Chapter 170: Siege War (1)
With Crockta’s words, a silent stillness prevailed.
He just declared that he would stand alone against the imperial army. Rommel and the imperial army in front of him kept quiet. The plains were silent.
“Is that so?”
Soon, Rommel turned his horse around and raised his hand. He issued an order to attack.
However, the moment he was about to move to the back of the formation, Crockta jumped forward, with no intention of letting him go. The two knights guarding Rommel raised their swords in a hurry.
Clanggg!
One of the knight’s swords was split apart. The horse went wild as it was stricken by fear due to Crockta’s killing intent. The knight grabbed the reins and hung on.
Rommel quickly left the scene, thus Crockta missed the opportunity. Crockta cut down the knights and horses alike and smiled with blood spurting everywhere. The battle was about to begin, and the large army spread out. They did not move, but if they didn’t come, Crockta would go to them.
Crockta began to run, and the Ogre Slayer seemed to rumble. It seemed excited about the feast that was to come. The same was true for Crockta. The soldiers still could not come to their senses, and they were faltering. If they could not concentrate, they would die.
Crockta leaped. He faced the imperial army with his greatsword. He brandished his greatsword, and the first line of defense crashed with Crockta.
Clank!
The soldiers were sent flying in unison. Crockta stepped on them and cut down the next row of soldiers. As Crockta cut down the soldiers in front of him and pushed further inside, the formation’s trail grew longer and he was gradually surrounded.
However, he did not care. Wasn’t a close-quarters battle without a retreat route an indescribable charm? He swung his greatsword and cut his enemies, dyeing the land with a fountain of blood.
An individual against an army. It was an overwhelmingly disadvantageous number, with enemies surrounding him in all directions. However, the army was the one being cut down. This was because it was not enough to just surround him in all directions to kill him.
Crockta cleaved the enemies in front of him with a cross-cut. With an explosive attack, the sound of a blast resonated.
“Is that what you all amount to──────!”
His battle cry shook the entire army. Crockta took a step forward, and the imperial army got out of the way simultaneously.
Crockta burst out laughing and struck with his greatsword. His enemies suffered a tragic death. The swords coming at him from all directions did not reach him.
Now that his assimilation rate had reached 100%, Crockta’s senses were sharper than ever. He gave everything he had on the battlefield, and he was able to sense everything. He could feel everything—from his enemies’ killing intent that crept up their skin, to the trajectory of their sword being swung out of fear, and even to their fine hairs shaking.
“Try and kill me ──────!”
Staring at Rommel’s perplexed face, the corner of Crockta’s lips curled up. The soldier standing beside Crockta was dead with his neck twisted, and Crockta took away his spear. Then, he swung Ogre Slayer around to secure some space, causing the enemies to crumble.
In the gap that formed, Crockta threw the spear at Rommel, ripping through the air. It pierced through two soldiers and one knight. Nevertheless, the spear did not lose its momentum and continued to fly toward Rommel’s heart.
Without looking at the outcome, Crockta turned around again. It was one or the other, either he died or survived. He decided to focus on the soldiers charging at him instead.
The moment the spears and swords clashed, he realized that the enemies' faces were familiar. He saw those faces in Ogochai. Delighted, he decapitated their heads, causing blood to splatter. The soldiers were floundering as their vision was blocked, and they were split into two. Their upper bodies were entangled with their lower bodies, and they collapsed to the ground.
Crockta kicked their internal organs out of his way. Instead of stopping, he swung his greatsword down at the enemies who were stepping backward at the terrible sight. His enemies’ bodies split into two, and their mushy internal organs flowed out.
“Rommel ──────!”
Crockta called out the names of his enemies.
“Cainz──────!”
The faces of those being called turned pale.
“Luin──────!”
Crockta struck the crowded enemies with the flat side of his sword. The soldiers stepped back out of fear. Some space formed around Crockta, there were no enemies in the gap around him. He swung his greatsword down now that his opponents were not around. He dug up the dead bodies and tore them apart, reducing their limbs to mere scraps of meat scattering around.
