Suya's appearance at this moment was nothing short of astounding!
The scout cavalryman he impersonated was the very one he'd killed with his "Iron Mountain Lean" and "Spinning Sword Slash." The sword blade was lodged in the man's face, from his forehead to his brow, severing half his nose, cutting deeply into his jawbone, with flesh torn open and bone starkly visible.
Under Merlin's illusion magic, to onlookers, Suya was currently moving with a face that could almost be described as certainly fatal.
So,
Even the two seasoned knights guarding the central army's path, who had witnessed countless battles,
Were startled to see Suya with such a vivid, death-stricken face. And when they heard the intelligence Suya shouted from afar, information even more shocking than his appearance, their awe deepened.
"What did you say!? Arthur Pendragon?"
The knight on the left tightened his lance, asking in a grave voice,
"Where is he?!"
Arthur Pendragon's name wasn't yet famous; his public identity was merely the adopted son of a knight. The Macedonian knight naturally didn't know him, but he understood the immense significance of Uther's son and the "King of all Britannia" as proclaimed by Suya!
Hooves pounded the ground, the wind whistled past Suya's cheek, stirring his bright golden hair.
The distance between them rapidly closed,
But the two knights before him showed no intention of yielding.
Suya's eyes trembled slightly. He tightened his grip on Merlin's hair and tugged gently,
Urgently lowering his voice to demand:
"Suggestion!"
Merlin bit her lip, her eyes trembling with terror.
She turned her head, looking back at Suya with a shocked expression, her eyes asking,
Are you insane?!
She couldn't comprehend Suya's actions. While it was true they had reached a point where only suggestion magic could help them escape—these two knights guarding the central army were at the peak of their profession, powerful knights nearing heroic levels.
But what next?
What would they do after that?
She had already told Suya that this was her last spell slot. If they continued to approach the central army, they'd only encounter more such knights, and nearing the Macedonian royal banner would inevitably bring them face-to-face with heroic figures.
If they encountered such terrifying presences, or even just a professional magus of her own rank within the enemy army, their disguise would be easily shattered.
But now—
"5 seconds, only 5 seconds, you have to convince them!"
Merlin bit down hard on her teeth, crossing her fingers, thumbs and pinkies touching, and rapidly chanted a short verse. Then, she pulled a golden chain from her sleeve, letting a red gem dangling at its end swing before her eyes.
"Asclepius Magnetic Stream Disruption!"
To outsiders, it appeared as if the grim-faced scout cavalry knight had raised the bouquet of roses high!
Responding to this action, Suya squeezed the horse's belly hard, making the warhorse charge forward again, while roaring at the two knights once more:
"I need to see the general!"
"It concerns the whereabouts of Uther's son, the future King of all Britannia, Arthur Pendragon!"
"I don't have much time left!"
"Get out of the way!"
The same words reverberated in the ears of the two knights blocking their path.
The sudden, roaring shout, loud enough to even drown out the thunderous marching, startled the light infantry regiment nearby, causing many soldiers to turn and look!
However, this time,
As the distance between them closed to within ten meters, after seeing Suya's gruesome, terrifying, blood-splattered face, which looked as though he might breathe his last any second,
The two knights' eyes trembled slightly. At that very moment, they simultaneously understood—
This knight, he truly looked like he was dying.
His current actions were solely sustained by his loyalty to the King and the General. His consciousness, reduced to mere mechanical reflexes, was just enough to enable him to complete the actions he spoke of.
Only by seeing the general could he receive the honor he deserved!
But,
This time, it was still the knight on the left.
His heart had already accepted Suya's loyalty, but out of duty, he still asked one more question:
"Knight, where are your teammates?"
Suya's heart seized, and his expression changed. But quickly, using the ability gained from his newly acquired Deceiver class, he instinctively discerned from the left knight's expression that,
This was not a malicious interrogation, but a question uttered naturally and out of habit.
The distance between them closed to 5 meters!
Suya forced his facial muscles to reveal a bewildered expression, his gaze becoming unfocused, his eyeballs trembling erratically in their sockets,
His eyes wide, his upper and lower teeth clattered together, trembling continuously,
"Dead... all dead, only I... I..."
The intense trembling and horrified expression blended with Suya's genuine feelings when he killed the two scout cavalrymen.
That perverse pleasure,
That fearful unease,
That helplessness when all past rules were shattered, and he was instantly plunged into a world where only the law of the jungle remained.
"Eh?"
Finally,
He showed a strange expression, murmuring to himself with a hint of sudden realization,
"Why, only I... didn't—"
"—Knight!"
At this moment, a shout mixed with sorrow and anger startled Suya.
Smack!
The knight on the right raised his hand, drew his lance, and swung it hard against the hindquarters of his left teammate's warhorse, making the horse shy and leap several meters to the side, clearing the path.
"Enough!"
"Can't you see it yet?!"
"He has no consciousness left, Lars, do you truly want him to lose even his last knightly honor!?"
"I understand, but... reporting the intelligence to us for us to relay is the proper way..."
The knight on the right simultaneously spurred his horse to the left as he made his move,
Clearing a considerably wide path for Suya.
And then,
Both knights silently looked up,
Watching Suya, clutching the white roses, gallop past them like a whirlwind!
Though weak, yet unyielding;
Though near death, yet loyal!
They simultaneously raised their right hands, striking their breastplates with their gauntlets!
Showing the most profound knightly respect to this true knight!
The knight named Lars gazed at Suya's retreating figure, then suddenly shouted as if to remind him:
"—Knight!"
"General Seleucus has already charged into the enemy formation alone!"
"You should report the intelligence to Commander Hector of the cavalry regiment immediately; he is right under the royal banner!"
The knight holding the bouquet of roses high did not look back.
His eyes wide, he steered his warhorse, galloping along the flank of the vast army of tens of thousands!
The army formation around him flowed backward like a reverse current, roaring as it was pulled away by the strong wind, fading into the distance!
All Macedonian soldiers that day,
Witnessed such a steadfast knight!
Until the knight passed through the angle of the winding army formation and disappeared on the path leading to the royal banner.
On the warhorse, Merlin gazed in shock at the human tide flowing backward past them.
Along the way, no cavalry or scout cavalry stopped to question them.
The path was completely clear,
And they were even three meters away from the approaching light infantry regiment, as if this gigantic and precise war machine naturally contained such a passage.
They swiftly crossed the army formation and neared the royal banner,
But not far from the royal banner, Suya suddenly swerved the horse, turning towards the flank of the army formation—the direction Merlin had initially pointed to as their escape route.
While this action drew some attention, it quickly became unnoticed within the overall forward-moving army formation.
Merlin looked back at Suya in disbelief,
And then,
She saw Suya lower his head, looking back with a terrified expression,
"What are you standing around for? Dispel the illusion, we need to change identities and run!"
Merlin was still a bit dazed.
"Aren't we supposed to report to that cavalry captain, Hector?"
"No, are you an idiot?!"