Chapter 67: Attack [3]
Carl only thought that the soldiers were following along, but everything seemed clear to Bilford, who was fully focused on Carl for security purposes.
Until now, Bilford had not been able to properly see how Carl encouraged the soldiers, how he shook them up, and how he firmly established them.
He was busy fighting in the first battle, couldn't participate in the next battle, and then fought far away, only following Catherine's instructions.
But now, Bilford was right next to Carl, observing from the perspective of a third party.
'I can't believe it.'
Bilford tightened his grip on the sword because it was uncomfortable to see his hands wet and sweaty inside the gauntlets.
As if some inexplicable transcendent power was at work, as soon as Carl's word or hand gesture passed by, the soldiers' shoulders, which had been cowering in fear, straightened confidently.
A truly demonic charisma that could not be fully explained in words was exploding from this small, sickly being.
"Don't back down and stay where you are! As long as we hold on, we will win!"
Carl shouted in a loud voice even though he was covered by the visor, stepping on the tree roots, and looking around without hesitation.
Carl had gone through three battles in a short period of time. He may have been too lacking in experience to grow, and it may have been too cruel.
However, after only three days of experience, Carl had grown incredibly.
His red cloak fluttered, and the red tassels on his helmet fluttered wildly.
Carl, holding on to a wooden pillar, quickly looked around to check the situation, pointed at a knight with the tip of his spear, and shouted.
"You! Head over there and stay in line!"
Hilfin's knight, who had been pointed out by Carl, ran without saying a single word of command and raised his spear.
Although he was from a noble family and had a high opinion of himself, he was completely absorbed in Carl's words and just followed orders.
The only thought in his mind was that he had to follow Carl's orders and stay in line.
"Corbin! Retreat to the center and watch overhead!"
Carl pushed back Corbin, who was throwing spears at the soldiers' heads.
This was to place Corbin, who was tall and had long arms and legs, in the center and block gnolls that came over the trees.
As if Corbin's dissatisfaction with Carl was a lie, he quickly retreated, raised his spear, and stood guard overhead.
"Lady Catherine!"
At Carl's shout, Catherine's head, which had been killing gnolls while circling the line, turned slightly, and she increased her speed and rushed toward the place Carl pointed with the tip of his spear.
Catherine passed by, killing the gnoll, and there was a brief pause.
"The injured should retreat to the center! Hurry up! We must take turns to prevent our ranks from collapsing!"
The soldier whose arm was bitten rolled backwards, and the soldier behind him took his place.
If you quickly turned your head and pointed the tip of the spear, the problem that was about to arise would be solved like a lie.
It was incredible to see, but the person fighting in Carl's hands had tremendous power that couldn't even be noticed.
Meanwhile, Carl suddenly lifted his head and looked up.
This time too, he could feel it instinctively.
This eerie feeling.
As if death had drawn a scythe, as if the monster's maw was wide open and aiming.
It was coming.
That guy was watching Carl.
"Bilford!"
The first thing Carl did when he noticed that gaze was to call out and throw himself at him.
Why? If he tried to do something with Carl's skills, it would be a feat for them. Why was Carl fighting when Bilford was protecting him?
Clap!
Jump!
While Carl was rolling on the floor, Bilford crossed past Carl and swung his sword like a flash sword.
A dull sound was heard, as if a piece of rotten wood was being split with an axe, and a black furball with its body neatly cut fell down behind Carl.
Puck!
Bilford blocked the black gnoll with his foot from crawling across the floor and approaching Carl with only its upper body.
Its head jerked and its neck turned half a turn.
With that, it just lay down and rolled its eyes.
It had tremendous vitality, worthy of a monster.
"Lord Carl! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine! Watch out for the soldiers!"
Bilford paused for a moment at Carl's command. In the meantime, it was impossible to protect the soldiers without Carl.
Meanwhile, Carl stood up, leaning on the spear, and ran towards the northeast with confident movements.
Bilford followed Carl because he had to protect him, and when he saw Carl aiming his spear at the sky, he quickly passed by him and swung his sword.
Suddenly!
The black gnoll's arms, which had stretched out their hands to grab Carl's spear, fell off with an eerie cleanliness.
Puck!
The black gnoll, whose chest was pierced by Carl's spear, twitched its legs. Carl couldn't bear the weight of the thing, so he threw the spear on the ground.
Bilford cut off the neck of the gnoll who flinched in shock with one blow, then picked up the head and threw it out of the formation just in case.
If you let your guard down and only had your head left, you could break your ankle. A monster was not a monster for nothing.
Bilford felt an unknown emotion as he realized that Carl's survival instinct was almost accurately reading the gnoll's surprise attack.
He had originally thought Carl was a bit special, but seeing the enemy's surprise attack so accurately as if foreseeing the future was eerie.
"Whoa! Phew!"
Carl's breathing was already getting a bit rough while leading after continuing to walk
through the forest, and it was difficult to run around and catch a gnoll with a spear in a sudden surprise attack.
He was confident that he would be active consistently thanks to his quick recovery, but it was a bit difficult when he expended a lot of his stamina in such a short moment.
Carl frantically turned his head and shouted loudly.
"Bordeaux! Take care of the gnolls falling from the center with your knights!"
Since the situation was urgent, shouldn't they be respectful and give orders first?
At Carl's words, Bordeaux, along with Hilfin's three knights, retreated to the center and stood at an appropriate distance.
It goes without saying, but as the knight to put out the urgent fire was missing, the conscripts who maintained the ranks began to collapse faster than at first.
"Ugh!"
"Drop the shield!"
"Shit! Get it out!"
"Let go! Let me go!"
Kkkkkkkk! Wooow!
Soldiers lashed out with spears and swung axes to save their comrades who were captured and dragged by gnolls. However, they were unable to stop it, and in the end, one soldier was swept away by the waves of gnolls and disappeared.
"Stop dazing and block it!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
The soldiers waiting behind needed to get in quickly, but seeing their comrades being dragged by the gnoll right in front of them was so scary that they couldn't go forward.
"Get that bastard out!"
In the end, the soldier was dragged out by the back, and another soldier hurriedly ran in his place, swearing.
Of course, dying was scary, but someone had to fight.
Because one person did not get in in time, three more people were dragged away in that short period of time.