# chapter 69
—
**Sky Island.**
A secret organization said to have existed for over a thousand years.
Most of its members were revealed to be heinous criminals, each carrying bounties exceeding ten thousand gold.
But that wasn’t the reason they became infamous.
Whether true or false, centuries ago—
There was a rumor that a member of Sky Island had destroyed an ancient kingdom.
Though most people dismissed this legend as mere myth, some truly believed it.
From then on, Sky Island became a ghost story, a legend—something in between.
And it was feared as the greatest criminal syndicate on the continent.
But Leon had never believed such tales.
*‘How could a human live more than a thousand years?’*
And how could a single individual overthrow an entire nation?
Yet, the moment a fragment of that legend appeared before his very eyes, he could no longer dismiss it as empty fiction.
“Is… is that really true, Miss Jeannie? That skeleton… is a member of Sky Island?”
“…Strictly speaking, it’s an emissary.”
“An emissary?”
“Yes.”
Jeannie swallowed dryly.
“A warning from Sky Island. The moment you kill that Death Knight, the wrath of Sky Island will descend.”
“…Then it isn’t actually a member of Sky Island?”
“Since it’s called an emissary, perhaps it’s not a member… but at least a will of theirs?”
Leon fell silent.
*‘Emissary… a pun likening it to the lion of the battlefield?’*
As that thought crossed his mind, Leon gave a hollow laugh—
The skeleton opened its mouth.
**\[Ham. Bu. Ruk.]**
“…?”
**\[Ham. Bu. Ruk. Dead. You killed him.]**
With those words, the skeleton swung its sword.
A surge of ominous power erupted, making Leon’s eyes widen.
*‘A Sword Slash… a technique only a swordsman of the 5th Circle can use.’*
And yet a mere skeleton, nothing but bones, had just used it?
Leon’s jaw dropped as he rolled across the ground, clutching Jeannie and the fallen Marshal in his arms.
**Boom!**
The slash grazed Leon, carving a grotesque scar into the far wall.
Leon gaped.
“This… this isn’t just an ordinary skeleton!?”
“I told you, it’s a Death Knight! And what are you standing there for? Move already!”
At Jeannie’s urgent cry, Leon scrambled to his feet.
But the Death Knight was already upon him, sword slashing down.
**Clang—!**
Leon barely blocked with two daggers, gritting his teeth.
*‘Damn it! This is the worst possible matchup!’*
Hypnosis was useless—it was already dead.
Even if he sacrificed decades of his life, such a being would never succumb.
*‘And I’ve no marked location, so teleportation isn’t an option either.’*
Judging the situation, Leon pushed the Death Knight’s blade aside and shouted:
“Miss Jeannie! I’ll hold it off! Take Marshal and run—!”
But at that moment, a violent gust of wind blasted through.
The Death Knight, charging toward them, was hurled into a wall.
**Boom!**
Leon gaped as Jeannie cried out:
“Now’s our chance, run! Hurry!”
Leon snapped back to his senses and turned.
Jeannie pointed toward the passage.
“We have to buy time until Sir Donn arrives! Go, quickly!”
Nodding, Leon heaved the wounded Marshal onto his back and followed Jeannie into a dog hole.
\[…]
Meanwhile, the Death Knight rose from the rubble and gestured.
**Whinnnny—!**
A small horse galloped forward and bowed its head.
Mounting it, the Death Knight grasped the reins and muttered:
**\[Won’t. Let. You. Escape.]**
The pony sped off.
—
—
Buried in the ruins, Arthur gazed up at the night sky and muttered:
“Damn, I almost died there…”
The massive explosion at the mana power plant—
Arthur hadn’t predicted that outcome at all.
Even he, with memories of the future, had never heard of mana stones exploding.
*‘I only meant to cause a blackout… but ended up wrecking the whole city, tch.’*
Arthur trailed off and rose to his feet.
Thanks to the Tacen bloodline’s regeneration and Undine’s healing, his limbs had regrown—otherwise, not even a trace of him would remain.
**\[A-Arthur!]**
**\[…Are you okay?]**
The two spirits rushed over, faces full of worry.
Arthur smiled, patting their heads.
“Looks like it wasn’t my time to die yet.”
**\[D-Die!?]**
**\[Don’t say such things!]**
“Everyone dies someday. It’s just a matter of when.”
Stretching, Arthur retrieved Beast and the Unsteel Sword.
Then he turned his gaze toward District D-52.
“….”
The slums, shrouded in heavy mist—
The joyous cheers and mad laughter had all vanished.
Only silence remained.
Arthur nodded at the sight.
“This should’ve drawn plenty of attention.”
With such a disaster, no one would pursue Leon and Jeannie for Hamburg’s sake.
From experience, organizations united only by self-interest always acted this way.
With that thought, Arthur sprinted across the ruined city.
When he reached the meeting spot—
“…Huh?”
He tilted his head, looking around.
But Leon and Jeannie, who had promised to wait, were nowhere to be seen.
“…Don’t tell me they ditched me and ran?”
Arthur shook his head.
Leon might, but Jeannie wasn’t that sort of woman.
So he bent down, searching for traces of the two.
Then, from somewhere, dogs began barking.
“Oh?”
Arthur’s lips curled into a smile.
It was the dog trainer’s hounds from before.
“You tracked me down just like I asked, huh?”
**Woof woof!**
“But you didn’t see anyone else? I was supposed to meet two people here.”
**Woof woof!**
The dogs tugged on his clothes, pulling him along.
Following willingly, Arthur soon noticed a massive scar carved into a wall.
“Oh… a sword slash?”
He tilted his head.
