Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: The Knight's Oath
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[Krahaha! I suspected as much! To think I'd run into you here of all places, Gaulf!]
Shockingly, without even exchanging introductions, the Dark Army General seemed to recognize Gaulf. He aimed his naginata at him and greeted the knight like an old acquaintance.
Gaulf stepped forward, sword at the ready, responding in kind to the man's greeting.
[Huhahaha! Indeed, I was surprised myself. The aura cloaking these undead soldiers screams Abyss no matter how you look at it. So, that ridiculous name 'Dark Army General' and your current form—did the constellation you're currently entertaining bestow those upon you?]
[Something like that. And you? Lucky enough to find a fine master, so you're fighting with your true name and true form intact?]
[Thanks to the grace of the one I serve. At any rate, the moment I've awaited has finally arrived. This is precisely why I steeled myself for this 'life as an endless plaything of the gods' and inscribed my name in the 'Records of the Gods'! Huhahaha!]
[Krahaha! I never imagined a reunion like this either. But there's no reason to refuse!]
Yoo Seongwon watched the Dark Army General and Gaulf carry on like they were beating drums and gongs, his face a mask of utter bewilderment.
The other knights, by contrast, gazed at Gaulf's fateful encounter with eyes full of admiration and envy, congratulating him in their own way.
"Hmm..."
[Huhahaha, Contractor! Leave this battle to me. I'll capture that fool hiding behind the guise of Dark Army General, fulfill my long-held wish, and offer you victory!]
"Do as you like."
It wasn't that Yoo Seongwon doubted Gaulf's prowess—he simply chose to step back for now.
There was plenty to mull over from their exchange.
Starting with that phrase 'endless plaything of the gods,' the very word 'fate' felt alien to him.
[Krahaha! That's the Gaulf I know! Very well! But simply resolving our fates would be no fun—how about we raise the stakes?]
[Huhaha, I was thinking the same. Lanford—no, Dark Army General, you first.]
[I can't use that true name right now. Anyway, fine. If we win, you lot build us a bridge across the sea. I'm sick of being trapped in this godforsaken wasteland.]
A bridge over the sea.
It was a perfectly tailored demand for the Dark Army—subordinates of the War Constellation, long confined to Shikoku Island without a proper fight.
For Yoo Seongwon's side, it was an unexpectedly tame request. But having entered Japan under an agreement only to aid a monster horde would make honoring it a breach of contract—not to mention branding them enemies of humanity.
[Your ambitions are smaller than I expected. A single bridge? That's your entire condition? How quaint.]
[Krahaha! A bridge... just a bridge will do! Once we cross the sea, we can fight to our hearts' content! Now, state your terms.]
[I'll tell you once I've beaten you.]
[Not planning to lose, myself. Fine, whatever—after the duel, anything goes! Everyone, fall back! Mount up! Gaulf!]
[With pleasure! Nightmare Horse!]
Puhihihihi!
At Gaulf's call, a sinister steed appeared. Mounting it, he drew his sword.
The Dark Army General ordered his undead soldiers to retreat, then charged at Gaulf. Gaulf spurred his mount forward to meet the assault.
[I am the subordinate of Constellation 66,000 Demons! Dark Army General! Abyss Knight Gaulf! I will crush you!]
[That's my line, Dark Army General! The grudge I could never forget even in the abyss— the time to settle my fate has come at last.]
[Hmph! That's on your foolishness! Chasing after me wasn't enough—you fell into the abyss and became a plaything of the gods! I was content with eternal war!]
[Huhaha! I made an 'oath.' No matter what being I become or form I take—a knight lives to uphold that oath! Lanford!]
Kwaaaang!
Spear and naginata clashed, unleashing waves of abyssal power and shockwaves that ravaged the surroundings.
For a clash between S-rank monsters, this was par for the course. Yoo Seongwon and his group retreated farther, as did the undead soldiers.
"Looks like 'Gaulf' was the one in position to take down that Dark Army General."
