The mounted riders had begun to turn the battle.
The water lizard riders were not easy opponents. Each mount carried two lizardmen—one focused on close combat while the other provided ranged support. Fighting one meant exposing yourself to the other.
At the same time, the fifth cavalry wave had entered the battlefield.
The battle plan slowly became clear to me.
The first cavalry waves would charge into the nest, creating confusion and breaking the enemy's formation. After the cavalry opened the way, the infantry would advance through the gaps.
Three-fourths of the infantry would enter the nest and continue the assault, while the remaining soldiers would surround the settlement from every side, preventing any escape or reinforcements.
After fighting for some time, the cavalry units could withdraw, reorganize, and rejoin the battle again if necessary.
As I continued fighting the lizardmen, both my sensory field and instincts screamed.
Danger.
From behind.
At the last moment, I turned my head.
An arrow passed by my face.
Instead of hitting me, it struck one of the cavalry horses nearby.
The horse collapsed instantly.
Its rider was thrown to the ground.
For a brief moment, my mind went blank.
Because of me.
If I had noticed earlier, that arrow would have been mine.
Now another man might die in my place.
I saw another mercenary rush toward the fallen rider, but the guilt didn't disappear.
I raised my head.
The one responsible stood in the distance.
A lizardman sat atop a water lizard.
In one hand, he held a halberd.
The other controlled the reins.
Behind him sat an archer.
Their eyes met mine.
At that moment, I knew.
I had to kill them.
"Rusty!"
Rusty immediately sprinted forward.
The archer moved his bow, trying to track my movements.
I changed directions repeatedly to make his aim difficult.
The halberd wielder lowered his weapon.
The distance between us vanished.
I swung my spear with full force.
The axe blade attached to it aimed directly for his neck.
The halberd blocked the strike.
The clash shook my entire body.
For the first time since learning Beast Breathing, my hands became numb.
The impact traveled through my arms.
For a moment, I wanted to release my spear.
But I tightened my grip.
The enemy was only a spear's length away.
The archer behind him had already drawn another arrow.
I tilted my head.
The arrow missed my face by barely an inch.
The archer was already preparing another shot.
At the same time, the halberd came down from above.
If I blocked it, the archer would shoot me.
Rolling away wasn't possible.
Sidestepping would expose Rusty.
There was only one option.
Take the hit.
Perhaps sensing my intention, Rusty suddenly surged forward.
The distance between us disappeared.
The halberd lost most of its momentum.
I raised my spear shaft and blocked it.
The weapons locked.
The archer had already aimed at my head.
Then—
Rusty drove his horns into the water lizard's head.
Blood flowed from its nose as the beast staggered backward, shaking its head in confusion.
It wasn't defeated, only stunned for a few precious moments.
The arrow flew.
It struck my abdomen.
But the armor held.
The troll leather and steel absorbed most of the impact.
The water lizard was stunned.
Rusty didn't hesitate.
He tore into it with his front claws.
Black blood spilled as the beast screamed.
The halberd lizardman tried to stab Rusty.
I trapped his weapon between my spear and the axe blade attached to it.
Behind him, the archer prepared another shot.
This time, he wasn't aiming at me.
He aimed at Rusty.
My left hand reached toward my chest.
The butterfly knife.
I threw it.
Not with precision.
Not with skill.
Simply to disrupt him.
The blade spun through the air.
The archer instinctively moved his head.
His shot was delayed.
That single moment was enough.
Rusty drove his claws into the water lizard's throat.
The beast collapsed.
As its body fell, the halberd began to lose support.
His weapon slipped downward.
I pushed forward with both hands.
The spear moved horizontally.
The axe blade cut through armor.
Through flesh.
Through bone.
The lizardman split from shoulder to head.
Blood sprayed across the swamp.
For the first time during the battle, I realized something.
Against monsters.
Against men.
Against death itself.
Sometimes, a single second was all that stood between life and death.