Facing the overwhelming strategy of a human wave attack, it was believed that even with one or two more Howards, it would be an insurmountable challenge.
Jonas’s subordinate, filled with concern, voiced his apprehension, “Chieftain, including myself, there are only eighteen warriors left in our village. Isn’t it too risky to pursue the Frost Raven Tribe with such a force?”
Dispatching such a large number of people had surely alerted the other tribes.
The village, now vulnerable, could be an easy target if the other tribes decided to unite and strike.
But Jonas was unfazed.
“As long as they quickly deal with the Frost Raven Tribe, there will be no problem. Besides, there are still a few hundred men in the village. Those smaller tribes nearby wouldn’t dare to oppose us.”
In a way, Jonas’s thoughts weren’t misplaced.
Even with most of their warriors away, the strength of the Cheetah Tribe was still formidable enough to deter the average tribe.
But he overlooked a crucial detail – the times had changed.
With the Night Demon reigning supreme and resources scarce, some starving tribes might indeed take a desperate gamble.
Driven by his mercenary ethos, Kellman, having been paid, acted efficiently.
Along with the remaining warriors and men of the Frost Raven Tribe, he launched an attack that completely annihilated the tracking squad of the Cheetah Tribe.
They went on to cut off the retreat of the Cheetah Tribe’s advance party.
At the cost of five Frost Raven Tribe warriors and sixteen men, they successfully wiped out thirty-nine warriors of the Cheetah Tribe.
Thus, with Kellman’s assistance, the Frost Raven Tribe not only got rid of the nuisance of being tracked but also avenged themselves.
Though the sacrifice was significant, the victory they achieved was even greater.
Howard hadn’t anticipated Laxa’s ambition to be so vast.
He initially thought she only wanted to drive the Cheetah Tribe away, not realizing that her aim was to eliminate as many enemies as possible.
Therefore, he did not choose to assist at the outset.
It was only when the Frost Raven Tribe began to suffer casualties that he decided to intervene.
Just as one battle concluded, reinforcements from the Cheetah Tribe, comprising thirty warriors, arrived.
Howard and Kellman had no choice but to strike again.
However, this time, due to being outnumbered, a few managed to escape.
Those few warriors of the Cheetah Tribe, battered and bruised, returned to their village.
It was only then that Jonas learned almost all of his dispatched warriors were gone, leading him to spew a mouthful of blood in shock and anger.
Those formidable warriors were the foundation he had painstakingly built up over the years.
Misfortunes, they say, come in threes.
The Cheetah Tribe, having dominated and bullied others for years, finally faced their retribution.
Surrounding weaker tribes, uniting their forces, stormed the Cheetah Tribe’s village with two to three hundred fierce warriors.
The Cheetah Tribe fought desperately but was ultimately defeated.
Jonas, in his final moments of indignation, was beheaded.
The livestock, treasures, and women of the Cheetah Tribe were divided among the victorious tribes.
Although these tribes won the battle, their strength was significantly diminished.
Of the two to three hundred warriors who attacked the Cheetah Tribe, only a few dozen remained after the conflict.
It must be acknowledged that the Cheetah Tribe’s warriors fought bravely and fiercely, displaying considerable combat prowess.
Due to their greed and the onset of nightfall, the raiding tribes did not evacuate in time after pillaging the Cheetah Tribe.
The Cheetah Tribe, being affluent and possessing numerous valuables, tempted the raiders to make several trips back and forth for loot.
Thus, they continued their looting into the night.
This presented an opportunity for the Night Demon, who preyed on the exhausted warriors.
Most of the few dozen tired warriors ultimately met their grisly end at the hands of the Night Demon.
The few who managed to escape back to their tribes inadvertently led the Night Demon to their unprotected villages, resulting in a massacre.
None of the tribes were spared from this calamity.
Meanwhile, the Frost Raven Tribe, in search of a new homeland, remained oblivious to these events.
That evening, they did not continue their journey but instead found a seemingly safe spot to camp, lighting a campfire.
Laxa’s spirits were low, as the previous battle, though victorious, had cost the Frost Raven Tribe dearly.
Only three warriors remained, all injured, and the total number of able-bodied men and women didn’t exceed ten.
With such diminished strength, Laxa began to feel that even if they found a new homeland, survival would be challenging.
The Frost Raven Tribe seemed on the brink of vanishing from the world.
As everyone gathered around the campfire for dinner that night, the rapid sound of horse hooves captured their attention.
Kellman looked up, instantly on alert.
