Chương 46: Alric Argent

Silence filled the canyon as the guards and adventurers stared at Alric with wide eyes. Killing and injuring so many, then telling them that they would survive once they surrender? Who would believe that!

"Alric Argent!" The captain of the guards said through gritted teeth, "Why did you attack us?!" Alric raised his eyebrow.

"Isn't it clear? I'm robbing you. Now, lay down your weapons and surrender." Alric paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing; the pressure he radiated increased even further.

"I won't say it a third time."

"You-"The captain of the guards' face turned red with anger; just as he was about to respond, the employer interrupted.

"Do you know who's behind this caravan you're trying to rob!?" The mustached, fat man stuck his head out of the carriage in the center and shouted.

"This is the caravan of the Lorraine Chamber of Commerce, which is the property of the great Viscount Adrian Lorraine! Back up and get lost!" The employer shouted ferociously, spittle flying, veins bulging on his face. He haughtily looked at Alric, trying to glimpse a trace of fear or hesitation on his face, but all he saw was cold, murderous intent. Alric's expression turned cold at the mention of 'Viscount.'

"Lorraine," Alric repeated quietly. The employer's smile faltered.

"Yes, that's right, so if you know what's good for you-""This isn't the first time I've robbed a Lorraine caravan," Alric said coldly.

"That name means nothing to me." Disinclined to talk further, he raised his hands and waved.

"Attack." He uttered just one word.

"Ah!!"

"Die!" The bandits hollered, rushing towards the caravan. The employer's face turned pale at this sight, hurriedly going back into his carriage and closing the blinds, daring not to utter another word.

"Get into position!" The captain of the guards shouted as he placed his shield in front of him, guarding the employer in the central carriage. Alric coldly watched. He spurred his horse forward, heading straight towards the central area of the caravan, the place with the strongest defense. The bandits easily passed through the energy barriers, but whenever a guard or adventurer tried to leave, they were promptly flung back.

The only way out of the barrier was the sky, but the energy barrier was over 10 meters tall, with no leverage, making it almost impossible for them to jump out. The bandits soon collided with the guards and adventurers, sword against sword and shield against shield.

Kyle watched this series of events with a surprised expression.

'These aren't the usual bandits.' Kyle forced himself to calm down and observe the situation.

"Something feels off," he muttered as he looked at the approaching bandits.

"Aaron, what kind of spell is that barrier?" Kyle glanced at Aaron on the side and asked. Aaron was holding his staff high while pulling a bunch of casting materials from his pouch. Hearing Kyle's question, he thoughtfully looked at the energy barriers splitting the caravan. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"It should be the 3rd-circle spell, [Energy Barrier], but this spell can generate just one semi-circular barrier, so they should have used 6 magic scrolls containing this spell." Aaron paused, his gaze sweeping through the bandits; a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes.

"There shouldn't be a spellcaster among them. Besides, I doubt even the most destitute spellcaster would become a bandit." Aaron shook his head and said.

"I see." Kyle nodded. Kyle's eyes flickered as he watched the bandits smoothly enter the magic barriers.

'A single 3rd-circle spell scroll costs at least eighty gold coins. Six of them meant a minimum investment of four hundred and eighty gold. Does it make sense to spend so much money just to divide the caravan into three? That doesn't make sense tactically.' Kyle had a thoughtful expression on his face. He glanced to the side and noticed that Luke had disappeared. Aaron already had his staff pointed toward the incoming bandits.

Even Tina had opened the door of the carriage and stepped out, ready to assist at any moment.

'I'll think about this later; now it's time for battle.' Kyle shook his head and jumped off his horse. He unsheathed his sword and prepared to face the incoming bandits. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of cold, snake-like eyes was coldly observing him. Nick was hiding among the bandits; two other members of the gang were closing on Kyle and Doyle's party, ready to strike at any moment.

On the other side, Alric's horse quickly rushed forward.

"Ha!!" The captain of the guards placed his shield in front of him, circulating his mana throughout his body.

"[Mana enhancement]!"

"[Body Reinforcement]!"

