Chapter 15: The Essence of Mount and Blade

“Come on, aren’t you smitten with her? Such an innocent and beautiful girl, don’t you desire…” 

Draxel’s inner thoughts were playfully prodded by the system, causing him to inadvertently speak his mind. Fortunately, the term ‘smitten’ was lost on his companions, a concept only he and the system understood.

“What’s that?” Safiya asked, her eyebrows arching in curiosity.

“Oh, nothing significant,” Draxel quickly covered, adding a touch of humor to his voice. “I was just saying thanks for the refreshing splash. Let’s set off for Nomar.”

Later, as night enveloped the sky, Draxel’s group arrived at the peaceful village of Nomar. The vibrant daytime ambiance, filled with the villagers’ lively chatter and the gentle hum of bees around the fruit trees, had given way to a profound silence. Even the familiar sounds of creaking wooden pumps and animal calls were conspicuously absent.

“We’ll rest at the village chief’s house for the night,” Draxel directed. “Owens, lead the way.”

“Certainly, my lord,” Owens responded, his familiarity evident in his confident stride. Though he had been conscripted from Tahlberl, one of the three villages under Uxkhal’s jurisdiction, he knew Nomar just as intimately.

“Hold on,” Safiya’s perception, honed by years of training, alerted her to the presence of someone lurking in the shadows.

In the dimness of midnight, Safiya, a natural-born archer, with swift and practiced motion, quickly drew her bow, the string humming softly in the still night. Taking aim, she released an arrow, its flight slicing through the air, directed towards the hidden figure.

[Shared Experience Gain: 500 points]

‘Damn, that high experience gain suggests we’re not dealing with some ordinary bandits. We need to be cautious,’ he deduced that they faced skilled and dangerous adversaries.

At this crucial moment, the dragon egg Lein provided secret assistance, nestled securely in Draxel’s embrace. It conjured a soft flame, gradually casting light ahead. This was the utmost extent of its power before being born.

“Thank you, Lein. Safiya and I will protect you,” Draxel whispered, nodding in appreciation while peering into the distance, guided by the gentle light.

The ambushers, now exposed by the wavering illumination, wore traditional Khergit Khanate nomadic robes and carried curved swords akin to those of Nayan Tu Lu.

“Owens, defensive formation. They’re regular troops of the Khergit Khanate. We must be careful,” Draxel commanded.

“Understood, my lord,” Owens replied, quickly organizing their response.

The ambushers, roughly twenty in number, were dressed for battle and, judging by their gear and the experience they offered, were at least third-tier soldiers. 

In the village, they had given up their horses for the ambush. This was a significant disadvantage for the Khergit troops, renowned for their skill in cavalry. Without their horses, they had lost their greatest strength.

On the other side, as their camaraderie fell, the Khergits’ frustration boiled over. 

“Damn it, our cover’s blown. Our lord master warned us not to get discovered to avoid kingdom conflicts. Now we have no choice but to kill them and bury the bodies, lest Swadia learns of this and declares war,” grumbled the enemy leader, a formidable fourth-tier Khergit Lancer, commanding his third-tier Lancer troops.

Their mission was initially to capture Draxel and his troops alive, but now it seemed an impossible task.

As his words echoed, they were like a command to his remaining men, strike with ferocity and show no mercy.

Two more arrows flew with incredible speed and precision, swiftly finding their marks.

[Shared, gained 500 experience points.]

[Shared, gained 500 experience points.]

Two more foes fell to Safiya’s precise archery. Draxel admired her skill and swiftness in combat, while Safiya, filled with a newfound sense of battle purpose, declared, “I never had the chance to help the villagers of my hometown before, but now I won’t let anyone defile even an inch of Nomar Village’s land,”

“Alright, Safiya, I feel the same. I will protect this place too,” Draxel affirmed with equal determination.

The enemy, armed with elite spears and lances, advanced. Their longer reach was a formidable advantage over Draxel’s infantry.

“Don’t fear,” Draxel assured his men. “They may be skilled horsemen, but they’re less formidable on foot. Hold the line, and Owens, form a shield wall.”

Draxel handed the dragon egg to Owens and then faced the enemy forces alone. Owens quickly formed a defensive circle with the remaining men, safeguarding both themselves and the egg.

The darkness of the night limited Draxel’s visibility, complicating his usually effective combat techniques. Recalling his previous encounter with Noyan Tu Lu, Draxel knew he had to be cautious. The enemy’s unorthodox sword and spear techniques were challenging to predict and counter. Charging recklessly could result in serious injury.

More importantly…

Based on his knowledge of the Khergit Khanate, Draxel anticipated what would come next.

“Brothers, throw!” In the blink of an eye, dozens of flying knives and darts surged through the air in a swift onslaught.

Draxel, already prepared to retreat, quickly stepped back several meters. The knives and darts all landed just in front of him, missing him completely. He gave a smug smile to Safiya behind him, who nodded in understanding.

“Did you notice where those weapons landed, my princess?”

This was the first time he had addressed her that way, and it was endearingly sweet.

“Absolutely, I saw every one of them.”

“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!”

The bowstrings snapped like thunder, arrows raining down like meteors. Safiya’s arrows effortlessly pierced through the enemy’s nomadic robes, straight into their hearts. The enemies, eyes reddened, clutched at their chests in a futile struggle.

Before long, several lay in pools of blood.

[You have leveled up, current character status: Draxel]

[Level 32, Strength 23, Agility 22, Wisdom 23, Charisma 23.]

[Evaluation: An intelligent approach to combat. You’ve finally mastered the art of avoiding direct confrontation, +1 Wisdom.]

Surprised by the anticipated volley, the enemy was thrown into disarray. Draxel saw a rare opportunity and seized it. He whistled, and his sturdy, seasoned travel horse sprinted over. He mounted and plunged into the crowd, slashing indiscriminately.

[System prompt: Just when I praised you for avoiding direct confrontation, you dive right in.]

“Let me show you how it’s done! This, damn it,  is called Mount & Blade.”