11 Holding the Second Line

The direwolf facing Leylin finally launched its attack, as if it knew this was its only opportunity.

A gleaming claw specked with blood slashed towards Leylin, bringing onward a wave of air since the girth of the wolf's paw was huge. The beast was more like a demon than an animal.

Leylin, however, still had that smug expression plastered all over his countenance. After activating the ESP Matrix, that attack seemed to him as if it was executed by a sick puppy.

The most efficient method of dealing with it appeared in the corner of his eye: to use the cross blade to block it with a 50-degree angle to the right. Move his right foot 3 cm to the right and then rotate his neck 10° to the left to evade a possible pounce from another direwolf that raced towards him in the distance.

'Aralis, take control of my legs and feet! I'll need my full body strength!' -Leylin gave his A.I. permission to assume command of some of his extremities.

[Roger!]

The Farlier heir analyzed all of this in the time that it took him to blink once.

"Hah..." -Leylin let out a moderate breath, as he concentrated his strength in his arm muscles and into the correct posture.

'1st Cross Blade Stance: White Fox!'

This was the most basic way of the cross blade. It focused on defensive maneuvers and agile legwork to allow for expeditious retreats.

Since Aralis would keep his lower half steady, he was sure that his attacks and defense would be at 100% their total strength. After all, any move with his Cross Blade Technique originated from the legs.

Leylin followed the blade sequences as he visualized everything at apparently half-speed, sweeping his sword to the right and striking the claw out of his proximity.

Leylin felt a tiny amount of shock travel up his arm from the immense impact, making him feel as though he had struck a thick piece of metal.

'I won't waste any moves. I'll kill this annoyance in one attack!' -Leylin decided resolutely.

'2nd Cross Blade Stance: Blue Tiger!'

This was the second and last original Cross Blade style. It was a balanced posture that enabled the user to counterattack smoothly and prevented weak spots when defending. It lacked stability and strength but made up for it in versatility.

Leylin felt as if he was in an endless high from having his senses enhanced as they were. But he nonetheless remained entirely focused on the fight.

The luxurious cross blade of Furze's Captain drew a brilliant arc in the air, that made Aralis recall that spar with George.

Immediately afterward, following the path calculated by the ESP Matrix, Leylin lunged at the direwolf in a flash, piercing clean through its head.

The Cross Blade Technique's key point was to use a powerful centrifugal force to strike at the enemy. 'Strike fast, strike hard' was the motto that summarized the Farlier way of swordsmanship. Leylin liked that philosophy.

[Doctor, two more direwolves! One coming from your 10 and another from your 1!] -Said Aralis, using clock-like coordinates to inform her Master of the danger that continued threatening him.

Not letting a second go by idly, Leylin rushed the closest direwolf. It was the one coming from his left.

The wolf tried to leap onto him, brandishing the perilous killing machine that was its maw. The teen remained unfazed.

Just when the wolf was about to clench down on Leylin and have him as a snack, the wolf's head was cleaved out by the surgical strike that Leylin had placed between its nose, effectively slicing through its head all the way to its neck.

The wolf's corpse fell next to Leylin, as the boy's smirk never disappeared for a single moment. Crimson liquid gushed out steadily out of the lifeless carcass of that plains direwolf.

Leylin then twisted his blade lightly, whisking away the excess viscera and blood from his weapon. He was ready for the third wolf.

This creature seemed to wish nothing more than to get rid of that pesky human. Still, it was anything but dense. Comprehending that its previous comrades' tactics had failed, it went for another kind of approach.

The direwolf began zig-zagging closer and closer to Leylin, trying to take him by surprise.

'This mutt! Thinks such a trick would work on me...!' -Leylin mused sardonically.

The Matrix immediately provided Leylin with the best course of action, and without letting his eyes miss the movements of the wolf even once, he positioned himself with his blade over his head, as if he was ready to attack.

Leylin was like a swordmaster with thirty years of combat experience inside the body of a 13-year-old. A genuine monster, even without inner life energy and whatnot.

'3rd Cross Blade Stance: Black Cobra!'

This stance was the most advanced form of the Farlier Cross Blade Technique. It had been developed by Leylin's ancestor, based off on the original technique that he inherited. It essentially focused on dealing with the fastest and sneakiest opponents, which were the natural enemy of the Cross Blade's single-strike method.

