Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 193 - One Way

Viviane had to admit that Scarlet actually looked quite fetching in riding gear, but nowhere near as dashing as Medrauta in her shining silver armor.

"You'll be bringing up the rear, Medrauta?" Eris said as the silver-haired knight drew parallel with her, the two of them riding straight down the trench created by the Spirecrusher's earth-shattering shot.

Medrauta nodded, raising her voice as Eris began to pass her. "Leticia looks like she's in a bit of a bind at the front there! Save her the trouble, yeah!?"

Eris waved in a gesture of assent as she sped past Medrauta, drawing Carnwennan in preparation to assist Leticia. Their riding formation had been assigned by Scarlet herself beforehand. As Medrauta was the strongest knight of the bunch, she had been appointed as the formation's rear-guard, ensuring that no witchspawn circled around and attacked them from behind.

Meanwhile, Leticia had been assigned as the vanguard due to the powerful ability of Rosaline's Crest which allowed her to manipulate time itself, a power that would come in handy if she encountered anything unexpected as the rider in the lead. Rosette and Eris both rode in the middle, with Eris riding nearer to the back due to Scarlet's ability to manipulate space. In a pinch, she would be able to teleport both herself and her knight along with Viviane and Medrauta to the objective so long as they were close enough.

It was also thanks to this ability that Eris was now able to break free from the pre-arranged formation to ride forward and assist Leticia. The blonde-haired knight surged forward from behind Leticia's mount, her glowing dagger becoming a single streak of light as it extended to the length of a greatsword and cleaved through several of the witchspawn leaping in front of Leticia's horse before retracting to its normal form.

"...I should get myself one of those." Medrauta muttered, clicking her tongue in displeasure. She could still recall how she spoke to Eirlys in the morning, asking for one of the fancy glowing artifact weapons that all her friends and Eris wielded. Apparently, there weren't any more in existence, but she doubted that.

Viviane grinned, patting Medrauta on the back. Having been present during the negotiation, she was well aware of how her knight felt left out.

Frustrated, Medrauta clapped her legs against the sides of her horse, causing it to speed up and draw closer to Rosette's mount, careful to leave enough space in front of her for Eris after the blonde-haired knight was finished assisting Leticia.

Aside from the slight hiccup caused by a group of witchspawn leaping in front of Leticia's mount, the four pairs were making excellent time toward the entrance of the Spire which had been forcefully gaped open by the sheer power of the Spirecrusher. During the morning briefing where they had reviewed the plan of action, Eirlys had stated the possibility of the Spire possessing self-regenerative properties, but it was clear that the Spirecrusher had negated that factor.

As the knights and noblewomen neared the Spire, the dimly lit interior slowly became visible, revealing walls and pillars made of obsidian stones within its depths. Vine-like objects were sprawled all across the surface of the Spire's innards, but closer inspection revealed them to be more like veins. They pulsed grotesquely, crimson liquid flowing through them as they glowed with an ominous light.

"We're almost there, Medrauta!" Viviane cried excitedly. She peered over her knight's shoulder, her eyes focused on the entrance of the Spire that was steadily getting closer. Despite the disturbing-looking interior of the Spire, she was eager to finally put an end to all this suffering. With the finish line so close, her greatest wish was to simply return to those halcyon days at the academy with her beloved knight.

"...No. I don't think so." Medrauta said, reaching for her sword. She had a feeling something was coming to stop them, and it wouldn't be pretty.

In the front, Leticia sensed it before she saw it. A thunderous boom echoed from above the group of riders as a massive object fell from the very top of the Spire, hurtling toward the ground and forcing Leticia to pull desperately on the reins of her horse. The blonde-haired knight barely managed to stop in time, looking up to stare at a monster of epic proportions.

It was another behemoth wielding massive greatswords in both of its hands, this one nearly twice the size of the colossus Medrauta and Viviane had previously encountered. It stepped forward, shaking the ground beneath it with strength that rivaled even the Spirecrusher.

Leticia didn't hesitate even for a second. She spurred her horse on, drawing her sword and cutting at the beast's heels even as she drove through the behemoth's legs, barely managing to avoid a thrashing kick that would've turned her and her lady into nothing more than a crimson smear on the great beast's hooved feet.

Leticia was through, but Eris, Rosette, Medrauta, and their respective noblewomen would soon have their advance stalled by the monster's massive weapons.

"Ah, shit. I thought something like this might happen." Medrauta said, feeling the power of the Lake course through her body as Viviane immediately bestowed her Crest upon the knight.

Viviane grit her teeth, staring up at the enormous monstrosity. She unslung her bow, nocking an arrow to its string in preparation for combat. Behind them, endless swarms of witchspawn nipped at the heels of their steed. "There's only one way to go, isn't there...?"

Medrauta nodded.

"Forward."