Chapter 61: Striving for Ourselves
“They are my hastily summoned army.”
Powell glanced at the crowd behind him as he spoke.
“Although their abilities vary greatly, there’s no choice but to bring them into the fray.”
With that, he sighed deeply.
Among these people were quite a few skilled fighters, but most had previously been simple farmers and small-town residents.
Asking them to face even the elite Orc Wolf Cavalry was truly asking too much of them.
But at this point, he had no other option.
If the small town fell, their fate would be even worse.
Though they might die on the battlefield now, at least their families could have a chance to survive.
Later, he planned to provide significant compensation to their families and make some policies to take care of them.
However, if possible, Powell hoped desperately that such cruel events would not occur.
Thus, he inwardly wished for Axi to emerge victorious in his duel.
If Axi could win the confrontation, it would make dealing with these Orcs so much easier.
Airael naturally picked up on the underlying meaning in Powell’s words and chose not to comment.
She understood all too well that the townspeople had no way out.
If they lost, facing the highly mobile Orc Wolf Cavalry, the townsfolk wouldn’t escape far before being caught.
Airael fixed her gaze on Powell and said, “My lord, we can’t rely solely on Axi any longer; we must also put in our own efforts.”
“However, let’s not disturb Axi during his battle with that Orc. Let them settle their fight on their own while we handle the other Orcs.”
Upon hearing this, Powell knew that doing so would result in tremendous losses for his territory, but he understood that relying entirely on Axi was no longer feasible.
So, he gritted his teeth and nodded, “Understood!”
After Powell agreed, Airael turned back to survey the temporary army Powell had summoned.
Once the battle started, there was no doubt they would suffer heavy casualties.
Hence, Airael took this seriously.
Afterward, she might see some of them for the last time.
This was a respect for those warriors who were about to lay down their lives to defend their homes.
Among them, Airael recognized a few familiar faces.
For example, Anas and his daughter from the blacksmith shop.
As blacksmiths, they naturally wore good armor and carried decent weapons.
Especially Anas, with his robust physique and impressive gear, it was clear he was not someone to mess with.
Airael had no doubt that if his hammer came down, anyone struck would be in for a world of pain.
The father and daughter from the crowd also noticed the standout Airael.
Even Powell treated her with great respect.
As for Axi, they had yet to spot him.
After a quick glance through the crowd, Airael withdrew her gaze.
At that moment, Powell began to rally the troops.
“Soldiers, our homeland is being invaded by these vile, ugly Orcs! Today, we must muster our courage and eliminate them all, or it will be our lives—and our families—at stake.”
After his passionate speech, Powell shouted loudly, “Kill—!”
As his words echoed, he charged forward.
Then came the knights, followed closely by the soldiers.
The newly summoned troops rushed in right behind them.
The Orc officers, seeing the Human Soldiers charging, quickly mobilized their troops for a counter-assault.
Facing the burly and fierce Orcs, Powell and the knights displayed extraordinary bravery, showing no fear whatsoever.
The soldiers behind them, inspired by their courage, also acted without hesitation, even the conscripts showed little fear.
In no time at all, they clashed together.
With Powell and the knights leading the way, the Human side had a decent start.
But gradually, as Powell and his knights grew weary, the Humans began to fall into a disadvantage.
The average Human soldiers struggled against the Orc Wolf Cavalry, let alone the conscripts.
Of course, there were some exceptions.
Like Anas the blacksmith.
His strength seemed to surpass even that of the Orcs.
One swing of his hammer was enough to send anyone daring to resist into a world of regret.
But by then, it was too late for regrets.
Their lives had already slipped away.
Yet these were exceptions; overall, the Humans were still outmatched by the Orcs.
Fortunately, the Humans had Airael, a powerful ally.
Though she had expended quite a bit of energy earlier, with a little time to recover, she was still more than capable.
Once prepared, Airael unleashed a high-level spell—Lightning Strike—targeting the Orcs at the rear.
Dozens of Orcs were affected by the magic, with an unknown number falling dead on the spot.
At that moment, the Orc officer glanced toward Airael, who was situated far behind the Human lines, and a hint of fear crept onto his face.
He realized this Mistress was truly formidable.
One powerful magic after another.
Many had already perished at her hands.
He had thought of eliminating Airael first, but failing to do so earlier made that option virtually impossible now.
To take her down, they must first defeat the Human army in front of them.
The difficulty had undoubtedly increased significantly.
Inside the small town, chaos reigned.
Humans and Orcs were locked in a fierce melee.
However, around Airael was an oasis of calm.
The Orcs couldn’t approach her, allowing her to quietly invoke her magic.
Her posture was elegant and noble!
Shifting her gaze to the city wall, it was now devoid of life.
The resisting knights and soldiers had all been killed by the Orcs.
Of course, some Orcs had also been slaughtered, falling among the deceased.
Suddenly, two small, cloaked figures climbed onto the city wall from outside.
Their wide cloaks completely enveloped them, much like Airael, hiding their faces from view.
They reached the wall and found a concealed spot to observe the ongoing battle in the town.
The battle was intense.
Humans and Orcs fought fiercely, locked in a stalemate.
Especially the duel between Sko and Axi, which was heart-stopping to witness.
Every swing from Sko radiated immense power.
Anything that stood in his way was ruthlessly shattered.
People, trees, houses…
No exception!
Both Orcs and Human soldiers kept their distance.
Since they couldn’t intervene, it was best to avoid getting caught up in the fray.
