Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Death Knight Awakens
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The assassin's hand trembled violently from the deep wound stretching from his chest to his throat.
The blood loss was no joke.
He reflexively clamped his neck, but the hot blood surging up in gushes was a vivid sensation that only fueled his terror.
“Guhk!”
Unable to tear his eyes away from the boy’s pitch-black gaze, he let out another groan.
A sharp pain stabbed his side. Even in his heightened state of agitation, the agony was overwhelming. This felt like another fatal blow.
But he couldn’t look down.
Kang Jae-hyeok.
The young target, supposedly confined to the estate his whole life, was nothing like he’d imagined.
Far from naive, he was savage and ruthless like a beast.
The moment he averted his gaze, it felt like his throat would be torn out and devoured.
“Name.”
“…?”
“What’s your name?”
“Y-Yoon Sang-ho…”
The instant he spat out his name, crushed by fear—
He knew it was over. He could only pray to survive.
“Who’s behind this?”
“Iron… The Iron Guild master’s family wants the Kang Family Mana Operation Method. I didn’t… mean to kill you… Just secure you…”
Jae-hyeok already knew his intentions.
He’d aimed for the shoulder, not a vital spot, in the initial ambush.
With a cast on his left arm, disabling the right would make subduing him easy, he’d figured.
*‘Injuries like that healed ages ago.’*
His broken arm had leveled up and recovered during training.
He was in perfect condition. The cast was just for show; he hadn’t removed it.
*‘Thought they were too hasty, but it was a guild after all.’*
The association and government were unlikely to target him illegally.
With even a flimsy pretext, they could lock anyone away. Why risk recklessness?
Guilds were different.
Smaller ones especially had little to lose and often went rogue.
*‘That makes them easy to devour too.’*
Engraving the name of the thieves who dared covet House Kang’s assets into his mind, Jae-hyeok drove the dagger in Yoon Sang-ho’s side even deeper.
“Kkuk!”
Startled by the sensation of his guts tearing, Yoon Sang-ho couldn’t help but look down.
The dagger in his waist was familiar.
An epic-grade weapon he’d bought for a fortune just months ago.
His prized possession.
*‘Why is that in his hand…?’*
Never imagining he’d die by his own beloved blade, he perished in confusion. Despite answering obediently, he had no time to curse the boy who struck the killing blow.
*‘Nice.’*
[High Inquisitor Alus's Dagger]
Grade: Epic
The dagger wielded by High Inquisitor Alus when pronouncing death sentences.
Razor-sharp and unbreakable, it severs the condemned’s cervical vertebrae in one strike.
*‘Won’t break easily, that’s for sure.’*
Jae-hyeok was pleased with his trophy’s power.
He’d snatched the dagger when deflecting Yoon Sang-ho’s initial ambush.
Stealing the hilt.
The Kang family secret of seizing the enemy’s weapon and turning it against them embodied the essence of Quick Draw. It was Jae-hyeok’s specialty.
Rifling through the corpse for items, he activated the Leech King Ring.
Sizzle!
Pitch-black acidic poison melted the body.
Punishing the assassin who targeted House Kang’s bloodline, he erased every trace from the world.
Amid the foul stench left on the ground, Jae-hyeok checked the system messages.
[You have defeated a B-Rank Player.]
[Level increased by 3.]
[Amazing feat!]
[You defeated a stronger Player without a scratch.]
[All stats increase by 2.]
No need to lament his late awakening anymore.
Hunt monsters by day, Players by night.
The stage was set for faster growth than others.
*‘Not that I planned it.’*
The sudden reevaluation and timely bloom of his first skill had drawn aggro perfectly.
Moths like Iron Guild would swarm relentlessly for a while.
It was the moment Jae-hyeok’s lips curved faintly.
[[Lion’s Castle]’s specter, Deodor, senses your presence and awakens from deep slumber.]
-Killing intent sharp as a blade… The sword-mad demon has finally returned! Keh keh! Kra ha ha ha ha!! Thank you! You’ve fulfilled my wish, so I’ll keep my promise! The moment I recover my strength, I’ll come for you and cross blades!
[Hidden quest generated!]
[Deodor marks you as his target.]
“…!”
A voice pierced directly into his brain, not his ears.
The manic laughter echoing in his head carried immense mana.
Reeling from the shock, Jae-hyeok steadied himself against a tree and scanned the surroundings urgently.
The forest was silent.
The rampaging voice in his mind had vanished without a trace.
*‘A Named…’*
Monsters had grades, but also classifications: normal, elite, boss.
Just as Players had National Treasures beyond norms, monsters had outliers.
Named.
Special individuals with human-like thought, memory, and will.
Deodor’s speech and aura screamed Named.
*‘Who’s this sword-mad demon he’s mistaking me for?’*
From the context, it seemed he’d sensed the killing intent from the kill and mistaken him.
*‘To be called a demon by a monster, must be one hell of a ferocious human.’*
Not Seol Su-ah, at least.
