On the hillside.
Xia Tong rode Torrent in a dive downhill, followed by two Fanged Imps and two Stray Wolves.
One of the Stray Wolves had suffered wounds too severe earlier. Its spirit form had already dissipated and could no longer be summoned.
Inside Gatefront Camp.
The Godrick Knight was still pacing slowly, his heavy plate armor scraping with a "clank, clank" at every step, deep and powerful.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he spun around and looked to the left.
Woooo—!
The bleak, urgent horn blast instantly echoed throughout the camp.
All the Godrick Soldiers in the camp gathered toward the knight.
However, thanks to Xia Tong's earlier targeted "attrition tactics."
At this moment, including the knight, only eight soldiers remained in the entire camp.
"Interesting."
The wandering merchant Kale sat on a distant hillside, picked up his stringed instrument, and began to play a melodious tune.
The mournful music drifted over the battlefield.
Below the hillside, the battle had already begun.
Boom! Boom!
The Fanged Imps struck first, hurling two dark brown Magic Pots hard against the Godrick Knight's shield.
Magic exploded, and the shockwave swept outward.
The Godrick Soldiers preparing to form ranks immediately fell into disarray.
"Now!"
Seizing the moment, Xia Tong pulled a faintly glowing clay jar from his chest—a Sleep Pot.
Using the horse's momentum, he hurled it forcefully at the Godrick Knight's feet.
Smack!
The clay jar shattered.
A pale purple glow instantly spread through the area, along with a dreamy, cloying scent.
The murderous Godrick Knight suddenly slowed, his eyelids seeming to weigh a thousand pounds.
Thud.
Not only him—three nearby soldiers also collapsed as though their bones had been pulled out, snoring soundly on the ground.
In an instant, only four of the eight combatants remained awake.
They had been farther away and were unaffected by the Sleep Pot.
Xia Tong ignored the four who remained awake. He dismounted, gripped the Lord's Army Spear, and charged toward the three sleeping ordinary soldiers.
This was a battlefield. There was no mercy.
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
The spear pierced their throats with precision.
Three sprays of blood burst forth in succession, and the three soldiers fell silent in their sleep.
Five left!
Looking at the Godrick Knight lying on the ground, snoring like thunder, Xia Tong did not greedily attack him.
He knew elite enemies had extremely high resistance. The sleep would not last long, and once attacked, the knight would immediately awaken in a frenzy.
He turned toward the other four awake Godrick Soldiers.
"Little ones, stop them!"
The two Fanged Imps and two Stray Wolves had already rushed forward.
Apart from the four Godrick Soldiers wielding longswords, the enemy also had two trained military wolves.
A chaotic melee was about to erupt.
Xia Tong's thoughts raced.
He picked out an isolated soldier, gripped the hilt of the Lordsworn's Straight Sword with both hands, and held the blade level.
Skill—Square Off!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
He stomped forward three steps, each one heavy and forceful.
Then, he suddenly swept the sword upward!
Heavy attack—Upward Cut!
Clang!
That Godrick Soldier raised his shield to block, but the blow was too powerful. It shattered his defense and sent him flying!
Blood gushed from his chest and abdomen.
Xia Tong knew that strike had not killed him outright.
He immediately leaped high into the air, pointed his sword downward, gripped the hilt with both hands, and drove it down with gravity behind it!
Squelch!
Straight through the heart.
The Godrick Soldier twitched twice and collapsed. A Rune flowed into Xia Tong's body.
59 Runes!
Clank! Clank!
At that moment, the heavy clash of armor suddenly came from behind him.
Xia Tong spun around.
The Godrick Knight was already back on his feet!
His eyes were bloodshot. Clearly, the irritation of being forcibly awakened had made him even more violent.
Melodious music sounded beside him.
At some point, the wandering merchant Kale had ridden his donkey to the nearby high ground.
As he played a sorrowful tune, he watched the battlefield like a bard.
The battlefield was now divided into two parts.
On one side was the chaotic fight between the Spirit Ashes squad and the ordinary soldiers.
On the other.
Xia Tong faced the Godrick Knight!
The knight planted the massive shield bearing a golden lion before him, the white plume atop his helmet whipping wildly in the wind.
Through the narrow slit in the helmet, that icy gaze made Xia Tong feel as though needles were prickling his back.
Boom!
The Godrick Knight moved in an instant.
He carried the heavy gilded greatshield in his left hand and gripped a sharp knight's spear in his right.
Clank! Clank!
His steps were heavy, his full plate armor grinding with a teeth-aching sound. Like an iron-armored rhinoceros, he charged at Xia Tong.
