Chapter 239: Enraging Gervas!

Half an hour later, Gervas led his Storm Legion out of the dense forest and marched steadily toward the Iron Mine Mountain.

This time, Gervas had committed his entire force—except for thirty guards left to defend the castle, all other guards were deployed.

In addition to the guards, the Magic Swift Eagle Squad, the Barbarian Squad, and the Ballista Squad were also part of the expeditionary force.

The total strength of this Storm Legion reached approximately five hundred and fifty men.

More than an hour later, Gervas arrived near the Iron Mine Mountain with his troops.

Lord Paker received the news at once.

Though surprised by Gervas's swift reaction, he didn't think much of it.

After all, he had allied with the Willard Cabinet official, secured the Iron Mine Mountain in advance, and held every possible advantage.

Standing atop the Iron Mine Mountain, he gazed down and saw Gervas halting his force beside a small grove six hundred meters from the mountain.

"This bastard didn't even charge straight in!"

Paker was displeased.

He had hoped Gervas would bring his men straight to the mountain's base and immediately launch an assault.

That way, he could rain down destruction from above and avenge his earlier humiliation.

But he knew he had been arrogant last time—that's why he'd chosen to attack uphill.

This Gervas was shrewd; to lure him into attacking, he'd need a trick.

As Paker pondered this, Gervas broke away from his main force with over a dozen cavalrymen and advanced toward the Iron Mine Mountain.

Seeing this, Paker's face broke into an eager grin.

"Ha! Perfect timing! Come, let's go meet this Gervas—I want to hear how he feels now!"

The custom of opposing commanders meeting before battle had ancient origins, now lost to history.

Yet the tradition endured, and nobles generally adhered to this unwritten rule.

It was not only to display knightly etiquette.

It also allowed for one final negotiation before battle.

If reconciliation or surrender could be achieved, so much the better.

Of course, the reverse was also possible—like Paker's current intent: to humiliate and provoke his enemy before combat.

If Gervas flew into a rage and charged the mountain, that would be ideal.

"Ha! Lord Gervas, never thought we'd meet again, did you?"

The meeting point lay at the mountain's base, equidistant from both camps—no risk of sudden ambush.

"Lord Paker, what do you want? Last time I defeated you, I spared you once!"

"Now you dare stir trouble on my Storm Domain's border? Have you forgotten last time's lesson?"

"Or do you want me to give you a punishment so brutal you'll never forget it?"

The moment Gervas mentioned last time, Paker's smile twisted into something feral.

"Gervas, do you really think you won last time because of your skill? No—it was pure luck! I underestimated you!"

"But this time is different. I came prepared—and now, the Iron Mine Mountain is mine!"

"So Gervas, let me give you one piece of advice: don't covet what isn't yours. You can't hold it."

"Also, last time I planned to return you seven hundred gold coins. This time, I'll return only three hundred."

"The four hundred gold coins? Consider them compensation for your disrespect last time. How about it, Gervas? This is your final chance—will you accept?"

Lord Paker grinned savagely. Gervas clenched his teeth, fingers trembling.

"Lord Paker, you… you're dreaming! This Iron Mine Mountain belongs to me, Gervas—I will never surrender it to you!"

"Ha! Gervas, the Iron Mine Mountain is already in my hands—have the guts to take it back!"

"Of course, you can go to Iron Wolf City and report me—or even to Eagle City, if you like!"

"But I hear you've angered a Cabinet official of Eagle City. Do you think anyone there or in Iron Wolf City will dare help you?" Paker sneered.

"You… Paker, you despicable, dishonorable scum!" Gervas, as if struck at his weakest point, ground his teeth in fury.

"Enough, Gervas. Screaming like a shrew is for women. If you have real strength, come and prove it!"

"Otherwise, go back to your domain. From now on, the Iron Mine Mountain belongs to me, Lord Paker!"

"Paker, wait—I, Gervas, will never let you take my mine!"

"I, Gervas, will prove to you that last time I didn't win by luck!"

"Fine. I'll wait."

Paker's heart soared.

His scheme had worked perfectly.

Otherwise, if the enemy refused to attack uphill, he'd have to launch his own assault.

That would mean greater losses!

More importantly, he'd miss the sweet joy of revenge!

With no agreement reached before battle, both sides turned and returned to their camps.

Gervas appeared furious—upon returning to his troops, he launched into a wild, gesticulating pre-battle speech.

Immediately, shouts of "Kill! Kill! Kill!" rang out as the Storm Guards advanced toward the mountain's base.

"Finally! Remember—crush these Storm Domain bastards!"

"My lord, rest assured! Even if you didn't say it, we'd still avenge last time's humiliation!" Kieran and Bell wore identical eager grins.

Soon, Gervas's four to five hundred men reached the mountain's foot.

Yet the spearmen and most of the swordsmen did not advance—only stood in neat formation at the base.

Instead, only fifty shieldbearers and fifty strange archers moved uphill.

Paker frowned, a bad premonition rising.

Sure enough, when the archers reached sixty meters from the summit, they halted.

They raised their peculiar "longbows" and aimed at the mountaintop.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sharp whistles pierced the air as fifty arrows soared up the slope.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Screams erupted instantly on the summit.

Though fired upward, many unlucky men were struck—at least twenty casualties.

This was not the battle Paker had envisioned!

He had expected the spearmen or swordsmen to charge uphill.

Then his men, from above, would rain arrows and rocks upon them.

"Damn it! Archers, what are you waiting for? Return fire!" Paker snapped back to himself, barking orders.

At his shout, twenty archers rushed forward.

In truth, most were hunters hastily conscripted.

Due to the difficulty of training archers, even a lord like Paker could afford to keep only seven or eight for castle defense.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The twenty archers fired back—a rain of arrows fell downward.

But then came a sight that made Paker's teeth grind in fury.

The fifty shieldbearers who had accompanied the archers raised their wooden shields directly in front of them.

Amid a chorus of "thock-thock-thock," every arrow was blocked by the waist-high wooden shields.

The archers, now protected, reloaded, rose, took brief aim, and fired again.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Arrows rained down, dense and lethal—another dozen or so men fell.

Among them, three archers.

"Damn it! You useless fools!"

Paker was livid—he'd thought provoking Gervas into attacking would bring sweet vengeance.

Instead, this was the outcome.

"Ha! My lord, Lord Paker looks like he's hopping mad!"

"The bastard deserves it—he thought he could goad our lord into attacking uphill!"

"We saw what happened last time—we weren't going to fall for their trap!"

Migen and the others grinned broadly. Though far away, they could still faintly see Paker's furious, flailing rage.