The White Knight of Pestilence
“Ugh……. Sa…… Save…….”
“Cough, cough……!”
“Gr…… Graaaaaah---!!!!”
Screams echoed from every direction, leaving Baek Yiheon staring blankly ahead in stunned silence.
This underground chamber resembled a torture room, littered with collapsed bodies everywhere.
Scattered desks overflowed with unidentified potion vials, foul-smelling liquids oozing from the shattered ones.
“What the hell is this? Looks like dozens of them……. Why are all these people here…….”
I grabbed him as he stepped forward.
“Careful.”
“What?”
“The guy who died earlier succumbed to poison. Hard to spot under the bodies, but there's a faint mist on the floor.”
At my words, Baek Yiheon jolted back a step.
Use me. I can scout that place without issue from the poison.
Black Eye, who had been silently observing until now, finally spoke to me.
No choice…….
I'd kept Black Eye's presence hidden as much as possible, deeming it unwise to reveal him prematurely.
I'd pulled Obela's forces to my side, but it still wasn't enough against the eight major clans.
Planned to ally with the dwarf artisans, claim magitech mastery, then expand…….
Power isn't solved by hiding alone. Sometimes revealing it gains far more.
For example?
Hmm…….
Black Eye spoke in a playful tone.
Mad Dog's favor?
“Pfft-”
“What? Laughing now? You're crazier than me.”
Unable to read my mind, he stared in disbelief.
“Baek Yiheon.”
“Yeah?”
“You wanted in on my plans, right?”
“Got something?”
Even here, he perked up at my question.
“But it'll get boring. Aiming for that stuffy position you mocked.”
“Stuffy position?”
“Yeah. Making a clan. Not piggybacking on existing powers like the eight majors—building my own from scratch.”
“Gonna be king?”
“No.”
I readjusted my grip on the sword and told him steadily.
“Higher.”
Thump—Baek Yiheon's heart pounded sharply.
“Something happen? You hated bossing people—never even joined a clan.”
“People change. If you can obey me absolutely, join up.”
“More to it, huh?”
His eyes sharpened.
“No way you'd flip without reason. If so, post-breakup that day, you'd have jumped to another clan. Sticking with softies like Chan-su or Jin-ho doesn't suit you.”
“And you?”
“Can give you what you crave. Throne's no picnic. You didn't come just for the duchy quest, right? Checking something.”
“…….”
“If I'm still Mad Dog material.”
Baek Yiheon eyed me.
“Still full of yourself. Just needed a mule to dodge duchy eyes and haul bodies.”
“Sure.”
“So, answer?”
“Want mine first? Answer me.”
He spun Gangtal's hilt toward me.
“Don't like it, I'm out. Feels like a secrecy ploy, not real use. Me stepping aside lets you fight easy.”
Baek Yiheon stared.
“You always handled fights solo or pawned to scary NPC. Kim Do-hyun I knew charged frontlines first. Mage or not.”
Master.
One word from Black Eye, but its weight hit home.
“Hoo…….”
Low sigh escaping, I brushed past Baek Yiheon into the venomous room.
“Wa, wait……!!”
Stepping into the poison cloud brought searing burn like fire.
“Baek Yiheon.”
Vision flushed red with poison alert, I called his name.
“You're right. Now judge me. Not if worth following—but if you must.”
Twitch—Baek Yiheon's cheek warped into that eerie, thrilled grin.
Roarrrrrr!!!
Blue flames engulfed me, surging into a colossal form that blasted away the poison mist below in an instant.
“……!!!”
Baek Yiheon gaped at the sudden flame giant.
“Wh-what?!”
Dog. Step back. You'll get hurt.
Black Eye grinned, and Baek Yiheon blankly retreated a step.
Something inside. Hiding in poison now, but it'll move once cleared. Careful.
“Leave it to me.”
Hup……!!!
Black Eye cupped his hands, a massive flame greatsword materializing within.
Whoosh—!
Horizontal slash whipped wind; boom! Air exploded, shoving mist aside to reveal the floor.
Black Eye's Poison Resistance Lv2
Black Eye's Magic Resistance Lv2
Immune to poison and magic damage.
Black Eye strode unfazed through the poison fog, weaving past gasping survivors toward the depths.
I followed the path carved by his sword wind.
“How do you learn resistances?”
Recalling his countless resistance stats.
Fight lots. Hurt lots.
“Poison resistance?”
Got bit by Rakomu fangs killing it. Learned then.
Casual words, but Rakomu—paired with Spirit Devourers as northern terrors—even mentioned back at Ran-hu Tribe.
Slay one, you'll get it.
“……Easier way.”
Black Eye smirked at my reply, sweeping more mist as he pressed deeper.
Grrrrrr…….
Then—a guttural growl from within.
Here it comes.
Black Eye gripped his sword, stance ready.
“Someone dares come this far……. Intriguing.”
A human voice—impossibly—from the mist-shrouded depths.
“Who are you? Why sow death in Muhar?”
“Who? You summoned me.”
Step—step—step—footfalls neared.
Swish……!
Thud!!
Something hurtled from the mist; we dodged back.
“……!!!”
A severed human head.
No time to gawk—we slashed the mist with all our might.
Boom!!!
Clangggg--!!
“Hmm.”
A low, appraising hum after the din.
The figure behind the mist had parried both strikes one-handed with a slender sword, tilting his head mechanically like clockwork as he appraised us.
“Attacking on sight.”
Black leaf crown atop his head, pristine white armor, massive longbow slung across his back—he clashed with the death-reeking chamber.
Our full-power blows? Blocked casually, his thin sword's tooth-like barbs snagging our blades.
Tremble…….
Seeing his face, my sword hand shook uncontrollably.
“The False Lord's true face…… you.”
Sudden deaths in Muhar clicked into place.
“Human. You know me?”
Head snapping back upright, he fixed on me.
Spark!!
Clash!!
Barbs sheared off; blade arced to his throat.
True Chlya 1st Sword
Vortex cloaked the blade, glowing blue amid lingering poison.
But he withdrew his sword calmly, dodging with a mere head tilt.
Skills won't catch him.
Chlya swordsmanship's might fixed patterns—predictable against willful foes.
Monsters with set patterns? Fine. Intelligent opponents? No.
PVP hinged on skill combos, but victory rode personal strikes players ignored.
“Hup……!!”
Bidam's Scale Effect
Recovered blade, gripped Tesaro's two-handed—mana surged, aura blade igniting the mist.
Clang!!!
Breath held, right foot forward, thrust straight.
Tip struck shoulder with dull thunk, rebounding. Silver plate gleamed beneath rent robe.
No pause—instinct curved the arc to vital spots.
“……Kuh?”
Face twisted in outrage at the unforeseen hit.
Booom--!!
His thin sword bent whip-like toward my brow.
Careful!!
Black Eye lunged, greatsword batting the flailing blade.
Beheading Sword Lv1
Greatsword blazed, unleashing dozens of sword winds.
Boom!Boom!KABOOM--!!
Explosions hurled us apart.
Watch it. Intimidation and Insight failed. Real deal…… What is he?
“Deserves death.”
Beheading Sword cleared the mist; his form emerged.
“No. Must kill.”
Destroyer's minion. Plague-sowing wraith.
One of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen: the White Knight of Disease.
Doom's harbingers had begun. Calamity wouldn't wait.
“Mad Dog……!!!!!!!”
I roared at full volume.
That instant—KABOOOOOM---!!!!!!!
Darkness pierced, Baek Yiheon rocketed from behind like a bullet, slamming Gangtal's sword with everything he had.