Now that he saw it, he understood that the object carried on its back was not a weapon at all, but sothing akin to a ceremonial staff.
But how could such a thing have fallen into the hands of Pign?
Unlike the others, Lance recognized this peculiar Pigman.
The Pigman Drumr, with abilities similar to a Shaman’s, used the drum before it to unleash an evil power that affected and interfered with surrounding enemies, while also directing other Pign with its beat. This eerie power made its presence highly threatening, and it was usually a priority target.
Yet, when faced with a group consisting of two Pigman Butchers, one Crippled Pigman, and finally, the Pigman Drumr, Lance marked the Crippled Pigman.
"Dismas, take out the Crippled Pigman first!"
Dismas didn’t hesitate for a mont, raising his musket and firing.
The instant that order was shouted, the axe in Lance’s right hand vanished, replaced by a musket. He fired almost simultaneously.
However, his target was that tall, lean figure—the Pigman Drumr.
Why choose? Lance wanted them all!
Two gunshots, almost simultaneous, reverberated through the cramped space. The deafening roar startled even the Pign.
Both sides were already in motion, and the sudden gunshots and flashes of light threw the Pign into chaos.
Then, a peculiar thing happened: both shots missed their intended targets. However, they didn’t miss entirely. Instead, they struck the two Pigman Butchers positioned in front.
It couldn’t be helped. The space was too confined. The two large Pign blocked the way, and the startled movents of the monsters left no clear line of fire. In such conditions, one might say it was better to be lucky than skilled.
Even their robust bodies couldn’t withstand the power of the shells. Thick pigskin was torn as the projectiles burrowed into bulging muscles, sending sprays of blood and Flesh.
One must understand, Lead Bullets were fingertip-sized and heavy. Being made of a softer material, their most horrific aspect was deforming upon high-speed impact within the body. This caused a devastating cavitation effect, turning Flesh into a pulpy ss. Thus, in so respects, the damage inflicted by a Flintlock Gun’s projectile entering the body was even more grueso than that of modern firearms. The most common treatnts for such wounds were amputation or simply waiting for death.
Treating gunshot wounds was still one of the challenges Paracelsus had yet to research and overco.
However, these injuries, though fatal to humans, weren’t deadly for the massive Pigman Butchers. They didn’t even lose mobility; instead, their fury was stoked. They let out piercing screams and attacked like madn.
"Damn it!" Dismas cursed, quickly fumbling for his pre-packed cartridge, biting open the paper and pouring the gunpowder into the barrel for his second shot.
"Be careful!"
As the Chain Hamr flew towards him, Lance couldn’t continue shooting. He blocked with his shield and charged forward, deflecting the descending cleaver with a backhand swing of his axe.
Boudica seized the opportunity to engage the other Pigman Butcher, excitedly swinging her War Halberd.
But this slight delay gave the Pigman Drumr its chance. It energetically waved the white bone in its hand, striking the drum’s surface.
A dull, yet indescribably eerie sound filled the air, echoing continuously throughout the confined space. Those who heard it felt an inexplicable palpitation. The rhythm of the drumbeats mimicked a heartbeat, as if it wasn’t a drum being struck, but their own hearts.
For a mont, an unsettling expression flickered across almost everyone’s face. Only Lance remained completely immune to the drum’s influence.
But Dismas and Tadiff had both endured the Heretic Priest’s Soul-Entangling Curse. Compared to that, this drumming felt sowhat less potent, causing only a montary falter before they recovered.
As for Boudica, she was protected by the Tribal War Patterns on her body. Encountering such a spiritual attack, she opened her mouth wide and unleashed a tribal roar.
"WAAAGH!!!"
Her adrenaline surged, nullifying the strange sensation in her body. The Tribal War Patterns on her face blazed with power, and like a roaring lioness, she unleashed her Supernatural Power, directly confronting the Pigman Butcher before her.
The brute had just drawn near, not even having ti to throw its Chain Hamr, when it was stunned and left dazed on the spot.
Boudica showed no rcy, lifting her War Halberd and striking down with all her might.
Slaughter!
The War Halberd, a heavy weapon, ended the Pigman Butcher’s life in a single strike—an efficiency even greater than Lance’s.
Why did you have to provoke her?
However, Boudica’s valiant display caught the Pigman Drumr’s attention. Its pig-like eyes fixed on her unblinkingly. The rhythm of its drumming changed, and it lifted its bone stick, pointing it towards Boudica at the head of the charge.
Boudica might not have realized it, but Lance saw the spreading black ripples suddenly converge and hurtle towards her.
Lance didn’t even have ti to shout a warning to Boudica before he felt a strange sensation; his own body grew heavy, his steps rigid.
And at that mont, the Crippled Pigman seized the opportunity. It propped itself up on its arms, like a howitzer aiming at Boudica, its mouth agape. Its distended belly pulsed, clearly indicating its intent.
"Dodge quickly!"
Lance’s warning finally ca, but Boudica, weakened by the drumming, was too slow to evade...
BANG!
A musket shot abruptly shattered the tense, paused-like stillness, and the scene snapped back to life.
While the Crippled Pigman aid at Boudica, Dismas, in turn, was aiming at the Crippled Pigman. The mont it pushed itself upright, presenting a much larger target than when it was crawling, a shell whistled directly into its open mouth. The Crippled Pigman had just risen when it pitched backward, lifeless.
Youth has its advantages; it had barely fallen before it was ’asleep’.
"I never miss," Dismas said, blowing away the wisp of smoke rising from the musket’s muzzle.
He had just fired a shot that struck a vital spot, instantly killing the Crippled Pigman and simultaneously neutralizing the threat to Boudica.
anwhile, Tadiff, realizing the Drumr’s threat, wanted to act. However, he was in the third position, and the narrow corridor offered no space for him to advance. The Pign blocking the Drumr were also a threat to him.
But now, with Lance engaging one Pigman and the other two already dead, the path to the Pigman Drumr was clear.
The Drumr didn’t notice Tadiff’s intent. But with two of its companions dead, it realized the direness of the situation and began to frantically beat its bone stick, the urgent drumming sounding like a death knell.
But Tadiff was a hardened warrior. He bravely advanced, ignoring the intense drumming, and flung out his hook. This move was clearly well-practiced; he had yet to miss with it, and this ti was no exception.
The sharp, sickle-like iron hook instantly snagged the Drumr’s shoulder, eliciting a piercing shriek of pain.
A Pigman’s anatomy, particularly its short lower limbs, was ill-suited for standing. Considering the small contact area of their hooves, supporting their body and walking was fundantally contrary to their physiological structure. With just a slight tug, Tadiff upset the Pigman Drumr’s center of gravity, causing it to stumble forward several steps before regaining its footing.
The drumming, however, had been disrupted. When the Drumr steadied itself and looked up, it saw Tadiff’s armored form, like an iron tower, looming before it.
SCREECH!
A sharp cry began, only to be cut short the next second as Tadiff’s axe bit into its neck, decapitating it after a few swift swings.
anwhile, Lance had also dispatched the tenacious Pigman Butcher. It was clear the squad had won another encounter.
The darkness demanded constant vigilance, which was ntally exhausting. Not to ntion, the encounters were sudden and at close quarters, further fraying their nerves.
With the battle over, everyone finally let out a collective sigh of relief, able to catch their breath in the oppressive atmosphere.
But just then, unsettling pig-like squeals echoed from both ends of the corridor.
"Damn it! The drumming—it was calling for reinforcents!" Lance realized instantly, but it was too late.
The weary team, with no ti to rest, now faced an encirclent from both front and rear.
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