Volume 4, Chapter 278 - Swirling Destinies (2/5)

“Damn it!　At this rate…”

The heavy knights had their backs to each other as they kept a careful eye on their surroundings, but there was no stopping the onslaught of the Paradua goblins that would gallop through the trees and jump over verdant greens to attack. Not only could the Paradua goblins handle the black tigers, the black tigers themselves were dangerous monster beasts that bared their fangs against them. Were they to let their guard down, the black tigers would easily bite off their neck or tear through their armor with their sharp claws.

Already, more than half of the 100 knights here have been lost. Oh how they wished they could just scream and flee.

As the last line of knights, they knew all too well that death was inevitable.

And when a black tiger fell from above and tore through the throat of a nearby knight and the goblin riding it raised his spear, the heavy knights knew that death had come.

“The Ruler of the Wind and the Lightning (Astaroth!)”

But then streaks of lightning tore through the air. There were three streaks all in all, and they attacked the Paradua goblin like a whip of lightning.

With a flash of light, that whip was unleashed.

And in just one blow, the Paradua goblin was turned into an unspeakable corpse.

As whips of lightning lashed out, Gulland ran as though to trace marks of destruction on the land.

His great sword was clad in storm and wind.

“Get lost, goblins! Ravaging Storm (Barbatos)!”

From the sweeping edge of his blade rose a cyclone of wind blades that literally bisected the trees.

Paradua goblins on black tiger backs were easily bisected, and even the attacking black tigers were turned to rust in the face of his great sword as he stood in front of the heavy knights.

Slipping past through black tiger claws, he thrust out his great sword to bury it into black tiger neck. Blood spurted out like a fountain, but before it could dye him, he continued onward and rushed for the last of the three. The monster beast roared, but a swing of his great sword cracked its head, and with another swing, he rid his blade of its flesh and blood.

After making short work of three Paradua goblins, Gulland once again gathered his powers into his sword.

“The Ruler of the Wind and the Lightning (Astaroth)!”

But the power this time was far greater than before.

When Gulland raised his sword, 7 streaks of lightning shot out, and they burned the forest.

In the face of such great power, not even the Paradua goblins could easily attack. Growl as much as the black tigers might, they had no choice but to withdraw for now.

“Are you alright?”

Saved from right within the clutches of death, the man appeared to the heavy knights - a hero.

◇◆◆

While running around the hunting ground that was the forest, Haroo, who had rallied his men once, immediately realized that his returning subordinates were fewer.

Realizing that something unexpected must’ve happened, he immediately gave the order to disengage.

To Haroo and the other Paradua goblins, the forest was their domain, and any battles in it was nothing more than an extension of their hunts. But unexpected events were always accompanied by unexpected things, so the moment something unexpected happens, they had to consider how much danger they were exposing themselves to; so, with a mind free of arrogance, he immediately ordered that they retreat.

“…So they really were killed.”

His subordinates that returned numbered only 270. 30 veteran riders had been slain. Hal grit his teath.

“Withdraw for now!”

At Haroo’s behest, the Paradua beast riders orderly rode through the forest. They would meet up with Aransain first. As soon as they left, the enemy started moving again.

“I thought it was a good opportunity, but…” Far said.

Far of the Valkyria Clan glared at the enemy, then clicked her tongue and turned to their commander, Gi Ga.

“Reinforcements came, it seems,” Gi Ga said.

When the enemy started to panic, they thought their good opportunity had come, but that lasted only for a moment before the enemy regained their calm and started showing signs of life again.

“…It could also have been a bluff,” Zaurosh said.

Gi Ga nodded to Zaurosh’s viewpoint, but his conclusion didn’t change.

“Even so, no common commander could accomplish something like that. It’s too dangerous to attack now.”

“That’s true.”

Zaurosh agreed, and he commanded his subordinates.

“Maintain distance and await further instruction.”

Aransain’s judgments was proven correct when Haroo returned and informed them that the enemy’s reinforcements have come. But they couldn’t see any changes to the enemy’s movements. Apparently, the enemy was just trying to move through the forest while using their whole army to keep Aransain in check.

“If they were trying to rendezvous with the reinforcements to the south, we would have to stop them no matter what, but…” Far said.

“They seem to be going east instead,” Zaurosh said.

They were tacitly asking Gi Ga if they would be giving chase, but the goblin shook his head.

“They ought to have seen more than enough of our strength. Neither of you wishes for needless blood shed, I’m sure.”

“As you will.”

Half of Aransain was made up of human platoons.

As such, Gi Ga had to take their feelings into consideration. At this time, a messenger arrived, bringing with him news of Elfa’s fall and the occupation of their imperial city.

Gi Ga nodded and sent a messenger to the front lines.

“Is that fine? Giving an opportunity for the enemy to escape?” Haroo asked.

“If we’re going to kill them, we’ll have to be thorough,” Gi Ga said.

Haroo’s question was really asking if the king would punish him for this, but Gi Ga denied the notion with a smile.

Believing that they’d accomplished more than enough, Gi Ga decided to avoid needless confrontations and withdrew their army.

As the battle of Elfa came to an end, the fastest spear of the goblins pointed east.

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