Chapter 87: In Front of the Stockade

“What is that?”

Chad, who had the best eyesight, sat upright on his horse, shielding his eyes as he looked ahead at the shadow that appeared. Although it was somewhat hazy, its basic outline told him that there was a stockade.

“Our unexpected harvest?”

Theron, one of the Militia Captains, said this, and then the young men in the entire team began to tighten their grip on their weapon s.

In fact, under the leadership of their Regiment Commander, they had swept through four strongholds of bandits and robbers within a range of about a hundred kilometers near the Ferrchelen Knight Order in just a few days—the heads hanging by the saddles were the best proof.

In these continuous raid battles, the young men seemed to have matured overnight.

“The simplest way to turn a boy into a man: give him a woman. If there is no woman, then let him experience battles of blood and fire again and again!”

Watching his subordinates who were no longer uneasy in the face of a potential enemy, Dean couldn’t help but think of those words from the Old Knight.

Undoubtedly, the old knight’s words had proven him right once again.

“Wait!”

Dean and Huck, who had ridden to the front, patted their horses. The latter observed for a moment and then raised his arm. As a former formal member of a Knight Order, Huck clearly knew some things that the young men did not.

And undoubtedly, among the entire team, aside from Dean, Huck, the Vice Regiment Commander, held the most authority. Seeing his raised arm, the young men temporarily lowered their weapons, but remained on high alert.

Huck was satisfied with this reaction. The most necessary quality for a true soldier was not powerful Strength, but this constant state of vigilance.

Then, he looked at his young Regiment Commander.

“Commander, this should be a Barbarians’ stockade!”

Huck said this.

“Barbarians? Are they robbers?”

Dean asked, though he already knew the answer.

“No, they are different from those robbers. Although there are Barbarians among the robbers, those Barbarians were exiled. True Barbarians make a living by hunting and gathering herbs. Of course, more often than not, they do barter with us. In Tier Town, there are quite a few people who are familiar with these Barbarians!”

Huck explained patiently to his young Regiment Commander. He did not want a misunderstanding to arise between the two sides because of a sentence or two he might have omitted. After all, he did not believe that the team behind him could remain unscathed in a conflict with the Barbarians.

Although, in the previous four consecutive battles, the young men had miraculously managed to do so under the leadership of their equally young Regiment Commander.

But the Barbarians were different from the previous robbers and bandits. Huck, who had once come into contact with these Barbarians, knew this well.

“So, are they friendly?”

Dean asked again.

“Most of the time, yes!”

Huck thought for a moment before giving this answer.

“In that case, perhaps we can get more information from these friendly friends. After all, although we have inspected any place we thought should be inspected, omissions are inevitable. Maybe they can provide us with more information… at least, they can let us rest!”

Dean looked at his deputy. Huck nodded, and then he signaled Dean and the others to wait. He then led the way toward the stockade.

And merely a moment later, Huck returned, bringing the Patriarch of this stockade, whom Dean had met once before, along with the Barbarian Warriors who had not all appeared earlier—fully twenty Barbarian Warriors. Obviously, that Barbarian Patriarch needed to show his deterrent power.

Dean, who had long guessed what would happen, showed no reaction.

The young men behind Dean became even more vigilant.

However, with Dean and Huck in front, these young men did not act rashly.

“Buchea, this is our Regiment Commander: Dean!”

Huck was clearly familiar with this Barbarian Patriarch and introduced Dean to him.

“Hello, Patriarch Buchea!”

Dean greeted him. That Barbarian Patriarch responded to Dean with a Barbarian etiquette—a rather strange gesture in the eyes of people from Tier Territory, somewhat like a hand-over-heart salute, but much more direct: that vigorous chest beating, the sound of which was enough to attract the attention of everyone present.

At least, when the young men saw that developed chest muscle, none of them denied the strength of that Barbarian Patriarch.

Dean certainly did not use the Barbarian etiquette. Instead, after dismounting his horse, he returned the greeting with a Knight’s Salute.

