A few minutes had now pa.s.sed after the last Antlion Cainden was supposed to kill made an ear-piercing screech that called out its fellow Antlions of different variations. Of course, there's no need to say that Caiden is now in grave danger.

The ones he had fought earlier was only a single variation of the Antlions which resembles dragonflies, now, he's fighting two other more that looks like ants and bees.

All the ant-looking Antlions that comes close to his range to attack him with the pincers on their heads, he bashes them with his axe - the same he does to the dragonfly Antlions. Caiden wouldn't have that much problem if those two variations were the only ones he was fighting, he was confident that he has a high chance of surviving their attacks.

But of course, there were the bee-looking Antlions too - that shoot exoskeletal spikes that grow not only on their b.u.t.ts but also on all the edges of their many limbs.

Having to defend himself from the sharp razor-like pincers and the polished fangs of the other two variations, Caiden was having a hard time dealing with the spikes that are being shot at him; he could barely dodge them because of his large body - also because of this particular attacks, his armour and his exposed skin are now cut and damaged.

[ Haa! ] swinging down his battle-axe again to smash another Antlion's head, his body was left wide open again for the spikes to hit him.

[ Tsk! ] realizing that he was now about to get hit by another, he pulled his axe back again to block the attacks and then countering by swiping his axe very hard in a circle, clearing and knocking back off all the enemies in front of him.

[ Aah...! ] but with his attack, he screamed in pain. It turns out, because of the speed of the unexpected and instant pulling of his axe up, he ended up spraining his muscles as he did so, and it causes him to feel intense pain.

And because of the pain and the injuries he now suffered, he decided to take out his last vile of potion and drink it.

It takes a few minutes before it actually works, but right now, at least, the pain went off and a little of Caiden's anxiousness went away with it.

But no matter what, as he faces his eyes in his front, the anxiousness that is telling him that he will not be able survive his current situation only grew bigger again.

[ This... Will I able to survive this...? ] Caiden could only mutter as he looks at his enemies.

Caiden's front and back are now filled with Antlions. The ones in his back that just arrived are now just waiting for an opportunity to attack while the ones in front of him backed up a little when they saw their companions cornering their preys up. Now, all they need to do was to compete within themselves to see who first can kill their single prey.

Caiden could see and understand the behaviour they were showing, and honestly, to him, he felt very proud of himself. Killing this many Antlions that all the country and the guilds all over the world are having trouble dealing with was worthy of praise, not to mention that the said Antlions are now afraid of him. They are afraid of charging at him even if they have the advantage at numbers.

( They're afraid, huh...? So they're no different than any armies and people I fought... They lose their formation and fighting spirit when faced with someone they know are stronger than them. ) seeing the actions they are now doing, he was reminded of the time he fought as a knight against an enemy country.

( But still... Right now... I don't have the right to criticize them... )

Being called the 'Goliath of the Kingdom's Knights', Caiden's strength and looks are not just for show. He really was a one-man-army who can drastically kill the enemies spirit just by showing off his strength, not to mention when he really gets serious. He was the kind of guy who recklessly charges to the enemy ranks without the thought of him dying from the enemy attacks. That what he was, but right now, he was not that Caiden; right now, he's the Caiden who evaluates himself lower than his enemy. Right now, he's a coward who thinks he would surely die from the enemies in front of him.

[ Does seeing someone a lot stronger than I actually made my spirit weak...? Did I unconsciously lowered my evaluation of my self after seeing how strong Vlad-san was...? What is it that made me this weak...? ]

( No... I'm strong...! I'm stronger than the enemies currently in front of me...! I promised myself... That I will only coward from those who are stronger than me, and not those who are weaker...! ) with this realization, Caiden tightens his grip on his axe. He lifted his face and looks at the direction in front of him.

[ They're merely insects... There's nothing for me to be afraid of! ] as he shouted those words, he immediately dashes to the enemies in front of him.

