“Is
it over?” Kvran wiped the beast’s blood off his face.
“No!”
Stark mumbled. “It’s too easy to be the final wave.”
“That’s
true.” The knight nodded thoughtfully. Kvran stared at Stark for a
brief moment before turning away.
He
clenched his fists with an awkward expression. Something’s
wrong? Hmm… must be the stress…
“What
should we do?” he asked Stark.
“Wait!
What else can we do?” Stark sighed.
A
few moments passed.
Nothing.
Suddenly,
a deep, sinister voice echoed through the chamber.
“Welcome
to my humble abode, dear fledglings. This is the first time in
centuries someone has made it this far.”
Stark
and Kvran froze instinctively; a chill ran down their spines. Their
limbs trembled. Fear took over. The sound echoed through their bones.
It
was harrowing. Their voices wouldn’t
come out.
“Upon
close observation, I have decided that this test is too easy. So,
this humble raven has put a lot of thought and prepared a special
test just for you…”
“Hope
you enjoy it to the fullest.”
The
presence faded quickly into nothingness.
“You
monster… crow!” Kvran mumbled with a sweaty forehead.
The
crevices shook violently before merging into one right in the middle
of the huge chamber. Kvran and Stark gripped their weapons. They
gulped audibly, anxiety in their eyes as they witnessed a huge crack
in space pulsating violently.
An
undead walked out of the crevice, wearing a butler uniform with a
gait posture. It held an exquisite wooden cane in its bony hands.
Suddenly,
four obelisks shot out from the ground, made of shiny metal. They
were covered in runes and magical characters of some language Stark
had never seen. Beside each obelisk stood two undead swordsmen,
guarding with their rusted armor and swords.
An
ominous altar emerged from the ground. On top of the altar was a cage
with a ruby-eyed raven inside.
[Rescue
the Raven from the heretics]
A
timer emerged right before their eyes.
[2:00:00]
[Failure
to rescue the Raven before the heretic’s
sacrifice will result in the gruesome death of the Participants.]
“The
hell?!!!” Kvran muttered.
“This….”
Stark’s eyes turned serious.
The
undead tapped the ground with the cane, and a scarlet barrier encased
the altar as the timer began to tick.
None
of the undead moved an inch from their positions. Stark could sense
something very wrong about the situation.
“Hey!
What should we do?” Kvran asked, wiping the sweat from his
forehead. “Also, why is it so goddamn hot over here?”
Stark ignored Kvran's rant and observed the obelisks. There were no
hints apart from the runes on the obelisk.
“We
have to fight….”
With
that, the duo stepped forward.
Just
then, the undead in the butler uniform grinned from ear to ear with a
sinister expression. It tapped its cane on the ground, and the floor
rippled like water. The next thing they knew, their exit was blocked
by a wall.
Fuck!!!
Stark cursed inwardly.
They
both readied their weapons.
“Target
the undead on the far right!!” Kvran ordered.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
In
a blink, Kvran closed the distance with the undead knights. The
knight jabbed his spear with unnatural force at its armored head.
Unfazed,
the undead swordsman simply tilted its head to dodge. The other
undead moved, aiming at his vitals.
Stark
stepped in, deflecting the rusted blade to the side.
They
retreated, creating some distance.
“These
ones are like the ones in the second trial,” Kvran grunted.
Stark
scanned the other obelisks briefly, noticing the undead guarding the
nearby obelisk also began to move towards them. The others didn’t
take a step forward.
Wait…..
“It seems like only the nearby undead come to support.”
Kvran
also grasped the situation.
Spear
Arts, First Form: Arc.
The
knight swung his spear in an arc toward the undead. It hit the
charging undead in the gut. They flew back toward the obelisk.
Stark
had no arts like Kvran, but something he did have was the ability to
assess the situation and make the best out of it. The boy moved as
soon as he saw Kvran take a stance. By the time the strike was
executed, Stark had already reached the steel obelisk.
With
his back to the steel structure, he swung his sword in an arc, neatly
severing through the rusted armor and rotten flesh of the undead.
THUD
A
thin line formed from its hip to the opposite shoulder as it split
into two and fell.
The
other undead recovered almost instantly, clashing with Stark. The
undead was clearly much stronger than him. The impact rattled his
bones and sent him flying a few feet back.
But
he took one down. Only three more to go.
Just
as the other undead’s
attention shifted to him, Kvran took advantage. The knight charged
in, sending his spear through its chest. The rusted armor didn’t
stand a chance.
