Chapter 87

"It was a mistake to keep choosing the same technique..."

Lambert held his sword low and leaped vertically.

He had planned to bring it down and cut down Robin Hood, who was riding Seraph. However, there was no sign of Robin Hood on the horse.

Robin Hood was even higher up.

He had kicked off Seraph's back as he leaped, heading for the upper sky.

In Robin Hood's hand was a massive bow adorned with gold.

The string, made from the dragon's whisker, which had an incredibly strong elasticity, connected the two ends of the bow.

His two fingers, which were warping the string, were bleeding.

It was the Dragon King Bow he had shown during their first meeting.

"Using it bare-handed... is bad for the hands, you know."

The tip of the specially made magic silver arrow, capable of withstanding the Dragon King Bow, was aimed at Lambert's chest.

In mid-air, even the agile Lambert couldn't dodge it.

Having misread the situation, he was left defenseless against Robin Hood, who was aiming the arrow at him.

"From the first time I saw it, I knew a normal shot wouldn't work... Now, I can hit you!"

The magic silver arrow was released.

The Dragon King Bow's shot aimed at Lambert from close range, a strike that seemed to be drawn into his chest.

Lambert, with his superhuman reflexes, managed to strike the arrow with the side of his greatsword.

The magic silver arrow was broken. A shot that could pierce a castle gate was brought down to the ground with a single swing.

However, Robin Hood, who had not let his guard down even after releasing the Dragon King Bow, quickly discarded the national treasure-level bow and repositioned another bow in mid-air.

He judged that the time it took to draw and release the Dragon King Bow was too long to be effective.

Two arrows were almost simultaneously released, attacking Lambert in succession.

The first arrow was deflected by the hilt of the greatsword, but the second arrow hit Lambert's shoulder.

"Ugh..."

Lambert, who had no support to brace himself, lost his balance and fell.

Lambert's body hit the ground in an unstable position, causing a cloud of dust to rise.

Robin Hood landed on his knees, panting and glaring through the dust, a wry smile on his face as he saw the giant figure floating in the dust.

"Normally... even through armor, the impact would have shattered your bones."

Lambert, gripping his greatsword in the arm that had been hit, stood up calmly.

"...This is the first time in this era that I've taken a hit from a human, even through armor."

"...I don't feel flattered. How much of a monster are you?"

Lambert's sincere praise was, for Robin Hood, only a measure of how monstrous his opponent was.

Using his life-honed skills and a desperate strategy, the blow he had landed was far from fatal.

For a second, neither moved.

Lambert spoke.

"Is it over?"

He had already dismounted from Seraph.

He had also discarded his trump card, the Dragon King Bow. There was no more way for Robin Hood to press his attack on Lambert.

After a moment of silence, Robin Hood's face broke into an innocent smile.

"No way. There's no other time as fun as this. I'm still enjoying it!"

Robin Hood discarded the bow he usually used, pulled out a long-bladed knife from his belt, and without even taking a stance, charged forward.

It was a knife called the "Blade Maiden Bow," which could be used as a bow by stringing a thread across the blade.

As Lambert swung his greatsword, Robin Hood leaped.

He kicked off the blade to jump, aiming at Lambert from mid-air. As he swung the blade horizontally, an arrow was released.

The arrow and the knife's blade approached Lambert simultaneously.

A single swing, as if scooping up the arrow, shattered it and simultaneously cut a vertical slash into Robin Hood's body.

The severed Blade Maiden Bow flew through the air.

Robin Hood, spewing fresh blood, jumped and fell headfirst to the ground.

His left arm lay limp. His right arm had been severed at the wrist.

"At this range... there's nothing I can do."

He lifted his head slightly, saw the diagonal wound from his lower abdomen to his opposite shoulder, and laughed, then let his head fall back to the ground.

"Hin... Hin..."

Seraph, whinnying sadly, approached Robin Hood's face.

Robin Hood tried to raise his left arm to touch Seraph's face, but his shoulder only trembled, and he couldn't move.

"Thanks for everything, Seraph... Go wherever you want, be free."

Robin Hood's eyes turned to Lambert.

"It was good to have a match with a swordsman like you. Maybe I can brag to them... I might get scolded by Charna again. I was in a hurry from the start, going alone first or being the last to arrive..."

He whispered, and Robin Hood's eyes closed.

The war god of the city of Baraila, Robin Hood, remained motionless.

Seraph approached Robin Hood and whinnied sadly.

(...He was looking for a place to die, it seems.)

Lambert lifted his greatsword, preparing to sheathe it.

Suddenly, his eyes met those of Robin Hood's horse, Seraph.

The blue horse seemed to be pleading with Lambert.

"Your master said to let you be free from now on?"

Seraph continued to stare at Lambert without moving his gaze.

Lambert sighed, took the sword he had been about to sheathe, and approached Seraph.

A swift strike cut into Seraph's chest.

Seraph's body swayed, bleeding, and collapsed, leaning against Robin Hood.

Lambert confirmed the faces of the man and the horse, then sheathed his greatsword.

He turned his back on their remains and walked away.

Beside him, the headless warhorse Nightmare followed.

Lambert left the scene without looking back.