It would have normally taken Leylin 5 years to even begin to grasp the intricate method of combining attack and defense whilst balancing speed and strength, which were required to learn the 3rd Stance... Except Leylin had this mighty supercomputer at his service that had processed it in less than a day for him.

The direwolf was now almost in front of Leylin. It didn't go for the bite though. Using its sharp claws, it began swiping away at the young human.

Jumping and dodging, the wolf made it look easy, but it was actually quite frightening to see an animal fight so brilliantly.

Left, right, left, and another left; every single attack it made had been parried millimetrically by Leylin, despite the wolf's efforts. Even after the wolf moved in circles around the teen looking for a defect in his stance, the result was the same. There were no defects; no weak spots.

Abruptly, something unexpected by either of the belligerents happened.

"Brother Leylin, NOOO!!" -The high-pitched voice of a young lad sounded out in the caravan's second line of defense.

From behind Leylin, that cowardly individual with weak bowels known as Kassa strode forward holding a steel spear with both hands. He wanted to kill the direwolf that endangered his friend.

Evading the boy's ridiculous attempt at stabbing it was as natural to the direwolf as howling, though. The spear did not even scratch its fur.

"It's too fast...! AAAAAHHH!!" -The kid was cut in his leg by the wolf's right paw. The pointed hook-like inner claw of the animal tore skin and muscle, driving the kid to the ground in tears of pain.

Following that pathetic display, Leylin drove a powerful kick into the wolf's gut when it sought to finish the job, heavily staggering it.

The beast couldn't dodge this time, and got hit with a force capable of breaking reinforced wooden walls. A couple of bones had been triturated in that move.

Whilst the wolf recovered its senses after that counterattack, Leylin went over to where Kassa laid defeated in agony. He was bleeding profusely, but with the opportune medical attention, he could probably survive.

'This literal piece of shit. He stands in my way even now...' -Leylin mentally furrowed brows with disgust.

His thoughts were masked with fear for his friend's life and a heart touched by Kassa's courage in his time of need. Leylin could fool anyone into believing he was really worried for the boy's health.

"Br-Brother Leylin! Please... He-help me...!" -Kassa cried in desperation to whom he believed to be the only sincere friend he had within the acolyte caravan, and presumably even in this world.

Leylin had counseled him, protected him, made him feel part of the group... He was the big brother he never truly had... He would see him through this! He would save him!

"I'll help you with the pain... You did enough, little brother..." -Leylin uttered in a melancholic tone, as he drove his cross blade straight through Kassa's heart.

"Wha-- ?!" -The lad could not even register what was happening, as his life escaped his eyes in naught but a breath.

A pair of feigned tears ran down Leylin's cheek as he took out his sword. That way, any witness could recognize his 'love' and 'regret' for this poor soul who had sacrificed himself.

"Look at that, poor Kassa!" -One of the youths in Leylin's reserves commented in distress.

"I just hope that Leylin keeps up the fight, otherwise we'll meet the same fate as him! That wolf looks like it's ready for more!" -Another yelled worried only about his own skin.

'Foolish and selfish cowards. The perfect combination for having docile meatshields. Don't you worry; you'll be sharing this dead weight's fate soon enough...' -Leylin was delighted with the reactions he got from his subordinates. He couldn't wait until that sense of security they had would crumble into dust the moment he deserted them.

"He would've bled to death... I couldn't save my kind little brother...! You'll pay for this, foul creature! You and all of your kind!" -Leylin shouted with a half-broken voice.

The wolf did not care about Leylin's tirade and went straight for the kill again.

At that moment, Leylin used his waist to exert his full lower body strength and propelled it across his arms and to the tip of the blade in a stalwart inverted horizontal swing. The sword was similar to an extension of his upper limbs as it moved.

Leylin did not flinch and his heartbeat remained calm.

The cross blade in his hands whistled in a deathly melody of steel cutting flesh and bone, as it pierced through the air and later kissed the direwolf's left side.

The weapon got stuck halfway through the beast's body when it collided with its spine.

"Hmh!" -Leylin yanked his hands backward and the cross blade was pulled out violently, causing fresh blood to gush out wildly, along with some of its viscera.

