Episode 138: Knight Battalion Commander

　On the opposite side of the western wall, where bombardment from the magical catapult was underway—the eastern wall.

“Damn, what the hell is this…!”

　The one who muttered lowly was a giant of a man with tanned skin and a bald, shaved head.

　His name was Jarkan Tramaruk, a man who served as battalion commander in the kingdom’s knight order led by Zefard.

　Currently, he had been assigned the role of defense commander for the eastern wall.

　That said, while the west was under bombardment, the east was completely calm.

　Even if they were attacked, there was no way they could breach the magical barrier wall, Magia Valm.

　—Just glare them down without fighting, huh? What a boring assignment.

　Even as he harbored such frustration deep inside, he silently fulfilled his duties.

　However, the situation suddenly shifted.

“T-Trouble! The alarm bells are ringing from the prison! It seems the Serodonia prisoners have escaped!”

　That report had come just moments ago. And without a pause, a second report arrived.

“Th-The Serodonia prisoners have scattered the city guards… and they’re heading this way!”

　Even Luverios had anticipated the possibility of some disturbance occurring within the royal capital, Kirchhen.

　Most of the common folk had been evacuated, but nobles, their servants, and wealthy merchants still remained in the city.

　If the siege dragged on, anxiety could build among them, potentially leading to riots.

　For that reason, guards had been stationed throughout the capital.

　However—before the vampirized Serodonia prisoners, soldiers of that level were utterly powerless.

　The prisoners charged through the city with tremendous speed, barreling straight toward the eastern wall.

“Their target is… the gate!”

　By now, the group of Serodonia prisoners was clearly visible even to Jarkan atop the wall.

　They’d reach the eastern wall in just a few minutes.

“Intercept them! Descend inside the wall—and meet them head-on!”

　Jarkan’s actions were swift once he’d made that decision.

　He hurriedly descended the wall, gathered his subordinates, and formed a defensive formation.

　Then, mounting his horse himself, he gripped a massive axe—a battle axe.

“As long as I’m guarding this place… don’t even think you can break through the gate!”

　With that shout, his battle axe began to glow, infused with magical power.

　Kingdom Knight Order’s Knight Battalion Commander, Major Commander Jarkan Tramaruk. Known to others as Jarkan the “Armor Cleaver.”

　His battle axe could smash through armor itself.

“Here they come…!”

　Before Jarkan, who had laid out his defensive formation, the legion of Serodonia prisoners appeared. Leading the charge was a sharp-eyed young man on horseback, a long sword gripped in his hand.

　Both the horse and the sword were likely seized from the city guards.

　But there were plenty who didn’t even have that much. Many prisoners were using things like sticks or scraps of iron picked up from the ground as makeshift weapons.

　However, what caught the eye of the battle-hardened veteran Jarkan wasn’t the poverty of their equipment.

“An unnatural magical presence… Is it sorcery or some drug? They’ve enhanced their bodies with some kind of power. But—don’t think you can defeat this Jarkan with borrowed strength like that!”

　His voice shook the air of the battlefield.

“You Serodonia prisoners… become rust on my axe! On this… Ultimate Gigantic Rock-Breaking Annihilation Axe of Death Destruction!”

　As if challenging that voice, the one who seemed to be the leader of the Serodonia prisoners—a dignified young man with flowing black hair—closed in on Jarkan.

　Jarkan didn’t retreat a single step, assuming a stance to meet him.

　Backing down here would only give the enemy momentum.

　And above all—in Jarkan’s mind, the idea of his own defeat didn’t exist even in the slightest.

　He swung his battle axe back wide and let out a roar.

“Take this! My ultimate technique, ‘The End of Overpower Apocalypse Axe Strike…’”

　Jarkan Tramaruk.

　He had a few flaws. For instance, giving unnecessarily grandiose names to his weapons and techniques was one of them.

　However, he possessed martial prowess great enough to overshadow those flaws. That’s why Zefard had selected him and granted him the position of knight battalion commander, major commander.

　With his battle axe, even if they were vampires, he could smash their regenerating bodies over and over, pulverizing them until they were utterly spent.

　—That is, if they were “ordinary vampires,” anyway.

　Jarkan’s descending battle axe clashed with the black-haired knight’s long sword.

　Its power could cleave through armor. Yet, that strike… didn’t leave a single scratch on the slender sword.

　The force was deflected as if sliding across water, the axe’s trajectory smoothly veering off course.

“What!?”

　By the time he realized, Jarkan’s battle axe had swung wide as if missing its mark, leaving his body in a completely defenseless posture.

　The black-haired young knight facing him—his name was Ricardo Barcelos.

　Most who knew Ricardo’s name called him this: the “Genius Swordsman.”

　Gauging the flow of power in the battle axe and parrying it was no great difficulty for him.

“Im-Impossible!”

　In the instant Jarkan cried out, Ricardo’s long sword thrust forward with the speed of a gale.

　Without hesitation, the blade slipped into the tiny gap at the side of the armor.

“Guuh… Aaaah!”

　As the name implied, it was full plate armor covering the knight’s entire body. But due to its structure, there were tiny gaps to allow joint movement. That said, aiming for those gaps in the midst of battle was no easy feat.

　However… accomplishing that which was not easy was what made him the “Genius Swordsman.”

　And the tip of Ricardo’s sword—reached Jarkan’s heart.

“Agh… Ga…”

　Fresh blood sprayed from the armor, and Jarkan pitched forward on his horse.

“N-No way, me… losing…”

“—In the end, I won, but that was a strike of tremendous power. I take pride… in having fought you.”

　Ricardo declared in a cool, clear voice.

　Jarkan mustered his remaining strength to utter his final words.

“What a refreshing… young man… The one who defeated me, from now on… you should call yourself the Absolute Elegance Overdrive Knight of Perfect Invincible Genius Beauty…”

　With those words left behind, Jarkan slid off his horse.

　For a moment, Ricardo wore an indescribable expression… before immediately turning toward the next enemy.

　It wouldn’t be long before these Serodonia prisoner soldiers pried open the eastern gate of the wall.