**chapter 70**
—
The Death Knight’s appearance began to change.
“…!”
His once withered arms now swelled with muscles so taut they looked ready to burst.
His legs carried the sinew of a warhorse.
And last of all, a long white beard began to flutter from his face.
Jeannie and Leon, watching the transformation from a distance, gasped in shock.
“…What?”
“The Death Knight… has come back to life?”
Arthur was no different.
A Death Knight resurrecting from death itself?
Such a case was unheard of.
The bald scalp was now covered in white hair.
From his rattling mouth, a long white beard had sprouted as the Death Knight muttered:
“I am Swordmaster Halibur Khan. What is your name?”
Arthur answered the question.
“Donn. Mercenary of Arcane.”
“…A mere mercenary dares to speak of chivalry?”
“I can speak of it if I want. Chivalry isn’t the name of a god.”
Halibur’s gaze narrowed.
Though, without pupils, it was only his eye sockets that seemed to squint.
Every part of his body had returned save for the eyes, and seeing this, Arthur recalled:
*They say the pupil of a man is his very soul…. At first, I thought it was an empty phrase, but seeing this—it might just be true.*
With that thought, Arthur spun his meteor-iron Sword in his hand and asked:
“But… are you really a Swordmaster?”
“…?”
“I know you’re a renowned knight, but you don’t *look* like a Swordmaster. Are you truly one?”
The knight resurrected from death, Halibur, roared in fury.
“Silence!! How far do you intend to mock me!”
At his shout, his warhorse snorted fiercely, and Arthur slapped the rump of his hound.
*Woof woof!*
The great beast lunged forward.
And in answer, so did the warhorse.
Leon and Jeannie, who had been frozen, finally shouted in alarm:
“Ah—Arthur!”
“Donn-nim—!”
With their cries, Arthur’s sword clashed against Halibur’s.
*Clang—!*
The clash rang out, and blood spurted from Arthur’s shoulder.
As Jeannie and Leon involuntarily gasped, Halibur’s sword swept toward the back of Arthur’s head.
\[…!]
But his warhorse lost balance, and the blade cut only air.
Jeannie, watching, cried out instinctively.
“Gnome—! It’s the Gnome’s power!”
At her shout, Arthur and Halibur exchanged their first blows and shifted positions.
Halibur lifted his aura-wrapped blade.
“You use strange tricks. But…”
“….”
“You’re not entirely a fool. There is power in your sword.”
Arthur glanced at his wounded shoulder.
*Hiss—!*
Tacen’s regenerative ability clashed violently with Halibur’s mana.
It would heal, but it would take no small amount of time.
*Of all places, my right shoulder. And I’m right-handed…*
Arthur switched the meteor-iron Sword into his left hand.
Staring at Halibur, who was watching him intently, he thought:
*I may be injured, but it’s not as if I’ve gained nothing.*
The Death Knight reborn—Halibur was a swordsman of high caliber.
Even if not a Swordmaster, he was still an outstanding knight.
His aura was noble, and the strike that cut Arthur’s shoulder was, to be honest, too fast to even see.
*But he’s not a Swordmaster…. He’s not like the ones I’ve met.*
That fact alone meant much.
Against a true Swordmaster, Arthur stood no chance.
But against a great knight—he could find an opening with cunning.
Arthur grinned.
“The next strike will decide the match, won’t it?”
“You will be the one to die.”
“That remains to be seen. On the dueling ground, every man has but one life.”
Arthur raised his sword toward Halibur.
“If the conditions are equal… then I still have a chance.”
Halibur burst into laughter.
“Your spirit is commendable. Good—!”
At his words, an immense aura flared from the tip of his blade.
Jeannie and Leon gaped in horror.
“What kind of aura… is that?”
The aura did not merely envelop the sword; it became the sword itself, howling like a beast.
Such power could easily place him as commander of a kingdom’s knights.
Panicking, Leon and Jeannie shouted to Arthur:
“D-Donn-nim! Let us fight together! How could you face that monster alone—!”
“No.”
“…?”
“I’ll fight alone. It’s easier that way.”
Their eyes widened.
Halibur, however, let out a bark of laughter.
“Even a lowly mercenary has pride, it seems?”
“Not pride—just betting on the option with the higher chance of victory.”
Arthur gripped his meteor-iron Sword.
At once, it vibrated faintly, screaming as though in protest.
*Right. The blacksmith told me never to pit it against aura.*
Arthur clicked his tongue.
If he received Halibur’s aura-laden strike again, the meteor-iron Sword would surely shatter.
The thought of breaking his father’s sole keepsake saddened him.
*Not worth the cost…. Of all things, why did I have to run into a monster like this?*
Arthur lowered his stance.
At the same time, Halibur mirrored him, preparing to charge.
Jeannie and Leon swallowed dryly, muttering:
*The air…*
*It’s changed.*
*Heavy. And terrifying.*
It was said that swordsmen who had reached the realm could kill with their spirit alone.
And now—that pressure radiated from both men.
That Halibur exuded such force was expected.
But that Arthur did as well left Jeannie and Leon in awe.
*Just what…*
*What is he, really?*
The madman who always defied common sense—another side of him had appeared.
Both stomped their feet unconsciously.
