Gravekeeper Knight (4)
Every step it took boomed like an explosion, cracking the earth beneath its feet. Trees crumpled in half and burst apart when it accelerated over them. Rocks shattered under its weight alone, tumbling away in chunks.
This wasn't because I hated nature or anything. I just didn't have the luxury to care.
It wasn't some opponent I could carry on my back like Gia when heading to meet my master—slow and careful.
Damn, it's flying at an insane speed. Is it because it's smaller than a dragon?
In my life reincarnated as Aren, I'd slain two dragons. I'd seen them flying at top speed with my own eyes. At least in terms of pure flight velocity, this Gravekeeper Knight was a touch faster.
But I was no slouch either—a body honed for chasing down fleeing prey at breakneck speeds. Even tearing through a cluttered forest full of obstacles, I kept pace with the thing hurtling ahead at tremendous velocity.
It ramped up even more, as if this wasn't its max yet. I was about to pour more aura into my legs and accelerate—
What's that?
Light gathered in its raised hand, and in an instant, the double-bladed spear I'd thrown earlier rematerialized there. Had it resummoned the one I'd tossed? Or regenerated a new one?
No time to nitpick. The spear launched from its grip again.
"I see you, you bastard!"
It had timed my footfalls, predicting my path ahead. But I'd caught on. I feigned getting hit, twisted my step, and veered diagonally.
The spear speared into where I'd been—BOOM! The shockwave toppled dozens of trees in a landslide roar.
That kind of power from a quick toss?
I could've blocked it head-on, but no way was I playing its game and burning energy on a straight trade.
—KABOOM!
—KRA-KRAAAA-BOOM!!
The ground erupted where I'd stood. I twisted my foot, kicked off, twisted again half a beat later.
—BOOM-KRA-KRA-KABOOM!!!
Three times. Dodged them all by prediction. The forest quaked like an earthquake. Birds exploded into the sky, animals scattered in panic.
Getting close to the dungeon cave now.
The Gravekeeper Knight vanished over a ridge in my line of sight. I kicked off immediately, crested the hill—and emerged into a wide clearing barren of trees.
It landed in front of a distant cave mouth. The wings on its back shattered like glass and vanished.
It turned, fixing me with its gaze.
Its crimson eyes gleamed eerily, locking onto me. Was it heading inside like this?
"Telepathy? No, more like thought projection?"
The surviving knight had mentioned it—words beaming straight into his head. Hearing it myself, it wasn't the aura-based telepathy knights used. Closer to the mages' thought projection magic.
Oh ho, listen to that voice. A husky baritone evoking a dignified middle-aged hunk?
Seemed like it was opting for talk for now, so I casually reversed my grip on the sword I'd been holding loosely and approached at a leisurely pace.
"You mean chase off those people climbing up there?"
A Dragon Fang Soldier and dungeon boss saying it didn't want to fight? Definitely unique.
Of course, I had zero intention of backing off.
"You blew up the city walls and now say you don't want to fight?"
So it could've caused casualties if it wanted but deliberately targeted just the walls.
"Even if that's your idea of consideration, why should the people here trust you and leave your dungeon alone? To humans, dungeons are a menace. They must be eradicated on principle."
Dungeons bring wealth and glory, sure—but only after conquest, hauling out the spoils. Left alone, they grow. Spawning stronger monsters, expanding outward once acclimated. The harm outweighs any good.
That's why dungeons are a plague. To humans, they're like wasp nests that must be cleared from your turf.
"Let me ask you this, Gravekeeper Knight."
Ten paces away. Dangerously close.
"I get that this dungeon is your master's tomb. So your role is just guarding it, right?"
It paused, then sent a melancholic thought projection.
My master's words were spot on. It really was a fusion of all those Dragon Fang Soldiers.
A brief silence.
Its voice dripped with void-like emptiness. A grudge that had blazed like wildfire, worn down and extinguished by the ages.
It glanced toward the cave for a moment.
"Wanna guess?"
