Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Begalta L-type VS Nightshade Rasetsu
  Looking at the Zephyrus-affiliated giant knight that had collapsed and was crumbling, Aynst, who was piloting a command knight of the same type, suppressed his voice and emotions, and let out a calm voice from the external loudspeaker.
  
  『I will take on that four-armed one. Even though we are outnumbered, don’t fall behind those lazy good-for-nothings who were slumbering in the interior.』
  
  『For our beautiful Lady Nina, for the people of the domain…』
  『For the smiles of those we must protect, it is a knight’s duty to stake our lives!』
  
  Two dispatched knights who had returned from the fierce battle in the west responded to the encouragement. They each repelled the Gladius of the Imperial Faction and the knight that had been exchanging fire, parrying the sharp thrusts that were unleashed to prevent their escape with half of their bodies.
  
  While their abdominal armor was being scraped by the blade, one of the Begalta knights boldly stepped forward and thrust their iron spear into the enemy’s crotch, continuing through to the left side. They then used the long shaft as a lever to trip the enemy.
  
  『Whoa!?』
  『Kyaa!』
  
  Adding his right palm, which he had removed from his weapon, to the enemy knight who had lost their balance, he forcibly pushed them, causing them to tumble over, unable to withstand the force.
  
  Almost simultaneously, his fellow knight also punched the enemy knight in the face, inflicting undeniable damage to the pseudo eyeball.
  
  『Get up, quickly!!』
  『Guh… D*mn it, my eyes…』
  
  Against the flustered Rigsia pilots, the experienced Zephyrus knights kept an appropriate distance with their mounts and thrust their iron spears into the heart units of the giant knights they had each targeted.
  
  Two enemy knights ceased their movements due to fatal injuries… On the other hand, the four-armed knight, the Nightshade Rasetsu, was raging, overwhelming Aynst’s command knight with an unreasonable number of attacks.
  
  The main armament, the Thunder Spear, was cut off from the middle before he could detonate the embedded explosives. He was enduring the ceaseless barrage with his remaining auxiliary armaments, the longsword and medium shield.
  
  『Guh, this is no joke!!』
  『When did they get such a knight…?』
  
  Ignoring Eliza’s stunned voice, he deflected the four-armed knight’s slashes and thrusts from its two right arms with a shield bash. Then, the left main arm, which had been held in a ready position, swung its iron sword with all its might.
  
  The moment he managed to intercept it with his longsword, the short spear that had been secretly thrust by the left sub-arm pierced the side of his knight, sending a sharp pain through the two connected to the Begalta L-type, the command model.
  
  『…I’ll avenge my subordinates.』
  
  『Ha! You’ve revealed your true colors, scoundrel!!』
  『How brazen of a thief.』
  
  Since the only ones who could have suddenly said those words were the bandits who targeted his lord, Nina Valer, and attacked the core city at her feet, Aynst and Eliza scoffed, swallowing the pain in their abdomens.
  
  However, the unfavorable situation did not change. The multi-faceted attacks of the Nightshade Rasetsu continued to carve into the external armor, and the blades that finally reached the artificial muscles slowed down the knight’s movements.
  
  The Zephyrus forces under his command were putting up a good fight that belied their numerical disadvantage, but they were far from having the leeway to go to someone’s aid.
  
  『…It can’t be helped, I’m sorry, Eliza.』
  『It can’t be helped, I’ll go with you.』
  
  Apologizing to the mage who was prepared to die with him, he took some distance. Then, he fired the magic silver-mixed wire anchor hidden under the left sleeve of the Begalta L-type.
  
  The tip, launched by the detonation of pure condensed magic, pierced the four-armed knight’s right main arm. Seizing the brief moment of hesitation, he activated the winding device and pulled in the strong wire he had grasped with his left palm.
  
  『Tch, Leo!』
  
  Ignoring the warning from the enemy’s mage-like girl, he charged with his knight. He pushed aside the attacks from the two left arms that were reflexively swung with the medium shield held in front, delivering a suicide attack laden with his own weight and acceleration.
  
  He chased after the four-armed knight, forced to retreat by the impact, and tried to thrust his longsword into its chest. However, the damaged artificial muscles seemed to have ruptured, and his knight wouldn’t move as he wished.
  
  The right arm, raised halfway, was nothing but comical. The enemy saw through his state and cut it off with a single, powerful blow.
  
  『Uguuuu!!』
  『Kyaa!?』
  
  While groaning from the sensory feedback, he jumped back with his command knight. The tenacious Aynst held up the medium shield in his left hand while kneeling on one knee. Just as Eliza, who had deemed it unnecessary to seek his consent, was about to activate the escape Magic Sealing Stone… A commotion spread through a part of the Rigsia territorial army, and a desperate shout echoed.
  
  『The Aidos Territory’s Knight Order is being annihilated!!』
  
  『Tch, the number of ambushing troops hasn’t decreased at all…』
  『What are those small fries doing!!』
  
  They were being spoken of in a rather terrible way. However, only two Clawsolas had been able to incapacitate twelve Gladius knights, resulting in an incomprehensible kill-to-loss ratio of 1:6.
  
  Considering the nature of giant knights, where the pilot’s skill and physical abilities have a significant impact, it was safe to assume that the ones hiding in the forest were the most skilled and elite.
  
  『Leonardo, I’ll leave the second unit to you!』
  『Understood… I’ll deal with it.』
  
  The adjutant officer responded to Valph, who was taking the lead in the command. After kicking down the Begalta L-type, which was likely already empty, with the four-armed knight’s right leg, he thoroughly crushed the cockpit with one of the short spears.
  
  There were still about a dozen Zephyrus forces remaining, but he presumed they would be fragile once they lost their leader. He turned his knight’s heels, following the rearranged formation.
  
  His pseudo eyeballs captured the black-silver knight and widened. In contrast to the mage Elnea, who had a somewhat displeased expression, the young man whom the girl admired had the corners of his mouth turned up.