Chapter 174: Dispatching Troops to Bordeleaux

Besides Snorri Thorsson himself, his Anvil Guards were also very excited; now, this elite unit could finally live up to its name.

In fact, the main content of the intensive training that Uncle Longchui conducted for Snorri to form this unit was how to organize a battle line around the Doom Anvil and how to fight while carrying the anvil.

Their primary mission changed from patrolling the Earth Vein Network and garrisoning key nodes as Ironbreakers to protecting a single individual.

These warriors had sworn an oath that no matter the situation on the battlefield, they would never abandon the anvil or the Rune Master.

Snorri wiped the Doom Anvil clean and transported it to a nearby Forging Room; he needed to hurry and transfer the runes he had mastered onto the anvil to unleash its function.

By the time they set off in the evening, Snorri had barely managed to transfer the Rune of Wrath and Ruin onto it. His technique was still far inferior to those legitimate Rune Masters who had been immersed in the craft for hundreds of years; the title he had earned through the system's forced acceleration did not provide him with the corresponding knowledge base.

Snorri gulped down a pot of coffee to perk himself up; he needed to go inspect the departing troops. Snorri sat on his Doom Anvil and greeted the clansmen cheering along the roadside.

The base of the anvil was carried by four Anvil Guards. Sitting on it, Snorri could enjoy an effect similar to the Shield-Bearer Platform—a better view of the battlefield, being seen by more subordinates, and providing a stronger motivational effect; of course, it also meant he would be identified as the commander by the enemy at a single glance.

"By Grungni!" Snorri's steel tassets were in intimate contact with the hard stone seat, and the combination with the cold touch of winter made him very uncomfortable.

"Which Goblin's brain designed the mechanism for this thing? It doesn't even have a shield or a canopy installed! Who knows how many ancestors and colleagues were shot to death by the pointed-ears during the War of the Beard!"

Snorri muttered to himself; the scene of the Lord of Helmgart being assassinated in the midst of the chaotic army was still fresh in his mind, and he did not want to be too conspicuous.

However, since he was currently in a fellow kinsmen's fortress, he would just have to make do; in the eyes of his clansmen, it seemed only natural for a Rune Master to sit on a Doom Anvil.

Snorri's troops had finished assembling, and he inspected the team that would be marching with him from back to front. Snorri saw many familiar faces; these were the caravan guards who had followed him all the way from Karaz-a-Karak.

These warriors of the Everpeak were strangers in Weifengbao, and having extra battles and extra income was always more attractive than sitting in a tavern blowing hot air all day.

Lord Luoleike was also happy to see this. On one hand, they were all professional soldiers, undoubtedly having an advantage in combat experience over conscripts. On the other hand, these people were not his own subjects, so he would feel less heartache if they were used to fight the Vampires.

Of course, Lord Luoleike could not ignore his own subjects who were eager to fight, nor could he let Snorri take only that small group of men to rescue his allies; he carefully selected a portion for Snorri from the volunteers.

Lord Luoleike naturally would not allow all able-bodied males to go out to war; Shanbao also needed a certain amount of defensive strength.

Snorri's troop roster was as follows:

Rune Master Snorri Thorsson (Doom Anvil)

80 Anvil Guards

80 Hammer Warriors, including 10 Eternal Hammer Guards

40 Ironbreakers

60 Stonemasons

60 Thunderers and 60 Quarrellers each

30 Dwarf Rangers

20 Dwarf Slayers

20 Irondrakes

1 Bolt Thrower

2 Cannons

2 Organ Guns

Plus Administrator Engineer Buluokesen and Rune Smith Sitelinge.

Lord Luoleike arranged for his son, Sitelinge, to join Snorri's team; this would be the young Rune Smith's first battle.

For an old father, such thoughts were reasonable. First, this trip was led by Snorri, the dual-chosen one, so it was best for the military representative sent by Weifengbao not to steal his thunder; therefore, Prince Sitelinge serving as an assistant was very appropriate.

At the same time, this was a victory ordained by the God of War Grimnir; letting his son participate in such a sure-win battle endorsed by the gods would, besides ensuring his safety, also enhance his reputation.

"Ha! Respected Master Snorri, the little brother of the noble god Mogelimu wandering in the mortal world!" As Snorri was observing the Stonemasons, he heard a loud and familiar voice coming from under the anvil.

Snorri did not yet know that in the mouths of busybodies, he had already been spread as the child of the God of War and the Ancestor Goddess. Among the lesser ancestor gods, only Mogelimu was the offspring of Grimnir, so adding one more seemed appropriate.

"Rogov! Respected warrior, what have you gained in the last two days?" Snorri looked down at the sturdy Slayer, whose bare upper body had added a few more bandages.

"We found a Manticore and wanted to subdue it for Fatisi, but the beast didn't know what was good for it, so we had to send it to meet the Ancestor Gods! Its cub, however, sold for a huge sum!"

The Manticore Slayer was in a good mood. Although he had missed the manifestation of the God of War's grace due to fulfilling his oath, he was still happy for the god's awakening and that he had followed the right person.

"Greetings, Prince, my peer!" Snorri greeted Sitelinge again. He was surrounded by a group of Hammer Warriors wearing the gray-white uniforms of Weifengbao, followed by a group of clansmen wearing heavy armor but dual-wielding short weapons.

Stonemasons were a unique troop type of Weifengbao. They stepped onto the battlefield carrying their own tools—hammers, steel rods, chisels, and so on. These highly skilled craftsmen could accurately insert the tools in their hands into the vital parts of the enemy, and their killing efficiency was by no means inferior to their stone carving.

After greeting his clansmen, Snorri turned his gaze to the cause of this trip—the Knights from the Bo'erdeluo Gongguo. Snorri saw a young Human noble in luxurious clothing whispering to Fatisi Qishi.

"Master, turn left, er, no, lean to the left!" Snorri stood up and immediately sat back down; he almost stepped into thin air and fell off the anvil. He needed time to adapt to this kind of platform.

To have the Rune Master and the guards carrying the palanquin act with the tacit understanding of the arm moving the fingers, it required enough time to cultivate. For now, Snorri could only command with words; it felt like the experience of taking a taxi in his past life.

"Good evening, respected Prince Snorri, I am Constantine Farien, Regent of the Bo'erdeluo Gongguo! Thank you for your righteous assistance. I believe that under the grace of the Noble God of War, those despicable blood-kin will be as fragile as a small boat in a raging storm!"