I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

26 – Fighting to the Death is Easy, but Lending a Path is Hard (5)

The commander was taken aback by the bold declaration to suddenly slay the wyverns. If those wyverns were ordinary wyverns, he might have understood Kriel’s declaration.

The humans of Tirnanog had long conducted ecological surveys on species called monsters. Wyverns were no exception. Although there were differences depending on specific habitats such as northern or southern species, they had already acquired various information such as the distance and speed limits they could fly with one nutritional supply.

Based on the location and frequency of attacks, it was possible to narrow down the candidates for the nest’s location to some extent. But this time, the wyverns were different.

Those wyverns were clearly tainted by the abyss. Analysis based on general ecological knowledge was of little use for abyssal species. The enhancement by the abyss could not be quantified.

At the level of a demon, even obvious facts like “humans die when their head and body are separated” could become meaningless.

There was a high probability that there was a wyvern’s nest somewhere near the mountain around the gateway city. But this was just one hypothesis, and it could not be ruled out that some malicious demon had advanced from afar with the wyverns.

The commander of the border guards compressed this analysis into one sentence.

“Sir Kriel. But isn’t there no way to find their traces?”

Kriel nodded. Generally, that was true.

But if he used the power of the dark knight, the story would be different.

‘…But I can’t say this as it is.’

As prearranged, Kriel drew his horned sword. The commander flinched at the sudden drawing of the sword, but soon his vigilance subsided as Kriel placed the horned sword on the table.

And from the horned sword, Orisin emerged.

[Greetings! Strong and powerful morning! If you ask me, my name is Orisin, the unicorn spirit!]

The sight of the unicorn wrapped in auspicious silver light was quite impressive. The fact that it had no neck was not a significant flaw for a spirit. The border guards were in awe of the unicorn’s appearance.

Kriel gave a suitable explanation to the border guards who were looking at Orisin with sparkling eyes.

“This is a weapon personally forged by the saintess of the Eve Kaha Order, and it possesses special abilities as a spirit dwells within it.”

That was the explanation about Orisin.

“Originally, it would be a difficult task to find the minions of the abyss hiding in the shadows, but with the abilities of the weapon I possess, it is possible to bring them out into the sunlight. Trust me and give me a day.”

The point to note here is that he did not confirm that ‘the weapon I possess’ was Orisin. He used somewhat confusing wording, but he did not lie.

‘My nobility won’t be tarnished.’

If the abyss does it, it’s a scam, but if I do it, it’s a clever improvisation. Kriel admired his own cleverness as he waited for the commander’s response.

“A sword made with the blessing of the saintess and the spirit! It must be an extraordinary holy relic.”

Kriel’s complexion inside the helmet twisted. It was true that Morigina was a saintess and Orisin was a spirit.

But he could never say that they were an ordinary saintess and an ordinary spirit, even if a knife was put to his throat.

Fortunately, Kriel’s troubled expression was hidden by the helmet. Only a slight distortion of his brow could be faintly seen. The commander interpreted that change in expression as the solemnity of a paladin focusing on his task.

“Thank you for your dedication. Our border guards will fully follow Sir Kriel’s instructions. Just give the order.”

A question arose in Kriel’s mind. When you think about it, is it okay to take command of another country’s army so haphazardly?

‘It’s not like I formally received command, and it’s limited to tracking the Abyss, so it should be fine.’

What mattered now were the innocent people suffering because of the Abyss, not the political landscape. Kriel stopped thinking, using chivalry as an excuse.

He preferred to keep complex thoughts at bay for his mental health.

*

Although he had been given command, Kriel had no intention of actively moving the soldiers.

He was called a dark ‘knight’, but in truth, Kriel lacked experience in commanding others. In the Western Army, most of the orders he received were just ‘go and break this and that’, so he had no expertise in group battles.

Therefore, his orders were simple: thoroughly defend the gateway city and shoot down any wyverns that might escape here.

Having dispatched the soldiers, Kriel entered the mountains surrounding the gateway city alone.

[Master. As I said yesterday, to track the wyverns’ trail, I must slay them.]

“I know.”

[But there are no traces of wyverns in this place, are you planning to search the entire mountain range alone?]

Of course not. Kriel grasped the horned knife in his right hand and stored all his armor in the shadow of his cloak. His pale hair was exposed under the sun. But only for a moment. Kriel activated the power of the dark knight.

Thick shadows gathered to form black mist. Darkness clung to Kriel’s weapons and entire body, including Tuon.

Without hesitation, he slashed his forearm to draw blood. Splat, bright red blood soaked into the ground.

[What are you doing!?]

Unlike the bewildered Tuon, Orisin nodded in understanding.

[It was similar when you drew me in, wasn’t it?]

“Good memory. Yes.”

