Capítulo 139: Chapter 287 - The Challenge
As Enkrid moved to the front of the unit, a keen-eyed scout spoke up.
"Someone's coming."
As they said, a figure appeared from the direction of the noble's army. The faint sunlight, hidden behind clouds, flowed over the figure's head.
'Big build?'
It was large, as big as Audin.
Enkrid stared intently at the figure from a distance, noting the way they walked without a horse.
The person wasn't moving fast or slow, but there was a distinct confidence in their stride.
To walk alone to the heart of the battlefield—it was nothing but confidence.
"Shall we shoot?"
One of the archers asked.
"No."
Enkrid replied.
Despite his answer, some of the archers nervously raised their bows before lowering them again.
In war, the beginning of a battle often starts with the archers' arrows. It was the foundation of the conflict.
Kang! Kang! Kerrrrrr!
A few wolves barked behind the man. It was loud, but the man simply scratched his ear before shouting.
"My name is Lykanos! The best fighter, step forward!"
With that, he stomped his foot, and the ground shook with a loud thud.
What kind of strength does he have?
The morale of the soldiers froze. Rem had been taken down, and the incoming opponent was menacing. Even Enkrid, the legendary warrior, seemed to be evenly matched.
One of the most effective strategies before a battle is to break the enemy's morale and crush them.
A duel.
If the trump card is a flower, it should be used wisely.
The Black Sword had prepared its own trump card.
Ragna stepped forward, and Audin responded in kind.
Enkrid drew his sword and stepped forward lightly.
It wasn't fast, but the blade, shimmering with a bluish hue, blocked their path.
"This one's mine. You two take care of the rest."
Enkrid's gaze remained fixed on Lykanos.
But as he stood there, Enkrid also considered the strategies for the battle and the broader plan. How many more skirmishes would there be? And what could be gained today?
The board had been set by Krais, and now it was Enkrid's turn to take what was his.
'When did I become this confident?'
Confidence surged within him, pushing him toward the battle.
Enkrid didn't mind it.
The place he had always wanted, the place where he belonged, was waiting for him.
"Jaxen."
"Yes?"
"Take the pig's head when the chance comes."
It could be today or in the next battle. It didn't matter, but the task had to be completed.
"Understood."
Jaxen nodded nonchalantly.
That was reassuring. He wouldn't fail.
"Audin, Teresa. I think there's something huge among the wolves."
When they infiltrated the enemy's territory before, they had encountered three large beasts. It seemed like one was still around.
Or maybe something even larger?
It didn't matter. No matter how big the beast was.
But it was clear: regular soldiers shouldn't face such creatures. His instincts warned him.
"It will be as you wish. Let us pray."
Audin quietly clasped his hands and withdrew, while Teresa knelt beside him.
"As ordered."
Then, Dunbakel tugged at her cloak.
Ragna was also there. Cold, but his eyes were sharp with intent. He was ready to fight. His enthusiasm was evident. With his sword, he could strike down anything.
It was a pleasure to see Ragna like this.
He'd never felt frustrated watching him slack off, but seeing his talents wasted was something Enkrid couldn't bear.
Of course, it didn't matter much, as Ragna had a strong heart.
'A genius with desire.'
It was enjoyable to see Ragna motivated. It wasn't that he disliked it when Ragna wasn't motivated, but the fact that he was now was something Enkrid could appreciate.
And it was enjoyable to be beside him, following his lead.
"Do as you please. Cut everything in sight. But only after the wolves are dealt with."
If the enemy had prepared monstrous wolves, they had something even fiercer: a beast-man and a sword that could cut through anything.
By having the elite troops charge through the regular soldiers, the battle could be tilted in their favor.
There was no need for more chaos to raise morale. Just having these two step forward would be enough to change the direction of the battle.
A battlefield ruled by elite forces—this was the truth that these two would show.
That alone was enough. Dunbakel nodded and snorted in response.
"Make sure it's enough to show to Krimhart."
Krimhart was the god of the beast-men.
The god of war and reproduction.
Showing something to the god meant fighting without shame.
Thanks to Rem, the torment of the barbarians had evolved one beast-man into a crazy one.
"I will yield."
Ragna said calmly, and Enkrid took another step forward.
"Finally showing up, huh? I thought there was no one left there. Are we waiting for daybreak?"
Lykanos shouted as he struck between his legs.
It was a taunt, meant to raise the morale of his own side.
It wasn't a question expecting an answer.
"Wow! No one's left!"
"No one's here!"
"Pathetic!"
The enemy troops hurled insults.
In response, Enkrid's troops shouted back.
"Ridiculous!"
"He's here!"
"Biggest one yet!"
"Filthy thieves!"
Amidst the insults and cheers, Enkrid advanced, and Graham asked from behind.
"You think we can win?"
"Yes, even if I die, I'll win."
Was he preparing for death? Graham crossed his arms, hiding his unease.
