I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 61: Northbound (4)

The man who was caught by the scruff of his neck pretended to be worried for a moment before he suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.

Were busted!

Dale swiftly twisted the mans neck. However, the shout had already echoed far and wide.

The assembled group began to scatter in panic.

Wait. The bandits were disguised as refugees? Then that means

Rebecca was momentarily taken aback and paused. But she quickly grasped the situation.

As Rebecca looked his way, Dale nodded his head indifferently.

They intended to blend in and call their accomplices. Perhaps they planned to poison our food.

It was a cunning strategy.

First, they would make a difficult request, and then immediately follow it with a simpler request such as just giving them a place to sleep for one night, which was harder to refuse.

This plays on human psychology, leading people to unwittingly agree.

Especially if the request comes from refugees in dire straits, it becomes even harder to turn them away coldly because they will have to take their reputation into consideration.

And with their numbers being so few, its easy to let ones guard down without thinking.

Did the bandits calculate all of this?

If that was the case, the leader of the bandits must have been quite the cunning fellow.

Rebecca and Gabriel grimaced at the realization that they had nearly fallen for the bandits scheme.

Gabriel suddenly burst out shouting.

These despicable bastards Shoot them!

The soldiers who were momentarily stunned simultaneously released a volley of arrows and bolts.

The arrows traced long arcs through the air and impaled a few unlucky bandits.

However, most of the projectiles merely thudded into the innocent earth. The distance proved to be just a bit too great.

Gabriel bellowed again.

We cannot let them return! Cavalry, follow me!

Yes!

He grabbed the reins and immediately spurred his horse into a gallop.

Nine cavalrymen followed closely behind Gabriel.

Dale who was deep in thought while watching this unfold opened his mouth.

It might be wise to hold back that knight.

Huh? What do you mean?

Dale answered Rebeccas question.

If the bandits came here with a scheme, doesnt that mean they have reinforcements nearby?

Thats true.

Its possible that this too is part of their plan. Perhaps they aim to lure out our cavalry.

Rebecca nodded gravely as she considered this.

That might be the case, but theyre just bandits, after all. They arent soldiers, so would they really employ such strategies?

Indeed, the issue lies in them being bandits.

Most bandits were no more than strong peasants armed with whatever weapons they could muster.

It wouldnt be strange to underestimate them.

Gabriel likely initiated the pursuit for that very reason.

Even if it were a trap laid by the bandits, he was confident he could handle it.

Thats the pride of a knight.

Yet, Dale did not let his guard down.

He was aware that bandits are more common than monsters in this world.

And when there were many of them, mutants among them were bound to appear.

Dale immediately turned back and informed Harkin and Esther.

Get ready for battle. Harkin, youre to protect Esther and the other priests. Remember, the priests are the top priority. Harty, help Harkin as well.

Harty let out a low growl as if acknowledging the command. Harkin asked in confusion.

Huh? A battle, you say?

They might be quite cunning. Stay sharp.

Harkin scratched his curly hair before looking towards Gabriel,

It doesnt seem like Huh? Where did he go?

When Harkin turned back, Dale was no longer there.

At the same time,

Gabriel rode off into the distance and caught up with the fleeing bandits.

With every thrust of his spear, the bandits screamed and fell to the ground.

But when the cavalry were exhilarated by their charge he suddenly realized they had strayed too far from their main force.

Hmm. We should head back for now.

To turn back, they first had to slow their horses. And it was in this moment as Gabriel and his cavalry reduced their speed,

From the shadows cast by a small hillock in the field, dozens of bandits who had been lying in wait among the bushes suddenly rose.

In their hands were crossbows; not the crude kind, but well-crafted ones.

What? An-An ambush?

Gabriel and his cavalry were taken aback. The bandits were more numerous and better armed than expected.

A bandit who seemed to be the leader shouted,

Shoot the horses!

Thwack!

Several bolts were fired in unison.

The cunning bandits targeted not the armored cavalrymen but their horses.

The horses who were struck by the bolts let out pitiful cries as they fell to the ground.

Even the most skilled cavalrymen couldnt avoid being dismounted. But those who fell quickly recovered from the shock and rose to their feet.

It was the result of rigorous training.

However, the fact that they had been dismounted did not change.

The leader of the bandits shouted.

Now theyve fallen! Strike now!

Charge!

Immediately, the bandits swarmed in like a hive of bees. By rough estimate, their numbers neared one hundred.

How dare mere bandits!

Gabriel enhanced his body with magical power and fought back with the ferocity of a beast. Yet, there was a limit to what he could do against such numbers.

It was only a matter of time before the surrounding cavalrymen were completely overpowered.

Tch.

Gabriel clicked his tongue inwardly. It was a misstep.

Given the situation, they had to somehow break through the encirclement. It meant that many of his carefully trained cavalry would perish, but there was no choice.

Just when Gabriel steeled himself to lead a breakthrough, an odd phenomenon occurred on one side of the battlefield.

Swoosh!

The area where the bandits were clustered was engulfed in darkness.

Had the sun set completely and it was now night?

It was not nightfall yet. Even though it is getting dark, the remnants of twilight still scattered light around.

What then was the source of this darkness?

The bandits were equally bewildered.

Wh-Whats going on?

What in the world

They were unable to hide their astonishment and swung their heads around in confusion. The fact that they did not run away even in this situation was proof that these bandits were well disciplined.

The darkness quickly receded.

And where the darkness had been, Dale stood.

..?

A bandit looked up to find a dark knight suddenly beside him.

What is this? Am I dreaming now?

Dale looked down at the bandit and, with a clenched fist, struck him down lightly.

Thud!

