Failed Sneak Attack

Behind three pairs of terrified eyes were Old Nob and two slaves from Rising Light Island.

Ever since leaving Haige Lan, Old Nob had gradually lost his standing beside Roland, which caused him considerable worry and unease.

However, after arriving at Rising Light Island and being given the position of supervisor by Roland, he suddenly found a new meaning in life.

So, he woke up earlier than anyone else and went to sleep later than anyone else every day, determined to fulfill his supervisory responsibilities for Roland.

His reason for appearing here today was to check on the progress of Rising Light Island's land reclamation for Roland. Not only did he monitor the work of the slaves and mercenaries daily, but he also had to inspect the results of the slaves' work each night.

If he found that the day's work had not met expectations, he would immediately report it to Roland and punish the slaves who failed to complete their tasks.

It was precisely for this reason that he happened to discover this insidious sneak attack.

When Old Nob saw the three two-masted warships suddenly appear on the sea, he instinctively held his breath. As hundreds of fully armed soldiers prepared to land, Old Nob was greatly alarmed and immediately retreated quietly from the bushes, fleeing madly towards the settlement with the two slaves.

At the same time, Neil Bergman, seeing that Rising Light Island was completely unprepared and his subordinates could land so easily, a ferocious smile appeared on his face.

Since he began developing his territory, he had personally destroyed two Pioneer Knights and a small pirate group. These battles had brought him immense benefits; otherwise, he wouldn't have so many slaves now, nor could he support a guard of over a hundred men.

The generous spoils of war had made it impossible for him to stop on the path of war. Therefore, even though Roland had the protection of the Black Knight Pirates, Neil Bergman still brought his men here.

"Everyone, silence. Follow behind Mas and Nair," Deeds immediately ordered in a low voice after landing.

The hundred-man guard clearly had extensive experience in such small-scale warfare. They formed a single file and followed the two warriors who had previously reported Rising Light Island's situation to Neil Bergman, stealthily moving towards the eastern plain.

In just half an hour, led by the two, they found the small settlement of Rising Light Island.

Upon seeing the pitch-black settlement, a flicker of excitement flashed in the eyes of the hundred warriors. They tightened their grip on their swords and spears, ready to give the sleeping lord of Rising Light Island a surprise.

At this moment, Neil Bergman and Deeds also showed pleased expressions. After exchanging a glance, they immediately prepared to launch their attack.

"Remember, when you encounter the enemy lord, spare his life. Don't kill him," Neil Bergman sternly instructed the warriors beside him.

It wasn't that he was suddenly kind-hearted. It was that a living Pioneer Knight might still have a family willing to ransom him, allowing him to gain more profit.

"Attack." After receiving the low replies from the surrounding warriors, Neil Bergman could no longer hold back. He waved his hand and gave the order to attack.

Upon receiving their lord's command to attack, the hundred warriors swarmed forward. Facing an unsuspecting opponent, they felt no fear, only the desire to be the first to enter the enemy's settlement and plunder wildly.

Even the captain of the guard, Deeds, lost his usual composure in this situation. Relying on his strength as a Level 7 Warrior, he bravely charged to the forefront.

However, his bravery was clearly misplaced. Just as he crossed a dirt wall surrounding the settlement, the entire settlement instantly erupted in countless torches, illuminating the area brightly.

At that very moment, dozens of sharp arrows whistled through the air and shot towards Deeds.

Deeds, who was preparing to launch a surprise attack, never expected this. He didn't even have time to unleash his defensive Battle Qi before being hit by several arrows.

But he was, after all, battle-hardened. Instantly realizing he had fallen into an ambush, he used the force of the impact to propel himself backward, prioritizing his own safety.

With his powerful physique as an Advanced Warrior, these arrows shot by ordinary warriors could not cause him serious harm. Although he looked somewhat pathetic, it was only superficial. The arrows that entered his body did not penetrate deeply before being stopped by his formidable muscles.

Given a moment, he could recover and fight back.

However, Roland would not give him such an opportunity. After receiving the news from Old Nob, Roland immediately summoned O'Neal and Artur and set up an ambush here.

He even disregarded the danger and personally participated in this battle because he knew very well that when facing Magical Beasts, one could escape if they couldn't win, but when facing their own kind, defeat meant utter ruin.

So, just as Deeds launched his charge, Roland began to chant, gathering magical power.

Finally, just as Deeds was sent flying backward, Roland finished his incantation. Five blazing fireballs, carrying a violent aura, rapidly shot towards Deeds.

At this moment, Deeds clearly saw the fireballs hurtling towards him. This made him greatly alarmed, but being in mid-air, he had lost any possibility of changing direction.

