Shovel Knight Crashes In
BOOM!!
The makeshift kitchen, hastily thrown together at the top of Berry Village, was utterly demolished.
It was like a meteor had crashed down. The tremendous shockwave shattered what had been a kitchen just moments ago, sending fragments flying in every direction.
Thick clouds of dust billowed up.
"Ugh."
I flipped over my body, which I'd hurled outside just in time, and stared at the scene. The airborne debris was pattering down around me like rain.
A sharp pain throbbed in my back, making me wince involuntarily. It stung pretty bad—apparently, one of those chunks flung out by the massive impact had chosen my back as its landing spot.
"What kinda lightning bolt from the blue is this?!"
"...Damn it."
Jeil Hura and Jay Hura came running toward me, their faces twisted in grimaces. They'd somehow escaped through the window before that meteor-like thing hit. But they hadn't fully dodged it; they were limping along, clutching one arm and one shoulder respectively.
"What happened?!"
A startled voice rang out from behind them. But I kept my eyes fixed piercingly on the swirling dust cloud.
Soon, heavy footsteps emerged, parting the dust and scattering debris.
Clank—
They made a weighty sound as they crunched over the splintered doorframe.
Clank—
Blunt, thudding steps.
Clank—
Shiny steel armored boots came into view. And above them, the figure of a silvery-gray knight slowly revealed itself.
The knight, half-emerged from the dust, suddenly burst into laughter. It was a booming roar, like the earth itself chuckling.
"Sap haha haha haha!!"
Whoosh—
Just from that, the cloud-like dust billowed away somewhere.
"Kuh…!"
Now I could see him fully. At a glance, he looked every bit the knight—except his silvery-gray plate armor was rusted in spots, worn to near-rags. Every time he moved, it let out a grating screeech, like metal grinding against metal.
With Jeil Hura and Jay Hura's help, I stood up.
He wore a helmet that hid his face, topped with a long plume like a horse's tail. But it was a lovely shade of pink.
"……?"
He also had a large cape draped over his shoulders, equally tattered and frayed—but unmistakably pink.
"……??"
The mysterious knight abruptly stopped laughing after starting up out of nowhere.
Clank—screeech—
He took slow steps forward, then turned his head to look at me. From within the helmet, pink eyes gleamed.
Pink—the poster child for loveliness. But plastered all over him, it only made him look grotesque.
A bolt of realization struck me.
...This guy's a total lunatic!
Alarms blared in my head at the same time.
Dangerous guy! More than anyone I've met so far!
Announcing his madness with nothing but color choice. No ordinary madman.
"……."
He stared at me silently, then drew a sword from his back.
Shiiiing—
It looked like a hefty blade at first, but what he pulled out was a hefty shovel.
"……!"
Shovel Knight!
Just as he opened his mouth to speak—
Roar—
A massive wall of fire erupted between us. Followed by urgent footsteps approaching.
"Customer-nim! You okay?!"
Dahyun had rushed over, gripping her rifle-transformed gun.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
I replied, my mind racing. I stepped back for a detached, objective view of the situation, figuring out what to do.
I recalled what needed doing and sorted it out in my head.
"Dahyun."
"Yes."
"Where's Jang Wusan?"
"Over there."
She pointed to a tree near where dishes had been washed. Jang Wusan, tightly bound, was staring this way with a dazed, half-asleep face.
"Quick, untie Jang Wusan and tell her to order the Tteokbokki Cult to run right now. Then you run too. Hide somewhere out of sight."
Once the Chairman saw Jang Wusan freed, she'd realize the 'contract' between us was off.
"Got it!"
Dahyun didn't ask questions; she bolted toward Jang Wusan. She understood the crisis better than ten words of explanation—action was key now.
As I watched her go without a fuss, I pulled potions from my inventory, handing them to Jeil Hura and Jay Hura, then chugged one myself. Gulp gulp gulp.
"Boss!"
Geum Taeyang and Tteoksoon-i came sprinting from afar.
"Shop's closed. No more customers."
"Yes, Master!"
"Grab what you need and prep to run."
"Understood!"
Then, to Molrangkau approaching with her palm out toward the fire wall:
"Molrangkau."
"Yeah."
"Time to take down the sign."
Snap!
She flicked her fingers, and the blazing words filling the sky vanished.
"Got a plan?"
Besta sidled up, asking quietly.
"That guy's strong."
She pointed inside the flames.
"I could've handled some chores borrowing Molrangkau's fire, but adding power from afar, away from my nest, is tough."
"Yeah. I know."
As I nodded, Molrangkau asked:
"What're you gonna do?"
"Not sure yet."
"Then?"
"Buy me time."
