Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Death Knight's Fall
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“...You, were you a black mage in a past life?”
“And why the hell did you end up like this?”
Ervehim tilted her head as she watched the man hurling random questions mid-battle.
‘...Is he trying to stall for time?’
There was no way a human of that caliber would act without reason.
He must have realized his opponent’s strength and was buying time.
But.
‘Why, though?’
She couldn’t fathom the reason at all.
What was the point of stalling in a situation this urgent?
The most plausible guess was reinforcements arriving... but recalling the earlier chaos, even that seemed impossible.
The black-haired mage and she had pulled away, leaving them no breathing room either.
‘Then why...’
As Ervehim racked her brain to read the mage’s intentions.
[What the hell is this taboo bullshit!]
Gooooh!
The one called the ‘Death Knight’ drew up his demonic energy and briefly closed his eyes.
And as if he’d been waiting for this exact moment, the man quickly sent a signal.
Tap, tap.
The man pointed at his right arm while staring at Ervehim.
‘Right arm.’
It didn’t take Ervehim long to understand the signal.
‘No way...!’
She had one hidden trump card.
A secret technique passed down only to elf elders through the generations.
And it was concealed right there, in her right arm.
Precisely, her right shoulder.
Sssrrk!
Ervehim rolled up her sleeve all the way to her shoulder.
Revealed was the ancient script engraved on her right shoulder.
No matter how she thought about it, this had to be what the man wanted.
But it made no sense.
‘How does this outsider know about something even my own subordinates don’t...!’
Only elf elders knew of this ancient script’s existence.
It had been handed down in utmost secrecy.
Ervehim herself had kept it hidden, honoring her ancestors’ will.
No one in this era should know besides her.
And yet... how?
The doubt lingered only briefly.
Ervehim shook her head and refocused.
‘That’s not what matters now.’
The situation in front of her was still one spark away from disaster.
She could ponder her questions after they were safe.
For now, priority one: eliminate this foul demon knight.
Chiiiing!
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ervehim activated the ancient script.
‘Kuh, ugh...!’
A burning pain shot through her arm.
But Ervehim couldn’t even groan.
The plan hinged on the knight not noticing.
“Hey, mind if I ask something real quick?”
The human glanced at Ervehim before resuming his stalling.
This was exactly what he wanted, confirmed.
She had no idea how he knew, but.
“...Fine, have it your way, you damned human.”
Ervehim muttered through gritted teeth, enduring the agony.
Her right arm began to glow blue.
The instant it radiated brilliant light.
Snap!
Ervehim flicked her fingers.
“Honored to see such magic, but before that, I’ve got something to show you first.”
From his chatter, he’d noticed the signal.
‘...Good.’
She pulled back her bowstring without worry.
The blue light spread to the longbow and arrow.
She steadied her breath, then released.
Pang-!
A powerful arrow infused with ancient might shot straight ahead.
Flash!
The man blink-teleported atop a tree, dodging the arrow’s path, then slammed into the [Death Knight]’s torso.
Kwaaaaang!
The [Death Knight] flew back with the arrow, his body ultimately pierced through.
Only then did the man flash a thumbs-up.
“Good shot.”
“Huh.”
Ervehim glanced at her right arm.
Crackle, crackle...!
It was charred black, utterly ruined.
To the point where she doubted she’d ever use it again.
And in this situation, ‘good shot’?
‘Want to smack him one.’
But more pressing matters remained.
Confirming the knight’s death.
Ervehim turned her gaze forward.
‘I can’t fight anymore.’
If the knight could still battle, they were in deep trouble.
But.
Thud, thud!
“...!!”
He slowly rose, shoving aside building debris.
Her worst fear had come true.
[Y-You filthy bastards...! Cough!]
Hiiihiiing!
The Death Knight spat blood but resummoned his black horse.
Not in great shape, but still fit to fight.
And as expected.
Ssssh!
The moment he mounted, he summoned the red magic circle from before.
A sinister aura spread simultaneously.
Gooooh!
“...It’s over.”
Ervehim slumped to the ground, murmuring lowly.
As she’d thought earlier, she couldn’t fight anymore.
Even the black-haired mage had been flung like paper by the knight’s earlier sword beam.
Who could possibly handle that demonic energy now?
It truly was the end.
