The Swamp's Unyielding Guardian
Unlike other undead monsters, Death Knights and Archliches possess ranks.
The overwhelming strength of these two supreme undead monsters cannot be distinguished by name alone, as it follows the realm of the living.
Low-rank Master through Mid-class corresponds to Ha-gwi, Mid-rank Master through High-class to Jung-gwi, and High-rank and above to supreme undead is classified as Sang-gwi.
Raon stared at the Death Knight, its eyes burning with crimson light, and rubbed his fingers together.
“Ha-gwi.”
It had once been a swordsman who reached Master Mid-class, only to corrupt into a Death Knight and degrade to Master Low-class.
“You cannot judge it so simply.”
“That’s right.”
Raon nodded at Wrath.
“This swamp is no ordinary place.”
The Swamp of Death does not radiate the aura of death as its name suggests, yet it possesses the power to strengthen undead.
Raon believed they would have to fight this Death Knight at a level above Master Low-class.
“Burren, Marta, and Runaan alone will struggle.”
The three leaders of the Light Wind Squad had defeated Camang, the 1st Vice Commander of the Iron Battle Corps, without taking heavy damage, but that had not been a life-or-death duel.
If Camang had truly intended to kill them, one of the three would have died.
This Death Knight was stronger than the Camang they had faced earlier, so the entire Light Wind Squad would have to confront it.
“Light Wind Squad.”
Raon raised his finger and pointed at the Death Knight at his waist.
“Handle it.”
“Yes.”
The Light Wind Squad had no doubts about Raon’s orders as vice-captain and charged forward.
Their eyes burned with only one thought: to slaughter the enemy.
“Are you really leaving the Death Knight to the Light Wind Squad?”
Frika’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
“It’s a good opportunity. We should fight.”
“There’s no Master there. How…?”
“Whether we win or lose doesn’t matter. If you don’t challenge, the path won’t open.”
“Um…”
He swallowed dryly, eyes filled with realization.
“Advance!”
Burren stepped forward, raising his sword.
“Advance!”
The Light Wind Squad, hearing his cry, spread out like snowflakes carried by the wind, forming a circular sword formation.
It was the Great Light Wind Formation, uniting all members of the squad into one.
“I have to kill it somehow!”
“If I don’t kill that thing, I’m done for!”
“The one in front is a Death Knight, but a Demon King is waiting behind!”
“It’ll get me from the front and from behind! Damn life!”
The swordsmen imagined the consequences of defeat in this battle and tightened their grips on their swords, pulling every ounce of aura into their bodies.
Ku gu gu gu gu!
As the Light Wind Squad united in gathering aura, an aura that did not fall short of the Death Knight’s surged forth.
Hwa aa aa aa!
From the Death Knight’s sword, crimson flames erupted. It was the Hellfire Sword, summoning the flames of hell.
The Light Wind Squad unfolded their first formation of the Great Light Wind Formation: Green Middle Wind Blade.
The concentrated aura at the center of the formation wrapped around Burren’s sword and shot forward.
Kwa aa aa ang!
The Hellfire Sword and Green Middle Wind Blade collided, sending forth a terrifying shockwave.
The Swamp of Death cracked, and clumps of mud rained down from above.
Tru du du du!
Both the Death Knight and the Light Wind Squad were pushed back simultaneously in the crushed swamp.
“Switch!”
At Burren’s command, the positions of the Light Wind Squad shifted. The third squad moved to the rear while the first squad advanced, gathering powerful aura around Marta.
-It was slow as a snail before…
Wrath watched the rapidly changing Light Wind Squad and curled his lip.
-The conversion has become faster.
“That’s right.”
Raon smiled faintly and nodded.
“You’ve changed a lot.”
Previously, switching positions between squads took a long time, and aura movement was clumsy, but now it flowed naturally like water.
It was clear how much effort the Light Wind Squad had poured into this.
“I’ll smash that head first!”
Marta shouted and twisted her sword downward. It was a momentary berserk state. Even in her rage, she did not charge alone.
