CH 36

“Raaaaa!” (Black Knight)

The Black Knight’s roar echoed through the cave. Of course, the voice was different from conventional beasts. It sounded like the yell of a creature that spoke a language.

“[Shield Bash]” (Shield)

When the shield of the Hero Party’s Shield shines, it smashes against the Black Knight and the monster loses its posture.

“Now, let’s deal with it!” (Hero)

The leader of the Hero Party swung his sword down. Alongside the attack, it signals the other members to use multiple skills to attack the Black Knight.

“Raaaaaa!” (Black Knight)

The Black Knight blocks the attack by sticking out its shield. Still, the number of attacks cannot be suppressed, and it suffers several wounds from slashes on its back.

However, the Black Knight’s armor was hard. The slashes did leave cuts in the armor, but it was far from penetrating.

“Yuki, the armor is impossible to destroy. Let’s break his stance and aim for the joints!” (Shield)

“Roger that!” (Hero => Yuki)

It seems that the leader of the party is Yuki. Yuki holds his sword parallel to the ground and moves from side to side, making his way towards the Black Knight.

“I’m going. [Inferno]” (Magician)

Fire magic flew from the Magician of the Hero Party flew towards the Black Knight at a breakneck speed, but it was just slashed by its great sword. However, the flame spreads. The Fire magic was scattered and starts to burn its surrounding. That was [Inferno].

The slashed [Inferno] left some of its flames on its sword, thus the Black Knight was soon burning too.

“Graaaaawr!” (Black Knight)

The Black Knight swung its sword and shield chaotically, perhaps trying to dispel the flames. However, its movements were without thought leaving the monster full of gaps.

“[Heaven’s Judgement]” (Yuki)

Yuki’s skill cuts through its neck that wasn’t covered in armor.

“Gaaaaah!”

Blood spurts from the neck, but the attack did not fully penetrate and the Black Knight swung its sword, screaming in pain.

“I can see a way to win. All of you, let’s take this seriously!” (Yuki)

“”Yeah!”” (Party Members)

“””Yes!””” (Party Members)

Yuki’s voice gave the whole team momentum again.

“Everyone should go with their maximum power. Vanguards charge!” (Yuki)

“”Gooo!”” (Vanguards & Shield)

Following the instructions of the Hero, the armored explorers and the Shield of the Hero Party’s shields shine and they attack the Black Knight with a completely different momentum.

Their sword shines, their shield shines, and even their armor shines. Soon they overrun the Black Knight from all directions like a barrage of bullets showering its target. If the Black Knight tries to raise its hands, an attack from different directions will be directed to the joint of its arms. If it tries to kick, the attacks will come for the back of its knees, and they continue to hold it down with far more violent attacks.

“The skill is nearly over. Get back! Magic barrage!” (Yuki)

As soon as they saw the light of one of the swords go out, the instructions echoed and the vanguards distanced themselves from the Black Knight.

At the same time from behind the vanguards, lightning, fire, water, ice, and earth that should have interfered with each other attack the Black Knight. This is because they are targeting the same thing, all of the attacks hit their target.

“Trappers start setting up! Healers the vanguards.” (Yuki)

Accurate instructions flew around on the spot, and the damage suffered by the 6 parties disappeared, and they are battle-ready once again.

“Ahhhhh!” (Black Knight)

The Black Knight, who was blown away by the barrage of magic, stood up and thrust its sword with its shield, even though its body was tattered.

The Black Knight’s legs started glowing and its movements speed up.

The explorers are also buffed with [Speed] to make their eyes catch up with the speed, but they are far from skilled. The explorers have not been able to match their senses with their bodies. It’s to the extent that they are at the mercy of the skillful footsteps of the Black Knight.

The Black Knight in front of them instantly turns around and slashes the back of the explorers, but the shields of the others prevent him from doing so, so he blows the shields away with all his might.

However, the brute force of sheer numbers was still frightening. No matter how vigilant you are, you can’t eliminate every opening. No matter how you do it, there will always be a blind spot somewhere. The more opponents you have, the more blind spots you will have.

“[Rush]!” (Shield)

The Black Knight who was running around between people at high speed is pushed by a skill struck it from behind, and was suddenly pushed forward. Even if it doesn’t fall, it becomes a fatal gap, and the Black Knight is attacked by a wave of skills again.

Unable to attack, it is attacked by an avalanche of attacks.

In this dungeon that acknowledges power. Humans break the rule of four people and just attack. There is not a sliver or shadow of a knight’s pride, and the number of scratches on the black armor increases and it soon loses its deep luster.

“Vanguards get back!” (Yuki)

The wave of skills attacking it subsides, and it wields its great sword skillfully even as it suffers, but at that time the Black Knight already ran out of time and its attack does not reach.

