Volume 3, Chapter 231 - Harsh Offensive (1/2)
While Jize the One-Eyed Knight was fighting with Bui the Orc King, Gi Zu Ruo, and Ra Gilmi Fishiga the Hero of Ganra, Shumea had led most of the rest of the army halfway down south.
“Damn it. The pursuers got to us too fast.”
Having to use their strongest trump cards because of Jize’s pursuit was a huge miscalculation on her part. Despite that she continued to act the fool and encouraged her soldiers.
“Run now while your bosses are buying time!”
The orcs and the goblins were worriedly looking at the camp, but Shumea ordered them to go. She led them down south. The border guards that have been following her from the start had no problems listening to her, and the other platoons listened to her as well, albeit reluctantly.
They were able to destroy the legs of the enemy, the cavalry, as planned, but one of the enemy’s strongest powers, the holy knight, came charging at them sudednly. The penetrative power of that knight was beyond anything Shumea had expected.
“Seriously. That thing is a monster in and of itself.”
She muttered to herself as she thought that the holy knight might be able to give the Goblin King a run for his money. Although it was to allow them to escape, being forced to use three of their trump cards here was a huge miscalculation. If things went as planned, they were supposed to burn the whole thing along with the fortress, but now they had to revise their plans a little.
They had left behind Gilmi, the general of the Bow and Arrow Army (Fanzel), so they have no choice now but to be flexible. This was by
no means going to be easy on her. The forces of Germion Kingdom were bound to chase after them now, so they will have have to keep retreating while maintaining a reasonable distance.
They’ve inspected the routes that they would be using to retreat many times. But that knowledge isn’t very reliable when they’re actually being pursued. Shumea felt like she could still see that holy knight with overwhelming power approaching, causing her to shake a little.
“Hmph. This isn’t a joke.”
Shumea tried to fight her body shaking by forcing herself to smile.
Bui and the others may have carried out their plan to allow them to escape, but the fact that they’re the ones most in danger of all still held true. Compared to them, their situation was still better. Shumea told herself that. Shumea fixed her grip on her short spear and narrowed her eyes.
“Come and try me, Holy Knights!”
As Shumea spoke sharply, she could see smoke billowing out from the camp.
◇◆◆
“GURUUuuOOOAAA!!”
“GURUuuOOooOoAaa!!!”
The howling iron spears attacked from both directions… Bui the Orc King alone was already strong physically, and now even Gi Zu was around to thrust out his spear. Gi Zu’s physical strength and body were both extraordinary among goblins. The attack unleashed by the two monsters was undoubtedly a killing blow. If a normal human
were standing here, he would surely be blown away along with his head.
“Hmph!”
But this was Jize the One-Eyed. Not only was he able to brush off their attack, he even sent out an attack of his own.
He rested the blade he used to receive their attack a little and allowed his body to sink, then he ran away from the trajectory of the spears. In the same moment when he ran away, he had already prepared to unleash his own attack. That movement that was executed in practically an instant was a testament of his masterful technique and his abnormal courage. It was also proof of the training that he had beaten into his body many times.
Jize’s swordsmanship that was supported by his experience and training could be considered at a superior level even among holy knights.
Even the way he shifted from a stance to an attack was polished. He chipped of the waste and focused only on swinging his sword. Using the least movement to cause the greatest effect, Jize’s blade grazed Bui’s side and caused blood to spurt out.
His fighting style that was gradually starting to inflict deeper wounds without burdening his blade showed that he had experience hunting monsters alone. With the exception of someone like Vine the Mad Blade, who would use enchantment magic to strengthen her sword, normal adventurers would usually bring a lot of weapons with them when hunting alone and change them continually.
To the common man it was not easy to hold back against monsters that had superior physical abilities. The body of monsters is their weapon itself.
Claws and fangs to tear apart their enemy. Hard skin to protect their body. Just trying to damage that hard skin would damage one’s weapons. As such, it was a given for adventurers to bring multiple weapons.
But, at the same time, there was another approach to this problem.
This approach argued that one should instead target the weak points of monsters.
At first, it might just be a scratch, but if you attack the same place many times, the wound will deepen and the skin protecting the innards will be ripped open. Of course such a thing was generally impossible when one is risking his life against monsters and fighting an already difficult battle, but it is true that the chance of losing one’s weapon while fighting against monsters is extremely high.
If an adventurer is put in a situation with no weapons left, then he will no longer be able to fight. On top of that, adventurers had to bet their survival on the trump cards they possessed and had to fight with them, if they can’t do it they will die. The one who was able to succeed with that approach after much training is the man known as Jize.
