Chapter 87 - Counter

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Zelos pushed through and then used his charge technique. He couldn’t afford to let the injury slow him down, not when he still had foes to defeat. Still, it seemed that had been a bad move since he felt a jolt of pain in his right leg.

“Fuck,”

Zelos couldn’t even use his iron balls anymore, at least not if he wanted to keep his sword in hand. Still, thanks to that, he was able to focus more on the battlefield and focus more on the enemies that looked less focused and he surprised them.

Keeping his eyes open and then looking at the enemies around, Zelos saw them looking to the sides or looking for the next targets. Thanks to that, he was able to find some paths where he was able to avoid any form of confrontation…

‘This is a skill that I need to learn in the future and apply it all the time.’

In the end, Zelos eventually found the fourth captain, but he was forced to stop when he saw him armed with a spear and with his bow on his back… he had been waiting for Zelos.

It was obvious that thanks to his actions that Zelos would have gotten the attention of one of the enemy's captains. Still, to think that they had other weapons to use in case of emergency… they sure were a cautious bunch.

As Zelos found himself alone in the midst of the enemy’s lines, facing their ready formations, a moment of panic seized him. The urge to turn and flee surged within him. After all, staying in such a vulnerable position would practically be an invitation for a surprise attack from behind.

Yet, much to his surprise, the enemies around him began to part, creating a clear path for one figure to approach. Zelos’s brow furrowed in confusion as he watched the enemy draw closer. There was a sense of determination in their stride, and Zelos couldn’t help but feel a bit of uncertainty.

It soon became clear that the enemy wanted a duel, their eyes fixed firmly on Zelos. Despite the chaos of the battlefield around them, there was an air of solemnity in the way they carried himself. It was a challenge, a test of strength and skill between two warriors.

Zelos hesitated, weighing his options. He knew the risks of engaging in a one-on-one battle amidst the enemy’s ranks, yet something within him stirred at the prospect. It was a chance to prove himself, to show his mettle against a formidable opponent.

“As expected, only someone with a fresh face would have this kind of idea. Crossing our lines to target me and my companions. You even managed to kill three of them… you have my admiration. I had heard that this land lacked brave warriors, but it seems that I was wrong.”

Zelos didn’t say anything. In his current situation, unable to use his left hand, he had to use the first chance that he got to attack the enemy with all his might and finish things in one attack. It would be risky, but it was his only chance… as long as he wounded the enemy enough, it would change the flow of the entire battlefield since four of those five guys would be out of commission.

“What is wrong? You won’t catch me off guard. Is receiving you like this proof enough? Still, we don’t have to fight. This wouldn’t be much of a fight anyway, considering the situation of your left arm. Surrender and become my vassal. I will train you to become a proper warrior, and in due time, you will even own your land.”

Zelos was stunned. Of all the things he expected to hear, a recruitment offer wasn’t one of them. Perhaps that was something common in other areas but not in that part of the continent. Unfortunately, he didn’t even feel the need to entertain the idea.

The notion of joining the enemy’s ranks was absurd to him. Despite the chaos of battle and the fierce clashes between their forces, Zelos couldn’t fathom the idea of switching sides. Loyalty ran deep in him, and his allegiance was firmly rooted in the cause of his own people. Even though he hated most of the country…

Though the offer may have been unexpected, Zelos dismissed it without a second thought. He remained steadfast in his commitment to his own cause, unwilling to even entertain the notion of betrayal.

“No thanks.”

The enemy charged at Zelos immediately and then tried to stab his head. He blocked the attack with his sword, but the impact pushed him backward several meters… his guard was solid, but he couldn’t absorb all the impact of that kind of attack…

Before Zelos could stop, he saw the enemy charging with a vicious look on his face and then swinging his spear horizontally. Zelos jumped and avoided the attack since he couldn’t reach the limits of that circle without risking being attacked by the other guys.

While his leg was hurting, Zelos still used his charging technique when he landed, but the enemy reacted on time and blocked his sword with his spear. As if that wasn’t enough, he kicked Zelos’s stomach and then swung his spear once again.

Zelos’s right forearm was scratched by the attack since she didn’t have time to avoid the attack completely, but soon the enemy smiled and then Zelos heard the sound of something snapping… in the next moment, the pain in his forearm increased and the wound began to bleed a lot more than before.

“What the…”

Zelos was certain that he had avoided most of the damage, so he couldn’t help but frown at the wound in his arm. It was deeper and more severe than he expected, considering his efforts to evade the enemy’s attacks. In the end, it didn’t take long for him to realize that it was the enemy’s trait at work.

It seemed that the enemy had a knack for inflicting wounds that bled more profusely than they should. The injury in Zelos’s arm oozed blood, staining his sleeve crimson and causing a dull ache to throb through his body. It was a disconcerting realization, one that made him wary of underestimating his foes.

As he examined the wound more closely, Zelos couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach. It was a reminder of the dangers that lurked on the battlefield and the need to remain vigilant at all times and in the whole world.

The enemy soon charged again and then swung his spear from one side to the other, trying to make Zelos mess his guard thanks to the curved blade of the spear… his attacks weren’t that heavy since he was focusing on not being countered, but they were fast and sharp.

It didn’t take long for Zelos to get some extra scratches, and when he tried to escape from them, the enemy made the wounds open.

“Shit, this is no good…”

Zelos had already lost a considerable amount of blood earlier and the wounds increasing in size didn’t help. He had to finish the battle as soon as possible, but getting close to him is pretty hard since he is fast and his slice attacks still hurt Zelos and make him lose blood. Even the smallest of the wounds make him drop more blood…

For the first time in a while, Zelos didn’t know what to do. His regeneration was making his wounds close a bit faster, enough to make the enemy raise his eyebrows, but that wasn’t enough.

The enemy looked at his wounds wondering what was going on, for all intentions and purposes, Zelos should have lost a lot more blood than he had seen until now. In a weird way, both of these traits countered each other, so they didn’t know what to do.

The first one who found his answer had been Zelos… and thanks to it, he charged toward the enemy without hesitation. The enemy captain swung his spear sideways to wound Zelos, but he blocked the attack with his sword and the weight of his own attack made the enemy raise his eyebrows… it had been pretty heavy for a single hand attack.

Zelos didn’t stop there, he moved the spear to the side and then used his charging technique. The enemy was caught off guard when he was hit by Zelos’ left shoulder, but he raised his spear when Zelos was about to swing his sword.

The handle of the weapon blocked the attack, but then the enemy was pushed several meters backward. When he stopped, he coughed a bit of blood and then studied Zelos who could have proceeded with his attack, but he didn’t.

Against an enemy like that, Zelos quickly realized that the best defense was to prevent their attacks altogether. The enemy had likely known this strategy for some time, and they were surprised at how Zelos swiftly grasped the concept. However, he couldn’t help but feel confused as to why Zelos wasn’t following that strategy himself.

The realization dawned on Zelos as he faced his opponent once more. Yet, despite his understanding of this fundamental principle, Zelos found himself unable to commit to the defensive strategy fully.

It was a puzzling contradiction that left his adversary baffled. Why was Zelos prioritizing defense over offense, especially against such a formidable foe? It was a question that lingered in the air as they clashed once more, their weapons clashing in a flurry of strikes and parries.

The enemy looked at Zelos and couldn’t see any confusion or doubt… he looked as calm as someone could be in that kind of situation, and that puzzled him even more.

The truth of the matter was that Zelos wished that he could have followed the attack, but his legs were hurting quite a bit thanks to all the charges. Still, necessity is the mother of invention for a reason… and soon he found a solution to that problem.