Was it because his attack was unexpectedly blocked by an uninvited guest?
Or was it because of the identity of the one who just appeared?
"Hooh..."
The Turncoat Rook lowered his bone spear as if surprised.
If he wanted, he could have continued the attack immediately.
However, it seemed that even the Turncoat Rook couldn't help but be mindful of this unexpected visitor.
"This is... Quite an unexpected face to appear here."
The Turncoat Rook and the Turncoat Knight looked at each other.
Although they were both turncoats, that was merely a designation given by Ark.
It did not indicate any sort of relationship between them.
To prove that fact, the atmosphere between the Turncoat Rook and the Turncoat Knight was unusually tense.
["You... die."]
Was it a declaration that words were unnecessary?
As the Turncoat Knight pointed his bone spear at the Turncoat Rook, a ferocious aura began to flow from the Turncoat Rook in response.
"You're planning to interfere?"
["Kin... protect."]
"Kin? Ha! I have no idea who you're calling kin. Looks like you picked the wrong side."
Judging from the Turncoat Knight's previous behavior, it seemed like he should have also accepted the Turncoat Rook as kin.
No, to be precise, the Turncoat Rook was far more fitting to be classified as kin than I was.
However, there was one hidden story behind all this.
Long ago, the Turncoat Knight was nearly devoured by the Turncoat Rook.
Not as a metaphor — literally.
Since then, they had been enemies, and that hostility continued to this day.
To be exact, it would be more accurate to say that the Turncoat Knight had been avoiding the Turncoat Rook.
Not only on a personal level, but even when considering their respective forces, the Turncoat Knight couldn't match up to the Turncoat Rook.
'The Turncoat Rook didn't really have a reason to chase him down either.'
To the Turncoat Rook, the Turncoat Knight was a fairly appetizing prey, but not valuable enough to abandon his mission and pursuit just to track him down.
One side was constantly fleeing, and the other had no reason to pursue.
As a result, the two maintained a hostile relationship without crossing paths.
'That is... until today.'
Today would be an opportunity for the Turncoat Knight.
A chance to finally put an end to this long-standing grudge.
"Die... huh?"
The figure of the Turncoat Knight vanished.
The same was true for the Turncoat Rook.
Boom!
Kwooooom!
The battle between the turncoats erupted.
As expected of a clash between monsters designated as dangerous by Ark and branded as turncoats, enormous shockwaves erupted whenever their bone spears collided.
"Is that all you've got?"
The Turncoat Rook unleashed a crazed laugh as he thrust his bone spear.
The Turncoat Knight responded in kind, extending his own spear, but it was clear he was gradually being pushed back.
["Die... now."]
Countless bone tendrils sprouted from the Turncoat Knight's entire body.
However, the bone tendrils emerging from the Turncoat Rook were far more numerous and thicker.
The bone tendrils from both sides intertwined with each other.
Crackle—!
Crack-crack-crackle!!!
The clash of the turncoats.
Like a chaotic skirmish typical of Skull Turncoats, countless bone tendrils stabbed at each other from all directions.
Thud!
Thud-thud-thud!
However, as Skull Turncoats were monsters that integrated offense and defense using bones, there was no instant resolution or decisive blow.
Since their characteristics were so similar, the battle naturally devolved into a war of attrition.
Yet, no matter how much of a war of attrition it was, a winner would inevitably emerge.
The momentum of the battle gradually shifted in favor of the Turncoat Rook.
'This... isn't good.'
There was no need to worry, though.
It was true that, in a one-on-one fight, the Turncoat Rook held the advantage over the Turncoat Knight.
There was a reason why Ark had given the Rook and Knight their respective names.
But that was only in a one-on-one situation.
'Janus.'
[Gigit!]
I quietly extended my right arm.
Although I needed a little more time to use firearms, they weren't my only weapons.
['Ankelenth's Spear' has been summoned!]
[Summoning duration for 'Ankelenth's Spear': 3 minutes and 11 seconds.]
The spear gripped in my right hand felt unbearably heavy.
It was a sign that my current condition was far from ideal.
'But... there's no point in complaining now.'
If I were to abandon the fight and leave it entirely to the Turncoat Knight, I might be able to avoid the immediate crisis.
But then what?
I would end up losing one of my strongest assets for nothing.
'I can't let that happen.'
Clench, creak—
The muscles gripping the Ankelenth's Spear screamed in agony.
Even with my exceptional natural healing, this wasn't an injury that would heal so quickly.
Nonetheless, I steadied myself into a throwing stance, surpassing my limits.
'Esther.'
["So now it's come to this — stabbing an old comrade in the back..."]
'We were attacked first.'
["Strictly speaking, it was you, not us... Well, I guess you're not entirely wrong this time."]
Ether pulsated through the Ankelenth's Spear.
Though not as intense as usual due to the drained ether reserves, it was still enough.
[Throw...]
[Hit...]
Ether coiled around the spear.
Though it was impossible for me to dive into that melee, long-range support was certainly feasible.
'One good shot first.'
I threw the spear with all my might.
['Bone Javelin' activated!]
Whiiiish—!!!!
The spear tore through the air, hurtling toward the Turncoat Rook, who had been relentlessly pressuring the Turncoat Knight.
"This is nothing!"
Oh dear, he should have dodged instead of blocking.
Of course, my advice didn't reach the Turncoat Rook.
The Rook quickly raised a bone shield to block my spear, but the rotation of Ankelenth's Spear did not cease.
Crack, crunch—!
"Not bad!"
Craaaaash!
Despite being blocked by the bone shield, the spear's rotation only grew fiercer as time passed.
Fine cracks began to form on the bone shield, gradually spreading.
Eventually, the shield shattered with a loud explosion.
