Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 58

Chapter 58: City Fall and Strategic Retreat
  『『…』』
  
  With the direct hit of the magic bullet, both the knight and the mage died instantly. The giant knight, unable to maintain its posture, began to tilt backward. Supporting it with its left arm, the Albus, the regimental commander’s knight, thrust its remaining right arm diagonally upward.
  
  『Take this!』
  
  Dorel, who had changed the target of the embedded magic “Lightning Bolt” just before its activation, roared and converged lightning attribute magic power into his right palm, aiming it at the strange machine.
  
  ‘Did you think I would appear without a plan?’
  
  The moment the undead Kreis, with a detached attitude, raised the Shakujo in his left hand, a lightning bolt flashed from the ground to the sky, colliding with the medium-level magic barrier imbued on the Shakujo and scattering sparks of lightning.
  
  Just before the dazzling light converged, after making a rough estimate, two Albus S-types in the rearguard fired arrows from their prepared bows!
  
  『Wha, Whoa!?』
  
  The undead, flustered by the sudden attack, desperately twisted the upper body of his machine and barely dodged the arrows that were about to pierce his right shoulder and flank. However, he ended up exposing his awkward and flustered appearance.
  
  『Hmm, it seems there was a slight bit of complacency… If I inflict unnecessary damage, the white elf engineers will be annoyed.』
  
  『…I am ashamed, Gaius-sama.』
  
  As the embarrassed undead retreated with the “Mechanical Doll” Revenant gliding at low altitude, the “Mechanical Magi” Algol, who had been mixed in with the army and had come forward, stepped on the backs of two large magical beasts that had been crouching. Utilizing the strength of the tough beasts as they stood up, he leaped high.
  
  Continuing, he used the head of a Disaurs as a foothold twice to jump forward, took a few steps closer, and swung his greatsword powerfully from a sideways stance.
  
  『Ooooooh!』
  
  The giant black blade, imbued with physical strength, flashed, deflecting the medium shield held by the Clawsolas on the left vanguard and slashing its chest nearly in half.
  
  『Guh…』
  『Ugh…』
  
  While capturing the collapsing giant knight in the view of its pseudo-eyeball, the regimental commander’s knight, which had just laid the previously defeated machine on the roadside, braced itself and, like the fellow knight in the middle guard, pointed the tip of its iron spear at the approaching single-eyed machine to keep it in check.
  
  『Irene, Vict… The S-type is not suited for close combat, go ahead.』
  
  『But, Regimental Commander Dorel!』
  『Go… Good luck… We’re retreating.』
  
  Addressing the female knight who hesitated involuntarily, the other knight turned his sniper-spec machine around and started running. The female knight followed suit with her machine shortly after.
  
  The skeletal knight Gaius, who had tacitly approved of their actions, was not entirely displeased by the resolve of the commanding officer who remained with a small number of troops. He addressed him on a whim through the machine’s loudspeaker.
  
  『Since the start of the battle, your handling has been quite impressive… I would very much like you to be my opponent.』
  
  『I heard that the higher species that command Aberrations have intelligence surpassing that of humans…』
  『But I never thought I’d have a chance to exchange words with one.』
  
  After apologizing to his wife and onboard mage Liana, who muttered with a mixed expression, Dorel decided to accept the invitation, judging that if he could inflict even a minor wound on the enemy general, it would buy them time to retreat. He ordered his fellow knights to withdraw.
  
  『Dorel Trize, Regimental Commander of the Duchy’s First Regiment, is coming for you!』
  『Yes, that’s the spirit!』
  
  Although they both boldly charged their machines forward, the regimental commander’s spear-equipped machine, with its superior reach, took the initiative and delivered a sharp thrust towards the single-eyed machine’s abdomen.
  
  Gaius, who had his machine in the Seigan Chudan stance, remained unfazed. He pushed his black blade against the approaching spearhead, deflecting it to the side, and evaded the spear thrust by twisting his upper body.
  
  Without missing a beat, he stepped closer and swung down the heavy black blade held overhead with all his might in a diagonal slash.
  
  『Ooooooh!』
  
  『Guh!』
  『Ugh…』
  
  Dorel hastily pulled his machine back, but the left arm that supported the iron spear was severed along with the handle.
  
  『Not yet!!』
  
  Suppressing the intense pain from the sensory sharing with his mental strength, he drew the short iron sword from its sheath at his waist with his remaining right arm… But the opponent had already pulled the greatsword to his left flank, ready to unleash the next attack at any moment.
  
  Without a shred of mercy, the single-eyed machine unleashed a horizontal flash, deflecting the belatedly raised short iron sword and, with the momentum, sent the regimental commander’s machine’s head flying.
  
  『What!?』
  『Ah…』
  
  As Dorel and Liana’s consciousness faded, unable to withstand the feedback from the heavily damaged machine, a thrust from the black greatsword, delivered as a follow-up attack, pierced the chest armor, ending their lives.
  
  At that moment, the Albus in the middle guard attempted to turn around with agile movements, but the crimson single-eyed machine converged magic power in its outstretched right palm and launched a magic spear at the target retreating while weaving in irregular evasive maneuvers.
  
  The jet-black spear, flying in a gentle arc, pierced the machine’s chest from behind, causing the giant knight to collapse onto the cobblestones of the main street.
  
  『That was splendid… But we also suffered considerable losses.』
  
  Glancing at the legless machine approaching with a wobbly low-altitude float, Gaius silently pondered the words directed at him.
  
  『We have occupied the target city for interception, let’s be satisfied with this for now.』
  
  『As you wish… What about pursuit?』
  『Let me see…』
  
  Judging from the current situation, it was highly likely that several giant knights that had broken through the east gate ahead of the others had circled around to provide support on both flanks while the main force of large Aberrations was struggling in the narrow streets. The Aberration army, which had only been deployed with medium-sized creatures, would likely be in disarray.
  
  Anticipating this, Kreis inquired about the possibility of pursuit, but the skeletal knight’s negative response brought the battle to a close.
  
  The Duchy side lost four knights, including the regimental commander, and suffered many casualties among the infantry of other branches… However, they inflicted considerable damage on the “Hour of Ruin” and managed to stall them. They retreated towards the capital to join up with the reinforcements they had requested from their allies at the time of the first report.