*
In the forest where Licht had vanished, Dennis and the Imperial Guard arrived.
“Gentlemen, are you alright? What on earth happened…?”
“Professor Dennis!!”
A blue-haired man checked the chaos with his white aura. Dennis was listening to the story from the Hero’s group.
“Steel Wolf, Mardol. I sense no presence in this area.”
“Copper Wolf, not even a scent remains here.”
“Silver Wolf. It seems they’ve gone missing.”
On the opposite side, Pina, using a pseudonym, was commanding the guard with wolf ears and a tail.
“We will definitely find them. No, we must find them.”
She had ordered countless times to find the man in the black knight helmet.
The three knights, colored like the Empire’s currency, were sweating and feeling embarrassed. No matter how much it was the command of Princess Pina Grancia,
“But we can’t find anything…”
How could one find someone who vanished without a trace?
“Your Excellency, the Golden Wolf is reporting to Mardol.”
At that moment, a captain in golden armor rushed over. He knelt before Pina, showing loyalty as he spoke.
“I believe I know where the one you seek is.”
“Gold, is that true?!”
As hopeful news about the missing black knight came in, Pina, unlike her usual self, shouted in excitement.
“Ah.”
Everyone present was shocked and looked at the glass knight.
“Mardol! Did you find Helmet Guy?”
“Mardol must have fought the Demon King with such a sorrowful expression…”
Everyone wondered how the cold-looking Mardol could act so. Kainel and Ariel, who now sensed that he was indeed a high-ranking individual, were also looking at her with surprise.
“It seems they are in another dimension.”
“What do you mean, Gold…?”
But the response was grave news.
“They’re in a space where we cannot approach. Even if we attempt to track them using detection magic, all spatial coordinates are distorted.”
“No… that can’t happen.”
The glass knight’s eyes trembled. The realization that someone she couldn’t protect again was despairing. Her hands clenched tightly, shaking.
“I’m still weak. Licht knows that…”
As her thoughts reached that point, the tail and ears that had just shown hope drooped back inside her armor.
“Isn’t that right? The pinnacle of water magic among the Ten Heroes. Dennis.”
“I had also tried to find Licht, but it’s impossible to approach with magic. That estimation is correct.”
“So, even if we’re in the same forest, we’re in different places. Like reflections in a mirror.”
The Imperial Guard and the Ten Heroes had a mutual acquaintance. The strongest Emperor, Rock, chose the one to protect his daughter or son.
“…”
“I’m sorry. Mardol.”
“…Is there really no way?”
She was letting her gloomy emotions seep out more and more. It had been ten years since she felt this much helplessness. She hated being weak. She resented the memories of obsessing over strength compared to that man.
“Let’s go back now, Mardol. We will remain here.”
“No. Gold.”
She plopped down on the spot and stubbornly refused. The Imperial Guard tried to hold Pina back while looking at Professor Dennis,
“…If we can just get out of that space, we might still find them, so please wait a moment. Gold.”
He shook his head, indicating to wait for a moment. Leaving like this would go against his beliefs.
“Thanks for the fun so far, right? Is that how it ends? Licht…?”
Pina continued to think of bleak scenarios. The Magic Hat was the strongest she knew. It was the Demon King that even her mother couldn’t handle.
“I don’t want to keep seeing disappearances anymore…”
Because of the muffled voice from inside the helmet, only the Hero and the Mage had noticed Pina was a woman.
“Mardol…”
“Licht, will he be alright… I was caught off guard too…”
The glass knight could feel how much she cared for Licht. Kainel and Ariel sighed, equally worried about the black knight.
*
At that moment, I barely stood in the darkness of an isolated space.
Think. My body was already at its limit.
‘How many moves do I have left?’
I used my sword as a support and planted it into the ground. Breathing heavily, I barely managed to regain my balance. How did I navigate in the game?