This made for a wicked spectacle at which most, if not all of the reserves 'supporting' Leylin, grimaced.

The direwolf shrieked miserably and it even tried to flee from its would-be executioner, tripping down regularly as it struggled to keep going. It was able to survive by sheer will alone.

The sneer in Leylin's face grew even wider and darker at this sight.

There were few things he enjoyed more than to see his prey falling into despair under his assail. There was also no one to notice the change in his personality, since the reserves were practically frozen where they stood, and the black robes never turned their attention away from the incoming waves of direwolves.

[Won't you finish it off?] -Inquired the A.I.

'When it's doing its best to put on such a good show for me? Not a chance. Let it return to the pack if it can... If they're as smart as Angelo made them out to be, then may those animals learn what happens when they try to hunt me down as if I were any other kid from this smelly caravan.' -Leylin replied without thinking twice.

[And if they decide to throw their entire force against you?]

'Then let 'em come! I want to shed as much blood as possible today! Hahahaha!'

[Well, your wish just came true; you have 8 more wolves coming your way!]

'Excellent... I want to dull out this cross blade by the end of the day...' -An occult bloodthirst emerged from deep within Leylin's eyes.

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The dreadful struggle between man and direwolf continued for two more hours. The sun slowly set, and a misty gloom settled upon the grass plains.

At the moment, the eyes of the direwolves were giving off an aquamarine glow. The entire campground had an eerie feel to it, as it seemed to be surrounded by a crowd of aquamarine eyes.

Leylin couldn't help but relish in the excitement of crushing and slicing through the vicious predators, as he killed one after the other in quick succession. He was able to effortlessly dispatch them in batches of 10-15 at a time, thanks to the ESP Matrix. It made him feel powerful and in control, something that he missed from his previous world.

After all, playing the pig to kill the tiger was hard for him. If Leylin took too long to vent his hidden corrupt desires and personality, he hurt inside. This battlefield, however, was the perfect sandbox for him to let loose and simply enjoy himself.

His reserves were not as lucky as him though. Five of them had been made into wolf meals after they decided to make a run for the caravan instead of holding their ground. They had been no-name kids with no combat abilities whatsoever, and the wolves quickly took the chance to thin the human's numbers.

The others were kept alive only thanks to their common sense of brandishing their weapons and shields every time a wolf targeted them, and Leylin punctually slaughtering every stray wolf that went past the black robes.

Leylin, on his part, couldn't care less if anyone but himself died. Maybe the demise of George or one of the black robes would cause him to click his tongue since they were provisionally useful to him. But those useless NPC's? He could even laugh at their deaths if they screamed in a certain way.

"Hah... hah..." -Leylin gasped for breath. He now looked as if he had been fished out of a pool of blood. His face was almost fully covered with the crimson liquid, but he lacked the stamina or inclination to even wipe it off.

[That was a fine scrap. You took a lot of them down, Doctor. I counted 108 direwolves.]

'Hehehe, that was certainly refreshing... I can ignore the tiredness seeping through each of my nerve-endings, if at least for the fact that I am having so much fun...'

Leylin let a profound whiff of cool air into his lungs.

'I missed this... The thrill of taking lives without any care in the world... Not as good as killing sapient beings, but these wolves are smart enough to fear me, so it's good enough.' -He expressed internally with a happy grin that was barely perceptible from all the blood distorting his face.

[And you even got Shitty Pants in the crossfire.]

'I had originally planned to murder him in a much more creative style, but alas, he stood in the way too much. I simply got tired of him.'

[That wasn't what I expected for his demise either, but I was pleased regardless.]

'Likewise... I wanted to draw out his suffering a bit more, but I couldn't risk him surviving that injury. Who knows when those meatshields would've decided to make themselves useful and perform first aid on the child.'

[I was thinking the same... Anyway, keep in mind that your stamina reserves are at about 34 percent, given your prolonged use of the ESP Matrix. You had better rest your body if you don't want to faint anytime soon...] -Aralis said with a serious tone as if she intended to chastise her Master.

'I'm already conscious of that, and it will have to wait for now, I'm afraid.' -Just then, Leylin pulled out several white berries. He tossed them into his mouth and chewed twice before swallowing them.

