Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: Showing off new stuff (1) Chapter 174: Showing off new stuff (1) Asag, Jarza, and Egil stood in front of the towering gates of Yarzat, the city’s stone walls looming high above them.

The three of them, alongside a dozen of their men, had returned from their duties at the refugee camp after weeks of hard work.

Now, they were back in the heart of Yarzat, waiting for the gates to open and let them in.

Dust from the road still clung to their travel-worn clothes, though their spirits were high.

 The journey back to Yarzat had been long, but the thought of what awaited them made it worth the trek.

The men with them, hardy soldiers who had seen much under their command, stood in disciplined silence, though they too shared the excitement that buzzed in the air.

In just a few days, the wedding of Alpheo, their commander and closest friend, to Jasmine would take place.

It was an event they couldn’t miss, of course the common soldiers would not be able to attend however, they would get whatever remained from the previous night feast , something that many looked forward to.  “Think he’s nervous?” Jarza asked, breaking the silence, a grin spreading across his face.

“Getting married and all?” Asag snorted.

“Alpheo?

Nervous?

I’d be more worried about Jasmine, honestly.

” Egil chuckled, the sound low but full of affection.

” She can handle him, I don’t think our friend has an high libido, never saw him swinging his cock around during campaigns, if I did not know better I would think he was an eunuch.

Saw him piss once through, so that Is certainly not the case ” The gate suddendly opened with a familiar face walking forward.

Laedio turned around and gave a sharp nod to the men standing by the gate, signaling them to return to their posts.

As he faced his friends again, his grin widened.

“Alpheo’s been talking my ear off for days about something he’s been working on.

Said he had a few things to show us.” Jarza, the big Arlanian with a booming voice, raised an eyebrow.

“Good things, I hope?” Laedio shrugged, the grin never leaving his face.

“I’d guess so.

Alpheo seemed pretty excited about the whole ordeal.” With that, the group began their march toward the keep.

The city of Yarzat was alive with activity as they moved through its streets, with merchants shouting their wares and craftsmen hammering away.

But their purpose was singular, and they pressed on without stopping.

After a half hour, they finally reached the keep.

Just few dozens of meters from the east of the main entrance, a small, rectangular area marked by thick ropes was laid out in the sand.

This was where duels were often held, they did not know much about it since in the time they had been inside the city they were all too busy to sightsee it.

With a war to fight there was little time for duels .

As the group moved , Alpheo sat comfortably on a sturdy wooden chair, his legs stretched out as he held a cup of cider in one hand, laughing heartily.

Beside him sat Clio, as he chuckled along, clearly enjoying the lively conversation they were having.

Alpheo’s eyes twinkled with excitement, and his booming laughter echoed across the courtyard.

As the group approached, Alpheo and Clio both turned around, noticing their friends entering the space.

Alpheo’s grin widened even further.

“Ah!

Look who finally decided to show up!” he exclaimed, raising his cup in a mock salute.

He pushed himself off the chair and strode forward to greet them.

Clio stood as well, offering a bright smile.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” he said warmly.

Laedio, Jarza, Egil, and Asag returned the greetings with broad smiles of their own.

Egil clapped Alpheo on the back.

“Look at you, lounging around while we’ve been working.” Alpheo chuckled, shaking his head.

“Well, I’ve been busy myself.

But today?

Today’s a good day, my friends!” He glanced toward the small arena with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“I’ve got something to show you all.” The group turned to see two men standing on the sand arena, their postures alert as if ready for something to begin.

Their eyes were fixed on Alpheo, waiting for a signal.

Alpheo, with a wave of his hand, motioned to a servant standing beside him.

The servant stepped forward, holding a long object draped in a cloth.

With deliberate care, the servant knelt and laid the covered item onto the ground in front of the group.

As the cloth was pulled back, the weapon beneath was revealed.

It was unlike anything they had seen before-half spear, half axe, with a long, solid shaft that extended into a sleek, sharp blade.

The axe head was broad and heavy, its cutting edge gleaming under the sunlight.

On the opposite side, a wickedly sharp spike protruded, like the end of a pickaxe, designed to pierce through armor or shields with brutal efficiency.

The overall length gave it the reach of a spear, while the weight and power behind the axe head provided devastating force in close combat.

The weapon radiated craftsmanship-every line and curve forged with precision and strength.

Alpheo looked over his friends’ expressions, a proud grin creeping across his face.

“What do you think?” he asked, his voice filled with satisfaction.

