Absolutely No Way to Become a Fallen Knight
There's absolutely nothing about becoming a Fallen Knight. My one and only weapon, the bone, shattered. And out of nowhere, I became the dungeon boss.
'This is fucked...'
"Clack, clack..."
I double-checked the message still floating before my eyes.
Congratulations! You have become the new master of the dungeon!
It's not like anyone was making fun of me or anything. Congratulations? I never asked for that crap!
For some reason, it pissed me off. Annoyed the hell out of me!
No matter how much I huffed and puffed to vent my frustration, there was nothing I could do. All I could do was clutch my now-broken bone and stew in my rage.
Oh, right. The key.
Then it hit me late—the whole reason I'd come here in the first place. I headed over to the watchman's corpse.
Beyond the watchman's head, which seemed to wear a satisfied smirk, a familiar silver key gleamed in the darkness where his body had been.
Is this the last one? Collecting all the keys I had made for a pretty decent haul.
Now I just need to head back to the first floor? But... what about a weapon?
The moment I leave this room, I'll have to carve my way back up through a dungeon swarming with enemies. Monsters that lunge with teeth bared first thing. Wanderers who see me as nothing but a walking EXP bag. The place is still crawling with them.
In a situation like this, heading out with zero weapons to protect myself? Way too risky.
Isn't there some temporary weapon I can use around here?
'Huh? That...'
"Clack, clack..."
Scanning the room, turning my head this way and that, I spotted something and approached.
Next to the massive chair where the Dynasty Watchman had sat was a huge sword, just lying there.
One glance and it was obvious—this was the sword the Dynasty Watchman had wielded in life.
I got it. So he had a weapon this whole time but charged me bare-handed? He really meant to die.
Clearly, the Dynasty Watchman never intended to win from the start. After thousands of years of waiting, his kin finally appeared before him. The moment he saw me, he must have pinned his hopes on escaping the long suppression, craving freedom.
I picked up the sword and inspected it for nicks.
Oh, this'll do nicely. Bones never had any real power anyway. I just used them because they were handy.
But this sword? Different story.
◈ A sword bestowed upon the watchmen of a certain kingdom in the past.
◈ Its keenly honed blade slices through enemies with ease.
No fancy features. Just sharp. Simple as that.
But I was satisfied. Hey, this is plenty!
I already have the powerful Slash skill anyway—no need for extra weapon gimmicks. What matters to me is how it fits in my hand.
Size? Weight? On those fronts, the Watchman's Sword cleared my picky standards nicely.
Whoosh!
Weight's perfect. Not too heavy, not too light. And the length? Love it. Stretching a bit longer than my upper body, it showed no rust despite the ages.
Gular's wooden shield in one hand. Watchman's Sword in the other.
Now I look the part!
"Clack!"
Grinning with satisfaction, I stood.
Farming wasn't over yet.
'The watchman definitely had a Soul Stone in his chest.'
The most delicious meal. Even without Crave activating, desire overflowed as I approached the watchman's corpse.
A gem shimmering brilliantly from the watchman's chest. My second Soul Stone.
The first from killing the Skeleton Knight. And now this.
But the watchman's Soul Stone was way bigger than the Skeleton Knight's.
Dungeon bosses deliver, huh? Rewards scale up.
Common sense: bigger is always better.
Just as I reached for the Soul Stone, eyes thick with greed—
Someone has invaded the boss room.
Not a welcome message at all.
I turned to the entrance. A tense pack of Wanderers approached.
Watching them for a moment, I withdrew the hand I'd extended toward the Soul Stone and stood, drawing the Watchman's Sword.
Protect the dungeon core from intruders.
Deal with these pests first, think later.
"Everyone, stay sharp. Things could get real dangerous from here...!"
The unfinished fifth underground floor of this nameless dungeon. The first Wanderer party to reach it prepared for the battle ahead.
"Just take down the dungeon boss, and we're clear."
The flower of the dungeon, the sole reason Wanderers raid them. Slay the boss, get rich.
Exotic pricey items. Boss byproducts from the corpse. All tempting.
Plus, clearing a dungeon even once changes your status. Honor and cash. In the Starting Village overflowing with noobs, nothing's tastier.
That's why they all tried. Levels? Risks? Goals only mattered.
"When we go in, everyone hide behind me."
"Got it!"
Bosses are never easy. Learn patterns first, then chip away. Straight from page one of the Wanderer manual.
"Enter!"
The leader-type hefted a shield bigger than himself and stepped into the boss room.
Through hazy mist, past the door. Inside—
'A skeleton?'
A lone skeleton stared from the center. Black bandana around its neck. Shield in one hand, sword in the other. Not like your average skeleton.
Instinct whispered: Danger.
Suddenly, the man recalled the recent buzz about the human hunter.
'Nah, no way that guy's here.'
He shook his head, banishing the thought. The monster had vanished. Even Iron-Blood Hero couldn't track it. No human hunter here.
Dungeon clear mattered more.
"Incoming!"
The skeleton charged. He raised his shield.
But—
Bam!
No prior knowledge would've blocked that.
Slice!
"Boss!"
Shield up, head severed clean off with it. The man dissolved into blue mist in seconds. His party lost it.
"Arrrghhh!!"
Terror. Despair. Fear. Negative emotions clouded judgment.
"No! Retreat for now and—!"
One still-sane Wanderer yelled late.
"Rush!"
"Arrow of Light!"
But the panicked Wanderers spammed skills wildly. The skeleton rolled on the floor, dodging all. Shield up, closed in, throats slit in a flash.
Not a fight. A one-sided slaughter.
Comrades gone to mist. Facing the approaching skeleton alone, the last Wanderer realized too late.
"Ah..."
They weren't ready for this place.
Easily dispatched the cocky challengers. Finally, time to think.
Now, check that Soul Stone!
Brushing off the blue mist filling the room, I approached the watchman's corpse again.
This time, no interruptions—I snatched it quick.
◈ A stone containing the soul of a watchman who guarded an ancient dynasty.
Description's a bit different? Not like the Skeleton Knight's Soul Stone.
Nothing super special, though.
Finally caught up to the fools outside the boss room. Felt a bit iffy, but I focused back on the Soul Stone.
All inheritance conditions fulfilled.
Here it comes! What ability this time? Will I sprout fur like the others? No more bald head?
Expectations high, I skimmed the messages.
But things didn't go as planned.
Existing inherited Soul Stone confirmed.
Two different souls will fuse.
Fusion? Like some combo move?
Question lingering—
Current Inheritance List
Fallen Knight
Something's off. Why only one option?
Then it clicked—the fusion message.
They merged into one? Damn, disappointment flooded in.
What? No choices?
Head went cold.
Consuming material (Soul Stone - Dynasty Watchman).
But fusion might mean something better, right? Not over yet.
Congratulations! You have inherited the soul of the Fallen Knight.
Not disappointed, I rallied my hopes again.
Moments later.
Synchronization beginning.
Feeling my mind haze over, I closed my eyes.