The masked Gnoll roared when the burning cart frame went dark beneath Two’s Water Shot. It signaled to the Gnolls behind it.
Another oil jar came through the air but this time, Nessa’s arrow struck it in the air. Same mistake shouldn’t happen twice and the troops knew that.
The jar broke above the enemy line. Black oil covered two shield Gnolls, and one slipped while trying to move away.
"Brann!" Kaia called.
Brann did not need another order.
He ran toward the masked Gnoll while the enemy still tried to understand what had happened. The cleaver came down hard enough to split stone, but Brann stepped aside and slammed his hammer into the creature’s ribs.
The masked Gnoll moved only half a step which made Carlos realize the problem immediately.
It was far stronger than the others.
The system panel appeared over its head.
--
[Iron Fang Captain]
[Level 6]
[Garrison commander]
--
Carlos almost swore.
Brann was strong, but the Captain had more weight, a good armour and a weapon that looked like it could pulverize anything if struck by it. Kaia rushed in from the side and cut at its exposed leg. The sword opened flesh, but the Captain turned and struck toward her with the cleaver.
Carlos stepped between them with hurried steps, his iron shield shattered when the cleaver hit it.
The force sent him to one knee. For a second, all he could hear was ringing. Then the black chain around his arm moved.
Carlos had not told it to do anything. It reacted to his desperation before he could stop it.
The links snapped forward and wrapped around the Captain’s cleaver arm.
The Gnoll froze with the weird chain on its arm. Its eyes widened behind the iron mask as the chain pulled the weapon away from Carlos.
"Now!" Carlos shouted.
Brann hit the Captain’s chest again. Kaia cut across the same injured leg. Nessa’s arrow struck the creature’s shoulder joint.
The Captain pulled against the chain with enough strength to drag Carlos forward through the mud.
Carlos gritted his teeth and pulled back with both hands.
He was not stronger than it and there was there was no need.
Two formed one more Water Shot and fired it directly at the Captain’s face. The blast knocked the iron mask sideways.
Brann’s hammer came down on the exposed head and the captain fell with a loud thud.
The remaining Gnolls stopped fighting and for a few seconds, nobody moved.
Then the enemy creatures turned and ran toward the black hills without even trying to fight back anymore.
Carlos did not chase them. Instead, he decided to be a lord this time.
"The conquest is not over until the system says it is, make sure each of them die" He spoke and instead, went to get all the equipment on the dead.
The trio went forward to get as many retreating enemies as they could but for the first time, when they were far enough from them, the system interpreted it as a defeated enemy.
Carlos stood still and watched the Gnolls disappear.
The black chain slowly unwound from the Captain’s arm and returned to Carlos’s wrist. It looked harmless once again but Carlos knew it attacked when he didn’t want it to.
Brann leaned his hammer against one shoulder when he came back. His chest rose and fell heavily, but he was still standing.
"Strong fight, I like" he said.
Nessa climbed down from the wall with blood on one sleeve that was not hers. Kaia picked up the Captain’s cleaver, tested its weight and threw it aside.
"Bad metal," she said. "It would break after a few real fights."
Carlos almost laughed. They had just survived a Level 6 commander, and Kaia was disappointed in its weapon.
"I will still take it, it could go for a good price among the lords."
Carlos’s gaze went to two.
The Slime had shrunk until it was barely larger than a bucket. It stayed beside the gate, still facing the ground where the Captain had fallen.
Carlos walked over and crouched beside it.
"Good job with that fire extinguish, two" he said.
Two made the smallest bounce he had ever seen.
Carlos touched the top of its body with one finger. The cool water shook around his hand.
When he finally let the adrenaline go normal, all the pain came back from getting attacked by the cleaver. Carlos took a deep breath while he felt a burning sensation in his whole shoulder. It was as if everything tore inside it but that was an exaggeration.
The system soon appeared before him.
--
[Iron Fang Garrison broken]
[Conquest Level 4 completed on Hellbound difficulty]
[Surviving challengers returning]
--
The ruined fort disappeared within seconds.
Carlos opened his eyes in front of Ironroot’s Conquest Portal and immediately fell onto his back.
The first thing he saw was the clear sky over Ironroot. It was as beautiful as it could get.
Garr and the third Bearkin were already running from the northern side. The Veteran Guards formed a line without being ordered, then relaxed only when Kaia stepped through behind Carlos.
There was silence for a long time.
They had seen Carlos leave with four companions. They saw them return bloodied, exhausted and alive. Brann lifted one hand toward Garr.
"Won," he said.
Mira was already running toward him.
"Carlos!"
He raised one hand so she would not panic.
"We won," he managed.
The system did not let him rest for long.
--
[Conquest Level 4 Hellbound Rewards]
[Copper Coins x4,000]
[Wood x600]
[Stone x900]
[Iron x650]
[Processed Leather x80]
[Slime Cores x30]
[Basic Recovery Potion x10]
[Troop Recovery Potion x5]
[Uncommon Training Yard Blueprint x1]
[Uncommon Garrison Gatehouse Blueprint x1]
[Hellbound completion bonus applied]
[Rare Reinforced Barrack Frame x1]
[Rare Iron Fang Commander Chest x1]
--
Carlos stared at the Training Yard Blueprint, the Garrison Gatehouse Blueprint, the Reinforced Barrack Frame and the Commander Chest despite the pain in his body.
After what seemed like a long time, he finally gt some new kind of rewards.
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