Chapter 69

In the midst of this, some of the injured who had been moved to the rear of the reserve forces were healed by divine magic and returned to the front lines. However, those with severe injuries were treated with medicine and bandages and then evacuated to the temporary facilities set up by the药师 Guild in the village. There were not enough people who could use divine magic, both in number and in ability.

The reserve forces were also moved to the front. The vanguard acted as a shield to stop the charge. The center guard dealt with the enemies who broke through the gaps, while the rear guard reduced their numbers from a distance and supported the center guard. At this point, it was impossible to stop the charge; they could only try to withstand the pressure.

"From here on, it will get much tougher. Focus on defense. Think only about surviving."

The two of them gradually steadied their rough breaths and nodded silently.

There was no more room for hesitation. In the front, the main force in the center was gradually increasing its momentum by absorbing other groups.

"Please focus on defense. The main force of the knights has arrived. Once the formation is in place, we will charge. Until then, focus on holding the line with your shields."

The guild messenger was shouting from the rear. Well, it was good news. They just needed to hold on a little longer.

Finally, a group including part of the main force made contact. Unlike the previous sporadic charges, this one was like a tidal wave, a concentrated charge. The pressure was incomparable. It felt as if a wall was pushing against them.

"Uuuuuu!!"

Even Fia was struggling to hold her shield. Riz had a very serious expression as she braced herself, pushing back with all her might.

In the midst of this, some of the 9th and 8th rank formations had collapsed. This was unusual even under such pressure. Suddenly, I used the 'Recognition' skill to check the opponent who had caused the collapse of a nearby party.

Among the usual list of abilities, there was 'Follower Enhancement (Passive)'. So, this is where they come from. This skill must only apply to the goblins in the main force. The group from yesterday must have been absorbed by other groups that were attacking. Damn, I underestimated them. The abilities weren't drastically different, but being enhanced in this situation was tough. The collapsed areas were being desperately filled and pushed back by the reserve forces, but it couldn't last forever.

As wooden spears were thrust out recklessly and rusty swords were swung around, the two of them gradually accumulated minor injuries. They used divine magic as they observed the situation, but it was like pouring water on a burnt stone. The chain of collapses was accelerating. If this continued, the entire front line would collapse in the near future.

At the peak of danger, just as the collapse was about to be visible, a loud trumpet signal was heard.

While desperately holding back, they turned to see the knights' formation, a beautiful thick rectangle, charging in from the side. From a bird's-eye view, it would look like a rectangle cutting into the middle of a half-circle. Once it cut through, it would spread out and annihilate the enemy.

The surrounding forces must have realized this and were desperately pushing back the pressure, ignoring minor injuries and pushing forward. The goblins showed signs of confusion. At the same time, the guild messengers were running around.

"Please keep pushing back. The knights' sweep will begin. Once the signal is given, quickly retreat four units."

While pushing forward, they started to feel a sense of victory. If they kept this up, they would win. The reserve forces were irrelevant; they just needed to push back. After pushing back about 10 meters, the signal came, and they retreated quickly, leaving no one behind.

The goblins, seemingly confused, did not pursue. The knights quickly pierced through the side and began to spread out and annihilate the enemy.

"Did we win?"

Fia called out. But just as they were about to confirm the victory, something felt off. Life is like that.

"Don't let your guard down. I have a feeling something is going to happen..."

They called out to the two. The surrounding adventurers were sitting down, catching their breath. The injured were being evacuated.

This wouldn't do. If something happened, they wouldn't be able to respond. Just as they were about to call out to the surroundings, something flew out from the front group.

It was taller than the surrounding goblins, standing over 150 cm. It must be a command unit, pushed out by the knights' pressure from the center.

It was muscular, holding a long, broad, and thick sword, which it had probably picked up somewhere, and swinging it around. That sword, no human could wield it; it must be a horse sword, long enough to replace a lance. Had it been recovered from the forest during the knights' expedition?

It was also wrapped in a thin, red light, pulsating like a heartbeat. What was that phenomenon? I had never seen it before.

"Stay in a defensive stance. Do not let your guard down. I'll go check the situation."

Given the current state of the adventurers, they couldn't resist. The relaxed atmosphere couldn't be returned to the brink of death. If the knights could handle it, I wanted to leave it to them. I could buy time by pulling it away.

I accelerated with magic and continued to fly towards the approaching command unit. As soon as I got close, it started swinging its sword wildly. If I got hit by that heavy, broad iron bar, it would be more than just a broken bone.

I stayed out of the range of the sword's wind and used the 'Recognition' skill. It had 'Brute Strength', 'Follower Enhancement (Active)', 'Ritual Resistance', and a '------' ability that sounded like a beeping noise or a broken audio file. Was it a broken property unit? Just as I wondered, it attacked me at an incredible speed, far beyond that of a goblin.

I barely managed to block it with a spear and quickly retreated. However, it reaccelerated and pursued me. I cast a restraining spell, but it disappeared just before it touched. 'Ritual Resistance'...

I tried to buy time by hovering around, but it attacked with a burst of speed that was unbelievable for a goblin. Honestly, with my level of judgment, buying time was difficult. Whether to pull it away or stop it...

If I pulled it away, the surrounding goblins would recover from their confusion and gradually move forward. They would find it easier to break through the adventurers than the knights. Therefore, pulling it away would be difficult. In fact, I would eventually be killed. The vanguard wasn't trained to that extent.

If so, it would be better to have the two of them block it with their shields and use the new weapon to take it down. However, with that strength, could they hold it off with shields? I couldn't judge. I had to trust the two of them.

I activated a spell and quickly passed between the two, sliding a few meters and barely maintaining my balance.

"The spell doesn't work. Hold it off with your shields for a moment. In the meantime..."

As I shouted and turned around, it was already within ten meters. Moreover, it was charging with the sword at its waist, using the distance as a run-up.

This was bad, faster than I thought. Just as I was about to call out to the two, Riz stepped forward and braced her shield.

It was dangerous for one person to face that strength. They needed to work together to hold it off. Just as I was about to shout that, the distance between Fia and Riz and the speed of the command unit led to the worst-case scenario.

In that instant, Riz was blown away like a car hitting a person. Due to the adrenaline, it seemed to happen in slow motion. The tip of the command unit's sword pierced the shield, penetrating the iron and scattering wood. It was bad; it had penetrated more than two layers. Riz was blown away and slammed into the ground.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii