Chapter 59: Eggs

Adam ordered that all the wounded be treated before retreating to a makeshift tent where the knights were waiting for him. The atmosphere inside was tense.

Everyone was watching him.

They were men of his own rank, veterans who had survived countless battles… and yet, their eyes betrayed their exhaustion and unease.

Adam sighed before speaking.

“We’ve managed to buy some time… however, as you know, the second attack that will come will be much stronger, more dangerous, and, above all, bloody, with many deaths on our side.”

His gaze slowly swept across the faces in front of him.

Some swallowed hard. Others had sweat marking their foreheads.

It was understandable.

They had just survived a wave of monsters. Then they had received the news that their Lord had returned sick with an illness that, apparently, had no cure.

And now they had to prepare for another battle.

One in which many would die… not for lack of strength, but for lack of endurance.

Adam continued:

“That’s why we can’t stand still and let them all regroup; we have to pursue them and push them back even further. To give us time to prepare better…”

A knight raised his hand, and Adam motioned for him to speak.

“Young master… how will we launch a surprise attack? They have knights who are completely rested, and even if we all went, we wouldn’t be able to push them back.”

Adam nodded.

He already knew that.

After all, he had been leading his father’s army for over a week. He knew the state of the troops perfectly well.

But…

A dark smile slowly formed on his face.

“Who said we’re going to fight them head-on?”

The knight frowned.

“What do you mean by that, young master?”

Adam’s smile grew even colder.

“You’ll see.”

…

Night had fallen over Arkham with a heavy silence.

From atop the damaged wall, Adam watched the shadows of the forest surrounding the territory. The wind slowly moved the torn flags that still hung from the collapsed towers, and the lingering smell of blood still hung in the air.

Adam knew it.

He rested his hands on the cold stone of the wall as his eyes scanned the distance. The enemy camp was not too far away. They had retreated far enough to reorganize, but not far enough to abandon their intention.

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, letting the cold wind clear his thoughts.

He had few options… and even fewer resources.

He opened his eyes slowly.

However, a slight smile formed on his face.

“That will be enough.”

He didn’t need an army.

He just needed the right moment.

He entered the makeshift tent; it was lit by several oil lamps.

Inside were fifty knights. The rest had to stay behind so as not to leave the city completely unprotected.

Lucas would accompany him this time, and Alaric remained to ensure his family’s safety. Adam ran his hand over the canvas at the entrance.

Lucas was at the front of the group, his armor still marked by the blows of the recent battle. Many of the other knights were not in perfect condition either; some wore bandages, others moved with a certain stiffness.

Even so, they were perfect for the operation about to be carried out…

When Adam entered, the murmuring ceased.

Everyone looked at him.

Adam walked over to the central table, where a map of the territory was spread out.

For a few seconds, he said nothing.

He observed.

The forest.

The hills.

And the small enemy camp marked to the south.

Finally, he spoke.

“We move now; the time has come.”

Several gentlemen exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

“Let’s go.”

…

The clouds covering the sky moved slowly, revealing a silvery moon that bathed the world in its light.

A gentle night breeze rustled the branches of trees and bushes, creating an eerie sound. In the distance, the murmur of a river and the buzzing of nocturnal insects enlivened the forest.

In the middle of that place, several human figures moved quickly through the undergrowth.

As he passed by a bush, a swarm of blood-red fireflies fluttered, sprinkling the air with reddish flashes. Several nocturnal birds, moon hummingbirds, and pink swallows took flight, disturbed by his passing.

Adam kept his breathing steady, but his eyes darted around, scanning his surroundings to avoid the creatures lurking in the darkness.

His footprints were left on the damp ground as he moved forward, and little by little, the moonlight grew brighter, free from the trees’ shade.

After a few minutes, they emerged from the forest and stopped in front of a large waterfall. Holding his breath, he observed his surroundings cautiously and precisely.

Adam gestured for the knights to stop.

Without saying another word, he began to remove his armor slowly. The metal pieces fell one by one onto the shore.

He immediately jumped into the water.

The cold ran through his body as he dove deeper and deeper. The light from outside grew dim as he descended… until he finally saw them.

Eggs.

Dozens of them lay on the muddy bottom.

Adam quickly gathered them up before pushing himself toward the surface.

He emerged from the water with a loud gasp.

Not long after, the lake’s surface erupted violently.

A huge monster emerged from the depths.

It was shaped like a giant crocodile, covered in dark scales, and its eyes glowed with savage fury.

Adam’s memory had not failed him.

There it was.

A Rank III monster.

Without taking his eyes off the creature, Adam broke two of the eggs and let the viscous white spill onto a piece of cloth.

Then he signaled to the knights to withdraw.

None of them hesitated.

As they quickly moved away…

Behind them, the gigantic creature began to follow them.

Thirsty for blood.

…

Migzar Camp.

Inside the camp, Darion stared at the map with a serious expression. Around him, the knights remained silent.

A dark smile slowly spread across his lips.

Rage was filling him.

A damn young man who wasn’t even twenty years old had forced him to retreat.

Darion knew that if he had held out a little longer, he could have withstood that attack.

…But the soldiers’ morale had fallen considerably.

Suddenly, he frowned as he felt something fall onto his hand.

He looked down at his glove in confusion.

He took it off and picked up the substance between his fingers.

It was slimy.

Sticky.

Then, a soldier burst into the tent, completely agitated.

“General! A Rank III monster is attacking us!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep