🍖🍖🍖
COUNT Wolf, on the other hand, was leading a force on a sortie from the west gate, and he was closing in on Farune’s camp. The warriors of the Hundred were there waiting for him, standing in a disorganized mass in front of the count’s goal. Then, they began to walk toward him at a leisurely pace, like they were entirely confident in their complete mastery. They had an eerily forceful aura that made the advancing Eylish army falter.
“Shoot spells! Fire your bows! Make them flinch, even a little!” Count Wolf called out. He commanded a standard response to the Farunians, though he knew it wouldn’t have much of an effect. If he didn’t reduce the enemy’s momentum, even if only slightly, they would swallow him up and he’d be defeated.
The Hundred blocked the Eylish spells with their hands as if they were warding off a light rain. This didn’t mean the spells weren’t working; they were just blocking them because taking direct hits was irritating. As for the arrows, the Hundred nimbly twisted their bodies to avoid them, or otherwise swatted them out of the air like so many insects.
Watching their opponents, the Eylish were reminded not of humans, but of demons that only existed in nightmares. Filled with dread, the Eylish army finally stopped in its tracks.
“You monstrosities!” Count Wolf said, standing at the head of his army to embolden his troops. He held his greatsword up high, then poured mana into it. This was Giant Edge, the Wolf family’s ancestral sword technique. It involved enclosing one’s sword in a blade of mana more than twice as large as the original weapon.
With an earsplitting shout, the brave, white-haired general brought down his massive blade.
The Hundred met him with glee—now this one was entertaining. However, Count Wolf was an orthodox expert swordsman, and he wielded a nonstandard weapon, so although they were in the Hundred, those outside the rankings stood absolutely no chance against him. They had high vitality, so they didn’t quite die, but Giant Edge felled the powerful warriors one after another.
This emboldened the entire Eylish army, and they surged forward, no longer regarding their foes as anything less than monsters without a shred of humanity. They steadily pushed back Farune’s warriors in groups of five. It was short-lived, but the Eylish army managed to pressure the Farunian army.
The Eylish troops were taking advantage of their momentum when they were caught up in a sudden gust of wind and sent flying. This was from Ogma’s sword technique, Storm Burst.
“You’ve got moves, gramps,” Ogma said. The Hundred’s first bared his canines with a wicked grin.
“That’s an amusing trick, boy!” Count Wolf replied with an intimidating warrior’s glare. With a single swipe of his Giant Edge, he chopped Ogma’s gales apart.
“This is fun!” Ogma slashed at Count Wolf, fast as a whirlwind, as if to say he was only just warming up.
“Hmph!” Count Wolf tried to use his massive sword to overpower his opponent, but Ogma blocked him straight-on with his sword. The blow was just as heavy as it looked, and his feet sank into the ground.
“You’re strong, gramps,” Ogma said. “Guess you aren’t one of the famous Three Counts for nothing. I didn’t think I’d see anyone this strong outside of Farune!”
He flexed his arms and, in a display of strength unbelievable for someone with his build, turned the count’s Giant Edge to the side.
“Silence, boy!” Count Wolf momentarily stepped back and tried to ready another attack, but during that slight interlude Ogma closed the gap between them.
“Hey, gramps, did you know?! Huge swords are weak when you get right up close to someone!”
“Wha—?!”
The sight that greeted Count Wolf was the base of his Giant Edge just barely reaching Ogma. Then—he felt something hot welling up from his chest.
Is this…blood? He lowered his gaze and saw Ogma’s sword buried in his chest. But still, he didn’t fall. Though his Giant Edge had already disappeared, returning to an ordinary greatsword, he thrust that sword into the ground and stood motionless, showing his determination to remain where he was, no matter what.
“Geez,” Ogma said after a short silence, “you sure were strong, old man.”
Feeling a deep respect for Count Wolf, Ogma skirted around the white-haired general’s body and headed off in the direction of the other Eylish troops.