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overlord_ Welcome the Birth of the King_chapter_0229
Chapter 251
Chapter 228: The Mercenary Group "Death Spreading Sword Corps" — The Assault Begins
2025-02-03 Author: Amnesty L
Chapter 228: The Mercenary Group "Death Spreading Sword Corps" — The Assault Begins
Around the road below the hillside, numerous figures bustled about. A quick glance revealed dozens of people, all seemingly setting up traps.
In this environment, the blue-haired man lay leisurely on the slope. No one dared to disturb him, let alone ask him to join the work.
This was the privilege of the strong.
With a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth, the blue-haired man gazed at the night sky, slightly dazed, even though more than half a year had passed.
That world-shaking battle still surfaced in his mind from time to time, and he would replay it over and over, though he had already done so hundreds of times, if not more.
It was the first defeat of his life.
Speaking of which, did that guy really fight a woman to a draw?
The blue-haired man's chewing on the toothpick paused. He recalled the news that had come from the Royal Capital some time ago, and a displeased look appeared on his face.
"To single-handedly slaughter two noble families, including her own, and then calmly escape the Empire... she's truly a ferocious and terrifying woman."
"She sounds like an incredible figure. I'd really like to fight her."
The blue-haired man thought to himself, pulling one of his arms from behind his head and lightly placing it on the long blade at his waist.
Speaking of which, there really weren't many strong female warriors. After all, in terms of physical ability alone, women were far inferior to men.
In recent years, a female adventurer team called "Blue Rose" seemed to have gained quite a reputation. They must also be a group of rather powerful women.
*Thud—Thud—*
Heavy footsteps approached from nearby, coming to a halt right beside the blue-haired man.
"You're quite the leisurely one, aren't you, Brain."
A coarse and hearty voice rang out.
Brain lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at the burly man standing beside him, who had short blond hair, a full beard, and arms as thick as an ordinary person's thighs.
At first glance, his hearty appearance could easily make a good impression, but in reality, the man was no good person; he could even be described as vile.
This blond, burly man was the leader of the "Death Spreading Sword Corps" mercenary group, a fellow named Fikampa. Brain suspected the name was fake.
As for his real name, Brain had no interest in knowing. "Are you sure they'll take this road?"
"Of course, my friend. It's actually not that hard to deduce."
"Even with a magical beast like an Evil Spirit Hound for a mount, that alchemist makes a point of stopping for a while in every village and city he reaches to sell his potions."
Captain Fikampa grinned, a brilliant smile on his face as he licked the corner of his mouth.
"This has given us plenty of time to prepare."
Brain sneered, "Heh."
"Quite confident, but it's no wonder. After all, they completely took down Rainbow, the long-famous Mithril-rank adventurer team from E-Rantel. They've certainly earned the right to be confident."
A bright glint flashed in Brain's eyes—the excitement of a hunter who has spotted worthy prey.
Seeing the interested look on Brain's face, Captain Fikampa's smile grew even wider, and he felt inwardly reassured.
To be honest, the fact that Brain, the famous genius swordsman, would actually join their mercenary group was something even Captain Fikampa himself found somewhat unbelievable.
"Constantly selling potions... it seems that genius alchemist is short on cash." Brain lifted the arm resting on his sword hilt, placed it back behind his head, and settled into a more comfortable position.
*Smack! Smack!*
Captain Fikampa forcefully slapped the tense muscles of his neck, his eyes revealing a hint of excitement and bloodlust. "Who knows? Powerful alchemists have always been the type to make money fast and spend it just as quickly."
"All I know is, after selling so many alchemical potions, he should have a few hundred gold coins... maybe even over a thousand."
"Hahaha, add the bounty to that, and it's damn exciting! That blade you've got your eye on—you'll be able to afford it after this job is done."
Brain remained expressionless, giving an almost imperceptible nod.
He needed to become stronger. Besides training his physique, techniques, and martial skills, a better weapon was also a way to increase his strength.
The price of magic weapons was extremely high, but what Brain sought was not a simple magic weapon.
