Chapter 121 - Bloodblade Bandit Group (1) (Patreon)

Outskirts Painted Mountains, Several Days Later

The outskirts of the Painted Mountains were exactly like Valkorion remembered them, aside from the fact that there were more Goblinoids here and there, but that was primarily because of the overpopulation of the Goblinoids and their pending flood.

The Trifarian Mercenary Company had a good number of Beyonders in their ranks, so they were more than ready against the clash with the bandits and brigands backed by the Arvinos Clan.

The help of the Valyrian Legion under the command of General Belaerys was helping them by cutting the escape routes and rooting out the various minor bandit encampments in the Painted Mountains that could come and help the ones backed by the Arvinos Clan.

In the end, the gold was a heavy motivator for them.

Painted Mountains was one of the major gathering spots for the bandits and brigands across the entirety of Essos. Valkorion commanded his men to surround the encampment of the Bloodblade Bandits, which was the name of the Bandits that were supported by the Arvinos Clan.

In the long term, it was clear that the Arvinos Clan would be destroyed by the Belaerys Family because of their association with the Sons of the Harpy. Even though the Dragonlord Families and Council tolerated a lot with the Mercantile Clans, the association with anything related to Old Ghis was severe treason.

According to the available information, the Bloodblade Bandits should have several Beyonders among their ranks, but the precise number was unknown, as were their concrete Pathways.

But Valkorion knew that they wouldn't be a real match for the trained and elite troops of the Trifarian Mercenary Company and their Beyonders, who were much more versed in battle and the art of killing compared to the bandits.

Most bandits were only used to making ambushes and fighting against someone weaker than them. In the direct confrontation against elite troops, they would most likely scatter and be defeated.

Darius led the troops of the Trifarian Mercenary Company in their full might at the encampment of the Bloodblade Bandits, as it was his responsibility to have the primary command of the troops.

Valkorion admitted that he wasn't really a good commander, and commanding the troops on the battlefield wasn't his forte. He was a fighter and a killer, not some strategic genius, but that was alright.

He understood that he needed to know what his strong and weak sides were and utilize them properly. He wasn't like the pompous nobles of the Westerosi Kingdoms who sucked at everything that required actual brain cells, and yet they would forcefully do what they wanted...

Or the Princes of Yi Ti that spent the entire time in the palace being spoiled by servants, and then out of nowhere they would take command of amires against the Jhogos Nhai... which usually ended in brutal slaughter of Yi Ti, one had to add.

Valkorion understood that his role was to find, fight, and kill enemy Beyonders and commanders to deprive them of their powerhouses and then wreak havoc across the battlefield.

Everyone had their own roles.

Be it here or there.

"You'r smelling that lads? That's the smell of impending battle and death! One of the most beautiful things in the world."

The small Yordle that rode his lizard shouted excitedly, as nobody really paid attention to him, because the mad Yordle had been rambling about his excitement for the battle for the past hour or two.

Valkorion also tried not to listen to the ramblings of the mad Yordle, as he rode on his horde with Glaurung sleeping on his shoulders. The Greater Magma Drake was still pretty young as it was only recently hatched from the egg, but it was already getting bigger.

Soon enough, it would be entering the growth phase of his life, where he would be growing at an exponential pace. Glaurung would enter Sequence 7 in a few weeks and become a true Extraordinary Creature.

Though even right now, if he isn't technically speaking an Extraordinary Creature, he could kill some trained non-beyonder Knights and Soldiers with ease if they underestimulated him. 

His small body packed a lot of power, his claws were sharper than a sword, and his teeth were like the edges of a spear, ready to pierce and tear through flesh. Greater Magma Drakes were at the pinnacle of the Drake species and were extremely dangerous.

There were many records that they could easily tear apart Wyverns, and some of the strongest among their race were even able to fight and defeat True Dragons in a single fight, and it wasn't that rare for the strongest of the Greater Magma Drakes.

Nevertheless, they continued to their target, until they finally saw the edges of the fortifications of the Bloodblade Bandits in the Painted Mountains. Calling it "fortification" would be a bit of a stretch, because it was so poorly done that even farmers would be able to fortify their barns better.

At the same time, nobody had really high expectations from the bandits, and this place was a lady very well hidden.

The chances of the enemies sniffing them out in this area were already pretty low, and much to the surprise of the officers in the Trifarian Mercenary Company, the Bloodbath Bandits knew how to hide their tracks.

"Halt the march!"

Darius shouted as the march of the entire Trifarian Mercenary Company stopped, and the commanding officers, including Valkorion, gathered at the front as they went to discuss the strategy about the attack.

The shabby defenses and fortifications of the Bloodblade Bandits were actually something that was greatly playing into their cards. The Trifarian Mercenary Company didn't have siege machines, gear, or powerful Beyonders to break through a proper defensive structure.

If the bandits were more careful and precise, building powerful fortifications around their lair, it would spell a lot of problems for them right now.

But those few gates, pallisades, and interconnected wooden bridges were...

Laughable.

"We should devise a strategy on how to break the resistance with the lowest losses, preferably none."

Valkorion opened the "meeting" as none of them dared to laugh at the seemingly nonsensical requirement, because they knew that the Trifarian Mercenary Company was small and any loss of life would be devastating for their current numbers.

"Two-frontal move as the opening phase. We would lure some of their numbers outside from their fort and shoot them down. Simultaneously, during that time, some of our Beyonders would sneak into the fort and assassinate the leadership and Beyonders."

The suggestion of Rhaenar Aertheos was sound and logical, with this approach, they would be able to lower the number of bandits and brigands to a manageable degree while also creating a lot of chaos within their ranks.

And if the assassinations succeeded, then it would be only a further added bonus for them, because that way, the Beyonders of the Trifarian Mercenary Company would be able to attract the non-Beyonder badnits.

If the several Beyonders of the Trifarian Mercenary Company had free hands at attacking the non-Beyonders, then the battle would already be won before it even started. The power disparity between Beyonder and non-Beyonder was huge.

Like really, really huge.