Our Family Has Fallen

When Lance confirmed the monster was a Pigman Knight, his heart stirred. He had assumed such elite enemies wouldn’t appear in the outer areas. However, the Pigman Knight’s appearance indirectly indicated they had entered an important area of the Beast Lair.

In the game, the Pigman Knight was a notoriously difficult elite enemy. It boasted high attack, robust health, and armor. A single critical hit could puncture a lung. A few more hits, and it would become a true test of a player’s will.

In reality, no one could underestimate the oppressive presence of its massive size. After that one strike, no one would doubt the terrifying force it wielded. Lance realized something and quickly looked down, only to see a dent in the Great Shield he held.

This Great Shield was custom-made for him. Ordinary shields were typically wood covered with leather. Better ones might have a one or two-millimeter-thick iron sheet attached, but their increased weight made them difficult for most people to use. Lance, however, had no such problem. He could take whatever he needed from the Exhibition Room, and his strength far exceeded that of an average person. The face of his Great Shield was a one-centimeter-thick iron plate backed by a wooden layer for cushioning. He had tested it: from ten paces, a musket shot would only leave a mark. Within five paces, it would only cause a dent and couldn’t penetrate. Yet now, a pit had been gouged directly into it.

If that had struck a person... probably...

Lance keenly felt the Pigman Knight’s threat. I have to eliminate it quickly! He recovered from the initial shock almost instantly, his mind already racing to figure out how to deal with this ’big fat pig.’

But that didn’t mean everyone else possessed the same courage. This wasn’t to belittle Dismas and the others; they had simply never encountered such a creature. When faced with so massive a monster, the first instinct wasn’t to fight but to flee—a survival mechanism engraved in their very blood. Fear gnawed at their will, but it didn’t mean they would surrender.

”Damn! I should’ve brought a bigger caliber gun!” Dismas quickly recovered, drawing the weapon at his waist, his expression steely as he glared at the monster.

”Big pig, I’m gonna chop you down!” Boudica leaned forward, arms spread wide, a look of mounting excitement on her face.

”Hmph. Pay me more, and I’ll take it down for you,” Tadiff said, casually wiping his nose, seemingly unconcerned by the enemy’s strength.

”No.” Lance sheathed his Great Shield and wedged the torch into a crack in the wall, completely freeing his hands. ”I’ll hold off this Knight. You all take care of the other Pigmen, then come back and help me.”

The Pigman Knight is dangerous, but where can a knight best utilize its strength? Open space. Only with a charge can its ton of weight be converted into focused power. Although this area is slightly larger than the previous tunnels, with surrounding brick walls even deliberately excavated to widen it, it still doesn’t offer the Pigman Knight enough room to build up a charge. It would be more troublesome if the surrounding fodder causes chaos, especially that drummer.

That last hit landed because I was caught off guard. I’m not an easy person to deal with; anyone who causes me a setback without offering any benefit won’t meet a good end. The Pigman Knight’s only value is to become Spiritual Essence.

Fire and light were initially unknown terrors to the Pigmen, but they quickly adapted to the flames and turned to attack these outsiders. The Pigman Knight, which had been the first to charge, was now taking small, careful steps backward, creating distance. Lance knew it wasn’t retreating out of fear but preparing for another charge.

I absolutely cannot let it charge again!

”Attack!” Lance wasted no words and charged, his target undoubtedly the Pigman Knight.

Why is the boss charging in empty-handed? Tadiff wondered. As he hesitated for a moment, Dismas had already taken aim.

BANG!

The searing shell struck the head of a Pigman Cripple that had just looked up. Dismas never missed!

Simultaneously with the gunshot, Boudica surged forward. She raised her War Halberd, aiming for a Pigman Drummer that had been pushed forward by the Pigman Knight, and roared as she swung.

WAAAGH!!!

Tadiff no longer had time to worry about his employer. Get paid, do the job—that’s the rule. He rushed forward with his axe, targeting a Pigman Hookhand.

Lance didn’t spare them a glance. He trusted their ability to handle the lesser monsters. Besides, the strength the Pigman Knight had displayed demanded his full attention.

Advancing with powerful strides, Lance encountered a Pigman Butcher blocking his path. He reached out, and a grotesquely designed Giant Slayer materialized in his hand. With a backhanded upward swing, he sent the Pigman Butcher flying. The creature could hardly resist the blow, and the massive wound nearly cleaved it in two. The Giant Slayer drank blood; it was born to combat such colossal creatures.

These small fry couldn’t hinder Lance’s advance. Dragging the Giant Slayer, he stepped over the corpse and continued his charge. In just two or three more strides, he closed the distance, backing the Pigman Knight into a position where it had no choice but to fight.

CLANG!

Lance swung the Giant Slayer. The Pigman Knight raised its own lance to block. A harsh metallic screech erupted at their collision, sparks flying as the sword blade scraped against the knight’s lance. Ultimately, however, it was Lance who was forced back a step; the Pigman Knight stood firm, unmoved.