"[Guard]!" His muscles swelled up, causing his already tall body to shoot over 2 meters. His gaze sharply locked onto the incoming Alric, not daring to be distracted for even a second. The captain of the guards, Harren, didn't wait for Alric to reach him. He charged. Allowing a mounted knight to accumulate momentum was foolish. He had to interrupt him before his charge could reach maximum speed. Alric's eyes narrowed, but he didn't falter or stop; he continued charging.

As the two approached each other, they reached the moment of the collision. However, at the last moment, Alric spurred his horse to change directions, avoiding the collision. At the same time, his spear came crashing down from above, heading straight towards Harren's head. Yet, Harren caught it. He moved his shield up at the last second, steadily catching the Knight's strike.

The impact between the two powerhouses standing at the peak of Rank 1 created a giant shockwave that spread for dozens of meters, pushing several nearby adventurers and bandits away.

"Agh!" Harren groaned; the ground beneath him cracked and caved in, creating a crater several meters wide. He felt an iron taste on his tongue. A trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

'He's strong!' Harren thought as he gritted his teeth and pushed the lance away.

"Ha!!" He shouted and swung his sword at Alric, but the latter gracefully deflected using his own shield. He pushed Harren away before spurring his horse forward.

"Neigh!" The horse neighed before accelerating. It moved in a circle, bypassing the carriages and sending anyone standing in its way flying before running back towards Harren. Its hooves barely touched the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust as it thundered closer.

"Shit!" Watching the incoming horse with Alric on it, Harren cursed under his breath. He took a deep breath before rushing towards him again. This time, Alric didn't intend to avoid a head-on collision.

"[Lance of Ruin]." Alric calmly said, mana flowing throughout his body, before concentrating on his back, shoulder, and arm muscles. Even his lance started faintly glowing as mana flowed into it, eventually gathering at the tip. Harren gritted his teeth as mana flowed through his body, causing it to swell even further. Veins pulsed on the surface of his body, glowing a faint red. Harren suddenly stopped and slammed his shield into the ground.

"[Iron Wall]!" He shouted, pushing his body and mana to their limit.

"Boom!" The second collision created an even greater shockwave than the first. The ground exploded beneath Harren's feet. Alric's spear penetrated the shield like butter, heading straight toward Harren's chest. Harren's pupils shrank. He quickly jumped up, letting the impact of the charge send him flying. He skidded off the ground, rolling several times before crashing into a carriage and coming to a stop. He struggled to stand up, panting, blood flowing from scratches on his face and arm.

Harren looked at his chest.

'Fortunately, I reacted fast enough.' However, his expression turned grim as he looked at his pierced-through shield. Besides…

'My fingers.' Harren looked at his mangled fingers and gritted his teeth. He forcibly reset them into place before clenching his fist. He looked at Alric through one bloodied eye, feeling stifled.

"You're not bad." Alric calmly said, looking down at Harren. It wasn't out of disdain or pity, just a simple statement.

"How about you get down from that high horse before saying that?" Harren grit his teeth and said. A trace of amusement flashed across Alric's eyes.

"Very well." He said, jumping off his horse and landing right in front of Harren. The surrounding bandits looked at Alric with a hint of surprise before continuing their clash. This was quite unusual for the boss.

"Bastard!" Anger flashed through Harren's eyes. He tried standing up, but Alric kicked his legs first, knocking him down to the ground. He placed his lance to the side and unsheathed his sword.

"A good warrior, dying by my hand won't be a humiliation for you," Alric said before bringing down his sword. However, at the last moment, his expression changed, forcibly altering the sword's trajectory.

"Bang!" His sword collided with a heavy hammer, the impact forcing him to jump back.

"[Vector Redirection]" Alric frowned; his arm trembled as he used his combat skill to neutralize the heavy force. The moment his legs landed back on the ground…

"Boom!" A several-meter-wide crater burst beneath his feet. Alric tightened his grip on the sword as he looked at the person who had forced him back. It was the dwarf.

"Not so fast, young one," the dwarf said with a grin on his face, holding a hammer with each hand.