Bear School Astartes

Chapter 911 893: Parry

After dealing with a group of mages casting long-range attacks outside the main battlefield, Lann returned to this battlefield ravaged by the Losric Knights.

Warriors capable of channeling soul power can generally execute unimaginable moves and destruction.

For instance, their heavy steps can easily crush the ground.

Lann had no intention of experiencing the sensation of having his toes stepped on by these knights during battle.

By the time Lann came back, the scales of victory had already tilted.

Lorenzo was indeed a top-notch elite in the Knight Order, skilled enough to wield a Knight's Greatsword.

Typically, the sword and shield, spear and shield combinations are safe equipment, even if they can't secure a victory, they won't be taken down easily.

But knights who wield the Losric Knight's Greatsword defy such common sense.

Lann witnessed Lorenzo's greatsword smashing against the tower shield of a Spear Shield Knight.

The Spear Shield Knight could only withstand it three times, then it seemed his shield-bearing arm was completely numbed by Lorenzo's greatsword.

He was uncontrollably knocked aside, unable to regain control for a while.

With the front unprotected by the tower shield, the greatsword came slashing down hard!

With a "pfft" sound, the wide steel with yellow arcs plunged directly into the opponent's chest from the shoulder.

Blood, accompanied by a subtle hissing sound, pooled like a stream and ran outward.

Soon, the armor on half of that Losric Spear Shield Knight's body was stained bright red.

His fiery red surcoat was soaked with blood, sticking messily to the armor.

Lann wasn't familiar with the Losric Knight Order; he didn't know which ideology these fighting knights adhered to.

Dividing by surcoat color was unreliable because both sides wore red and blue surcoats.

They upheld their loyalty and faith, believing they were doing the right thing. Therefore, there was no need to change the symbolic surcoat.

But they could recognize former comrades by face and build, and from there recall their leanings.

The ideological conflict between the two factions had surfaced years ago when the prince first delayed the fire.

Yet, Lann was unfamiliar with them; as this group fought, he couldn't tell who were the prince's followers and who were the fire faction.

Therefore, Lann could only assist those he could identify.

"Bang!"

A super-speed bullet propelled by Alder's Rune and Projector was shot towards Knight Captain Maruk, who was tangled with the Knight Captain!

As expected, warriors who control their soul power perform better against straightforward attacks than mages.

Dressed in a blue surcoat, Knight Captain Maruk was originally confronting his captain.

Both were armed with Losric Straight Swords and Knight's Shields in a sword-and-shield combination.

In their confrontation, their swords and shields even sparked fiercely due to their immense power.

Even amidst such intense combat, Knight Captain Maruk's senses remained sharp.

His shield was blocking his opponent's sword, while suddenly his own sword struck fiercely at the air beside him.

With a "clang," accompanied by sparks of metal collision, the sound of the projectile slicing through the air followed.

Although Knight Captain Maruk's sword hand was lifted due to the impact, undeniably, Lann's super-speed bullet didn't harm him!

Utilizing soul power makes warriors sharp and powerful.

Maruk's performance didn't surprise Lann, but the Losric Knight Captain...

Lann frowned, then unsheathed his blade to approach, deciding against using feeble ranged methods for combat.

Logically, the rune-propelled projectile had just temporarily knocked Maruk's hand aside.

The Knight Captain's combat abilities should be equivalent to elite knights like Maruk and Lorenzo.

Yet, he just let the enemy's error slip by without seizing the opportunity.

Considering his level, it was simply inexplicable.

Upon entering the two's battleground, it became clear to Lann that the Knight Captain hadn't wanted to let Maruk's mistake slip by; he genuinely couldn't seize the moment.

Merely standing beside the Knight Captain, Lann could hear the muffled and rapid panting beneath his helmet.

His movements were distorted, looking incredibly fatigued, occasionally accompanied by involuntary slight twitching.

This appearance was undoubtedly concerning.

Scanning downward, Lann quickly spotted the clue.

The Knight Captain had been injured during the battle with Maruk; the armor on his arm had been sliced open, and the distorted steel at the crack was lodged in the wound.

Above the crack was not only human blood... but also traces of black, viscous liquid.

The liquid was as black as petroleum, as thick as tar!

