Barbarian Quest
Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“We are not in a good position for combat. Let’s keep moving for now,” Urich rushed the mercenaries.

‘That’s not the actual problem.’

Anxiety and dissatisfaction swirled on the mercenaries' faces. Despite gaining the support of the empire with great difficulty, things were not resolving easily. Additionally, a comrade had betrayed them. The enemies pursuing them were not ordinary soldiers but experienced elite cavalry. The mercenaries' morale was understandably low.

'If things stay like this, we'll lose.'

Urich knew. If the mercenaries fought desperately, with his formidable combat skills, there might have been a chance. A warrior with extraordinary prowess like Urich could even elevate the capabilities of other warriors.

'But if we fight now, instead of fighting for their lives, they'll be more inclined to flee.'

Urich understood the nature of the mercenaries. No matter the talk of brotherhood, they were materialists, weighing life against money. If they deemed the risk greater than the reward, they wouldn't hesitate to flee.

"Urich, can you tell how many enemies there are?" Bachman, riding alongside, asked.

Urich glanced back briefly. The enemy was not yet in sight.

"More than us," Urich replied quietly, choosing not to specify the number. He had noticed a few mercenaries who looked like they were ready to flee if he mentioned the thirty pursuers.

"I get what you mean. So, much more than us," Bachman quickly grasped Urich's implication. He was always quick to notice the nuances.

‘Urich is a belligerent mercenary leader. If there was even a half chance of winning, he would have stayed and fought. Running away means even he sees slim chances of winning,' Bachman thought. He had been Urich's adjutant for a year and now, he could almost read Urich's mind. His ability to persuade and calm the mercenaries on Urich's behalf was invaluable. Without that attribute, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain his high status within the mercenary squad regardless of how close he was with Urich.

"Let's ride two per horse," Bachman suddenly suggested.

"What kind of bullshit is that? We're already being chased down, and if two ride together... Ah!" Urich started to object but then quickly realized Bachman's plan.

"Everyone, mount two per horse! There's no time!" Bachman urged the others.

"Dammit, that’s clever, Bachman!" Urich exclaimed. The other mercenaries also quickly caught on and hurriedly followed the instruction.

'Good, this should do it,' Bachman thought, splitting the horses into two groups. He slapped the unmounted horses and sent them in a different direction.

"We should get going, too.”

The mercenaries mounted in pairs. Urich chuckled, rubbing his nose. It was a brilliant solution.

'This way, they'll think we've split up. They're after Pahell, so, like it or not, they'll have to divide their forces,' Urich realized, his pupils dilating as his suppressed murderous intent surged. Pahell, who was on the same horse as Urich, flinched beside him. He was intimidated by Urich's ferocious grin that bared his teeth.

'They had about thirty. Splitting in half makes about twenty, at most. It’s manageable,' Urich chuckled. He had been away from being on the edge of life and death for over three months, and he was feeling as if his senses had dulled. A warrior must never forget that edge. Finally, he had returned to the battlefield. It was a fight and a time to exude the stench of death. The beast in human skin was famished.

* * *

After bursting through the bushes, Gidwick struck a flint to ignite the dry kindling. As the smoke began to rise, the sound of horse hooves approached swiftly.

"Aha, welcome, my lords," Gidwick greeted Harmatti's cavalry. He cautiously smiled, gauging the cavalry's reaction.

"You will be paid after we locate the prince’s party. Mount up behind. But know this, if you spout lies, your head will be the first to roll," the cavalry captain declared. They were originally armored knights, but for this pursuit, they were donned in leather armor. They had pursued the prince's party all night in the lighter armor.

"O-of course," Gidwick awkwardly mounted the horse.

'Hmph, what a vile mercenary, coming to us to betray his own,' the cavalry captain scorned internally but kept his expression neutral.

The previous night, Gidwick had secretly approached Duke Harmatti, offering the prince's location in exchange for a substantial reward. It wasn't Duke Harmatti who had lured him; Gidwick had betrayed his comrades of his own accord.

'The situation is uncertain. We don’t even know if the prince is going to come out on top, and who knows how many more battles we have to face? A man like me could die any time,' Gidwick thought. He wasn't an exceptional mercenary. In fact, he was just an average one that could be found just about anywhere. He knew his place.

'What good is big money after I’m dead? I need to survive first,' Gidwick thought, looking at the cavalry.

The cavalry numbered over thirty, consisting of only extraordinary soldiers who were practically knights in all but name. They were a cavalry force cultivated by Duke Harmatti himself, using his personal wealth.

'Even leader Urich can't handle this many,' Gidwick knew Urich's terror very well.

"Ugh," Gidwick suddenly groaned, shivers running down his spine.

'Damn, just thinking about it is terrifying. I've betrayed Urich, that scary leader...'

The mercenaries knew better how formidable of a warrior Urich was. They were the ones who had been fighting alongside him.

'But that's the problem. He’s too formidable for me to keep up. I only have one life.'

Gidwick tried to erase his guilt. He wasn't comfortable either. By having sold out his comrades for money, he betrayed the oath he took when he first joined Urich’s Brotherhood. It was undeniably wrong.

'Forget the afterlife, my priority is to live now!'

Gidwick bowed his head as if he was too ashamed to face the sun. It felt as if Lou himself was watching him. The morning sun's rays were especially hot today.

"These quick-witted rats. They've split up here. One group could be a trap. It’s as if they are telling us that they are more than capable enough to guard the prince."

The cavalry halted briefly, observing the divided horse tracks. They quickly figured out the mercenaries' strategy.

'Either way, we must capture the prince,' the cavalry captain thought, dividing the forces even after figuring out the exact plan of the mercenaries. Witnessing this, Gidwick spoke in a frightened voice.

"S-splitting up our forces for the chase is dangerous, my lord."

Gidwick struggled to speak. The captain glared at him.

"What are you implying? The mercenaries are barely more than ten."

"But, aside from the other mercenaries, the mercenary leader Urich is extraordinary. He alone is worth more than ten men!"

The split-up cavalry, now around twenty in each group, were confident in overpowering the ten mercenaries who could only be as many as ten men.

"Do we look like fools to you?" the captain snarled, and Gidwick shut his mouth.

'Damn it, I just hope the cavalry I'm with doesn't run into the mercenaries...'

Gidwick desperately hoped. Beyond his guilt, he was terrified of Urich. His heart had raced when he betrayed him, having witnessed exactly what happened to those who crossed Urich.

'Please, let me never see leader Urich again,' Gidwick prayed. Perhaps this was the sun god's punishment for breaking the oath?

"We've found them!" the cavalry leader exclaimed, spotting the mercenaries descending into a field. He pulled the reins hard, spurring his horse into a charge.

"Hah, as expected. So, they think they can beat us by splitting us up?" the leader mocked the mercenaries' strategy. The mercenaries, riding two per horse, would be easily caught by the cavalry.

Neighhh!

Pahell's group stopped their horses, ready to face the cavalry. Half of the mercenaries dismounted, while the others stayed mounted, watching the approaching forces.

"The enemy is lightly armed and they're exhausted from the chase! Don't be afraid! Hold your weapons steady! There's no escape!" Bachman shouted with his spear in his hand. Holding the reins with his other hand, he led the mounted mercenaries.

"Wah! Let's go! Kill them all!"

After confirming the number of the enemies, the mercenaries' spirits rose. Their earlier low morale was now boosted, thanks to Bachman's tactics.

'We can actually do this!'

The mercenaries swallowed hard at the sight of the twenty-odd cavalrymen. Unlike before, they were filled with the will to fight.

"Your Highness, please take a step back," one of the guard knights advised Pahell, positioning himself in front of Pahell. The guard knights kept watch from the rear, guarding Pahell.

"Will Urich be okay?" Pahell inquired. One of the knights, holding his helmet firmly, nodded.

"The mercenary leader is exceptionally strong. He can easily do the job of ten men alone." The knight’s eyes followed the cavalry's rear.

Urich was not among the visible mercenaries. He was on standby elsewhere.

"S-something’s off, sir captain! U-Urich is not there. The leader of the mercenaries!" Gidwick exclaimed. Urich was a noticeable figure even from a distance, and he was not the kind to hide in the back.

"Frightened and fled, perhaps! The enemy is fewer than us! Don't retreat! Charge!"

The cavalry leader roared valiantly, drawing his sword high. The cavalrymen echoed with battle cries, their horse hooves thundering.

"Urich is not one to flee in fear! I’m telling you that something is off here!" Gidwick bellowed, fearing for his life. He did not want to die. A sense of dread washed over him.

The cavalry was unperturbed by Gidwick's anxiety and advice. They pressed on, prideful and confident. They had spent their lives wielding swords and had never lost a battle.

"Oh, ooohhhh!" Gidwick looked back as a roar echoed from behind the cavalry. Urich, riding alone, had emerged from the bushes.

"He's here! Urich is here!" Gidwick shouted, frantically pulling on the arm of the cavalryman steering the horse. He was convulsing like an insane man.

"Bernard! Septin! Yarba! Deal with that one coming from behind! A rear-charge attack, huh? Ridiculous. He thinks he's the Sword Demon Ferzen or something!" the cavalry leader ordered, designating three of his men.

'Thinking he can attack our rear alone with his men blocking our front... that's a foolishly arrogant idea.'

Three of the cavalries turned their horses around and charged toward Urich. They drew their weapons, eyeing Urich aggressively. Meanwhile, the rest of the cavalry continued their charge toward the mercenaries.

"Gidwick! Just wait there with your neck sticking out, I'll skin you alive!" Urich bellowed with his voice resounding powerfully. Gidwick, terrified, let out a scream almost like a whimper as he wet his pants.

"Eeeek! Three is not enough! Captain! Turn all the horses around and kill Urich first!" Gidwick pleaded in a trembling voice. The cavalry leader frowned at this.

"If you spout that nonsense one more time, I'll cut off that tongue of yours,"

The cavalry captain warned Gidwick as he kept his focus ahead of him as he rode on. The mercenaries were in sight. He looked forward eagerly to the imminent carnage. He was expecting his cavalry to break through the mercenaries with ease and then capture the prince. The thought brought a smile to his lips.

'I just have to behead that naive prince, and my master will finally become the king of this kingdom!'

The captain eyed the prince, who was mounted and stationed in the rear, not attempting to flee.

'Does he believe his mercenaries will win? How naive. After all, he is just a young prince with no battle experience, not understanding the true extent of his enemy’s capability.'

Gooooh!

Suddenly, the cavalry captain felt a chill at the back of his head. The death throes of his men resounded thrice from behind.

The cavalry captain glanced back. Urich had rapidly caught up to the rear of the cavalry.

'He took down my men in no time at all.'

The heads of the three cavalries assigned to Urich were already rolling on the ground.

"He's coming! Urich is coming!"

Gidwick shivered and yelled out.