Jarza opened his mouth to speak, his deep voice ready to rumble a response, but before he could say a word, Alpheo raised a hand with a smirk.

“Hold your thoughts, my friend.

Maybe it’s best you see it in action first.” He nodded at the servant, who quickly picked up the weapon and handed it to the unarmed man on the sand, while his opponent gripped a shield and a heavy mace.

Alpheo’s voice rang out across the small arena.

“Begin!” The man wielding the new weapon wasted no time.

He lunged forward, thrusting the spear-like end toward his opponent with the precision of a trained warrior.

The movement was fast, sharp-intended to mimic a spear attack-but the thrust was light, more feint than a true strike.

His opponent raised the shield to meet the attack, bracing himself for impact, only to be caught off guard as the attacker shifted fluidly.

Without losing momentum after the thrust , the man with the halberd spun the weapon in a smooth half-circle, the heavy axe head sweeping around the shield’s edge.The sharp blade came to a sudden halt, its gleaming edge stopping just below the opponent’s shoulder, hovering a breath away from making contact.

 Alpheo, grinning, folded his arms and glanced back at his friends “You see, this weapon is something special.

It gives you the thrust of a spear,” he said, mimicking the earlier movement with his hands, “but just as easily, you can switch to slashing, like an axe.” His eyes gleamed with excitement.

“And if you’re up against someone in heavy armor, say, a knight in full plate, the back end of the halberd-” he pointed to the blunt hammer-like side, “-can crush through their defenses.

No matter the opponent, this weapon can kill with ease.” The group nodded in agreement, admiration for the weapon clear on their faces.

Laedio chuckled, scratching his chin.

“I wouldn’t want to be the poor bastard on the other end of that, that’s for sure.” Even Asag, usually more reserved, smiled faintly.

“It seems worth the price you paid, Alpheo.

A good choice.” But then, Jarza, standing with his arms crossed, furrowed his brow.

“It’s a fine weapon, no doubt,” he began, his voice cutting through the compliments.

“But using it like that-those wide sweeps, the rotations-wouldn’t it be hard to handle in close quarters?

Especially if you’re surrounded by your own men.

You wouldn’t have the space to move like we saw in the open here.” Alpheo looked at Jarza, his grin faltering slightly.

“Hmm, true.

It’s not ideal for tight formations,” he admitted.

“That is why they won’t be fighting in close units , as I will use them as shock troops .” Seeing the other’s confusion he continued  ” The disadvantage Jarza pointed out is exactly the reason why I won’t put these weapons in just anyone’s hands,” he explained.

“These halberds aren’t for the front line, where you’re packed shoulder to shoulder.

No, they’ll be march alongside our core army but behind them” He began pacing slightly, gesturing with his hand to illustrate his point.

“When the two sides clash, and the lines lock in battle, that’s when these men will strike.

They’ll move around the edges, flanking the enemy, slipping through any gaps that open up.

And once they’re in behind the enemy or at their sides, they’ll have the space they need to fight freely-just like we saw in the demonstration.” His excitement grew as he spoke, his voice rising with energy.

“Their job will be to cause as much chaos as possible, disrupt the enemy ranks, and make them vulnerable from all sides.

With enough room to maneuver, these halberds will tear through armor and flesh alike, turning the tide of battle.

They won’t need to worry about tight spaces because they’ll be carving their way through the enemy, forcing them back.” Egil nodded in agreement.

“A flanking force like that, hitting the enemy from the sides while they’re distracted?

That could break their formation for good.” Jarza, still thoughtful, scratched his chin.

“As long as they’ve got the room, I see it working,” he admitted slowly.

“But it’ll take a lot of discipline to make sure they don’t get trapped themselves.” Alpheo, still energized from the demonstration, turned to the group with a wide grin.

“I’ll be commissioning two hundred of these beauties,” he said, nodding toward the halberd now resting in the sand.

“And I’ll be recruiting two hundred fresh recruits to train them, specifically in this style of combat.” He crossed his arms, looking at the group with pride.

“Each one of them will be drilled until they can fight like you just saw-moving fast, flanking, and smashing through whatever stands in their way.

” Egil let out a low whistle, impressed.

“Two hundred of them, moving like that?

It’ll be a nightmare for whoever faces them.” “I am happy to know you share my opinion ” he said confidently.

“But the surprises aren’t over yet.” He raised a hand, signaling to a servant nearby.

“I’ve still got a few more things to show you all,” he said with a glint of excitement in his eye.