Myriad's Conquest 9 Fierce Stampede

The sound of beastly growls, roar, and screams could be heard by Adrian's troupe even when they were still far from Yarra.

Not long, they caught the sight of a large group of people ma.s.sing near the lake's beach just a few kilometers west of Yarra's bridge.

Rogar could recognize familiar faces among the people on that group, he quickens his running paces and start shouting, "RINA!!!"

Rogar's shout alerted and startled the group, they did not expect any other people coming from the west. Thus, many people in the group raise their vigilances, and they were on guard.

Suddenly, a young woman with short brown hair emerged from behind the group and running towards Rogar while shouting aswell, "FATHER!!!"

Both Rogar and the young woman approaching closer and closer to each other, until finally, they were hugging each other's body.

Most of the people on the group initially confused but after seeing Rogar's face closely, they recognize who he is and they started to relax.

Adrian along with his men caught up to Rogar and saw him hugging a young woman. Adrian realizes that the young woman is most likely Rogar's daughter, and this group of people in front of him now is basically Yarra's villagers.

'So many of them. At least more than 100 people here...' thought Adrian after witnessing large number of Yarra's villagers around him.

Mostly women and children along with several elderlies. But there are several wounded able-bodied man aswell, they were being taken care of by other villagers.

Rogar released his daughter from his embrace and begin to ask her, "Rina! What's going on, actually?"

The daughter named Rina, answering with a teary face and trembling voice, "I... I... Don't know, father... I... The beasts came from the forest... And... They we... I..."

It's obvious Rina the daughter were still afraid and shocked. Hence, she couldn't speak properly. But Rogar already understood the situation from his daughter's short answer. That is why, he stopped her from speaking further and he comfort her instead, "It's fine... you're safe now."

Hearing her father's words, Rina immediately dived to his chest and crying loudly.

"Rogar? Is that you?" a beautiful voice came from the mouth of another young woman who appeared from behind the group aswell.

But this young woman are much more mature than Rina. When Adrian who standing just behind Rogar saw her closely, he is impressed.

This woman, who had just appeared, is a peerless beauty. Long and slightly curly golden hair, high nose, thick and sharp eyebrows, clear blue eyes, full enchanting lips, exquisite light tone and soft looking skins, extremely voluptuous and hourgla.s.s body and really tall height. Even though she was garbed in unimpressive countryside dress, it still couldn't hide her ethereal appearances.

She is somehow really out of place of being here, in this rural and isolated land. Adrian thinks she is comparable to the world's will personification he has met before.

Rogar stare at the woman and spoke with a hint of relief, "Ah! Millea! Good... Good... You're safe too..."

"Yeah. I'm lucky, I guess... And how can you be here?" said the ethereal beautiful woman named Millea solemnly.

"The fire is just too big, we can even saw it from the village. That's why, our lord here wanted to take a look. And I'm just tagging along to see Rina." Said Rogar while pointing at Adrian's group behind him.

Millea set her vision towards the people behind Rogar, and she finally realized that Rogar didn't come here by himself.

She is familiar with some of them, especially the dark furred wolfman as Millea have seen them when she visited Merlin Bay Village in the past. However, she didn't recognize the other two young men.

Moreover, when she saw Adrian's face clearly, she was froze for awhile before throwing an intense stare at Adrian and checking him from head to toe.

Both her and Adrian is looking and "examining" each other. No one knows what they are thinking about.

"AHH!!!"

They were interrupted by Rina who suddenly shrieked.

Rogar were startled and he immediately asked, "What's wrong?!"

Rina replied in panic, "Gelian! Gelian is still fighting at the bridge with other men. Please! Father! Please, bring him back."

"I... I... Well, I..." Rogar couldn't say a word properly. It's not like he is a coward, but he isn't a fighter. His son-in-law is fighting dangerous beasts currently, and Rogar didn't think he himself could help him.

But seeing his daughter's pleading and desperate look, he couldn't help but to try. Besides, Rogar also liked his son-in-law, and he is rather close with him. Thus, he decides to go into the bridge.

Suddenly, before Rogar could stand up, a hand grasped his shoulder, stopping him.

"Don't worry, we'll do it. You just stay here and help these people."

It was Adrian who stopped Rogar and spoke those a.s.suring words. Rogar looked at Adrian, his gazes is full of grat.i.tude. This young lord of his already done so much for him.

Adrian returns his sight on Millea and he asked her, "Where's the men exactly?"

Millea were dumbfounded for a moment before she recovered and replied, "They're on the bridge, just further east of here... Our village's strongest warrior, a lion man is leading them. Gelian were there too." she stopped but spoke again a while later, but this time she sound rather hesitate and worried, "Please, help all of them back aswell... Those men originally fought in the rear, so most of us could escape... Thus..."