There were weapons from a desert city in the far south that, even without an enchantment, possessed performance superior to ordinary magic weapons.
The price for such weaponry was, of course, frighteningly high.
The weapon he had his eye on was valued at around 5,000 gold coins. A commoner could work their entire life and never earn that much. This was a fortune that simply couldn't be obtained through normal means.
Therefore, that was why Brain had joined this mercenary group of about seventy people. Compared to the messy, restrictive regulations for adventurers, a mercenary group didn't have nearly as many rules.
He could kill people to hone his martial skills and acquire large sums of money!
"An alchemical potion for five copper coins, with a healing effect better than a recovery potion that costs several silver coins... such a cheap price, and the fact that it can't be preserved for long..."
After a brief silence, Brain suddenly muttered softly to himself, "Heh, an alchemical potion sold specifically to commoners, is it? That genius alchemist seems like a good person."
Captain Fikampa was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. "A good person? Hahahaha, and we're a bunch of bad guys!"
"That's true."
Brain also let out a low chuckle.
The darkness of night gradually faded.
A dazzling golden light began to appear in the eastern sky.
A carriage pulled by an Evil Spirit Hound magical beast traveled along the distant road, appearing in the sights of the "Death Spreading Sword Corps".
"They're here!"
Captain Fikampa lay prone on the slope, his gaze sharpening as he spoke in a low voice.
To one side, Brain still lay on the slope with his eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. In reality, he hadn't slept at all the entire night but had instead been conserving his strength.
He was confident, but he would not underestimate his opponent.
That genius alchemist, the green-haired magic caster, and the Evil Spirit Hound magical beast—none of them were simple small fry.
"Everyone, get ready! Attack the moment they fall into the trap," Captain Fikampa quickly ordered his men.
The more than seventy members of the mercenary group all drew their weapons, fierce expressions on their faces.
Daytime wasn't suitable for an attack—at least, that's what a normal person would think. But Captain Fikampa intended to do the exact opposite.
For experienced adventurers, they were more likely to lower their guard during the day than at night.
Watched by the expectant gazes of the mercenary group members, the carriage finally approached the location of their trap.
There, they had dug a deep pit, its bottom lined with sharp iron spears. Even if the fall wasn't fatal, it would definitely cause injury.
Just as everyone stared with bated breath.
Suddenly!
The carriage, which had been proceeding along the road, came to a sudden halt. The Evil Spirit Hound at the front began to look around warily.
This action caught the members of the mercenary group somewhat off guard.
"We've been discovered?"
"How is that possible!"
"Was there some flaw in the trap?"
"Impossible. Even an experienced rogue, without careful observation, wouldn't be able to spot our trap so quickly."
"Could it be some kind of trap-detecting magic?"
The members of the mercenary group whispered in astonishment. After all, their target's party did indeed include a powerful magic caster.
"How irritating." Seeing that the carriage hadn't fallen into the trap, a ferocious expression appeared on Captain Fikampa's once-hearty face.
"Implement the second countermeasure!"
As the command was passed down, the murmuring ceased, and dozens of whooshing sounds rang out at once.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
A volley of crossbow bolts shot out simultaneously from the hills on both sides, raining down densely upon the carriage.
At this moment, on the carriage.
"It's been so long since we've encountered any attackers, I was starting to think they'd lost their nerve. Looks like there are quite a few of them this time."
Tang Zheng raised a hand to his forehead. Seeing the massive volley of crossbow bolts fired from the small hills on both sides of the road, a hint of interest appeared in his eyes.
Ever since dealing with that Mithril-rank adventurer team, not only had the assassins from Ijenia disappeared, but even common attackers had vanished.
Now that they were being attacked again, the attackers' strength must be at least somewhat greater than that of a small Mithril-rank adventurer team.
"Plant Growth!"
The Green Leaf Witch's hands glowed with a verdant green light.
In the blink of an eye, green vegetation sprouted from the carriage, enveloping it completely. The crossbow bolts flying in from all directions struck the incredibly resilient plants and were all deflected.