As Jize cut open Bui’s side, Gi Zu attacked him with his spear. Despite a pool of blood having formed, he still thrust out his spear. The trajectory his spear followed was too straightforward, however, and it couldn’t be anything more than easy pickings for Jize.
Jize dodged that spear that came thrusting straight forward, then entered Gi Zu’s range with a step. Immediately after, he swung his blade, seeking to cut off Gi Zu’s head, but Gi Zu hurriedly brought back his hand, so he was able to survive with just a scar on his neck.
Gi Zu broke his posture from shock, and Jize pursued after him. In a flash, Jize held his sword in a high stance, but the sound of an arrow cutting the wind forced him to take a step back. Immediately after, the arrow shot from the shadows passed through where he was just a while ago.
“I see. So you’re planning to shoot when things are going bad for you.”
As Jize opened up the distance between them, Gi Zu also stepped back. In his place, Bui stepped forward and swung his iron spear from above Jize’s head. That attack could crush the ground and send stone fragments flying, but Jize easily dodged it.
Jize jumped back and breathed out, then while paying attention to the two monsters blocking his path and keeping an eye out for the other monster shooting at him, he rested a little. This battle wherein a single blow could end him was extremely draining on his concentration and nerves.
Jize intended to kill these monsters here, but it was likely that these monsters were planning to retreat. Otherwise, there would be no reason to allow their main forces to retreat.
Monsters gaining intelligence… It was a terrifying thought, but he had no choice but to acknowledge it.
“To think they were able to retreat in such orderly manner.”
The enemy before him was probably just trying to buy time. But even then, there weren’t that many monsters that could face a holy knight like himself on equal footing. As such, these three monsters are probably big wigs of the monster army.
The greatest opening is when they try to run.
If they take too much time retreating, the main forces of Germion Kingdom will catch up. In that case, they will no longer be able to run. They should be aware of that. If so, then Jize could not afford to leave. They might also try to run at the expense of others.
Either way, one of them will fall to Jize.
There was no need to push himself. Jize just had to calmly assume his stance. And when an opportunity presented itself, he would kill them.
As such, the only thing he was worried about was failing due to a misstep in his concentration. Jize fought with the three monsters while taking a break from time to time to maintain his concentration.
As for the goblins, the most they could do was to keep themselves from dying to this holy knight. Bui the Orc King, Gi Zu the Duke Class, Gilmi the Noble class… Despite these three working together, they were gradually being pushed back.
The approaching shouts informed them that the enemy was getting closer.
“Bui-dono.”
Gi Zu quietly spoke to Bui, who had eaten the forbidden fruit (apple) and had a completely different aura.
“Please step back when I give the signal.”
“BURUuuUu…”
As Bui breathed out violently, Gi Zu stepped forward. And the holy knight that had taken distance, suddenly stepped forward and entered into his range. Gi Zu swung his spear to intercept Jize, who had suddenly entered into range, but Jize dodged his attack.
In fact, Gi Zu only ended up being cut. Gi Zu cried out in pain, but he bought time. Gi Zu himself never thought he would be able to win against a holy knight. At first he was furious when he heard Gilmi and Shumea’s plan, but now that he was fighting Jize, he knew they were telling the truth.
He had to acknowledge it.
The enemy in front of him was clearly stronger than himself.
That humiliating truth roused the flames of anger, but that anger could not possibly overturn reality. And it was precisely because of that that Gi Zu obeyed the plan. It was a given that there would be an enemy stronger than him when he was living in the forest. Those that were big, those that had poison, and those that had sharp fangs…
This human had none of those, but in their place, he possessed a skill that he had trained so hard for.
No matter how many times he swung his spear, the enemy would nimbly dodge and cut his thighs. When Gi Zu fell to his knees, Jize’s sword came swinging. Gi Zu immediately rolled on the ground to dodge. Jize wanted to pursue, but Bui’s attack forced him to back off.
“Holy Knight-dono!”
The southern army Jize led entered the open area. When Jize saw that, he was certain of victory. But it was then that the suffering Gi Zu cried out.
“Ved! Now!!”
Suddenly, flames spread through the ground.
“This is… No! Retreat!”
As soon as Jize saw the pillars of flame running across the ditch of the ground, he cried out and ordered his soldier to retreat.
“Pops!”
“KU… As expected, that human is absurdly strong.”
Ved, who had been hiding, ran to where Gi Zu was. Jize did not pursue. As he lifted up Gi Zu, whose expression was twisted in pain, Zu Ved glared at Jize, but without saying anything, he ran.
“Damned monsters! You intend to burn even your camp!?”
Jize spat curses as he glared at the running Bui and Ved, but he couldn’t chase after them. No. He had to get his men out of here now. It was more important to get his personal army back on its feet than to chase after the monsters.
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