As a National Treasure, she’d achieved perfect clarity. The demon was likely from a martial force or one of the advanced instructors.
Gulping dryly, he opened the quest window.
[The Vengeful Specter]
Deodor will pursue you once fully recovered.
“This time, it won’t be my head, but yours that falls to the ground.”
Time until pursuit begins: 120 days.
Quest clear reward: Deodor upholds the contract.
“What bullshit.”
Why pick on me?
Absurd, yet thrilling.
He didn’t know the contract’s details, but a hidden quest tied to a Named promised massive rewards.
*‘One more reason to grow fast.’*
Named varied, but they were strong.
High stats, intelligence, battle experience, unique skills—they dominated peers.
Victory now was impossible.
But 120 days was ample for a freshly awakened Jae-hyeok.
*‘Hope the school doesn’t learn of Deodor’s revival by then.’*
Lion’s Castle barred outsiders outside events.
Thus, the assassin Jae-hyeok just killed was likely an insider.
There could be more faculty colluding with external guilds like him.
If they investigated the Named’s revival, Jae-hyeok’s position would turn precarious.
Besides…
*‘Can’t let them steal my prey.’*
Jae-hyeok quickened his pace.
He’d gained 6 levels today, plus feat rewards.
Even moving all night wouldn’t suffice to adapt to the massive stat boost.
***
“It’s so quiet here every time.”
“Not even crickets chirping. Gives me chills.”
The twin siblings stood on the embossed lion head at the castle gate, faces pale.
Young retainers of House Silla.
Their skills were exceptional, true to their lineage serving a prestigious house for generations.
The sole reason these S-Rank potentials attended Lion’s Castle:
“…….”
To serve House Silla’s great successor.
A bob-haired girl with loose waves approached Sinla Kyung as he surveyed the ruined arena.
“All recent traces.”
Faint footprints and dried green blood.
Unlike their visit a month ago, she pointed out every change in the arena.
“A House Kang warrior left these perfect footprints.”
Sinla Kyung had traced them to their source.
“Kang Jae-hyeok collided with orcs during solo training.”
“Why train in such a creepy spot? It’s miles from the dorms.”
“Unique tastes.”
Leaping down from the gate, the twins inspected the prints in awe.
The wavy-haired girl’s cold eyes flickered with rivalry.
Worn and cracked as it was, this was seagreen stone arena. Even she’d struggle to leave such clear marks.
“Vastly improved since the Leech King raid. House Kang’s bloodline skills must be impressive.”
“Compared to the Yaksha’s greatness, it’s still lacking.”
Rumble…!
Sinla Kyung’s body slowly lifted into the air.
A partial application of House Silla’s bloodline skill manipulating nature.
A whirlwind swirled at his feet, eroding the seagreen stone and kicking up dust.
“Wah…”
“Our young liege got stronger. Bones wouldn’t last in there.”
Amazed by the gale’s power, the twins made a fuss.
Aloft, Sinla Kyung faced the Lion Statue.
Last time, it was moss-covered; now, fairly clean.
Had Kang Jae-hyeok cleaned it for no reason?
“Are you perhaps the dimension’s master?”
Suspicious of Jae-hyeok’s actions, Sinla Kyung questioned the statue.
But it showed no reaction.
Same as a month ago.
“…No way someone clears a 200-year unsolved quest so easily.”
Feeling regret and relief, he urged his group.
“We head to the sea beyond the forest as planned.”
Lion’s Castle was an island.
Vast as Gyeongsangbuk-do, but hard to sense with all coastal paths controlled.
Kuek!!
The moment Sinla Kyung’s group crossed the red no-entry line into the black forest, orc screams rained down.
***
“…….”
Arriving at the ruined arena, Jae-hyeok extended his senses.
Unfamiliar traces raised his guard.
-Impertinent brats came by.
The Lion Statue assured him the coast was clear.
“Impertinent brats?”
-Four kids. The identical twins rudely trampled my head, and the other two had arrogant eyes I didn’t like.
*‘Sinla Kyung’s group.’*
Twins and haughty eyes—obvious.
*‘As expected, here for the quest.’*
He’d figured. What else would monsters like them want with school?
“You didn’t talk, right?”
-Of course. The silver-haired punk alone might’ve qualified, but the other three? Not worthy.
“Silver-haired punk? Attracted to him?”
-I glimpsed ascetic traces rivaling yours. Prideful too. Eyes weren’t kind, but that’s for later… He barely qualified for chat.
“You haven’t forgotten our deal?”
-Never. I’m a proud dimension master. Promises unbroken.
“Good. No chatting with others till I complete the quest.”
-…How about tweaking the terms? If you fail, my wish goes unfulfilled—my loss!
“Changing words too easily? Prideful, huh?”
-Grr…!
“Anyway, who’s Deodor?”
-Deodor?
The Lion Statue bristled indignantly, then recoiled.
-How do you know that reckless Death Knight’s name?
“Death Knight?”
Jae-hyeok’s blood ran cold.