In fantasy manga and novels, there are scenes like that.
Where soone senses the aura radiating off an enemy and realizes, ah, this one’s strong.
I experienced that for the first ti just now.
A knight in black armor, molten lava dripping from its fra.
Honestly, even without sensing any aura, the sheer strength was obvious just from looking.
A being that had walked straight out of a furnace drenched in lava, completely unscathed. How could sothing like that be weak? Of course it’d be fucking powerful.
Friend or foe.
The identity of that Black Knight was what mattered.
“Sir Carlos!”
Heilin called out to the knight, her voice bright.
Thank god! Must be an ally.
The knight called Carlos turned to look our way.
Then he let out a sinister laugh and spoke.
“Out on another midnight stroll without the servants again, My Lady Heilin? We’ve been searching for quite so ti. I thought perhaps you’d fallen into the lava and perished.”
Heilin’s expression slowly hardened.
Mine hardened right along with it as I read the mood.
Oh, shit… is he an enemy?
“Sir Carlos, don’t tell … was this your doing?”
Carlos nodded.
“I did.”
Heilin erupted in fury.
“…How could you! You’re the Knight Commander! How could you betray the Dafria family!”
“I was never loyal to begin with, so it isn’t betrayal.”
“How dare you! Do you think you can face the consequences! When Father returns…!”
“Precisely why I’m cleaning up loose ends in advance. When the Count returns, I will take his head and put an end to this wretched oath.”
Their conversation, unfolding like a cutscene in a ga, barely registered in my ears.
I watched for an opening, then launched a Fla Strike at the Black Knight in a surprise attack.
KABOOOOM!
“Huh?”
Heilin spun around to stare at in shock.
I said:
“First strike wins.”
When things look bad, attack first and figure it out later.
A lesson I’d learned from taking down the old mage on the first floor… but it seed this wasn’t the situation for it.
The flas cleared, and the Black Knight stood there completely unhard.
So absurdly unscathed that for a mont I wondered if I’d missed entirely.
“…”
The Black Knight glanced at .
I grinned awkwardly. Ha ha.
‘Am I screwed?’
Without so much as a “who the hell are you,” the Black Knight raised the sword in his hand.
The instant the blade swung, I stopped ti.
…What the.
Frozen in stopped ti, dark crimson Sword Aura streaked toward like a massive net closing in.
I’m going to die. I’m actually going to die.
Feeling my life hanging by a thread, I perford ntal Concentration.
The mont ti resud, I teleported into a gap in the oncoming net of Sword Aura.
KRAKABOOOOM!
A trendous explosion engulfed , and my body was flung through the air like a scrap of paper.
Dead… no, alive. Am I alive?
“Ghhh.”
I could barely think straight as I managed to prop up just my upper body.
The surroundings were devastated, as if carpet-bombed.
I couldn’t even comprehend what the Black Knight had just done. One swing of a sword, and sohow all of this?
“…!”
Through the cloud of dust, I caught sight of the Black Knight.
He didn’t spare so much as a glance, treating like an insect.
He walked toward Heilin, who lay collapsed on the far side, and raised his sword.
Slash!
The sword fell, and so did Heilin’s head.
A ssage appeared before my eyes.
[You have failed the Nightmare difficulty 2nd Floor Hidden route. (1/3)]
[Exiting the Tower.]
*
Back in my room, I lay sprawled on the bed in a daze, resting.
Fortunately my body wasn’t injured anywhere, but I was in a mild state of ntal shock.
“What the fuck…”
One attack from the Black Knight had leveled everything in every direction, and I’d nearly been torn to pieces.
Even Fla Strike, the strongest firepower I had, didn’t work on him at all.
That ant I had no way of dealing damage to him, period.
Maybe what I’d done was stupid from the start. The thing had walked out of lava without a scratch.
An opponent clearly far beyond my level.
And I was supposed to defeat that?
‘That’s insane.’
The conclusion ca quickly.
He wasn’t an enemy ant to be defeated.
And if Heilin died, the route was a failure.
Thinking through the story progression: encounter Heilin > persuade and cooperate > turns out the Knight Commander betrayed them > ???
