Our Family Has Fallen-Chapter 534 - 332: Weakness_2

This means 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 mere human strength. Yet, the Pigman Knight lifted it directly with its left hand, a testament to its extraordinary arm strength.

But the Pigman Knight gave him no time to recover. It took a small step forward on its stubby limbs and aimed 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 formed a plan: I can't meet force with force. I'll use its momentum against it—defend and counterattack.

With this in mind, he didn't swing his greatsword to meet 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 immense 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 time there was no charging momentum, and Lance, in his prepared stance, didn't experience the overwhelming impact from before. Instead, the moment 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 immense 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 moment 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 momentum. The sword's edge, carrying the force of his charge, slammed 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 immense 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 meant 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 frame.

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 Meat 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 time Lance was ready to strike, that brief moment was enough for the Pigman Knight to react.

It slammed its lance into the ground for support, steadying itself. Simultaneously, it swung its deformed, 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 metal-encrusted arm swinging towards him, a profound sense of danger washed over him.

If that hits me, my head will be smashed!

He had no choice but to abandon his attack and raise the greatsword defensively. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

BANG!

A dull clang of metal on metal rang out. Under the tremendous force, Lance, holding his greatsword, stumbled back several steps before regaining his footing. But the immense 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 extreme 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 somewhat pale. The persistent coughing brought a metallic, 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 time he had composed himself, the Pigman Knight had been even faster, using the chance to shuffle back and create distance between them.

Lance calmed 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 assumed 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 environment, using the greatsword was highly restrictive. This ingrained thinking had become 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 time 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 me before; I was caught off guard and sent flying.

Lance took a deep breath. This time, however, he had no intention of meeting 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 helmet. The soft lead bullet deformed on impact without penetrating. However, the force of the gunpowder acted like a heavy punch, slamming violently into the helmet 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 remember Pigmen 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 extremely 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 same 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.