She thrust her full-power sword strike supported by the first squad behind her.
Kwa wa aa aa ang!
A deafening sound erupted as if buildings were being crushed, and the Death Knight was pushed back. Fury burned in its eye flames.
-The little meat girl seems to have grown stronger in spirit than in power.
“You’ve been watching well.”
-My subordinate, right? As I said, subordinates must be properly cared for!
Following Wrath’s words, Marta’s spirit was stronger than her physical power. Even in the moment of concentrating her strength, she triggered berserk and immediately recovered her senses so her comrades would not be injured.
Tru du du du!
The Death Knight’s jaw cracked open. Its eyes blazed with intense flames as it charged forward, anger firmly set.
Chi i i i ing!
The positions of the Light Wind Squad shifted once more. The second squad took the front in their firmest formation. It was the fifth formation: Snowy Moonlight.
Cha aa aa ang!
Runaan advanced, swinging her Snow Flower. The cold aura unraveled like a ribbon, covering the air and creating a fluid sword shield.
Cheo eo eo eo eng!
The blade of frost and the Death Knight’s flame sword clashed head-on, producing an immense amount of steam.
More silver blades shot up through the increasingly thick fog.
Pi aa aa ang!
It was not the Death Knight. It was Runaan at the end of her transformation who thrust her Snow Flower, piercing the Death Knight’s cheekbone.
Chi i i ik!
Although it did not create a major wound thanks to the death aura, a small sword mark was etched on the cheekbone.
-Ooooh!
Wrath clenched his fists tightly.
-You can even counterattack like that! The ice cream girl has changed too!
“That’s right.”
Runaan had always only defended.
With her gentle nature, she polished the aura of frost to protect everyone and took the lead.
But her disposition had also changed. To save her comrades, she fearlessly thrust out the sharp ice needles hidden inside her shield.
Kki gi gi geuk.
The Death Knight, its anger firmly set, lightly tapped its scratched cheek and adjusted its Hellfire Sword. Flames burst from the dark blade like a storm.
Cheong! Cheo jeong! Cheo jeo jeo jeong!
The Death Knight and the Light Wind Squad clashed head-on, causing the swamp to churn. The thick fog that filled the air was torn away, revealing the sky.
Hwa aa aa aa aa!
Under the sky dyed in deep crimson as the sunset approached, the sound of swords clashing echoed one after another.
Raon watched the Light Wind Squad’s sword strikes with a faint smile.
“It’s not just the leaders. Everyone has changed.”
Burren, Marta, and Runaan were not the only ones. All members of the Light Wind Squad had grown like different people from before.
“Uwaaaaa!”
Even the Light Wind Squad’s biggest coward, Dorian, did not retreat from the center of the formation. He gripped his sword tightly and endured, supporting the rear with tears welling up.
“Kuek!”
While everyone endured well, a swordsman was flung away with a pig-like squeal.
“This damn thing!”
It was Crain. He spat out the blood pooling in his mouth and quickly returned to his position before the Death Knight could deliver a follow-up attack. Because he always fell first, his return was as fast as a swallow.
-That guy is hopeless. The incarnation of misfortune.
“There is a bit of that.”
Crain was strong enough to rank among the top ten in the Light Wind Squad as the third squad deputy leader, but he always got hit first and fell.
He was a guy who lacked guts more than bad luck.
-And it would be better to prepare appropriately. That skeleton is a strange one.
“I know.”
Raon turned his gaze to the Death Knight and nodded.
“It’s an undead that grows rapidly….”
Originally, undead monsters grew slowly. Since humans discard their lives and take up death, growth is inevitably slow. Yet this Death Knight seemed unaffected by that curse, growing stronger even at this moment.
“It’s not just the death aura. It’s growing in swordsmanship too.”
Accepting that the power of this swamp strengthens the death aura was one thing, but understanding how swordsmanship could grow in such a short time was impossible.
Honestly speaking, the Death Knight was adapting to the Light Wind Squad far faster than the squad was adapting to the Death Knight.
Cheo eo eo eng!
