Battle Readiness

“How much of the gate is completed?”

“You knew about that too.”

“Well, it’s easier to attack from the inside than the outside.”

They were really making a gate to the Underworld.

Jang Yu-ha’s intuition was sharp.

“How much is completed?”

“We had something prepared from the start. If the sacrifices are ready, we can open it right now.”

“Sacrifices?”

“To summon high-level undead from the Underworld, sacrifices are needed. If it’s a Death Knight, the amount of sacrifices would be considerable.”

I continued listening to the words of the [Vampire Baron] called Velosa.

Whether she was loose-lipped or had a bad relationship with the undead from the start.

Velosa spilled everything she knew about the undead’s invasion plan.

One [Death Knight] would be summoned inside Pibbslow Fortress.

One is enough to open the castle gates, and other undead are currently gathering forces outside.

She says the nearby villages have likely become sacrifices for the gate.

I asked what was needed for sacrifices.

She says dead things become catalysts for summoning more dead things.

No.

Not the gate sacrifices.

Sacrifices for the sealed artifact.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help.”

“Not at all. This should be done by someone who doesn’t have to worry about dying. More importantly, please take care of Yu… Cassandra. Please follow along with whatever she say, as if I were there. You understand, right?”

“I will do so.”

Amel waved her hand.

Beogeureo turns his back.

I sent off the knight order that had been guarding Pibbslow Fortress.

The knight order said they couldn’t withdraw without orders from above, but I contacted the higher-ups, persuaded them, and the withdrawal was decided.

The expected forces are multiple [Death Knights].

The target is Amel.

The purpose is revenge.

Simultaneously, the manifestation of the curse placed by the Death Knight.

When I revealed that they would kill me because of the curse, they said they would fight too, but I silenced them, saying they would only get in the way.

“….”

“….”

Jang Yu-ha, who was following Beogeureo, looks back.

Waving her hand, she mouthed the words.

See.you.later.

I wonder if saying “see you later” means there’s no ending where I die and become a minion of the [Death Knight].

“….”

After the knight order disappeared.

I returned to the fortress.

In the shadowy part of the castle gate.

Velosa, who was waiting, asks.

“Are you really sure you’ll be alright alone?”

“What good would they be? They’d just get in the way.”

I’m not reckless enough to declare I can win against multiple [Death Knights] without any thought.

It’s more fun to fight battles where you have a chance of winning.

It’s better not to fight battles you can’t even properly engage in.

So I prepared for when I would have to fight the [Death Knights].

‘(You want me to turn the whole fortress into my workshop?)’

‘Please do it before nightfall.’

‘(Just leave it to me.)’

Win returned.

She came back and was noisy, asking what happened while she was gone.

I roughly explained the situation.

A force of at least 4 [Death Knights].

And the right-hand man of the Blood Great Devil.

She was dumbfounded when she heard the plan to face them in order, but after hearing the strategy, Win seemed to see hope and cooperated.

The [Death Knights].

They would be difficult to face with just my power, Chocolat’s, and Win’s included.

That was with ‘normal’ power.

But I have a trump card that takes time, and I can shorten that time through Win.

With Win’s assistance, it’s possible even during battle,

But since I haven’t tested it yet, I don’t know if it will work well until I try it.

So I thoroughly prepared before entering battle to be able to exert ‘maximum’ power the moment they arrive.

[Six Forms Six Styles Sword God]

My maximum power.

I’ve already gotten used to handling enormous magical power while facing [Dream].

The procedure is quite complicated, which is why I couldn’t use it immediately in battle.

And the reason a procedure is needed is due to ‘lack of magical power’.

Lack of magical power.

Even though I put 100 points into [Magical Power], it wasn’t enough to make up for the difference in magical power increase due to level difference.

According to [Community] sources, there’s about a 10-20% increase effect per level, and I calculated it.

The level where [Sword God] can be used at once.

How many levels would it take to reach that level?

The answer is level 70.

Even with 100 points in [Magical Power], you need to be at least level 70.

But my current level is 34.

I should have climbed the Tower more often.

But what can I do?

The situation has already happened.

I need power right now.

If it’s not enough, I’ll just use [Sword God] as is, and I’ve already figured out the knack for it after using it a few times.

The procedure was like this.

Heat.

Frost.

Electricity.

Nuclear fusion.

Power generation.

And converting the produced electricity into magical power to supplement the lacking magical power.

However, there was a problem.

‘(It might be lacking compared to the firepower Jua emitted.)’

‘Any way to increase it?’

