Charging with a Knightly Lance in Arknights, but Without a Mount

Charging with a Knightly Lance in Arknights, but Without a Mount Author: Zoutou Wulu

Synopsis:

"Blades have a cool, austere beauty. Spears are the archetype of war. Great axes and polearms are full of raw dominance. But of course, nothing compares to a knightly lance! Before a lance, all beings are equal!!" "Then where's your mount? How are you going to charge with a lance without one?"

"What kind of joke is that? Can't I charge without a mount? With these powerful Kuranta legs, I am my own mount!"

"You like weapons? I have lots of weapons in my room. You can look at them until you're tired, then sleep there directly. No problem!"

"Really, Nearl? Then I'll come take a look at your place?"

"Nearl, what are you doing?!"

A New Beginning: The Night Knight of the Arena

Whoaaaa!!!!!!!

The massive roar of the crowd jolted Xu Lin awake. He hurriedly looked around.

What met his eyes was not the familiar military tent, nor was there dry, packed earth beneath his feet. Instead, there was neatly trimmed turf. The sunlight was dazzling and brilliant, yet it still paled beside the fervor of the people in the surrounding stands. Deafening cheers flooded the vast arena, as though he had returned to ancient Rome—except this arena was built of reinforced concrete and all manner of technological materials.

"Our Night Knight has suddenly stopped in place! What is he doing?! Has he given up resisting?!"

"His opponent, the Rust-Iron Knight, has cautiously halted his advance as well!"

The impassioned voice carried through loudspeakers across the entire venue. Across from him, a burly man in armor gripped his battle axe tightly and watched him warily.

Only when Xu Lin lowered his head did he realize he was wearing black plate armor as well, with a longsword in his hand.

A helmet with a huge hole punched through it lay on the ground. It was probably his. Red liquid trickled down from his forehead and dripped onto his breastplate. Fatigue suddenly washed over him. This is bad. Where have I ended up now?

The Rust-Iron Knight watched his opponent. The other man was a rookie competing in arena matches for the first time, someone he should have defeated easily. Yet unexpectedly, he had proven incredibly difficult to handle. If not for his superior armor, he would have fallen long ago. But now he was at the end of his rope as well. If this dragged on any longer, his armor's cooling system would overload, and he would certainly lose.

The burly man suddenly clenched his axe haft. Gritting his teeth, he charged toward Xu Lin. He had to end this quickly!

The axe blade hacked toward Xu Lin with enough force to split him in two. At the critical moment, Xu Lin instinctively raised his longsword, using the sturdier section near the hilt to deflect the blow. The blade traced a short arc and slashed across his opponent's helmet. The strike worked, knocking his opponent back, and Xu Lin immediately launched a furious assault.

The sword blade drew bright arcs through the air. His waist drove his arms, his arms drove his wrists, and his black iron boots moved in nimble patterns. Xu Lin seemed to dance with his sword. His movements looked elegant, yet they carried vicious killing intent, every strike aimed at a fatal spot.

The Rust-Iron Knight struggled to parry, but during one heavy slash, he finally exposed an opening and was knocked down by the sword's pommel.

Whoaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This unexpected turn ignited the entire arena. Thunderous cheers rang out everywhere as Xu Lin instinctively gripped the blade with his right hand and viciously thrust it toward the gap in his opponent's helmet.

"I surrender!!!"

The sword tip stopped three inches before his eyes. Cold sweat immediately broke out over him. Had it been any later, he would have been done for!

Xu Lin came back to himself. He had instinctively used battlefield swordsmanship—and this was clearly not a battlefield.

"Incredible! The Night Knight has suddenly launched a masterful counterattack! Look at that marvelous sword dance—how captivating it is! Let us cheer for his victory!!!"

"To display such skill in his very first major match, just who is this Night Knight making his first appearance before us?!"

The cheers grew even louder, but Xu Lin merely stared blankly around him. Where have I ended up this time?

