Almadianos Eiyuuden Chapter 42

Chapter 40 is here!

Anyway, here's the chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it!

Chapter 42

Asgard's heavily equipped infantrymen were aiming their spears at the beak of Frigga's griffon in an orderly fashion.
This was making it difficult for her to hold her ground through her power alone.
After all, griffons were afraid of sharp objects, just like horses. This was due to their b.e.s.t.i.a.l instincts.

【” ‘Impact‘ !”】

Although several soldiers fell down under the a.s.sault of Frigga's magic spells, any opening that was created was immediately filled in by the knights standing in the rearguard.
This defense that gave no opportunities to the enemies  to advance was the defining characteristic of a square formation. (Tln: If you can't picture it, .)

【”OUT OF MY WAY, I SAID!”】

If Frigga missed this opportunity, would she ever get another chance to go after Asgard's forces?
Although the ball was in her court right now, she was in more of a hurry than the mages who were still running around and trying to escape.

【”Attack in a wedge formation! We'll focus on one point and break through!”】

Despite the circ.u.mstances, Frigga's orders and leadership were still on point. Following her commands, Lapland's forces, which were finally starting to make a comeback, regorganized themselves in a wedge formation and charged at Asgard's heavy infantry.
They were putting enough pressure on the enemy to eat away at their solid square formation.

【”Hold your positions! We're the heavy infantry, we know no path of retreat!”】

Hyde, who was commanding the heavy infantry, yelled at the top of his lungs.
There was no way the heavy infantry would be able to move as quickly as mages or cavalrymen.
Their very low mobility was the cost of their great defense.
And although Asgard's forces were putting up a strong resistance, Lalpland's army was gradually starting to push them back.
No matter how prepared they were, Asgard's soldiers were trying to facilitate the escape of their mages, while Lapland's soldiers were pursuing said mages. In those circ.u.mstances, there was bound to be a difference in morale between both sides.
And such factors were far from being insignificant in battle.

【”Muster up your strength one more time! We're almost there!”】

Through her words of encouragement, Frigga got a great reaction from her soldiers.
But just when she thought she could finally see the the troops who had been escaping under the cover of the heavy infantry…

【”―― Soldiers, crescent moon formation!”】

The instant Hyde gave out the order, the infantrymen started moving together.
This moment could potentially have been used as an opportunity to eliminate the heavy infantry altogether.
However, the main targets of Lapland's army were Cabernard and the mages, who were a vital part of Asgard's fire power.
This left Lapland's side in doubt, were they supposed to use this chance to advance further or to attack the heavy infantrymen? That one moment of hesitation changed the fate of all of Lapland's army.

Asgard's heavy infantry had not taken the risk of giving this opportunity to the enemy for free. They did it because they had realized they would not be able to defend against Lapland, and decided to pick Frigga as their only target instead.
Frigga was now surrounded from three sides by the elites of the heavy infantry.

【”Was I too hasty?”】

Frigga was grinding her teeth as her allies got close to their targets but failed to make a move.
If someone could take her place, Frigga would have likely abandoned her commanding position and charged at the enemy's forces right now.
However, she had to speak to her troops, she was the only commander left on Lapland's side.

【”This is no longer time to think of our own survival! If this must be our last battlefield, so be it! We'll come back and protect our land as guardian spirits!”】

Asgard's heavy infantrymen simultaneously pointed all their spears and crossbows at Frigga.
They charged at her, with no care for the fact that this would leave their backs completely exposed to any attacks from Lapland's side.
Even if they were going to be killed in the process, they were ruthlessly determined to take Frigga with them.

【” ‘Blast‘ !”】

The few soldiers who could cast spells among the heavy infantry also used their magic to attack.
Even if Frigga escaped to the sky with her griffon, she would not be able to escape from the mages' spells and the arrows of the crossbow units.

(We've succeeded!)

Hyde was convinced that this was where Frigga's life would end.
―― Until one man's bold words came to shatter that conviction.

【”Ganging up on a woman to kill her? Do you still consider yourselves men?”】

The magics spells aiming for Frigga and her griffon were completely erased, and the countless arrows coming at them bounced back like they had hit something extremely solid.

