Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Headless Knight
-----------------------------------------------------------------
대군주
제 29 화
Jin Seol-woo
Caw, caw.
As So Gun-ak drew near the castle gate, five crows took flight. His gaze, which had briefly followed the crows, settled on the gate itself.
The wooden gate was rotted in places. Split into two halves, one side was completely gone, while the other dangled precariously from the bottom hinge, slumped sideways.
So Gun-ak proceeded step by step, attuned to the presences emanating from within. His eyes darted about, taking in the layout of the ruined fortress.
The front courtyard, once likely a garden, had become an open lot strewn with stones and dirt here and there. Spacious enough, it could easily accommodate maneuvers for six hundred troops.
'This'll make a fine garrison.'
The old city ruins centered around this fortress were the perfect spot for the strategy So Gun-ak had in mind. The surrounding urban remnants—building foundations and trees—served as natural obstacles. Ideal for holding off a large enemy force with a small contingent.
So Gun-ak planned to erect a massive illusion array. Given enough resources and time, he would have preferred a meticulously laid killing array. With that, no matter how many orcs swarmed, he could slay them without lifting a finger.
But such arrays were tricky to set up and time-consuming. A proper scout was needed, though from what he sensed, the orcs had at most a day—two at the outside—before arriving.
In that span, only simple illusion and mist arrays were feasible. A river would be ideal, but groundwater could at least produce a thin fog.
First, though, he had to secure this foothold. Whoever lurked inside was unknown, but persuading or subduing them took priority.
The chance orcs had claimed it first was slim. They operated in scouting parties of about fifty. The presences felt like two or three at most.
So Gun-ak crossed the open lot with cautious steps.
"Chu-a, scout for anyone inside."
Whoosh.
At So Gun-ak's command, Chu-a became the wind and swept through the mansion. On its way back from the tower, it returned with a horrified expression.
Tears streamed from Chu-a's eyes in terror.
"What's got you so scared?"
If the spirit's power grew stronger, it could convey its will directly to its contractor, So Gun-ak. But for now, that power remained too weak.
Chu-a shifted form to reenact what it had seen. It tore off its own head and held it in one hand. Then, gripping a dagger in the other, it swung wildly.
So Gun-ak grimaced at the grotesque display. Even so, he couldn't grasp what Chu-a was trying to depict.
"A headless man swinging a blade?"
So Gun-ak repeated what he saw. Chu-a dispersed into wind, reformed, and nodded vigorously.
His suspicions confirmed, So Gun-ak's brow furrowed.
"How could a head come off and it still live? Not even jiangshi—wait, some jiangshi survive decapitation, it seems."
Mid-sentence, So Gun-ak swallowed hard. The figure emerging from the tower was headless. Its left hand clutched the severed head by the hair—eyes rolling, tongue twitching—as if still functional in that state.
So Gun-ak experienced another shatter of his preconceptions.
"Kweh-eek!"
The head let out an unearthly screech. Whirling it like a flail was a sight both bizarre and horrifying.
"A headless jiangshi."
What was its weakness?
So Gun-ak pondered, then thrust his spear into the ground and drew his greatsword. It didn't seem the type to drop from a few thrusts. But whether it could move after being diced was another matter.
"Hya!"
"Kwaaa!"
So Gun-ak kicked off the ground and launched himself. The headless jiangshi screeched and swung its head-flail.
Clang!
The head collided with the greatsword, ringing like metal on metal.
"Hm?"
Startled, So Gun-ak parried the flail-like head repeatedly with his blade—not pressed on defense, but observing the foe.
Kaang!
"What a freak."
This greatsword was for mounted combat, designed to crush foes with its weight rather than slash. Blades were typically unsharpened. Yet Kataras's sword could shear through most armor.
For the head to clash with that edge and merely rebound with a metallic clang was astonishing. Those eyes glaring from the harder-than-iron skull sent chills—and curiosity.
"Let's see if your body's as tough."
So Gun-ak deflected another head-swing and closed in. The headless foe stabbed with its dagger in the opposite hand, but So Gun-ak released one hand from the sword and seized its wrist.
"Hup."
Thud!
His headbutt smashed the headless jiangshi's chest. It staggered back, toppling. So Gun-ak mounted it, positioned the greatsword sideways like a guillotine, and brought it down to sever the arm.
Then, a blond man burst from the tower, shouting desperately.
"No! Hold!"
The man hiding in the tower had watched So Gun-ak confront his dullahan without flinching—indeed, fighting back fiercely. When So Gun-ak seemed poised to dismember it, he leaped out in alarm.
So Gun-ak withdrew his blade and leaped back. He'd sensed the presence earlier but couldn't gauge its power level, so he'd stayed wary. This world measured strength not just by martial arts.
"Kweh-eeeh."
