Before tonight's battle began, Aris had actually been somewhat worried. As Captain, he knew the Patrol Team's combat strength well. Though they trained every day, they had pitifully little real combat experience and might not be a match for those thugs who spent all day loitering in the streets and picking fights. Not to mention, the other side outnumbered them.
Yet the course of the battle exceeded his expectations.
The Patrol Team did suffer some losses when the fighting first began. However, Iron Shackles' men had not expected the Patrol Team to suddenly appear and were caught off guard. They acted cautiously and did not seize the chance to press their advantage.
So, once the Patrol Team gradually adjusted to the rhythm of the fight, their usual training began to pay off.
Naturally, everyone performed differently. Some rigidly carried out Aris's orders, advancing cautiously step by step. Some had obvious adverse reactions at the sight of blood, their movements slowing. Others, however, seemed to have flipped some switch within themselves, growing fiercer the longer they fought.
Marcus stood at the forefront of the latter group. He and two other young men who had only recently joined the Patrol Team spontaneously formed a squad, protecting one another's backs. They even threw Aris's orders out of their minds, straying far from the main force. Once their blood was up, they simply charged wherever the enemy was thickest.
Marcus led the charge, wielding two short swords as he rushed straight at the dwarf leading the group. The latter was so frightened that he hurriedly shouted for men to surround Marcus and his two companions. Marcus cut one man down, but the delay allowed even more people to close in around him. He wiped the blood from his face, not knowing whose it was,