Chapter Nineteen: Let the Battle Begin!

“All right, Gawain, enough idle talk. I can already sense the enemy’s arrival.” He still held those two blood-soaked Tang swords in his hands—not because he was unwilling to wield Chengying or Hanguang, but simply because those two blades were ill-suited for slaughter. In a battle like this, where carnage reigned, the Tang swords’ lethality was clearly superior.

“Looks like I’ll need to find better equipment to handle this sort of situation when we get back. Otherwise, I’m at a real disadvantage in these mass skirmishes.” Lancer faced north, but his mind was already wandering to less important matters.

“The enemy? Lancer, have you discovered something?” Though he possessed superhuman combat strength, Lancer was still human at his core and could not sense anything happening several thousand meters away.

“Yes. By giving up the strength of my original body, I’ve gained sharper senses. As for my ability—you’ve seen it yourself—it’s the manipulation of blood. Even if I can’t control thousands of boiling streams at such a distance, I certainly can’t ignore their presence.” Lancer didn’t mind sharing his secret with Gawain. Even if, in the end, they stood on opposite sides, he would remain a loyal supporter of the King, allied with Gawain and Bedivere, while Gareth would surely follow Gawain’s lead. Thus, he revealed his abilities with perfect ease.

“Thousands of people? It seems trouble is brewing. But Lancer, how did you come by this knowledge?” Gawain was puzzled by Lancer’s confidence. If Lancer already knew the enemy’s intentions, why hadn’t he spoken up? Had he done so, Arthur and Merlin would surely have believed him, and the four of them would not now face thousands alone.

“Can you hear the whispers of evil?” Lancer replied offhandedly.

Gawain, however, overestimated Lancer yet again, imagining that, having become what he was, Lancer could hear the wicked wishes of others like some kind of demon.

“Come to think of it, so many lines from Demacia could be used to sound cool…” At that moment, Lancer found himself reminiscing about the game he’d played before arriving here, picturing himself mesmerizing naive little girls with those dashing lines.

“Brother, I hear it too!” Just as Lancer and Gawain were lost in their respective thoughts, Gareth suddenly called out. A few seconds later, the other two also felt the strange tremor in the earth. Gawain, a veteran of countless battles, instantly recognized the rhythmic vibration of an advancing army. The steady rhythm told them the opposing force was no mere rabble, but the elite.

“Prepare for battle!” Unlike Lancer, who often took on mercenary work, Gawain had participated in far more border skirmishes. He knew that unless the four of them were highly coordinated, it was better for each to fight in their own best style.

“I’ll go with Gawain to break into their formation. Gareth, you and Bedivere should pair up.” Lancer glanced at the remaining two and offered his suggestion. They exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

“This is our first battle as the King’s knights. Remember this: even in death, the King’s honor must not be sullied!” Lancer’s tone turned solemn as he finished.

He then turned his gaze to a stone in the distance. “Are you coming out, or must I drag you from your hiding place?”

“Oh, really, Lancer, you never change. So meticulous when it comes to business—I thought I’d finally met someone like myself.” A young man in green stepped out from behind the stone.

“Hmph! Kay, you should know—”

“All right, all right! Honestly, I can never tell if you’re the same person in moments like these—just like my father.” Kay cut him off with a wave, but then added, “Lancer, I’m curious about your thoughts, but now’s not the time. We’ll talk later. Besides, I doubt you’d want your physique on display for everyone.” There was a hint of envy in Kay’s voice; Lancer’s physique was honed by the most scientific methods centuries in the future.

Yet Kay knew how to prioritize. He tossed a black coat to Lancer, who then donned a simple wooden mask he’d carved himself, leaving only his eyes exposed.

As the five readied themselves, the tremors grew nearer. In just moments, a legion of three thousand infantry emerged before them.

Neither side spoke. They gazed coldly at one another. But when it came to nerves, Lancer’s group had the clear advantage. Moments later, the enemy sounded the silent horn of attack.

Though it appeared to be an all-infantry force, the soldiers in the rear carried bows. The battle opened with a volley of arrows, but none of the five were ordinary. The arrow storm caused no casualties. Lancer, Gawain, and Kay formed the spearhead, charging forward—Lancer at the very tip, Gawain and Kay close behind, with Gareth and Bedivere following. The enemy soldiers, seeing only five men daring to countercharge, burst out laughing. But Lancer and his companions would show them what true knights were.

Lancer, impervious to normal attacks, was a whirlwind at the front, his twin blades mowing down foes like a reaper’s scythe. The common soldiers had no chance. Even as he fought, Lancer’s mind wandered to his favorite game—“Warrior of the Grasslands.” With no serious opposition, the five of them broke through the first line of sword-and-shield infantry. Ahead waited a wall of spears, forcing the group to break formation. Otherwise, concentrated strikes from the long weapons might have seriously threatened Gareth and Bedivere, though Lancer, Gawain, and Kay could manage. Now, the three took the brunt of the assault, drawing the enemy’s attention and easing the pressure on their companions.

“Excalibur Gallatin!” As they split, Gawain unleashed, for the first time, the weapon the Lady of the Lake had bestowed upon him. The golden aura of the Blade of the Oath shrouded his sword. With a sweeping strike, Gawain felled nearly a hundred more foes.

Lancer’s assault was even more uncanny. Every enemy he killed bled not a drop, while his twin blades grew more monstrous, their aura more sinister. Though his disguise hid his unnatural complexion, the surrounding soldiers felt their courage evaporate before they could even raise their weapons.

Kay, though lacking the other two’s mystical weapons or eerie powers, demonstrated the strength of his solid foundation. Every swing claimed a life. His style might not be as dazzling, but he steadily thinned the enemy’s ranks.

And then, disaster struck.

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the chaos and reached the three.