A chuckle slipped out. Sorry to cut it off abruptly, but I knew a name this guy absolutely couldn't ignore.
"The target of your vengeance is Cardia. The Dragon Slayer of the Human-Dragon War. Right?"
The air shifted the instant Cardia's name dropped. Its crimson glare narrowed on me.
Not anger, not surprise. The voice of one hearing a name long unspoken by outsiders—from the last place they'd expect. Stiffened.
So I opened my mouth slowly, anticipating what came next.
"Cardia is my master. Sealed in this sword, but her spirit endures."
With those words—crimson flashed.
"—Meaning, the vengeance you crave? You can still have it."
THOOM!!!
It kicked off. Power utterly unlike before surged forth. Its massive frame, rivaling a giant in sheer pressure, barreled straight at me.
The double-bladed spear swept a wide arc, axe-head aimed at my chest.
"Hup!"
Eseldra forward. Silver sword aura coils around the blade. Left hand on the flat, feet braced firm—I meet the axe-head.
KRUUUUM!!!
The roar hurled my body backward. Straight-line dozens of meters until my back slammed a cliff face, halting me.
Crack.
The cliff fissured; dust billowed thick.
In that blinded instant—murderous intent zeroed on my head.
Reflex: Sword up. Cleaving the dust, the massive axe-head rained down.
Axe met blade again; dust exploded outward.
This bastard—one hand and it's this strong?
Blade locked with axe-head, sparks flying in a test of strength. It was committed, but still one-handed—with room to spare.
How long since I'd blocked a hit like this, post-orphanage director?
I'd tangled with tough foes fetching the kids, but this one was a cut above.
CLANG! I uppercut hard, flinging its blade; it retreated a few steps.
"…."
Arrogant tone from one convinced of superiority.
I smirked, settling into mid-guard.
"Why the hell should I listen to the enemy and pull it out on command?"
Not quite enough to make my slit-eyes snap wide. Think I'm going all-out already?
"Cut the crap and fight for real, Dragon Fang Soldier. Unless you wanna fade into oblivion unsatisfyingly."
I glared with full intimidation.
"If you wanna see the technique you crave, make me use it."
Only then did it grip the double-bladed spear two-handed and assault me ferociously.
"Fuck, is this place really safe?"
The mercenary gripping his double-headed axe sweated bullets, eyes darting sideways.
"For now... Aren seems to be keeping its attention off us."
The adventurer man answering him gulped, watching intently.
Not just them. Under senior knights' command, the subjugation force crept toward the cave.
Aren's duel with the Gravekeeper Knight in the distance set every onlooker's nerves ablaze.
"…Is that a Master-rank knight versus a monster beyond AA-grade?"
The mercenary considered himself seasoned at peak C-rank. To his eyes, even tracking the fight was a struggle.
Blink once, and sparks flickered in the air multiple times. The clash of spear and sword came so fast it sounded less like two fighters and more like a band plucking metal strings.
"Don't dawdle! While Aren handles the boss, we raid the dungeon!"
Senior Knight Damil, commanding in Aren's stead, bellowed.
The Gravekeeper Knight's gaze flicked to Damil amid the exchange—like crimson flames.
Damil's heart sank just enduring that glance. But Aren exploited the opening with an upper slash, forcing it to redirect.
Gasp... a monster! Without Aren, we'd be...
A mere glance freezing his body. Facing it head-on underscored Aren's prowess inversely.
Heaven's grace. What luck she's Susan's friend!
Damil swiftly led the force into the near cave. Lanterns ignited as darkness fell.
No need to delve deep. A cavern opened soon, revealing the dungeon's gateway.
"Enter! Advance fast, smash the core!"
Destroying the core disables the dungeon; the gate closes naturally over time. It wouldn't erase the boss, but it'd surely weaken it.
Best way to aid Aren, they judged, plunging in.
"…Godspeed!"
Damil didn't worry about the Gravekeeper Knight pursuing. That would mean Aren had lost—and they'd be dead anyway.
Maybe the city too.