"Probably... Before being summoned by Constellation 66,000 Demons, his name was Lanford, from what I gathered, Captain. I don't know the full story, but he made an 'oath' and pursued him relentlessly to uphold it."
"What even is this knight business, oaths and all... Geez~"
"For Sir Gaulf, it must have been more important than anything."
As he spoke with Seom-myeol, Yoo Seongwon watched the duel of knights bound by oath.
The momentum favored the Dark Army General, a direct apostle empowered by his constellation. His naginata swings demolished everything in savage arcs aimed at Gaulf.
Yet Gaulf parried unflinchingly with his sword, dodging with grace.
[Impressive...!]
[Excellent footage. Already recording.]
[Yeah... this is gold.]
Amid churning abyssal energies, Gaulf and the Dark Army General battled on.
Even their nightmare horses rammed with headbutts or reared to strike foes down with forelegs.
A true union of rider and mount—the essence of knightly combat. As they charged, they traded blows relentlessly.
Kwaang!
Gaulf deflected the naginata's shaft grazing his head, thrusting his sword forward. The Dark Army General blocked the strike with one hand wreathed in abyssal energy.
He yanked the naginata to slash at Gaulf's head with the blade, but Gaulf raised his shoulder to flick the haft upward, sheathed his sword briefly, spun, and slashed from another angle.
The Dark Army General reluctantly drew a wakizashi from his sash with his left hand to parry, their exchange growing fiercer.
"This fight's dragging on. Can't leave the area, though... Seom-myeol, sorry, but head to the other two. I'll show you Akaron's recording later."
"Understood."
A deadlock of ferocious intensity. Yoo Seongwon had to stay, so he tasked Seom-myeol with checking on Shin So-mi and Shin Ayoung while he observed Gaulf's battle.
The outcome could brand them traitors to humanity. Plus, their talk might yield insights on constellations, oaths—and why he'd awakened in the first place.
Seom-myeol departed and soon reached the transport ship, where the pair handled perimeter cleanup, waiting for Yoo Seongwon.
"Ah! It's Seom-myeol! Over here! Where's Uncle? He's not coming?"
"Currently engaged with the Dark Army General's main force. More importantly, where's Shin So-mi?"
"Mom went scouting. Said she spotted something weird. But an S-rank monster's main body? Shouldn't we go too?"
Shin So-mi, with her unique 'eyes' unlike other hunters, had sensed something and gone ahead to scout.
Unable to leave entirely, Shin Ayoung stayed behind, rigging booby traps and explosive pits to fend off monster attacks.
"No need. Sir Gaulf and the S-rank monster Dark Army General are locked in single combat. For now, prepare for follow-up battles and contingencies..."
"Hmm... Guess we keep at this then. Ah! Mom's back! Mom!"
As the two chattered, Shin So-mi approached on a magistone bike built for rough terrain—from Iron Fortress.
Designed for scouting and mobility, she dismounted hurriedly and spoke.
"I thought I'd imagined it... Ayoung, there are people hiding out on this island!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Akaron said from the transport there was radiation. Felt like something was up, so I checked around. Trees and grass everywhere, undead soldiers prowling—couldn't see much. But I learned Shikoku's been a dumping ground for trash and waste from the skies since the monsters took over."
From above, forests hid it, but the ground was littered with garbage and waste.
Monsters ruled the surface, but the air allowed dumping industrial refuse—even radioactive nuclear waste, predating magistone energy.
"And someone was living off that trash and waste."
"Ew, how is that even...?"
"We'll have to rescue them and ask. Anyway, we should report this to him."
"I've been ordered by the Captain to guard you both. Securing a safe zone comes first, per his instructions. Only then can we discuss survivors."
"Yes, of course."
Seom-myeol relayed Yoo Seongwon's stance. Shin So-mi nodded, prioritizing his orders.
She and Shin Ayoung continued setting traps to claim a safe zone. Seom-myeol assisted while culling dungeon-spawned monsters.
Gaulf's distant clashes heightened the tension.