Believing in my equipment’s durability, I tried to protect the fallen Saintess around me as much as I could…
“…”
A forced event triggered the memory of the wolf-eared Saintess who perished. That person is not here anyway. If I fade away like this, would they even notice?
“…Ha, haha.”
I laughed in disbelief. Pure-hearted black knight, what a lighthearted name. A human who became a black knight because he couldn’t protect his loved one?
“Your lordship, please stop the futile resistance.. I don’t know how you are alive right now, but….”
Magic Hat smiled brightly at me. Yet behind that seemingly innocent smile lay a horrific desire that sent chills down my spine. I swung my Holy Sword at an approaching clone.
“I… won’t die.”
How sad would my Saintess have been when I died in the game?
I never wanted to do such a thing again. I aimed my sword threateningly at the Demon King.
That person’s smile was the most beautiful.
“It’s important that we meet like this! My lord!”
Seeing the trembling hands gripping the sword, I thought she must have lost energy. The truth of the Demon King, Magic Hat, stepped closer, seemingly ready to end me. Was this really the end?
Then, memories flashed through my mind.
‘The Demon King can ‘use’ the abilities he had as a Hero.’
Thus, the Demon King of All Knowledge, Head, calculated through omniscience, and the Demon King of Truth, Magic Hat, did many insane things by using truth.
I still had sharp moves remaining.
I raised my sword high. Firmly planted my feet, adopting a stance poised for a leap. Kainel surely hadn’t unlocked the full power of the Holy Sword yet.
But I knew the skills of the future Kainel. From Night Heart to Black Heart, I had watched his efforts and growth.
‘You must’ve struggled as well, Kainel.’
I gripped the sword hilt tightly. The tremors ceased. The duty of a Hero wasn’t so light. It required strength and ability to match.
“…Heh, you’re pretty amazing. Even while bleeding, you still try to fight.”
“I’m a black knight.”
With a spit, I blew the pooled blood towards Magic Hat, thinking her a crazy bitch. Oh wait, she might not even be a guy?
“Kainel, you ran away, but I’m not sure if this will work.”
Actually, there’s a thick technique through light. I had focused on speed for another important reason. It was a variant of Shine Strike.
Thinking of Ariel, the Flame Mage, made me believe I needed to grow stronger, and the Hero learned this skill himself.
“Wow, now you’re even using the power of the Light Hero? You’re really turning into a Demon King..!! My lord!”
A technique that allows brief movement at the speed of light.
“[Shine Advance].”
Paaah. Light began to fill the space, which was only darkness.
If Shine Strike concentrated the power of light into a form of sword energy.
Then this one poured all the abilities of the Holy Sword into oneself to achieve remarkable speed. A technique hard for one like me to use, so it could only be done once.
The Kainel of the Corruption Route had denied his days as the Light Hero, despairing in a world where Ariel had perished, but I was different.
‘Seeing the status window means there’s hope left. It’s not a failure.’
I would use all means possible. If I killed this bastard here, the future might change, and our Saintess could be revived.
Just like Nex and Schartines case, now I had saved Kainel and Ariel. There might still be a way to turn things back.
I pushed the negative thoughts aside. First, I had to behead this guy.
“…Just die.”
I felt my muscles bursting, rushing toward Magic Hat. I swiftly sliced through the clones, stepping on their heads to leap higher.
“Oh? My lord─.”
In that fleeting moment, in less than a second, my sword was thrust at the Demon King’s neck.
Scrape.
A circular sword path was engraved as the magician’s head separated from the body. I swung down again toward the body that had lost its master with force. Thus, the Demon King fell weakly.
Thud, roll roll.
“Hihih…!!”
Sure enough, this punk wouldn’t die from that. From the severed head came the mad laughter of a lunatic. No blood even flowed from the remaining body of the Demon King,
“My lord!! This is so much fun!! Amazing!! Truly my one and only love…!!”
“Get lost.”
I pressed down on the body that approached mine, trying to fervently embrace me. It meant that the real body hadn’t come here in the first place.