Waking up to find himself in an unfamiliar place—this was already the second time it had happened.

The first time, Xu Lin had been an ordinary person who crossed over into a world filled with war. That world contained every race found in traditional Western fantasy settings: elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and more. Xu Lin himself had been an ordinary knight of the Human Empire. Though perhaps not quite so ordinary—at least, other knights probably could not ride griffins.

He belonged to the empire's most elite legion—the First Aerial Cavalry Legion. They rode griffins, the most powerful aerial beasts. These creatures possessed muscular bodies four to six meters long, claws over two feet in length, and enormous wingspans of eight to ten meters. They could easily tear apart warhorses and send soldiers flying.

Every spring, these savage beasts chose high places to build nests and breed. That was the best opportunity to tame griffins. Every griffin egg fetched an astronomical price on the black market, tempting countless adventurers to risk their lives. Once tamed, however, brutal griffins became the most loyal comrades. They would never abandon their knights, and would even spend months tracking down and avenging them after their deaths.

As an aerial knight, although Xu Lin was the son of a noble, he had still undergone brutal training from the age of eight. His swordsmanship, physique, discipline, riding, javelin throwing, archery, and spearwork were trained in ways that bordered on abuse. Only by growing up alongside his own griffin could he become an aerial knight capable of tearing through enemy formations and effortlessly annihilating a hundred-man unit.

With several thousand aerial knights and more than a dozen powerful legions, the Human Empire firmly occupied the fertile central plains, squeezing the living space of other races. Countless times, Xu Lin had dived from the skies and slaughtered enemies with javelins and lances.

War was never in short supply. Through battle after battle, he became the new legion commander. Then, during yet another campaign, at the age of seventy-six, he arrived here in his sleep.

Looking at the spectators cheering for him, he felt a trace of discomfort. These people were like gamblers in a casino, ecstatic over a successful wager and cheering for whoever had brought them pleasure. He was like an actor currying favor with an audience. It was something he had never experienced as an aerial knight of glory and honor.

A flash of anger crossed his heart, but he quickly suppressed it. The priority was to leave this place as soon as possible.

On his way out of the arena, Xu Lin confirmed once again that this was a completely different world. It was not only the modern technological products visible everywhere, but also the unfamiliar races. These people bore different animal traits. Some had long rabbit-like ears, some had horns and short tails, and so on. But the most numerous were those with long horse tails and horse ears.

Outside the arena were broad streets and skyscrapers that blotted out the sky. Vehicles and pedestrians streamed endlessly through the streets.

For a moment, Xu Lin did not know what to do. In this unfamiliar world, he knew nothing. Where was he supposed to go from here?

Suddenly, Xu Lin stopped walking. He had been walking for an hour when he unconsciously came to a halt before an apartment building, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity. After thinking for a moment, he walked inside.

"Isn't this the knight? How did things go today?"

A plump middle-aged woman suddenly called out to him.

"You must have won your match today, right? I'm so jealous of you knights. You can make big money so easily, unlike me. I can only scrape by on this pitiful rental income."

"Do I owe you rent?" Xu Lin frowned. A Kuranta woman, the thought flashed through his mind instinctively.

How do I know the name of her race? It was as though a thin veil had been lifted, and unfamiliar yet familiar memories began to flood in. He was a knight's descendant from a minor family, impoverished and destitute. To survive, he—who only knew how to wield a sword—had entered the Kazimierz Grand Knight Territory's promotion tournament. He owed the woman before him two weeks' rent.

"Oh my, you really are forgetful when you're important!"

Xu Lin rummaged through the leather pouch at his waist and took out eight thousand Lungmen Dollars—the prize money he had just received. He counted out two thousand and handed it to the landlady, exchanged a few perfunctory words with her, then headed for his room on the second floor.

P.S. New author, new book. Please support it if you like it.