In a moment, bystanders drew a conclusion. The Demon Hunter's large hand grabbed the Knight Captain's cape, pulling him backward forcefully.

Followed by a different sound, a clashing of steel!

"Clang!!!"

Lann blocked Maruk's vertical slash.

The beautiful arching long blade and the straight Knight Sword created small shockwaves from their unique clash, which expanded into a circling explosion.

"Do knights use poison too?"

The silver hair on Lann's forehead fell to the corner of his mouth, where a mocking smile now hung.

"Quite eye-opening, the Losric Knights."

Originally, Maruk's stance was meticulous, but got disrupted by the [Iwami Style: Climbing Carp], leaving him slightly uneasy.

Yet his mouth remained calm.

"That's not poison, and... executing rebellion is justice!"

"Righteous words!"

Lann deflected Maruk's blade effortlessly, seamlessly transitioning to [Descending Carp] after [Climbing Carp].

The blade leapt like a carp flowing downstream from a waterfall, slashing toward Maruk.

Although the 'witness' before him didn't use Soul Power, Maruk wouldn't take it lightly.

He's seen knights hammered to death by enemies without Soul Power but possessing brute strength.

The Power of Soul brought keen perception.

Even clad in full plate armor, Maruk could still sense the enemy's movements, muscle force gathering...

His Losric Knight's Shield slightly raised to his side, meeting Lann's blade.

Then, in the astonished eyes of the Demon Hunter, the edge of the shield was controlled, lightly swiping toward the Demon Hunter's wrist.

"Bang~"

The shield's edge, in the perfect brief window, with perfect force and angle, struck Lann's wrist.

Finally, after a long time, Lann tasted the feeling he had while learning swordsmanship under Iwami Yixin—

His stance was broken!

The entire body's muscle movement process was briefly out of control due to external force.

The hands wielding weapons spread wide apart, exposing vulnerable areas unguarded before the enemy.

Even the leg muscles were too stiff to move, let alone making emergency movements.

[Block], a combat skill imprinted with Soul Power on the shield, has a name that's plain and simple.

But this skill's effect is quite fitting for an experienced warrior.

Unlike the [Iwami Style] technique, which focuses on tight, fast-paced offensives to accumulate advantages, weaken the enemy, and finally create an opportunity for a fatal blow.

[Block]'s technical concept isn't flashy; it merely disrupts the enemy's muscle coordination in their attack using experience and eyesight.

More immediate than the [Iwami Style], but simultaneously stricter in timing and harder to execute. It lacks system, just a single move.

But a single move is enough.

Facing the stanceless Demon Hunter, Maruk took a step forward, ready to thrust the Losric Straight Sword into the enemy's chest.

In the confrontation with the Knight Captain earlier, even though he had used poison, he still wasn't ready to use [Block].

Because everyone was part of the same Knight Order, familiar with each other's moves.

Using combat skills rashly is nothing but foolishness.

Yet facing an outsider... the tactic hit easily.

Maruk thought calmly.

But, as he gripped the sword hilt, thumb atop the sword guard, preparing to pierce the enemy's armor, he suddenly noticed something off in the enemy's expression.

It wasn't a typical look of panic and helplessness after being broken, unable to move while the blade thrusts toward them.

He was merely astonished, similar to seeing something new!

"Hiss~"

With keen perception brought by Soul Power, Maruk noticed the enemy suddenly changed breathing frequency.

Soon afterward, what's supposed to cause muscle loss for over a second through [Block], in Lann's case... Maruk took this single step forward, and he already reorganized his muscle movement mode.

[Torso Breathing]!

This is the advantage of systematic techniques; a system should not only have features, but also measures to counter those features.

And evidently, despite the long history of the Losric Knights, they lack such perspective.

Maruk watched as Lann restored movement ability at a speed beyond his usual experience.

Though shocked, he still aimed to seize the chance and simply stab the enemy.

Though Lann had just emerged from full muscle loss, without organizing his stance.

But his fingers were already nimble.

Chaos Magic Power within was mobilized, Magic Seal forming!

[Yakxi Rune]!

The cool white glow of magic power appeared before him from his fingertips.

Under the Power of Soul, this simple magic method should have little effect.

But Lann didn't intend to simply change the enemy's mind.

As before, he and Mentos chose the more effortless method.