Enkrid was just being honest.
It was as simple as that. If what stood in front of him was a wall, and if that wall was death...
He would cross it. And win.
Enkrid stood before his opponent, strangely calm, without a hint of excitement.
His physical condition wasn't particularly good or bad.
"I'm here."
As they faced each other, the words Enkrid spoke made Lykanos twist his lips in a grin.
What an arrogant bastard, he thought.
"Coming to die?"
"By someone like you?."
"...What an arrogant bastard. I'm going to cut you down. You're the one, right? The one called Enkrid."
Lykanos already knew Enkrid's name, and Enkrid knew his opponent's name as well.
He had heard that Lykanos was one of the key figures in the Black Sword Bandit Group.
He was as large as Audin, and the heavy weapon on his back gave away his fighting style.
Soon, Lykanos pushed his left foot forward.
He was now within the range Enkrid had carefully kept.
Enkrid reacted immediately. He drew his sword from his left waist and slashed.
Lykanos, despite his size, quickly stepped back, avoiding the strike by two steps.
Huuung!
The blade sliced through the air.
As Lykanos raised his own weapon, Enkrid readied himself to dodge.
Boom!
A shadow of the blade came flying from Lykanos's back, aiming at Enkrid's head.
Seeing the weapon fall vertically, Enkrid stepped back swiftly.
Swish!
He changed position, stepping to the side and circling around to Lykanos's flank.
The flail that had aimed at him slammed the ground where he had just stood.
Bang!
Dirt and stones flew in all directions. Some of it hit Enkrid's body and head, but he ignored the small distractions and immediately moved to strike.
He pulled out the Gradius from his side and thrust it forward into Lykanos's side.
A swift thrust.
Lykanos raised his arm to intercept, his sword hitting the side of his own body.
It was an impressive reflex, the speed and precision of his reaction.
However, despite his attempt to twist his body and break the sword, it didn't go as planned.
"That's damn sturdy!"
Angrily, Lykanos swung his flail again.
Boom!
The flail flew horizontally toward Enkrid, the wind pressure hitting his face first.
Enkrid didn't even look; he only judged the trajectory of the flail by sound.
Without hesitation, he ducked.
The massive weapon, capable of tearing through flesh, passed over his head.
Enkrid, using his immense strength, twisted the Gradius in his hand.
"Huh."
With a sharp intake of breath, his left arm muscles bulged, almost about to burst.
The blade twisted, aiming to shred Lykanos's side and forearm.
Unable to dodge, Lykanos let go of the sword, leaving it behind.
"This bastard."
Blood began to flow from Lykanos's forearm.
The side armor was only slightly scratched, but the inside of his arm was severely cut.
"Does it hurt?"
As he spoke, Enkrid calmly adjusted his breathing and brought his right-hand sword down vertically.
At the same time, he sheathed the Gradius.
Lykanos, retreating, prepared himself to dodge the incoming strike.
He was no simple brute swinging a flail; his movements were clean and purposeful, a result of years of training and real combat experience.
The blade sliced the air. Through the whoosh, Lykanos's gaze remained fixed on Enkrid.
His dull eyes reminded Enkrid of something. They had the same kind of malice, almost like a hidden agenda.
He looked sly.
Thud.
Lykanos slammed his foot down and rushed forward. The frozen, hard ground cracked beneath his step, sending chunks of dirt flying.
Enkrid placed his left hand on the Gradius handle.
He pretended to draw it as his foot shifted back.
Performing a backstep, dodging the rocks flying through the air.
'Dodged?'
Lykanos, confused, continued his attack, swinging his flail diagonally from above.
At the same time, he crossed his legs, propelling himself forward.
Enkrid, just before Lykanos finished his move, let go of his right-hand sword mid-air and swung it downward.
To anyone watching, it might seem as if Enkrid was swinging at the air, but in his hand, a Whistle Dagger was now gripped.
Piiing!
The dagger shot forward, embedding itself into Lykanos's face from close range.
Enkrid had anticipated that his opponent would try to dodge or block the sword, so he had switched to the dagger.
The tactic paid off.
Lykanos's head snapped back, then quickly returned forward.
Unfortunately for Enkrid, it wasn't the result he had hoped for.
"This bastard."
The blade was stuck in Lykanos's front teeth, causing a crack in his upper teeth, but he had blocked the blow.
"Spit it out, that's not for eating ."
Enkrid mocked, his taunt always well-timed.
Lykanos spat out the dagger, his eyes filled with fury.
"I'll kill you. Before I do, I'll crush that too. Think you're shit? I'll flatten you so bad you won't even see it coming."
His words were laced with anger, but Enkrid didn't give him the satisfaction of a smile, achieving a psychological victory instead.
Hoo.
The hammer came again. This time, Lykanos gripped it with both hands and swung it.
It was a serpent-like swing, aimed to strike.