“A knight-level swordsman was here?”
Then he spotted hoofprints.
But they were small—far too small for a warhorse.
“…A pony?”
But would a knight ride a pony?
Arthur blinked, then stood up.
*‘Well… looks like it was a knight. But are the two still alive?’*
Without Leon’s hypnosis, neither he nor Jeannie could face a knight-level opponent.
The worst-case—both could already be dead.
*‘Leon, I don’t care… but Jeannie’s another matter. I need to hear something from her.’*
Arthur headed toward the dog hole.
If they wanted to escape the city, they’d have to use it—so he’d know their fate soon enough.
But then, five dogs ran before him and howled.
“Hm? You want me to ride you?”
**Woof!**
“…You sure? I’m heavy.”
The largest of the five stepped forward.
Arthur blinked.
*‘Oh… this one might actually carry me.’*
The five were already larger than normal hounds, but this one was practically wolf-sized—no, perhaps even bigger.
Arthur grinned and climbed on.
“First time riding a dog. This should be fun.”
The dog rose, barking.
**Woof woof—!**
Then the pack charged into the tunnel.
The speed was incredible—everything blurred past.
*‘Wow… you can actually sprint like this on a dog?’*
In no time at all, they had covered a distance that would’ve taken ages on foot.
Then—
From afar came the sound of clashing steel.
**Growl, bark!**
Sensing danger, the hounds slowed and hid in a corner.
Arthur hopped off, patting their jaws.
“Want to come live at my place later?”
**Woof!**
“The yard’s big, you’ll love it. I’ll feed you well too.”
**Woof!**
The dogs rolled onto their backs in submission.
Arthur chuckled, then turned his gaze—
**Clang!**
Leon was fighting something.
Arthur blinked.
“…A skeleton… wearing a scarf?”
Just then, the skeleton’s blade grazed Leon’s stomach.
“Kh…!”
Leon staggered back, then collapsed.
Arthur gasped—
The skeleton halted, about to strike Leon’s neck.
**\[Who. There?]**
Arthur held his breath in hiding.
But a Sword Slash from the skeleton forced him to leap out.
“A skeleton that can wield sword aura?”
Arthur tilted his head at the mounted skeleton.
At that moment, Leon and Jeannie cried out:
“Arthur—!”
“Sir Donn!”
Arthur waved cheerfully.
“Jeannie, you okay? Leon’s still breathing?”
“Why are you so late!!”
“I only meant to cause a distraction, but I kind of blew up the whole district, haha.”
Tears welled in Jeannie’s eyes.
“I knew you’d do something like that, Sir Donn!!”
“Oh? Really? Even I didn’t see that coming.”
Turning, Arthur eyed the skeleton.
“But… what’s with this guy? A skeleton on a pony, wearing a scarf, and even wielding sword aura?”
Leon, groaning on the ground, shouted:
“It’s a Death Knight! Jeannie said it’s an emissary of Sky Island!”
Arthur blinked.
“An emissary of Sky Island?”
“Yes! Whatever it is, be careful! It’s got the strength of a real knight!”
The Death Knight turned its steed and aimed its sword.
**\[You. Killed. Ham. Bu. Ruk.]**
“Oh, it talks too?”
**\[You. Die.]**
The Death Knight slashed.
Arthur dodged lightly and raised Beast.
**Bang—!**
The bullet struck the Death Knight’s shoulder.
But it lacked the overwhelming power it had when Hamburg was destroyed.
*‘No scream of Hamburg this time? So I could only fire like that once?’*
Arthur frowned.
*‘And it’s cloaked in mana armor like Tacen… troublesome. Nearly the same level as him.’*
He lowered his blade.
The Death Knight tilted its head.
**\[Give. Up?]**
“No. Just wondering how to kill you.”
The Death Knight chuckled.
**\[You. Can’t. Kill. Me.]**
“Oh?”
**\[Unless. You’re. A. Knight.]**
Arthur smirked.
“So a knight *can* kill you, huh?”
He whistled.
**Woof woof—!**
The hounds burst forth.
Leon and Jeannie’s eyes widened as Arthur leapt onto the largest dog, sword in hand.
“Not a horse, but close enough. I’m a knight now.”
**\[…]**
“Let’s end this with one blow, knight to knight. What do you say, skeleton?”
Silence.
A suffocating tension filled the air.
Jeannie and Leon swallowed hard.
Then, the Death Knight tore off its scarf and roared:
**\[Are you mocking the honor of knights, brat!?]**
Leon and Jeannie gaped.
From the beginning, the Death Knight had always spoken in broken tones—
But now, for the first time, it spoke fluently.
Arthur only shrugged.
“Isn’t it funnier that the dead preach about chivalry?”
Gripping the hound’s mane like reins, Arthur lowered his stance.
“What is a knight, really? A mount. A sword. And a life wagered in a duel.”
Arthur’s lips curved into a sharp grin.
“With just these… you’re a knight. Am I wrong?”
The Death Knight fell silent.
But its eyes glowed with a chilling blue fire.
Arthur could feel it—
*‘This Death Knight… is the real deal.’*
The pony neighed.
**Whinnnny—!**
Flames engulfed its body, reshaping it.
Its spindly legs thickened like a warhorse’s, fire roared from its eyes and tail.
A nightmare steed fit for a reaper of hell.
Jeannie and Leon were horrified.
The Death Knight lowered its sword and declared:
**\[You challenged me to a duel. My name is…]**
Its eyes gleamed.
**\[Swordmaster… Halibur Khan. What is your name?]**
Arthur smirked and answered:
“Donn. Mercenary of Arcane.”
—