If this continued, the Light Wind Squad would not last long and would retreat with injuries.
“Vice Captain.”
Mark Goetten gripped the black saber at his waist and calmed his gaze.
“I will go.”
“Um, then…”
Raon was about to grant permission when Yua ran out onto the battlefield beside him.
“Yua!”
Mark Goetten tried to stop her, but Raon waved him off.
“Vice Captain?”
-Hey! Stop the pineapple girl!
“I’ll just watch for a moment.”
Raon shook his head, circling heat around the mana circuit so he could save Yua at any time.
Goo ooo ooo!
Yua clasped her hands together and channeled aura. Blue currents flowed out like luxurious silk.
[Aaaaaaaa!]
Yua had not chosen a sword but a voice. The holy song that flowed out as if a celestial being of white wings had descended stirred new waves in the swamp.
Kki gi geuk…
The Death Knight’s face, which had only raged when struck by blades, twisted in pain. Its suspicious eyes turned beyond the Light Wind Squad toward Yua.
“W-what…?”
“I-is my injury calming down…?”
“I thought my stamina was all gone, but I can hold on a little longer.”
“Just a moment ago I was about to faint…”
“Is this Yua’s power?”
In contrast, the Light Wind Squad brightened as their injuries seemed to calm.
This was the ability Eden had targeted in Yua. A Siren’s voice that dealt damage to enemies and restored vitality to allies.
Kra aa aa aa aa!
As the Death Knight gripped its sword and roared, the swamp churned, and numerous ghouls and skeleton warriors emerged.
Kii i i i!
Kya aa aa aa!
The ghouls and skeleton warriors paid no attention to the Light Wind Squad and charged toward Yua.
Cha aa aa ak!
When poisonous claws reached for Yua’s neck, a sharp sword light flashed.
Ki i i ik!
The ghoul was cut in half at the arms and fell into the swamp.
“I can’t let you have all the fun!”
Julius stood in front of Yua, clenching his teeth.
“If you do it, I’ll do it too!”
He used the straight swordsmanship Red Evil Sword he had learned from Roen to cut down the approaching undead monsters.
Sweat poured down his body from tension, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
Ku gu gu gu gung!
The right side of the swamp surged like waves, and a Dullahan emerged. Riding with an aura stronger than the one they had defeated earlier, it charged toward Yua.
“Even a Dullahan can be summoned?”
Originally, the number of summons a Death Knight could call depended on its rank.
Seeing it call a Dullahan as well, it seemed this Death Knight had grown from Ha-gwi to Jung-gwi in no time.
“I will handle that.”
Mark Goetten drew his black saber and charged. He blocked the Dullahan’s spear before it could pierce Yua.
Cheo eo eo eng!
Mark Goetten’s fierce parry pushed back the Dullahan’s massive body. He scattered the Azure Storm Blade’s ultimate technique without caring about his own side, shattering the black spear.
-It used to be so dirty I couldn’t stand to look at it, but it’s improved.
Following Wrath’s words, Mark Goetten’s Azure Storm Blade was only powerful, without stirring any emotion, but his parry now carried a chilling sharpness.
Cheo jeo jeo jeok!
Mark Goetten bisected the Dullahan’s body in an instant with a lightning-fast parry.
The Dullahan did not even make a sound as it sank into the swamp, but the Light Wind Squad’s condition became even more dire in that short moment.
Kwa aa aa ang!
Unable to withstand the sword strike unleashed by the Death Knight, the Expert Mid-class swordsmen vomited blood and were pushed back.
Even the swordsmen who had reached High-class had blood flowing from their lips from injuries. Only the three leaders who had reached the highest rank and Dorian were barely holding on.
[Aa aa aa…]
Yua’s face paled as she faced the increasingly stronger aura of the Death Knight, and Julius panted heavily from exhaustion.
“Vice Captain.”
Mark Goetten, who had returned after dealing with the Dullahan, frowned with a serious expression.
“Is that Death Knight really getting stronger?”
“Yes.”
Raon nodded.
“At first it was only Master Low-class, but now it’s right before reaching Mid-class.”
