Don't you remember cutting my sword?

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Translator: Ruby

Chapter: 55

Chapter Title: Don't you remember cutting my sword?

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"The welcoming ceremony isn't very pleasing."

At my question that wasn't a question, Commander Vincent answered with a frown.

"Count Moden's territory is basically a place with strong anti-royalist tendencies......but this seems a bit excessive. Clearly something has gone wrong!"

Even though it wasn't an enemy nation at war, but their own country's army approaching, to fire catapults right off the bat.

Probably anyone would say this wasn't a normal situation.

Moreover, wasn't the timing right after Count Soleon had fled?

I was convinced that something was happening inside there.

And I made a firm decision.

"We break through!"

Though one might have been flustered by such a forceful decision, the Black Iron Knights followed my command without a single waver.

"Yes!"

"Target is the collapsed castle wall! We charge through there!"

Commander Vincent, who immediately nodded, shouted to the knights.

"Shields up!"

Clink clink clink!

The knights simultaneously raised their shields in unison, creating a form like a tank with no gap for arrows to slip through.

Actually, knights of this era were also positioned like tanks.

However, even if they could block arrows, catapults clearly existed in the enemy camp.

In front of catapults, naturally shields were nothing but useless.

So I stood at the very front again this time.

"I'll open the path at the vanguard! I'll handle the flying rocks, so prepare for combat with the mindset of only blocking arrows!"

At my shout, all the knights answered in unison.

We had already passed through one battle risking our lives.

Trust in each other could never be lacking.

Therefore, though it was an absurd-sounding command at a glance, the knights didn't waver at all.

"We receive the order!"

After confirming their morale, I nodded and spoke to Diaz and Commander Vincent.

"You two defend against arrows from my left and right. No need to even draw your swords, just focus entirely on defense. And Diaz, make sure to keep Pico safely in your embrace."

In any case, if I didn't open the path at the very front, advancing the entire expedition force itself would be impossible.

Diaz and Vincent, who had grasped the battle situation, immediately answered.

"Yes. Sir Rohan."

"Understood, sir!"

After confirming they were ready,

I burst forward through the bushes.

"All forces! Advance!"

At my signal, Diaz and Commander Vincent on my left and right,

And behind, the expedition force all began to rush out together.

"Waaaaa!"

"Don't fall behind!"

"Chaaaaarge!"

Along with the war cries, arrows flew up blackly into the sky.

Confirming that, I—

"Defensive formation!"

Issued the command.

Clink! Clink! Clink clink!

The knights raised their shields and assumed a complete defensive stance, stopping in place.

Diaz and Commander Vincent also erected walls using their two shields.

Shortly after,

An enormous amount of arrows began to rain down in an instant like rain.

Shhhhhhhk......thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The murderous noise heard from beyond the shields.

What on earth had happened behind that castle wall to launch such attacks full of killing intent?

Though multiple questions arose simultaneously, ultimately it seemed there was no choice but to go directly and confirm.

When the arrow rain stopped,

"Advance!"

We began to rush out again.

And as expected,

The next turn was catapult attacks.

Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!

Several rocks rose into the sky.

There was no need to block them all.

Several could be sufficiently avoided.

However, just one—

The one flying straight ahead had to be dealt with.

I drew my sword and lightly drew a vertical line.

Swish.

The rock cleanly split left and right along with space itself, even the cross-section clean.

The knights of the Black Iron Knights, who hadn't properly seen my space slash in the previous battle with the undead, seemed greatly surprised.

"A rock the size of a person...!"

"Even cutting wood, the cross-section wouldn't be this clean......"

I shouted to them, who were briefly stunned in surprise.

"Advance again!"

"Y-yes!"

"Move!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Rocks or arrows—

They were insufficient to stop us.

***

"The situation is more serious than expected."

We safely broke through the castle wall.

However......

"Kyaaaak!"

"Kreuk!"

"Kiiiiii......!"

The condition of the soldiers inside was clearly not normal at a glance.

Originally, Count Moden's territory was said to be of barbaric tribal origin, but......

'This isn't the level of barbarism but madness?'

I could tell they were originally soldiers who guarded Count Moden's territory.

They were still wearing armor after all.

But their behavior was far from ordinary soldiers.

It was as if zombies twisting their bodies strangely were mixed with rabid dogs.

Their appearance was also extremely unpleasant.

Completely unkempt, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wildly disheveled hair.

Emaciated faces with skin so white it was pale.

And fangs extended long.

Moreover, the whites of their eyes had turned bright red as if all blood vessels had burst, causing revulsion.

That bizarre phenomenon, I could discern at a glance.

"They're vampires......!"

Precisely, they were lower vampires created by high-ranking vampires.

However, they were sufficiently threatening existences.

Not only did they possess strength far exceeding humans, but unlike undead like ghouls, they also had intelligence.

Thanks to that, they could even operate weapons like catapults.

