Chapter 120


    Sometimes there were people who seemed able to do anything they set their mind to. Anton Krantz was one of those. Reuben was aware that a farm had many different things it needed, and Anton could take care of them all. It seemed that even when the man hit a hundred the only reason the rest of his family had work to do was because he let them. The patriarch of that family was someone that everyone in Dungannon knew. But now he was different. Though honestly it felt just like the next step.


    A cultivator always felt like something different from a normal human. Reuben hadnt really changed his assessment. Anton and hispanions were <em>different</em>. People who were so willing to throw themselves into action were exceptional. They also had a wolf. That was just something Reuben had observed.


    Beyond just learning to cultivate himself, Anton seemed to be proficient enough to teach it. Reuben had given a serious try for a few years but it just didnt click. Then he talked to Anton for an hour, and everything made sense. It still took a week for him to really have enough sense and control of natural energy to really feel like a cultivator, but the path had beenid out for him and he just had to walk it. Sometimes paths were rocky and full of twigs trying to snag you, but at least you knew you were going the right way.


    Learning to cultivate was empowering but Reuben hadnt realized it would be so frightening. Actually being able to sense how strong cultivators were was intimidating. Anton had already been the sort of person who felt overwhelming when he was in action but like just a man otherwise, but the feeling was amplified. Others werent so restrained. There was the dark-skinned Ayotunde. A mercenary. He was even stronger.


    Seeing some of the cultivators spar for training was entertaining, but when actual battle happened that was where he felt fear. When Dungannon was attacked hed <em>seen</em> people die. So many people, for no reason. As they approached the growing gorge, he <em>felt</em> people die. To the right, to the left. Powerful presences that were simply snuffed out. It made him realize just how much further he had to go if he wanted to really be a cultivator. What was the first star, even, against the attacks facing them?


    Arrows he was certain could pierce through him and the man behind him flew in both directions. The ones from up on the cliff were greatly weakened by a sort of barrier set up by Catarina and another mercenary called Elisa. Enough that the vigers could block with the shields they had been given. Reuben held his shield above his head, doing his best to reinforce it with his energy. He should probably dodge, but he didnt know if he could do it in time- and that might just leave someone else in danger.


    The arrows from their side were fired by Anton. Just him, yet he matched a handful of other archers. He didnt even <em>have</em> arrows, making them purely from energy. They didnt look like much, but the sharpness that radiated off of thembined with their speed and power made Reuben feel that they were indeed very real.


    When Dungannon had been attacked, nobody could do anything. Now Anton was so strong. Reuben wasnt sure, but he wasnt too far from the stronger bandits. Since theyd had no real opponents, it was impossible to say.


    Now the vigers of Dungannon were still weak, but they had hope. They were free- yet people were still trying to im them. Reuben knew he was far too weak to matter, but he stepped forward anyway, just inside the edge of the barrier. Devon was right there as well, looking towards those approaching from the bottom of the gorge. Most of their warriors were atop either side, fighting opponents who outnumbered them. Reuben wasnt sure if he could harm some of the stronger figures approaching, but he was certain he could <em>try</em>.


    -----


    Each arrow was aimed at a precise spot. It wasnt always where someone was unprepared for an attack, or at least not where people <em>thought</em> they were unprepared. Anton was beginning to sense the subtler fluctuations of energy. He realized that there were always weak points, even in a persons defensive energy. He might have thought he had an evenyer covering him like armor, but some ces were simply weaker. When one of those matched up with a weakness in actual armor, he could use less than half as much energy to achieve the same result. Usually, that was killing someone.


    None of his attacks were ever intended to go easy on someone. If he could kill them, he would. If he could wound an arm instead, that would make things easier for the future. People tended to ovepensate for areas they were injured, shifting to cover the weaker area with excess energy. Even if it was just a small change, he could catch someone while their energy was moving about and not perfectly ced.


    It wasnt enough to kill other Spirit Building cultivators in just a few shots, but it could certainly distract them enough that they werent able to fight effectively. Againstte Body Temperers, he took them out by his third arrow in most cases. It helped to have strong allies on the front lines suppressing people. He was d hed hired all four of the mercenaries he did, because they were quite worth the expense just for this one battle.


    He saw Ayotunde maneuver hisrge sword to change from a sh into a stab with his two-handed sword, piercing into someones neck. The old woman, Lera, was a poison user- but Anton wasnt sure if anything was more dishonorable than trying to own other people or fighting for them. Poison wasnt a weapon he wanted to learn how to use, but he saw its value. Velvet, Hoyt, Timothy, and the small man known as Ross also performed excellently. They were nearly finished with their battle when the front lines of the grouping down the gorge arrived.


    Another dozen body temperers and four at Spirit Building. The wide variety of cultivation styles indicated they were a mercenary group and not a sect of some sort- hopefully the Heavenly Lion Sect hadnt connected the dots yet. Hed done nothing directly against them or their little former disciple Van Hassel. Not yet, anyway. He didnt mind painting a target on himself, but he didnt want it to be <em>that</em> big until he could handle it.


    The barrier in front of them shook. A direct attack, even though the origin of the attack was still thirty meters away. They werent an archer, but not far from it. A man had formed spikes of condensed energy, but they were unlike Spirit Arrows. They depended mainly on their size to cause damage- and Anton had to admit it was effective. A hole appeared in the barrier and some of the Body Temperers started pouring through. Devon and Fuzz were there to head them off, with Kohar providing her support, but the situation was concerning.


    His arrows continued to fly. Someone tried to chop into Devon with an axe, and while Antons grandson handily protected himself the act wouldnt go unpunished. An arrow into the neck, curving right under the helmet was an appropriate response. He also fired shots to help the vigers who were much weaker and in more danger, though they managed to keep enemies at bay with at least three or four spears prodding at each of them.


