System's POV

After traveling for three days, Thirteen's group finally arrived in the Fangiss Swamp.

Even from afar, they could hear the sound of an ongoing battle, which made Sharroc frown.

"Let's hurry!" Sharroc shouted. "They might need our help!"

Thirteen nodded and ordered everyone to quicken up their pace.

They had brought the wagons with them on this journey, using them as a resting place, as well as a means to store their weapons and other items needed for the battle.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived just in time to see dozens of Ratmen breaking past the defenses of the Lizardmen and engaging them in close combat.

When Sharroc saw this, he didn't hesitate to charge forward to assist his comrades, leaving Thirteen and the other Wanderers behind.

"Everyone, grab your weapons and follow me," Thirteen ordered. "Listen to my orders well, and do not engage in close combat. We are not in our peak condition, so we will only use range weapons to attack the Ratmen.

"If some of them decide to attack us, the Hunters and the Cygni Faction will deal with them. As for the rest, do as practiced, okay?"

""Yes!""

"Blow the horns!" Thirteen ordered.

All the supporters who weren't proficient in fighting immediately blew the horns that they were carrying on their bodies.

This loud and intimidating sound spread across the battlefield, making the Lizardmen and the Ratmen subconsciously glance in their direction for a brief moment.

He ordered them to sound the horn to tell their allies that reinforcements had come, and to make the Ratmen feel pressured from knowing that there were more enemies for them to fight.

With all the Wanderers following behind Thirteen, he immediately summoned his bow and arrows and began shooting the moment he came within striking range.

Each shot hit its mark, making the Lizardmen whom he had helped look in his direction.

The teenage boy prioritized attacking the Ratmen who were on the verge of killing or dealing serious injury to the Lizardmen.

Right now, they needed all able-bodied fighters on the battlefield, so if he could save one more Lizardmen, the better.

'Sharroc wasn't lying when he said that the enemy's numbers are greater than the Lizardmen,' Thirteen thought as he fired one arrow after another.

Thirteen gave the other Wanderers a crash course on how to use a bow and arrow.

Although they hadn't become proficient in using them, they at least knew how to properly use them.

In fact, Thirteen didn't teach them how to aim.

No.

He only made them understand how far their arrows could reach when fired from different angles with their bows.

Because of this, dozens of arrows rained down on the rear of the enemy forces, making them cry out in pain and anger.

The other archers in Thirteen's team weren't as proficient as him, but they played their role well.

Although not all of their arrows hit something, it made the Ratmen more wary, knowing that they could get hit by an arrow anywhere, anytime.

Seeing that their reinforcements were helping them push back their enemies, the Lizardmen regained their morale and cried out their warcries, boosting their group's overall fighting prowess.

It didn't take long for the Ratmen to understand that the longer they stayed, the more of their brethren would be killed.

With a screech of anger that spread on the battlefield, the leader of the Ratmen ordered his subordinates to retreat.

Just like a receding flood, the Ratmen pulled back as quickly as they came.

The Lizardmen wanted to pursue them, but a loud shout stopped them in their tracks.

"Stop!" the Commander of the Varesti Tribe, Drazzat, shouted, stopping his subordinates from leaving their camp.

After ensuring that the Ratmen had completely retreated, Drazzat immediately ordered for the wounded to be taken to the rear of the formation, where their shamans could heal their injuries.

When all of the injured had been taken care of, he ordered the warriors to take care of the dead and the dying.

Not all Ratmen had died. Some of them were merely playing dead on the ground or had become unconscious after receiving a good strike in the head.

Because of this, the Lizardmen Warriors would stab their enemies' chests as a safety procedure to ensure that all the Ratmen were exterminated.

There had been cases when the Ratmen had waited for the right opportunity to strike, taking a Lizardman or two with them to the afterlife.

To prevent this from happening again, the Warriors took this duty seriously.

Only when they were certain that all the enemies were dead did the Commander finally glance at Sharroc, who had come to help them during their dire moment.

"I've received word that the Tribe is going to send reinforcements," Drazzat said. "So are these the new batch of humans that have been captured during the past few days?"

"Yes," Sharroc replied before pointing in Thirteen's direction. "Right now, they are following the orders of that teenage boy. His name is Zion Leventis."

"Zion Leventis?" Drazzat frowned. "I think I have heard that name before."

Aside from Thirteen's team, there were other humans who were also present in the camp.

So the moment their gaze landed on the teenage boy, some of them became ecstatic because they recognized him right away.

Thirteen glanced at the twenty or so teenagers, who were already inside the Lizardmen Camp and saw no familiar faces among them.

He made a mental note to talk to them after Sharroc had finished introducing his team to the Commander of the Varesti Tribe.

"To those who are in coachman duties, take the wagons inside the camp," Thirteen ordered. "The rest, follow me."

After giving out his order, Thirteen walked confidently toward Drazzat and Sharroc, who were eyeing them from a distance.

The teenage boy was thankful that they arrived at the right time, which benefited their position in the Varesti Tribe's forces.

Since they were able to save them from being overwhelmed by the enemies, the treatment they'd receive would definitely be better than the Wanderers who were currently in their camp.

"It's an honor to meet you, Great Commander," Thirteen pressed his fist over his chest and gave Drazzat a respectful bow. "My name is Zion Leventis, and we have come to aid you in battle. Feel free to just call me Zion."

"Well met, child," Drazzat replied. "Your archery skills are good. Make sure to continue to put it to good use."

After saying those words, the Commander of the Lizardmen turned around to check the reports of his subordinates.

They had suffered many casualties during this sudden raid by the Ratmen, and because of this, he planned to change camp to a place that would be easier to defend with their current numbers.

Thirteen watched as the Rank 5 Alpha Monster walked away to do his duty.

Although he had a calm expression on his face, deep inside, he already knew the fate of all the Varesti Tribe's Defenders who were protecting the Fangiss Swamp.

'They are going to lose for sure,' Thirteen thought.

A glance was enough for him to know that Drazzat was a Cannon Fodder.

This meant that someone powerful from the Ratmen Clan would come to take the Commander's head at a later time, boosting that monster's influence among its kin.

Knowing his final outcome, Thirteen knew that he needed to make his own preparations to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening.