The Grave Digger of the Moon
I remember the exact moment my blade pierced his throat. He died pathetically, face smashed into the desk. Black blood sprayed from his mouth as the poison took him. The odds of him surviving were practically zero. So then… how the hell is he standing here?
Even death cannot claim what the Grave Digger of the Moon has marked.
“You look like you’re thinking too hard,” a mocking chuckle echoed. “Like you’re wondering how I’m still alive after you definitely killed me!”
I took one step back for every deliberate step he took forward.
“People should always prepare for the unexpected, my friend.”
“Preparing for the unexpected doesn’t give you two lives.”
“Who ever said life was limited to just one?”
A brief lull settled between us. In that moment, May quickly retreated and began tending to Jun’s wounds. Getting hurt was nothing new for him… he’d be fine.
“Since ancient times, those absolute beings who feared death have searched desperately for immortality. Trembling in terror at the very thought of it. But if you shift your perspective just a little—ever so slightly—death becomes something you can overcome.”
“What the hell are you babbling about?”
“Simple. Just don’t stay dead.”
The unease crawling up my spine made me swing my blade at Shylock’s neck without hesitation. Thud. Thump. His head fell cleanly, not a single drop of blood spilling.
“Kahaha! Oh dear, Lee Han. It’s useless.”
The headless body simply bent down, picked up the severed head, and placed it back on its shoulders. Even then, the head continued to taunt me without pause.
“Can you see it? Our Mother has freed me from death itself!”
He spread one hand wide, pointing at us.
“The Apostle Karnoa stands with us! Fear death no longer! For at its end awaits her salvation!”
“U-uwaaaaaaaah!”
What the hell was this? While my feet were still rooted in place, torches flared up all around us. In the midst of this collective madness born from fear and confusion, a chilling voice seized control of the crowd.
“Silence.”
Beyond the final door of the dark underground chamber, a woman appeared. She moved like a spider—silent, deliberate—and carried the oppressive weight of moonlight. The hem of her black velvet dress was embroidered with countless names. Her face was deathly pale, devoid of any vitality. In stark contrast, her violet eyes gleamed above it, framed by long, pitch-black curls. Two paladins in full plate and a priest stood guard at her sides.
“The buzzing of these lowly insects gives me such a headache. How utterly… filthy and unclean.”
Her voice was seductive. Yet for some reason, it felt like cold fingertips were pressing against my heart, making it hard to breathe.
“I’d love to kill them all and be done with it… but Lady Luna cherishes her children and forbids it. Tsk.”
Those violet eyes turned toward me.
“So you’re the child of dragon blood.”
“You know me?”
“Of course I do. My name is Karnoa. I am the Third Apostle of Lady Luna. I have been waiting for you for a very long time.”
“Too bad. I’m not really into people who only show up because of my power.”
“How adorable. Why don’t you stop this pointless resistance and come into my arms?”
She smiled at me. The smooth, curved smile somehow looked grotesque.
“Death is not the end. Unlike these rabble, you are qualified to receive the true blessing of the underworld.”
“…”
“You will become a perfect masterpiece. I promise to cherish you greatly under Lady Luna’s guidance. Oh, and I give you my word—I won’t touch your companions.”
They were exhausted. Six hours had already passed since the escape began. Even I, with my dragon blood, felt my head spinning, and I hadn’t started at full strength. For now, I had to pretend to accept her offer and secure Jun and May’s safety first…
May stepped out from behind me and flipped her middle finger.
“Shut up, you whore.”
“What an ill-mannered wench.”
“She’s not exactly wrong.”
Wearing a dress to a fight really was the kind of idea only a prostitute would have. Karnoa’s eyebrow twitched.
“I do not tolerate rudeness, so watch your—”
“You thick-headed idiot. I came all this way to save my brother. You really think I’d just leave because you told me to? Use your brain.”
May winked at me. Ha. She sure had a classy way of turning down my concerns.
“You’ve… crossed the line. Very well. The lowly only understand when shown directly.”
Karnoa swept her hand in a wide arc.
“Those who have crossed the river of the underworld.”
A cold wind blew through the underground chamber where no breeze should exist.
“Masters of defeated lives. Rise upon the stage.”
From every corner of the silent underground prison, the sound of rattling chains echoed. Everyone held their breath.
“H-Hyung! That’s—!”
Before Jun, who had just regained consciousness, could finish, my throwing knife was already slicing through the air. Clang—.
One of the paladins standing beside Karnoa casually swung his sword and deflected it. Layers of protective barriers from the priest immediately stacked on top.
“Those burdened with the karma of death—in the name of Karnoa, I invoke Lady Luna’s will and call for your return.”
The dead rose. They didn’t look particularly strong, nor did they seem to possess Shylock’s level of intellect. But those who had already met death now gripped swords, spears, and axes as they stood once more. Their worn-out gazes were fixed solely on Karnoa.
“Sing in accordance with her will. Without voice. Without rest.”
She whispered softly.
“For that was never permitted.”
Limp arms, bent necks, and crushed faces all turned toward us.
The corpses that hadn’t been dead long carried a strong stench of blood. The survivors staggered backward, retreating from the marching horde.
“First Quarter Holy Stage.”
The entire crowd fell silent in an instant.
“I am watching you.”
From her relatively high position, her eyes were clearly visible. They swept across the room.
“Lady Luna desires that one. Therefore, go forth and fight. Offer your lives.”
Her gaze was merciless, filled with disgust for the living.
“U-uuuh…”
The body of one man who tried to back away burst into white flames, reducing him to bones that immediately rose again.
“To the brave, Lady Luna shall grant a sacred death. But those who refuse will never know honor.”
