Tribesman's New Life

Chapter 41: Central Alliance Army

Aries and the rest of the group gathered outside the village. They were a small force of twenty-one Forest Guardians and one kid. However, the group appeared ready for the impending battle. Each tribesman retrieved massive shields and long spears from their carriages. They adorned themselves with helmets that covered their heads, leaving only their eyes exposed. Their armguards and boots were all crafted from black stone. The shield design resembled a tower shield with rounded edges, allowing them to crouch and conceal their entire bodies behind it.

"Seeing it up close, it's truly unbelievable," Aries muttered. He had taken inspiration from a movie he had seen, one that depicted a few individuals defending against a vast army. Now, that concept was becoming a reality before his eyes.

With limited time, Aries needed accurate information about the direction the central alliance army would approach from. He let out a whistle, and a massive eagle—larger than usual, about twice the normal size—appeared seemingly out of thin air. This was Aries' pet, which had grown considerably. The giant eagle landed, its descent accompanied by a gust of wind that pushed everything aside. "You're getting bigger by the day," Aries remarked. The eagle had taken to hunting for itself, and it had been a while since Aries had seen it. The giant eagle glanced in a specific direction, likely the direction of the incoming army.

Recognizing that facing an army ten times their size with just twenty-one people, even with Aries' tools, was unrealistic, Aries decided to lay traps to thin their numbers. These traps mainly consisted of paralyzing and poison powder bombs, triggered by stepping on them. He also strategically placed numerous fire and thunder stone traps. Unlike wild beasts, these tribesmen wouldn't recklessly charge. Instead, they would approach cautiously, either biding their time for an opportune moment or advancing cautiously. Given the circumstances, the first option was more likely, given that the sun had just set. Waiting a few hours would afford the attackers the advantage of stealthily infiltrating the village under the cover of darkness.

Aries' assumption proved accurate. Activating his symbols discreetly to scan the area, he detected numerous tribesmen concealed behind trees, slowly inching toward the village. The terrain had few trees, making it challenging to hide, but the cloak of night offered them significant cover, rendering them nearly invisible to the watchtowers. Aries estimated that there were fewer than two hundred assailants. Around thirty among them were grouped together, with their energy almost depleted. These likely were the slaves who had been taken from the Scarlet Grove tribe. "To bring slaves instead of returning to the central alliance—their arrogance in attempting to conquer this village is astounding. Shattering that confidence will be quite satisfying," Aries chuckled, pleased by the advantage he held, yet burdened by the strain on his eyes after using his symbols.

"My traps will only claim a few lives if they proceed like that," Aries stated bluntly. He held no qualms about taking lives, given his vision of this tribe slaughtering others. Their merciless actions had solidified his resolve.

Aries prepared a fire powder made from fire herbs, sourced deep within the forest. Sensitive to heat, when ground, these herbs intensified flames much like gunpowder. Though it didn't explode, the powder created an intense blaze. Attached to a rope, it could be ignited and would trigger the fire herb powder after a short delay. Loading one into his sling, Aries ignited it and shot it high into the sky, directly over the enemies. A few seconds later, a burst of flames illuminated the area below, revealing the opposing tribe.

Chaos erupted among the central alliance forces as they realized they had been exposed. Simultaneously, Aries and his group became visible. The enemy charged forward, rushing like wild animals, brandishing their weapons as they ran. What was once a scattered force now congealed into a denser formation, their common tactic to overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers.

Abruptly, a series of small explosions resounded. Paralyzing and poison bombs caught the enemy off-guard, causing some to collapse. However, their activated symbols allowed only a few to evade these traps. Aware of this, Aries had predicted it. The symbols granted pain tolerance and heightened energy, but their eventual expiration meant those affected would likely succumb to the traps' effects. Nevertheless, the army pressed on, confident that their opponents' minor tactics had failed.

Soon, more explosive sounds echoed, accompanied by cries across the plains. Limbs and blood rained down from the sky. The effects of fire and thunder stones were devastating against humans, unlike the armored beasts of the beast wave. Though, Aries averted his gaze, unaccustomed to the gruesome scene. Overcome by disgust, he retched, expelling the contents of his stomach. Expectations aside, witnessing the horrors in person was nauseating.

"First time?" the hunt leader inquired. "You'll grow accustomed to it eventually," he added, attempting to reassure Aries.

As the central alliance army advanced, their numbers had been nearly halved due to the activation of most of the traps. Their progress slowed significantly, reaching a point where they seemed almost poised to halt their advance. Although the Sky Feather Village had around eight hundred residents, the majority were not combatants. However, this didn't render them powerless; the village possessed a unique strength in the form of their eagle companions.

Hundreds of eagles soared above, clutching sizable stones in their talons and releasing them onto the central alliance army below. The impact caused limited damage, yet it symbolized the village's unwavering determination to protect their homeland.

Aries understood the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences of allowing these aggressors to escape. The central alliance boasted a formidable army, and if they chose to unleash their full might, it wouldn't be long before the other tribes fell. Thus, Aries issued orders to the Forest Guardians to gradually advance, closing in on the central alliance army.