The
impact sent a wild shockwave and shattered the bones of the undead.
It fell down, twitching and unable to move.
“Die,
you filth.” Kvran drove his foot into its head. The skull broke
open, spilling remnants of rotten flesh.
The
undead in the butler uniform suddenly turned its attention towards them and screeched
loudly. A loud, crass voice rang in Stark’s
head.
A
red outline formed on the two undead remaining. Their eyes glowed a
deep red. The aura around them changed instantly; Stark could feel
the electricity prickling at his skin.
“Shit… they became stronger…,”
He
blinked.
The
swordsman was right in front of him, its sword whistling through the
air toward him. Kvran pulled him back just in time as the blade
whistled past, leaving a thin line of blood on his throat.
Kvran
spun around and struck the other undead with the base of his spear,
sending it stumbling backward. The undead had become stronger, but
Kvran could still handle them.
Stark
realized that he had become the liability once again.
“Fucking
hell!! Find a way; I’ll hold them off for a moment.”
He
knew he had to adapt. He had to overcome his limits and break through
his current state. He was just too weak.
I
can do this…
I survived this far…
Stark
exhaled sharply. His eyes became focused.
Kvran
was fending off the two undead at once. They were pushing him
aggressively, but the knight was managing easily. His every movement
was precise and efficient.
Kvran
clicked his tongue in exasperation. I might have to use it if this drags on. I can’t
rely on that brat.
Spear
Arts, Third Form: Impale.
“Just
die!!” Kvran angrily shouted at the undead. His spear moved
lightning-quick.
Although
spear arts took a lot of stamina, it was a surefire way to kill an
enemy. Kvran knew that waiting for an opening would exhaust his
reserves quicker.
“…..”
But
what he didn’t
expect was for the undead to block his art.
It
was very rare to see a monster block a martial form instead of taking
it head-on. But what surprised him the most was their teamwork.
While
one undead deflected his spear, the other positioned itself behind to
take the impact.
Like
that, Kvran’s
spear art was blocked.
Although damage was done—the sword shattered
into two and the undead's arm was neatly severed— they were still standing.
But
it didn’t
last for long.
“I
will take care of it….” Stark’s voice echoed through. His body
had moved on its own, and when he realized it, the undead was already
in front of him—disarmed and vulnerable.
Stark’s
body felt free. It coursed with unknown strength. Clarity filled his
mind. He could feel his blade becoming one with him.
His
blade pierced right through the armor gap, twisting its head sideways
as the blade cleaved past the neck. The head of the undead swordsman
rolled on the dirt floor.
“Ho…w!!”
Kvran’s eyes widened at Stark’s display of skill against these buffed enemies. Knowing vital
spots was one thing, but the boy had positioned himself so
well—almost reading the fight like a veteran.
He
has…
monstrous potential… Kvran thought.
With
the last undead remaining, the battle was nearing its end. The
aggressive charge from the duo was too much for even the buffed
undead swordsman. It collapsed under pressure, unable to defend
against the attacks.
Only
four more undead swordsmen remained.
With
a brief glance at the undead in the butler uniform, they charged at
the remaining undead swordsmen.
From
that moment, everything fell into their hands.
Within
the next few moments, two more undead were cleaved apart by the duo
mercilessly.
“Only
two remain,” Kvran exclaimed with a smirk.
[1:40:51]
There
was more than enough time left.
The
sequence followed as the undead butler buffed the remaining undead
once again, pointing its cane at them.
But…
Something
is definitely off about this…
The
undead were definitely strong, but it was nothing challenging
compared to the swarms and hordes they had faced previously.
He
glanced at the steel obelisk as he drove his blade right through the
cranium of the charging undead.
Only
the last undead remained in front of the duo.
“This
is the end,” Kvran smiled.
WHOOSH
WHOOSH.
The
obelisk rumbled and began to shimmer. The steel mass began to channel
a deep red beam onto the severed undead bodies.
At
the same time, the undead butler screamed something out like a chant.
The
bodies of the undead were lifted off the ground, encased in a scarlet, jelly-like aura.
Two mangled piles of flesh and bone fused together to form
another monstrosity.
A
new being.
A
bigger undead, with ominous dark, chunky armor and a horned helmet,
with a large sword in hand.
A wave of sinister aura hit him, sending a chill down his spine. The glowing eyes of the monstrosity locked on him.
It was just the beginning of their battle.
