Squad Games [Squad Building LitRPG] [Book One Complete]

Ashlyn looked out from the door of the barn as the sounds of fighting grew ever closer. Then the first Silent Warriors appeared. They attacked the farmhouse, where the locals put up a stiff resistance.

"We have wounded," Tree shouted down. "To your left."

It was The Guvnah she recognised first. He held his arm out before him. It took her a little while to realise it was Vixen who supported him. She's escaped! The Alinko looked about frantically, and Ashlyn realised she didn't know where to go.

"Come on, Georg," Ashlyn said.

They ran towards Vixen, who reacted in fear, then relief, when she realised who it was. The Guvnah, meanwhile, seemed to be in shock. He stared into the distance, almost like he didn't recognise them. Then Ashlyn saw that his arm had been torn to shreds.

A trio of Silent Warriors had followed them, and Tree shot at them from his position on the roof of the barn.

The Hoffmeister grabbed The Guvnah and led him back to the barn.

"Come on, Vixen," Ashlyn said.

The woman looked at her with wide eyes and dilated pupils. "It was Stricken," she said. "Mental saved us. She's still there."

"I'll look for her," Ashlyn promised. "Come with me."

"Gonna need you to look at this, Henning," The Hoffmeister shouted up to the tall scout, as Pecs and Hubert emerged from the barn.

"What the fuck—" said Vixen.

"It's alright," Ashlyn told her. "Hubert's joined the Apples. He won't harm you."

Tree swore as he got off a last shot before appearing at the edge of the roof. "We need an archer up here." He took in The Guvnah's injuries and clambered down.

"I'll do it," Vixen said, desperation in her voice as she took her sling in hand.

Ashlyn realised she'd feel safer up on the roof. "Pecs?"

Pecs helped the Alinko to clamber onto the roof, while Tree led The Guvnah into the barn.

"More incoming!" Vixen shouted. "Straight ahead!"

Ashlyn turned to see thirty Silent Warriors arriving. Six individuals retreated ahead of them. Wynter, Rake, and four farmhands had kept enough distance between themselves and their pursuers to make it to the barn.

Now they needed help.

ACTION ROUND

Vixen opened the combat, scoring five hits by sending her bullets into the packed ranks of the Silent Warriors. She left two dead and one barely conscious, on 3 hit points.

Hubert charged at the enemy, swiping his great claws when he reached them. There was no avoiding his attacks, and he left one dead and another bleeding out on the ground.

Wynter stopped running and turned to face her pursuers. Her sword work was lightning quick, and the warriors couldn't match her prowess—six of them falling to her attack.

Rake followed her into the fray. He had less actions, but fought with two swords, both hands equally deadly. He slew four and left a fifth as good as dead.

Ashlyn made up the gap to the oncoming warriors. It took three actions to close on them, leaving her with only three for combat. Her efforts were desperately poor, a single shield strike her only contribution.

The Hoffmeister joined her. He, too, had limited actions remaining. But his single hit with the Spear of Riposte was enough to claim a kill.

With the strength to fight with both pike and shield, Pecs scored one hit with each. His pike downed one warrior, while his shield injured a second.

They had killed seventeen and injured three. But that still left ten warriors on full health, who went on the attack before the four farmhands. Each warrior took on one opponent, while two overlapped and reached the barn:

Another company of Silent Warriors appeared from the same direction as the first, thirty-three in total. Ashlyn knew they had to extricate themselves—they wouldn't be able to hold off these numbers much longer.

The farmhands completed the action round, each managing to inflict minor damage on their opponents.

"It's her!" Vixen cried from her position on the roof. "The princess!"

"It's disappointing to witness your treachery, Chinara," the woman shouted lustily. "It must be punished!"

Eyota

Raised Human Princess of Sargassia

Action Stats

Exp Level 8

Action Points 9

Hit Points 39

Longsword (damage 5-40), Dagger (3-12), Shield (4-12), Chain Mail (+Shield), Helmet

Ashlyn didn't know who the princess was, but she felt her crewmate's terror carry to her. It didn't require a genius to work out this was one of their enemies who could not be killed by regular weapons—and Blueblade, along with the three wizards, were elsewhere.

To her credit, Vixen didn't run. Instead, she targeted the two warriors who had reached the barn. Four successful hits were enough to kill the pair.

Hubert took two actions to tear open his foe.

"Retreat, Hubert!" Pecs told him.

"Run!" Ashlyn shouted.

But the bear either didn't understand or ignored them. Instead, ever loyal, Hubert turned on Pecs' opponent. Two swipes of his claws, and he claimed his fourth kill.

It took Wynter three actions to finish her adversary. She still had four actions, and didn't waste any time using them. She ran to the west zone of the farm, heading for yet another barn.

Rake's longsword was blocked, but his shortsword entered his opponent's armpit, causing 14 points of damage. Reeling, his opponent couldn't stop the longsword's return swing from hacking into his side and finishing the contest. Rake followed Wynter, drawing level with her.

Ashlyn made up for her poor first round by finishing her wounded opponent with one strike from Greenblade. She was unsure what to do next, aware that Hubert was left vulnerable. A sword and shield combination dealt with The Hoffmeister's adversary. Her next strike killed off a Silent Warrior barely standing from a meeting between a sling bullet and his head.

But her crewmates weren't happy.

"No, Greenblade," Pecs said. "You need to leave; Hubert is my responsibility."

"This way!" Wynter shouted. "We need to find Mental!"

In the intensity of the melee, Ashlyn had forgotten her promise to Vixen to find Jenkins. She put aside her misgivings and followed Wynter and Rake.