He saw a group of fully-armed knights in shining armor galloping towards them.
Their destination was the Frost Raven Tribe’s camp, drawn by the light of the fire.
Uncertain of the newcomers’ intentions, Laxa and the Frost Raven Tribe were filled with apprehension.
However, they didn’t flee.
With so many injured, they wouldn’t get far.
Kellman stepped forward to negotiate with the knights.
Tina commented, “From their attire, they might be knights of the empire; they probably won’t harm us.”
The knights quickly approached Kellman, reining in their horses before him.
“Sir Knight, I am Kellman, leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries. May I ask what brings you here?” Kellman inquired, his gaze fixed on the leading knight.
Adorned with the empire’s badge of honor, the knight appeared to be of high rank.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the knight removed his helmet, revealing the gaunt face of a middle-aged man.
“We apologize for the intrusion. We noticed the campfire and thought we’d try our luck,” the knight began.
“We are in need of some food. My men and I haven’t eaten in three days. If you could spare us some, we would be deeply grateful.”
Hearing that they were only seeking food, Laxa and the Frost Raven Tribe visibly relaxed.
Fortunately, if there was one thing the Frost Raven Tribe had in abundance, it was food.
“Of course, Sir Knight, you’re welcome to join us for a meal,” Laxa responded earnestly and humbly.
“Thank you very much!” the knight expressed his gratitude.
With permission granted, the knights appeared visibly relieved and delighted.
Howard cast a glance at them; there were seven in total.
Some seemed unsteady on their feet, likely telling the truth about not having eaten for days.
Nonetheless, Howard chose to start another fire a little distance away with Tina, keeping some space between them and the knights.
After the meal, Howard discreetly approached Laxa and whispered a reminder to secure the two chests of valuables, ensuring they were well covered and hidden from view.
Even Kellman, the leader of a mercenary group, was tempted by the treasure to go on a killing spree for the Frost Raven Tribe.
So, Howard naturally doubted the knights’ intentions.
Particularly with their sensitive status as imperial knights, discovery of the treasure could lead to severe consequences.
Not only would offering the treasure to them be futile, but it would also be against imperial laws, potentially leading to their punishment.
Therefore, to eliminate any risk of exposure, they might decide to silence everyone present.
This was not a negligible possibility.
Howard, Kellman, and Tina shared their concerns and found them to be quite valid.
In reality, abandoning the Frost Raven Tribe and leaving would be the safest option for them.
However, bound by the principles of mercenary honor and conscience, Kellman and Tina couldn’t bring themselves to do that.
After all, they had been paid…
Their only hope now was for the knights to depart as soon as possible.
The knights, not content with just food, also asked Laxa for some wine.
After indulging in both food and drink, they showed no signs of leaving and instead settled down to sleep by the campfire.
Although they didn’t depart, they eventually seemed to fall asleep.
Howard, sensing an opportunity, quickly got up and urged Laxa to pack up so they could travel through the night.
He didn’t feel safe staying close to these unknown imperial knights.
Laxa, however, didn’t share his concerns, believing Howard was being overly cautious.
Kellman stepped in, suggesting that leaving now might give the impression they were hiding something.
Howard saw the logic in this and decided to drop the idea.
He went back to rest, making sure to sleep far enough away from the knights.
If there was any trouble, he wouldn’t be the first in danger.
The night passed without incident until a piercing scream woke Howard from his sleep.
The scream…
It was Tina, who was on watch.
Howard hastily woke Kellman and they rushed towards the sound.
Upon arrival, they saw two knights cornering Tina against a tree.
A knight’s corpse lay on the ground – Tina’s doing.
Howard had never seen Tina kill before and didn’t know she had the capability to take down a knight.
Moreover, she was unarmed at the moment – could Tina be a magus?
Seeing this scene, Kellman, fueled by rage, raised his great sword and charged, catching one knight off-guard and quickly dispatching him.
He then engaged in a fierce battle with the other knight.
The noise of the fight grew, waking up everyone else.
“What’s happened here!” The middle-aged knight was the first to rush to the scene.
The knight engaged in combat with Kellman immediately turned pale with fear and shouted loudly, “Sir Knight Commander, come quickly to my aid! They’ve killed Nas and Kade, and now they’re after me!”
The Knight Commander’s brow furrowed deeply at this, his fists clenched tight, his eyes burning with anger and dissatisfaction towards Howard and the others.
Sensing trouble, Howard quickly stepped in front of the Knight Commander, blocking his path to Kellman.
𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