“Magic Barrage!” (Yuki)

And then the bullets of light bombarded it. A number of enhanced spells pile up tearing, burning and piercing the body of the Black Knight.

Even if it blocked the bombardment with its shield, it cannot be suppressed by the power of the Black Knight, and its shield shifted from the magical impact. And pain rained in its body again.

—Why is this happening? Why do they break the rules and fight through sheer numbers?—

Again, the vanguards approach the Black Knight and simultaneously activated skills.

—I was born to fight these explorers.—

The sword raised by the Black Knight is blown behind. It doesn’t have enough strength to hold its sword.

—My reason for living is trampled by inexcusable trickery.—

“[Prestige].” (Yuki)

The Black Knight, who used its shield skills to push through the limit of its power, nevertheless shines. It tries to compete with Yuki, who has increased in speed and power and gradually begins to be pushed back.

—I can’t survive the sheer inexcusable scheming of multiple enemies. I get back.—

Yuki brushes off the shield that the Black Knight, who was already unarmed, that it lifted as its last stand.

Yuki’s attack destroys the shield that continued to resist until the end.

“Now, take this!” (Yuki)

—I will kill you.—

“You’re dead!” (Yuki)

The blade, which was approaching from behind its neck, loses power and is repelled by the dull armor, and falls to the ground.

The black knight stood up fluttering, blood dripping down its armor.

In its hand, was a man wrapped in silver armor dyed red.

“Die! Die!” (Vanguard)

The body of the Black Knight is covered in black mist, and its body swells. More violently, morphing to something more savage.

There it was, a beast of carnage clad in black iron scraps.

Haru and I were watching the battle from a distance. The black knight showed off some amazing moves that even we couldn’t help but notice and tossed around a lot of explorers. I’d love to learn from him.

A lone knight who defies the strength of many. I think that’s a much cooler nickname than “Hero”.

The Hero Party and the others are gradually increasing the damage by piling up weak attacks under precise instructions. There were some dangerous moments along the way, such as being blown up or slashed, but in no time at all, the party that was not participating in the battle would help with recovery, so no one would die or even be seriously injured.

“If it stays like this, I think they can win.” (Haru)

“That’s right. The Black Knight can’t keep up with their number.” (Kei)

I softly responded to Haru’s comment who also speaks softly. The explorers can fight almost infinitely as long as the magical power of their Heal continues, but the Black Knight seems to be slowly getting exhausted and slowing down.

I don’t care if someone we don’t know gets hurt or die, but if they die in front of us, we wouldn’t be able to endure it.

That’s why we always keep our weapons at the ready, even though we don’t want to be seen. If something happens, we can intervene. Is it naive of me to think this way even though I say I don’t care about the death of others?

But the truth is, if they were that strong, it would be a piece of cake to defeat them without even revealing ourselves. We could probably kill it in one blow without even using our Treasure Tool. That’s why I was so unconcerned. It’s not like I’m fighting it myself in the first place, so there shouldn’t be a problem with my disregard.

For me, at least.

“Hey, brother. Isn’t the Black Knight looking strange?” (Haru)

“I’m sure it’s not magic or skill.” (Kei)

As the Black Knight approached death, he seemed to absorb something like magical power into his body into its core heart. Magical power is something you normally cant see.

However, it creates an atmosphere of boundless darkness.

It didn’t seem as if absorbing something like magic power increased his abilities or restored him.

“It’s kind of ominous, isn’t it?” (Haru)

“Yeah, but it looks like it’s over. Yeah, it’s over.” (Kei)

I said, upon seeing Yuki use his skills to destroy the Black Knight’s shield.

Immediately behind the Black Knight, a person who was donned in silver armor is holding a big sword and using his skills. The tip is firmly pointed at the neck, and at that distance, nothing would stop it.

“Let’s go home.” (Haru)

“Oh, let’s go home, shall we?” (Kei)

Gan!

Squelch!

As I sheathed my sword and replaced it with a knife. When Haru loosened her grip on the tonfa.

And, most importantly, when we turned our heads back, convinced that the explorers had won. We heard that sound.

The sound of metal being pierced and meat being crushed. And then the sound of blood splattering.

We instinctively knew what had happened, and even though we didn’t want to look, our dungeon-trained minds turned back in alarm.

It was the Black Knight who was being enveloped by something black, and a human who was now impaled in its hand.

“Ue. Geho, Geho.” (Vanguard)

Haru, who saw it, couldn’t stand the sight and she spat out the contents of her stomach. Fortunately or unfortunately, everything in the stomach is digested and only stomach acid comes out.

“It’s okay, Haru.” (Kei)

Even though I was attacked by nausea, I stopped myself from vomiting and comforted Haru instead.

Haru looks forward, looking quite pale, and she gazed at the Black Knight again.

Haru focused her mind and announced the result of her [Inspection].