【”W-what happened?”】

Hyde was bewildered, his victory had just been s.n.a.t.c.hed away right under his nose.

He would have understood if someone had sacrificed his body to protect the princess or something along those lines; what he couldn't believe however was that the spells had just disappeared and that every single arrow, without exception, had dropped to the ground.

Looking back at the scene, there was a man who had appeared out of nowhere and put Frigga behind his back.
He was a big man of more than two meters (6'6″) in height, with a splendid body which had been noticeably well trained.
Despite all that, he was wearing a mage robe that did not fit his physique at all, which made him look odd. However, Hyde had no doubt that the one responsible for this terrible situation was no other than this odd man.

【”―― Who are you?”】
【”My name doesn't matter, let's just say I'm someone who came uninvited to help.”】

(In other words, he's an ally of Lapland? Then I have to bring him down, even if I have to give my life for it!)

Hyde roared out with all the strength he could muster.

【”This is no time to care for your lives! Would we have any honor left if we allow ourselves to get delayed by a single person?!”】

Though the soldiers had been in a daze after witnessing the surreal scene that had just taken place, Hyde's roar was enough to restore their courage .

(These guys' training must have been real good.)

Kurats was impressed.
Asgard's troops had the eyes of obedient dogs who had been so thoroughly trained that following orders gave them joy.
With a large number of soldiers like these, Asgard truly was not a country that could be taken lightly.

【”―― The least I can do is fight them with respect.”】

However, all of that was of no use against Kurats. Be it their courage, or the martial arts that they had trained to the point of throwing up blood.

The soldiers' bravery was making way for their despair, and that was starting to show on their faces.
Any spear that came in contact with Kurats' fist would make a noise and then completely break down. Even when a dozen soldiers came for him simultaneously, he would bring their weapons down with a barrage of punches.
Still, it would be fine if the only the spears were taking damage.
The bigger issue was that, whenever Kurats. .h.i.t a soldier directly, his fist would leave nothing but an empty hole inside the victim's body.
For instance, when a soldier was. .h.i.t in the abdomen, his entrails fell behind his back and he died instantly.
This battle looked like a group of clay dolls were trying to fight a doll of steel.
And no amount of last ditch efforts were enough to go through Kurats' steel skin.

【”d.a.m.n it! If only we could use our spells…!”】

The soldiers who could use magic, including Hyde, were unable to use their powers due to Kurats' magic canceling barrier.
Their firepower was the only thing that could wound Kurats, and they no longer had access to it.

【”Don't give up! We have to fight back at all costs!”】

(If we can, we'll get his eyes.
If not, then we'll get just his fingernail, that would also be fine.
We'll make this monster understand that human efforts are not pointless.
We're not some pitiful scapegoats that any freak of nature can trample down.)

Hyde and his men kept fighting, driven by the strength of their threatening determination.

Meanwhile, Frigga looked in blank amazement at the mountain of corpses that was being built around Kurats.

(Am I dreaming?)

Just when she thought that the she had finally broken through the enemy's square formation, they had ended up surrounding her and successfully trapping her.
Even though she had a chance to pursue the enemy, she had accepted to stand her ground and meet her end instead.
But everything changed when this one man appeared.

(How heroic!)

True to her t.i.tle as Lapland's snow white valkyrie, Frigga was able to understand everything that Kurats was doing.
He was using a barrage of punches that went at a far beyond speed than what the human eye could follow.
Even though he was alone against many, he completely overpowered Asgard's soldiers.
No matter which technique or equipment they used, they were not able to break through his punches barrage.
Frigga felt like they would probably not be able to get a single scratch on him as long as they did not use a weapon at the level of an “artifact” or a technique that could cut through iron.

Before she realized it, her heart started beating so fast that it hurt.
The man's body made him appear like a giant striking the clouds, yet he had the flexibility of a graceful, wild feline.
His inhuman strength that blew away everything it touched felt like it was coming straight out of every warrior's greatest dreams.