These were some of the most useful plants he had collected along the journey. They could instantly replenish one's stamina, but Leylin was running out of them since he hadn't found that many of them in the first place. They were more powerful than the Flowerless Snake Fruit for obvious reasons, and as such he was saving them for an emergency.

[You're so stubborn sometimes. So what if a few of these kids die while you rest?]

'You know well enough that me resting is not an option here. Not until I say so.' -Leylin did not tolerate being disputed for his choices when there wasn't a solid and thought-out case behind it. Or when he was not in the mood for it.

[Understood, Doctor.] -The A.I. conceded.

Leylin scoffed lightly: 'Heh, if even I'm like this, then there's no need to speak about George and company. Only the black-robed Knights still have enough energy to spare, but even they will be unable to endure forever...'

[In this situation, why haven't the white-robed Magi acted yet? Shouldn't they be the ones protecting the acolytes?] -Aralis seemed vexed.

As he took a much-needed breather, Leylin glanced over to the inner caravan and noticed that there was an empty space amidst the female acolytes at the center of the campsite.

Three mysterious people wearing those famed white robes were sitting there, giving off chilling auras that couldn't be judged by anyone. None of the surrounding acolytes dared to be within three meters of them.

As for the direwolves surrounding the defensive ring, they had already lost two-thirds of their total numbers. However, the humans were losing manpower too. Leylin's group was relatively fine, but the defending acolytes at the rear had suffered. Two of the preparatory Knights had been injured and were under the care of the girls, and two were dead.

'Their interest is not in our well-being, but rather in their own hidden agenda.' -Leylin stated matter-of-factly.

'With their current losses, the direwolf pack leader should be at its wit's end by now. And still, they refuse to retreat... Why? Because they surely have an ace under their beastly sleeve.'

[There should be one final wave remaining! They'll risk it all!] -Aralis concluded.

'Indeed... And I wouldn't miss that for anything. Be it stronger foes or some kind of unforeseen variable, I want to test my limits for real this time...' -Leylin seemed highly eager for the danger that loomed across the fields, in the aquamarine orbs of those direwolves that resembled to be staring at him with fierceness.

As if on cue, resonances of cursed howlings echoed into the chilly night air. This time, they carried a different meaning.

The direwolf pack became more frenzied as they heard the wolf calls. They charged forward without any regard for their lives. They wouldn't hold back any of their numbers either.

[It's here, the final wave!] -Aralis alerted her Master.

'Yes...! Come here, creatures! Sate my appetite for violence even more! Hell, I might even awaken my inner energy at last, hahaha!' -Leylin's eyes were ignited with killing intent.

He had already trained the breathing technique passed down in his family to a very profound level. Now, he only needed the enlightenment gained from battle in order to stimulate his life force and become a true Knight.

Leylin brandished the cross blade in his hand as he advanced step by step. The weapon was still sharp, much to Leylin's surprise. The difference between a great quality craft and a regular disposable sword.

Meeting his fierceness, at least thirty direwolves were charging directly at him. Luckily, the black robes contained most of them, with only 3 passing through to the second line of defense and rapidly closing in on Leylin's position.

'They look bigger than the other direwolves... Aralis, scan!' -Lelin furrowed his brow slightly.

[See, these are not ordinary direwolves. They are, as you say, bigger and particularly stronger than those you have been massacring so far. Their average stats are as follows: Strength 2.3, Agility 4.1, and Vitality: 3.1.]

'They must be the alphas in the pack. Hardened sons of bitches that, unlike the others, enter the fray only in times like this... When they meet a troublesome foe...' -Leylin immediately deducted.

The 'alpha' direwolves were coming at him. Leylin got into his Black Cobra Stance.

'Hmm. Nothing I can't handle with the ESP Matrix.' -Leylin did not feel worried, but he was positively more alert than before. He knew that this would be a hard-fought battle and didn't dare to underestimate his enemy. Only a fool underestimated his enemy.

Two of the alpha wolves attacked Leylin's allies ignoring him altogether. In an instant, 6 boys had been beheaded, gutted, and/or crushed by the beasts' great strength.

The bigger of the three wolves and the apparent leader was the first to attack Leylin. It wanted his head no matter the cost.

