Knight (2)
Knight (2)
The direction the Guard pointed to—there were knights there.
Not just one, but several. At least dozens.
'No, that's not right?'
But Dojin realized they weren't actual knights, just mere Knight Candidates. Their levels felt no higher than an Orc to him......
'Come to think of it, there was that system for leveling up knights in the Dungeon, right?'
He recalled hearing it from someone. The kingdom periodically dispatches knights to the Dungeon to level them up.
And that's how the kingdom boasts more Level 2 powerhouses than anywhere else in the world......
No wonder—if they send dozens of knights like this every year, they'd naturally churn out dozens of Level 2s annually, making the kingdom inevitably prosperous and strong.
"Who are you."
Because the Dungeon had opened, their training faced restrictions in reverse, so one of the Knight Candidates waiting for their turn outside approached the Guard and asked.
His eyes were fixed on Emilia, and upon meeting those lecherous gazes full of lust, Emilia frowned.
"Th-they're adventurers, sir. They said they're entering the Dungeon...."
"Adventurers? Didn't we say we'd monopolize the Dungeon for a while?"
"I know, but they said these folks are High-rank Adventurers, so they're an exception. They even got approval via official document......"
"Oh yeah?"
The Knight Candidate's eyes sparkled as he looked at the two.
Then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, he let out a smirk and opened his mouth.
"No can do. You lot, turn back."
"What?"
"This place is our Knights Order's training ground. High-rank Adventurer or whatever, you can't enter a military base."
"What the fuck is this bullshit......"
"Ah, if you really wanna go in, there's one condition."
He cut off Dojin's words and stared at Emilia. Hidden under the coat, but a High-rank Adventurer's gotta have a killer body, right?
Bored with nothing to do, starved from barracks life too. The Knight Candidate singled out Emilia and said,
"If this chick sucks our dicks, we'll let you in."
"......What?"
"......Dojin, what's 'sucking dick'?"
As Dojin stared at the Knight Candidate with a hardened expression, Emilia tilted her head, not understanding the word "dick" or what "sucking" it meant.
Did he think Dojin was scared from his look? Or maybe figured they wouldn't dare mess with him with the Knights Order behind?
He opened his mouth again.
"Don't get it? Means you help us with our sexual relief."
By then, even Emilia could tell it was some sleazy, unpleasant request. No way a "good" ask comes with that attitude and expression.
As irritation boiled over and Emilia was about to smash her fist into his face—Dojin held her back and asked him,
"Hey, you."
"Hey—? How dare you to a future knight......"
"Level 1, right?"
"—Ha, you think a bit higher level makes you equal to knights? Hit me, and the dozens behind all swarm you. You thought about th—"
"Long fucking tongue."
Kwaaaak-.
Dojin's fist clenched tight.
Once, he'd admired knights, but this Knight Candidate right here shattered every last illusion he'd held.
That alone was plenty of justification to punish him—but blocking their path and sexually harassing his disciple-like Emilia?
"Block it. Dodge sloppily and you die."
"What nonsense—"
Peureong-!
The words barely ended—when Dojin threw his fist.
The supersonic punch slammed into the knight's solar plexus.
Protected by armor, but the moment Dojin's fist connected, it shattered to pieces, and the impact energy transferred straight to the knight, sending him flying far off.
Kwaaaang!
Crashing into a heavily loaded cart, rolling a few times before fainting—the watching dozens of knights hardened their expressions and drew their swords.
"Crazy motherfucker—dare attack the Knights Order?"
"Bored as fuck hunting monsters—perfect timing."
Watching them slowly approach, Dojin quietly clasped his hands together toward the Dungeon like in prayer.
'Came to level up?'
If it were before, back when you couldn't see an inch ahead, enemies could pop from anywhere, and even dozens entering would scatter every which way.
If it were the Dungeon before Dojin arrived, they couldn't have waited so leisurely, laughing and chatting for their turn.
So this was entirely Dojin's mistake. Gotta clean up your mistakes.
'I won't kill you.'
But you'll feel the pain of being alive.
"Get the fuck out of my Dungeon, you rot."
Jeoeoeok-
Dojin's will shot toward the Dungeon.
Floors 1 through 30 were Dojin's domain.
By his will, the Dungeon began to change.
But the clueless knights smirked and aimed their swords at Dojin.
"Your Dungeon? The fuck makes it yours?"
"Crazy bastard. A good beating'll set you str—"
Kuwooung......
Knights and Knight Candidates hunting inside the Dungeon looked up at the ceiling.
The knight leading the Knight Candidates let out a hollow laugh, thinking weird shit happens.
