Those that weren’t struck by the lightsaber, as they passed through the lingering afterimage, their fur also began to dry and scorch, their speed slowed, and they either fell in front of Logan Bennett, or were struck down by the swords of Gary Miller and Corey Allen on either side.

“Hey, kid, not bad at all. That swing killed more than a dozen monster rats in one go.” Corey Allen whistled, though it was unclear whether he was praising or mocking.

Logan Bennett himself didn’t feel proud; being able to kill so many red-eyed rats with a single strike was entirely due to the power of the Sword of Radiance and Gary Miller’s guidance. At this moment, he thought, “I can feel the power of the Sword of Radiance starting to fade.”

After this round of killing red-eyed rats, Logan Bennett felt he was starting to get used to such scenes.

Gary Miller, coordinating with Logan Bennett’s swings of the Sword of Radiance, kept slashing and thrusting his longsword, fending off the rats that slipped through. “Don’t be nervous, the remaining power is enough to kill these monsters.”

After being driven back once, the red-eyed rats pounced again, this time in a dense swarm, seemingly numbering in the hundreds.

Logan Bennett’s swings grew more practiced. Although he was still a bit afraid, worried he wouldn’t be able to block all these rats, he fully trusted Gary Miller and Corey Allen, believing they could help him hold off the rats on either side.

The Sword of Radiance slashed diagonally from top to bottom, drawing a beautiful arc of light in midair. Crackling sounds rang out as countless red-eyed rats crashed into the blade, the pressure on Logan Bennett’s hands multiplying. As an ordinary person without knightly training, he nearly lost his grip on the Sword of Radiance.

There were simply too many rats. Even though the ground before the Sword of Radiance was littered with halved corpses as if it were raining, dozens still broke through Logan Bennett’s defense, passing through the wall of light drawn by the sword.

“So many rats—unless Gary Miller and Corey Allen can swing their swords five or six times a second, there’s no way to stop them all!” Logan Bennett didn’t have time to swing the Sword of Radiance again, and could only worry inwardly: “Maybe the high-ranking knight squires trained by the church have some powers similar to divine magic.”

Just as Logan Bennett was lost in thought, what came to block the sides were not two sharp knightly longswords, but two small round shields wrapped in silvery-gray metal.

With fierce momentum, the two small shields were swung out, and the dozens of impacts merged into a single bang. The red-eyed rats were sent flying, landing on the ground, twitching, and soon dying completely.

Corey Allen chuckled, “A good knight doesn’t just have a longsword—he must also be skilled with a shield.”

As Logan Bennett breathed a sigh of relief, he continued to wield the Sword of Radiance, fending off the attacks of the red-eyed rats.

After repeated failed attacks, the red-eyed rats seemed to sense something was wrong. Some stopped pouncing and ran directly along the ground, while others climbed the walls, preparing to attack from above.

The situation suddenly became extremely perilous.

“I’ll take care of the ones above.” The always silent, tall, and sturdy Hudson Grant suddenly spoke.

While swinging the Sword of Radiance from top to bottom to block the rats in the air and on the ground, Logan Bennett asked, “Are you going to use the ‘Shield of Holy Light’?”

Gary Miller shook his head. “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

The four of them were like a small boat in a raging sea, swaying amidst the red-eyed rats falling from above, pouncing from midair, and surging from the ground, as if they could be overwhelmed at any moment.

Suddenly, Hudson Grant’s defense slipped, and a red-eyed rat landed on Corey Allen’s shoulder. Corey Allen’s sword and shield were busy blocking the front, so he couldn’t react in time and was bitten on the neck, letting out a pained grunt. With a shake of his shoulder, he flung the rat off.

Corey Allen said angrily, “The wound feels numb—they must be somewhat poisonous.”

“All right, I’ll activate a healing spell.” As Logan Bennett spoke, he rubbed his holy emblem with his free left hand.

Gary Miller stopped him. “No rush, Corey Allen can still hold on. Looks like we can’t block them all—let them bite a few more times, then use the healing spell.” There were simply too many rats, so the healing spell had to be used sparingly.

Before he finished speaking, he also grunted as a red-eyed rat bit him between his boot and knee guard.

After this, Gary Miller, Corey Allen, and Hudson Grant all adjusted their fighting styles. Although the rats could bite, their teeth weren’t sharp enough to pierce armor, so in areas protected by chainmail and knee guards, they relaxed a bit and focused their defense elsewhere. The situation immediately improved.

Only Logan Bennett, wearing a linen short shirt and matching long pants with no protection at all, was immediately bitten on the ankle by a red-eyed rat.

A numb, itchy sensation rose from his ankle and quickly spread upward. Logan Bennett almost lost his balance, his mouth dry and parched, desperately wanting water.

“Your constitution is much weaker than ours. Use the Shield of Holy Light first, then the healing spell.” Gary Miller assessed the situation. By now, about half the red-eyed rats were dead.

Since it concerned himself, Logan Bennett didn’t hesitate. Focusing his mind, he rubbed the holy emblem:

“Smen.”

A strange, mysterious incantation rang out, and a pale white shield of light appeared on Logan Bennett.