This wolf had a white pelt, unlike the others which had all black or extremely dark brown furs, making it stand out on the battlefield. More than one black robe was shocked to see it darting past them, seemingly ignoring them.

Leylin felt a great force run through his hand, as he blocked with precision one striking paw and then another. The cross blade almost flew out of his hands.

"Haha! Come to avenge your siblings, huh, punk?! I guess it's best if I let you join them in the ground, where you pests belong!" -Leylin challenged his enemy.

"Do your best! Entertain me, hahahaha!" -Leylin's eyes had a hint of red to them, as he began to fight madly with the three direwolves since the others had joined their leader already.

He was able to keep up with them only thanks to his trump card. Under normal circumstances, he would've been annihilated earlier during the initial charge.

Moreover, at this point in time, Leylin had finally let go completely. Every other reserve had been butchered by the other two wolves by now, and he was alone in the second line of defense. There was no need to keep up the appearances, if even for a fleeting moment.

In every sword blow; in every cut he made on one of the direwolves, Leylin vented the frustration he felt whenever he remembered that time Aralis had likened him to 'an insect'.

Not because he had been offended, but because he acknowledged that she was right. She had actually spoken his own thoughts. He knew that he was next to nothing in this world of magic and mystical powers. And he craved those powers.

He wanted it all. Leylin was nothing if not patient, and at the same time, he was not. He didn't take action carelessly, but his mind kept racing back and forth about his need for growth and acquiring strength. Would there come a time when his thirst for power would be sated?

Leylin did not have an answer, nor did he want to find it. He only wanted power. Everything else came later.

"Hah!" -Just then, an idea flashed in his mind as he fought the alpha direwolves, having understood something.

The cross blade in his hands hacked downwards, bringing a whizzing sound with it.

As it slashed towards the ground, Leylin's body twisted, and great strength was exerted from his solid waist muscles. With the great centrifugal force of the cross blade, he made another horizontal slash.

The cross blade itself seemed to be releasing a dim light. The two slashes seemed to fuse together, forming a radiant cross that wanted to devour everything around it.

"Killing Move: Cross Execution!" -Leylin murmured.

A Killing Move was something that had the essence of several killing techniques inside, using a profound understanding to raise one's killing ability. Even when it couldn't compare to a Knight's Secret Skill, preparatory Knights who possessed a Killing Move could still threaten a true Knight with unlocked life energy.

Leylin was able to tap into the secrets of the Farlier technique thanks to his far-reaching cultivation method, thus he was able to perform the best and most devastating of the Cross Blade moves. If he were a true Knight, that attack would've created multiple slashes capable of obliterating a small army.

The light cross viciously slashed the three direwolves creating symmetrical injuries in the form of a cross in their chests. The direwolves whined as fresh blood sprayed out continuously. Even the albino wolf that seemed to have resisted the attack somewhat, had to step back in awe.

"I have grown bored of you, mutts! Time to die!" -Leylin's eyes shone with an ominous red once again, as he charged forward.

The cross blade swung past them, and the direwolves' huge heads were sent flying beyond the second line, landing beside the black robes and their respective opponents.

The surrounding direwolves in the frontlines recoiled in horror, and the attack slowed down. Even the black-robed Knights looked over in surprise.

Leylin felt a sense of satisfaction as he stepped on the albino direwolf's body. He couldn't help but sigh deeply.

'Huuu... I've already vented. Now, time to retreat!'

After that little show, Leylin didn't choose to join the black robes but instead turned around to return to the defensive perimeter. No one would question that, given the enormous support he had provided them with so far.

Dropping his devilish smirk and 'putting on' his goody-two-shoes mask once again, Leyilin walked amongst the remains of his fellow acolytes that were supposed to have been protected by him.

He allegedly said his goodbyes to them in a downhearted tone, as he inconspicuously looted some of them. He wasn't stupid, and so as to not draw any more attention, he only took one or two magic crystals from each of them. A total sum of 8 more crystals was hence added to his coffers.

If he had looted them to the last crystal, then it would've become too evident that he had let them die on the field on purpose, instead of being regrettable casualties that he felt much grief over.

As he got back to the camp he was welcomed with cheers from the girls and strange looks from the males. They could not decide if they were scared, appreciative, or envious of him.

Perhaps it was all of those combined.