【”―― Beautiful.”】

He had the beauty of magic swordsmen, the national treasures of all kingdoms, but at the same time, he had the beauty of a lion, the king of all beasts. What she had just witnessed was the peak of efficiency, a beautiful sight that she could only sigh at.
She had been proud of herself for being unmatched in Lapland, but how long would she last in a fight against this man?
No, far from that, it was doubtful whether she would be able to get him to fight her seriously at all.

After thinking that far, Frigga realized something.

(Did I just find a man who's undoubtedly stronger than me?!)

 There was one thing that Frigga had always said―― Which was that she would only marry a man who was stronger than herself.
Many men had thoughtlessly challenged her, however, they had all failed miserably.
Most of them were overconfident sons of n.o.bles who could only lose against her, but there were also some veterans among the challengers, who had put great efforts into their training.

But even they were no match for a prodigy like Frigga.

When it came to using magic, or moving,  or tracking her enemy's movements, or keeping a tight grasp on the s.p.a.ce around herself in combat, Frigga was at such a high level that it seemed like no one could defeat her.
Even Frigga had been starting to think that she should settle down for a man who could have a good fight with her even if he couldn't beat her.

Realizing that the ideal man she had almost given up on was now standing in front of her,  Frigga blushed and felt a wave of heat rise to her face.

【”―― Hold on, this isn't the time for that!”】

 Frigga had thought of a lot of things, but in reality only a few seconds had pa.s.sed.
Once she confirmed that Kurats' arrival had shattered the plans of Asgard's heavy infantrymen, she triumphantly raised her fist to the sky.

【”Do not worry about the heavy infantry! Attack the mages behind them!”】

Even though Asgard's mages had already taken a lot of distance, their defenseless backs were still visible.

When the enemy surrounded Frigga earlier, Lapland's soldiers had been like puppets whose strings had been cut, but now they were full of spirit again.

【”Charge ahead!”】
【”Oooooooooooooh!”】

Following Frigga's order, Lapland's army violently attacked Asgard's side, leading to thousands of losses.

【”…Oh come on, they're leaving me by myself…?”】

There was no one who could wound Kurats among the enemy's forces, but it was still hard for him to deal with over a thousand heavy infantrymen all alone.
So it was not unreasonable of him to complain after everyone else left him.
In Asgard's eyes however, this complaint was a show of over-confidence, like they were no big deal for him, which greatly hurt their pride.
Even so, nothing was working against Kurats.

Some of the heavily equipped infantrymen linked their arms and formed scrums to use their bodies to ram him, some other soldiers tried to coordinate their spear and crossbow attacks, but everything was equally ineffective.
On the other hand, every single hit from Kurats was lethal.
Though they were fighting with their all, the heavy infantrymen's numbers would soon be cut by half.

Knowing that, Hyde called aside a young newcomer knight.

【”Turiques, I have a task for you.”】
【”Yes, sir! Anything you want!”】

Turiques a.s.sumed he would be asked to go for a suicide attack, but his expectations were very far from the mark.

【”You have to live and inform his excellency Cabernad of the situation. I'm afraid the course of our war with Lapland will be determined by our ability to deal with that man.”】

Hyde guessed that some kind of technique or artifact had been used to prevent his soldiers and himself from using their magic.
And if that man went out of his way to use such a method, it meant that he could be harmed by magic.
In other words, magic spells could potentially be a solution to defeat him. On the other hand, it was impossible to defeat him with the weapons that ordinary soldiers were commonly equipped with.
Not only it was almost impossible to hit him, but even when he was. .h.i.t, there wasn't even a hint of a scratch left on him.
Though Hyde did not understand how that was possible, what he did understand was that the man's skin was more solid than a steel armor.

【”Do not let our deaths be in vain. His excellency Cabernard will definitely think of a way to deal with him.”】
【”But I…!”】

Turiques was about to say that he wanted to fight by everyone else's side, but he barely managed to swallow those words.
This was because he saw Hyde gently shaking his head from side to side.
Since Turiques did not have much experience as a knight yet, he would end up being a hindrance in battle. The only thing he could do was to deliver the information that his comrades had obtained at the cost of their lives.

While holding back his tears, Turiques gave a flawless military salute to Hyde, and then started running in the opposite direction.