"……."
One hand sustaining the roaring fire wall, she stared into my eyes.
"...How much?"
"How much can you buy?"
Molrangkau furrowed her brow, thinking.
"Ten minutes. No, five? Can't promise. He won't fight me—he'll just chase you."
"That's enough."
I nodded and turned to Jeil Hura and Jay Hura.
"You two scatter and run. Buy as much time as you can."
"Tch. Clones are just expendable, huh?"
"...Damn."
Despite their words, they shot off like arrows from drawn bows. As my clones, they knew exactly what to do without instructions.
Watching them go, Molrangkau said:
"You got this?"
"Gotta."
"...Real reassuring. Even if me and your clones buy all the time in the world, if you don't find a way, we're done. You know that? That psycho will chase you to the ends of the earth."
"...Such encouraging words."
"……."
Molrangkau eyed me worriedly.
"Don't worry. I'll figure something out."
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Remember what I said back then? Shovel Knight ain't that smart. Impulsive, instinct-driven. Wants to do stuff, but his brain can't keep up. Y'know, 'smart head, easy body'? He's the opposite—great body, easy head. Probably got lost, that's why he's late."
"...Oh ho."
"Use that."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Shut up. Just go already."
Besta waved at me too.
"See you alive."
I nodded and bolted like a loosed arrow.
Molrangkau's worried glance and her massive fire wall receded behind me.
She was right. That psycho would chase me till I dropped.
Even if I shook him off by running like hell now, he'd come back. He'd hound me until I accepted his challenge.
Hiding wouldn't solve it. Obsessed madmen don't quit.
So what to do? Accept the duel he craves.
A duel. Say I do. Then what? Lose meekly? Would he give up and find another victim if I died nicely?
Doubt it. More likely he'd rage, demanding I show my true power.
Then fight well enough to satisfy him, but still lose? Impossible. I couldn't even picture holding my own at his level.
Geum Taeyang and Tteoksoon-i had gotten way stronger, sure—but compared to their old weak selves. At best, pro gamer level after a year in Pangwol. If I faced low-rankers like Blood Axe Thrower again, I'd die without a fight.
So? Simple. If I can't lose, win.
But how? How to beat him without fighting?
How to make that madman submit?
I opened my skill window, scanning my cards. My eyes snagged on one.
"...This might work."
I finally smiled. High chance of failure, sure—but Molrangkau had given the hint.
Worth a shot.
But could it work? Only if Molrangkau and my clones bought enough time. That's what made it possible.
How long could they stall against that psycho? If he showed up mid-prep, game over.
Better just run?
"No."
I slapped my cheeks hard.
Smack!
Then shook my head.
"Believe. Gotta believe."
Believe in Molrangkau. My clones. Myself.
"Yeah! Even better! Hell yeah!"
I smacked my cheeks again, muttering.
"Shovel Knight, huh? Time to school ya."
A fair fight, a fair win. I'd make even a psycho like you admit defeat.
"Heh heh…"
I chuckled lowly and veered toward the village.
* * *
Roar—
Flames surged like waves. A knight burst through, pink eyes flashing.
"……!"
He flinched at Molrangkau.
"...Molrangkau?"
"What're you staring at? Shovel Knight."
She growled, using his nickname.
Shovel Knight hesitated, asking:
"No wonder the flames felt hotter. Why are you here?"
"None of your business. Why're you?"
"I'm looking for someone."
He glanced around.
"...Hmph. Seems he's run far."
Shovel Knight scratched his neck.
"Hates fighting, huh? Rumors true."
"……."
"Smashed his building on purpose, and he runs."
Scraaaape—
Hundreds of magic circles etched into the air around him.
"Wh-what? I don't want to fight you."
He sounded flustered. Molrangkau's ruby-red eyes flashed as she spat:
"So? You know my temper?"
"W-wait. Molrangkau! Calm down!"
"No."
She pointed at him, red light blooming from her fingers. Fireballs shot from the circles.
BOOM!!
A colossal explosion—way bigger than the kitchen blast. The shockwave whipped up a gale.
Molrangkau's red hair fluttered. A massive dust cloud rose at ground zero, but she didn't blink, summoning a mini-sun in her hand and hurling it in.
KABOOM!!
The second blast chained off the first, contained brilliantly in the dust. The ground quaked like an earthquake.
Rumble rumble—
Molrangkau flicked her hand. Wind blew, clearing the dust to reveal the scorch marks.
A blackened crater, round like a volcano mouth.
"...Tch."
But she clicked her tongue in annoyance. A human-sized hole gaped in the center.
"Ugh, seriously. Bad matchup."
She scratched her head irritably and dashed off somewhere.