Chapter 116: The City Guard Attacks

Christina felt a vague, burgeoning affection for Alex.

She could not quite explain where this feeling came from. Was it because of his good looks? Or his devotion to love? Christina could not distinguish the source. Her understanding of love was derived solely from stories of the gods of love found in the library. She did not even know what truly constituted love, nor did she know what two people in love were supposed to do when they were together.

She enjoyed sitting by the campfire during breaks, listening to Alex share his interesting tales; she loved to foolishly gaze at his handsome profile while he stared blankly at the sky; she loved to sneak a look at him whenever he practiced his skills alone.

Did this count as love? She did not know.

Traveling with the army was a grueling experience, especially when confined to a carriage that constantly jolted along the road. Yet, knowing that Alex was riding his steed right beside her made Christina feel that none of it mattered.

Over the half-month journey, Christina and Alex had grown much more familiar with each other. She also sensed that Alex treated her differently than he did others. When he gazed into her eyes, he lingered much longer than before.

Was this change, perhaps, what love felt like?

Christina felt somewhat intoxicated, and occasionally, she allowed Alex to "accidentally" hold her small hand while they watched the starry sky. Would he love her as devotedly as he had loved Peline? Furthermore, were priests even allowed to experience love? She felt it necessary to ask her mentor about this when she returned.

"The Hake Village is just ahead!" After a long trek over mountains and through rivers, the army finally arrived. Alex rode forward and pointed to the village in the distance, shouting.

"Advance!" Zhuoma commanded loudly, and the City Guard unit immediately galloped forward.

The warhorses kicked up a sky-filling cloud of dust as the army entered the village.

"There isn't a soul here!" Zhuoma looked at the broken, chaotic ruins, his thick brows knitting together.

Alex rode a circle around the area, gritting his teeth as he said, "Cruel foreigners! They have slaughtered all of my villagers!"

"Alex, I will let you twist his head off with your own hands to avenge your father and your villagers!" Zhuoma declared loudly. "No foreign power shall ever bully the people of our Majestic Empire!"

"Alex!" Christina pulled back the carriage curtain. "Do not be sad; we shall avenge you soon!"

"Mm!" Alex nodded firmly.

"Continue the advance! Target: the Forest of Magical Beasts!" Zhuoma pulled his battle-axe from his back and shouted.

"Roar!" All the City Guards shouted in unison, a truly formidable display.

Alex led the way on horseback, but he suddenly pulled to a halt as they neared the outer edge of the Forest of Magical Beasts. He raised a hand, signaling the army to stop.

"What is it?" Zhuoma rode over.

"Look!" Alex pointed to the edge of the forest in the distance. "There is a Kobold unit patrolling. Those Kobolds are not a wild tribe; they are a combat unit that the foreigners have trained using some unknown method! It seems they are still expanding their forces, strengthening the power of their secret base!"

"Do not worry!" Zhuoma raised his battle-axe. "The City Guard is invincible and always triumphant! Attack!"

"Charge!" Following Zhuoma’s lead, all the City Guards spurred their horses forward, rushing toward the enemy with murderous intent.

The sudden appearance of the City Guard caught the patrolling Kobold unit off guard. The heavily armed Kobold armored soldiers were the first to react, forming ranks and raising their iron spears. Behind them, the Kobold crossbowmen immediately unleashed a dense rain of arrows.

"Earth-Shattering Axe!" Zhuoma took the lead, swinging his giant axe through the air to block all the arrows aimed at him. Then, he turned his horse sideways and struck the heavy axe down into the ground with great force.

"Boom!" Starting from the point where the giant axe struck, the ground rapidly cracked open. Countless sharp spikes erupted from the earth, shattering the Kobold unit in a single blow.

Alex’s eyes lit up as he watched, wondering when he would possess such formidable power.

Facing the terrifying Zhuoma, the Kobold unit retreated decisively, fleeing desperately into the forest.

Christina pulled back the carriage curtain, silently reciting an incantation and waving her staff gently. Holy light descended from the sky, enveloping all the City Guards who had been struck by the rain of arrows. In an instant, the wounds of these soldiers healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The morale of the City Guard soared. With such a priest accompanying the army, no enemy, no matter how powerful, could stand against them!

"Attack!" Zhuoma yanked his reins, his warhorse charging into the forest first as he gave chase to the fleeing Kobolds. The City Guard followed closely behind, launching their offensive with high spirits.

Alex also rode at the front. After witnessing Zhuoma’s strength, he was firmly convinced that they could defeat the foreign forces! Zhuoma’s power was incomparable to that of Brent, the captain of the Town Guard. Even the strongest fortress would be nothing but a facade before this man’s giant axe. He could almost see the fate of those abominable foreigners.

Because the City Guard army was so vast and imposing, the fierce beasts on the outskirts of the Forest of Magical Beasts dared not approach, and they encountered almost no obstacles along the way.

The Kobolds' short legs could not outrun the warhorses, and once Zhuoma caught up to them, he wiped them out entirely with another Earth-Shattering Axe strike.

Alex was filled with confidence. With a Zhuoma this powerful, backed by a thousand elite City Guards and a priest like Christina, no enemy could withstand the iron hooves of the Empire!

"That’s the place!" As the main force entered the forest without obstruction, Alex shouted in excitement when he caught sight of the city in the distance.

"Indeed, there is a city hidden within the forest," Zhuoma raised his giant axe. "Attack! Destroy any enemy who dares to invade the Majestic Empire!"

"Charge!" The City Guards shouted in unison; the pounding of a thousand warhorses made the very earth tremble.

"Boom, boom!" While they were still far from the city, the sky was suddenly filled with at least ten thousand Rulutos. They formed a tight formation and dove from the sky toward the City Guard.

"Why is a Ruluto flock appearing here?!" Zhuoma looked alarmed, hurriedly swinging his giant axe to engage in battle.

The City Guards showed no fear, riding their horses and wielding their respective weapons to fight off the terrifying number of Rulutos. Generally, a dozen Rulutos surrounded a single City Guard, but unlike the Town Guard, the City Guards responded with calm composure and managed to hold their ground! Zhuoma, as the leader, swung his giant axe, reaping the creatures in a frenzy.

Alex fought desperately as well, though he was not faring well. If not for the support of the City Guards around him, he would not have been able to withstand the assault!

Christina had never seen such a battle before and was slightly frightened. However, she quickly regained her composure, stepped out of the carriage, and began casting group healing spells for the army.