Chapter 65: Strikingly Similar (Part 1)

The knight orders dispatched by the two barons for reconnaissance soon arrived at the location of the mine. Seeing the sparse troops, Thor couldn’t help but furrow his brow with a puzzled expression.

"Sir, Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon’s troops have stopped twenty miles out and haven’t advanced any further."

Steve reported respectfully, conveying the information he had gathered.

"Understood!!"

"Here’s the plan, Steve. Take three Official Knights, twenty Apprentice Knights, and the peasant slaves we’ve captured, and engage them. If you can’t hold them off, retreat immediately without worrying about those slaves. You need to let them see that our mine is currently very weak, so weak that they could take it anytime."

Thor’s eyes flickered, and he quickly grasped the situation. He turned his gaze towards Steve, pondered for a moment, and then issued the command.

It’s clear that Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon were very cautious and wanted to probe the situation.

As for the reason, most likely it was his taking down of Baron Pape that made them a bit worried.

Since that’s the case, he would let the two of them do some probing.

As for the peasant slaves he had captured, without a Slave Contract, managing them was nearly impossible. Allowing them to clash with the enemy’s reconnaissance was just right.

"Yes!"

Although Steve was somewhat puzzled, he quickly responded.

He would never oppose Thor’s orders.

Soon, the troops gathered.

Over a thousand slaves gathered, forming a chaotic mass.

Under the pressure of the knights, they barely stabilized.

Then Steve drew out his Knight’s Sword.

"Goddess of Life, bless us!!"

"May victory favor you!"

With those words, the next moment the chaotic mass of troops charged down towards the mine.

The sudden appearance of a large number of troops startled the two knight orders.

However, when they saw clearly the chaotic mass of troops, all the knights couldn’t help but reveal a smile.

"Hahaha, it seems Eagle Ridge really has no power left, even deploying slaves."

The Knight Commander of Baron Gladon’s knight order couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Meanwhile, beside him, Baron Valmy’s Knight Commander also couldn’t help but smile.

"Charge!"

After smiling, the two drew their Knight’s Swords, their voices ringing out.

The next moment, each knight likewise drew their Knight’s Sword, and their horses began to accelerate, charging towards the mass of troops in front.

The two knight orders did not have many people, less than a hundred in total.

Yet, as they charged into the chaotic mass of troops, it was like wolves among sheep.

Large numbers of slaves were directly overwhelmed.

Many slaves began to flee outright.

Some couldn’t react in time and were sent flying by the charging horses.

The entire battlefield instantly plunged into chaos.

Steve wielded a Knight’s Lance, even sweeping across the crowd horizontally. With the cultivation of a Great Knight, he had no equal in battle, and even Official Knights had to retreat under his power.

However, soon he was noticed.

Three Official Knights each from Baron Gladon’s and Baron Valmy’s knight orders charged out to encircle Steve.

"Boom!"

Life Source Power erupted, Steve’s aura surged, attempting to break free.

But the six firmly held him down.

While the power of Official Knights was inferior to that of a Great Knight, six of them were more than enough to restrain him.

Likewise, many knights around Steve were also restrained.

A large number of peasant slaves began to flee the moment the battle started.

The entire area was in utter chaos.

There were sounds of battle cries, wails, and the noises of slaves fleeing everywhere.

Steve’s face looked grim.

Without further hesitation, the next moment.

"Boom!"

A massive surge of Life Source Power erupted, instantly forcing back the six individuals.

"Retreat!"

Steve’s voice rang out loudly, and the next moment he pulled the reins, quickly retreating towards the rear.

The other Official Knights and Apprentice Knights did the same.

Due to the extreme chaos of the area, the retreat was quite swift. Ultimately, only a few Reserve Riders failed to escape and were left behind; the rest retreated smoothly.

After retreating, Steve led his forces quickly back to the mine.

As for the slaves, he paid them no mind. After all, Thor had already said not to bother, and naturally, he wasn’t about to.

"Sir!"

Steve, bloodied, spoke respectfully to Thor.

"Nicely done!"

"It’s more than enough."

Thor nodded, standing up abruptly with a sly look spreading across his face.

And he was smiling.

On the other side, Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Are you sure?"

Gladon looked at his Knight Commander, his breathing heavy with excitement.

"It’s true, sir!"

"However, there is still a Great Knight there."

Baron Gladon’s Knight Commander nodded, then spoke respectfully.

"A Great Knight, is it? As expected of the Dressrosa Family, even with everything, there’s still a Great Knight there."

"But just one Great Knight can’t stop us."

Baron Valmy spoke with a light chuckle, a face equally filled with excitement.

There was no doubt, the initial reconnaissance had provided an answer that was far too satisfying.

Although Eagle Ridge had some strength, it was mostly just some slaves, with only a few Official Knights remaining. Even with a Great Knight, the strength wasn’t formidable. If it was just one of them, there might be issues, but now that they were united, resolving the rest wouldn’t pose too great a challenge.

Baron Valmy and Baron Gladon couldn’t help but cast a sly glance at each other.

In their hearts, some ideas began to take shape.

Though for now, they were mere thoughts.

After all, their opponent was a descendant of the Dressrosa Family, and their strength was not to be underestimated.

Even now, although confident enough to seize the opportunity, they suppressed these thoughts before achieving it.

As knights who had risen from wandering knights, they understood very well when to do what.

Soon.

Orders were issued one after another.

Then a large contingent of troops began moving towards the mine.

The massive troop movement could be seen even from afar, without the need for scouts.

On the hillside.

Seeing the chaotic mass of troops, Thor couldn’t help but show a smile.

"Get ready!"

"Steve, take your forces to the right side!"

"Mark, take the rest to the left side. Remember, just like last time, don’t let anyone escape."

"Those who surrender, let them stay, but anyone who flees, execute them all."

Thor spoke, quickly issuing a series of commands.