A New Beginning: Not Bad Looking

The young man in the mirror had a fair, smooth face, but it did not look immature. His facial lines were clean and sharp. He was neither overly thin nor fat, looking perfectly well-proportioned. His long, keen phoenix eyes held amber pupils that gleamed with thought. He also had a straight nose bridge and thin, slightly pursed lips. His ink-black hair was brushed upward, though a few strands fell across his forehead. Combined with his lean, upright frame standing over 190 centimeters tall—overall, it was the appearance of a handsome youth capable of attracting the gaze of most women, and perhaps men as well.

It was a face Xu Lin knew very well.

It was his own face.

"What's going on? Why am I myself? Why do I have those memories? Is this a parallel world? Is this another me?"

This was a single-room apartment in the Kazimierz Grand Knight Territory. The room was extremely old. The furniture was chipped and peeling, the wallpaper aged and yellowed, the tables, chairs, and bed loose and wobbly, and the carpet covered in dust.

Such a room would naturally not be worth one thousand Lungmen Dollars a week elsewhere, but the Grand Knight Territory's booming economy, centered around knight competitions, had driven housing prices ever higher.

After thinking for a while, Xu Lin stopped. There was nothing he could do about it now. He might as well do something useful.

He picked up the ruined helmet and examined it carefully. As expected, it was made of mild steel. Xu Lin was rendered speechless. This kid really had guts—he had actually worn decorative armor from home into a knight competition, and even managed to win!... Though he had been the one to win.

The one decent thing was the longsword. It had excellent balance, with its center of gravity two inches ahead of the crossguard. The blade was sharp and slender, so pleasant that he could hardly put it down. After playing with it for a while, he reluctantly sheathed it.

His entire fortune was only ten thousand Lungmen Dollars. After his parents died, Xu Lin had sold off everything except the family estate and come alone to seek his fortune in a mobile city. So far, his earnings stood at negative five thousand Lungmen Dollars—thanks to the high prices here. If he had not won today's match, he might have had to take on manual labor just to earn enough to live.

With a sigh, Xu Lin rose to his feet. He should eat first.

Maria Nearl stared deeply at the mechanical device before her, a troubled expression on her pretty face.

"Master, why can't the Originium circuit conduct properly yet?"

The person whom the beautiful young girl with dazzling golden hair called Master had a peculiar appearance, like a huge white bear standing upright. He set down the beer mug gripped in his thick arm and leaned over for a look.

"Silly girl, the buffer circuit in the middle isn't connected yet. Of course it won't work."

The girl gave a small cry and hurriedly corrected it.

Time slowly passed. At ten in the evening, the girl put down her tools and stood up. "Master, I'm heading home first!"

"Be careful. Want me to have your sister pick you up?"

"No need. My sister still has a match tomorrow, so she should get some proper rest."

As Maria spoke, she walked toward the tavern door. When she pushed it open, moonlight spilled inside. Maria looked up and saw a pair of valiant phoenix eyes.

He was a young man much taller than she was, bathed in moonlight from head to toe. Dressed in black clothes and black armor, he was as handsome as an elf of the night. A black, silk-like horse tail swayed by his feet.

Xu Lin reached out and held the door, stepping aside and nodding to the girl before him. "After you, my lady."

Maria froze for a moment. When she came back to herself, her face flushed. "Thank you!" She hurried away.

Xu Lin entered the tavern and looked around. It was small but tidy, with only three sets of tables and chairs, plus a row of bar stools before the counter. There were not many customers at the moment, only the bald, one-eyed, one-armed owner and a massive Ursus man.

"Welcome. What would you like to drink?"

The one-eyed owner, Martin, greeted him.

"Something to eat, please."

"At this hour, all I have is creamy beast-meat stew. Is that all right?"

"That's fine. And a drink."

Seated before the counter, Xu Lin was soon served a steaming bowl of stew, several pieces of bread, and a mug of beer. After thanking the owner, he began his dinner.