Boom!
Bone fragments scattered in all directions as the body of the Turncoat Rook staggered heavily.
The Turncoat Knight did not miss the opportunity and immediately extended his bone tendrils.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!!!
Thanks to that, the Turncoat Knight, who had been continuously pushed back just a moment ago, regained his composure.
And I had no intention of missing this opportunity either.
"Horus!"
At my call, Horus, whose wings had just finished recovering, soared into the air.
I also dismissed the summoning of Ankelenth's Spear and stood beside the Turncoat Knight.
"Kin..."
"Let's do this."
Along with me were Janus and Horus, and on top of that, Esther and the Turncoat Knight.
In an instant, the situation became one against five.
Seeing this, the Turncoat Rook spoke as if it was ridiculous.
"...Haven't you ever thought this was a bit cowardly?"
"Not really."
Says the one who ambushed an injured person.
Despite the overwhelming difference in numbers, there was no sign of crisis on the Turncoat Rook's face.
If anything, he looked even more composed.
"I was planning to take it easy... but you leave me no choice."
Before long, a vicious aura began to surge from the Turncoat Rook.
"I'll kill you all."
It wasn't just his aura.
As if something had materialized, the bone tendrils around him writhed like living thorny vines, creating a tangled mass that seemed to transform the very space itself into his domain.
Then, all of a sudden, the Turncoat Rook's body leapt up and charged straight at me.
It seemed he intended to target the weaker one first.
'Fast.'
The bone vines deployed by the Turncoat Rook acted as an extension of his domain, significantly increasing his speed.
Moreover, the densely grown bone vines themselves served as armor to protect him, making it a technique that combined offense and defense into one.
'Janus!'
But I had no intention of going down that easily.
Janus spewed bone tendrils that wrapped around me in an instant.
Swish!
Almost simultaneously with Janus's bone tendrils rising to protect me, the Turncoat Rook's bone spear grazed my waist.
Even though Janus had defended me, his weakened state couldn't fully block the Turncoat Rook's attack.
"Ugh!"
If not for the toughened skin granted by the Sigma-Type Enhancement Serum, my bones would have been sliced clean through.
Of course, we weren't just taking hits either.
The attack inevitably created another opening, and the Turncoat Knight and Horus didn't miss the chance, wildly unleashing bone tendrils toward the Turncoat Rook.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom—!!!
Amidst the rain of bone tendrils that poured down like a bombardment, the bone vines released by the Turncoat Rook countered them head-on.
Bones, bones, more bones.
As if to prove that there were four bone parasites present, bones of all kinds scattered throughout the battlefield.
'What a sight.'
Or perhaps the opposite?
Either way, it was clear that a battle of attrition like this wouldn't determine the outcome.
In the end, the only way to finish this was to move to close combat.
"Let's go."
There was no need to say who would move first.
The Turncoat Rook and the Turncoat Knight, along with Horus and me, all charged toward each other simultaneously.
Crack... crack...
With every step I took, my muscles screamed in agony.
The hastily patched-up wounds reopened, and blood began to seep out.
My body was still in terrible condition.
The same went for Janus and Horus, who fought alongside me.
'Damn it.'
At moments like this, I was painfully reminded of the difference between a Skull Knight and a human.
Unlike the Skull Knights who clearly surpassed human limits, my ordinary human body undeniably had its boundaries.
'At least I can stand, thanks to the enhancement serum.'
If not for that, everything would have unfolded just as the Turncoat Rook desired.
Crackle-crackle!
The clash of bones continued relentlessly.
As expected of the Turncoat Rook, despite being outnumbered, he fought skillfully, proving that he wasn't just a monster with brute strength.
Thud!
The impact of the Turncoat Rook's strike was heavy.
Even though I had only blocked a few hits, all my wounds burst open, and blood poured out from my entire body.
"Ugh!"
Surely, every time this happened, it would have been an opportunity for the Turncoat Rook, but for some reason, he didn't take another step forward.
This clearly meant one thing.
'He's wary of something.'
And it wasn't hard to figure out what that was.
There was only one weapon on the battlefield capable of inflicting significant damage to the Turncoat Rook.
'Ankelenth's Spear.'
Of course, considering how he had been struck by it earlier, it was only natural that the Turncoat Rook remained vigilant.
In a war of attrition between bone parasites, the existence of Ankelenth's Spear, capable of silencing an opponent with a single blow, was something he had to be wary of.
'As expected.'
Because of that, the Turncoat Rook couldn't make a decisive move even though he clearly had opportunities.
He was cautious of revealing an opening that could be exploited by Ankelenth's Spear.
That fact, in turn, presented me with a perfect opportunity.
'In that case...'
Should I bait him once?
Since the Turncoat Rook was so blatantly wary of Ankelenth's Spear, it was only natural to take advantage of that.
'Good.'
Once my thoughts were set, I turned around without hesitation.
"Are you running away?!"
"Let's call it a strategic retreat."
The moment I cautiously withdrew from the front line, the Turncoat Rook let out a furious roar and followed me.
Just as expected, the Turncoat Rook, who was already wary of Ankelenth's Spear, wouldn't easily let me go.
'He must think it would be troublesome if I tried to snipe him from a distance again.'
With my current condition, I could only attempt a long-range throw like the first one once or twice more.
But there was no way the Turncoat Rook knew that.
Even if he suspected it, the sheer threat of Ankelenth's Spear remained undeniable.
Crackle—
Crack-crack!
While I was struggling to block the countless bone tendrils stretching toward me like leeches, new bone tendrils intervened between us.
It was Horus and the Turncoat Knight.
[Kreeeek!]
["Your opponent... me."]
The Turncoat Rook's face twisted into a vicious grimace.