Bonus chapter thanks to @DK and @Imjusthereforchapters on Ko-fi! P.S. New Tiers: Hestia’s Hearth and World’s Archive: Workshop are out on Ko-fi!
Immediately following Enfer’s order, the entire Roach Knights, including Commander Sylvain, blew their whistles. A high, long sound reverberated, harmonizing like a series of notes.
Soon, a herd of horses galloped towards each knight. Mounting their steeds, the knights charged straight towards the barrier.
There was no time to open the barrier gate. The Lord’s command must be obeyed without a moment’s delay.
“I will lead the charge! Knights, form a wedge formation, protect Frondier, and pierce through the front!”
The knights followed Sylvain, who rode ahead, and they all leaped over the barrier, galloping over the monster corpses, just as Cassian had done.
Thud, thud, thud
With a sound like a typhoon felling trees, they closely pursued Frondier.
“Frondier!” Sylvain shouted as he drew near. He soon overtook Frondier, shielding his front. The knights then surrounded Frondier, crushing any approaching monsters.
“Commander!”
“This formation won’t last long! The moment we stop, all that remains is death!” Sylvain said, looking at Frondier.
Although it appeared that they were easily cutting down monsters and advancing, it was only because the number of surrounding monsters was temporarily low due to the Cyclops in the distance.
Since the Cyclops wasn’t specifically targeting monsters when throwing rocks or moving forward, there weren’t many monsters around it or in the direct path between it and the barrier.
Frondier and the knights were able to advance because they took advantage of this gap, but soon the monsters would fill the gap and the knights would be pushed back.
“Finish it in one go! Failure is not an option!”
“Yes!”
An immediate answer, as if it went without saying. A confident voice. Sylvain grinned upon hearing Frondier’s response.
He looked straight ahead and pointed his sword forward. His rough voice reached the entire knight order.
“Increase speed! Clear Frondier’s path! Ensure nothing hinders him!”
“Yes!!”
The knights surged forward. Monsters were scattered like blood-soaked confetti. Under the complete protection of the knights, Frondier caught his breath.
Frondier’s objective wasn’t just the Cyclops. Mana conservation was crucial, and in that regard, the knights’ support was incredibly valuable.
“Commander!” Frondier called out to Sylvain, who was clearing the way.
“What is it, Frondier!”
“When we reach it, I will definitely end its life!”
“If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t have done this crazy thing!” Sylvain said, once again cutting down the head of a monster blocking their path. Seeing this, Frondier shouted again.
“But when that time comes, I have a request for you, Commander!”
“A request?”
“When we reach it, please cut off its left leg!”
“Left leg, you say?”
Sylvain raised his head and looked at the Cyclops. Calling it a left leg was generous; if Sylvain swung his sword horizontally to the right in front of the Cyclops, that would be its left leg. That’s how massive it was.
“Yes! Its head is too high, and if I jump in alone, it might dodge or block me!”
“…Alright!”
Sylvain clenched his sword as he replied.
He had answered, but Sylvain felt uneasy. This wasn’t his first time facing a Cyclops. He knew all too well how tough its hide was and how hard its bones were.
The usual strategy for dealing with a Cyclops was for the entire knight order to surround it and accumulate wounds.
In other words, instead of delivering a fatal blow at once, they aimed to bring it down through bleeding and muscle fatigue.
‘…Will I be able to cut it?’
He wasn’t standing on the ground but riding a horse. He could only put power into the sword using his upper body.
In this unstable posture, even with Aura, would he be able to cut it down?
‘No. I have to! If not now, when?’
Sylvain calmed his eyes and steadied his mind. Naturally, his grip on the sword tightened.
The time for debating possibilities had long passed. Preparation is never perfect.
He had to do it now. With the next swing, the single strike.
Soon, the knights reached the vicinity of the Cyclops. Sylvain signaled to the knights with a hand gesture.
“Now!”
The moment they reached it, the knights, except for Frondier and Sylvain, spread out like wings and moved to the left and right. The Cyclops’ single eye darted left and right, following the dispersed knights. A brief moment of confusion, unsure of which side to attack.
In that gap, Sylvain’s blade shot out in a straight line.
Clang!
‘Ugh…!’
A horizontal slash infused with Aura, carrying the momentum of the galloping horse. However, Sylvain’s sword barely cut the Cyclops’ leg and was stopped.
The horse carrying Sylvain continued to run, leaving him hanging in the air, clinging to the slightly embedded sword.
‘No!’
In the instant the sword stuck in the Cyclops’ leg, a time shorter than a moment, Sylvain used all his strength to push the blade in. But it wouldn’t budge. It was impossible to cut it while hanging in the air when he couldn’t even cut it with the horse’s momentum.
Thud!
Sylvain felt a shadow rise from behind. Frondier leaped into the air. The skill with which he jumped from behind the horse, maintaining his balance, was impressive, but it was far from reaching the Cyclops’ head.
‘Frondier! It’s dangerous!’