Chapter 62: The Peculiar Bandits (Part 2)

With a thunderous roar, Old Wilson led the charge of his heavily armored knights!

Despite their numbers being just shy of two hundred, their charge was like an unstoppable tidal wave, causing a ripple of panic among the bandits ahead.

"In the name of knightly honor, kill!"

The nearly two hundred knights shouted in unison, the battle cry embodying the spirit of the heavy knights.

Under Old Wilson's command, the knights charged into the bandits like a black torrent, unstoppable in their force.

Countless bandits were flung aside with barely any contact, crushed under the hooves of the knights. The might of the heavy cavalry had been proven in Blackwater City, and ordinary knights, let alone these ragtag bandits, were no match for them.

Just as Merlin had expected, despite the bandits' numbers, the heavy knights' charge scattered them instantly. Many bandits were trampled underfoot, their cries of agony filling the air.

"Damn it! Those cowardly nobles actually dared to charge at us?"

The bandit leaders, watching the heavy knights tearing through their ranks effortlessly, felt a surge of anger as they realized they had no way to resist.

Two leaders, along with fifty of their riders, charged toward Old Wilson and his knights.

Though there were only fifty of them and they wore nothing but light armor, their decision to challenge Old Wilson's heavily armored knights seemed almost suicidal.

Old Wilson found this peculiar, but without hesitation, he commanded his knights to form a charge formation and rushed straight toward the unusual group of bandits.

The two groups collided swiftly, with Old Wilson engaging the two leaders directly.

"Flame Slash!"

Old Wilson was on the verge of reaching level three as an elemental swordsman, just shy of that breakthrough. Coupled with his innate strength, his overall power was nearly that of a level four swordsman.

Even though Old Wilson was only using half his strength, his attack would be difficult for an ordinary level-two elemental swordsman to withstand.

However, these two bandit leaders, despite lacking any elemental aura, could withstand Old Wilson's attacks with sheer physical strength.

Not only was Old Wilson's attack blocked, but the nearly two hundred heavy knights also failed to deal a devastating blow to these bandits and even suffered a few casualties themselves.

"Something's not right; this is strange!"

From afar, Merlin's expression shifted upon seeing those fifty bandits.

These fifty riders were unique. Although they had no elemental aura, indicating they weren't elemental swordsmen, their physical abilities were on par with level-one elemental swordsmen.

Fifty bandits with the strength of level-one elemental swordsmen posed a considerable threat, even without training or coordination. Their combined force was unexpectedly overwhelming, leaving the usually unstoppable heavy knights at a disadvantage.

Merlin wasn't particularly worried about Old Wilson. He knew Old Wilson's strength well enough to be certain that, if he used his full power, the two bandit leaders wouldn't stand a chance.

But if the battle dragged on, the losses among the heavy knights would become substantial. These knights were the result of Old Wilson's years of effort, and any loss would deeply sadden him.

So, Merlin decided to act.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Fireball after fireball flew out, each one hitting a bandit precisely. With the bandits and knights tangled together, Merlin couldn't risk exploding the fireballs; he had to eliminate them one by one.

Even so, within moments, Merlin had taken down five bandits. His mental power was growing, allowing him to control his spells with increasing precision. As long as an enemy was within a hundred meters, Merlin could accurately strike them.

"It's a spellcaster! Run! We're done for…"

"Hurry! Report to the chief; there's a spellcaster here!"

The two bandit leaders, already struggling against Old Wilson, were now filled with despair upon seeing Merlin. They immediately attempted to flee.

They were familiar with the powerful and mysterious spellcasters of the Black Moon Kingdom, as they roamed the vast no-man's land between the Black Moon Kingdom and the Kingdom of Light. With Merlin's presence, they knew they had no chance.

But it was already too late for them to escape.

"Freeze!"

Merlin had his eye on these two bandits, and the moment he saw their intention to flee, he cast a freezing spell.

"Crack, crack."

Ice crystals formed around the two leaders, freezing them in place. Even with their level-two elemental swordsman-like strength, breaking free from Merlin's spell was impossible.

"Slash."

Old Wilson swung his sword, cutting one of the bandit leaders in half, spilling blood onto the ground.

As he prepared to dispatch the other leader, Merlin quickly approached him, saying quietly, "Father, keep this one alive. He may be of use."

Old Wilson nodded and then turned back to charge at the remaining bandits.

Of the fifty unusual bandits, five had been taken down by Merlin, and after he captured the two leaders, some of the others began to flee.

With Old Wilson and his knights re-engaging in the battle, only about twenty of these formidable bandits managed to escape.

Old Wilson regrouped his knights and took stock of the aftermath. Fifteen of his knights had been lost in the fight. From an original number of one hundred eighty-five, he now had only one hundred seventy left.

This loss weighed heavily on Old Wilson's heart. When he fought the church's disguised sword guards and later against the Blackwater City defensive regiment, he had only lost fifteen knights.

But now, against a mere group of bandits—a disorganized mob—he had lost more.

Old Wilson's face darkened as he looked over the remaining captured bandit leader, his gaze fierce, like a beast ready to devour its prey, causing the leader to shudder in fear.

The bandit leader looked desperately toward Merlin, his voice tinged with urgency. "Honored spellcaster, what do you wish to know?"

The leader understood that his life now rested solely in the hands of this powerful and mysterious spellcaster.