Whoosh!
The heavy, straight spear suddenly shot forward with a terrifying shriek through the air.
Xia Tong hurriedly retreated.
Then, without pausing, the Godrick Knight stepped forward and thrust again!
Deathly Chain Thrusts!
This time, Xia Tong dodged clumsily to the left.
With a tearing sound.
The fabric on the left side of his thigh was ripped open, and his skin was pierced.
At least it had only grazed him and had not struck a major artery.
"That was close!"
Before Xia Tong could react, the third thrust had already arrived!
This time, Xia Tong did not retreat. Gritting his teeth, he rolled forward and slipped inside the knight's reach.
The sharp spear scraped along his back, sending a burning pain through him.
"An opening!"
Xia Tong rose, gripped the sword hilt with both hands, and thrust upward at the Godrick Knight's right shoulder!
Thud!
A dull impact rang out.
The sword struck the thick shoulder armor, scattering sparks.
The Godrick Knight was forced one step back.
Xia Tong now had a full 17 points of Strength. The strike had been immensely powerful; even the knight could not completely ignore it.
However, the Godrick Knight possessed exceptional combat instincts.
Without the slightest panic, he used the huge gilded greatshield in his left hand like a wall and smashed it down at Xia Tong from above!
Shield Bash!
Bang!
Xia Tong could only raise his sword to block, and the enormous impact sent him flying.
Dirt and grass clippings scattered everywhere.
At this point, the wandering merchant Kale's music had stopped as well.
Clearly, the fierce battle between the two had completely captured his attention.
Xia Tong rolled awkwardly across the ground and retreated rapidly, widening the distance between them again.
The two began circling each other in a standoff.
If the midpoint between them were the center of a circle.
Then at this moment, the two of them were slowly moving along its circumference.
In an inhuman, mechanical motion, the Godrick Knight slammed the gilded greatshield, wider than a door, heavily onto the ground.
Thud!
The dull sound seemed to strike Xia Tong directly in the chest.
Looking at the slightly faded golden crest on the shield, Xia Tong gripped the Lordsworn's Straight Sword even tighter, his palms drenched in sweat.
The Godrick Knight steadily extended his spear through the gap beside the shield, its tip aimed directly at Xia Tong.
He curled up behind the shield, turning into a mobile, flawless steel fortress.
This was the most shameless tactic—turtling behind a shield.
Xia Tong took a deep breath.
He could not drag this out. His stamina could not outlast the other man's.
He made a probing sidestep, then swung his straight sword at a tricky angle toward the Godrick Knight's previously injured right shoulder.
Clang—!!
A piercing screech of metal rang out.
Xia Tong felt his hand go numb as the shield, adjusted only slightly in angle, easily knocked aside his blade.
At the instant his old strength had faded and new strength had not yet risen!
Whoosh!
The knight did not even move the shield. With only a flick of his wrist.
The spear shot out from behind the shield like a venomous snake striking!
Shield Poke!
Xia Tong's pupils suddenly contracted!
The instincts forged through so many days of fighting made him retreat sharply.
But he was still a step too slow.
Squelch!
A burning pain tore through his left arm. The spear had ripped a deep gash there, and blood poured out wildly.
"What a fast thrust!"
Xia Tong steadied himself, his heart tightening.
This was the knight's most shameless and deadliest move—Shield Poke.
Attack and defense as one, without a single opening.
Without time to think, Xia Tong pulled out the Crimson Tear Flask and took a deep swig.
The warm liquid flowed into his stomach. The wound on his left arm began to stop bleeding and slowly closed.
Seeing this, the Godrick Knight seemed enraged.
This time, he did not wait any longer.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
With heavy steps, he charged at Xia Tong again like an enraged bull.
The difference in strength was too great. Xia Tong did not dare take that charge head-on.
He watched for the right moment and rolled nimbly to the side.
Whoosh!
The wind swept past him.
The Godrick Knight's charge missed, and the tremendous momentum made it difficult for him to stop, briefly exposing an opening at his side.
"Now!"
Xia Tong did not greedily go for another strike. Instead, he halted instantly and assumed that strange stance.
He gripped the sword with both hands, lowered his body, and raised the tip.
Combat skill—Square Off!
He poured all his strength into the blade, aiming at the gap in the knight's waist armor, where the charge had left its defenses weakest.
Then he unleashed that fierce, powerful Upward Cut from below!
"Break... for me!!"
Clang!!
A teeth-grating sound of tearing metal rang out.
Before you continue