Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 131

Chapter 131: Anomaly on the Western Front
  While the various factions, having overcome their respective difficulties, began the reconstruction of the core city of Leipzig, which had been deeply scarred in just half a day, the fortress city of Dracken in the imperial territory of Zigrand, a corner of the western front that had been left vulnerable due to internal conflicts, was on the verge of collapse due to consecutive days of wave attacks.
  
  Count Ailos, the lord of the territory, was no longer in a position to simply await reports within the castle. He had boarded the dark green giant knight Celtis, provided by Lady White Fox, with whom he had secretly forged a lord-vassal pact behind the Senate’s back, and was leading the front lines of the defense.
  
  『Hold your ground! The smaller Aberrations that went around can be handled by the regular infantry units left on the walls, but if the big ones break through, it’s over! Show your spirit!』
  
  『『『Uooooohhh-━!!』』』
  
  While encouraging his subordinate knights, the veteran Count slammed the side of an approaching Chimera with the medium shield that was his personal armament, taking half a step forward. He then swung the L-shaped battle axe gripped in his mount’s dominant hand towards the exposed neck, which was left vulnerable due to the impact.
  
  The axe blade, as crude as a meat cleaver, sliced through the carotid artery of the composite beast, characterized by its “lion and goat’s two heads,” causing it to let out a loud, guttural death scream.
  
  “Gaaaaah-━!!”
  『Now, die quietly, monster!』
  
  Undeterred by the claw attack from the right forelimb that was unleashed as a last-ditch effort, the Count knocked it down with a body blow using his Lord’s Knight’s left shoulder, and pulled out the deeply embedded weapon.
  
  Even as he was showered with blood spurting from close range, he further swung his steel right arm over his left shoulder, pulling it back, and swung the battle axe like a backhand blow, meeting the war club swung down diagonally from the right by a Minotaur, several tens of meters tall.
  
  Although he was at a disadvantage with one hand against a two-handed blow, the blow, its power diminished by the quick wit of the secretly skilled pilot, only managed to slightly warp the armor.
  
  “Bruooh!!”
  『Too bad for you.』
  
  Muttering this, Ailos pointed the lower tip of the medium shield held in his mount’s left palm towards the bull’s head and activated the output-improved Burst Mechanism hidden within the shield.
  
  Along with the explosion of condensed magical power, the launched “black iron stake” instantly closed the distance of the war club and pierced the forehead of the pitiful monster, dealing a fatal blow.
  
  “Aa… ugh… Uuu…”
  
  『Even in close combat, you don’t miss with a romantic weapon, do you, Uncle?』
  『Don’t be so harsh. It’s different from using a bow and arrow.』
  
  While being pointed out by his young niece, the mage in charge of the mount’s power control, about the low accuracy, he inwardly lamented that she should complain to Lady Nina, the designer. Meanwhile, as he jumped back and retreated, cheers erupted from the surrounding knights at the sight of the slain Aberrations.
  
  『Follow Count Ailos!』
  『『『Understood!!』』』
  
  Responding to the Lord’s valiant efforts, the knights and mages each stepped forward, wielding their mounts’ weapons, and engaged in combat with the large magical beast-type Aberrations.
  
  One dodged and sliced off the scorpion tail of a Manticore, a lion with wings that, despite its large size, couldn’t fly but whose tail served as a sharp blade. Another deflected the spear attack of a grotesque Giant Boar-Man Orc and ripped open its chest, piercing its heart with a reverse-edged slash.
  
  
  Watching them maintain the still-fragile battle line, Lionel, the lion beastman who had gained the rare ability of giant transformation through the “Soul Pact,” burst into laughter.
  
  “Hah, the monkeys of this age have spirit. It seems they’ve overcome the previous destruction.”
  
  “That was artificial, not true strength… However, it’s frustrating to see those who were among the weaker beastmen evolve into ape-men, donning giant steel armor and putting up such a fight.”
  
  Narrowing his golden eyes as if staring at something dazzling, he listened to the words of Volrain, the black wolf beastman who, like himself, had taken on a giant form suitable for combat, and the rough lion chuckled wryly, recalling the battle-crazy skeletal knight.
  
  Thinking that they needed just one more push, he proposed drawing the short straw.
  
  “I’ll take over command of the army. You’re free to do as you please, but… the center seems tough. Avoid targeting the lord’s dark green giant armor and crush them from the edges.”
  
  “I’ll compromise on that. Let’s go, you guys!”
  “”Woooooon-━!!””
  
  Leaning forward, the war chief dashed off with vigor, and the two knight-sized werewolves who had been waiting followed him, sprinting towards the left flank of the Zigrand forces.
  
  The leading black wolf sent a short telepathic message to one of the magical beasts engaged in combat, causing it to retreat. Then, with an agility that belied his large, lightly armored frame, he leaped and delivered a powerful kick to an easy-to-maintain Clawsolas E-type, developed on-site in the Western Region.
  
  『Guh!?』
  『Ugh…』
  
  The allied knight, caught off guard by the sudden assault, tried to protect its head with its medium shield, but it was unable to withstand the force of the kick, compounded by the weight and momentum, and its posture crumbled backward, stepping on its comrade.
  
  The true hunter wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. From his low stance after landing, he leaped into close range and, as he straightened his upper body, he also unleashed his right fist, clad in a black iron gauntlet.
  
  The uppercut, driven upwards with his superior physical strength enhanced by magic, crushed the chest armor, taking the lives of the two pilots inside.
  
  『Hey, something dangerous has come.』
  『Ort, Mine, let’s take down the black werewolf!』
  
  “Tch, three against one? You human-faced, beast-hearted bastards!!”
  『『『You’re one to talk!!』』』
  
  Fortunately or unfortunately, the eccentric three knights who loved fighting and the lone wolf encountered each other. While exchanging Japanese idioms, they engaged in a back-and-forth battle…
  
  However, due to being outnumbered, and with the giant werewolves brought by the black wolf joining the fray, the knights on the left flank were in a dire situation, even though they were focusing on defense to minimize damage.
  
  As they were pushed back on the left flank, the lords in the center were forced to retreat, wary of flank attacks. The right flank, composed of allied reinforcements, also began to withdraw. Gradually, the Zigrand forces were driven back towards the city walls.