Meanwhile, the Evil Spirit Hound easily parried the bolts with its agile movements and the swinging bone chain.
"Kill!"
"Take them down!"
"...!!"
From the hills on both sides, a large number of mercenaries brandishing weaponry charged out simultaneously.
"Fireball!"
"Lightning Strike!"
Scorching flames and a surging bolt of lightning were launched immediately after from both hills.
The straight lightning strike, imbued with a piercing effect, was the fastest. It shot toward the Evil Spirit Hound, arriving in front of it with the speed of lightning.
Even though the Evil Spirit Hound detected it, it was already too late to dodge.
"Magic Armor!"
The Green Leaf Witch's steady voice rang out, and a translucent layer of magic armor materialized on the Evil Spirit Hound.
*Bang!*
The lightning strike slammed down, exploding on the surface of the Evil Spirit Hound's magic armor. The impact sent the magical beast flying back a considerable distance.
"Roar!"
The Evil Spirit Hound roared in anger, digging its four limbs into the ground to stabilize itself. Blue arcs of electricity crackled over its body, its black fur standing on end.
Meanwhile, the other attack, the fireball, struck the carriage which was protected by the overgrown plants.
With a loud "BOOM"!
The fire-attribute attack clearly had an advantage over plants. It easily blasted a large hole through the barrier, and surging flames swept in.
"Damn it!"
The Green Leaf Witch was both shocked and furious.
A magic attack of this level naturally posed no threat to her. What truly shocked and enraged her was that it had affected her master.
"Ah." Seeing the surging flames fill her vision, Enri, despite having gained considerable experience recently, couldn't help but cry out and shut her eyes in fear.
*BOOM!!*
There was no expected pain. When Enri opened her eyes again, she found that Tang Zheng was standing protectively in front of her.
*Whoosh—*
The residual heatwave from the flames made his white priest's robe flutter loudly.
"A very targeted method of attack," Tang Zheng said in a gentle voice.
Enri's panicked fear began to subside at the sound of his voice. Her light brown pupils reflected his white-robed back. "Captain..."
"You're safe now," Tang Zheng chuckled softly.
(end of chapter)
2025-02-03 Author: Amnesty L
Chapter 228: The Mercenary Group "Death Spreading Sword Corps" — The Assault Begins
Around the road below the hillside, numerous figures bustled about. A quick glance revealed dozens of people, all seemingly setting up traps.
In this environment, the blue-haired man lay leisurely on the slope. No one dared to disturb him, let alone ask him to join the work.
This was the privilege of the strong.
With a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth, the blue-haired man gazed at the night sky, slightly dazed, even though more than half a year had passed.
That world-shaking battle still surfaced in his mind from time to time, and he would replay it over and over, though he had already done so hundreds of times, if not more.
It was the first defeat of his life.
Speaking of which, did that guy really fight a woman to a draw?
The blue-haired man's chewing on the toothpick paused. He recalled the news that had come from the Royal Capital some time ago, and a displeased look appeared on his face.
"To single-handedly slaughter two noble families, including her own, and then calmly escape the Empire... she's truly a ferocious and terrifying woman."
"She sounds like an incredible figure. I'd really like to fight her."
The blue-haired man thought to himself, pulling one of his arms from behind his head and lightly placing it on the long blade at his waist.
Speaking of which, there really weren't many strong female warriors. After all, in terms of physical ability alone, women were far inferior to men.
In recent years, a female adventurer team called "Blue Rose" seemed to have gained quite a reputation. They must also be a group of rather powerful women.
*Thud—Thud—*
Heavy footsteps approached from nearby, coming to a halt right beside the blue-haired man.
"You're quite the leisurely one, aren't you, Brain."
A coarse and hearty voice rang out.
Brain lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at the burly man standing beside him, who had short blond hair, a full beard, and arms as thick as an ordinary person's thighs.
At first glance, his hearty appearance could easily make a good impression, but in reality, the man was no good person; he could even be described as vile.
This blond, burly man was the leader of the "Death Spreading Sword Corps" mercenary group, a fellow named Fikampa. Brain suspected the name was fake.