Just because they hadn't been vampires for long yet, seeing humans with delicious blood up close, it seemed much of their reason had flown away due to their desire for blood.

I informed the flustered knights of the strategy, meaning for them to come to their senses.

"Focus and aim for the neck and heart! Unlike humans, they won't react even if other body parts are cut!"

Commander Vincent, who heard my words, focused on them once more.

"Did you all hear Sir Rohan? Neck and heart!"

"Yes!"

"Understood!"

The knights calmly gathered in small groups, formed formations, and matched their offense and defense to face them.

Befitting that reputation as one of the strongest knight orders in Oldrion,

The Black Iron Knights didn't easily collapse.

Even so, my heart was anxious.

'This......is a matter of time.'

***

As someone who had experienced a large-scale vampire battle in the original work, I had no choice but to be certain.

First, the preparation was too inadequate.

It was because I never imagined meeting vampires here.

And second, the numbers were seriously insufficient.

I couldn't even gauge how many there were.

Even raising Black Thunder,

Kwagagagagaang! Jjeojeojeong!

Slashing through space and blowing away five or six necks at once—

The vampires still swarming were endless.

I could still rampage more thanks to recent rapid growth, but......

'The knights don't have infinite stamina.'

The situation was different from the battle with Horaikdon.

Even if the skeletons were numerous, once you killed the lich who was their leader, you could eliminate them all in an instant.

That's why I could push ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forward.

With the mindset that I just needed to eliminate Horaikdon.

However, vampires were different in nature.

Even if you eliminated the leader, these wouldn't disappear.

I didn't even know who that leader was.

If I were alone it might be different, but right now I was in the position of commander leading all of them.

'I can't irresponsibly continue combat. Even if we fight, we need time to reorganize at minimum.'

Now wasn't the timing for all-out war.

The timing was bad, too bad.

If it were at least dawn right now, I would have somehow endured and dragged out time, but......

'It's too long until sunrise.'

I made a decision.

I couldn't let the knights all die here.

"Pull back the front line! Prepare to retreat!"

Commander Vincent conveyed my order to the knights once more.

"Maintain the defensive line and prepare to retreat! Stay as close as possible to avoid stragglers!"

Commander Vincent's words implied that we couldn't save those who fell behind.

So it meant please don't fall behind.

Since we were in a retreating situation, I could see the knights' morale decrease somewhat.

Since the morale of the knights under my command was also my responsibility, I gritted my teeth harder.

If morale dies, the battle situation shifts,

And if the battle situation shifts, casualties occur.

Naturally, as commander, I intended to get everyone out alive.

Therefore, I had to raise morale.

"Not a single straggler will be tolerated! We will all get out alive!"

At that, the fighting spirit of the knights that had nearly grown cold began to burn again little by little.

"Follow Sir Rohan!"

"Hold your shields properly!"

"Get a grip and endure!"

But reality was harsher than expected.

"Aaak!"

Though I checked all the knights with full effort,

One ultimately fell.

The problem was that as he fell, the defensive line itself began to shake.

I immediately ran to that spot and slaughtered the vampires.

Chwajajajakjak!

In an instant, space slashes spread in all directions, forming a sword screen.

"Diaz!"

"Yes! Coming now!"

Diaz also ran over and supported the fallen knight, retreating.

At the same time, I glanced at the defensive line.

'More time is needed......!'

The knights on both sides were filling the gap and rebuilding the defensive line.

But I still needed to guard this spot a bit longer.

But then,

"Uaaak!"

Another knight fell on the opposite side.

'This is bad!'

For a moment, my spine seemed to chill.

I couldn't leave here now.

'Damn......!'

That's when

Torches began to appear from somewhere.

"Run quickly! We have to bring them before they all die, don't we?"

***

Even while dealing with the vampires, I couldn't help but pay attention to the group that suddenly appeared.

I had to determine whether they were allies or enemies.

But fortunately, they seemed to be allies.

"Here! Support us! We need to form a defensive line!"

"Coming, coming!"

As if they already had much experience, they cleanly arranged from the retreat path,

And with quick perception, troops were deployed starting from the collapsed defensive line on the opposite side.

"Injured! Check the injured here!"

"Medic!"

In an instant, they began guiding the wounded knight to the retreat path.

At the same time, several personnel began blocking the vampires with overwhelming force.

However......

Among them was one somewhat familiar face.

A face with blonde bobbed hair tied back, looking rather sharp and well-formed.

That very person was also looking back at me.

"......"

"Sir Rohan? Wow. Finally found you!"

He even recognized me.

When I was confused about who it was,

Realizing I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't remember him, he pointed at himself and spoke.

"Already forgot me? Andrew! It's Andrew! Fellow Seven Knights member! Don't you remember when you cut my sword?"

Ah! I finally remembered.

The Seven Knights member I met first when becoming a Seven Knights member.

Andrew.

But......why is he here?