The Death Knight Awakens
Clang—
With a heavy metallic screech, the creature descended to the ground, its form utterly transformed from before.
Clad in pitch-black armor like stained ebony, a helmet now crowned its previously empty neck.
This thing had devoured two A-rank hunters... no, it must have feasted on far more long before the raid team even formed.
A dullahan—no, now a Death Knight—emerged, quietly emitting crimson glows from within its helmet.
Goosebumps erupted across my skin.
An S-rank monster, the Death Knight.
Counted among the pinnacle undead, alongside the likes of lich, it was a high-rank terror.
No matter how much time had passed and hunters' overall skills had risen.
No matter that S-rank no longer held the awe it once did.
Still, an S-rank was an S-rank.
To those lacking the strength, it was a walking disaster.
Should I run?
My body trembled uncontrollably, ignoring my will.
My instincts screamed warnings nonstop.
Run.
My thoughts echoed the same.
Let's bolt.
As I turned to flee, abandoning the spectacle, a voice suddenly echoed.
[Die...]
A chilling voice reverberated sinisterly in my mind.
I whipped my head around in shock, and the Death Knight's red eyes flashed.
[Die...]
The droning in my head was unmistakable thought communication.
But it wasn't targeted at me alone—it reached everyone gathered here.
Pure killing intent, devoid of any other emotion, froze my body solid.
The other hunters fared no better.
The Death Knight raised the horse it had felled earlier, amid attacks from Kwak Su-yong, Lee Ji-min, and the others.
Staggering to its feet at its master's call, the spectral steed bore the Death Knight upon its back.
[Die...]
With the voice echoing once more, the Death Knight gestured.
The fallen undead rose again.
"What the...!"
"Damn it! Run!"
"Urgh...!"
Screams erupted from hunters across the desert as the undead stirred anew.
"Wh-why are these bastards so strong now?!"
"M-my sword won't go in...!"
"S-save me!"
Before, they'd been mere E- or F-rank fodder, but now they were different.
Their ranks hadn't changed, but their overall stats had skyrocketed unrecognizably.
High-rank hunters might handle them, but low-ranks' attacks barely scratched now.
I vaguely guessed why.
Aura of Death.
I'd heard about it during my porter days.
Some elite undead commanders could buff their legions with skills like that.
The Aura of Death.
Even low-rank undead fought several times stronger under its influence.
I hadn't expected it to have that too.
This was no mere floor boss anymore.
It was beyond that—ruthless enough to dismiss floor bosses as "mere."
The master of this zone.
An area boss.
[Kill.]
The Death Knight's voice, now clearer and ice-cold, rang out, and the revived undead launched indiscriminate assaults.
"Don't fight alone! Group up and respond!"
One A-rank hunter bellowed at the top of his lungs.
Hunters, previously overwhelmed, belatedly banded together at his cry.
But formations had long collapsed amid the resurging undead everywhere.
Organizing now wouldn't work smoothly.
The A-rank knew it, his face twisting in frustration.
He hastily rallied nearby hunters for a desperate stand.
Even in this mess, refusing to give up?
An A-rank could escape alone, fatigue be damned.
Yet he fought on, protecting others—pretty damn cool.
Meanwhile, the Death Knight spurred its mount forward, weaving through the desert, massacring hunters.
Its massive greatsword felled them regardless of rank, like leaves in the wind.
Mirroring how A-ranks had toyed with undead earlier.
And desperately blocking its path were Kwak Su-yong and Lee Ji-min.
Unable to stomach more sacrifices, the pair—who'd kept their distance—rushed back in.
The remaining two A-ranks followed suit.
They realized commanding the raid alone couldn't end this.
To survive, they had to drop the Death Knight first.
Without it, the undead would keep rising, true to their name.
Four A-rank hunters versus one S-rank monster.
Numerically favored, but ranks differed.
From high ranks up, one tier gap was heaven and earth.
Even four A-ranks couldn't beat an S-rank—especially a presumed area boss.
Holding out might be their limit.
The battle unfolded as I predicted.
No matter their prowess, A-ranks couldn't last against an S-rank area boss.
Even without other undead interference, they were pushed back relentlessly by it alone.