And obviously, this Barbarian Patriarch understood what such etiquette meant, and immediately said a whole bunch of things to Huck in Barbarian slang.

Only after a moment did he react, asking in the common language of Emerald.

“Is your Regiment Commander a Knight?”

The stiff grammar made Huck decipher it carefully.

“Yes. Although he has not undergone Knight’s Baptism, our Regiment Commander is indeed a Knight!”

Huck answered. As he spoke, a trace of pride appeared on his face, and the surrounding young men felt the same way.

In fact, having such a Regiment Commander with powerful Strength was the pride of the entire Knight Order, especially since this Regiment Commander was so young, which further indicated how promising the future would be under his leadership.

“Can we have a sparring match?”

The Barbarian Patriarch spoke haltingly in the common language of Emerald.

And as soon as these words fell, the young men of the Knight Order immediately became unfriendly in expression. Theron even subconsciously gripped the hilt of his Longsword, and the surrounding young men did the same. Their eyes began to scan the Barbarian Patriarch in front of them, as well as his soldiers.

Obviously, with just one order, these young men would pounce on their respective enemies.

Even though those enemies appeared quite strong and outnumbered them.

Similarly, the Barbarian soldiers were not to be outdone. Their wooden spears and axes were also ready to fight.

“Huck, can you explain what is going on?”

Dean looked at his Vice Regiment Commander. He was not surprised that his deputy, who was familiar with the Barbarians in this area, knew what was happening.

As the owner of “Snow Bear’s Home” in Tier Town, Huck should be familiar with any Barbarian entering Tier Town.

And the fact that the Patriarch did not hide this point was enough to show his sincerity.

As for the explanation?

Dean was already extremely clear about the Barbarians’ love for combat. In his previous life, he had fought with the Barbarians under the Grand Duchess’s command more than once.

Moreover, that frequency was almost no different from having three meals a day.

Therefore, Dean knew that the Patriarch simply wanted to fight when facing an opponent worth engaging.

So, the explanation at this moment was mainly to explain to the young men behind him.

“Buchea is the most powerful warrior in this Barbarian tribe. He welcomes any powerful warrior to come here. He has already obtained the title of Champion within the Barbarian tribe, and therefore hopes to understand the differences and gaps between him and Knights…”

Huck translated the Barbarian Patriarch’s words with difficulty. Obviously, even though the Barbarian Patriarch had slowed his speech rate considerably, it was still somewhat difficult for Huck.

As for asking the Barbarian Patriarch to speak in the common language of Emerald?

This was undoubtedly also a very difficult thing to do.

If one did not want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings, it was better not to do so.

And with Huck’s words, the young men temporarily lowered their hostility, although their gaze now looked at Dean with burning enthusiasm. Through consecutive battles, Dean had already established an invincible image among these young men.

Whether it was a surprise attack or a frontal confrontation.

It seemed that Dean knew everything and was proficient in nothing he couldn’t do.

And he was always the ultimate winner.

Feeling the burning gazes of his subordinates, Dean smiled. Undoubtedly, subordinates who revered him were the subordinates he needed.

Because only such subordinates were the most reliable.

When something happened, they would stand by his side most firmly.

Therefore, Dean was even less likely to disappoint these young men.

“Here?”

Dean pointed to an open area in front of the stockade and looked at the Barbarian Patriarch.

Although that man found it difficult to speak the common language of Emerald, understanding it was not hard.

“Yes!”

As soon as Dean finished speaking, that Barbarian Patriarch nodded repeatedly.

And after that Barbarian Patriarch nodded, Dean pulled out a Gold Pulton. Immediately, the Barbarian Patriarch drew his Battleaxe, his expression becoming extremely serious.

Obviously, he was still clear about some Duel Rules of Emerald.

Ding!

The Gold Pulton flew up with a crisp sound, and then fell.

And when the Gold Pulton landed, the two rushed toward each other.

Clang!

The sword and the axe collided and struck each other.