So then… there’s really only one option, isn’t there?
Run from that Black Knight. With Heilin.
I had only one chance left.
I finished resting and entered to use my last remaining attempt.
If I can’t clear it, that’s a sha, but let’s not push too hard. My life is what matters most.
[You have entered Nightmare difficulty, 2nd Floor.]
Past the platforms, past the Minotaur, back to the forest.
I kept my guard up and waited for Heilin to ambush .
Clang!
“Wait! I don’t want to fight!”
“Silence, human! Die!”
Once again, Heilin wouldn’t listen.
Just like before, I could only get her to talk after demonstrating the gap in our strength.
“See? There’s no reason for us to fight.”
“…Very well, understood for now.”
As expected, Heilin made the sa offer.
“In that case, human, you shall serve as This Lady’s escort for a ti. This Lady has not fully set aside her suspicions, so if you are truly innocent, then prove it by aiding This Lady. Naturally, a fitting reward shall follow.”
“An escort?”
“Yes. This Lady’s situation is dire. The reason This Lady’s castle was engulfed in lava is because the magic went berserk…”
This was the branching point.
I listened to the entire explanation and nodded.
“Of course I’ll help. But we must not go back to the castle.”
“What? What are you saying?”
“I saw an incredibly powerful intruder there. I barely managed to escape without being spotted. There are no survivors left. We need to run. Right now.”
Telling a stranger like that the Knight Commander was a traitor would only make her suspicious, so I frad it this way.
Heilin’s eyes turned fierce and she shouted.
“That intruder is still near the castle! Where is he!”
“Huh? No…”
What are you talking about? Did you not just hear ?
“I said an incredibly powerful intruder! I absolutely can’t beat him and neither can you. If we run into him, we die.”
“So you’re telling to abandon the castle that was ruined by this intruder and flee like a coward!”
I was dumbfounded.
What kind of pointless pride is this?
“This Lady will return to the castle. You will follow imdiately.”
“I’m not going. Why would I walk into my own death?”
“Coward! Then get lost! This Lady will go alone!”
Heilin turned her back and began walking toward the castle.
God, this girl.
Realizing persuasion wasn’t working, I moved to block the headstrong Heilin’s path.
“I’m telling you, if you go there, you’ll die! Just listen to .”
“Move! Who do you think you’re standing in front of, human!”
Was the the of the 2nd Floor Hidden route actually “wrangling an unruly child”?
“Listen, please. I’m not saying we run away. It’s a strategic retreat. You need to be alive first to get revenge, don’t you? Why would you play right into the intruder’s hands and walk to your death? Am I wrong?”
I swallowed my frustration and tried my best to reason with Heilin.
“Why are you so desperate to keep This Lady away from the castle? Now I see it clearly. You’re obviously up to sothing!”
The deranged demon answered my efforts by swinging her sword at again.
I’m going to lose my mind.
After a flurry of clashing blows, I teleported behind Heilin and caught her off guard.
“Gahk!”
Kicked in the back, Heilin toppled to the ground.
“Please, will you just listen to ?”
Heilin bit down hard on her lip and scread.
“Don’t think you can break This Lady’s will with brute force, human!”
She wouldn’t listen.
“Y-you… guhk!”
I fought Heilin again and landed a few more hits.
As the damage accumulated, Heilin’s strength faded. I smashed her sword with a hard strike.
Clang!
The sword went flying and I kicked Heilin in the stomach, sending her to the ground.
I spoke to her as she writhed in pain.
“I’m begging you, seriously. Who do you think I’m doing this for? If we go to the castle, we die.”
Heilin let out a guttural snarl.
“Kill ! You damned human!”
She was clearly set in total distrust of now.
She’s the one who attacked , and sohow she’s the one who feels wronged? Unbelievable.
Okay, screw it. I give up.
I finally abandoned persuasion.
Thwack!
I teleported behind Heilin and chopped the back of her neck with a knife-hand strike.
“Gkh.”
Heilin slumped forward.
She didn’t pass out. She rubbed the back of her neck and stared at with an expression of utter disbelief.
…So much for the movie trick, huh?
