Chapter 131: The Commotion


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    The mercenaries took their positions by the side of the barrier that was facing a forest.


    Around thirty ckhearts stood right outside the barrier, right at the spot where they nned to make the hole.


    "All ready?" Kory asked.


    He was standing in front of everyone.


    Behind him, slightly over twenty tanks stood side-by-side with shields in hand-over half of them weren''t even tanks, but damage dealers that were just muscled and had shields ready.


    Behind the tanks, there were arge number of fighters standing by, wielding swords, battle axes, and spears.


    At the rear of the group, a small group of archers and magicians were ready to provide support from a distance.


    After seeing everyone prepared, Kory turned to the barrier with a wand made out of walnut in hand. The wand was slightly worn from years of use, its tip curving down like a hooked nose.


    With a wave of his wand, he took control of the barrier and started creating an opening in the shimmering, translucent wall.


    At first, the opening was barely the size of an apple, then it gradually widened until it wasrge enough for a person to walk through. It continued growing until it was big enough for several people to pass through at once.


    The ckhearts didn''t move at first. They just looked at the opening with frowns on their handsome faces.


    They were certain that there was some kind of trickery behind this choice.


    On a small hill, hidden from the eyes of the mercenaries, the five ckhearts saw that happen.


    They spoke with each other in their strangenguage.


    A small fight of words happened between the two of them, but ultimately they decided on something.


    With a loud scream, they again ordered the rest of the ckhearts.


    The ckhearts, by the opening, stepped inside.


    They knew that this was part of the humans''s ns, and they knew they most likely didn''t want them to break the barrier as it would lead them to be surrounded.


    That was the first n of the ckhearts. If they focused on a single point in the barrier with their entire army, they would''ve already been able to break through, but that wouldn''t have destroyed the entire barrier.


    If there was time, they would''ve preferred destroying the entire barrier, but there was not enough time.


    They felt something approaching with high speed-someone strong-thus, they had to act quickly and were forced to make a hasty decision.


    "Stop them!" A shout sounded.


    The tanks stepped forward and ced their shields in front of them, locking them tightly together to create a makeshift barricade.


    The ckhearts screamed and smashed into the shields. They managed to make the tanks take a single step back, but that was all.


    The opening in the barrier was stuffed. There were nearly a hundred ckhearts waiting outside, unable to enter the town.


    That''s why Kory made the army of mercenaries stay near the opening, so they didn''t have the danger of every ckheart entering the town.


    It would lead to the same threat of them being eventually surrounded.


    "Ngh..."


    Adam grunted heavily while his shield was shaking from the sheer force of the ckheart warriors pushing against it.


    He had to use every bit of his strength to stop himself from being pushed back.


    If he didn''t keep his ground, there would be a big opening in the barricade of shields, which could lead to a devastating breach in their defenses.


    Adam drew his steel from the scabbard and stabbed the de through one of the ckheart''s thighs. The ckheart howled in pain as blood gushed from the wound.


    He had to somehow make him stop pushing against the shield.


    It worked for a moment, but then the ckheart, with pain and anger, grabbed the shield and tried to rip it off Adam''s hands.


    However, Adam''s arm was strapped to the shield, tightly secured by the straps.


    "Shield Charge!" Adam screamed and rammed his shield through the ckheart, sending him flying.


    He had finished learning the Shield Charge!


    After having a huge level up, his strength increased so much that he was able to learn Shield Charge with rtive ease.


    A new wave of ckhearts rushed in and tackled straight at the walls.


    THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!


    "Rah!"


    The tanks roared and pushed against the ckhearts, their muscles straining with the effort.


    Adam suddenly crouched, ced his shield at the ckheart''s chest, and tossed him into the air with all his might.


    The ckheart flew over the shield barricade and fell in the middle of the mercenaries.


    The mercenaries looked at the creature with murderous gazes and stabbed him repeatedly until he stopped moving.


    The ckheart let out a final, guttural roar before falling silent.


    "Not bad."


    Beside Adam, Arkham acknowledged while stopping the onught of the ckhearts with rtive ease.


    "Thanks..." Adam replied, but was instantly attacked by another ckheart.


    There wasn''t a single moment to breathe. It was a constant battle from start to finish.


    Digby stood behind Adam, a small smile ying on his lips. He was pretty impressed with the young man''s skills as a tank.


    He had heard all about it from Knoxx and others, but to see it himself was another level of awe-inspiring.


    The Crimson Hounds never had a proper tank in their ranks, but they had done well without one. However, it was always nice to find one.


    Digby was certain that in five years or so, Adam would join them in battle as their main tank.


    At that moment, from the midst of the mercenaries, a cold-looking man stepped forward and pushed himself through the mercenaries.


    He was holding a small dagger and a sigil of Shattered Shields on the de.


    He lifted the dagger over his shoulder and saw Adam standing with his back towards him.


    The hand holding the dagger started itching. The cold-looking man started sweating


    profusely.


    As the back of the S-ranker neared, his throat turned dry.


    He was hesitating whether to strike or not. He was afraid.


    Failure meant death, and sess meant death.


    The members of Shattered Shields, who he thought were his friends, forced him to do this to avenge their guild master. He wanted to avenge her, but he didn''t want to die either.


    ''If I don''t do this, they''ll kill me. If I seed, maybe I can run away...''


    He realized that there was only one thing to do.


    With gritted teeth, he pushed through thest row of mercenaries and screamed. The dagger


    came falling down from above.


    At that moment, a steel sword sliced through his hand, causing the dagger to fall off its hand


    and tter to the ground.


    "Ah..." The cold-looking man let out one gasp of shock.


    Then, a steel sword sliced through his throat, ending his life instantly.


    Digby, holding the steel sword, coldly stared at the lifeless body on the ground.


    He then turned his gaze over to the group of Shattered Shields.


    ''They thought I was that stupid?''


    Since he came to Kuro Ind, he has kept an eye on Shattered Shields. With his strong


    Kiryoku, he could tell that they were very angry at them.


    He knew they would try something.


    Then, during this, he noticed that every member of the Shattered Shields was rather far from


    the front, clumping together as if they were nning something.


    "Bastard!" The members of Shattered Shields ignored the fight with the ckhearts and


    rushed at Digby as one.


    "Guild master!" Valora and other members of the Crimson Hounds joined their guild master


    and shed swords with the Shattered Shields.


    Themotion caught the attention of every mercenary.