Challenge What Lies Beyond Reach

The camera pulled back. A black tide surged forward like an arrow, trailing clouds of yellow dust behind it. It collided head-on with a black dot ahead, its charge abruptly halted. In an instant, men and horses were thrown into chaos, battle cries and screams intertwining into humanity's most primitive and bloodiest symphony.

Duke's gaze was as fierce as a wolf's. His sword-wielding hands carved out one sharp arc after another, cold flashes of steel harvesting heads and severed limbs amid frantic screams.

The Heroic Spirits' sturdy armor was as fragile as thin paper before Duke's greatsword, splitting apart at the slightest tear. Hot blood sprayed from the crossing blades, splattering the scorching sand and staining Duke's body as well.

The charge of Ionioi Hetairoi came to a complete halt. After all, there was only one enemy. Though they had numbers on their side, they could only rush forward and surround him. The lucky Assassin was instinctively ignored by Ionioi Hetairoi and buried himself in the sea of sand to lie in wait.

"Kill! Kill! Kill—"

The slaughter did not stop. The slain Heroic Spirit soldiers dissolved into motes of light, their dying screams and resentment driving the battle to greater ferocity. Yet although Ionioi Hetairoi had great numbers, no more than four or five could fight Duke at once. The rest could only stand around and watch.

Duke held an utterly brutal advantage over these Heroic Spirits in every attribute. The dense wall of bodies could not stop his swinging butcher's blade. With a flurry of slashes and thrusts, like a tiger charging into a flock of sheep, he forcibly tore open a passage drenched in blood.

After forcefully advancing another dozen meters, Duke finally encountered a troublesome opponent: a young man with short blond hair and a spear.