I just forced her over one hip and lifted her up.
“Let go! Ngh, let go of ! You, human!”
I was already stronger than her to begin with, and in her weakened state she couldn’t put up much resistance.
The Exaltation effect was still going, so my stamina was holding up just fine.
“Let’s go, co on. I’m killing myself trying to save your life here!”
“Put down… put down, I said!”
I ignored her and started running.
The direction: straight down the path leading away from the castle.
Heilin had been struggling, but, apparently too indignant to contain herself, she suddenly started crying.
“A, a re human… doing this to This Lady…! Waaaaah! I’ll kill you!”
The things I have to deal with. Seriously.
At least the crying made her stop thrashing, so that was convenient. Yeah, go ahead and keep crying.
With no idea how far I needed to go, I just ran and ran.
I honestly wasn’t sure this was right.
I’d chosen this path only because fighting that Black Knight seed like it definitely wasn’t the answer.
If I was wrong, oh well. Just a missed opportunity.
Heilin seed to have cald down after crying it out, so I cautiously asked.
“If we’re running, where do we go? That intruder could be chasing us from behind right now.”
Heilin pressed her lips shut and didn’t answer.
God, I seriously want to flick her on the forehead…
“…!”
Suddenly, an ominous chill ran down my spine from behind.
I looked back.
Heilin must have felt it too, because she lifted her head.
“…Sir Carlos!”
Shit, is he actually chasing us?
I broke into an all-out sprint as if the ground beneath was on fire.
“Sir Carlos! Over here! This Lady is here!”
Heilin started screaming at the top of her lungs.
I scread right back.
“Shut up! That guy is the traitor!”
“What nonsense! Sir Carlos is here, so you’re dead now, human…!”
Yeah, no. You’re the one who’s going to die.
He didn’t even care about .
Talking was a waste of breath, so I just ran with everything I had.
No, wait. I need to refill my Willpower first. I stopped ti and topped off my depleted Willpower to full. Then I ran again.
As I ran, sothing ca into view chasing from behind.
Not that monstrous Black Knight. I could sense he was still far off.
“What the hell are those…”
Pitch-black bastard hounds with glowing red eyes and bodies rippling like heat haze were closing in at high speed.
“Those are Sir Carlos’s tracking Familiars! You’re finished!”
Thanks for the info.
The mutts were right on my heels in monts.
I would’ve been fine if they were only tracking, but they looked ready to latch on and tear apart, so I fought back.
KABOOM!
The Fla Strike thinned their numbers, but a few remained.
No, wait. More were appearing.
How the fuck many of these things are there?
“Ugh…!”
Suddenly, Heilin twisted her entire body in a violent thrash.
I lost my balance and we both went tumbling.
Heilin sprang to her feet and put distance between us.
“Ha ha ha! Did This Lady not tell you! You’re finished!”
The mutts had caught up while we were down.
Heilin called out to them with joy.
“Over here! Co and restrain this, …?!”
The bastard hounds charged… and attacked.
They ignored completely. Only Heilin.
“Kyaah! Wh-what are you doing!”
Heilin flailed her arms trying to shake them off.
I stared blankly for a mont, then moved to help her.
I sliced through the haze-like bodies of the hounds with my blade. They cut apart easily and vanished. Fast, but not very strong.
“Stay close!”
Another wave ca swarming in, so I grabbed Heilin by the waist and used Leap.
We shot up high, and from above, I dropped a Fla Strike onto the pack below.
KABOOOOM!
That finally wiped them out clean.
I landed and set Heilin down.
She was bleeding from several bite wounds, but none of them looked serious.
Heilin stood there in a daze, catching her breath in ragged gasps, then looked at .
“…Why did they attack This Lady? Sir Carlos’s Familiars?”
I clicked my tongue and answered.
“That’s what I’ve been telling you. He’s the traitor. They were never after . They were after you from the start.”
“That’s impossible.”
Heilin looked deeply shaken.
Good grief…
“It’s very possible. Now that you’ve got the picture, let’s go quietly. On your own two feet this ti.”
I was seething, but at least she’d co to her senses now.
