Dragon Slayer Bard

At dawn, after last night's revelry, Thorin Oakenshield, king of the Dwarves, set off with the expedition amid the cheers of Lake-town's people. Kili was left behind due to his injuries, while Fili and another stayed to care for him. As for Bofur... the poor fellow had missed the boat because he was drunk... The Dwarves' expedition to Erebor was about to reach its final stop.

"Lake-town is ahead, my lord. What should we do?" Reno could not make up his mind.

"Play it by ear!" Roland was not confident either.

"If they resist... then wipe out the resisting forces!" After some thought, Roland spoke with difficulty.

"...As you wish, Your Majesty..." Reno froze for a moment before speaking with relief. At that moment, they finally fully acknowledged Roland as their king, their Majesty, because Roland had finally become decisive and ruthless. He had earned his subjects' support.

The morning mist saw off the Dwarves and welcomed Roland. Under its cover, everyone quietly rowed their boats to the outskirts of the town.

"Move!" A cold gleam flashed through Caslo's eyes.

The gangplanks fell, and the nimble Bannaria Archers leaped ashore. Abandoning their longbows, they drew their Longswords and braced them against their arm shields, swiftly seizing the nearby wooden buildings. The residents still had no idea what was happening; some remained dazed even with blades pressed to their throats.

"Y-you... w-who... are you people?" an old man asked tremblingly.

"Us? We are Warriors from hell!" Reno answered with a smile as he led his warhorse ashore.

"We will fight for the King!" Reno murmured to himself.

"Quickly! Disembark at once!" Reno directed everyone off the boats.

They finally disembarked before the town guards could react. Roland waved his hand and stored away the boats. They would still be useful later, after all. Using them as firewood for Smaug would be a waste.

"Find someone to lead the way. We're going to the town hall!" Roland was clear-headed. Familiar with the story, he knew that the mayor and his lackey Alfrid were hardly good people. If he wanted Lake-town, he had to deal with those troublesome people.

"Ha!" Several Swift River Infantry formed a shield formation and surrounded the guards who had rushed over after hearing the news. Behind them, several more Swift River Infantry rested Anti-cavalry Pikes upon the shields of those in front, their spearheads aimed at the helpless guards.

Did they feel "moved"? They did not dare move at all. The guards held their spears without knowing where to put them, waving them around in panic, only to be continually forced back by the Anti-cavalry Pikes.

Clang! Roland drew the Dragon-slaying Sword. Golden light flowed along the blade as he lightly flicked its body, producing a crisp ring.

"Now then, gentlemen? Where is your mayor?" Roland revealed a devilish smile.

Boom! The Shield Wall crashed heavily onto the square before the mayor's hall, and the wooden planks beneath groaned and snapped under the strain.

The guards who had come after hearing the news crowded in front of the mayor's door. Untested in battle formations, they pointed their weapons at Roland's group in panic. Their trembling hands and shaking legs gave away their fear.

After all, no one could remain calm with two hundred bows aimed at them. The Knights might not have been the best shots, but they could at least draw powerful bows. If they could not hit people even when aiming at them, Roland might as well go back and snap all their bows.

"So, do you want war or peace?" Roland raised his sword and asked casually.

"What do you want?" The mayor emerged trembling with Alfrid, planted his hands on his hips, and shouted sternly.

"Do you not have any idea what your rule has been like?" Roland asked curiously. He truly had no words for someone this shameless.

"I am Lake-town's lawful ruler. I am the mayor here. Outsiders like you have no right to interfere!" the mayor forced himself to say.

"Huh? Did these few Warriors and Novice Warriors in front of you give you such confidence?" Roland glanced at those tightly guarding the mayor.

"Then are you willing to be buried with him?" Roland stepped past the human wall and tapped his sword against the panicked guards. They were merely ordinary people wearing armor; making things difficult for them would be beneath a noble.

"I'll give you a chance. Put down your weapons now, and you can go home safely. Otherwise..." Roland smiled. Behind him, the Knight Order and Archers erupted with dazzling Battle Qi. Roland's and Caslo's Battle Qi Flames rose three feet high, while Reno's was even more terrifying, soaring beyond four feet...

Clang, clatter—weapons hit the ground everywhere.

"Knight... commander..." Someone's limbs had gone cold with fear.

Boom! The crowd instantly scattered like frightened birds and beasts. Everyone wished their parents had given them two more legs, and all of them ran for their lives.

"Good. Now that there are no troublesome civilians in the way, my esteemed Mayor, I heard that under your rule, the people have suffered grievous exploitation. I heard they want to make some changes. Do you still intend to suppress them?" Roland asked with feigned surprise.

"N-no..." The mayor was at a complete loss.

"Well, well! Isn't this Alfrid? What happened to you? Stop shaking your legs." Roland's eyes were full of amusement.

"Forget it. Kill them all. This is boring..." Seeing the mayor's group trembling all over, Roland waved dismissively. They had no backbone at all. He had thought they would at least put up some resistance.

Boom! Holy Sword Judgment, the signature skill of a Holy knight, descended from the sky. After instantly turning them into several piles of charred remains, it smashed through the planks, and the remnants of their corpses fell into the water and vanished...

