“Huh, what is that?”
Cezanne muttered in a daze.
He was a part of the group who was heading toward the riding range. The group consisted of him and two other knights. The riding grounds were made by cutting down a large number of trees and was as wide as an empty lot. The land was so clear and empty you could see it from afar.
As he looked into the distance, far away in the open planes, a huge snake was coiled there, as if covering the whole area, lying down in the field. Its body covered the whole riding area and extended all the way down the mountain behind. The color of its scales was similar to the mountain’s vegetation, so it appeared to be a part of the mountain from a distance
“Laikios…?”
A voice filled with astonishment was heard from one of the other knights standing nearby. A supreme level monster reigning over all other serpents on the ground, it was a formidable enemy.
Laikios hibernated underground all winter long and only emerged above ground as spring approached. It then would prepare a nest where it could give birth to its young before spring had fully arrived. And the place the snake had chosen as its nest, appeared to be right here.
It was indeed a well-known monster, easily recognizable in an instant. For some reason, it was currently asleep, but it was obvious that the moment it opened its eyes, disaster would unfold.
It was on a completely different level from a monster such as Lamia. Laikios had the power to lay waste to the whole fiefdom. Even if they were the Knights of Philres, they were not at the level where only three of them would be able to take on the monster.
The most senior knight among the group spoke.
“First of all, we need to calm ourselves, and retreat as quickly as possible. We must inform His Grace and the other knights of the facts and ask for support.”
He spoke in a low, calm voice, but you were still able to detect the tremor that was present. Cezanne and the other knights nodded nervously. They took their eyes off of the strange sight at the riding grounds and turned around, stating to leave quietly.
Kieek!
A Lamia jumped out of a nearby bush. After that, several other Lamias jumped out of the surrounding area. They bared their teeth and attacked the knights.
They fought away the monsters that were trying to attack, quickly and efficiently swinging their swords. The monsters were defeated with little effort.
The commotion didn’t last long, however the aftermath of the momentary uproar was enormous.
“…!”
Even the knights noticed it. An eerie feeling creeping down their spines. They slowly turned around, coming face to face with a pair of bright yellow pupils in the distance.
“Aw shit…”
Cezanne muttered in a weak voice. He quickly took out his flare and lit it. The bright red light shot up, out of his hands and into the sky. At the same time, Laikios screamed and began to rise.
Kyaaa-
It seemed as if the entire mountain was shaking. As the curled serpent, as large as a mountain, unwound its coils, the earth was swept away by its body.
The place where the knights were standing was no exception. The most senior knight quickly jumped up and shouted.
“Stop it! Don’t let it get to the village!”
Soon Laikios came down like a landslide toward the group.
“Damn it! How are we supposed to stop that?!”
No matter how much of a master he was, it was impossible to block the moving mountain in front of him. Cezanne swore as he drew his sword.
***
“It’s a signal!”
At the same time Elaine cried out, a monster’s roar shook the entire mountain range. Beyond the peak, she saw the head of a huge serpent rising up. It rose high, as if to pierce the heavens, covering the whole sky above the riding range.
Elaine and Ash’s expressions changed when they recognized Laikios. He said, quickly turning to her.
“The knight who went to the riding range are in danger.”
As he had said, Laikios was a difficult opponent for the three knights to face on their own. The two hurriedly ran toward the range. Even from afar, Laikios could be seen going on a rampage. The closer they got to the riding area, the louder the monsters roars became.
When they arrived, the area had already been reduced to a wasteland.
A snake larger then a house was running wild, the knights desperately trying to attack it. The people who had gone to the villa had already joined in on the fight. Since the villa was close to the range, they were able to make it there faster.
Compared to Laikios, the knights appeared to be as small as ants. It was a sight no different from a live natural disaster. Because of the overwhelming size difference, the knight’s attacks were only a small tickle to the monster. To make matters worse, Laikios, a regenerative monster, healed quickly when it was wounded.
As a result, there was no way the six of them would be able to handle it. For them, the only thing they were able to do was draw the monster’s attention away from the village. If it had been any other knight, they would have lost their lives long ago. Fortunately, since they were the Knights of Philres, they were able to keep his attention.
But in return, all six of them had suffered serious injuries. Cezanne who was bleeding from his head, and another seriously injured knight came into view.