I was worried she’d throw another fit about wanting to fight the Black Knight, but thankfully, Heilin clamped her mouth shut and started running behind .
Seeing even this insane demon keeping her anger in check, the guy must really be that strong.
“A little further and there’ll be a bridge.”
“A bridge?”
“Beyond it is territory outside the domain. Sir Carlos cannot leave Dafria’s domain because of his oath, so we only need to cross the bridge.”
Really?
Now I could see the clear condition. Just cross the bridge and it’s over.
“Hah, hah.”
As we ran, Heilin kept falling behind.
Was her leg hurt? I could see her limping.
My own stamina wasn’t exactly overflowing, but I went to her and picked her up again.
“Wh-what are you doing!”
“It’s faster if I just carry you.”
She said it wasn’t far, so this was better. If he catches up, we’re dead.
Heilin didn’t struggle this ti and let herself be held against my hip.
I clenched my teeth and sprinted, then glanced back and asked urgently.
“How much farther?!”
“…At this speed, one more minute!”
I had good reason to be urgent.
I could feel him. He was almost here.
“…!”
A flash of crimson light erupted from behind.
I used Leap on top of my sprint and launched forward.
RRRUMMMMBLE!
The Sword Aura didn’t hit directly, but the shockwave sent trees ripping from the ground and flying through the air.
“Aghh…!”
Heilin and I weren’t clear of it either. We went tumbling across the ground.
Forget it, maybe I should just quit. I want out.
The thought of all the suffering I’d been through being wasted made groan and drag myself to my feet. I scooped up Heilin and ran again.
“…!”
The bridge ca into view.
But… it was rather long.
Slight exaggeration aside, a colossal bridge spanning a dizzying chasm between cliffs, massive enough to rival a major river crossing.
“Just cross that and we’re safe!”
Final sprint. Run.
I dashed across and reached roughly the midpoint of the bridge, then looked back.
The Black Knight was visible, tiny as a speck.
He’d truly stopped at the foot of the bridge, unable to follow any further.
The thought that I’d have been screwed if I’d been even a little slower crossed my mind, and then… wait, what’s he doing?
BOOOOOM!
The Black Knight drove his sword into the ground, and a massive tremor rippled outward.
You’ve got to be kidding .
Dark crimson energy surged up like a tidal wave and engulfed the bridge.
A third of the bridge was obliterated in an instant, and a chain collapse followed in its wake.
“AAAAAAAH!”
I scread and sprinted across the crumbling bridge.
The collapse was gaining on from behind.
With only a short distance remaining, I made one final full-power leap. The ground gave way just behind , missing by a hair.
I sailed through the air toward the land on the other side.
The distance… wasn’t enough!
“KYAAAAAAH!”
Sensing we were about to slam into the cliff face and plumt, Heilin let out a thunderous scream.
Hold on, just wait. We’re not dying.
I hurled Heilin toward the far side with all my strength from midair.
Then I stopped ti. Teleportation.
Arriving on the other side first, I caught Heilin as she flew in.
Thrown by and caught by , Heilin stared up at my face with a dumbfounded expression, unable to process what had just happened.
RRRUMMMMBLE.
The massive bridge collapsed entirely.
I set Heilin down and stared across the chasm.
The Black Knight, barely visible as a tiny speck in the distance, seed to be staring back.
What are you looking at, bastard? You can’t leave there, can you?
I was worried the monster might pull so other stunt, but thankfully, he seed to give up and appeared to be turning back.
Every ounce of energy drained from , and I sank to the ground.
Rescue the problem child… success.
“Haah…”
Heilin stared blankly across to the other side for a while, then turned to .
I t her gaze with an equally unfriendly look.
She’d turned what should have been easy into sothing ten tis harder. There was no way I could look at her kindly.
“…Human, what are you?”
Heilin spoke.
“How did you know the Knight Commander had betrayed… no, more importantly, why did you go this far to save This Lady?”
I was too exhausted to even respond, so I just waited for the clear ssage to pop up.
But no ssage appeared.
What the fuck? Why isn’t it showing up? I did everything.
“Human! Is This Lady not asking you a question? What are you, and why did you save This Lady?”