"Dungeons get earthquakes too...? Whatever, hurry to the next—"
And in that instant, his vision went pitch black.
Startled, he yanked out his sword and swung behind him.
Whoooong-!
'Nothing......?'
Realizing nothing was behind him, he immediately groped his face, searching for whatever blocked his sight.
But no matter how much he felt around, there was no object covering his vision. That's right. His sight had darkened not because someone blocked it, but because the Dungeon itself had gone dark.
"What the fuck, suddenly?"
He jolted in shock and started searching for the Knight Candidates. Unlike him, who'd experienced Dungeons a few times as a trainee and knight, the candidates were probably panicking right now.
In this total blackout where you couldn't see shit, if they all fell into group panic, it could turn really dangerous.
Like stabbing each other to death...... And if that happened, the responsibility would fall entirely on him as the leader.
'Can't have that.'
He quickly pulled a light-emitting Magic Tool from his pocket and lit it up. Essential before the Dungeon opened like this, and he'd kept it for venturing past floor 10 just in case.
And what entered his sight as the light flared...... was nothing.
"......What?"
The shocked knight swung the Magic Tool around to secure his vision.
The light beam didn't reach more than a few meters, but at least within those few meters, he could see properly.
So, at minimum, the Knight Candidates who'd been following right behind should be there. But right now, not a single one.
Like they'd been snatched by ghosts—
Or swallowed whole by the Dungeon monster's maw.
"What the......"
The knight instinctively realized what this phenomenon was.
What the mages called dimensional fracture, glass dimension, parallel worlds.
In other words, the Dungeon's original inherent effect.
"Fuck—"
Having lost dozens of Knight Candidates in an instant, the knight stared blankly into empty space with a soul-drained expression.
Praying they'd escape the Dungeon on their own—
But the other Knight Candidates' situations were far worse than he imagined.
"Kya aaak!"
Scattered and left alone, a Knight Candidate screamed in terror. Just darkness would be fine.
But the Dungeon's darkness instinctively instilled bone-chilling fear in humans...... and above all, the Dungeon wasn't just darkness.
Pook-!
"Kyak!?"
Something stabbed her leg, and the Knight Candidate toppled forward. Even with armor, monsters keenly found the gaps and struck.
Throbbing pain and an immobile ankle. Invisible enemies.
All of it drove the Knight Candidate mad.
"No, don't—no, stay away! Stop iiiing!"
A Knight Candidate who could only curl into a ball against the lunging monsters.
"Hooook—! Hoo, ugh!"
One fiercely resisting until hitting physical limits and cornered.
"God, save us from evil, save us pleeeease......"
One who could only pray helplessly.
But what all the Knight Candidates had in common was.
They desperately wanted out of this situation.
Puck-!
The last resisting Knight Candidate took a pommel to the chin and fainted. Emilia, who'd been spectating Dojin's exploits from behind, started clapping in amazement.
Clap clap clap-.
Dojin turned at the applause and pointed at the downed Knight Candidates, saying to Emilia,
"You gotta learn to do this too."
"Huh? But I can win too?"
"You'd just kill 'em all, right? You need to win without hurting them."
At that, Emilia closely examined the fallen Knight Candidates. Sure enough, as he said, there were fainted ones but not a single one with major injuries.
In the Otherworld, where you could reattach a limb no problem, it was laughably merciful—in other words, proof of Dojin's strength making that mercy possible.
As she reflected anew on Dojin's skills, a new knight appeared.
"—What the hell's going on here?"
"Huh?"
Dojin turned to look at the shouting knight. Probably a knight from this city, called by the Guard...... He jolted, drew his sword, and aimed it at Dojin.
"An adventurer attacking the Knights Order? Guess you're ready to die?"
The approaching Territorial Knight came out assuming the adventurer was automatically at fault, without hearing details.
Well, compared to knights eating the kingdom's salary versus bottom-feeder adventurer scum, sure.
But Dojin was unfazed.
"You the city's boss?"
"What? Ballsy little—"
"Whatever, take me to the Lord."
"—He's not someone a punk like you can just see on demand."
"Yeah? Then I'll kill the knight brats inside the Dungeon?"
"......What?"
At those words, the approaching knight froze. Probably couldn't comprehend what Dojin said.
But Dojin was confident. Time to reveal he had Dungeon Authority.
What, this city already had two powers who could crush a mere Lord without breaking a sweat.
Saintess of the Holy Kingdom and Queen of the Elf Kingdom.
Those two would rip out their own guts for Dojin, and if he wished, they'd kill the Lord without hesitation.
"Go fetch the Lord."
That's right. In this city right now, the one with the most power wasn't the Lord—it was Dojin.