The bandits body slowly crumbled down to the ground. And as if succumbing to sleep, he closed his eyes slowly.

He would never awaken from this sleep.

Only then did the other bandits realize what was happening.

What, whats this?

A-Attack him!

They each drew their weapons and launched an assault on Dale.

Swords, clubs, axes, and hammersa variety of weapons flew towards him.

Dale didnt bother to dodge.

Clang! Clang!

Their weapons struck Dales armor but their mediocre attacks failed to leave even a scratch.

Ignoring their feeble attempts, Dale swung his tightly gripped sword in a wide arc.

Whoosh!

The blade drew a semicircle.

Those bandits who were better armed were knocked back while the others were cleaved in half.

Blood and entrails were scattered in all directions.

With just one move.

A single strike had the bandits faltering.

Ugh

F-Fu*k. Hes a monster.

Their attacks were all futile against the beast that mercilessly slaughtered their allies.

This feeling of powerlessness awakened a suppressed emotion within them.

Fear.

One by one, the bandits began to retreat.

No matter how strict their discipline was, a bandit was still a bandit at heart.

The formation started to break as they sought to distance themselves from Dale.

But this isnt enough.

Dale was keenly sensitive to fear.

He knew well at what point people crumbled under the weight of their terror.

The enemys morale was on the edge though. This was likely because there was something they feared more than Dale himself.

To completely break them

Dales eyes caught sight of men shouting orders.

Cut down anyone who runs!

A gold coin for the man who brings me that bastards head!

Fight! We have the upper hand!

There were individuals of high status amidst the ranks of the bandits. These people were probably similar to leaders.

It was these very men who were the reason the bandits were barely holding on.

Dale, without a moments hesitation, drew an axe from within his cloak and hurled it.

Whoosh!

The hand axe spun through the air and embedded itself squarely in the forehead of one of them.

And because it was an unexpected surprise attack, he was unable to respond.

Upper hand. We have the upper hand

The bandit leader kept repeating the same words like a parrot before he eventually collapsed with a thud.

The other leaders who had been shouting orders elsewhere were shocked by the death of their ally.

How? The distance was so great.

Is he a monster?

And in that moment, the private soldiers and mercenaries led by Rebecca charged at the bandits.

Go, rescue our allies!

Waaaaaah!

Like a wave crashing over them, the soldiers overwhelmed the bandits. Eventually, the bandits morale reached its limit.

We-were losing ground!

Run for it!

You dumb bastards! Fight now! Running is even more dangerous!

It was often said that the greatest casualties in war occur during a retreat.

Indeed, this proved true. The bandits who turned their backs were no longer a threatening force but mere prey to be hunted.

Dale led the charge and started cutting down bandits as he ran. The ferocity of his assault caused the two remaining leaders to scowl in dismay.

Tch. This is bad.

No choice but to retreat.

The two spurred their horses and began their escape.

Their subordinates reached out to them from here and there.

Pl-Please, take me with you!

Get lost.

Without a change of expression, an leader coldly cut down one of his own men.

Then, he spurred his horse and hastened his escape.

Upon seeing this, Gabriel shouted.

We must catch those two!

But how?

They had lost all their horses to the trap earlier. Catching up to the speed of a horse on foot was an exceedingly difficult task.

But just then, Dale began to sprint towards the two leaders.

His speed was astonishingly fast.

Bandits were sent flying left and right as they collided with Dales thundering run.

The leaders were momentarily taken aback. The sight of such a beast pursuing them sent chills down their spines.

However, they soon realized they were faster and breathed a sigh of relief.

Ha, haha. Got scared for nothing.

Dumb bastard. Thinking he could catch up on foot Ugh!

One of the bandit leaders body was suddenly yanked backward.

Falling from the horse and suspended in mid-air, the leader couldnt comprehend what had just happened.

Instinctively, he clutched at the area where he felt pain.

Soon after, he noticed a sharp piece of metal embedded in his body.

A hook?

By the time he thought to remove the hook, it was already too late.

Dale pulled on the rope and thrust his face close to the leaders.

The leader instinctively reached for his sword but then stopped himself.

Youre quick-witted.

It was a fortunate turn of events.

They needed someone from whom they could extract information, especially since the other leader had already become a mere speck in the distance.

Dale then stowed the rope and hook back into his pouch.

This was the first real test of his new weapon.

Not bad at all.

Before he knew it, the battle was nearly over. The last remaining bandit gave up resistance.

And the soldier erupted in cheers of joy.

Waaah! Weve won!

We-weve won!

Their own losses amounted to four dead and twenty wounded, which were mainly unlucky incidents that occurred before the priests could offer healing.

In contrast, they had killed or captured more than fifty of the enemy bandits.

It was an undeniable victory.

It wasnt just a victory; it could easily be celebrated as a great triumph.

And everyone present knew that Dale had been the catalyst for this outcome.

Sir Dale! Sir Dale!

As expected of Sir Dlae!

The mercenaries who had recently become much more friendly with him chanted Dales name, while the private soldiers looked on in admiration.

Gabriel shot Dale an irritable glance but quickly turned his head away, perhaps acknowledging his own mistake.

However, such cheers did not bring Dale any sense of thrill or joy.

He didnt quite relish being applauded for his efficiency in taking lives.

Instead of reacting to this nonsense, Dale turned to the captured leader and demanded,

Tell me everything now.

W-What would you like me to reveal specifically?

Thats for you to figure out.

Dale patted the leaders shoulder lightly and said,

Be compliant and honest. Itll be better for both of us if you do so.

The quick-witted leader nodded his head vigorously in agreement.

He understood perfectly what was expected of him in this situation.