Not only had the village been wrecked by this scum, but now they’d lose their lives too.
No, it didn’t end there.
If Ervehim died, he’d surely target the other elves next.
The elf race would slowly die out because of him.
‘I underestimated them. Too hasty a plan... Forgive me, ancestors.’
The moment Ervehim fully accepted defeat.
“What’re you mumbling about? Snap out of it. If you couldn’t pull your weight.”
She opened her eyes at the sudden voice.
And.
“...”
She was left speechless by the scene before her.
[Y-You! How the hell...!]
“Shut it.”
Clang!
The black-haired mage was smashing the demon’s magic apart, spell by spell.
‘Can we... survive?’
Ervehim watched, a faint spark of hope igniting.
***
Clang! Clang-clang!
‘Lucky.’
I gnawed away at the [Death Knight]’s magic circle bit by bit, sighing inwardly in relief.
‘Head’s completely empty, that guy.’
Honestly, I’d been startled moments ago.
Never imagined he’d get back up.
Guess Ervehim’s handling of that elf secret technique fell short of my expectations.
Whatever the reason, this had been a real crisis.
He was injured, sure, but so was I.
No confidence I could block a barrage of sword beams.
But.
‘Who’d guess he’d use magic in this spot?’
The bastard went with magic instead of swordplay.
And that gave us our golden opportunity.
-Magic learning rate increases by 300%.
I’m the ‘Prodigy of Magic,’ after all.
No matter how skilled a black mage he was, he couldn’t escape my mythic trait’s power.
‘Black magic’s still magic, right?’
The result?
His spells crumbling one by one under my outstretched mana.
[S-Stop...! Stooop! Gah!]
He clutched his chest in agony.
Must be excruciating right now.
Directly destroying a spell mid-cast causes the caster’s mana to backflow.
Why I rarely use casted spells myself.
Anyway.
“Thanks. For being such an idiot.”
Grateful for his low IQ, I slowly advanced.
Clang! Clang-clang!
[Gah!]
Thud!
His black horse summoning canceled outright, and he plummeted.
Lying face-down, too weak to move, he rasped.
[What... What the hell are you?! How can you touch my magic?!]
“Sorry. I’m just pretty damn good at this stuff.”
[My magic’s getting wrecked... for that shitty reason...?]
He shook his head, face full of disbelief.
[No way! Impossible! My black magic’s already perfected...!]
“Perfected? This?”
Crunch!
[Gyaaaah-!]
Ignoring his scream, I inspected his magic circle.
As a [Death Knight]’s black magic, the mana within was potent.
But.
‘...Pathetic.’
The formulas, structure—sloppy beyond belief.
Like a total newbie fresh off their first spell.
Figuring out why wasn’t hard.
“You know it too, right? That body of yours can’t use magic anymore.”
[Death Knights] fundamentally can’t wield magic.
Once they gain a physical form, their prior powers fade away.
Meaning the black magic he knew as a human gradually became unusable.
[Can’t use magic...? No... No way...!]
And he couldn’t accept that reality.
That’s why he clung to black magic still.
‘Tch, pathetic fool.’
No clue who he contracted with, but he’d scored a far stronger body than most [Death Knights].
Yet here he was, dicking around with magic?
Of course, the demon probably didn’t kindly explain he’d lose his magic.
Likely tricked him slyly into signing.
Even so.
“You should’ve accepted what you had to.”
The moment he realized he’d lost magic, he should’ve embraced reality and switched fully to swordsmanship.
Instead of deluding himself he’d reached black magic perfection.
If he had, things might’ve gone differently.
I’d be the one lying there now.
“Enough, my jaw hurts.”
Wham!
[Grk!]
I pinned his shoulder underfoot.
Then summoned [Sword of Light] in my right hand.
Infused full of holy power.
This would finish him.
[No... Nooo! I can’t die like this! I have to complete my black magic...!]
He wailed in injustice, but no pity needed.
No matter the reasons or path, he chose to become a demon himself.
Plus, a wielder of black magic, not just any spells.
Hard to imagine he was ever a good person back as human.
If anything felt tragic, my best mercy was this.
“I’ll send you off easy.”
[N-Nooooo!]
Slash!
His head cleanly severed from his body.
Roll...
His powerless black helm tumbled pitifully across the ground.