Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Those Who Worship Death (4)
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Solomon, at first, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Of course, I knew Death Knights were strong. They had to be.
But even so, could a Death Knight really hold back two Masters?
The answer came when Cain's greatsword shattered the Death Knight. Suddenly, a sword came flying at him from behind.
"Gah...?!"
Death Knight.
True to their moniker as Knights of Death, their notoriety and power were more than enough to earn the title of 'legendary'.
Now I understood why not just the soldiers, but even the knights trembled at the sight of Death Knights, calling them Knights of Death.
'These bastards... even with their limbs severed, they keep moving on their own!!'
The first time Cain faced a Death Knight, he panicked. He'd clearly decapitated it, yet it kept moving fine.
So this time, he severed its arms and legs. But not only did those severed limbs move on their own as if nothing happened,
they even wielded magic power? That's how Cain died. From the aura surging out of the severed arm...
'Fine, you want to play it that way? I'll grind you into dust!'
He opened his eyes again. A horde of Death Knights was swarming toward him. Only then did Cain truly understand.
To kill a Death Knight, you had to pulverize it into dust and make it vanish completely. Anything less, and it wouldn't die.
That was the difference from other undead. Cut off the head or limbs of other undead, and they'd die soon enough.
'Even among undead, why the difference? Maybe because Death Knights have more souls infused? Who knows.'
For now, from what Cain could see, Death Knights had far more death force compared to other undead... meaning, far more death imbued within them.
That was probably why they could endure even without their limbs or head. But there were gains.
He was starting to grasp how to deal with undead. Against the ominous power that manifested them: death force.
'I don't know the details, but it feels like I'm absorbing it bit by bit. If I use this right, I might get even stronger.'
At first, he just tried using death force to turn them to dust. But soon, he noticed something off.
He'd used a ton of death force, but the consumption wasn't as bad as he'd thought. That's when it hit him.
That the death force he wielded was the natural enemy of necromancers. Once he fully recognized that, he kept exploiting it.
"Kuh!!"
Of course, it didn't change much at first. Even absorbing death force, he wasn't used to it, so the amount was small.
At the start, handling even one Death Knight was a real struggle. But this was familiar territory.
How many people master something right away? No problem. Cain had opportunities galore.
Fail? He dies. Time freezes as he repeats death. Time equal for others was unequal for him.
Even a meaningless minute or second felt like a mountain to Cain. Yet he never stopped walking forward.
Repeating that one minute, it finally stretched to ten, then that ten to an hour. At the same time, others appeared.
"What are you lot doing! Our lord fights at the front!!!"
The first voice was none other than Chris's. As expected, an ally Master was always reliable.
With Chris's shout, not just Master Grandel, but even the knights began intervening in this lonely world.
Cain scattered the experience gained from countless deaths and defeats to everyone. To beat the Death Knights.
"Don't try to subdue them by cutting off limbs or heads!! Use aura to turn them completely to dust!"
"Understood!"
Cain's experience of dying directly to Death Knights was worth more than gold. Know your enemy, know yourself.
Moreover, Cain had gained experience as a commander leading troops. In short, no shortcomings.
Under Cain's command, Death Knights began falling one by one, and morale started rising.
"Th-they're dying! The bastards are starting to die!"
"We can win! With the lord, we'll surely triumph!!"
"Follow the lord!! To victory!"
With the method to counter Death Knights known, and Cain's commands perfectly effective, even Death Knights couldn't hold.
Half a day passed, perhaps. Finally, with the last Death Knight's dissipation, Cain claimed victory.
But the casualties weren't light. No deaths, thankfully, but light wounds, and even severe ones.
"Set up a base camp here and tend to the wounded. Fortify defenses thoroughly."
While everyone reveled in victory, one alone—Caine—stayed sober, acting decisively.
Thanks to him, the knights and mages halted their cheers and began establishing the base as ordered.
Watching the orderly response, Chris was newly impressed. That was the undefeated genius commander, Blackguard.
'I thought I knew Cain Blackguard's reputation well enough... but seeing him command in person, it's no joke.'
Aside from being quite—nay, very—obsessed with the sword, Chris was surprisingly reasonable and open to talk.
And to Chris, Cain stood out even among commanders he'd seen before.
For starters, a commander swinging a sword at the forefront while directing was unheard of. He acknowledged the bravery.
'But if he falls, the chain of command crumbles into chaos. And yet he dives in without hesitation...'
It meant supreme confidence in his own skill. And rightly so, in Chris's eyes; Cain had every right.
But why? That past scene wouldn't leave his mind. Mountains of corpses piled high.
He too had failed to protect something, hence the desperate fight now. To safeguard what mattered.
'...I think I get a bit what Cain said before.'
A sword to protect the precious. For a fleeting moment, he brushed enlightenment. Just a bit more...
Maybe ask for a spar tonight.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The terror of Death Knights wasn't just their power—it was that overwhelming sense of helplessness they instilled, nearly impossible to counter.
Cut the neck, sever limbs, and they didn't stop; they raged even fiercer. That was the Knight of Death.
Thus, to take down a Death Knight required expending far more magic power than usual to erase them utterly.
With necromancers mostly vanished from the continent for centuries, records on Death Knights had faded.
Yet Cain Blackguard acted from the start as if he knew, focusing on obliterating them.
This even Melisto hadn't foreseen. How? Did he intuit the counter upon sight?
'Or maybe imperial records preserved it. Either way... power worthy of a hero.'
If the latter, admirable diligence in poring over centuries of archives; if the former, awe-inspiring talent.
For the first time, anguish filled Melisto's hollow skull. A legion of 100 Death Knights plus ghouls.
Without a counter, they'd have inflicted massive damage, even if not winning. But look at the result now.
"Heh... yes, I can't deny it. This is my defeat."
Centuries. Over centuries, he'd slain the living or bartered for souls, crafting undead.
Finally completing the ritual, yet most undead lay dormant for it.
Just a bit more, and perfection; but sitting idle meant total ruin.
"Rise. Shatter the tombstones binding you and rouse your rotten flesh. I grant you life."
The undead dormant for the ritual began rising one by one. The finest offerings prepared.
Sacrifices for the God of Death regained will. Yes, Melisto admitted his defeat.
Even just this force he'd summoned now delayed the ritual by at least a decade.
Much less clashing with Cain Blackguard—it could stretch far longer. Maybe over a century.
But as long as Melisto lived, he could restart anytime. That was key.
That was why he'd unleashed the ritual offerings. In a cold voice, Melisto declared,
"Well done, Cain Blackguard. You have bested me, Melisto. You've thwarted the Ritual of Death and set it back a decade."
So now, die satisfied.