"Now approaching, the Lothric Phalanx! Their synchronized steps thunder like drums, their proud posture on full display! Look, the two Winged Knights are waving at us! And behind them—ten Lothric Knights marching with smiles on their faces! Wait… why is there a Black Knight mixed in with them?"
The Black Knight, its entire body radiating freezing air, swung its weapon like a beast and lunged at the nearest mercenary.
The mercenary raised his sword to block, but the chill from the knight's blade spread into his arms, numbing them bit by bit.
The Black Knight—its mind long since reduced to that of a savage beast—knew no fatigue. Its blows came faster and faster!
The mercenary's desperate eyes widened as the sword pierced his gut. A heartbeat later, his body was torn clean in half.
The frozen blood splattering the ground marked the beginning of war.
The Winged Knights hovered in the air, unleashing pillars of divine light. Their bulky armor—fat and clunky—suddenly seemed almost holy as the beams vaporized several guards who failed to dodge in time.
The Lothric Knights, by contrast, had no fancy spells or effects. Their attacks were simple—slashes and charges—but their sheer ferocity was overwhelming.
Just ten Lothric Knights became a human meat grinder, plowing through the guards and cutting them down wholesale. They even singled out the weakest first.
"Next up is the Catacombs Phalanx! Though their sun has long set, their undead bodies still burn with vigor. Look—the Skeleton Wheels are spinning so fast they've left afterimages! Surely that's speeding, right? But behind them comes the sluggish Stone Demon. Take the average and… nope, no speeding after all!"
The Skeleton Wheels were pure nightmare fuel. Their bones fused into wheels, they rolled like runaway carriages plowing through a crowd of old men out for a morning stroll.
Screams filled the air.
One hit wasn't always fatal—you might lose an arm or a leg, but if you grit your teeth and crawl, you might survive.
But two hits? Three?
A fat noble was struck by one wheel, cursed as he tried to stand—only for another to smash him down again. Up, down, up, down—until he stopped getting up at all.
Behind them lumbered the Stone Demon, its ruined body too heavy to move quickly. But anyone foolish enough to get close was instantly crushed by its monstrous weapon.
"Coming up next—the Zinogre Phalanx! Well, there's only three of them, so… not much of a phalanx, I guess."
The three monsters howled to the sky. Lightning exploded around them, their fur crackling with energy—they had entered their Supercharged State instantly!
The deafening roar forced nearby soldiers to clutch their heads in terror. Some bled from their ears.
One Zinogre bit a mercenary and flung him into the air. Another leapt up and swiped him back down. The third charged forward and stomped him flat.
A flawless three-part combo.
"Don't be afraid! Attack together!"
The Light Eagle mercenaries had guts. One burly warrior, wrapped head to toe in armor, swung a massive hammer at a Zinogre's flank.
Clang!
The hammer bounced off.
"My god—it's that hard?!"
Before he could finish cursing, a thunderbolt from above struck him squarely, roasting him inside his armor.
Flying wyverns rained fire from the sky, their roars bursting human eardrums. Tree Sentinels swung halberds, Silver Knights loosed volleys of arrows. Even the old "friend of the people," the Basilisk, waddled into the fray—though in a battle of this level, it was little more than a mascot.
A Hypno appeared next, giggling as it waved its hypnotic ring, luring several female guards into portals with eerie laughter.
The mercenaries and guards who had seemed so fierce moments ago now broke under the monster tide. Many were dead; the rest fled. Chaos ruled.
Ironically, the adventurers who had been driven out earlier were spared. Some ran off entirely, but a few hot-blooded ones drew their weapons to fight.
Older adventurers quickly stopped them.
"They kicked you out—and you still want to help them?"
Most lowered their blades. Only a handful joined the fray, and they were swiftly beaten back.
Risking their lives for no thanks? Pointless.
The mercenaries, recovering from the initial panic, began to regroup. Spells filled the air—barriers, quagmires, lures, healing, berserk buffs. Frontliners fought under shimmering shields, clashing in bloody melees with the monsters.
They were strong—but barely holding their ground.
The guards? Useless.
And once the two Tree Sentinels fully entered the battle, the fragile line would collapse instantly.
"Simon, what now?" Gelka faced one Tree Sentinel head-on, neither side making the first move. "Should we retreat? Lure them into the city and fight there—like before?"
Simon nearly nodded—then froze. "No!"
"What's the problem? It's not even our damn base!"
"Bind!" Gelka shouted. The Tree Sentinel froze for an instant, and he slashed at the horse's leg.
Clang! Too hard!
The binding spell barely restrained the creature. Before he could swing again, the golden halberd came crashing down. He dodged by a hair.
Simon wanted to help, but his own Tree Sentinel loomed over him.
"Have you forgotten the Captain's plan? If we want to achieve the future he envisions, we need this country's support—from both nobles and commoners!" Simon shouted.
"Damn it!" Gelka leapt back, gritting his teeth. "I'm sick of playing the good guy!"
Flames wreathed his sword as he swung, launching a blazing arc.
"Bind! Flammable!" he roared.
His face went pale from the strain, but the Tree Sentinel froze for half a heartbeat. The flame struck, carving a shallow wound in its armor and setting it ablaze.
In an instant, the golden knight was engulfed in fire.
So strong—the Light Eagle captain had actually pierced its defense.
If it had been Stella, she'd already be out of the fight.
"Not so tough after all."
Gelka gulped down a healing potion. Just then, the second Tree Sentinel charged straight at him.
"Damn it, Simon! Where the hell are you?!"
"Commanding the field!" Simon yelled back, driving his sword through a Lothric Knight's skull and rallying the mercenaries. At his shout, morale surged—the line steadied.
"Count! Order your guards to fight! Don't just stand there!"
"I know that! Don't tell me what to do!"
Philip kicked the guard captain in rage. "Get moving, you worthless pigs!"
The guards hesitated but reluctantly obeyed.
There were many of them—far more than the mercenaries—but their quality was pathetic. Shoved into battle, they fought without spirit.
When they bunched together, one Angelic Beam from the Winged Knights wiped out dozens at once.
Philip's face twitched uncontrollably. He seethed with shame. These guards were utterly useless.
Once this was over, he swore he'd replace them all—if he lived long enough to do it.
Meanwhile, Gelka cursed under his breath.
Facing two Tree Sentinels at once was a nightmare. Their golden halberds gave him no breathing room, their massive shields slamming at perfect timing, forcing him onto the defensive.
Only his agility kept him alive. He darted beneath their warhorses like an eel, narrowly avoiding blow after blow. If Maru were here, she'd be impressed by his slipperiness.
But there was no chance to counterattack. A single mistake meant death.
Still, to last this long against two C+ monsters was an achievement in itself.
"I've had enough—taste my Sword of Thunderfire!"
Pushing his stamina to the brink, he cast a speed buff and leapt back. Raising his blade, he channeled both flame and lightning.
He slashed, sending a crackling arc straight toward the Tree Sentinel's head. If he could decapitate one, the battle might turn!
The Tree Sentinel raised its golden shield. A radiant yellow light flared—
[Golden Parry]!
The mysterious power of the Erdtree absorbed the attack in an instant.
"Huh?"
Gelka froze. His blade of fire and thunder—gone?!
And then came the counterattack.
Without pause, the golden shield transformed his own strike into a searing light cannon, firing it back with terrifying force.
Gelka barely had time to realize—he was blown to pieces.