Engagement - Injury
The young soldier swung his sword.
Katrina stumbled as she casually deflected Leo’s attack. She didn’t show it, but she was surprised. The sword she had just encountered was stronger than it looked.
‘His swordsmanship isn’t great… Could he be an Expert? At his age?’
Katrina inwardly reevaluated her opponent.
Expert was the minimum requirement to become a knight. Their bodies were infused with mana, allowing them to move much faster and exert greater strength than someone of similar build.
Becoming an Expert required more talent than effort.
Physical talent. The talent for the body to accept mana faster.
Mana, a gift from the gods, permeated the air. All living beings absorbed mana, and given enough time, anyone could become an Expert.
However, the difference lay in the fact that the vast majority of people lost their strength to aging before they could even reach the level of Expert.
[ Achievement: One Knight - You become stronger when fighting knights. ]
Leo Dexter wasn’t an Expert, but the achievement he’d just earned from killing Deros had misled Katrina.
‘If I’m not careful, I could die here…’
She sensed trouble. Now she understood why Deros couldn't even handle five men.
But she wasn't intimidated. She was determined to avenge her incompetent junior.
Leo hastily blocked Katrina's counterattack. Despite her injuries, she easily pressed him.
“Haa!”
Only when Lena joined the fray from the side did the exchange become balanced.
Katrina began to feel pressed for time. Another squad could arrive at any moment, and the strain on her body was causing her wounds to worsen.
Time was not on her side.
She had to finish these two off as quickly as possible, recover Deros’ body, and retreat.
Katrina bided her time, conserving her breath.
‘The woman is slightly weaker.’
Having made her judgment, Katrina shoved Leo hard, breaking his balance, and charged straight at Lena.
Lena calmly moved to block, but what came flying at her wasn't a sword, but a foot. She swung her sword at the incoming leg, but even that was a feint.
Katrina, balanced on one leg, spun. Using only the strength in her ankle, she twisted her body in an unnatural rotation.
Startled by the knight’s unorthodox movement, Lena hurriedly raised her sword, but Katrina was a step ahead.
Her sword flashed, severing an arm.
Lena’s forearm flew through the air.
“Lena!”
“Wh-What the…!”
Ignoring her flying arm, Lena threw herself at Katrina. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Katrina was knocked to the ground.
Leo also lunged. He landed on top of Katrina, pinning her sword hand to the ground.
Katrina struggled to free her weapon, but it wouldn't budge.
Leo's hand was instantly covered in blood. His thumb was being slowly sliced by the blade.
But he didn't let go.
“Lena!”
Lena, staggering to her feet, raised her remaining sword and struck down. Leo kept Katrina pinned, preventing her from moving.
He could feel her desperate struggle beneath him.
- Thud!
A fountain of blood erupted onto Leo's back. Lena, gasping for breath, collapsed beside him, blood gushing from her severed arm.
“Ha… Leo… We got the knight…”
“Your arm!”
Leo quickly got up and pulled out a bandage, wrapping it tightly around her wound. It took longer without his thumb, but the bleeding from Lena's arm began to subside.
“You… Of all things, your right thumb…”
Lena seemed more concerned about Leo's finger than her own severed arm.
Her forearm lay on the ground nearby.
The first time Leo had seen a severed limb on the battlefield, he had been shocked. But after experiencing countless horrific battles, his senses had dulled.
Somewhere along the way, he had stopped feeling anything at the sight of severed limbs or eyeballs scattered on the ground.
But seeing the familiar arm of someone he loved lying detached was a different kind of shock. The incongruity of it—the wrong object in the wrong place—left him speechless.
If a priest had been present, they might have been able to reattach it. But with the Holy Cross Church opposed to the war, no priests were allowed on the battlefield.
To get it reattached, they would have to leave the battlefield and find a church in the city, which would take at least a week on horseback.
And they couldn't afford that kind of treatment for such a severe injury.
As Leo stared at the severed arm, Lena gave a wry smile and said,
"Should we bury it here as a memento? Along with that knight?"
Her face was pale, but she didn't stop joking.
“Let's bury your finger with it too.”
“This is no time for jokes. We need to get back. Can you walk?”
Though adrenaline and shock were masking her pain, Lena needed immediate medical attention.
Just then, they heard footsteps in the distance.
Leo tensed up and tried to lower Lena to the ground.
“Lena, pretend you're dead.”
“Why would I pretend to be dead? No one would fall for that. Might as well just die for real.”
“Why would you die? Just shut up and lie still.”
He was on edge, but thankfully, it was their allies who emerged from the trees. Lena and Leo were escorted back to the rear.
Left behind on the battlefield were the body of a red-haired knight, bleeding red blood, and a severed arm.