Crockta laughed. The soldiers were frightened. His enemies’ fear was his ally. Crockta, covered in blood and flesh, continued shouting.
“Betrong──────!”
He could sense them flinching in the distance. It was at the forefront where the flag of the White Lion Knights was fluttering. Why were they not charging at him?
They used the pitiful soldiers as meat shields at the front, so why haven’t those distinguished knights shown up yet?
“Bleuno──────!”
At that moment, he called out the name of the Blue Dragon Lancers’ commander. If they didn’t come, he would go to them himself.
Crockta swung his sword crazily as he made his way forward. Like a grinder, the soldiers that stood in his way were shredded to pieces. They were cut, split apart, and stabbed. He worked steadily and repeatedly, paving the path forward.
However, reinforcements were sent, and he once again cut, sliced and stabbed.
“Adantadore──────!”
Adantadore could be seen standing next to Rommel. Rommel was bleeding from his side. Crockta’s spear missed. The reason why Crcokta’s spear missed its mark was probably because of Adantadore.
Crockta saw Adantadore’s pupils dilate. He could see drops of sweat trickling down Adantadore’s eyelids, and his lips were quivering. Crockta laughed again. His elevated senses could even capture his heart beating like crazy.
Didn’t he tell them? They better hope they never meet him on the battlefield.
Crockta shouted again, “Come at me──────!”
The ground rumbled. Rommel clenched his teeth and signaled. The command flag moved. Then, arrows poured down at Crockta.
In response, Crockta grabbed a soldier and used him as a shield. The arrows penetrated his body. Instead of him, the surrounding soldiers were sacrificed and shot down. The blood of the dead soldier ran down Crockta’s forearm. The ground around him was sprawled with corpses, and arrows were embedded on top of them like beehives.
They abandoned their allies out of fear.
“Kekeke.”
Rommel. Did he only amount to this much?
Crockta tossed the body away. Then, he grinned, staring at Rommel. The remaining soldiers hesitated. They did not approach like before after they saw their companions being sacrificed.
Crockta strolled along with his greatsword over his shoulder. The soldiers backed up. They were retreating. The gap between him and the imperial army did not close.
Soon, the space for the crowd of soldiers reached the limit. As they were no longer able to retreat, the soldiers crouched down and held up their weapons pathetically.
The command flag fluttered a few times and it began issuing a new signal. The knights’ flag began to move away from the formation. They circled the perimeter to prepare for the cavalry charge. Soon, the sound of the horses’ hooves began to hasten.
The first to react was the infantries. They ran away in a hurry so as to not be swept up by the charge. Gradually, the knights’ flag approached closer. Crockta followed behind the soldiers as they were turning tail, moving deeper inside.
The formation was in pure chaos. Crockta slaughtered those who stood in his way and ventured deeper into the formation. He was in the middle of the soldiers yet again.
The running soldiers did not stop. The command flag did not order a retreat. The cavalries trampled on the soldiers and continued to charge at Crockta. At that, screams burst out from various places.
Crockta lowered his posture and cut the ankle of one of the horses. The horse fell and crashed against the infantries. Instead of being of help, the knights’ cavalry charge was a disaster for their friendly troops.
“I didn’t know we were on the same team.” Crockta ridiculed them.
It was not unreasonable for them to self-destruct. Have they fought against a single enemy before? Would they have assumed that one enemy to let loose a massacre? The chaotic imperial army did not know how to stop Crockta, so they recklessly used their means of attack. Arrows were fired, and cavalries were tangled up.
However, instead of Crockta, the soldiers were the ones slaughtered.
It was not common for him to raise his voice, but Rommel shouted, “Ordinary soldiers, retreat! Knights, dismount from your horses and restraint Crockta! Surround him!”
Crockta did not just stand and watch as they did what they wanted. He persistently pursued the tail of the fleeing soldiers. The soldiers could not choose between retreating or fighting and they were taken out one after another after running about in confusion.
It was like a great tiger that jumped in the middle of a flock of sheep. No, it was more imposing than that.