Adrian nodded and speaks, "Alright... Leave it to us." He turned his head around and ordered his men, "Let's go..."

Zilong and the members of the 1st squad nodded. And Adrian and his men started rus.h.i.+ng to Yarra's bridge.

Millea keep her eyes on Adrian's back as he leaves until he was enveloped by the darkness of the night. Then, she is looking at Rogar again and curiously asked, "Who's that man, old Rog? I've never seen him before..."

"Yes, father. Who is that really? A new villager?" even Rina couldn't help but asked about the ident.i.ty of two unknown man just before.

Rogar didn't have a clue on how to explain Adrian and Zilong's presences, in the end, he can only smiled wryly and replied shortly, "It's a long story."

***

10 minutes later, Adrian together with Zilong and members of the 1st squad saw the bridge on the horizon. It is 25 meters long wooden bridge which was already wrecked apart. Looks like it was done by Yarra's villagers to stop the beast from pursuing them.

The bridge is stretching from the river's north banks to the south banks. Yarra's men could be seen fighting a group of beasts near the south banks while there another albeit more larger beast's hordes staring at them at the north banks.

"Milord... I'm not sure but... I think those beasts are targeting the people. And they are too well coordinated for mere beasts..." Zilong spoke his suspicion.

Adrian glanced at him and nodded. He also thinks about it too. There are many types of beasts besieging the villagers now. Normally, its not possible for them to be so well coordinated and flocking in ma.s.s together like that as most of them were carnivores or at least aggressive type.

Those beasts would immediately fight if they were met with one another or one is intruding the other beast's territory.

Although beasts are more dangerous and ferocious due to their unique traits and their size, their intelligence is not much different from normal animals. They lacked intellectual capability to pull off a stampede with orderly and well coordinated fas.h.i.+on.

And they were currently targeting and pursuing Yarra's villagers, specifically.

For Adrian and Zilong this whole situation is really suspicious. Even the militia's members could also feel that something is off about the beast's manners.

Roar!!!

A loud roar was let out by a big lion man which head were almost entirely covered by glorious golden hair as he charged at the beasts while holding a huge crude double-handed axe. He is wearing some sort of sleeveless brown leather armor that revealed his powerful muscled arms. He cut dozens of hideous looking two-headed dog creatures with only several swings of his axe.

This lion man is accompanied by a lean, slender and tall man with dark long hair, pale skins and extremely good-looking feminine face. This slender man also had pointed ears that makes him definitely not a human. This is the first time for Adrian seeing an elf. There are many types of elves in this world, but Adrian didn't know which race that particular elf male is.

The elf male clad his body with leather armor aswell while he is firing arrows at the beasts with a wooden bow to support the lion man. Adrian witnessed this elf is very proficient with bows because his arrows always. .h.i.t the target, accurately.

Both of them is leading 20 to 30 poorly equipped people behind them as they try to breakouts from the beast's envelopment. But their situation is not good at all. The beasts tighten their encirclement using their sheer numbers.

Those beasts keep replacing their fallen brethren which making Yarra's villagers unable to breakthrough.

Since the situation is dire, Adrian hastily looked at his men and spoke, "Let's help them... But remember, we're not here to kill all those beast. We are here to get those villagers back to their families. Do you all understand?"

"YES LORD!!!" all of the militia including Zilong simultaneously replied.

"Good. Let's get it done as quick as possible. We only need to secure a small path amidst the beast's west flank, so those people could get through... Ready your weapon! Pay attention to your surrounding, fought together side by side and don't wander around by yourself." said Adrian while he unsheathed Gloria's Defender.

The men nodded and readying their respective weapons.

After that, Adrian dashed forward while being followed by his men as they aim for the west flank of the beast's encirclement.

The 1st squad immediately formed a close tight formation that they have already practiced for many times these past few days. The formation is headed by Adrian and Zilong in front position while both side of their flank were protected by Schmidt and other militias, vertically. Too bad the militia didn't possess s.h.i.+elds, if they have, the formation would become even more better.

[System Notification: New Quest is available.]

[Quest: Rescue and help the residents of Yarra Village into safety: (0/1).]

New quest notification rang. It has been almost a week since Adrian hasn't gotten any new quest. It looks like he needs to go outside the village more to find encounters that could generate quests.

'Finally, it's about d.a.m.n time. I'm almost running out of System Dollars.' even at this time he only think about his almost depleted System Dollars.

***

"Gloria's Wing!!!" Adrian shouted as he deployed the Gold grade combat technique that he got from equipping Gloria's Defender.

