Chapter 50

Talmiya readied her double-edged knife to attack Crown again, but when Robin Hood, standing behind her, drew his bow, she quickly backed away.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been an impossible decision.

Talmiya was the fastest among the "Dancing Swords," and she was confident she could dodge any arrow fired at her from the front.

Still, her instinct told her that this distance was dangerous.

Robin Hood's mere act of drawing his bow made the surrounding area feel like a death zone.

With his bow still drawn, Robin Hood turned his eyes from Talmiya and rode his horse next to the stunned Crown, raising his voice.

"You, circle around from the outside! You two, pin down the leader! The rest, split into two groups and target the non-combatants in the back while breaking their formation, starting with the isolated grunts! I'll provide cover with my bow and scatter them! Got it? Don't slack off now! Attack with all your might!"

Robin Hood's words revived the spirits of the masked men of the "Slaughter Circus," who had been reduced from forty to just eight. They now charged at the "Dancing Swords" with a completely different momentum.

It was a precise command.

To break the "Dancing Swords," it was necessary to stop Fand, who was covering the entire group.

Once Fand was pinned down, the next target would be Leg, the non-combatant perception mage, to induce a collapse in their formation.

If the "Dancing Swords" abandoned Leg, it would also be acceptable, as it would cause confusion, lower morale, and breed distrust.

It was not impossible to defeat the remaining members one by one.

Their previously uncoordinated movements had changed.

Even if the situation was clear, it was useless for individuals to act on their own.

It was necessary to communicate accurately to the entire group, and everyone had to follow the orders.

The most important role, which the newcomer had effortlessly and easily taken on, was crucial.

One of the masked men threw an axe at the back of a swordsman who was trying to protect the perception mage Leg. The axe buried deep into the swordsman's back, shattering his spine. Another, shaken by this, was caught in a pincer attack by the masked men, receiving a slash to the abdomen and falling to his knees. His head was mercilessly knocked off.

"Excellent! Well done! Only six left! Five if we take out the non-combatants! Victory is within reach! Don't lose morale! But don't get too hasty! You there, take a bit more distance! If you're under my command, even temporarily, I won't allow you to die like a dog!"

Robin Hood shouted. The masked men, praised for their efforts, raised their spirits even higher and attacked the "Dancing Swords." The "Dancing Swords," who had been putting up a good fight against forty to ten, found the battle suddenly turning against them as the enemy's numbers were reduced to almost the same.

Robin Hood, who had not fired a single arrow since taking down Bottom, continued to draw his bow and raise his voice.

"Y-You... What are you...?"

Crown called out to Robin Hood. When he was in charge, they had been struggling against forty to ten, but now, with eight against ten, they were making a comeback. And it was all thanks to a passing stranger who had no trust or loyalty.

Robin Hood smiled, a dazzling smile that even the male Crown felt momentarily captivated by. Crown shook his head to regain his composure.

"Your subordinates are working so hard. Why don't you join them? They won't be able to take down that leader on their own."

Crown, who had once tried to flee, was reluctant to follow the young man who had suddenly appeared, but he also couldn't bring himself to leave. He stood there, listening to Robin Hood's words, and after a moment of hesitation, swallowed hard.

If things continued this way, he could achieve his goal. Although he didn't want to be ordered around, the benefits were clear. He readied his knife and charged straight ahead.

At that moment, a heavily armored giant appeared on the opposite side of the battlefield from Robin Hood.

"What's all this commotion? From their appearance, they look like bandits or something similar."

Robin Hood narrowed his eyes and glared at the armored man. He could tell from the man's tone that he was no ordinary person. Strong individuals always carried a certain presence.

"A third party, huh... You! Focus on taking down that man first! Clown, use your agility to get behind him!"

Following Robin Hood's orders, four of the masked men, half of their number, spread out to surround the armored man. Crown leaped onto a tree branch, attempting to circle around to the armored man's back.

The four masked men stood outside the armored man's reach, trying to find an opening while keeping him at bay with their weapons. The next moment, two blood fountains erupted.

They had been standing outside his reach, but the armored man took a large step forward and decapitated the two men in front of him. The movement was so fast that it seemed as if his greatsword had extended.

The two masked men standing on either side of the armored man, not understanding what had happened, trembled with their weapons and retreated.

"You seem different from the others. Are you the boss?"

The armored man—Lambert—glared at Robin Hood, who was far away, as if it didn't matter that he was surrounded on both sides and behind.