Tribesman's New Life

Chapter 42: Central Alliance Pt.2

As the hunt leader and the twenty-one Forest Guardians advanced, Aries positioned himself to the side, cautious of the impending clash. The formation of two layers, each comprising ten fighters, was a stark contrast to the opposing central alliance tribesmen, who believed they could inflict more casualties before retreating.

"Let's avenge our fallen tribesmen before we return! Make them pay!" The central alliance hunt leader bellowed, inciting his forces to charge. With the cessation of the explosive traps, they deemed the path safe for assault.

The distance between the two groups swiftly closed, until only a hair's breadth remained before the collision. Aries opted to step back, recognizing the danger he would face in the midst of battle.

"Forest Guardians! Form a shield wall!" Aries commanded. The first layer of fighters merged closely, forming an impervious barrier with their shields. The second layer then raised their shields above the first, creating an effective defense.

Every tribesman from both sides activated their symbols—symbols of hope versus symbols of carnage. The ensuing impact of countless spears against the shield wall reverberated across the plains in a resounding crash.

"Forest Guardians! Deploy the spike wall!" Aries ordered. The shield wall shifted, creating a gap through which long spears made of robust black stone emerged, skewering anything in their path. Helpless bodies were impaled, falling one after another.

"Once more!" Aries commanded. The long spears retracted before thrusting forward again, resulting in further casualties as they were pierced by the formidable weapons.

"Enemies approaching from the sides! Form the turtle formation!" The Forest Guardians rearranged themselves into a two-layered circle, their shields interlocking to resemble a protective turtle shell.

Numerous attempts were made by the enemy to break through the formation, yet each assault proved futile. "Their shields are unbelievably sturdy! We can't break through!" one of the central alliance tribesmen lamented—a sentiment shared by many.

"Stand back! I'll handle this!" The central alliance hunt leader stepped forward. Distinguished by his symbol extending up to his elbow—matching the Forest Guardians—he wielded a massive hammer crafted from solid hard stone.

The colossal hammer struck the shield wall, causing the point of impact to buckle and the turtle formation to develop a breach. Simultaneously, the massive hammer disintegrated into fragments. In the face of this rupture, the opposing tribesmen sought to exploit the gap, aiming to dismantle the formation from within. Regrettably for them, their efforts were met with the lethal resistance of the spears, which impaled any who dared breach the defense. The formation was rapidly restored, and a second deployment of the spike wall culled a significant portion of the remaining enemy force, leaving them with less than fifty survivors. Disheartened and dissuaded by the overwhelming failure, many of the central alliance tribesmen forfeited the attack, recognizing the futility of a headlong assault.

Aware that the enemy was on the verge of retreat, Aries grew increasingly alarmed. His intention was to eliminate all adversaries on the battlefield, but his strategy had been geared towards defense, not pursuit. "Leader, we can't let them escape!" Aries implored the hunt leader. An unexpected surge of determination propelled the hunt leader forward, obliterating anything obstructing his path. Although the charge culled a significant number of foes, it fell short of apprehending the enemy hunt leader, who escaped with only two tribesmen in tow.

With the hunt leader preoccupied, Aries found himself with the responsibility of giving chase. His extensive training had honed his speed, allowing him to outpace the younger combatants with ease.

"Leader, there's a child following us," one of the two escaping tribesmen remarked to their leader.

"Pay no mind. We must flee to ensure our—" Before the leader could complete his sentence, Aries's slingshot launched a fire stone that struck with uncanny precision, shattering the tribesman's skull and halting him in his tracks. Stunned, the leader struggled to comprehend the events unfolding.

"I'll end you!" The remaining tribesman halted in his tracks, choosing to confront the pursuing child. Swiftly, he executed a sweeping slash toward Aries, who nimbly evaded by sliding beneath his opponent's blade. Seizing the opportunity, Aries retaliated with a swift strike, cleaving the tribesman's abdomen with his white stone katana. The tribesman's body divided in two, the katana's edge pristine after the seamless strike.

"Your flight ends here!" The chief slammed his weapon into the ground, triggering a shockwave that fractured the terrain. Harnessing the force of the tremor, Aries employed the momentum to launch himself forward, rapidly closing the distance to the escaping leader. Aries drew his concealed weapon and attempted to deliver a decisive blow to the leader's face. Yet, the leader promptly intercepted the weapon's edge, displaying confidence and disdain for Aries's weaponry.

"What manner of weapon is this? It's ineffective!" The leader jeered, his expression betraying arrogance.

A sudden and mighty explosion rent the air, so potent that only the lower portion of the leader's body remained visible before it was obliterated into fragments. Aries had discharged his formidable giant shotgun, a weapon he trusted implicitly.

"Mock my creations no more," Aries taunted, addressing the remnants of the leader. However, as the gravity of the situation dawned on him once again, Aries was overcome with nausea and vomited profusely, his reaction a visceral testament to the horrors of the scene before him.

The remnants of the central alliance army began to scatter in all directions following the demise of their leader. To Aries' astonishment, not a single one managed to escape, as the Swift Needle tribe strategically employed their deadly poison needles to kill the fleeing enemies. They had no choice as paralyzing needle won't be effective against those who has activated symbols.

"It's good to see unexpected support," Aries quipped in response to the Swift Needle hunt leader's actions.

"I believe everyone recognized that the central alliance would despise what happened here, even if we hadn't intervened. So, count us in for your proposed alliance. I'm confident our chiefs will agree as well," the Swift Needle hunt leader remarked.

"It's a pity we couldn't capture any of them for interrogation," the Sky Feather chief remarked as he joined the scene.

The other hunt leaders from various tribes also arrived at the battle site, observing the corpse of a man who could stand toe to toe with a chief but had been defeated by Aries, whom they still perceived as an inexperienced child.

"Don't concern yourselves too much. I had a plan," Aries reassured them. He had already located where the enemy had left their prisoners before the battle. With two guards stationed there, Aries had a clear target in mind. And so, he set out for the location with determination.