His sword is emitting a dazzling holy light which spread throughout Adrian's hand that holds the sword. The light then formed a very brilliant image of a pair of wings that looked like those of angels on both side of the hilt.

The light became even more intense by the moment Adrian make a thrusting strike move towards the beasts who still hasn't realizes that they were about to be attacked from behind.

Adrian's 0.7 Agility played a very great role in raising his speed as he delivered the attack before the beasts could sense that he is behind them.

Duar!!!

Guagh!!!

Explosion and impact sound were booming.

Tens of beasts that stood vertically aligned with the technique's line of attack were immediately struck down and instantly killed as their body were partially burned and cut.

Adrian was surprised, because he didn't expect that this technique might is truly frightening. He only attacks a single nearby beast from behind using a simple thrusting move, but the technique's magical property were released and devastated a few meters of area along with everything near it.

This technique is simply overpowered, and it's grade were basically only Gold grade. Adrian couldn't imagine the effect that could be created by an Emperor grade or a Saint grade combat technique.

But then Adrian cursed under his breath, "s.h.i.+t!"

Adrian felt little bit dizzy and feels cramped on many parts of his body. It seems activating Gloria's Wing has reduced much of his stamina and mental power. This technique definitely couldn't be used consequently and extensively.

Plop!

He knelt using one leg while holding the sword which had been stabbed on the ground with both hands. His start sweating alot. On top of that, his body is experiencing extreme tiredness.

Zilong and the 1st squad members saw what happened, and they quickly surround Adrian while protecting him by fiercely attacking the enemy.

'Fu*k!!! This technique is using too much energy! Huh... Huh... I can't even feel my leg.' Adrian complained inside his mind.

[You have killed a Two-headed Abyss Dog. You are awarded 30 profession exp.]

[You have killed a Two-headed Abyss Dog. You are awarded 30 profession exp.]

[You have killed a Two-headed Abyss Dog. You are awarded 30 profession exp.]

[You have killed a Green Demon Mantis. You are awarded 20 profession exp.]

[...]

[...]

[...]

Kill notification rang for several times, but Adrian didn't care about them at the moment.

The beasts begin to realize the situation so most of them on the east flank quickly turned their body and start attacking Adrian and his men. As a result, the beast's line on the east flank is really fragile.

The lion man which still on the center of the encirclement together with his group also sees that, but he didn't know what is causing the beast's attention to be diverted. He tries to look further to the west, beyond the sight of hundreds of beasts ma.s.sing around.

He witnessed several men is fighting against the beasts in very discipline manners. They all wear the same exact armors and they looked strong too, especially the young human man who wields a spear.

Adrian who already standing up again and recovered some of his energy is looking at the lion man that stares at his group. He immediately waved his hand up in the air and shouted, "OVER HERE!!!"

Although the lion man didn't know who those people are, he realized that they were here to help. Thus, after seeing another young man waved and shouted as he beckoned him, he did not hesitate.

The lion man spoke to his fellow villagers behind him while pointing in Adrian's direction, "HEY!!! Do all of you see that?"

The lion man's voice is rather hard and coa.r.s.e with low sound of a roar mixed in, it's a very charismatic and powerful voice. So it is easy for him to get his fellow villager's attention as they were immediately looking at him before proceeding to set their sight to where the lion man is pointing at.

They saw the same scenery as the lion man saw earlier. And just like him, they didn't know who those people are, but they also understood these people arrival means, help is coming.

Seeing that his fellow villagers understood about the current situation, the lion man nodded and energetically shouted, "That's right! Those people are here to help us... This is our chance! We're gonna try to breaking through towards them... LET'S MOVE!!!"

"OUHHH!!!"

The villager's morale is raised to the max after they heard the lion man's word. Initially, as long their family could escape they didn't mind sacrificing themselves. But they were successfully stopping half of the beast's numbers from pursuing them by destroying the bridge and protecting their family until they were able to escape without losing too many people so there is no need to fight further.

Hence, they decided to retreat and then reunite with other villagers who had make their escape to the west.

However, before they could do that, they were already surrounded by the rest of the beasts that already crossed the river. And their morale was plummeted after trying to breakthroughs the beast's ranks for so many times but failed miserably.

Which is why, now, they were eager to breakouts the encirclement through the fragile west flank because their fighting spirit has surge up once again.

As Adrian sees that Yarra's men begin to a.s.sault the beasts and heading towards his location, he immediately gave an order to Zilong, "Zhao! You take the lead in the front... I really couldn't fight now... Just lead us to them."

"At once, milord!" Zilong quickly complied.

Then, he led Adrian and the 1st squad charging at the beasts and proceeding slowly towards the direction of Yarra's men.