As for his real name, Brain had no interest in knowing. "Are you sure they'll take this road?"
"Of course, my friend. It's actually not that hard to deduce."
"Even with a magical beast like an Evil Spirit Hound for a mount, that alchemist makes a point of stopping for a while in every village and city he reaches to sell his potions."
Captain Fikampa grinned, a brilliant smile on his face as he licked the corner of his mouth.
"This has given us plenty of time to prepare."
Brain sneered, "Heh."
"Quite confident, but it's no wonder. After all, they completely took down Rainbow, the long-famous Mithril-rank adventurer team from E-Rantel. They've certainly earned the right to be confident."
A bright glint flashed in Brain's eyes—the excitement of a hunter who has spotted worthy prey.
Seeing the interested look on Brain's face, Captain Fikampa's smile grew even wider, and he felt inwardly reassured.
To be honest, the fact that Brain, the famous genius swordsman, would actually join their mercenary group was something even Captain Fikampa himself found somewhat unbelievable.
"Constantly selling potions... it seems that genius alchemist is short on cash." Brain lifted the arm resting on his sword hilt, placed it back behind his head, and settled into a more comfortable position.
*Smack! Smack!*
Captain Fikampa forcefully slapped the tense muscles of his neck, his eyes revealing a hint of excitement and bloodlust. "Who knows? Powerful alchemists have always been the type to make money fast and spend it just as quickly."
"All I know is, after selling so many alchemical potions, he should have a few hundred gold coins... maybe even over a thousand."
"Hahaha, add the bounty to that, and it's damn exciting! That blade you've got your eye on—you'll be able to afford it after this job is done."
Brain remained expressionless, giving an almost imperceptible nod.
He needed to become stronger. Besides training his physique, techniques, and martial skills, a better weapon was also a way to increase his strength.
The price of magic weapons was extremely high, but what Brain sought was not a simple magic weapon.
There were weapons from a desert city in the far south that, even without an enchantment, possessed performance superior to ordinary magic weapons.
The price for such weaponry was, of course, frighteningly high.
The weapon he had his eye on was valued at around 5,000 gold coins. A commoner could work their entire life and never earn that much. This was a fortune that simply couldn't be obtained through normal means.
Therefore, that was why Brain had joined this mercenary group of about seventy people. Compared to the messy, restrictive regulations for adventurers, a mercenary group didn't have nearly as many rules.
He could kill people to hone his martial skills and acquire large sums of money!
"An alchemical potion for five copper coins, with a healing effect better than a recovery potion that costs several silver coins... such a cheap price, and the fact that it can't be preserved for long..."
After a brief silence, Brain suddenly muttered softly to himself, "Heh, an alchemical potion sold specifically to commoners, is it? That genius alchemist seems like a good person."
Captain Fikampa was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. "A good person? Hahahaha, and we're a bunch of bad guys!"
"That's true."
Brain also let out a low chuckle.
The darkness of night gradually faded.
A dazzling golden light began to appear in the eastern sky.
A carriage pulled by an Evil Spirit Hound magical beast traveled along the distant road, appearing in the sights of the "Death Spreading Sword Corps".
"They're here!"
Captain Fikampa lay prone on the slope, his gaze sharpening as he spoke in a low voice.
To one side, Brain still lay on the slope with his eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. In reality, he hadn't slept at all the entire night but had instead been conserving his strength.
He was confident, but he would not underestimate his opponent.
That genius alchemist, the green-haired magic caster, and the Evil Spirit Hound magical beast—none of them were simple small fry.
"Everyone, get ready! Attack the moment they fall into the trap," Captain Fikampa quickly ordered his men.
The more than seventy members of the mercenary group all drew their weapons, fierce expressions on their faces.
Daytime wasn't suitable for an attack—at least, that's what a normal person would think. But Captain Fikampa intended to do the exact opposite.
For experienced adventurers, they were more likely to lower their guard during the day than at night.
Watched by the expectant gazes of the mercenary group members, the carriage finally approached the location of their trap.
