Spirit Ashes Warband

At the very start of the battle.

Xia Tong had told Kulala through their mental link to prepare for battle and start brewing venom.

Against elite monsters with thick health and high defense, venom's sustained corrosion was often the most effective method.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

Purple-red venom splashed across the Night's Cavalry, sending up curls of white smoke.

When the Funeral Horse's front hooves touched the ground again.

The Night's Cavalry yanked hard on the reins. Ignoring the searing pain of the corrosion, his eyes bloodshot, he charged at the Crimson Jellyfish that had spat the venom!

This time, the black cavalry flail in his hand dragged along the ground.

The heavy black spiked iron ball plowed deep furrows into the earth!

He was too far away. Xia Tong had no time to save it!

The Night's Cavalry was incredibly fast. His eyes were filled with rage, and the heavy hoofbeats sounded like death drums pounding one after another.

At that moment, Xia Tong still had two Godrick Soldiers in his Spirit Ashes formation.

One held a crossbow and carried a longsword on his back; the other held a kite shield and a sword in his left hand.

At that critical moment.

The Godrick Soldier wielding the greatshield hurried in front of the Crimson Jellyfish like a loyal guard.

He gripped the shield with both hands and slammed it hard into the ground.

Boom!

The greatshield struck the ground. It was the defensive instinct carved into his bones during life.

The other soldier raised his crossbow again, firing continuously at the Night's Cavalry in an attempt to disrupt his charge.

Xia Tong also spurred his mount into a charge!

"Hold on!"

For the Night's Cavalry charging at full speed, a distance of merely ten-odd meters vanished in an instant.

Whoosh—!

He raised the heavy cavalry flail high, borrowing the momentum of his horse, then smashed it heavily into the Godrick Soldier's greatshield!

Bang!

A thunderous crash rang out.

The Godrick Soldier was like someone struck by a battering ram. The immense impact lifted his feet from the ground, sending him staggering back three steps before he slammed heavily into the Spirit Jellyfish behind him.

Fortunately, the Spirit Jellyfish's body was soft, and it floated in the air, serving as a cushion that absorbed much of the tremendous impact.

Otherwise, that blow would have shattered the soldier's spine.

His first strike having failed.

The Night's Cavalry tugged the reins again, controlling his warhorse as it turned on the spot.

He raised the heavy black flail and whirled it through the air like a pendulum, intending to follow up with another strike!

"Don't even think about it!"

By then, the three Stray Wolves had already arrived.

They threw themselves forward without regard for their lives, biting and tearing at the horse's legs!

Awoo! Awoo!

All three legs were seized tightly and yanked backward.

Blood ran down the Funeral Horse's hind legs. It shrieked incessantly, losing its balance from the pain and nearly dropping to its knees.

Beside the distant ruins.

The wandering merchant Moen was staring intently at the battle.

Beside him, though Irina could not see, she had been listening closely with her ear tilted toward the sounds.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing both worry and fear.

"Is he your husband?" Moen suddenly asked.

"Ah! No! No!"

Irina blushed and hurriedly waved her hands in denial.

"Mr. Moen, how is the battle going now?"

"This warrior's opponent is the Night's Cavalry... It seems he's handling him with ease right now. It's truly unbelievable."

Moen sighed.

"Night's Cavalry? What is that? Mr. Moen, can you tell me about him?"

Moen took a drink and slowly said:

"No one knows where these Night's Cavalry came from."

"Ever since I stationed myself before the walls of Castle Morne, I've often seen him patrolling here at night on his Funeral Horse. I once nervously greeted him. He ignored me, but he never showed any hostility toward me either."

"Sometimes, I've even seen him casually slaughtering some vicious Misbegotten."

As he spoke, a trace of confusion appeared in Moen's eyes.

"I just don't know why... when he saw this warrior, he displayed such intense hostility and murderous intent."

"Ah?!"

Irina immediately grew even more worried.

Because in her eyes, whether ordinary Winged Misbegotten or the stronger Scaly Misbegotten, they were all terrifyingly powerful monsters.

It often took two trained guards just to barely handle one Misbegotten.

Yet those Misbegotten had been casually slaughtered by the Night's Cavalry before them!

Just how powerful was that cavalryman?

"There's no need to worry too much. Lord Xia Tong isn't as weak as you think."

Melina softly reassured her from the side.

Yet her single eye remained locked on the battlefield, her fingers tightening slightly.

At the center of the battlefield.

"Damn it!"

Watching one of the Stray Wolves get smashed to the ground by the Night's Cavalry's backhanded hammer blow, Xia Tong felt a sharp pain stab through his mind.

The mental connection with that Stray Wolf had become extremely faint.

That blow from the Night's Cavalry had inflicted severe damage upon the Stray Wolf. Its entire chest and abdomen were nearly caved in, and motes of spirit light spilled from the corners of its mouth.

Yet it still struggled to get back up, baring its fangs as it continued fighting.

On the other side.

The Forked Hatchets in the two Fanged Imps' hands still dripped with blood.

When the wolf pack had locked their jaws around the Funeral Horse's hind legs, the two treacherous little creatures had seized the chance to leave several bone-deep wounds.

The gushing blood dyed red the black gauze fluttering around the warhorse.

Looks like this Funeral Horse is about to attend its own funeral.

Xia Tong thought to himself.

The reason this Night's Cavalry was so difficult to deal with was his high mobility.

And the reason he possessed such mobility was the Funeral Horse beneath him.

However, the Funeral Horse was now wounded in multiple places, and its agility was clearly far inferior to before.

This time, Xia Tong rode Torrent, found an opening, and charged viciously forward with his spear in hand!

Borrowing the horse's speed, he thrust the spear at the Night's Cavalry's back.

But the Night's Cavalry was no fool.

He immediately tapped the horse's flank, turning its head in an attempt to use its last burst of speed to escape Xia Tong's Spirit Ashes warband.

Once he was entangled by these Spirit Ashes and had to face Xia Tong's fierce assault as well, he would only be beaten to death by the swarm!

"You're just going to flee like this? Aren't you ashamed to be one of Morgott's subordinates?!"

Xia Tong shouted from behind, trying to use humiliation to hold the enemy's aggro.

But the Night's Cavalry turned a deaf ear, merely accelerating to widen the distance.

The crossbow-wielding Godrick Soldier knelt on one knee, occasionally firing a few arrows to harass him from afar.

Suddenly, Xia Tong realized that the Night's Cavalry was not fleeing downhill. Instead, he turned and charged up the slope!

Xia Tong's original plan had been to remain on higher ground, which would effectively limit the Night's Cavalry's mobility.

After all, cavalry charging uphill would inevitably lose some speed and stamina.

Yet now, he was actively seizing the high ground!

"Not good!"

Xia Tong's expression changed.

"Torrent, follow him! Don't let him escape!"

The Spirit Ashes warband followed closely behind Xia Tong.

Only the Spirit Jellyfish moved rather slowly, but it still floated forward with all its might to keep up.

The other Spirit Ashes did not leave it behind. Instead, they gradually formed a protective ring around it.

The Spirit Jellyfish remained in the center, while the two Godrick Soldiers kept their shield and crossbow aimed toward the Night's Cavalry.

The Night's Cavalry grew faster and faster.

He only came to a stop when he reached the edge of the woodland above.

Neighhh!

He turned his horse around and looked down at Xia Tong, who was pursuing him.

The cavalry flail in his hand began spinning rapidly, producing a howling wind.

Then, like a chariot racing downhill, he charged back at Xia Tong once more!

Unstoppable!

The flail's long handle and black iron ball were connected by three thick chains.

As the iron ball spun rapidly in a circle, the three chains clattered endlessly against one another.

The Night's Cavalry was truly enraged. He wished he could smash this despicable Tarnished to death with a single blow.

Though Xia Tong became braver the longer he fought, when he saw the Night's Cavalry charging at him with the aid of gravity, he did not foolishly choose to meet him head-on.

Because he was below, while his opponent was above.

His speed was already inferior to that of the tall Funeral Horse. If he charged uphill and clashed head-on again, he would only be suppressed or even sent flying!

So he cleverly turned his horse around and retreated toward his Spirit Ashes warband!

"Kulala, get ready!"

Xia Tong shouted from horseback.

In midair, the entirely crimson Crimson Jellyfish began convulsing again, brewing a second shot of venom.

Meanwhile, the Godrick Soldier holding the greatshield still stood loyally at the front of the group, shield braced.

10 meters!

6 meters!

3 meters!

When he was still three meters away from the Spirit Ashes warband.

The massive Funeral Horse suddenly exerted all four hooves and leaped high into the air!

Leaping Strike!

At the same time, the flail in the Night's Cavalry's hand spun rapidly through the air. Borrowing the terrifying momentum of the descent, he smashed it brutally down at the shield-bearing Godrick Soldier below!

Boom!

A bone-chilling explosive crash rang out.

The sturdy kite shield in the Godrick Soldier's hands shattered instantly!

Cracks had already appeared after the first strike, and this time, it was smashed directly into several pieces!

The Godrick Soldier behind the shield did not even groan before violently vomiting blood and flying backward!

The situation took a sudden turn for the worse!