[ Arc Slas.h.!.+ ] slas.h.i.+ng his axe horizontally with his full power, he cuts through all the Antlions that was on the white visible arc his axe made.

[ Haa!!! ]

After that attack, he continues his rampage, not minding the consequences that he would get extremely exhausted as he just lost a ton amount of blood just earlier, and while also ignoring all the cuts he's receiving from his enemies.

*Swis.h.!.+ *Swoos.h.!.+ *Slash

Slas.h.i.+ng sounds resounded from his heavy axe as he skillfully swings it around his enemies while also creating slas.h.i.+ng winds that also cuts through the enemies.

Carca.s.ses, hard exoskeletons, and green goos were exploding every single time Caiden swings his axe.

Right now, Caiden is showing the part of him that only thinks of fighting, surviving, and killing; not the weak one who only thinks of dying.

[ Haa!!! ]

( Haa... This is bad... It hurts and my consciousness is fading... ) but as expected, his continues usage of the skill 'Arc Slash' had caused his body to get extremely exhausted, and as the seconds past as he uses it, pain also gradually acc.u.mulated in his body.

The enemies too seem to be never-ending as they keep calling out for their companions when they see other ones falls.

[ Haa... Haa... Haa... ]

( Is this how I'm going to die...? Will I die because of my companion...? Or is it really just because of my weakness...? ) with these words, Caiden's vision slowly blurred until it completely turned white...

***

[ Heal! ]

With those words, Caiden's vision slowly turned clear again. It took a few seconds for him to escape his dazed state and to realize what was going on.

[ Thi-This is! ] looking at his hands and his arms, Caiden turns shocked as all the cuts and bruises it had earlier are now completely gone.

Still not sure what had happened, he turned to where he heard the voice that he heard vaguely called out 'heal'.

There, he saw a small tanned girl blocking off attacks from the enemies with an almost non-visible green-coloured s.h.i.+eld. There, also at her back is a cat-eared girl very accurately one-shoting the enemies.

The skill he's seeing from the girl was unbelievable. He has not seen an archer so accurate and so powerful in all of his experience as both a knight and a hero.

[ Amazing... ] he could only whisper to himself.

[ Caiden-sama! Here! ] then, he heard another person calling him, and of course, he immediately responds by turning his head over to where the voice came from.

When he turned his head around, rather than seeing someone, the first thing he saw was a small gla.s.s bottle containing glittering blue liquid being thrown at him. He manages to catch it with his hand and as soon as he did, the voice called over to him again and he finally saw whose voice it was.

[ Caiden-sama! Please drink it! It will store your energy! ]

He knows her face, but he didn't remember her name as he thought it was unnecessary, because she was a mere slave.

But now, Caiden deeply regretted not remembering it. Seeing that the person he thought was a mere combat slave would be so strong, brave, and calm in a situation like this. She was the reincarnation of a warrior, of a knight. This was the thought that entered Caiden's mind as he looks at her.

( Now I know why Vlad-san has trusted these slaves... ) with these words, he also trusted them and drunk the content of the bottle.

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As if all his lost energy came back to his body, Caiden felt alive again.

[ Haha... Is that it? ] Caiden chuckled as he speculated the reason why they had given him the bottle.

It was either because they wanted him to live or because they wanted him to fight with him.

[ With these girls... We can surely defeat every single one of them. ] he whispered to himself as he looks at the trio one-by-one.

( I want to thank them for saving me... But... only if defeat all the enemies here! )

***

( Thi-This is!!!? I... I can't believe it... They've killed all of them... All the monsters of an entire floor... An entire nest... Unbelievable... I never expected they will be able to do that... Especially my trio... ) s.h.i.+ro could only silently mutter inside his head as he watches the four people just a few floors on top of them wins a victory to almost a thousand of high-levelled enemies.

( Their levels must've sky-rocketed too... I guess it was right for me to bring them together with me for this subjugation... )