    Anton had to twist his body to the side as spikes of energy flew towards him. Hed been taken as a priority target, and he didnt mind responding in kind. He couldnt afford to have an enemy who could target any of his friends or family. As his hands grasped his bow, Anton took careful stock of how his energy covered it. Some parts needed more, but he could thin it out on others. The main spine of the bow only got the bare minimum to protect it in case of an attack, but he wouldnt get much power from adding energy there. He needed to be efficient with his energy because his muscles were old and tired once more. Havingpleted Body Tempering he was still stronger than even the strongest who didnt cultivate, but somewhere at half of his peak.


    He couldntunch attacks simultaneously, but Anton managed a continuous barrage on the man, while he had to dodge four or five coordinated attacks at once. That wasnt impossible. In fact, it was made easier by the way the spikes moved in formation. He had to dodge further to the side, but he also slipped through the middle once or twice and they didnt curve towards him. Without anything to propel them but the energy themselves, the way they elerated was also predictable. Anton got a few scrapes but he managed his energy defenses to resist before focusing on his enemys weakness. He needed to win before the other Spirit Building enemies joined the fight in earnest.


    -----


    A two handed sword like Ayotundes was actually light and agile, without the sort of thick des that were suited for cutting off someones head. He could still do it though. It just took a bit more energy sharpened to a fine de and a bit more muscle. That was something he had in abundance. The final Spirit Building cultivator was finished off by him. Sadly the shrimp had gotten one alone and half killed that one, so Ayotunde couldnt tease him. He hadnt gotten the axe wielding youth to help, but he had to admit the shield and sword one was quitepetent as well. He was a bit weaker in cultivation, but the way he stood by Ayotundes side and coordinated with him without previous practice was excellent. Being able to ignore an attack and instead counter with an attack of his own was quite liberating.


    That was the end of those up with them. The n had been to get Anton up to them for a good vantage, but clearly that wasnt happening. Ayotunde ran over towards the edge of the unnatural gorge. It simply didnt fit quite right into the area. How strong would someone have to be to?


    Hed consider thatter. Hey! Mercenary dimwits! he shouted to them. I hope you got paid in advance, because I look forward to looting it from your corpse. But that doesnt mean you cant run. We could use a few people to inform others not to work for those idiots who hired you.


    Honestly, this group could have been enough. If theyd walked into the ambush, things would have gone the other way quickly. He still felt there should have been a fourth group to catch them from behind, but he looked with his eyes and senses. Nothing. Perhaps they were short on men, or bad at tactics.


    I mean it! Run, and only the slowest of you will get shot in the back! Morale was important for mercenaries. He was honestly surprised they hadnt broken already. Still not running. Twenty meters down? That seemed fine. Ayotunde leaped directly down towards one of the Spirit Building cultivators who was flinging ranged attacks at the group. He had no room for subtlety orplicated attacks, instead settling for a giant overhand swing. His target didnt miss out on something so important as a mid Spirit Building warrior leaping at him, and he leapt to the side, admirably protecting himself and only getting one arm slightly cut through. If he didnt have bracers hed still be dead the same way, because Anton followed up with a perfect shot right into the mans waist, disrupting his footing and letting Ayotunde stab him through the heart. He needed to work with archers more.


    -----


    The enemy mercenaries were turning to flee, and Anton began to rx. Then his eye twitched as he saw Alva running forward towards one wrestling with Fuzz. He was almost impressed how she managed to actually stab <em>into</em> his thigh. It took most of her energy concentrated into that attack, but it was well done. Antons arrow was already on the way, but he filled it with extra hate as Alva was backhanded by the man and sent flying a dozen meters. His arrow went up through the bottom of the half-prone mans jaw, and he swore to himself that if Alva was seriously injured he would hunt down every fleeing mercenary, his nearly drained reserves of energy be damned.


    He should have told Alva she couldnt fight no matter what. As he reached her side, she was already standing up. She was trembling and blood dripped down her face, but she propped herself up with the butt of her spear. Yeah! You better run!


    Thats right, Anton said. They should run. Which is why you should have let them instead of continuing to fight.


    Alva turned up to him, blood streaming out of her nostrils. Its fine. Just a broken nose.


    A little bit more and you could have died! Anton chastised.


    Nu-uh. Broken noses dont kill people.


    Anton didnt know what to say, but Catarina arrived to say the exact thing hed chosen not to. You can. The bones in your nose can be pushed into your brain, Catarina gestured. Its not pretty.


    Alva turned to the side and threw up. What followed was a frenzy of activity as everyone tried to recover from the battle. They hadnt been lucky enough to be able to just avoid their enemies, and the consequences were severe. None of their top cultivators were dead, but Hoyt had a nasty gash on his arm and Devon had either reopened old injuries or gotten new ones in simr ces.


    It was honestly impressive that theyd only lost a handful of people against the enemy forces. They were outnumbered in terms of real cultivators, and there was only so much a little bit of edge in cultivation and skill could do against that.


    Anton wondered if it was his fault the people were dead. If he hadnt taught them to cultivate, they would have been more cautious. Were his ideas wrong?


    Something tapped his ankle. He looked down to see a man on his belly craning back to look up at him. Thanks, the man said. Anton just recognized him as Reuben under all the blood. I got to actually fight, instead of just being helpless. Then his head dropped face first into the dirt.


    Anton flipped him over, seeing bloody wounds all over the mans chest. Before he did anything else, a quick check with his energy- and he found Reuben was alive, if only barely. He used his energy to keep as much blood in the man as possible while his hands moved as quickly as they were able applying coagnt powder, stitches, and bandages.


    He still felt awful, but despite all the weary faces around him, he saw them strong and determined rather than giving into despair. These people had a second chance at life, and they were going to do their utmost to take it.