Chapter 32 – The Bird That Sings of Destruction

Ｒｅａｄ ｏｎ Ｋ​ａｔＲｅａｄｉｎｇＣａｆｅ

Was it to keep outsiders out? The underground ruins we discovered had a complex maze-like structure.

The endless series of forks—two or three paths at a time—forced us to make constant choices. The layout was so repetitive that it was hard to tell which paths we’d already taken.

The occasional suspicious rooms were also a problem. We thoroughly searched them, hoping to find treasure, but all we found were a few books covered in mold and dust.

The books were in such poor condition that we couldn’t even read them.

“Are we going to get lost later…?”

“Don’t worry. I tied a rope around my waist.”

As I answered Isolin’s question, I took out a pen from my inventory and marked the wall.

Another fork in the path appeared. Since we’d been choosing the left path so far, we went left again.

The tedious search continued with no monsters or life-threatening traps. Just as the tension in my body was starting to fade—

Step-step-

A strange sound mixed with the light footsteps of the three of us. At first, I thought I was hearing things, but I wasn’t. The more I focused, the clearer it became.

“This is…”

“What? What is it?”

“Could it be…”

Only Gladi and I noticed the suspicious footsteps. But Isolin wasn’t oblivious either.

When Gladi and I drew our weapons and prepared for battle, she also gripped her staff tightly and stared into the darkness.

“An enemy…?”

“Probably… I heard unfamiliar footsteps.”

As I answered Isolin, I quickly recited a short prayer. Though the prayer was overly simplified, the skill activated with clear power.

[Holy Armor]
[Sacred Blessing]

A brilliant light burst forth, dispelling the darkness. Immediately, the footsteps coming toward us quickened.

Step-step-

At first, it sounded like walking, but it soon turned into running.

Clank-clank-clank!

The heavy footsteps were familiar. It wasn’t the sound of ordinary leather boots but the clashing of metal joints in armor.

“Armor…?”

As I muttered in confusion, a grotesque knight emerged from the dark end of the corridor.

The armor was old and rusted. The joints were covered in mold and moss, and disgusting filth fell off with every movement.

The sword it held was in equally bad shape. Half of it was broken, and the rest was covered in red rust.

[Level 30]
[Death Knight]

“Oh no…”

Death Knight. A high-tier undead that appears in almost every fantasy game. The specifics might vary, but they all share one common trait.

Their strength, based on knights. Death Knights are always strong.

The Death Knight before us didn’t look particularly strong, but its level was the problem.

Level 30.

In this world, strength is determined by level. No matter how hard Isolin and I had leveled up, we couldn’t take on a level 30 monster without a tank.

So, we had to make a wise choice.

“Run!”

It took less than two seconds to recognize the Death Knight and start running. Isolin, Gladi, and I turned and bolted.

Clank-clank-clank!

“Eeeek!”

Of course, the Death Knight chased us at an incredible speed. Its movements were awkward, as if its joints were damaged, but it was still fast.

“C-can’t we fight it?”

“Stop talking nonsense and run! How are we supposed to beat a level 30?!”

I answered Gladi while pushing my legs harder. The Death Knight, now within striking distance, began swinging its half-broken sword wildly.

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

I wanted to retrace our steps, but the Death Knight blocked the way. Whenever we reached a fork, we just turned and kept running. After several turns, we hit a dead end.

“This…!”

“Gasp…!”

“Eeeek!”

As we turned the corner, a dark stone wall blocked our path. Naturally, we turned back.

Clank-clank!

Despite its ridiculous, rusted armor, the Death Knight’s glowing eyes were menacing.

The rusted sword in its hand was equally terrifying.

The whistling sound from the broken sword sent shivers down my spine.

Gulp-

As the Death Knight approached, my body tensed to the extreme.

My vision sharpened, and every hair on my body stood on end.

My breathing grew ragged, and my grip on the mace tightened.

Ranger, Priest, Mage. All three of us were specialized in support. None of us could tank.

If a fight broke out, one of us would die. The other two might escape in the chaos.

For a brief moment, a disgusting survival instinct crept up. The sticky sensation tightening around my throat made me shudder.

My grip on the mace loosened, and my right leg shifted slightly back. My heel lifted as if ready to push off the ground.

Clank-clank!

The Death Knight didn’t roar or make any monster-like sounds. It simply charged.

As it closed in, I secretly hoped it wouldn’t come for me.

At that moment—

“Here! There’s a path here!”

Gladi’s urgent voice called out.

Turning my head, I saw a small rectangular hole in the corner of the stone wall, just big enough for a person to squeeze through.

A small brick nearby was pushed in, suggesting Gladi had discovered a hidden passage in that short time.

The moment I realized we could survive, I sprang into action.

“Go in first!”

This was a calculated, rational decision. To buy even a second against the Death Knight, I, the only one capable of close combat, had to step forward.

Once Gladi and Isolin got through, I could slip in after them.

“Supreme!”

A short scream came from behind me. Isolin’s voice and the sound of movement grew distant.

Whoosh-whoosh!

As the sword swung toward me, I realized one thing: if I faced this thing head-on, I would die.

Just before the sword struck, a short prayer escaped my lips. A prayer stripped of unnecessary embellishments, compressed into something efficient.

The clergy skill instructor, Alfred, would’ve scolded me if he saw this, but who cared? As long as the skill worked, it didn’t matter.

[Holy Shield]

Whoosh-!

A brief burst of light enveloped me. For five seconds, a holy barrier protected me from all damage, deflecting the Death Knight’s sword.

Clang-clang!

For five seconds, the Death Knight couldn’t kill me. No, four seconds… no, three…

The time kept ticking down. Though the holy shield protected me, I didn’t dare attack. Five seconds was too short.

As soon as I confirmed that Isolin and Gladi had slipped through the passage, I sprinted after them. The sound of clanging metal echoed behind me, but I didn’t look back.

“Hyah!”

With a short cry, I slid into the small passage. Thanks to the active shield, my body didn’t scrape against the ground.

Clunk-clunk!

As I slid down the passage, I caught one last glimpse of the Death Knight.

Its bulky armor prevented it from following. It could only stick its arm and head through, swinging its sword aimlessly.

Watching it, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. As my lips curled into a smirk, the Death Knight hurled its sword at me.

Thud-clang!

The sword fell harmlessly to the ground.

As the protective shield faded, my body began to slide rapidly. The slippery moss and sloped passage created a synergistic effect.

“Ugh…!”

My back and butt burned. Then, cold water enveloped my body.

Gurgle-gurgle!

Startled by the sudden plunge, I flailed my arms and legs. Before me, a massive underwater ruin unfolded.

Fish swam leisurely among the collapsed ruins. Sunlight filtered through the clear water, illuminating the scene. Looking up, I saw the towering ruins above the water.

Gurgle-gurgle!

I only had a moment to admire the overwhelming beauty of nature. Running out of breath, I quickly swam toward the surface.

“Pfft!”

As I emerged and took a deep breath of fresh air, the pink-haired girl came running and hugged me tightly.

“Supreme!”

“Ah.”

“Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

Isolin examined me worriedly. The red marks on my forehead and arms suggested I’d scraped against something while sliding down the passage.

Her concern for me, despite her own injuries, made my chest itch. I had been ready to abandon her and run away alone.

Tsk…

“I’m fine.”

I stood up and patted Isolin’s head. Gladi also seemed fine. She was busy building a campfire.

Probably to dry our wet clothes.

“Phew…”

How many times had I been submerged now?

I wrung the water out of my soaked, clinging clothes.