The screeching dullahan was blocked by the blond man spreading his arms protectively. At the gesture shielding the headless jiangshi, intrigue flashed in So Gun-ak's eyes.
"Are you the necromancer controlling that jiangshi?"
The man tilted his head.
"Wh-who are you?"
"You should reveal yourself first."
So Gun-ak advanced, brandishing the greatsword threateningly. The blond man waved his hands frantically.
"D-don't come closer! I'm Horant!"
So Gun-ak's steps didn't halt.
"I didn't ask your name."
"Necromancer! I research the undead here! This is my home!"
Horant felt wronged. An abandoned fortress. He'd claimed this forgotten spot to study undead in secret. To him, So Gun-ak was the intruder; he'd merely sent the dullahan to defend his lair.
"Necromancer? What's that?"
"You don't know? Mages who animate fallen soldiers from battlefields and return them home."
In a world of endless war, necromancers were a necessary evil.
More efficient than deploying extra troops for body retrieval.
Thus, they endured gratitude laced with fear.
Necromancy mages advanced undead magic—from shambling zombies using severed knights' grudges for dullahans, to death knights fusing dead knights' souls and bodies.
As humans tamed demon-realm horrors, the world grew wary. Some grand necromancers unleashed undead legions, plunging realms into terror.
After major incidents, necromancers were restricted to zombie creation and reversal spells. Reduced to mere corpse couriers.
That was why Horant hid here to study forbidden undead magic.
Yet now, an intruder—So Gun-ak, who casually subdued his masterpiece dullahan.
'Where'd this guy come from?'
"Intriguing."
So Gun-ak's eyes sparkled at Horant. Among the Eternal Divine Cult's four sects, the Secret Cult excelled in jiangshi arts. Techniques seemed similar across dimensions.
This dullahan matched their iron jiangshi in toughness and agility. So Gun-ak was hooked.
"Wh-what do you want from me?"
Horant backed away warily. Studying forbidden magic left him guilty.
So Gun-ak shelved his dullahan fascination. Priority: secure the fortress for garrison and arrays. No time to waste.
"Word is an orc horde approaches. Know of it?"
Horant nodded.
"Yes. But they won't come here."
"Why?"
"Because of me. Orc shamans wield great influence—even dictating army paths. They shun places reeking of death."
So Gun-ak's eyes gleamed.
"You know orcs well?"
Horant nodded as if obvious.
"Of course. My master and I studied them for years."
So Gun-ak nodded. Noting his approach had stopped, Horant brightened.
"Scouting from Wright City?"
So Gun-ak looked amused.
"And if I am?"
"Perfect! Then your goal is repelling orcs?"
"So?"
"Our aims align! I study forbidden undead magic here to counter orc invasions effectively."
"Ho, that's why."
So Gun-ak hadn't known undead magic was banned. He humored Horant for now.
Horant exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes! I'll help fully. My power will prove invaluable against orcs."
Seeing So Gun-ak buy it, Horant smirked inwardly.
'Fool. You'll be my first death knight.'
Orc hordes meant nothing to Horant. He craved turning this knight—who bested his dullahan—into a death knight.
But he lacked power to subdue such a foe outright.
'Bind him first, make him a slave.'
Zombies needed only corpses. Death knights required knightly corpses and souls. So Gun-ak wouldn't die easily, nor pledge loyalty postmortem.
Plan: subdue with mind magic, then break the soul.
"Hahaha, come in. Let me welcome you to my home."
Horant gestured lavishly, laughing.
So Gun-ak sheathed his greatsword and approached amiably.
"Grateful for your ready aid. As you guessed, I'm a knight from Wright City, scouting ahead of the orc horde."
Horant grinned slyly.
'Fool. Naive despite his looks.'
"Oh ho, I have orc research data in my home. Happy to share—follow me."
Leaving the dumbstruck dullahan, So Gun-ak and Horant walked side by side.
'Did he really fall for it?'
Despite his boisterous words and actions, Horant remained vigilant. Side-glances showed So Gun-ak utterly unguarded.
How could he trust a necromancer so easily? Naive or stupid—either way, his prowess made perfect death knight material.
'Heh heh, once that door opens...'
The mansion brimmed with traps for intruders. Opening the door would trigger binding magic on So Gun-ak. Then mind magic to enslave him.
Mastery of master-slave mind contracts was necromancer basics—for undead control and even those five scouting crows.
All obeyed him unto death. Soon, So Gun-ak would too.
"Here we are—humble abode and lab."
Horant gripped the doorknob, thrilled. He tamped down excitement to avoid suspicion.
So Gun-ak stood perfectly positioned for the spell. Horant need only open the door and step aside naturally.
"Eh?"
A dumbfounded yelp escaped Horant. His hand froze. Not just his hand—his entire body locked in place, gripping the knob.
His eyes swiveled. So Gun-ak's hand rested on his shoulder.