He immediately unleashed all his Battle Qi, concentrating it in front of him in an attempt to block the fireballs' attack.

But clearly, even as an Advanced Warrior, he could not withstand a Level 5 spell, especially one of the most powerful Fire-elemental Magics, without taking damage.

Instantly, five dazzling fireballs struck Deeds one after another, erupting with booming sounds. The immense impact sent Deeds crashing heavily onto the hard ground, creating a large crater.

After the smoke cleared, his armor was twisted and deformed, tattered and torn under the assault of the five fireballs. The skin exposed outside the armor was bloody and mangled, emitting a pungent smell of burning.

Even so, Deeds showed no signs of life being extinguished. He was severely wounded and temporarily incapacitated.

"An Intermediate Fire Mage?" Neil Bergman exclaimed in shock.

Clearly, he had not expected there to be a Mage on this small island, causing him to lose the combat power of an Advanced Warrior right at the start of the battle. Such a result was undoubtedly difficult for him to accept.

However, while he was still in shock, Roland waved his hand, and hundreds of fully armed warriors instantly appeared within the settlement. Led by O'Neal and Artur, they charged back towards Neil Bergman's guard.

Carrying the momentum of heavily wounding the enemy's Advanced Warrior, the Loyal Lion Mercenary Group and Artur's squad's morale surged. Conversely, Neil Bergman's guard, facing a huge psychological blow from their failed sneak attack and subsequent ambush, saw their morale plummet.

Most critically, they had lost their commander, Deeds, and their formation fell into disarray. They were pushed back repeatedly by the Loyal Lion Mercenary Group and Artur's squad.

Even with a few Intermediate Warriors stepping forward to organize, they could not stem the tide of defeat.

Seeing that his guard had lost over a dozen men in the blink of an eye, Neil Bergman felt immense heartache. This was the foundation of his survival in the chaotic seas.

So, he could no longer afford to be shocked. Drawing the short sword from his waist, he unleashed azure Battle Qi and instantly charged from the rear to the front lines.

"O'Neal, stop him," Roland, who had been observing the situation, immediately gave the order.

O'Neal, without any delay, casually flung a guard member aside and turned to meet the charging Neil Bergman.

"Bang."

The clash between two Advanced Warriors was devoid of any fancy moves; it was a contest of Battle Qi quality, strength, and constitution.

However, when facing Neil Bergman, who was one level higher, O'Neal was at a slight disadvantage.

However, as the leader of the Loyal Lion Mercenary Group, O'Neal's true strength wasn't in offense, but in defense. This was precisely why the entire Loyal Lion Mercenary Group could unleash greater power during group combat.

Therefore, even though O'Neal's strength was a notch below Neil Bergman's, he still managed to hold him back firmly.

And after Neil Bergman joined the fray, Roland didn't stand idle. He swung his staff again, and several spells were immediately hurled towards Neil Bergman, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.

This made it impossible for him to defeat O'Neal in a short period. Moreover, Deeds had already lost his combat ability. If he were to be severely wounded by Roland again, this war would inevitably end in defeat.

This made his movements somewhat hesitant, daring not to exert his full strength. As a result, under the pincer attack of O'Neal and Roland, he, a Level 8 Warrior, gradually began to fall into a disadvantage.

However, with him holding back O'Neal and Roland, the guardsmen were greatly encouraged and gradually stabilized their formation. They fought back and forth with the Loyal Lion Mercenary Group and Artur's squad, slowly pushing the battlefield situation into a stalemate.

The great battle continued. On the plains east of Rising Light Island, under the night sky, over two hundred warriors were locked in a chaotic melee.

Various dazzling lights of Battle Qi intertwined and flickered, blood splattered through the air, dyeing the ground a deep crimson. Limbs and severed arms were scattered everywhere, exuding a thick, nauseating scent of blood. Yet, the warriors currently engaged in combat seemed utterly unaware.

The primal slaughter had already turned their eyes red. Each person seemed to have transformed into a bloodthirsty beast, attacking the surrounding enemies tirelessly.

With Neil Bergman's entry into the battle, his guards also displayed a tenacious fighting will. Moreover, in terms of overall strength, his guards were superior to both the Loyal Lion Mercenary Group and Artur's squad.

They not only possessed an Advanced Warrior but also had fifteen Intermediate Warriors. Half of the remaining warriors were Professionals.

If it weren't for their carelessness in falling into Roland's ambush, they might have been able to take Rising Light Island with their sheer strength.

However, after first encountering the ambush and then Deeds being severely wounded, they suffered heavy losses right at the start of the great battle. Consequently, the battle has been in a stalemate, with neither side able to break through.