Chapter 113
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: The Black Knight
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The Dullahan, in its essence, served the role of a reaper.
It was a death fairy, foretelling the end of those whose lives were nearing their close and collecting the souls of the unjustly departed. They had always existed alongside humans.
While the Church of Courage had branded them as undead, they were not inherently malicious creatures.
However—
When a Dullahan drew its sword, few could stand against it.
Just like now.
“Ugh! What power!”
Helios, the commander of the Royal Guard and the only Sword Master in the Oz Kingdom, was shocked by the inhuman strength of the black knight he was facing.
They had only exchanged a few blows.
But that was enough for him to realize that his opponent was far superior.
Where did this monster come from?!
His muscles screamed in protest.
But Helios gritted his teeth and parried the longsword.
The two separated, creating some distance.
Huff, huff, huff
The inside of his opponent’s helmet was pitch black, as if painted with ink.
Only a pair of chilling blue lights glowed within.
I have to hold out until my men can help me.
He was the only one in the Royal Guard who could hold this creature at bay.
He had reached the rank of Sword Master in his late thirties and had trained relentlessly ever since, yet the gap in their skills was immense.
He couldn't even begin to fathom the depth of his opponent’s swordsmanship.
If they had met under different circumstances, he would have begged for a lesson.
“HAAAAAA!”
He roared and charged again.
Swords clashed.
The impact sent a numbing jolt through his arm.
The mysterious black knight suddenly lunged forward, headbutting him.
“Ugh!”
He narrowly dodged, but the blow grazed his nose, and blood began to trickle down his face.
There was no time to stop the bleeding. He was too busy parrying the relentless barrage of attacks.
Thud!
He was pushed back, and before he knew it, he was cornered.
His back was against the wall.
The black knight’s sword began to glow with a blue aura.
He quickly imbued his own sword with a similar aura.
BOOM!
The two aura-wreathed swords clashed, creating a thunderous explosion.
The other soldiers and knights, who had been fighting the Death Knights, momentarily turned their attention towards him, but the relentless assault of the undead gave them no time to intervene.
As his men were cut down one by one, Helios felt his own stamina reaching its limit.
This is it… I have to inflict a fatal blow while I still have some mana left!
He rolled away from the black knight, disappearing into the dust cloud.
He couldn't see his opponent's face, but he knew he was at a disadvantage.
The fact that his opponent hadn't killed him yet suggested two possibilities:
Either he’s being careless, or he’s toying with me.
Either way, it was humiliating, but he hoped it was the former.
It would give him a sliver of hope.
Helios focused.
He controlled his breathing and circulated the mana in his body.
The sword became an extension of himself, and he became one with the sword.
He would end this in a single blow.
His blue aura turned orange, the color of his own mana.
A long, flame-like blade.
As Helios prepared his final attack, the black knight’s longsword also began to glow, its blade turning pitch black.
A black sword that seemed to absorb all light.
The air grew heavy.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
He couldn't win.
But if he fled, his men would be slaughtered.
As a knight, he couldn't abandon them.
He gritted his teeth.
And then, he unleashed his fighting spirit.
He channeled all his remaining mana into his sword.
He would burn his own life force to kill this black knight.
Even if it meant dying in the process, a mutual kill would be his victory.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
His sword shone brightly.
The black knight’s sword trembled, as if unable to contain the immense power within.
Helios, known as the Sun Knight, moved first—
BAM!
The ground cracked under the force of his mana-enhanced charge.
The distance between them closed in an instant.
His ears rang, and he swung his sword, putting all his weight into the blow.
Swoosh!
The blade, like a miniature sun, streaked towards the black knight’s neck.
Whether his opponent was caught off guard or it was a mere coincidence, Helios rejoiced as he saw the black knight’s head, helmet and all, cleanly severed from its shoulders.
But then, he realized something was wrong.
There had been no resistance.
The helmet flew through the air.
But the blue lights within still stared at him with cold, chilling eyes.
At that moment, Helios realized his mistake.
His opponent was a Dullahan, not a human. He should have aimed for the heart, not the head.
Regret washed over him, but it was too late. He had exhausted all his mana. All that remained was death.
The black knight’s sword moved slowly.
It was like slow motion, but he couldn't dodge.
A black sword, a stark contrast to his own sun-like blade.
But within the blackness, there were shimmering, star-like specks.
He realized at that moment.
The black sword contained a universe.
Dark Nebula Sword.
‘Creation’
It was as if the heavens and the earth had been split apart.
The result of a single swing was astounding.
It had not only sliced through all the buildings and high-rises in its path but had also left a deep gash in the supposedly impregnable Walls of Constantinople.
“Come back and challenge me again.”
The Dullahan, who had gracefully caught her own head, said.
Helios, realizing his own head was still attached to his shoulders, collapsed to the ground, watching the black knight’s retreating figure.
***
“Giddy-up! Giddy-up!”
I spurred Gold Run towards the north gate.
Two of the capital’s four gates were already in chaos.
With all the soldiers’ attention focused on those two locations, this was the perfect opportunity to escape.
As I galloped down the road, my mask on, I saw a group of soldiers in the distance.
I tensed for a moment, but then realized they wouldn't recognize me and rode past them.
The north gate was getting closer.
While I wanted to take Gold Run with me, I couldn't risk being stopped at another checkpoint.
“I hope you find a better owner next time.”
I patted Gold Run’s head, then dismounted.
“W-What the?!”
“Get out of the way!”
I extended my hands.
It was time for Majestic Presence, the sixth-tier spell that created a massive, low-pressure sphere of wind.
It started as a small sphere, but it quickly expanded like a balloon. When I could no longer contain the immense energy, I released it.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The spell that had countered Baron Louis’s Fury of the Neptune was devastating.
The gate, which had been dozens of meters high, was instantly destroyed.
Well, it was a concentrated blast of energy, equivalent to a small typhoon. The result was expected.
I leaped over the shattered remains of the gate and successfully escaped the capital city of Oz, the royal seal tucked safely in my pocket.