“Then I’ll go too.”
Mark Goetten bit his lip and returned to the right side of the Light Wind Squad. He struck down the parry that had split the Dullahan’s body, but the Death Knight lightly deflected his blade.
“Hmph!”
Mark Goetten spun his body in mid-air as if he had expected it and unleashed his second parry. It was the Azure Storm Blade’s ultimate technique with a trajectory difficult to read, like falling lightning from the sky.
“Let’s go too!”
The Light Wind Squad also switched to their strongest formation, the eleventh: Marta took the aura.
Hwa aa aa aa!
When powerful auras surged from both sides, the Death Knight swung its Hellfire Sword diagonally. The immense aura hidden in the simple sword strike spread like waves.
Kwa wa aa aa ang!
The Death Knight could not withstand the combined attack of the Light Wind Squad and Mark Goetten and was pushed back far, slamming into three pillars.
Its body creaked from the large impact, but its death aura burned even stronger than before.
Kwa aa aa aa aa!
The Death Knight’s eye flames, which had burned crimson, turned green. At the same time, the death aura that had been rising from beneath its feet shot into the sky.
-It has crossed the wall.
“That’s right. It has reached Mid-class.”
Raon narrowed his eyes at the Death Knight.
After the previous shock, the Death Knight had firmly settled into Master Mid-class. No, it had gone beyond that.
-It seems to grow stronger the more it fights.
-I think the same. I haven’t seen such an undead in a long time.
Wrath clicked his tongue, calling it a rare species even in the Demon Realm.
Kwa aa aa aa ang!
The Hellfire Sword of the Death Knight that had reached Master Mid-class pushed the Light Wind Squad and Mark Goetten into the swamp simultaneously.
“Kru…”
“Kru heuk!”
“B-bastard…”
“That skeleton has become unbelievably strong.”
“I-I can’t hold on anymore…”
Mark Goetten and the Light Wind Squad trembled from the oppressive death aura and tried to rise.
“Aa…”
“Hey! Hold on! This isn’t over!”
Yua had slumped down from exhaustion, and Julius’ hand holding his sword trembled from fatigue.
“It seems…”
Raon, who had entered the swamp for the first time, placed his hand on the Heavenly Sky Sword.
“I’ll finish it.”
This Death Knight was dangerous. Since the Light Wind Squad had obtained the harvest of the swamp, it was right to end it as quickly as possible.
Using Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames and Divinity Born from Darkness, he advanced forward.
Jeo beok.
Despite walking on the wriggling swamp, a heavy sound of stepping on the ground echoed. The Light Wind Squad, hearing the footsteps, retreated without hesitation.
Tu du du du!
The Death Knight’s green eyes, burning with anger and destruction, turned toward them. The oppressive death aura squeezed their hearts. It was still growing stronger at this moment.
“I would like to watch how far it can grow, but there are quite a few people I have to take responsibility for. Let’s end it here.”
At those words, the Death Knight stomped the ground in anger. It became a green light ray and approached, swinging the Hellfire Sword downward.
The mysterious aura melted into the seemingly simple sword path. One blade divided into ten, completely enveloping the defenses of dodging and blocking.
Pain as if the skin was melting from the heat of the Hellfire Sword wrapped in hellish flames.
When the Requiem Sword at his waist warned of danger from the vibration, Raon strengthened his right hand gripping the Heavenly Sky Sword.
On the blade of the Heavenly Sky Sword, which had been drawn silently, flames denser than the Hellfire Sword burned. The line of flame that shot up like a meteor tail drew a grand trajectory.
Ppu du du du!
The red blade cut through the Hellfire Sword filled with death aura and pierced the center of the white bones. With strength, he extended the sword to the end.
Kwa aa aa aa!
The death aura that seemed impossible to pierce split apart, and the heart of the Death Knight burning with hellfire was crushed.
Raon grabbed the falling skull of the Death Knight that had lost its body and turned around. Smiling at the people staring with their mouths agape as if dazed.
“Let’s go back.”
Now it was time to grill the pigs.