Chapter 2: A Sudden Blow

Comer’s plan indeed worked. Three consecutive changes in route drove the robbers, who had altered their ambush locations three times, to extreme frustration. They had intended to wait patiently and catch everyone at once, but Comer’s team kept switching paths, forcing them to run back and forth endlessly. Eventually, they were even left behind by Comer’s group. Yet this didn’t mean they gave up such an opportunity.

Watching the dust rising behind them, Comer sighed softly. He knew he couldn’t avoid this battle. The Darman Pass was only thirty miles away, yet those thirty miles seemed insurmountable. After all their efforts to hide and evade along the way, they had failed. They had no choice but to fight to resolve the situation.

Fran and Baoling had already gathered the twelve armed slaves into two attack formations as soon as they realized something was wrong—one on the left and one on the right. The triangular spear-attack formation on the right was slightly ahead, while the left wing formed a slanted triangular half-attack, half-defense formation, shielding the right wing while still being able to take action. Fran and Baoling led by example, hiding behind each formation ready to provide support at any moment. Ilot also stood at the junction of the two formations as instructed by Fran, responsible for coordinating between them.

Comer stood on the side of the carriage, quietly observing the approaching gang. It was clear these men were well-prepared—about a dozen horse thieves along with fifty or so foot soldiers. They moved with determination. Though their clothing was disheveled, their momentum was fierce. The two leaders at the front stood out: one with one eye and long hair, the other with a full beard, both radiating murderous intent and appearing quite intimidating.

The guide leading Comer’s group was already terrified, his face pale and body trembling. It took Comer asking twice about their origins before he stammered through two sentences, tears streaming down his face: “They’re the Twin-Headed Dragon, the most vicious gang in Leon!” At that moment, he regretted coveting the large bounty, now facing such a dire outcome.

Upon hearing the name “Twin-Headed Dragon,” Comer knew things would not end well. Though they might not be the fiercest or strongest gang in Leon, they were the cruelest and most ruthless. They never left survivors. Even in the few cases of kidnapping for ransom, they killed the victims after receiving the money, causing no one to trust them again. This had led to a sharp decline in their power, though it hadn’t yet affected their survival. Without hesitation, Comer ordered Fran to launch an attack first—every enemy weakened was a victory.

The rushing bandits hadn’t even had time to stop properly when they were struck by a fierce attack from four archers—one in each of the two attack formations. Fran and Baoling also temporarily took on the role of archers. The sharp whistling of arrows cutting through the air immediately alerted the bandits. Yet they never expected that the enemy, who were said to consist only of armed slaves, would suddenly have so many archers. Fran, Baoling, and the half-elf archer’s assault proved effective immediately—three arrows fired in succession hit eight of the enemy cavalry warriors. The other human archer’s skills were far inferior; his three arrows only injured one cavalryman.

The sudden attack nearly threw the bandits into chaos. They never expected to be attacked by archers first despite having a clear advantage in close combat. Several of their prized cavalry warriors fell at once. The two leaders grew furious and, without further thought, charged at Komer and his group with furious shouts.

This was exactly what Fran had hoped for. If the bandits formed a solid formation and pressed forward, no amount of skill could withstand sixty or so of them. But now, with the bandits in a frenzied rush, it was the perfect time to utilize the triangular spear-charge formation he had devised.

The chaotically charging bandits were immediately divided into two groups by the two triangular spear formations. Even though the half-orcs, who were natural warriors, had only received basic training, their combat prowess was formidable. Their massive swords, twice as thick as ordinary greatswords, were swung wildly, capable of cutting through armor, flesh, and bones alike. Each dull thud marked the end of a life, and the splashing blood only fueled the half-orcs’ rage. Behind the swordsmen, the pike soldiers stepped forward in unison, thrusting their three-meter-long pikes with fierce precision—each strike piercing enemies from the front to the back. They knew they had no chance of survival in close combat; only by killing the enemy could they save themselves.

The archers hiding at the back of the formation had slowed down significantly in their shooting pace, but their long-range attacks could still be deadly, especially those from the half-elf archer. Each arrow he fired just managed to stem the enemy’s most fierce assaults. This amazed Komer, who was watching from the side—his opponent’s broad vision truly impressed him.

Fran and Baoling were already in a fierce struggle. Despite having the formation behind them, the enemy forces, several times their number, still overwhelmed them. Ilot had pushed his swordsmanship to itslimit; the internal energy flowing within his meridians further enhanced his skills. Yet in such a chaotic situation, even superb swordsmanship couldn’t turn the tide. The one-eyed man and the bearded man, who quickly regained their senses, realized their mistakes and immediately changed their tactics. The cavalry stopped attacking head-on and instead launched flanking assaults. They took the lead in holding off the most ferocious Fran and Baoling. The loud crashes of the orc bandits’ giant axes terrified Komer, who realized his side couldn’t withstand such attacks for long. If he didn’t act soon, his entire army would be annihilated and left to rot in the wilderness.

Biting his lip, Komer silently moved behind the retreating defense line. After muttering a spell, a wall of fire slowly formed in front of him. Under the panicked gazes of the orc bandits, Komer crossed his arms, sweat dripping from his forehead. With a fierce roar, the massive wall of fire surged upward, rapidly transforming into a wall ten meters long and over two meters wide. Fiery tongues lashed out, devouring everything in their path, with eerie purple-blue flames flickering among them.

Before the slow-reacting orc bandits could react, the floating wall of fire, controlled by Komer’s gestures, rushed at them like a storm. The intense heat was even felt by the orc slaves trying to resist, as if scorching air passed over their heads. The wall of fire instantly engulfed more than a dozen of the most aggressive axe-wielding bandits who hadn’t had time to react. The agonized screams coming from within the fire were heart-wrenching, enough to send any normal person into horror. A thick smell of burning flesh instantly filled the battlefield, making it feel like a crematorium in hell. Almost everyone, regardless of side, was stunned by this sudden disaster.

Komer was not satisfied with this result. While successfully casting the powerful fire-based high-level magic “Hellish Soul Training,” he also formed a circle with his fingers, turning spells into streams of energy keys that unlocked the gates of terror. A massive fire dragon rapidly formed above Komer’s head, resembling a golden python that swelled as it consumed the air, eventually turning into a giant circular fire ring dozens of meters in diameter and over a meter thick. It slowly rose into the air, its scorching flames seemingly drawing in all fire elements within dozens of miles, enveloping the entire battlefield in its attack. This time, Komer wielded “Dance of the Golden Snake” with greater proficiency than before against the gray wolves, and his control over fire elements was significantly stronger. Eventually, the fire ring broke apart in midair, transforming into a massive fire dragon that swept toward the terrified bandits with immense heat.

In fact, even as Komer cast “Hellish Soul Training,” the two leaders of the two-headed dragon gang had already realized their fate. Their small gang could never compare to an opponent with a magician—just the skill level of this single magician was enough to wipe out their entire group. A few more attacks of such high-level magic would end the battle.

There was no time to think further. With a sharp whistle, the entire gang of dozens scattered in different directions, fleeing for their lives. The fire dragon chasing after them suddenly split into several columns of fire, pursuing them in various directions. After traveling a distance, these columns burst open unexpectedly, transforming into countless blue fire balls of varying sizes that exploded outward. The bandits hit by these flames were instantly consumed by the hellish fire, their agonized screams filling the entire plain. If anyone outside could witness this scene, they would never believe it was done by an unknown young man. Even great magicians might not be able to control magic attacks so effortlessly, yet this young man had done just that—though not without a price.