***
Among the continuously dying infantries, a knight tried to stab Crockta in the gap that formed. He finally managed to reach Crockta after a continuous war of attrition.
“Die, monster!” He proudly shouted with spirit.
In admiration, Crockta bequeathed a swing from Ogre Slayer as a prize to the knight. The greatsword tore the knight’s mouth and cut his face in half. His upper jaw got separated from his lower jaw, flying into the air. Crockta then kicked the knight’s body, blocking the other knights following behind.
He grabbed his greatsword and swung it from left to right at once. The dead bodies and the knights were split in half with a single stroke, birthing yet another fountain of blood.
The knight’s upper face, which had soared into the sky, landed on Crockta’s helmet and fell to the ground. The knight’s expression was stiff, it was the same expression he had when he was shouting about monsters or whatnot. The dead knight would not have wanted this sort of ending either. Crockta stepped on his face, crushing it.
The same was true for Crockta. The imperial army was finally able to separate the infantries from him. The knights surrounded him, keeping their distance. They were not like regular soldiers. From Betrong to Bleuno and even Adantadore, the Empire’s distinguished cream of the crop—the knights surrounded him.
Tension ran down his spine. Crockta could feel the bodies of the enemies entering the Pinnacle. Countless knights and soldiers surrounded him. There was nowhere to escape. He was isolated. He was finally standing at the Colosseum, a brutal stage where he would die if he could not kill.
Crockta also mustered power in his body and mind, reaching the Pinnacle. The moment felt like forever. At some point in the infinitely flowing time, Crockta made the first move as the knights could not break past it. Crockta swung his greatsword at them.
Clank!
As expected, Adantadore was able to follow him. He clenched his teeth and confronted Crockta. He endured the impact of Ogre Slayer and counterattacked. The other knights could only register their movements after exchanging attacks several times. Before they could intervene, Crockta found a gap and punched Adantadore in the face, causing a few teeth to fly.
In the meantime, the blades of the knights stormed in. It was unavoidable. In that instant, Crockta surpassed the Pinnacle and reached the Hero-tier, a level transcending the laws of causality. He was supposed to be cut down, but instead, the blades stabbed their owners. The knights’ armors were crushed and they were blasted back.
However, a stream of blood flowed down.
“...”
Crockta looked at the knight who wounded his ribs. It was Bleuno, the commander of the Blue Dragon Lancers. Just as he had sensed in Ogochai, Bleuno was a knight who reached the doorsteps of a Hero. He overcame Crockta’s transcendence over the laws of causality, and his sword reached Crockta. It was impressive.
Crockta instantly ducked and swung Ogre Slayer at Bleuno. Startled, Bleuno twisted his body. However, there was a cut on his forehead because he could not completely avoid it. He kept his life intact by a narrow margin.
At the same time, Adantadore and Betrong pounced on Crockta. The knights aimed their spears in unison. They surrounded him and attacked from all sides. With the power of a Hero, Crockta offset the threat, but the strength of Adantadore and the knight commanders was formidable.
A few blades, which Crockta could not overpower, cut him. Crockta clenched his teeth and shook his greatsword. A group of knights was torn apart, but blood was flowing down from Crockta’s body as well.
Other knights quickly replaced the empty posts left by the dead knights. The enemies kept being reinforced no matter how many he killed. It was exactly as he hoped for. Crockta grinned, and his mind became clearer. He accelerated his whole body again. He then severed the neck of a knight who lost focus. No one could react to the monstrously fast attack. The steel helmet of the dead knight rolled on the ground.
Crockta looked around and chuckled, “Kekeke.”
The knights stepped back and watched him carefully with a wider gap between them.
Crockta’s lips twitched. There was an outrageous difference in numbers, and the limit of a single individual began to show.
Just then, Adantadore suddenly looked up. Betrong and the other knights also looked somewhere far away. A huge shadow was looming over them. Crockta also looked back. On the hill, someone was galloping down on horseback.
Crockta whistled at the scene transpiring in front of his eyes, and he said with a grin, “You came right on time.”
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