How to Live as a Wandering Knight – Chapter 61.1

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐮 (𝟓)

“. . . . . .”

Upon seeing a comrade bleeding and falling, the other swordsmen froze in shock.

What did I just witness?

Being from the same swordsmanship guild, they knew exactly what their colleague had done. It was a common technique across various guilds to deflect an overhead attack and then counterstrike.

But why couldn’t he block it?

In the midst of the chaos, Gasro barely managed to reach a conclusion.

“This foe is extraordinarily strong! Do not engage directly with his weapon!”

Gasro had seen it clearly.

When the mace was swung, it exploded outward like an arrow shot from a bow!

Unbelievable as it was. . .

If the opponent had superhuman strength, then what they had just witnessed made sense. Even if it was hard to believe, when there’s only one possible explanation, you have to accept it.

‘𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴?’

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭. . .’

The swordsmen glared at Johan, pondering their options.

Knightly swordplay, often passed down within families, varied regionally. Typically involving combat in armor, it didn’t focus much on intricate techniques.

But there were limits, and they had never seen a technique that simply overpowered with sheer strength.

“Skill overcomes strength.”

A phrase they had heard often, but it had never felt as hollow as it did now.

Can skill truly prevail against overwhelming power?

‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥.’

Johan also observed the swordsmen.

The recent fight had been unexpected for Johan too. He thought they would have exchanged more blows.

Those who faced Johan treated him as an equal. But that was an irreversible mistake.

One should face Johan as if facing a monster.

A human-shaped monster.

A monster capable of tearing one apart with brute strength!

‘𝘏𝘮𝘮. . .’

The swordsmen’s overt caution was palpable. Their readiness to retreat at Johan’s charge was evident.

A moment of standoff.

“One, two, three.”

Reading the opponent’s breath wasn’t difficult. Sensing the right moment, Johan hurled his mace like a bolt of lightning.

“Gasp!”

It was like a stone shot from a catapult.

The frozen swordsman was struck by the mace and tumbled to the ground, motionless and looking seriously injured. Johan nonchalantly drew his longsword.

The swordsmen hesitated and retreated further. Mercenaries surrounded the area.

“Ga, Gasro. . . What do we do? Do we keep fighting this?”

“. . .I surrender!”

“What are you doing?!”

Although the defense captain was aghast and shouted, Gasro immediately held his longsword to the captain’s throat. Another swordsman quickly seized the captain.

The enemies’ presence here meant the outer walls and gates were likely already taken.

In such a situation, dying to protect the defense captain seemed less sensible than surrendering. Facing that monstrous foe, it felt certain they would die right here.

“You’re quick-witted. Disarm them! And if they try any tricks, feel free to cut them down.”

Following Johan’s command, the mercenaries rushed to disarm the swordsmen and the defense captain. Johan, watching the struggling captain, inquired.

“Speak of the situation within the fortress.”

“Shut up! I swear to God, I have nothing to say to an invader like you. Once the reinforcements arrive, you lot will. . .”

Gerdolf struck the defense captain in the abdomen. The defense captain choked and vomited what he had eaten the day before. Johan asked the swordsmen.

“Do you know anything?”

“We do know! A lot!”

“These traitors. . .! This is why you can’t trust those of low birth! Even after handing over so much silver! And to think, a fencing guild would be more expensive. . .”

“Still no thoughts of surrendering?”

Johan asked the defense captain. Instead of answering, the captain spat. Johan nodded.

“Kill him.”

“Sir?”

The holding mercenary was taken aback. Clearly, he was of noble origin.

Not a high-ranking noble with a fiefdom, but even a lower noble was a daunting opponent for a mercenary. Normally, they would capture, not kill. . .

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐩!

Gerdolf swung his short warhammer, smashing the defense captain’s head. It didn’t matter where the captain came from or what family he belonged to.

Just do as told!

The nickname ‘Butcher’ wasn’t for nothing. Having cut off the defense captain’s breath, Gerdolf approached the mercenary holding him and grabbed his throat.

“C-Cough, Gerdolfnim. Why are you doing this!”

“What are you doing, Gerdolf?”

“This man, didn’t follow orders.”

“No, sir! I was just startled!”

“Let him go.”

At Johan’s words, Gerdolf immediately released the mercenary. The mercenary gasped for air and said.

“I-I apologize, Johan-nim. I won’t disobey orders again.”

“Fine. You’ve followed us this far, I won’t doubt your loyalty.”

The mercenaries looked moved at Johan’s words. Regardless, Gerdolf grabbed the next person and raised his warhammer. The swordsmen panicked as Gerdolf’s arm rose.

“Why, why are you doing this! I said I would talk!”

“Ah. My apologies. This man is a loyal knight. So, what is the current situation?”

“The walls are under attack, and the captain was about to go for reinforcements.”

“Is the castellan inside the fortress?”

“Yes. . .”

“Do you know his location?”

“For now. . .”

Johan made a decision right away.

“We go inside. Capture the castellan first!”

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸      

The soldiers waiting in Ulrike’s camp realized something was amiss when they spotted a few fleeing soldiers.

“Isn’t that them running away?”

“What? That’s ridiculous. . . but it’s true?”

The guards, who had lost their way in the fog and unfortunately ran towards Ulrike’s camp, screamed and ran away again.

“What’s happening here?”

“We need to open the gate to get in. . .”

A few knights murmured in confusion. Normally, they would have subdued the secret passage and sent mercenaries for reinforcements.

Things seemed messed up, but seeing the enemies fleeing outside the castle, it seemed that was not the case.

“Aren’t we in the middle of a battle?”

“We can’t tell because of the fog. . .”

The fog made even the attackers hesitate. Then Stephen stepped forward.

“We must go support them now!”

“. . . . . .”

“. . . . . .”

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