‘(No. To imitate that firepower with magic, you’d need a catalyst of that level, and as far as I know, such a thing doesn’t exist.)’

‘Not all of it, right?’

‘(When I say I don’t know, it means there’s nothing within the range of level 70 materials.)’

Well, even if there was, it’s not something I could get right away.

‘Then please do what you can with what’s lacking. As long as there’s enough firepower for development, the rest is just a matter of time anyway.’

‘(Okie.)’

Win chants a spell.

Magical power drains from the [Mana Hole].

Following Win’s instructions, I installed magic circles where needed and remodeled the entire fortress into a workshop.

“So you knew how to use magic too?”

“Given who we’re up against. Why? Are you going to secretly interfere and side with the undead?”

“Of course not. Whichever side wins, my wish will be fulfilled. Then shouldn’t I choose the side with a higher chance of my survival?”

“Well, you’re right. If I see any sabotage, I’ll kill you immediately. It’s not like I can’t figure out how to break the seal without you. I’m keeping you alive to save time, so keep that in mind.”

“I express my gratitude for your generous treatment.”

Win chants spells and sticks the completed magic circles to the wall like stickers.

Magic circles glowing on the wall.

Velosa followed Amel with an incredulous look while observing the magic circles.

Velosa thought.

‘If it works properly, it would be astonishing. Creating a grand magic circle on the spot and using it in actual combat.’

That was the realm of masters that only archmages could achieve.

“Am I in your way?”

Amel turned to Velosa, who was looking at the magic circles, and said.

“Master-level swordsmanship and archmage-level magic. You’re amazing.”

“…I’m a bit of an all-rounder.”

Amel headed towards the next installation location.

While installing magic circles here and there.

“Velosa.”

“Yes.”

“Start preparing to open the gate now.”

“Understood.”

The gate to the Underworld.

I took out the sacrifices needed for it from my inventory and placed them at the gate’s location.

The gate was in the prison in the fortress basement, where prisoners were left confined even after the knight order withdrew.

I said to use the prisoners as sacrifices since it didn’t matter if they lived or died.

Amel continued installing magic circles.

She finished installing them all before nightfall.

‘I’m not sure if this will work well.’

‘(Should I do it right away?)’

‘We have to.’

Let’s go through a few steps of the procedure before entering the fight.

Pibbslow Fortress.

The installed magic circles.

I sensed the magically connected magic circles.

Following that sense, I injected magical power,

The magic circles manifested the fire magic contained in the circle, brightly illuminating the fortress that was darkening as night fell.

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

Flames igniting one by one.

Pibbslow Fortress has now become a giant furnace at this moment.

Flames drawing a circle.

The circle drawn by flames.

The manifested flames completed a new magic circle, fueling even larger flames and enveloping the fortress in a barrier, trapping the heat.

It’s getting hotter and hotter.

It’s getting colder and colder.

Amel used [Frost].

Entering a superconducting state.

———Simultaneously.

Below my feet.

The wicked energy of the Underworld.

In that energy, I sensed a familiar yet different presence.

The [Death Knight] crossed the gate and began condensing magical power.

[Death Knight].

[Sword Aura].

A huge blade of dark magical power surged up like artillery fire.

Pibbslow Fortress’s defensive magic circle was powerful enough to easily block [Sword Aura], but it was vulnerable to destruction from the inside.

The entire fortress was blown away.

“I’m not underestimating Americano’s skills, but.”

Beogeureo said.

“Are you really sure you’ll be alright alone? If at least four Death Knights come out, we can risk our lives to block at least one of them.”

“That’s impossible.”

Jang Yu-ha answered with a smile.

The knight order that lost even when Amel was going easy on them.

Although not everyone participated, still more than half of them rushed in and were all defeated.

Even with handicaps like only using bare hands and not using magical power in attacks.

Death Knights were monsters that fought desperately even against such an Amel.

“The best we can do is to run away well so as not to get in the way. On your way, you’ll meet the Holy Knight Order, so please just think about joining them.”

“I don’t know what kind of knight order they are.”

“Given who we’re up against, it can’t be helped. And it seems there’s also a Holy Maiden. There’s no better force than a Holy Maiden when dealing with undead. Whatever help we need, we first need the cooperation of the Holy Knight Order.”

Holy Maiden.

One of the nine Holy Maidens put forward by the Temple.

It must be one of them.

Jang Yu-ha encouraged the powerlessness of Beogeureo and the knights and directed the knight order to withdraw in the direction where she had a [Premonition] that the Holy Knight Order would come.