The First Quarter Holy Stage. It was the widest open door for those who wished to join the Luna Order and serve the goddess. As long as they had faith, origin, ability, and personality were irrelevant. Sadly, it produced the highest number of casualties, so most people simply assumed its followers lacked talent and died easily. Though there were occasional eyewitness accounts of meeting people who were supposed to be dead.
“U-uwaaaaaaaaaagh!”
Both the dead and the living charged forward.
How many hours had passed?
Ah, another six hours gone.
I mechanically crushed the skull of a charging skeleton, then swept its legs out from under it and stomped its cranium to pieces. Fortunately, the revived ones had terrible balance, so the strategy worked. Since they wouldn’t stay down unless their heads were destroyed, this was the most stamina-efficient way to deal with them.
“Child, why don’t you give up now?”
Karnoa sat on a chair someone had brought over, radiating absolute leisure. Only thirty meters away. From that close distance, she calmly observed us, cornered in the alcove of the corridor. The two paladins and the priest guarding her flanks hadn’t moved an inch.
“That foul-mouthed girl looks like she can barely lift her sword anymore.”
“…”
It wasn’t so much combat as it was her barely staying upright while stabbing blades into bodies. She’d shove one down, then stab the next. Like an anchor.
“And that big fellow seems to have opened his wounds again. Shouldn’t he get treatment soon?”
The bear-like man’s movements had grown noticeably sluggish. Since he usually fought by taking acceptable hits, his slowed reactions were letting even more wounds accumulate. His pants were already soaked a deep, irreversible red.
“Because I have longed for you for so very long, I will give you one final chance. Give up now and become mine.”
The paladin beside Karnoa slammed his sword into the ground with a heavy thud. His body was powerful, yet completely devoid of life. If I accepted… I would probably end up the same.
But…
Thud.
Jun, who had been standing silently behind me and to the left, collapsed with his eyes rolled back—only to jerk upright again and resume his position. On their side, two knights, a priest, and Karnoa herself hadn’t even joined the fight. There was… no longer any chance of victory. From here on, it was pure stubbornness. Jun and May had no reason to die here.
“Aah… I’ve been so curious this whole time. If I turn the child of dragon blood—the one the goddess herself feared so much—into my servant, how pleased will she be? And how much ecstasy will you give me?”
Shylock was trembling in a corner a short distance away. After being forcibly dragged into battle by her command and smashed to pieces, Karnoa had clicked her tongue and stitched his body back together. I had made sure to carve that bastard up extra thoroughly. If he still thought of himself as human, he’d probably feel something was horribly wrong by now. Pathetic piece of shit.
Glaring at that worthless trash, I slammed my sword into the ground with a loud clang and raised both hands.
“Karnoa! I request a negotiation!”
“Oh? My, my! Hahaha! Kyahaha! Haa… So what you want is… your companions’ lives?”
“That’s right.”
“Yes, yes. I was quite heartbroken at the thought of having to stitch your broken body back together. If you cooperate, there’s so much more I can do! Haa…”
I walked forward along the path that opened at her gesture.
“It’s been so difficult holding back all this time. Waiting for you to grow. Waiting for your body to ripen.”
“…”
“I spent a long time wondering what possible use that Shylock could have.”
“I was thinking of using him as a spy inside Umbra, but who would have thought? One day he brings me news of Belcard, and the next, the child of dragon blood?”
“Haha… Yes, that’s correct, Lady Karnoa… So please…”
“Be quiet. I’ll fix your body myself later. Now withdraw.”
“Y-yes, of course…”
Karnoa gently stroked my cheek as if it were something precious.
“Hmm… Perfect. Don’t worry. You no longer need to struggle so uglily to survive. Let go of your desires, your hatred, your wounds. At the most perfect moment, we will adorn your beautiful story with pure death. And then… it’s over. That’s all.”
“Oppa, fuck. Fuck! No! Don’t do this again! You can’t!”
At May’s scream, Karnoa frowned.
“Still such a foul-mouthed girl.”
“Promise me. No matter what they say, you’ll let them live and send them away.”
“Hehe, I am quite kind to children who listen well.”
The moment I stepped out of formation, the defensive line we had barely maintained collapsed instantly. As soon as Karnoa withdrew her attack order, the legion of corpses surged forward to block us. In the chaos of that horde, May—whose legs had given out—crawled desperately on her arms, struggling to break through the army.
“Aaaaaagh! Move! Get out of my way!”
Jun clenched his teeth and attempted a reckless charge before passing out.
“Now then, would you like to drink this? I must handle a special child like you with care.”
Karnoa held out a vial of transparent liquid to me as I now stood before her. Even if I aimed for her throat right now… it would be pointless. It would only provoke her anger.
She wouldn’t have called me this close without precautions.
…Is this really the end?
Yena, I’m sorry. You believed in me, but I couldn’t even complete the first task. You know, right? I’m actually not that impressive. I know it too. There was probably an easier path. But that would’ve been too shameful. It would mean walking the same path as the real Lee Han from reality. I didn’t want that. My body won’t die, but how should I accept the death of my mind? I wish I could at least say a proper goodbye.
I twisted off the cap and lifted the vial. Ah, Rebecca. I couldn’t keep my promise to take responsibility. I’m sorry. Please live well even without me…
Creak. Crash.
A flying knife shattered the vial just as I was tilting it.
The liquid spilled down my hand from the broken glass.
“Who is it!” Karnoa shouted irritably.
Jun and May no longer had the strength to throw something like that. In the middle of her furious glare—
Step. Step.
Someone appeared from the staircase.
White hair. The leather-like suit he always wore.
A physique too imposing for his age. Hair slicked back neatly.
“Matthew…?”