Warrior Training System-Chapter 349: Ambush at Dawn

Cassian leaned out from the carriage, calling to the mounted soldier ahead. "What’s the holdup?"

The soldier rubbed his bleary eyes. "Commander’s orders to halt," he said around a yawn. "Probably making camp—gods, I hope so. Haven’t slept since last night." He glanced at the fading moon, its pale light already retreating before the approaching dawn. "Sun’ll be up soon. If we don’t stop now, we’re marching straight into daylight without rest."

The soldier’s rambling hadn’t actually answered Cassian’s question. Frustrated, he stepped out of the carriage and turned to his team. "Stay here—I’m going to see what’s holding us up."

As he pushed past a few stopped carriages, he noticed other soldiers peering ahead, equally confused by the sudden halt. Then—

A deafening explosion split the night. A flash of light illuminated the entire caravan as a panicked voice screamed, "We’re under attack!"

Cassian’s head snapped up just in time to see two brilliant streaks—one gold, one white—erupt from the front lines and lance into the sky like reverse lightning.

Cassian’s sword was already in his hand, its edge catching the flashes of light from the battle ahead. The two streaks - one gold, one white - clashed violently in the night sky, each collision sending shockwaves that rattled the carriages. There was no mistaking it: these were circle warriors battling, and from the sheer power on display, one had to be their seventh-circle commander. The opposing warrior matched him blow for blow - likely the attacker who had ambushed their forces.

Before Cassian could respond, chaos erupted.

The dazed soldier he’d spoken to earlier was still staring slack-jawed at the clashing lights when - with a wet thunk - his severed head came tumbling toward Cassian’s feet.

"DOWN NOW!" Cassian roared, already swinging his sword in a wide arc. A searing green energy wave sliced through the air just as his team hit the dirt.

The green arc connected with a dark shape mid-leap. The cloaked attacker split diagonally, his upper torso sliding away in a spray of crimson that painted the carriage beside them. Wanni gagged as warm droplets spattered her face.

The severed halves hit the dirt with wet thuds. Behind them, three more shadowy figures froze—their ambush suddenly less certain.

The remaining attackers barely had time to reconsider before Theon’s spear punched through one man’s ribcage with a wet crunch. Simultaneously, two sharp cracks split the air as Robert’s mana gun flashed - both remaining figures collapsed, their foreheads now smoking craters.

Cassian didn’t even see Robert aim. One moment the two cloaked figures were standing, the next their brains were painting the dirt behind them. The acrid smell of scorched flesh mixed with iron-rich blood in the morning air.

Wanni wiped gore from her eyes, staring at the three fresh corpses. "Well...that was efficient."

"We’re not done yet," Althea growled, wiping blood from her cheek as she pointed toward the mountain cliffs. More dark-cloaked figures were rappelling down the stone face like spiders, their weapons glinting in the chaotic light of battle.

Cassian’s gaze swept across the battlefield—spells detonated in bursts of crimson and gold, energy arcs sliced through the air, and blades clashed in showers of sparks. ’Enemy mages and circle warriors... This isn’t just some rabble.’

No orders came. No organized defense. Just pockets of desperate fighting. If they wanted to survive, they had to act now.

"Robert, Althea—pick off the climbers before they hit the ground!" Cassian barked. "Wanni, shield them from any ranged attacks. Theon and I will hold the front!"

His grip tightened on his sword. Whoever these attackers were—cultists or something worse—they wouldn’t take his team down without a fight.

Cassian’s eyes locked onto a nearby skirmish - five cloaked attackers overwhelming a cluster of their soldiers. "Theron," he snapped, "you’ve got a mana gun too, right? Help them!" He jerked his chin toward the struggling group while simultaneously driving his sword backward into the forest’s edge without looking. The blade sank into flesh with a wet thunk; a cloaked figure stumbled into view, impaled through the gut, before collapsing.

Theron didn’t hesitate. Leveling his weapon, he fired three precise shots - each mana pulse taking down an attacker surrounding the embattled soldiers. The survivors barely had time to nod thanks before rejoining the fray.

For a brief moment, Cassian’s group had breathing room. His eyes scanned the chaos, searching for -

There.

A hulking, dark-cloaked figure backhanded a soldier aside like a ragdoll, the man’s armor crumpling under the blow. Even from twenty paces, Cassian could feel the oppressive aura - not just a warrior, but a circle warrior. And it was coming straight for them.

"Hold your ground!" Cassian commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos as he stepped forward alone. The air around him shimmered with earthy brown energy, cassian’s own killing domain pulsing with anticipation. In a flash of movement, he closed the distance to the hulking warrior, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Hey there, big fellow—"

The words barely left his lips when the world exploded in motion.

A deafening WHOOSH of air pressure screamed past Cassian’s ear as the massive hammer blurred toward his skull. Only instinct saved him—his body twisting aside at the last possible moment. The hammer’s flat side cratered the ground where his head had been, sending shockwaves through the earth that made Cassian’s teeth rattle.

"No greetings? What a rude fellow you are," Cassian taunted, already lashing out with a vicious roundhouse kick to the brute’s temple. The impact should have sent a normal man flying—should have at least made him stumble. But the giant didn’t even blink.

’What the hell?’

The realization hit Cassian like a physical blow—this wasn’t just some brute. The way the man moved, the unnatural solidity of his stance... ’First-circle like me, but something’s wrong here.’

No time to think. The hammer was already moving again, its wielder defying physics with terrifying speed. A horizontal sweep forced Cassian back; a vertical follow-up made him duck, the wind pressure ruffling his hair.

’How is something that big so fast?!’

Cassian gritted his teeth. No openings. No counterattacks. Just relentless, crushing offense.

’Fine. Time to test that new technique.’

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