On the snowy slope, the Barbarians brandished their weapons and hurriedly surrounded a giant Pigman.

"What’s going on?"

The Lord pushed the Barbarians aside and squeezed through.

Zat had a strange look on his face, as if he’d spotted some rare animal. "Boss, this punk wants to challenge you to a duel."

Levi looked up. This was a massive Pigman. Compared to his kin, who were about the same height as the Barbarians, this one was over three Tri-Blades tall. He was broad and heavyset, a full size more muscular than a Minotaur.

Clearly, this was the real leader. The imposing, red-furred one from before was just a minor character.

"So you’re the one who wants to duel me?"

Levi took off his helmet, cradled it in his arm, and started to walk forward.

’After all, if there was one thing about him, it was that he always indulged a death wish.’

"My Lord."

But after just two steps, Masha grabbed his arm. Her small face was tense as she tried to be tactful. "Your status is too noble. There’s no need to accept such an unreasonable demand. In any case, he’s already on the losing side. Just leave him to your Warriors."

In truth, the Lord was rumored to be highly skilled in Martial Arts, but Masha glanced at the size difference between the two and felt that no amount of skill could overcome such a disparity.

Their difference in size was like that of a three-year-old child and his father—there was simply no comparison.

’No matter what,’ Masha thought, ’I can’t let the Lord put himself in harm’s way.’

"That’s true. Given my status now, how could I just agree to a duel with some random punk?" The Lord stroked his chin and nodded in firm agreement.

’Back when I was still unknown, accepting a duel might have boosted my reputation.’

’But now, I am the Dragon Slayer, the Lord of High Cliff Castle, the Alien Race Exterminator, the Wilderness Conqueror, the Commander of the Burning Legion, the Lion Hunter Knight...’

’Each title more impressive than the last.’

’Wouldn’t agreeing to a duel with a complete nobody just lower my own standing?’

Masha breathed a sigh of relief. She then watched the Pigman, who was so much stronger than his kin, with a vigilant expression. A blue light flickered in her hand—the sign of Frost Magic ready to be unleashed.

In fact, when the Beastman Guards began their slaughter, Masha had wanted to help with her Magic. But she soon realized she wasn’t needed at all. The Barbarians were routing the Pigmen so thoroughly that casting a spell would have been like hitting empty air, so she held back.

But this Pigman’s size was simply too imposing; she couldn’t afford to be careless.

Tikli’s face fell with disappointment. He had assumed the leader of these Beastman Guards would also be an exceptionally strong Beastman chief, one who surpassed his peers. He never expected it to be a human.

When he had first learned that someone was launching a sneak attack, he had been puzzled as to how the attackers got so close, but he had still unhurriedly sent Red Pig with some men to deal with it.

In his eyes, a group of humans who had to sneak their way here to launch an attack couldn’t be very strong.

But reality was often full of drama.

Before he could receive word from Red Pig about eliminating the humans, a horde of fully armed, burly men popped their heads up from the bottom of the slope like bamboo shoots in spring, furtively appearing from nowhere.

He stood up to look, only to see his kinsmen either dead or fleeing.

He was stunned. And in that moment of stunned confusion, he was suddenly surrounded.

Fortunately, he had seen his share of battles and wasn’t easily frightened.

He wanted to resolve this according to the dueling rules of the Wilderness.

Challenge the enemy leader directly. If he won, the other side would have to honor their promise and let him go.

But now, Tikli hesitated. Even if he beat this human, his reputation in the Wilderness would obviously become a joke. He’d be mocked as "Tikli, the one who bullies humans."

"Tie him up for me."

The Lord couldn’t be bothered to guess what the Pigman was thinking. ’Is his face putting on a magic show or something?’

He waved a hand and, without looking back, went off gleefully to inspect his spoils of war.

"Heh heh, you little punk! Let your old man Zat give you a taste of the Man-Lock!"

Zat pounced with a wicked grin.

It was a wrestling technique he had learned from his boss. All he had to do was lock his legs around his opponent’s waist and squeeze their neck. No matter how strong they were, they’d be powerless to resist.

He had used this move to become undefeated in High Cliff Castle. Even Orak was left completely helpless against it.

"Get off!"

Tikli wasn’t about to surrender without a fight. He swung his blade in a powerful, heavy arc.

Facing the real Pigman Leader, Zat knew the one he’d killed earlier was just a small fry, so he got a little more serious.

"Watch me chop off your pig head with my Axe!"

Zat let out a great roar, blocking the descending giant blade with his broadaxe.

A startled Tikli quickly raised his blade to defend himself, but the next moment, a sharp pain shot through his thigh. The Beastman’s shout had just been a feint. His real move was to slam the flat of his Axe against Tikli’s thigh, forcing him to one knee.

Zat seized the opportunity to kick out his other leg. In a few swift moves, he disarmed the Pigman and pinned him face-down on the ground.

With a wave of his hand, four or five burly men rushed forward. Using hemp ropes as thick as three fingers, they instantly trussed the Pigman up like a turkey. Despite his monstrous strength, there was no way for him to break free.

Tikli glared defiantly up at the Beastman looming over him. "Didn’t you say you were going to chop off my head?"

"Look at this! This punk actually believed what I said!"

Zat pointed at the Pigman Leader with an exaggerated expression for all to see.

"Haha, Captain! Your reputation back in High Cliff Castle might be worse than a rock in a latrine, but these natives don’t know what you’re really like yet."

The Beastman Guards erupted in laughter.

Only these Wilderness Natives would be naive enough to believe their captain. After all the trouble he’d caused them, his own men didn’t believe a single word he said anymore.

"Hey, you’re asking for a beating, aren’t you?"

Zat immediately gave the Beastman Guard a smack on the back of the neck. Then, slinging his twin axes over his back, he clasped his hands behind him and headed toward the Catapults, leaving a single sentence behind: "Keep an eye on this punk. I’m going to check out our new Catapults."

"This craftsmanship... it doesn’t look like something a bunch of Wilderness People could build."

Levi circled the three Catapults on the highest point of the slope, his face filled with amazement.

The bases of these Catapults were forged from solid iron, anchoring them firmly to the ground. The throwing arms were made of hardwood, and the counterweights were solid blocks of iron.

Moreover, after carefully examining their structure, Levi discovered that the three Catapults were not built as single units but were assembled from separate parts.

’To be honest, while I was initially surprised that a bunch of punks could build Catapults, it wasn’t impossible. After all, if they had kidnapped a few humans or Dwarves skilled in ordnance, they might have been able to cobble together some shoddy machines.’

’But after seeing these three Catapults with my own eyes, that theory was completely overturned.’

’Someone is clearly backing these Wilderness Natives!!!’