*Whish—!*
*Woof! Neigh—!*
The hound and horse roared forward.
At the same time, Halibur’s blade swung.
The range of his aura was abnormal—his sword nearly reached Arthur’s throat even before impact.
“…!”
Arthur leapt from his hound.
Halibur’s eyes widened slightly.
*At this timing, he leaps? No matter how skilled, one cannot move freely in the air…*
Yet his sword struck, unrelenting.
*Whuung—!*
The blade cleaved toward Arthur’s waist midair.
Watching it, Arthur smirked.
“…What?”
Halibur gasped as Arthur vanished.
*Thunk.*
A heartbeat later, the meteor-iron Sword burst through his abdomen.
Jeannie and Leon gawked as Arthur appeared behind Halibur, Beast aimed at his skull.
“I wonder… Can a knight who’s lived in hell keep moving after losing his head?”
With a chilling whisper, Arthur pulled the trigger.
The muzzle flare of Beast blew away half of Halibur’s head.
Jeannie and Leon flinched at the dripping mess of brain and flesh.
Yet Halibur’s sword still moved.
*Whuung—!*
The knight of hell fought on, head half gone.
Arthur was unsurprised.
*A man already dead can hardly die again.*
He coolly blocked the counter.
But his sword could not withstand the aura.
*Crack—!*
The meteor-iron Sword shattered.
“Farewell, meteor-iron sword.”
He discarded it and leapt away with spatial step.
Halibur’s sword cut empty air.
In that instant, Gnome and Undine unleashed their powers.
*Rumble—Crash!*
The earth rose up, swallowing horse and knight.
A massive torrent of water followed, battering his body.
“…Kuhk—!”
He groaned against the flood’s might.
But had it ended there, the undying knight would have risen again.
Then—lightning fell.
From Arthur’s fingertips burst nature’s miracle, scourging the knight’s body.
“…!”
Without even a scream, Halibur and his warhorse blackened and burned.
“…Are you… no knight?”
Arthur, with Julie’s power crackling at his fingers, answered:
“A knight? Why would I be one?”
He shoved the lightning into Halibur’s gaping mouth.
“I told you—I’m a mercenary. Did you really think I’d fight with just a sword?”
The thunder detonated, exploding Halibur’s body.
Leon and Jeannie stared in horror.
Arthur sighed lightly and raised Beast.
*Bang bang bang—!*
Gunfire shredded Halibur’s limbs.
Leon shouted in alarm:
“E-enough, isn’t it!?”
“Enough?” Arthur replied, still firing.
“If he comes back again, will you take responsibility?”
“….”
“Even like this, he might revive.”
Leon fell silent.
Meanwhile, Gnome raised his hands.
The earth surged, burying Halibur’s fragments separately.
Only his face and his black sword remained.
Arthur finally relaxed and bowed slightly.
“It was a good fight, Halibur.”
“….”
“But your way of fighting was outdated. That kind of honesty… went out of style a thousand years ago.”
Halibur’s face muttered:
“Isn’t it your way of fighting that’s strange?”
“These days, this is how it is. Cunning. Ruthless. Victory at any cost. The romance of pure swordplay… has long vanished.”
Halibur whispered:
“So… the age has changed.”
“That’s right. Still, your sword was splendid.”
At the praise, Halibur smiled.
Then his face burst into flames.
*Fwoosh—!*
Arthur turned away as Halibur burned.
Jeannie and Leon shuddered.
“Hm? Why do you both look so shocked?”
“….”
“I saved your lives—shouldn’t you be glad?”
Arthur smiled innocently.
Jeannie and Leon muttered in reply:
“You’re… truly unusual.”
“As always… Donn-nim.”
Arthur tilted his head.
“Of course I am. But Leon, are you okay? A hole in your stomach isn’t exactly—”
*Boom!*
Flames erupted suddenly.
Arthur, Jeannie, and Leon whipped their heads around.
From Halibur’s burning face, a door rose.
And from it, someone walked out slowly.
Arthur instinctively raised Beast, but—
*What?*
He looked at his trembling hands.
*I’m… afraid?*
His mouth fell open as the one-armed man stepped through the door and spoke:
“Who dared to do this to my precious servant?”
Arthur turned his head.
Late thirties in appearance.
With his beard shaved, he might even look younger.
But the aura radiating from him was far beyond that age.
Arthur couldn’t help but ask:
“Are you… a Swordmaster?”
At the question, Jeannie and Leon’s eyes flew wide.
“Oh?”
The one-armed man too raised his brows, stroking his beard with his sole hand.
“Yes. I am a Swordmaster.”
Declaring himself, he stomped on the remains of Halibur’s face.
At the same time, a massive greatsword appeared, aimed at Arthur’s neck.
“My name is Halibur. What is yours?”
Arthur answered.
“Donn. Mercenary of Arcane.”
“Is that so? Hm… Very well, Donn.”
Halibur smiled faintly.
“I’ve remembered your name. Now die.”
With those words—Arthur’s head fell to the ground.
“…!”
Jeannie gasped.
Arthur’s decapitated head rolled to her feet and touched her toes.
“D-Donn-nim?”
She called his name with a trembling voice.
But no answer came.
And so, Jeannie realized—
Arthur Bayern had been slain in a single stroke.
—
