Our Family Has Fallen

Everyone standing here was a victor in competition; only the strongest could survive. As for the losers... I’m afraid they’ve already been eaten or are hanging from a belt.

The fat pig held a crude but terrifying Bone Hammer in its hand, its filthiness showcasing its battle achievements. Each swing carried exaggerated strength. Boudica’s power, bolstered by two pieces of Extraordinary Equipment, was not weak by any means, yet she still couldn’t overpower the fat pig. Her Axe Spear attacks were either blocked by the Shields strapped to its shoulders and body or fell short in collisions with the Bone Hammer. Even if an attack landed on it, the pig’s thick skin and flesh meant it hardly cared. Boudica, however, had to be cautious of the swinging Bone Hammer.

Boudica was already irritable. Being entangled without success made her even more desperate, so she tilted her head back and let out a barbaric roar at the pig.

”WAAAGH!!!”

The power hidden in the war tattoos on her body emerged, like a lioness roaring—the pressure of a top predator surged forth. But what could usually easily intimidate enemies, even a range of Supernatural Powers, somehow failed to affect the pig. The pig merely swayed its massive head slightly to resist the dizziness and, in retort, let out a piercing scream at Boudica.

Boudica’s barbaric roar didn’t intimidate the pig. Instead, the sharp, pig-slaughtering-like sound exploded in her ears, further destabilizing her already shaky composure, and the pressure on her surged instantly. The pig had no intention of stopping. It immediately raised its Bone Hammer to bring it crashing down on Boudica’s head, letting out excited grunts. Without a helmet, a hit to the head could burst it open like a watermelon—likely a direct ticket out of this fight.

But Boudica was not fighting alone.

”Fat pig!”

A scoff accompanied the gunshot as the bullet whistled into the pig’s face, eliciting a sharp, piercing squeal. With its tough pigskin and thick layer of fat, the pistol’s power struggled to cause much harm. It only left a small indent on the pig’s face, from which oozed not blood, but greasy fat. But that was enough to draw the pig’s attention, allowing Boudica to snap back to reality. She wasn’t controlled. Seizing the opportunity, she swung her Axe Spear in a reverse motion, striking the pig to teach it a lesson. However, the blade only managed to slice through its skin; the monster’s physique was simply too formidable.

At this moment, Alhazred’s Spell was finally ready. As he began Casting the Spell, the Skull Candleholder in his hands floated up before him, emitting a strong glow of Spiritual Essence, and the Candles on the skull lit up on their own. Alhazred’s hands moved through the air in strange gestures, accompanied by unintelligible utterances. Assisted by the magical instrument, intricate and sinister patterns, drawn from Spiritual Essence, emerged from thin air. Following the Spellcaster’s hand movements, they instantly settled upon the pig.

Weakness Technique!

The pig could resist Boudica’s barbaric roar, but when a true Master Spellcaster took action, it wasn’t so simple for it to resist. The eerie Supernatural Power immediately affected the pig; its robust body was unable to withstand the Spell’s impact.

By this time, Lance had finished reloading for a second shot and fired directly at the now-marked pig. At that distance, there was no need to wait for the bullet to travel; almost instantly as the gun fired, the bullet hit the pig’s head. But compared to the previous wound, this shot tore an exaggerated hole in its face, even revealing bone—it resembled a pig’s head chewed on by a dog. Yet this damage was far from life-threatening; instead, it incited the pig’s madness. The pig dipped its head slightly, aiming its exaggerated tusks forward in a charging stance.

Since Boudica was in the front line, she naturally became the direct victim. The tusks were like two Spears thrusting at her. She raised her Axe Spear in defense but could hardly withstand the pig’s violent strength and was hoisted aloft by the tusks as they lifted, flinging her through the air. The pig then launched an unhesitating assault, aiming to destroy everything before it. When such a mass charged, it was no longer a fat pig—it was a tank!

War Trample!

Boudica, having been tossed aside and unable to get up, likely wouldn’t have survived if that hoof had trampled her. Seeing this, Lance hurriedly interrupted loading his musket and charged forward, positioning himself in front of Boudica. Simultaneously, the musket in his hand disappeared, and he slammed a Great Shield into the ground with a backward swing of his hand.

A small shield can be skillfully maneuvered, but with a Great Shield, there’s only one option—resolute defense!

He took a lunging stance, bracing his shoulder against the Great Shield to form a stable support. There wasn’t even time to shout a slogan; in an instant, the Pigman crashed into the Great Shield with brutal force. Its two tusks, like a Knight’s Spear, exploded with terrifying power the moment they made contact with the Great Shield.

”HRNNG!”

Lance couldn’t help but let out a low roar. In that instant, it was as if his body visibly swelled with effort, his muscles and bones becoming like welded steel and concrete, rooted to the earth, immovable as a mountain.

Iron Wall!

The tusks, after all, were no match for the charging might of the Pigman Knight. They failed to shake Lance’s stance, merely leaving a slight dent on the surface of the steel Shield. Simultaneously, the force was reciprocal; the Pigman suffered as much backlash as Lance had absorbed from its unsuccessful charge. This time, the Pigman was knocked dizzy by its own charge. Its pig head was groggy, seemingly not having processed what had just happened.

It could suppress Boudica, but in front of Lance, it was still nothing but a fattened pig waiting to be slaughtered.

However, Lance didn’t rush to deal with it. Instead, he turned to look back at Boudica, who was still on the ground.

”Are you okay?”

A mere glance was enough to see that a sharp tusk had punctured Boudica’s Flesh. What was more terrifying was that the upward motion of the tusk had torn the wound wider, gashing open a grotesque cut that even revealed internal organs. Alhazred also noticed this. Just as he was about to cast a healing Spell, Lance stopped him.

”I’ve got this.”

If it were a minor injury, I wouldn’t mind witnessing the techniques of the Mystical Scholar, but for something this severe, I trust my own powers more.

Flesh Reconstruction!

With just a raise of his hand, Boudica’s wound surged with fresh blood, flushing out the injury, then healed at a visibly rapid rate. In the span of a breath, the grotesque wound had completely healed without even leaving a scar. Only a trace of blood remained as evidence that the scene a moment ago was not an illusion.

Alhazred, who was well-experienced, hadn’t felt any discernible spiritual fluctuations and was completely bewildered by this secret technique. Only a few seconds had passed from the time Boudica was struck down to this moment.

But Boudica recovered quickly. As her injuries healed, she also overcame the shock from the impact. However, the rage inside her hadn’t subsided; if anything, it swelled even more. I’ve been in here for so long, and I’ve chopped down ten pigs, if not twenty! Yet this is the first time I’ve been wounded!

”I’ll chop this Big Flying Pillar to pieces!”

Boudica was so furious that her accent slipped out. She scrambled back to her feet and immediately rushed forward again, swinging her Axe Spear. That Pigman truly had a sturdy constitution. It, too, was slowly coming to its senses, shaking its head, and managed to raise its Bone Hammer to collide with Boudica’s Axe Spear, producing a metallic clang.

In a direct contest of strength, Boudica was still slightly outmatched, but that’s what skill was for—to bridge such gaps. The Axe Spear’s blade smoothly carved a half-moon arc, deflecting the force from the collision. Instead, it sliced into the Pigman’s thigh, opening a gash. But the Pigman was no stationary target. Its left hand shot out to grab Boudica, its pointed, dirt-caked claws radiating a strong, oppressive force.