The Terrifying Power of the Ballista

That's right, a tank.

When a Horned Demon, nearly two meters three tall, weighing five to six hundred pounds, and all muscle, appeared in the corridor.

It practically blocked the entire corridor space completely, essentially filling it up entirely!

"Roar!" It let out a roar at this moment.

The sound was amplified by the corridor.

It made the Swadian Footmen, who were close by and formed a dense formation like a steel hedgehog, feel a gust of bloody wind blowing towards them. They subconsciously bent down slightly, their hearts becoming tense!

Such a big guy!

Truly intimidating!

"Engage!"

But there was no fear on the faces of these Swadian Footmen. As their hearts beat in their chests, a surge of courage, born from being within the confines of the Swadian Stronghold, made their spirits soar even higher!

So much so that just as this Horned Demon, which had rushed out of the darkness and just arrived in front of these Swadian Footmen, let out its roar.

These Swadian Footmen, as if by telepathy, raised their Fan Shields and Spears, and roared back:

"For!"

"Swadia!"

Even if their voices couldn't compare to the Horned Demon's roar.

But the unified shouts of these 25 adults at this moment still formed a considerable sound wave within the corridor!

This was a response.

It was also the strong fighting spirit in the hearts of these Swadian Footmen when facing this Horned Demon!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

But on the second floor inside the Stronghold Main House, the Mercenary Sentinels who had already reloaded their crossbows in the Shooting Slots were even more full of fighting spirit at this moment.

After reloading, with the Crossbow Bolts stuck in the Shooting Slots, they raised their Light Crossbows and unleashed another volley!

Crossbow Bolts flew.

One by one, short, thick Crossbow Bolts instantly flashed over the heads of the Swadian Footmen, and when they reappeared, they directly embedded themselves in the Horned Demon's face, neck, chest, and abdomen.

Instantly turning that Horned Demon into a ridiculous hedgehog covered in Crossbow Bolt fletchings!

"Roar!"

The pain from its entire body immediately enraged this Horned Demon, letting out a shriek. Its massive body, which already occupied the entire corridor, pressed forward like a tank!

Directly facing the Pike Square formed by those Swadian Footmen!

"Kill!"

And this was exactly what the Swadian Footmen wanted to see.

They shouted in unison.

Gripping their Spears tightly.

Arranged closely together, they watched the approaching Horned Demon. Their Spears, relying on long-term training and the tacit understanding of being Swadians, collectively thrust forward, blocking that Horned Demon right in front of them!

Blocking it beyond their Spears!

"Roar!"

This Horned Demon was even more furious at this moment, because it had been pierced by 25 Spears.

There were wounds everywhere.

Blood holes everywhere.

Even a creature like the Horned Demon, with its tough, rough hide like leather and solid muscles, would still get injured when facing sharp weapons!

But facing this Pike Square, which was truly no different from a hedgehog, even if it was as strong as a tank, it was now helpless!

Moreover, the Mercenary Sentinels were rapidly reloading and shooting with their Light Crossbows.

And right at the top of the third floor.

The Ballista, which had been moved from the second-floor bedroom to the rooftop by the Lake Rats Recruits, had been set up, and was about to be fully reloaded, finally let out a 'click'.

The two thick giant Ballista strings were finally fully reloaded, and the one-meter-long shooting spear was also placed in the Shooting Slot.

2 Lake Rats Recruits reloaded.

1 Lake Rats Recruit placed the shooting spear.

A total of 3 people operated this Ballista, each skilled and efficient, the overall process smooth and without unnecessary movements.

Finally, after this Horned Demon appeared in the corridor.

It was successfully reloaded once again!

Then, just as the Lake Rats Recruit operating the Ballista picked up the wooden hammer and heavily struck the string slot.

Buzz! The bowstring and bow arms vibrated violently.

'Whoosh!'

The 1-meter long spear in the shooting slot instantly disappeared.

'Thud!'

When it reappeared, it was already embedded between the Horned Demon's lower abdomen and chest.

That immense force, which had originally caused this Horned Demon, still flailing its arms, baring its fangs and claws, and full of fierce aura, to suddenly halt its thick body, caused its entire frame to stagger back half a step.

As a result, the few Imps following behind it didn't even have time to dodge and were directly crushed under its body as it fell backward!

With the cracking sound of bones breaking, the fate of those few Imps was obvious.

