Chapter 131, The Newly Arrived Baron
The Wandering Knight Lops and Lady Knight Surya immediately raised their long halberd and cavalry lance, charging at the Cyclops. Alfred was close behind, while Laine was also planning to rush in, but he was stopped by Julius.
"Not everything requires the action of a Holy Grail Knight, Laine." Julius shook his head calmly, then commanded his warhorse with an angry shout, "For the Lady!"
Laine felt awkward, as raising his warhammer or putting it down didn't seem right.
"Roar!" The Cyclops lifted a large broken stone and hurled it at the group, prompting Lops and Alfred to quickly steer their horses aside.
The boulder crashed to the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
The Ranger Knight shouted the name of the Lake Fairy, but his horse was startled and leaped up high to avoid the incoming rubble.
The young Ranger Knight's riding skills were indeed less than stellar. As he commanded his steed to advance, the horse hesitated and tried to retreat. In the ensuing conflict, the knight was struck by the debris, causing both him and his horse to crash to the ground, howling in pain.
Fortunately, his full plate armor was sturdy enough, likely only leaving him with contusions, not fatal injuries.
"For the Lady!" Lady Knight Surya's bright golden hair streamed behind her helmet as she charged on her Pegasus, driving her cavalry lance straight into the Cyclops's right leg. The Cyclops immediately launched a counterattack, causing Surya to pull at the reins, her Pegasus spreading its wings and swiftly soaring upward, gliding elegantly to evade the attack.
"Watch me!" Lops brandished his long halberd, slicing a cut on the Cyclops's left leg before quickly backing away. Alfred, hoping to deliver another strike, saw the Cyclops's palm descending and had no choice but to abandon his attack and dodge.
It might take many hits to bring down this Cyclops, yet the Cyclops only needed one blow to smash them into a pulp.
"Ooh!" With injuries to both of its legs, the Cyclops staggered and nearly fell, reaching out to support itself.
Julius charged onto the battlefield, this formidable Kingdom Knight aiming his lance at the Cyclops's heart, and his Pegasus sensed his intention, advancing with full speed.
As the Pegasus and its rider brushed past the Cyclops, the sharp lance pierced into its chest and broke off, leaving the Cyclops clutching its chest as it fell heavily to the ground.
Executing a mid-air turn, the Antre Brothers and Sisters jointly drew their swords, delivering the Cyclops a fatal blow.
The battle swiftly concluded, leaving only a destroyed windmill and barn in its wake.
Putting away their swords, Laine noticed that the Antre Brothers and Sisters seemed to recognize the young man. Julius gestured for him to stand, speaking coldly, "Thierry?"
"Instructor Julius!" The young man scrambled to his feet, speaking somewhat sheepishly.
"What made you decide to come and challenge a Cyclops alone?" Julius's tone was harsh, considering that the Cyclops's challenge rating was at least that of an Elite High-Tier monster, making solo combat ill-advised.
"Well... I'm quite ashamed. I encountered a plea for help from a peasant, claiming a Cyclops had come to this area," the Ranger Knight named Thierry admitted with some embarrassment, recounting the events.
As it turned out, the young Ranger Knight named Thierry was only eighteen and still studying at Winford College. His heart was full of youthful fervor and ambition. While out for a spring outing, he happened upon the peasant's plea for help and, without hesitation, lifted his cavalry lance and charged at the Cyclops, completely disregarding the disparity in strength and the Cyclops's fearsome nature.
You can't blame the youth for being hot-headed, Laine mused, feeling exasperated.
Most of Brittania's young Ranger Knights were like this, recklessly charging forward with passion against any enemy, without considering the consequences. As a result, Ranger Knights often suffered heavy casualties in war.
From another perspective, however, it was an effective means of controlling the overpopulation of nobility and natural selection.
Moreover, this was precisely the kind of education touted by the Knight Kingdom's aristocracy.
"What is a knight without a horse? What is a horse without a knight? This is Brittania: the horse and the knight, the peasant and the noble."
——First Knight King Arthur
Nothing brings more pride to knights than defending their homeland. When evil and darkness approach this land, Brittania's knights will never sit and wait within castles or behind high walls. They will mount their steeds, raise their lances, and bravely face any invading enemy. The chivalric spirit and faith in the Lake Fairy ensure no cowards emerge.
In this regard, Brittania's nobility is superior to the Empire's, where many nobles prefer to appoint generals rather than fight themselves.
"Ah! You must be Lord Holy Grail Knight Laine Macado! It's an honor to meet you!" Thierry suddenly recognized Laine, rushing excitedly forward to shake his hand. Laine, unable to refuse, shook hands with him, taking the opportunity to ask the question on his mind, "Why is there a Cyclops here?"
"I'm not sure either. Rumor has it that recently, several gold-armored giants have frequently appeared at night in Baron Gene's Domain, cutting down Beastman on sight. Since the slashing and burning in Charon Forest left many Beastman Tribe casualties, they avoid the Gene Territory and have roamed over here," Thierry admitted, scratching his head in resignation.
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