The caravan's supplies drove them to madness; their greed made it hard to let go.

Who's afraid of whom!

Just do it!

Both sides instantly clashed, and with everyone armored, none were easily defeated, making the intensity even more exaggerated.

You slash me with a sword, I thrust you with a spear.

You shoot me with an arrow, I shoot you with a shot.

It must be said that these soldiers broke through the Barbarian Mercenaries' blockade, leaving those ordinary people unattended, prompting them to flee quickly.

Gene, disregarding the danger, peeked out from behind the earthen wall to look at the caravan outside the village. Seeing it safe, he breathed a sigh of relief, completely unconcerned about how many ordinary people died.

Even if they all die, it doesn't matter; who wouldn't know how to drive a carriage. Just conscript a batch of serfs or refugees from somewhere, and conveniently, there's no need to pay them.

As for those in the city defense force, although somewhat troublesome, as long as Michelle is there, he won't have any issues.

Compared to his cautious demeanor, Michelle was much more arrogant, standing there openly as if watching the battlefield for amusement.

But upon closer inspection, the number of Barbarian Mercenaries on the frontline seemed off.

Because these barbarians also employed strategy; the grand-scale night raid served as the main attack, and also to attract attention.

Meanwhile, a group of twenty elite barbarians maneuvered behind the village, easily climbing over the two-meter-high earthen wall as if it didn't exist, swiftly weaving through the village.

These barbarians had thrived as mercenaries in the Empire, knowing that those occupying the village must be nobility or a commander, and taking them out would expedite resolving the situation.

Thus, it was easy to deduce their mission as a decapitation strike!

"Found them."

"There!"

Michelle's arrogant stance exposed himself, and the leader of the Personal Guard didn't realize that these bandits dared to launch a sneak attack, and was indeed flanked.

A Barbarian Mercenary took the nearly human-sized bow from their back, bearing carved snakes entwined around the bow, with snake heads sculpted as bowstring notches, exuding a primitive aura, bizarre indeed.

Sparing no words, the bow was strung and an arrow loosed; such a large bow can't rapidly fire, but each arrow was lethal.

The arrowhead was a rare iron arrowhead from the Mountains, filling the equipment gap as mercenaries in the Empire.

And the Mountains' power still lingered, as the arrowhead was laced with poison, portending death upon wounding.

"Watch out!"

But this surprise shot was detected, the black-cloaked figure called out, and the Heavy Armored Knight beside Michelle moved to shield him.

The arrow struck the armor, sparking, but that was all.

In reality, these barbarians kept advancing, and seeing the shot deflected, they immediately charged toward Michelle, who was protected by only about a dozen soldiers.

At this point, the dozen or so guards also noticed the barbarian force, shouting "Protect my lord" as they blocked and clashed with the barbarians.

This Barbarian sneak attack team had twenty men; how could those guards possibly…

Suddenly, the Heavy Armored Knight beside Michelle lifted his weapon, a long-handled warhammer with spikes atop.

He swung the warhammer with a wide sweep, shockingly sending the advancing barbarians flying back, judging by the blood they spewed, their entrails were likely ruptured.

Bear in mind, these Barbarian Mercenaries wore armor and were physically formidable.

Yet they fell to the ground, unable to rise after one blow, suggesting the terrifying might of the Heavy Armored Knight!

He could easily injure armored barbarians, while the barbarians' blows couldn't penetrate him.

Without needing to move, standing before them seemed to present an impenetrable wall, stifling the barbarians.

Individual combat prowess is limited before an army, yet in this skirmish, it exerted mighty power.

"Hahaha! Kill them for me!" roared Michelle behind him, heedless of the nearby enemies.

Moreover, he hadn't noticed several soldiers beside him had been shot in the face and fell, and with other barbarians entangling, there were few guards left by him.

Michelle's guards were strong, but the barbarians weren't ordinary; the archer clearing infantry noticed the Heavy Armored Knight's prowess and quickly drew a specially designed heavy arrow.

The arrow was thicker and longer, with the tip fashioned from some sharp beast tooth, painted with strange runes, emanating an eerie feeling.

The archer's arm, wrapped in snake-shaped tattoos, quivered as muscles flexed, the bowstring as thick as a little finger groaned under strain, awaiting fury's release.

"Hiss!" As he released, the arrow cleaved the air, resounding with a serpent-like hiss.

Those with strong inspiration might witness extraordinary forces flowing from the arrowhead, manifesting a serpent shadow.

Armor-piercing Arrow!

And as it seemed more like a thrown spear than an arrow, the Heavy Armored Knight sensed something, opted not to evade but to clash with it, trying to deflect it, since the archer aimed slyly at Michelle.

In doing so, the Heavy Armored Knight had to forgo entangling with other barbarians, choosing to protect Michelle.

He could handle ordinary foes, but these barbarians meant serious business, ruthless as any could be.

One barbarian let out a shriek so piercing it paralyzed the Heavy Armored Knight.

"Bang" went the armor-piercing heavy arrow, penetrating the thick armor, embedding within, the momentum causing the knight to sway.

The arrow cost the archer dearly, the snake-tattoos on his arm dimmed, lacking their previous luster.

However, his focus wasn't on that — his arrows were poisoned, the knight should've fallen, but why no effect?

"Careful! Don't go!"

He shouted a warning, but these barbarians, from different tribes eyeing the spoils, weren't all ears, eager for their share of loot.

If they caught this big fish, more loot for them.

The Heavy Armored Knight quickly regained composure, raised his weapon against the approaching Barbarians, the warhammer's spike pierced a rushing barbarian, the metal armor only momentarily resisted the heavy weapon.

Greed led him to death...

But as the Heavy Armored Knight was held up, the dozen soldiers fell to remaining Barbarian Mercenaries, switching targets to the better target, Michelle, closing in.

At this moment, the barbarians inexplicably felt a sinister chill spreading, sending chills down their spines.

Something more terrifying loomed, as one barbarian found something at his feet, casting eyes down, discovering a supposedly dead soldier clutching his ankle.

Damn! Not dead yet?

The barbarian shook off the grip with a kick, maintaining a cautious distance, instinctively lashing backward with a spear.

Hmph! Let's see if you die now!

Yet withdrawing the spear, the soldier didn't fall; he staggered to his feet, bleeding wounds notwithstanding.

Impossible! I clearly killed him!

This wasn't just here; all previously slain soldiers rose, severed limbs or even heads pierced with arrows couldn't keep them down.

The sight stunned the Barbarian Mercenaries.

Not far away, the recovering archer witnessed this, their mercenary experience in the Empire clued them in, sharp eyes fixing on the overlooked black-cloaked figure…