It also caused all the Imps who were already blocked behind them to shriek and scatter, fleeing back into the darkness.

Only seven or eight Hellhounds, resembling small Tibetan Mastiffs, with dark red, hairless bodies, were still barking wildly behind them.

This made the entire corridor even more chaotic.

'Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!'

But what greeted the Hellhounds' wild barking were the Mercenary Sentinels who had re-strung their Light Crossbows, raised them without even looking or aiming, just pointing them in a general direction, and directly pulled the triggers!

Another volley of shots, and the Crossbow Bolts flew past.

This instantly silenced the Hellhounds that were still barking wildly, and their barks turned into mournful howls.

These Hellhounds also knew pain.

Including the Horned Demon that had fallen to the ground and was still struggling to get back up, but whose movements had slowed down because a spear had directly pierced its abdomen, it also roared in pain.

This scene made the Swadian Footmen, who were still in formation and stood as firm as a reef, even more excited.

The look in their eyes was even more eager to try!

When fear dissipated.

When courage increasingly occupied the high ground of their hearts.

Then.

Even when facing the Horned Demon that had just charged over aggressively, as if to crush them all.

They felt a desire to fight to the death!

"Roar!"

However, this Horned Demon still got back up. Blood, dark red and smelling of Sulfur, was still trickling from the wound in its abdomen where the spear had directly pierced it.

It was indeed severely wounded.

Its wide-open mouth, full of fangs, and the wildness and furious madness in its small eyes, could not be concealed at all.

With a roar of anger, it actually charged straight into the Pike Square formed by the Swadian Footmen in front of it!

Pain made it angry.

Being severely wounded made it even more angry.

And being severely wounded to an unbearable degree of pain by a group of the Human Race, many of whom it had slaughtered with the Imps it led...

Made it absolutely furious to the point of madness!

'Buzz... Thud!'

But just as it got back up and charged into the Pike Square with a howl, a muffled sound appeared again.

Just at the position of this Horned Demon's right shoulder, a brand new 1-meter long spear appeared here again, and it also pierced through its shoulder blade, with the sharp, blood-covered spearhead poking out from its back!

This spear directly disabled its right arm.

And right in front of it, the spears that were all thrusting towards it, stabbed wound after wound into its body.

With the assistance of the Ballista.

These Swadian Footmen didn't even retreat half a step, still holding their spears and enduring the impact of the Horned Demon, preventing it from getting any closer to their range!

'Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!'

Even the Mercenary Sentinels were again firing their Light Crossbows at their fastest speed in a volley at it!

In just a short ten seconds or so, this Horned Demon's body was covered in bloody wounds, looking extremely miserable!

Even considering the total time this Horned Demon had appeared.

It was only a short four or five minutes.

And it had already...

Fallen to such a state!

"A bit... funny." Even Shen Mu, who was standing by the wall of the Stronghold Main House, still gripping the hilt of his Germanic Sword and rubbing the silver ring on his index finger with his thumb, had a much more relaxed expression at this moment.

So much so that when he looked at the Horned Demon outside the crowd of Swadian Footmen, which was still stubbornly enduring and hadn't fallen,

His eyes held a hint of mockery!

If it's a creature, it must respect the killing effect of weapons.

Even demons from the fantasy side of things.

Must show respect when facing a ballista!

And Shen Mu, standing below the Stronghold Main House, could easily hear the winch above his head rapidly pulling the ballista arm and string, making a soft 'click' sound.

Shen Mu knew this was the sound of the ballista being reloaded again, ready to fire the sharp bolt from the shooting slot!

Only this time, the Lake Rats Recruit slightly adjusted the ballista's firing angle.

'Puff!'

The 1-meter-long bolt appeared right at the Horned Demon's chest, piercing deeply and exiting from its back.

This caused the Horned Demon, which was still swinging its left arm in a frenzy, to pause.

"Three Arrows to Pacify Tianshan?" As Shen Mu watched this scene from behind, this phrase suddenly came to mind for no reason.

'Thump!' Then the Horned Demon, in front of the Spear Phalanx of Swadian Footmen thrusting forward with their spears, fell heavily backward onto the ground again, hitting the hard corridor floor with a dull, loud thud.

After twitching twice, it was completely silent.

"Kill!"

And at this moment, the Swadian Footmen, still in their Pike Square formation, shouted excitedly.

Because they knew.

Victory was suddenly within reach!