[All that’s left is my head, so my head has to be good!]

It was a similar method to when Kriel used the contract to draw out Orisin, who had become a Baikon. The difference now was that it was much cruder.

The biggest problem was that there was no sacrificial offering for the human sacrifice. But it couldn’t be helped.

When he drew out Orisin, who had fallen into a Baikon, the father and daughter selected as fake offerings were ignorant of magical rituals or the Abyss. There was no fear of them suspecting Kriel even after seeing the preparation process for the Abyss contract ritual.

But the soldiers of the border guard had all received at least basic education about the Abyss. If Kriel prepared a contract ritual with the Abyss, complete with a living sacrifice?

They might draw their swords immediately, shouting something like, ‘You impudent scoundrel pretending to be a holy knight! Face the blade of justice!’ He couldn’t even pretend to offer someone as a sacrifice in front of the border guard.

Especially in the current situation where he was claiming to be the great warrior of Eve Kaha.

Therefore, Kriel prepared a very simple makeshift contract. He promised to offer high-quality sacrifices like human souls or suffering in the future, and for now, he settled the contract with his own blood.

It was a makeshift contract, like giving an advance payment and promising to pay the rest later.

During his time as a fallen spirit, Orisin had been intelligent from the start because he was originally a spirit. In other words, he was thorough in calculating gains and losses. He wouldn’t have shown any interest in such a flimsy, forced contract.

But now, the opponent Kreel was trying to lure was a mere monster, not a wyvern variant or a demon with bestowed wisdom.

The blood directly given by a dark knight like Kreel held great value to them. It was alluring enough to approach even under the influence of other abyssal beings.

“Even if the opponent has the rank of a demon, if Tuon belongs to the demon hierarchy as you say, a few bewitched wyverns will approach.”

[And then you just cut them down without making a contract. Be honest. How many abyssal beings have you deceived with this?]

“I will exercise my right to remain silent.”

Deception against the abyss was a noble act based on chivalry. Kreel was a knight with an exceptionally flexible mindset when it came to the abyss.

[Hey. Do you think that’s knightly? I’m not saying you have to fight the abyss fairly….]

As someone who had his neck broken and skull shattered by Kreel’s fraudulent contract (non-existent), Orisin seemed inwardly troubled. However, surprisingly, Tuon acknowledged Kreel’s combat style.

[Indeed.]

[Hmm. Didn’t you revere honor as a knight? Accept the power of the abyss, maintain dignity as a knight. Your words seem to change from time to time.]

[Originally, the abyss submits to the stronger. My master, who reigns over all demons from the deepest part of the abyss, is the rightful ruler, so the lower abyssal beings must obey his command regardless of what he says.]

[No. This guy is crazier than I thought. Are you planning to become a Demon King Maker or something?]

Kreel listened to the noisy clamor of swords with one ear and waited for the monster’s approach.

Drip. Drip. The number of dripping blood drops gradually increased.

When the blood no longer seeped into the ground and began to pool, the sound of wings flapping was heard from above.

Whoosh, the surrounding branches shook. Although it was a rather narrow clearing for a wyvern to land, the monster’s strong body, befitting its name, forcibly broke and crushed the trees as it landed in front of Kreel.

The wyvern tried to look up at Kreel. First, it felt like it had sensed the scent of the author somewhere before. But the doubt was short-lived. A man with pale hair, descending with a darkness that seemed to devour the sun.

The blood carried an authority so intense that a mere monster could not dare to question it.

Slowly, the wyvern lowered its head.

Then it signaled with its eyes. ‘May I have the honor of serving that blood?’ it meant. Kreel, with the sun at his back, arrogantly nodded. He had the demeanor of an invader trying to conquer the territory of another demon.

The demonic nature of the abyss obeys the logic of power. Realizing that a demon, perhaps even a devil, with much greater power than the one it currently served had arrived, the monster wanted to be the first servant to tear apart the flesh of its old master.

It was the moment when the wyvern, with its head lowered, approached as if crawling. The distance was just right for Tuon’s blade, combined with Kreel’s arm length, to take a step forward and pierce the wyvern’s heart.

With a lightning-fast movement, Kreel drew Tuon and traced a line from the wyvern’s back to its heart. It was a move that skillfully penetrated the gaps between the wyvern’s scales, precisely splitting the flesh without grazing any complex skeletal structures, reaching the heart.

The wyvern died without even knowing what had happened.

[Ah, I see it. The weak demon who will bow at the master’s feet!]

Tuon shouted, soaking up the blood with its entire body. As the wyvern’s blood was absorbed into the blade wrapped in darkness, the wyvern’s remains turned pale in an instant.

Orisin, who was watching the scene, tilted his head.

[Does this visual make sense…?]