'So reckless.'
Even though Enkrid activated the Heart of the Beast, his opponent's strength was still superior.
'Will?'
A fleeting doubt crossed his mind.
If there's a 'Will' that denies, there must also be one that grants strength.
Unable to make a clean swing, the hammer and sword collided, locking in place.
Lykanos pushed his hammer forward, adding strength with his other hand. He took a deep breath.
He intended to press down with sheer power. Enkrid pulled his left foot back.
His knee bent slightly with the force.
As Lykanos bore down, he opened his mouth.
"What, you didn't think you'd be overpowered by strength? Huh, did you think you were the only strong one?"
'No, there are many stronger than me. Always.'
Not just Audin, but Rem, Ragna, and even Teresa—he didn't feel confident in his strength against them.
"Your front teeth are broken."
Thanks to the force, Enkrid noticed that Lykanos's front teeth, which had blocked the dagger earlier, were now cracked.
"I don't think girls would like that."
Enkrid's well-timed remark was enough to provoke Lykanos's fury.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The beast roared.
Enkrid gathered his own strength to release a battle cry of his own.
Was his opponent easily enraged?
A brief thought passed through the midst of the fight, but it was soon discarded.
There was no time for doubts.
His opponent was strong. Very strong.
Far superior to the clumsy mercenaries who called themselves knights.
Still locked in combat, Lykanos released his left hand and clenched his fist.
He swung.
Thud!
Enkrid braced his shoulders and turned his head, deflecting the punch.
It was a classic Valah-style martial art, deflecting with the body.
He didn't just take the hit.
As his body twisted, he kicked Lykanos's shin.
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed against the armor.
"That hurts, you bastard."
Lykanos growled, releasing his weapon.
Then, he attempted to grab Enkrid by the collar with his right hand.
Enkrid responded quickly, drawing his second sword, the Gladius, to slice through his fingers.
Lykanos seemed to anticipate it, pulling his outstretched hand back. A series of blows and kicks followed. Enkrid mixed in sword strikes as they continued close-quarters combat, but none of the strikes were lethal.
Both exchanged fierce, deadly blows, but neither could land a killing blow.
Enkrid's head was split open, blood streaming, while Lykanos, whose helmet was knocked off during the fight, had his lips torn and his cheek cut, bleeding profusely.
Enkrid took a blow to the abdomen, causing his breath to hitch, and his movements slowed for a moment.
In that brief moment, he spun, kicking Lykanos's chin with the tip of his boot, and executed a spinning martial arts move that sent Lykanos's head reeling.
When they finally separated, both were far from unscathed.
"Been a while since I've faced someone like you."
"I see them all the time."
"This is the first time I've met someone who doesn't back down with a single word."
"Oh, that's familiar."
Winning is familiar.
Lykanos ground his teeth. His front teeth were broken, and his face was disfigured, but the killing intent remained.
"You're a lucky bastard."
After those words, Lykanos swung his hammer again, but Enkrid found something strange.
Something was different, but he couldn't quite place it.
Not that there was time to figure it out.
There was no room to create distance for a proper dodge.
He had to block. Enkrid raised his sword, not to hold it firm like before, but to deflect it sideways with the serpent-like blade.
Clang!
The sword and hammer collided, but in that instant, something shifted.
Lykanos moved faster than before.
Enkrid's focus reached its peak.
The hammer?
That was just a shell. Slowed down in time, Lykanos pulled out his weapon.
It wasn't the hammer.
It was a three-pronged spear, a wicked, pointed weapon.
Before Enkrid could even react, Lykanos thrust it toward him.
It was faster than any sword Enkrid had ever seen.
As the weapon clashed with his sword, a light-like arrow seemed to shoot out.
Before Enkrid could register it with his eyes, it had already struck his body.
The spear was about to impale his torso. In that split second, Enkrid's sense of evasion kicked in, driven by an overwhelming focus.
He twisted his body instinctively, and the spear grazed his side, sinking into his upper arm instead.
Everything seemed to slow, like a fleeting dream or a passing image.
The sound of the sword being drawn, the sound of it piercing flesh, and the pain—it all became distant.
It was just a blur of moments, where Enkrid fought to survive, instinctively moving to avoid death.
Then, in a seamless motion, Enkrid pivoted and drew his Gladius with his left hand, swinging it at Lykanos's face.
The Gladius became a blur, cutting from Lykanos's chin to above his left eye.
Thwack, crack!
The distinct sound of flesh being torn echoed, and both fighters were thrown back.
No, it was more like they were flung away.
"Fire!" someone shouted.
After that, both armies fired their arrows.
The duel had ended, and the full-scale battle had begun.
Enkrid staggered, kneeling on one knee.
Someone from behind grabbed his body.
"We need to fall back."
It was Jaxen.
Enkrid nodded.
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TL here! Thank you for reading!
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