There, they had dug a deep pit, its bottom lined with sharp iron spears. Even if the fall wasn't fatal, it would definitely cause injury.
Just as everyone stared with bated breath.
Suddenly!
The carriage, which had been proceeding along the road, came to a sudden halt. The Evil Spirit Hound at the front began to look around warily.
This action caught the members of the mercenary group somewhat off guard.
"We've been discovered?"
"How is that possible!"
"Was there some flaw in the trap?"
"Impossible. Even an experienced rogue, without careful observation, wouldn't be able to spot our trap so quickly."
"Could it be some kind of trap-detecting magic?"
The members of the mercenary group whispered in astonishment. After all, their target's party did indeed include a powerful magic caster.
"How irritating." Seeing that the carriage hadn't fallen into the trap, a ferocious expression appeared on Captain Fikampa's once-hearty face.
"Implement the second countermeasure!"
As the command was passed down, the murmuring ceased, and dozens of whooshing sounds rang out at once.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
A volley of crossbow bolts shot out simultaneously from the hills on both sides, raining down densely upon the carriage.
At this moment, on the carriage.
"It's been so long since we've encountered any attackers, I was starting to think they'd lost their nerve. Looks like there are quite a few of them this time."
Tang Zheng raised a hand to his forehead. Seeing the massive volley of crossbow bolts fired from the small hills on both sides of the road, a hint of interest appeared in his eyes.
Ever since dealing with that Mithril-rank adventurer team, not only had the assassins from Ijenia disappeared, but even common attackers had vanished.
Now that they were being attacked again, the attackers' strength must be at least somewhat greater than that of a small Mithril-rank adventurer team.
"Plant Growth!"
The Green Leaf Witch's hands glowed with a verdant green light.
In the blink of an eye, green vegetation sprouted from the carriage, enveloping it completely. The crossbow bolts flying in from all directions struck the incredibly resilient plants and were all deflected.
Meanwhile, the Evil Spirit Hound easily parried the bolts with its agile movements and the swinging bone chain.
"Kill!"
"Take them down!"
"...!!"
From the hills on both sides, a large number of mercenaries brandishing weaponry charged out simultaneously.
"Fireball!"
"Lightning Strike!"
Scorching flames and a surging bolt of lightning were launched immediately after from both hills.
The straight lightning strike, imbued with a piercing effect, was the fastest. It shot toward the Evil Spirit Hound, arriving in front of it with the speed of lightning.
Even though the Evil Spirit Hound detected it, it was already too late to dodge.
"Magic Armor!"
The Green Leaf Witch's steady voice rang out, and a translucent layer of magic armor materialized on the Evil Spirit Hound.
*Bang!*
The lightning strike slammed down, exploding on the surface of the Evil Spirit Hound's magic armor. The impact sent the magical beast flying back a considerable distance.
"Roar!"
The Evil Spirit Hound roared in anger, digging its four limbs into the ground to stabilize itself. Blue arcs of electricity crackled over its body, its black fur standing on end.
Meanwhile, the other attack, the fireball, struck the carriage which was protected by the overgrown plants.
With a loud "BOOM"!
The fire-attribute attack clearly had an advantage over plants. It easily blasted a large hole through the barrier, and surging flames swept in.
"Damn it!"
The Green Leaf Witch was both shocked and furious.
A magic attack of this level naturally posed no threat to her. What truly shocked and enraged her was that it had affected her master.
"Ah." Seeing the surging flames fill her vision, Enri, despite having gained considerable experience recently, couldn't help but cry out and shut her eyes in fear.
*BOOM!!*
There was no expected pain. When Enri opened her eyes again, she found that Tang Zheng was standing protectively in front of her.
*Whoosh—*
The residual heatwave from the flames made his white priest's robe flutter loudly.
"A very targeted method of attack," Tang Zheng said in a gentle voice.
Enri's panicked fear began to subside at the sound of his voice. Her light brown pupils reflected his white-robed back. "Captain..."
"You're safe now," Tang Zheng chuckled softly.
(end of chapter)