But she had a [Premonition] that it would take a day’s walk to meet the Holy Knight Order.

The time for the Holy Knight Order to arrive at Pibbslow Fortress was about a day and a half.

Amel could have gone to find the Holy Knight Order first to receive the curse removal, but the sun would have set by the time she reached them.

If Amel went alone, she might have received it before sunset, but there was no guarantee that the undead wouldn’t attack Pibbslow Fortress just because Amel wasn’t there.

It was worth considering that they might attack the fortress and take hostages to lure Amel.

Without preparation, victory couldn’t be guaranteed, and,

‘The curse could be newly engraved anyway.’

So Amel stayed at the fortress and planned to create the most advantageous situation possible for the battle with the Death Knights.

At that moment.

───Boom.

In the direction of Pibbslow Fortress.

A pillar of flame shot up into the night sky.

A black-based power surged up, followed by flames rising along it.

Within the flame-wrapped pillar, a blue light asserted its presence, freezing the flame pillar as if exploding it.

Soon, the blue light became a shooting star and plunged vertically downward.

“Is that a battle between master-level powerhouses?”

“Is that the next level after expert?”

“Wow…”

The knights guessed the identity of the light.

Jang Yu-ha recorded this scene.

‘It would be more impressive if I attach this too, right?’

Jang Yu-ha planned to upload Amel’s battle videos soon.

She had received the right to upload Amel’s battle videos in exchange for guiding Amel.

‘When I upload the videos accumulated over the past few days, Amel’s evaluation will completely change.’

She had been consistently using [Community] to promote Anonymous.

[Summary of Evil One’s Battle Analysis Posts]

Presumed to have not formally learned martial arts.

Genius talent for stealing and using opponents’ techniques.

Fighting spirit that grows stronger against stronger opponents.

A genius born to become stronger.

[Estimated Level of Anonymous (Not Tower Level)]

Since everyone knows Anonymous is level 34 from the solo climbing video, I’ll skip that.

Since she defeated a Death Knight, her one-on-one combat ability exceeds level 70.

Besides one-on-one combat ability, she has a separate style for defeating large monsters, which seems even higher in level when fighting large creatures.

[Met Anonymous]

My friend is real-life friends with Anonymous’s sister, so I met her. Anonymous’s real appearance is amazing.

I understand why she’s treated as anonymous.

[Formed a Party with Anonymous]

Anonymous is right next to me now.

I’m taking questions.

[Will Upload Collected Videos Soon]

Sercu, Nuke, Dream, Death Knight, demon beasts, and soon-to-fight Death Knights.

Also fought Prominence in the finals.

I got permission to upload videos as I please on the condition of helping Anonymous. I was born with a great ability to help others. That was appreciated.

I plan to edit and upload, 1000 gold per episode. Later 3000 gold. Eventually up to 10000 gold.

You say it’s expensive?

You’ll understand when you see it.

It was more of a hobby than promotion.

Every time she posted, it was fun to see the view count increase and comments pile up.

Although a different type from Hong Joo-ah, Jang Yu-ha also liked receiving attention.

Despite being bad at creating titles, her analysis posts often made it to the best posts list due to high view counts and recommendations.

That was satisfying.

It meant that much interest in the existence called Anonymous.

Amel hardly used [Community], so she didn’t seem to notice.

With a mindset of just enjoying it alone, she seemed to barely enjoy others’ attention once before finding it bothersome.

Even uploading videos was half-hearted.

I heard she even considered taking down all the videos.

‘That can’t happen.’

To go into hiding when people’s interest is at its peak.

‘What would everyone have done without me.’

Although pretending to be calm in front of Amel, she had inwardly jumped for joy when she heard Amel was Anonymous.

Jang Yu-ha, who finished recording.

She giggled to herself, [Anticipating] the impact the videos she would upload would bring.

Death Knights are strong even among Sword Masters, at least high-ranking.

They say you’re recognized as a Sword Master from level 60, but the difference between beginners and experts is on a different level.

The existence called Anonymous will go beyond being a variable that shakes up the current situation and become imprinted on many people as a huge possibility.

Among them was the Emperor she would meet soon.

But what made her even happier were the malicious comments that couldn’t be refuted.

She could make those who spout nonsense like calling Amel a whore or claiming the videos are fake, unable to believe Amel’s strength, into dumbfounded mutes.

And everyone would show great interest in her, Anonymous’s companion.

Jang Yu-ha feels a [Premonition] that her expectations will become reality.