“..What a shame. I could have held you, my lord!”
I quickly retreated, and the rolling head reattached to the body like assembling building blocks, the voice of crreeeeak echoing as they reunited.
“No, my hug count already has an owner.”
I had underestimated the Demon King. That’s why this battle’s difficulty had become insane, with the air in my lungs about to burst. I held my chest in agony.
“Hih, then how about I use the truth? My lord?”
Magic Hat drew her trump card again. She seemed delighted, mixing cards while humming a tune.
That mad magician would use whatever was mentioned regarding the truth to merge two into one or create cards that matched the pattern.
I swallowed. I wasn’t holding any cards to counter that…
“Would a Spade Ace do? No. A Spade Jack would be better! My lord!”
Oh no, if I get hit by that, I’d be in a worse position than a taxidermied butterfly. I couldn’t afford to relax, thinking of Kainel or Ariel’s situations.
“…”
Patterns and meanings befitting a black knight.
Perhaps if it was the Heart Jack, it would have been safe had the glass knight drawn it. I was lucky I had interrupted in time.
“Let’s not do that and get comfortable. You’d definitely like it, my lord..!”
“I hate people like you the most, Magic Hat.”
Rushing in without thinking they’d fall for a pure confession.
I hated it when someone who didn’t deserve such sweet love, merely by looks or cheat-like abilities, tried to possess the feelings of the other.
That’s not pure love. The metallic taste of blood lingered in my mouth.
“I can be any form of woman for you! What do you like? Perhaps white hair?”
“You really do say some crazy things.”
Blood continued to seep, and a tingling sensation hovered on my skin. The spark of life was about to snuff out. It seemed that recklessly using someone else’s Holy Sword had its costs.
‘Somehow, I have to land one hit on this guy,’
to ensure the safety of our Nameless Saintess. After successfully beheading him once, the darkness within the Holy Sword began to dissipate.
The condition of losing a loved one was fading. Losing doesn’t always mean death.
That’s why there existed a route where Dennis, who obtained the Holy Sword, fell into the Demon King’s path. His lover was cursed but not dead.
‘..Thank goodness. She may still be alive.’
I needed a breakthrough to overturn this situation. I can’t endure such hardship so early in the second phase. According to my memories, there were still many phases or patterns left.
“I have no choice, do I?”
Drake’s ultimate move. Dragon Kill.
It wouldn’t pack its original power since I would make a hastily prepared one. Yet, this was the only trump card left. I straightened my stance, breathing deeply.
“Your gaze, it makes me want you to only look at me..! It’s just so captivating!”
I had to pour my everything into the foe before me, proving my utmost efforts. I couldn’t waste the five years of training I’d undergone.
“Not yours, asshole.”
“How unfair..! My lord! Then whose is it?! There are no interruptions now!”
I lifted my sword to protect our Nameless Saintess.
Even if it meant I perished using my ultimate move, that’s what a black knight was. Taking on the misfortune of a loved one.
“…”
In fact, I might have been prepared for this since fifteen years ago.
Since I had been reincarnated in this game, I realized. Without my sacrifice, her happiness could not exist.
“There is something like that.”
So this time, I wanted to save her and make her happy.
To sacrifice my life for our Saintess, even if it meant giving everything away. After all, I have lived a life after being saved once. I’d repay that debt here.
..I didn’t want to go this far. My dear Saintess might cry a lot.
I gathered my resolve. I looked at the Holy Sword, its darkness fading. The Corruption Route was getting derailed. I had to protect my loved one to the end.
“My life doesn’t matter anymore…”
I exhaled a heated breath. I raised my sword high. I sent the boiling lifeblood throughout my body. I had to end everything with this single stance.
“I am the pure-hearted black knight.”
Though it might be an imperfect technique because I hadn’t perfected the motion of Dragon Kill, I prepared to use Demon King Kill.