The beast meat in the stew had been simmered until tender. The rich, flavorful broth, paired with soft bread, brought a warm sense of contentment with every bite. With a swallow of beer, his entire body relaxed.

"Aren't you the Night Knight? I didn't expect to run into you here."

The enormous Ursus spoke to Xu Lin.

"You were amazing today! You really gave that scumbag a lesson."

"Did he do something?"

"That guy often goes for the kill in matches. He's been notorious for ages."

"And he wasn't punished?"

"No. Some spectators like watching that sort of thing, so the company protected him."

"Uh..." Xu Lin did not know what to say.

"Come to think of it, lad, your armor doesn't seem very good. One hit and your helmet broke."

"That's true. I was planning to find a craftsman to make me a better set."

Xu Lin had considered buying one outright, but the four-digit prices of equipment in the stores had startled him.

The Ursus beside him chuckled. "You can come to me. My craftsmanship is among the best in this city!"

Xu Lin sized him up. He did indeed look like a master craftsman. "I may not have enough money."

"That's fine. You can owe me for now. I won't charge interest." The huge white bear looked easygoing.

"With all due respect, sir. We've only just met. Why...?"

The Ursus burst into laughter and gave Xu Lin's shoulder a heavy pat. "I like the look of you!!"

"Thank you. I will certainly repay your kindness."

"It's fine, it's fine. Hahaha, talk to me when you have the money."

After eating and drinking his fill, Xu Lin set down his mug. The owner asked, "Not having another?"

"No."

Xu Lin had a habit of drinking, but no matter how good the alcohol was, he only drank one cup.

"Sir, where do you live? I'll visit you tomorrow."

Xu Lin intended to settle the matter of his armor as soon as possible.

After learning the address from the man, Xu Lin paid his bill and left. He still had a match tomorrow, so he needed a good rest.

Martin looked at his old friend. "You just like the look of him?" "Hahaha, that kid is interesting. He's obviously from the military, and he has such superb swordsmanship. I want my work to be used by someone worthy of it! Besides, it's not like I'm not charging him." Martin shook his head and began wiping down the counter.

After returning to his apartment, Xu Lin cleaned himself up and immediately went to bed. He did not know when he would get the armor, so he would have to make do with that decorative set for a few more days. He could only be as careful as possible.

A New Beginning: King of the Sky

The thick stench of blood rushed into his nostrils and pulled Xu Lin back to his senses. It was the blood of his old companion, Hart.

Griffin blood had an intense, fishy smell, an overbearing and highly distinctive scent. Experienced knights could judge the severity of their griffin's wounds from the smell alone. Just like now, Xu Lin knew Hart had been seriously injured. A barbed arrow had pierced its unarmored hind leg—an elven Flesh-Ripper Arrow. Because of its weight, such arrows could not be fired over long distances, but once they entered a target's body, the vicious barbs behind the arrowhead inflicted enormous pain and bleeding. He could not remove it for his companion, so he could only cut off the arrow shaft with his sword.

Only he remained. Xu Lin surveyed his surroundings and reached a conclusion.

Their three-man scouting team had been ambushed. Several hundred elven bloodhawk riders had discovered them. Perhaps it had been a coincidence, but who could say?

During their flight, more than a hundred bloodhawks and riders had died at their hands. Anik and Bart had also been shot down alongside their mounts. Only he remained.

The horrifying losses had made the elves hesitate to act recklessly, but they would not let him go either. They merely surrounded him, hoping to wait until he was exhausted.

Hart was furious. Xu Lin could feel it. It was enraged, wanting to tear apart these weak creatures—the creatures that had hurt it. Griffins were so powerful, so proud. The sky should have held no enemy for them. They were the empire's strongest and most precious war resource. To seize griffin territory, the empire had waged two wars, until no country besides the Human Empire could tame griffins.

But Xu Lin knew he had to calm Hart. Impulsiveness would not help them now.