The two riders charged toward me from my left.
I didn't even have time to turn Rusty to face them properly.
The spearman attacked first.
Using the advantage of his longer reach, he thrust his spear straight toward my side.
I leaned backward just enough for the spear tip to miss.
Before I could recover—
The swordsman was already upon me.
His blade swept toward my head in a wide horizontal slash.
I raised my spear and caught the attack with its shaft.
A loud clang echoed across the battlefield.
Keeping both hands firmly on my spear, I shifted my grip—one hand near the end of the shaft and the other closer to the axe blade attached beneath it.
I intended to use it like a staff to control his sword.
But before I could counter...
He had already pulled back.
His control over his mount was incredible.
The spearman attacked again.
This time, his spear aimed directly at my face.
I turned the axe blade on my spear and deflected the thrust downward.
The opening lasted only an instant.
The swordsman lunged again.
I tried to lean away—
Too late.
His sword slammed into my side.
Thankfully, my armor absorbed the blow.
The blade failed to pierce through.
Even so...
The impact sent a sharp pain through my ribs.
The force nearly threw me off Rusty's back.
I barely managed to keep my balance.
I yanked the reins.
Rusty burst forward, widening the distance between us.
I could have kept running.
That would've been the safest choice.
But something inside me refused.
Maybe it was the heat of battle.
Maybe it was pride.
Or maybe...
I simply wanted to prove I could defeat them.
I pulled Rusty around.
The two riders were already turning to face me.
I locked eyes with them.
Today...
Either they die...
Or I do.
Rusty charged.
I lowered my spear.
The swordsman rode slightly ahead while the spearman stayed behind, preparing another thrust.
Then...
I did something I had never planned to do.
I threw my spear.
A spear was never meant to be thrown carelessly.
Mine was even heavier because of the axe blade attached beneath it.
If I lost it...
Recovering it during battle wouldn't be easy.
But there wasn't time to hesitate.
I shifted my grip.
As Rusty closed the distance, I twisted my body and hurled the spear with every ounce of strength I had.
Dark Aura wrapped around the weapon.
The spear screamed through the air.
By the time the swordsman realized my target...
It was already too late.
He tried to move aside.
The spear struck him squarely in the chest.
The axe blade buried itself deep inside him.
The impact threw him completely off his mount.
His body crashed into the muddy swamp.
The spearman's eyes widened.
But instead of panicking...
He attacked.
He abandoned his spear.
Drawing the short sword at his waist, he charged straight toward me.
I drew my own sword.
Steel clashed.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each strike forced my arm backward.
Even after losing his partner...
He didn't hesitate.
He was stronger than I expected.
His water lizard suddenly lunged forward.
The sudden burst of speed nearly threw off my timing.
His blade came straight for my neck.
I ducked beneath it.
The sword cut through a few strands of my hair.
Before he could recover...
I slammed my shoulder into him.
His balance shifted for just a heartbeat.
That was all I needed.
One clean swing.
My blade crossed his neck.
His head separated from his body.
The corpse slid from the water lizard and disappeared into the muddy water.
I didn't stop.
I rode directly to the fallen swordsman.
Leaning down from Rusty's back, I gripped my spear and ripped it free from the dead lizardman's chest.
Black blood dripped from the blade.
Only then...
The retreat horn echoed across the swamp.
I looked toward the battlefield.
Barely twenty minutes had passed.
This time...
I wasn't relieved.
Something inside me snapped.