In a blink, one raid-leading A-rank was bisected by its sword.
"Damn...!"
"Urk...!"
"Hah... hah..."
The three survivors gasped, reactions varied.
The Death Knight stared silently, just like at first, then clanged forward a step.
No respite granted.
[Die.]
With a voice dripping chill, it swung at Lee Ji-min.
The heavy greatsword plunged relentlessly to cleave her.
"Urk... guh!"
"Damn it, Ji-min—!"
To shield his lover, Kwak Su-yong charged.
Another A-rank leaped to assist, but the Death Knight calmly raised its hand against the duo.
[Die.]
Its signature dark mana and eerie death aura coalesced.
A spherical mass formed at the gauntlet's tip, launching at the charging hunters without pause.
"Dodge!"
The A-rank who sensed the anomaly early evaded instead of blocking.
But Kwak Su-yong, shielding his lover heedless of cost, chose to tank it.
And that choice exacted a brutal toll.
"Guh... grraaaagh!"
"Su-yong—!!!"
The lovers' cries rang out in succession.
Struck by the black orb, Kwak Su-yong collapsed, writhing in agony.
His handsome face contorted mercilessly.
Lee Ji-min screamed in anguish, but she had no time to tend him.
The Death Knight exploited her momentary lapse.
It struck again.
"Kyaaagh!"
Slash—
Her severed arm rolled limply across the sand.
Fortune spared her at the last, losing only one arm by twisting away—but the Death Knight pressed on.
Gripping her mangled shoulder, swallowing pain, she was still its prey.
"J-Ji-min...!"
Kwak Su-yong, rolling in torment yet fixated on her, watched her pierced by the Death Knight's blade.
"Guh, graa...!"
"N-no! Ji-min! Jiii-min—!!!"
For that instant, even his agony vanished as he wailed her name desperately.
Indifferent, the Death Knight raised its sword.
Lee Ji-min's form dangled pitifully from the tip.
A casual flick sent her body tumbling into the sand.
Crimson blood soaked the dunes in seconds.
"Jiii-min—!!!"
"No, Kwak Su-yong Hunter! It's dangerous...!"
Ignoring the restraining A-rank behind, Kwak Su-yong rushed to her side.
And...
Slash—
The Death Knight effortlessly decapitated the charging man.
Thud—roll...
The headless body slumped; the head finally reached his lover.
Watching it all, I was utterly shocked.
Fans of those two, their pathetic end stung—but not just fandom; something else chilled me.
Overwhelming dominance.
Rank gap or not, could they really be crushed so one-sidedly?
They were talented hunters.
Kwak Su-yong and Lee Ji-min—poised for S-rank soon.
Even they fell helplessly.
Fear mingled with strange admiration.
Not for the hunters—for the Death Knight.
Captivated by its sheer power.
I wanted it as my goal, to grow that strong.
No chance of rivaling it now.
Two massive walls between us.
Until A-rank at least, it was untouchable.
No—even after A-rank, it'd take time.
How long to match it?
My growth pace suggested not forever away, yet not imminent.
I hoped it'd survive till I peaked.
Probably not.
This raid failed, but stronger forces would come.
Pity—I couldn't claim it as my rival.
Losing three A-ranks in a flash tanked the raid's morale to rock bottom.
The last A-rank shifted to commanding instead of fighting.
Unhindered, the Death Knight rampaged like a butcher, carving hunters mercilessly.
It embodied despair.
Nothing left to see.
Sticking around risked detection by this disaster.
Time to slip away.
Head straight to the next floor.
Got nothing tangible, but the show was entertaining—satisfactory.
Next floor for leisurely hunting.
Weeks of undead left a bad taste.
As I turned from the slaughter—
Thud—
A sudden boom yanked my gaze back.
Amid the undead horde, between a near-slain A-rank and the Death Knight, something landed.
"Returned from expedition to this mess... what's all the commotion?"
A nonchalant voice, absurdly casual amid the bloodbath.
The man casually sweeping back his loose hair was no ordinary hunter.
S-rank, like the Death Knight.
One of Korea's scant twenty S-rank hunters had arrived.