“Co on… you’re alive, isn’t that enough? Why do you have to interrogate about it?”
“Do not evade the question!”
If I told her the Tower made do it, would she even understand?
I gave a halfhearted answer.
“I just saved you because I wanted to. Satisfied?”
Heilin tilted her head, then suddenly turned flustered and stamred.
“Wh-what…! This Lady is a demon! We are of different species!”
“Excuse ?”
“Are you saying that as a human, you harbor those kinds of feelings for This Lady…? Granted, This Lady’s beauty does transcend the boundaries of species, but still… ugh!”
Heilin pressed both hands to her cheeks and shook her head furiously.
“F-fine. If he is a man willing to lay down his life for This Lady, then so be it. You have already proven yourself… it’s not as though This Lady couldn’t give you a chance…”
What is she talking about?
How do you take what I just said and arrive at that interpretation?
While I stood there too baffled to speak, Heilin smiled shyly and said:
“This Lady’s na is Heilin Dafria. What is your na?”
“…Kim Seo-hyeon.”
“Kimsuhyun? A peculiar na.”
Last ti she called it strange. Now it’s been upgraded to peculiar.
Heilin removed the necklace, bracelet, and ring she was wearing and held them out to .
“First, since you saved This Lady’s life, a fitting reward must be bestowed in the na of Dafria. Choose one of the three. They are all precious treasures.”
…Huh? A reward?
Still bewildered, I stared at the accessories resting in Heilin’s palm.
Could this be the hidden reward? She’s having pick right here?
“What do these do?”
I asked, just to start.
I needed to know the effects before choosing.
“The necklace is a dium for forming a contract with a powerful Familiar. This Lady has not yet attempted it, but perhaps you, Kimsuhyun, might succeed.”
“A Familiar?”
Like those bastard hounds that were chasing us earlier?
“What kind of abilities does this Familiar have?”
“Did This Lady not just say she hasn’t tried it? You would have to find out for yourself.”
I shifted my gaze to the bracelet, and Heilin continued.
“The bracelet is a totem inhabited by a spirit of darkness. If the spirit takes a liking to you, you may borrow its power.”
“A spirit of darkness… what can it do?”
“It allows you to see through darkness.”
“…That’s it?”
“Th-This Lady’s affinity with the spirit isn’t high yet, that’s why! The higher your affinity, the more abilities you can access.”
Lastly, the ring.
“The ring is a family heirloom engraved with the Dafria house’s seal. The ring itself holds no special power. However, should you one day bring this ring to the Dafria family, we will grant any one request within the family’s power.”
In other words, it was useless.
Once I leave, we’re never seeing each other again. Besides, isn’t the family basically destroyed now?
“Hmm…”
I deliberated between the necklace and the bracelet.
I tried touching them, wondering if item descriptions might pop up, but nothing appeared.
“Will you choose the bracelet?”
“No, hold on.”
Ugh, I can’t tell which is better.
Wait, why not just ask for all of them?
After everything I went through. Huh? I’m the one who saved her life, after all.
“They all look wonderful.”
“Indeed. All three are fine treasures!”
I glanced at Heilin.
When our eyes t head-on, Heilin looked away.
“Wh-what are you staring at like that? Hurry and choose.”
…Maybe? Should I try it?
There was nothing to lose by trying.
Embarrassnt lasts a mont, but the rewards gained from it last forever.
I dropped to one knee and gently took her hand.
“Lady Heilin.”
“Wh-what,”
“Might I have all of them? Since all three belong to you, Lady Heilin, I would cherish them dearly.”
Heilin’s pale skin flushed a visible, burning red.
It’s fine. I’m not embarrassed. I’m not embarrassed…
As I repeated the mantra internally and kept my expression composed, Heilin bowed her head deeply and answered.
“Th-then… take them all…”
[You have cleared the Nightmare difficulty 2nd Floor Hidden route.]
[Fully absorbing the Power of the Floor.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Transferring to the Reward Room.]
The scenery shifted in an instant, and I was transported to the Reward Room.
I looked around. There were Heilin’s three accessories and one Skill Stone.
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