"Good heavens, you even scattered their ashes?" Roland stared at Reno in astonishment. That move had been quite a display.

"You are Bard?" Roland looked at the hard-featured man before him.

"Yes. May I ask why you have come from so far away, my lord?" Bard said warily, eyeing Reno behind him.

"My name is Roland," Roland introduced himself.

"Bard the master archer! Descendant of Girion, the last king of River Valley City? I'm curious—how did you end up as a fisherman and hunter?" Roland joked with a smile as he looked at the two little girls, Tilda and Sigrid, cowering behind a pillar.

"The glory of my ancestors is nothing but passing smoke. We are living happily now." Bard turned to look at his family behind him.

"I just killed the mayor here and all his lackeys. Do you have any suggestions?" Roland tested him.

"What about those ordinary guards?" Bard was clearly more concerned about the common people.

"As expected of a noble descendant. You are a qualified lord." Roland praised him.

"No, no, no. I am merely an ordinary citizen now..." Bard waved a hand to stop him.

"But you will eventually be crowned king." Roland looked at him meaningfully as he said those words.

As for why Roland said that, it was because he had just taken a look around. Honestly, the situation was far worse than he had imagined. The people looked gaunt, and the population was sparse. That was not even counting Smaug's fire in winter and the Orcs' ravages during the Battle of Five Armies... So Roland decisively chose to dump the responsibility onto Bard. It would be good for him to become king of Dale as history dictated. Bard was, after all, a true man of loyalty and sentiment. With him as a neighbor, they could watch out for one another. As for Roland himself, with the system, he could build a city and become a lord anywhere. What use was there in fixating on Lake-town? Smaug would come to raze the place tonight. Roland did not think he could stop it outside Lake-town. Even with Caslo and his wyvern, it would not be enough. Though Smaug, the demon wind of the Northern Territory, was merely a fire-breathing wyvern, its size and physical defense were no different from a true dragon's. Why would he be so foolish as to challenge it for fun? Better leave it to Bard, the Dragon Slayer. Roland would not meddle.

"Orcs!" A vigilant Bannaria Archer cried out, then sent the discovered Orc flying with an arrow.

"Alert!" Alarm bells rang throughout the town.

"Elves?" Caslo exclaimed in surprise when he saw Legolas fighting the Orcs.

"Oh! Fili! Kili!" Hearing the commotion, Roland suddenly remembered the Orcs' nighttime raid and hurried to Bard's home. But since Bard had not been thrown into jail... sigh, how miserable. Just imagining those Orc Warriors facing king Bard and Taulier... even capitalists would feel sorry for them for quite a while.

"Uh, you're all right? Hey, Dwarf friends, I'm so happy to see you again!" Roland greeted everyone with a smile.

"Oh, right, Bard, you need to pack up. You can't stay here..." Roland, having just finished looting, finally remembered that Smaug would come tonight to raze the place with fire.

"The Dwarves have entered Erebor! The consequences... you understand!" Roland pulled Bard out of the house, pondered for a moment, and spoke.

"I need you to lead the people out of Lake-town and toward Dale beneath Erebor... Otherwise, Smaug will turn them into candles! You know the evil dragon is about to awaken!" Roland said seriously.

"And you?" Bard narrowed his eyes at Roland.

"I'll settle my troops. My Archers will remain behind to hold Smaug back!" Roland paused.

"Remember to return... I believe your ancestor struck Smaug! Your grudge still needs you to settle it!" As he walked away, Roland suddenly turned back with a smile and said this to Bard.

"Reno, lead the Knight Order and the infantry out! The Archers will stay behind for sniping. Caslo, you're coming with me!" Roland gathered his subordinates and made his arrangements.

"My lord, let me stay!" Reno said anxiously.

"Don't worry. I'm at ease with you leading the troops. Besides, Caslo and I have Mithril Armor. The mithril and the magical inscriptions on it will help us withstand Dragon Breath. The Bannaria Archers are clever as foxes too. Smaug cannot hurt us. Don't worry!" Roland patted Reno.

"The war has begun..." Roland sighed as he watched the residents leave under Bard's persuasion or be driven out by the soldiers. Would Lake-town ultimately still be destroyed by war?

"Hey! Roland, I'm back!" After arranging for his family and the Dwarves to leave, Bard turned around and returned to the town.

"Right. Bring out the Black Arrow. It may be one of the few weapons we have that can slay a dragon." Roland was quite curious about what the Black Arrow looked like.

In truth, the Star Silver Steel Armor-Piercing Arrows carried by the Bannaria Archers could also pierce dragon scales, but they were too short. After entering a dragon's body, their remaining force would be insufficient to reach vital points.

"Whoa! It's this long? I've learned something new! I'd believe you if you said it was a spear!" Roland could not help praising it as he took the Black Arrow from Bard.

"Look at Erebor!" Bard, who had been chatting with Roland, suddenly pointed into the distance.

In the darkness of night, a fiery cloudscape had appeared over Erebor. Unfortunately, it was not sunset light, but Smaug's Dragon Breath...

"The evil dragon is coming." Roland narrowed his eyes.

The battle to slay the dragon was about to begin. If any readers want to make a cameo, leave a comment. Please keep supporting with recommendation votes! (^ω^)