"Sir Seom-myeol, how's the fight going?"
"Sir Gaulf and Dark Army General are in single combat. If they win, we'll have to build that bridge linking Shikoku to the mainland."
"What? What's that about?"
"But I don't think Sir Gaulf will lose. No need to worry."
Kwaaaaaa!
Battle roars echoed. Shin So-mi grew anxious, but Seom-myeol methodically cleared monsters.
Her divine prowess and waves culled the undead and wild beasts. The trio smoothly secured the zone.
Lingering undead fell to Shin So-mi's sniper shots from a makeshift watchtower.
"Drones and auto-turrets next? Hey, the noises stopped."
"Looks like it's over."
After some time, the distant fury faded to silence.
A lull—or conclusion.
As quiet persisted, curiosity overwhelmed Shin So-mi. She headed toward the battle.
There stood Yoo Seongwon astride Eldraen and the knights, watching intently.
[Hoo~ Gaulf, you tenacious bastard! Hoo... huff... Was that oath really so crucial?]
[It is everything to me. Haa... haa...!]
Exhausted, both had dismounted. Their armor and weapons lay in ruins.
The brutal fight scarred flesh too: Gaulf missing his left arm, Dark Army General with half his head cleaved off.
No blood flowed from inhuman forms—only gray auras rose like smoke.
[Hoo... hoo... hoo... ughhh!]
[Haa... haa... haaaaa! Uwaaaaa!]
Slumped, they writhed. Gray energies hemorrhaged like blood, dusting away as bodies faded—yet Gaulf struggled to rise.
[My... oath... will be fulfilled.]
Swishhhh...
Gaulf rose first, but beyond his severed arm, half his torso dissolved into gray mist.
Yoo Seongwon gaped at the unflappable knight's desperate bid for victory.
"...I just can't wrap my head around it. Even if we lost, it's just one bridge, right?"
['Oath'-bound duels leave no choice, Master. For me... it's like the Three Laws of Robotics.]
"You're the one who casually wrecked those scavengers."
[Eliminating threats to you, Master. Legal liability falls to you.]
"You only play dumb like that in moments like these. You got an oath too? Sheesh~"
[Naturally. And not just me—Sir Krokbane and the rest have theirs as well.]
"Can't keep your mouth shut, huh..."
Ending the brief exchange with Akaron, Yoo Seongwon watched Gaulf's final stand.
Overexerted, half his body gone, Gaulf reached the Dark Army General and leveled his sword at the foe's throat.
Threatened yet unmoving, the slumped general bowed his head.
[Stubborn bastard. Fine... I lose. Damn! I ran hard... tch! If not for the rules from the 'constellation' that summoned me now! I wouldn't have fought... just fled... krhaha!]
He could've escaped if outmatched, but as kin to Constellation 66,000 Demons craving war, flight was impossible—leading to this defeat.
[Yes. And so... my ancient fate... is fulfilled at last. Lanford, I chased you relentlessly through tedium. Now pay for your crimes. In the name of the 'oath' I swore—vanish.]
Kuk!
Gaulf plunged his sword into the Dark Army General's skull.
The general dissolved into gray aura, sucked into the blade.
Even in acknowledged defeat, his smug expression darkened.
[Ugh... uwaaa! N-no, what is this...? When we 'die,' we just return to the gods' records...]
[I contracted with those 'gods' to fully fulfill my oath. Traitor Lanford, my terms ensure no reincarnation or rebirth for you—utter annihilation! Thought my deal sloppy? Huhahaha!]
[Kraaaagh! This absurd... nonsense!]
[The price from your constellation contract is separate. Begone forever.]
Thus, Dark Army General—no, Lanford—screamed into oblivion, fully absorbed into Gaulf's sword as gray mist.
His abyssal soul would never revive or reincarnate.
Gaulf, face unseen, emitted his signature eerie laugh, raising his sword toward Yoo Seongwon as if demanding victory cheers.
To Yoo Seongwon beholding the scene, it only confirmed the knight was utterly mad.