This ans I've fallen behind in this exchange!
Lance felt the power transmitted from the earlier clash; his arms still trembled slightly. He couldn't help but focus on the Pigman Knight's weapon.
This type of heavy lance wasn't like the wooden-poled lances with iron tips used by Lance's cavalry. The heavy lance wasn't even held by hand; it was designed to be used with a lance rest tucked under the arm. It couldn't be lifted single-handedly by re human strength. Yet, the Pigman Knight lifted it directly with its left hand, a testant to its extraordinary arm strength.
But the Pigman Knight gave him no ti to recover. It took a small step forward on its stubby limbs and aid the lance at Lance.
With his guard up, Lance wasn't afraid of an attack. In fact, if it stood still, he would find it hard to strike, as its lance was no shorter than his greatsword. If he actively approached, he risked being smashed by a swing of its lance. While not afraid, he wouldn't take a reckless risk.
Facing the thrusting lance, Lance instantly ford a plan: I can't et force with force. I'll use its montum against it—defend and counterattack.
With this in mind, he didn't swing his greatsword to et the incoming lance. Instead, he raised his greatsword, turned sideways, and braced its flat against his shoulder.
The core principle of using a shield is to deflect force. Once understood, anything could serve as a shield, especially the wide blade of a greatsword.
The Pigman Knight was indeed huge and possessed imnse strength, but its weakness was also clear: it lacked agility and struggled with quick reactions.
So, if I seize the instant it attacks, I can use a small force to deflect a large one!
Now!
The tip of the lance struck the flat of his sword. However, this ti there was no charging montum, and Lance, in his prepared stance, didn't experience the overwhelming impact from before. Instead, the mont they made contact, he angled his sword, using its smooth spine to redirect the lance's force sideways.
The Pigman Knight's thrust found no purchase. Its imnse power slid off the angled sword and into the air, causing its massive body to lurch forward uncontrollably.
Lance wouldn't miss this opportunity. In fact, this was the mont he had been waiting for.
As he parried the lance, Lance used his greatsword like a shield. His entire body, as if shouldering the greatsword, surged forward with montum. The sword's edge, carrying the force of his charge, slamd into the array of shields chained to the Pigman Knight's chest, producing a dull THUD on impact.
Against an average-sized monster, this blow might have sent it flying. However, the Pigman Knight's imnse size gave it an incredible weight that Lance couldn't easily move.
Forces are reciprocal. Lance instantly felt the rebound, and half his body went numb.
However, Lance hadn't intended to achieve victory with that single collision. It was ant to give the already toppling Pigman Knight another push.
As expected, its earlier thrust had missed, and Lance's redirection had already disrupted its balance. This new impact worsened its situation. Its four trotters scrabbled frantically, taking tiny steps as it desperately tried to stabilize its colossal fra.
Perfect chance!
Lance was now close to the Pigman Knight. Its front was covered in too many shields, making it hard to damage, but his target was crystal clear.
Today, I'm having Pork Trotter!
If I cripple one, the remaining trotters definitely won't support its weight. It'll be completely paralyzed—a motionless at Mountain, just a living target!
Ignoring the pain from the impact, Lance twisted his wrist, aiming the greatsword at the Pigman Knight's lower limbs.
If the greatsword has any downside, it's definitely its difficulty to wield and its slow attack speed.
By the ti Lance was ready to strike, that brief mont was enough for the Pigman Knight to react.
It slamd its lance into the ground for support, steadying itself. Simultaneously, it swung its deford, steel-embedded right hand fiercely at Lance. Backhand Smash!
The Pigman Knight truly was an Elite; its reaction was incredibly fast. As Lance saw the tal-encrusted arm swinging towards him, a profound sense of danger washed over him.
If that hits , my head will be smashed!
He had no choice but to abandon his attack and raise the greatsword defensively.
BANG!
A dull clang of tal on tal rang out. Under the trendous force, Lance, holding his greatsword, stumbled back several steps before regaining his footing. But the imnse force hadn't diminished in the slightest; he had absorbed almost all of it.
Even with Lance's powerful physique, such a heavy blow made his internal organs roil. Due to the extre exertion, his entire body tensed, veins bulged on his neck, and his face flushed crimson.
"*Cough—cough!*" Lance exhaled sharply. The redness in his face quickly faded, leaving it sowhat pale. The persistent coughing brought a tallic, sweet taste to his throat—blood...
Lance didn't spit it out. Instead, he gritted his teeth and swallowed it. He tore off his long-ineffective mask and, in the next second, bared his teeth in a snarl, blood visible between them.
My parents' Essence Blood! It must not be discarded!
For Lance, such minor internal injuries would heal in an instant. But by the ti he had composed himself, the Pigman Knight had been even faster, using the chance to shuffle back and create distance between them.
Lance cald down as well. After observing the Pigman Knight, he simply retracted the Giant Slayer, standing empty-handed and staring intently.
Lance realized he had made a mistake. His usual brute-force approach, which had even allowed him to slay corrupted Wizards, offered no advantage against the Pigman Knight. Instead, he was repeatedly suffering setbacks. The reason was simple: he habitually assud that to fight a large foe, he should use the Giant Slayer. After all, that was why the sword had been forged. However, in this environnt, using the greatsword was highly restrictive. This ingrained thinking had beco a constraint. And now, by retracting the Giant Slayer, Lance sought to free himself from those constraints.
But the Pigman Knight cared little for such subtleties; it only knew it was ti to charge.
Boarish Rush!
The Pigman Knight raised its lance and charged at Lance. It wasn't particularly fast, but its quivering bulk made it resemble a runaway locomotive—seemingly unstoppable.
That's how it got before; I was caught off guard and sent flying.
Lance took a deep breath. This ti, however, he had no intention of eting it head-on. With a flick of his wrist, a musket appeared in his hand.
He pulled the trigger almost without aiming. A muzzle flash and a gunshot erupted as the shell spat from the barrel.
Instantly, the charging Pigman Knight's head snapped back; the shell had struck its helt. The soft lead bullet deford on impact without penetrating. However, the force of the gunpowder acted like a heavy punch, slamming violently into the helt and converting all its energy into a severe concussion.
In that instant, the Pigman's brain felt like mush. Its body continued running, but its mind had lost control over its limbs.
I rember Pign aren't very bright; among Elites, they're quite susceptible to being stunned.
Facing the oncoming Pigman, Lance moved like an elegant matador, twisting his body to evade it. As they passed, he drew an axe and viciously chopped at one of the Pigman Knight's trotters.
As expected, the Pigman Knight's body, enhanced by its ancestor, was extrely robust. The intense pain instantly dispelled the stun, and it regained its senses. The agony drove it into a mindless rage. It swung its arms, trying to smash this little pest to death.
But Lance wouldn't be beaten by the sa trick twice. He dodged as if anticipating its moves, showing no hurry to exploit the opening for an attack.
Lance's gaze fixed on the bleeding Pork Trotter. An axe chop like that couldn't have left it uninjured; indeed, it was severely wounded. The right hind leg was almost severed.
And with one Pork Trotter crippled, the Pigman Knight was just as Lance had surmised. The remaining three couldn't support its massive bulk, and the enormous creature looked ready to topple.
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