Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

Chapter 66: Chapter 62: Stonebeard’s Axe

With only a week to prepare, every day was filled with matters that Ola had to personally handle.

His Warriors needed supplies.

Rusted chainmail needed to be mended with iron rings, nicked battle-axes had to be sharpened, and their bottomless stomachs were silently devouring his granaries.

All of this required Golden Suns.

"Glenn, bring ten of the men and follow me."

Ola’s voice sounded muffled and grim in the early morning mist.

He hoisted the massive battle-axe onto his shoulder, its blade glinting coldly in the dim light.

Their destination was Valley Village, a pioneer fiefdom to the west of Shiyan Town.

Its lord, a Pioneer Knight, had to pay him "tribute" every year in exchange for peace for himself and his people.

It wasn’t an honorable line of work, but honor couldn’t sharpen a battle-axe.

Hooves trampled the muddy dirt road, splashing up murky water.

Ten heavily armored Knights followed silently behind Ola. They were the elite of the Rock Breaker Knight Order, each a hardened warrior who had crawled their way out of a pile of corpses.

The panting of horses and the clatter of armor plates became the only rhythm in the desolate wilderness.

They arrived at Valley Village around noon.

Dozens of thatched huts were scattered sparsely around a stone longhouse, looking like a flock of frightened quail.

Upon seeing Ola and his men, the farmers working in the fields immediately dropped their tools, ran back to their huts in terror, and bolted their doors.

The door to the longhouse opened, and Pioneer Knight Kane stepped out. His face was haggard, and the heavily worn studded leather armor he wore seemed even more faded and grim than his expression.

"Lord Baron Stonebeard, what brings you..."

Ola ignored his greeting and swung himself off his horse. His thick fingers didn’t reach for his battle-axe. Instead, he pulled an empty, limp coin purse from a leather saddlebag, shaking it in front of Kane. Dust trickled out.

He slapped the purse with his other hand, making a dull, flat sound, while his eyes, like those of a hungry wolf, were locked on Kane.

"It’s hungry..." Ola grinned, revealing teeth yellowed by ale. "Kane, my men are hungry, too. This year’s taxes. Ten Golden Suns, or the equivalent in grain. Do you have it ready?"

"Ten Golden Suns..." Kane forced a bitter smile. "My lord, you know how it is. There was too much rain this year. The harvest... We can barely feed ourselves."

"That’s your problem, not mine." Ola took a step forward, his massive shadow completely engulfing Kane.

He lifted his foot.

CRASH!

The longhouse’s solid oak door was kicked to splinters. He hadn’t even bothered to draw his battle-axe.

Kane’s face turned ashen. The few militiamen behind him were so terrified their legs were trembling.

This was naked, undisguised violence.

Kane’s fists clenched until the knuckles turned white, then went limp. He lowered his head in humiliation. "I... I’ll go prepare it..."

Ola snorted, leaning against the splintered doorframe and cleaning his ear with his pinky. His Knights fanned out, silently surrounding the longhouse, their cold gazes sweeping over every shuttered window and barred door.

Soon, Kane and some of his villagers emerged, carrying several sacks of rye, a few barrels of salted fish, and a coin purse that didn’t look very heavy.

"My lord, here are twenty-four Silver Moons and five hundred Copper Leaves, plus... plus this food. This is really... really all we have."

Ola took the coin purse and opened it. A few Silver Moons were mixed in with a great number of Copper Leaves, all of it carrying the stench of sweat and soil.

His brow furrowed. It wasn’t even half of what he’d demanded.

Just as he was about to explode, a piercing scream suddenly echoed from the other end of the village.

"Magical Beast! It’s a Magical Beast!"

A villager ran frantically into the village square, screaming.

In the distant wheat fields, a Rock-toothed Wild Boar the size of a calf was rampaging wildly.

Its body was covered in coarse, rock-grey bristles, and two tusks like curved daggers jutted from its mouth, glinting ominously.

The color drained from Kane’s face, and he instinctively reached for his sword, about to charge forward.

"Stay put." Ola’s voice wasn’t loud, but it froze Kane in place.

A look of excitement, like he’d stumbled upon a windfall, spread across his face. ’This boar’s tusks and hide will fetch at least five Golden Suns.’

"Perfect timing. I’ll let you see where your money goes."

"Rock Breakers!" he roared.

"Aye!" the ten Knights roared in unison, their voices disciplined and bloodthirsty.

"Three ranks, rotating volleys! Throwing axes!"

The command was simple and clear. The Knights immediately spurred their horses, expertly retrieving throwing axes from their saddles. They formed three staggered lines and moved to surround the Magical Beast, their movements fluid and seamless.

"First rank, throw!"

Three glints of cold steel cut deadly arcs through the air.

Kane, who had followed, felt his pupils contract sharply.

With a sickening squelch, the first axe buried itself completely in the boar’s left eye. Black blood and gelatinous fluid burst from the wound.

The second axe followed, precisely tearing open the soft flesh of its neck.

The boar’s charge screeched to a halt as it let out a piercing squeal of pain.

"Nice one!" Ola laughed, digging his heels into his horse’s flanks. The warhorse shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

"The rest is mine!"

In the instant before impact, Ola leaned back, pouring all his strength into his arms.

"Die!"

He roared, and the massive battle-axe swung in a silvery blur.

CRACK!

With a sickening crunch of bone, the battle-axe split the boar’s skull from the top down. The unstoppable force of the blow cleaved its head nearly in two.

Red and white matter splattered across the ground.

From the moment the Magical Beast was spotted to the end of the fight, less than a minute had passed.

Not a single member of the Rock Breaker Knight Order was injured.

Ola planted a foot on the boar’s warm corpse and effortlessly yanked his battle-axe from its shattered skull.

Without a glance at Kane, he dipped a finger into the boar’s warm brain matter, sniffed it, and broke into a satisfied smile.

He bellowed to the Knights who were already beginning to expertly skin the beast and remove its tusks, "Hurry up! This animal’s hide and tusks are worth at least ten pairs of new boots for you lot!"

Only then did he flick a sideways glance at the ashen-faced Kane, looking at him as if he were a stone.

"Bring over your pathetic bit of money and food."

Ola tossed the purse full of Copper Leaves and Silver Moons to Glenn, then had his men load the food and salted fish onto the packhorses.

He watched his silent but fiercely loyal men, and a wave of pride washed over him.

"Brothers!" His voice boomed, overpowering the sounds of hide being stripped from flesh. "These days of scraping by are almost over!"

The Knights’ gazes all fixed upon him, their eyes alight with greedy fire.

"That pretty boy, Velin, and his Newly Town are rolling in wealth!" he said, pointing his battle-axe in the direction of Newly Town.

"Once we take Newly Town, every one of you will get enough Golden Suns to replace all that worn-out junk you call armor! We’ll be feasting on meat and drinking our fill of ale every day!"

"HOOAH!"

All the Knights raised their weapons, letting out a deafening roar.

Ola could already picture it: his axe splitting open the gates of Newly Town while the young man, Velin, knelt trembling before him.

He firmly believed that in this land, nothing was sharper than a battle-axe.