"You aren't deploying Berserker in the front-line?" Sage asked as he grabbed a fruit from the refrigerator as he remained in Rhodes island with Undertaker. "where is he going?"
"To investigate the village, of course." Undertaker took out a box of figurine that she got from the workshop. She lay out the map and place the figurines as markers. "Let go through what we know from the caravan's reports."
"The villagers called for help after there was a food raid by the Reunion, having only three days' worth of food." Sage read the report out loud as Undertaker took her time putting up extra detail.
"Due to the terrain, only three routes were deemed safe for vehicle travel. All three were ambush by Reunion." Sage paused for a second as he read the next page. "The third day, a 'backdoor' to the village was revealed. The caravan crew sent to that route had no reported back. We have to presume they are ambushed and killed."
"Take a look."
Sage looked away from the paper report in respond to Undertaker's voice.
"What the…"
Undertaker smiled as she was proud of work.
"The whole village, it looked like a fortress!"
"And we are rushing towards the objective." Undertaker lowered her body and gaze upon the village, represented as a red flag figurine. "The true question, why did the village remain standing."
[Outskirt]
Berserker climbed the treacherous terrains, avoiding conflicts with the Reunion patrols.
"Can you feel that?" one of the Reunion soldiers asked as Berserker slowly crept around.
"It's as if I could feel fear manifesting onto my body." The other replied.
"Hopefully its not a ghost or anything." The third joked.
"Shut it, we still have a patrol to do." The fourth barked the orders.
Reaching to the entrance of the village 'Backdoor', Berserker saw the pile of bodies being piled to the side as other Reunion soldiers scavenge the remains of the caravan like vultures.
Reunion took out red spray can and began spray painting over the faction's emblems of the equipment's with their own. They did not bother to hide their poor artistic job but the user of these rebranded weapons got the point.
Reunion had won and these were the proof of their effectiveness in the war.
Berserker pulled bodies around him and strap on whatever he could find, looking like one that could fit in the Reunion.
The Reunion soldiers that patrol around the perimeter did not question Berserker appearance, nor did they want to. His aura timid the most boastful guards the Reunion had in the area.
"Is that one of the new leaders?"
"Of course, look at the style that he is dressed in. No one would be daring to wear that in combat."
"Quiet, last person who commented about the appearance had his head removed in an instance."
"Step aside." Berserker ordered and the Reunion guards stepped aside without uttering a word.
Instead of asking the guards to unlock the door that had locked by rusted locks, Berserker pulled the door with ease, destroying both door and locks at the same time.
"Yea, its definitely a good idea not to comment about that."
[Village]
It could be said that Berserker wasn't expecting the villagers to be this calm under the Reunion occupations.
The least? He was surprised that the villagers had been fairly treated in compared to those in the city.
He was expecting blood and guts to be spilled or people cowering in fear at the sight of the Reunion soldiers. There was none.
Minimum medical care was given to the weak, education and physical training were given to the young.
"Reunion Good, others evil. Reunion Good, others evil. Reunion Good, others evil." They shouted as they raced rounds on the muddy field.
Where was the food shortage that the villagers cried for help? From what Berserker saw, the whole village could last months in a siege with the supplies they had.
Berserker soon identified the chieftain from the group of elderly, readied to question about the reason he had lied about the situation.
Heavy footsteps could be heard behind him.
"WHO ARE YOU?" The leader of the Reunion walked forth with his soldiers. "I DON'T REMEMBER ASKING FOR REINFORCEMENTS."
"….." Berserker remained quiet as he observed the weapon that the leader was holding. A giant blade, crudely fashion from different weapons wield together.
"WHO ARE YOU!" The leader demanded Berserker name. "MY NAME IS-"
"Don't care." Berserker interrupted as he dropped his Hoplon shape shield to the ground and pulls out his metal truncheon.
The soldiers formed a giant circle, understanding that Berserker and their leader is going for a duel.
"I MAKE SURE YOU WOULD BE SCREAMING THE INFORMATIONS FROM YOUR MOUTH!"
"No." Berserker stabbed his metal truncheon into the gap in the Hoplon shield. The villagers could hear the mechanism within the shield locking onto the metal truncheon. Berserker lifted his weapon with ease and rest on his left shoulder. "You."
It was a double blade axe.
The leader stripped off the outer white coat, revealing the muscles and infection.
Berserker did the same thing, ditching his disguise and white mask. Berserker, however, did not show any sign of the infection on his upper body.
"DROP YOUR WEAPON AND SURRENDER! I WILL MAKE YOUR DEATH PAINLESS!"
Berserker tilted his head for a moment, not understanding why would he surrender. Berserker response was to lift his right hand at the leader and gesturing back.
"Come and get them."
Both combatants rushed forward with inhumane speed, clashing their weapons against the other.
Fear were written all over the audiences.
There was no beautiful dodging or parrying by either party. There were no strategies to exploit the other's weaknesses.
Just two brutes duking it out with strength. The sound of the weapons clashing could be compared to the sound of fierce thunderstorm.
One of the clashes even sent a shock wave across the makeshift arena, causing the soldiers to fall over briefly.
The audiences did not dare cheer for either side as neither of the combatants showed any sign of weakening or slowing down.