The wind told Loa that the cavalry commander was at the rear.
Not through sight, but through feeling. Air currents surged across the battlefield, carrying messages in the killing intent, Battle-qi, and dust raised by pounding hooves.
Following the coldest strand of killing intent, Loa pinpointed the location-below the hill, behind the heavy cavalry formation, a figure in full heavy armor sat with his horse reined in.
Loa moved.
Unpredictable Thunder Shadow Step unfolded. Nine afterimages wove through the cavalry while his real body drove straight ahead. The Hidden Abyss Sword flashed out, sword energy sweeping across his path and toppling riders and horses alike. He cut through a hundred mounted soldiers, heading straight for the enemy commander's head!
Behind him, Cass had already shaken off the two black-clad assassins.
Or rather, the two assassins had withdrawn of their own accord.
Their mission had only been to hold Cass back. Now that the situation had collapsed, continuing would cost them their own lives.
They exchanged a glance, pulled back together, and vanished into the night.
Cass had no time to pursue them. He turned and rushed toward the camp.
"Form ranks!" he roared. "Shield guards, forward! Spearmen, get ready!"
The guard knights swiftly assembled. The shield guards linked up into a shield wall, and the spearmen thrust their spears through the gaps, a dense array of spearheads pointing at the charging cavalry. Behind them, the crossbowmen kept picking off targets with precise shots, aiming exclusively for the horses' legs.
Horse after horse fell, blocking the way behind them.
But the remaining cavalry still charged forward without fear of death. Some were impaled on spears yet kept thrusting their swords forward; others rose and charged on after their horses were shot down. On the battlefield, military orders were life itself. There