between Adrian and Merlin Bay Village.

Adrian and Zilong didn't reveal anything except they told Leo and Gelian that they came from Seastar which making the lion man and the elf even more confused. Adrian only told them to wait for Rogar for the explanation. It's not like Adrian didn't want to tell them, it just feels awkward for him to reveal that he is, in fact, the Lord of Seastar.

He still couldn't get used to this whole n.o.ble fiasco.

Seeing that their lord didn't reveal anything, members of the 1st squad decide to shut their mouth too. Leo and Gelian could only sigh and wait to meet Rogar first.