Chapter 93

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My prediction was spot-on.

Evaluating one’s strength was practically the Black Knight’s pastime—or rather, it was more akin to an instinctual behavioral pattern. For a being like the Black Knight, who reveled in battle and revered strength, power was everything and the sole measure of worth.

If someone didn’t even meet the minimum standard, they were disregarded entirely. But for those who crossed that threshold, the Black Knight would dig relentlessly to unearth their full potential. Even if there was an overwhelming gap in power, he would entertain them, measuring their limits.

And if he found them truly impressive, the Black Knight would grant them a clean death.

He ensured their body remained intact—an essential condition for turning them into a death knight like himself. Alternatively, he might leave them alive and transform them into a lesser undead servant.

The moment his assessment was complete, the Black Knight would reveal his true strength.

A suffocating aura of death, black and viscous like sludge. A chilling air of decay that corroded and defiled everything it touched.

The living death knight brandished a sword brimming with murderous intent.

From that point onward, the fight became utterly one-sided.

Survival became the only goal. Combat was no longer possible.

It was fortunate there were three of us. If it had been just one, we’d have been defeated in an instant.

Wounds began accumulating on Eugene’s body.

His unbelievable reflexes, combat instincts, and growth speed—unparalleled for a student.

Yet it wasn’t enough.

Not nearly enough.

Eugene wasn’t ready to face a named monster yet.

Frey was in no better position. With the Black Knight focused on her, she couldn’t fire her heat rays effectively anymore. Just evading the storm of slashes drained her energy. Though she had yet to suffer any significant injuries, it was only a matter of time.

In short, it was my turn now.

I had hoped to intervene before the Black Knight revealed his true nature, but the timing hadn’t been right. Besides, preparation took time.

One of Lucia’s few useful combat skills came with the drawback of requiring an extended setup.

I drew in a deep breath, swelling my lungs to their fullest.

Raising my head, I fixed my gaze on the pitch-black blur of the Black Knight.

Sometimes, when a person faces a life-or-death crisis, they can surpass their limits and display superhuman strength. This occurs because the body lifts the natural constraints it places on muscles and other tissues to prevent injury.

Though such extreme exertion often leads to muscle tears, joint damage, and other severe consequences, it allows for miraculous feats of strength in the moment.

By employing super regeneration, I could intentionally trigger this phenomenon.

Overclocking.
A risky overexertion with clear consequences, as my body would deteriorate in tandem.

For most people, this might spell disaster. Muscles, bones, and nerves screamed in protest, creaking under the strain.

But to me, it was a pleasant harmony.

Adrenaline surged through me, leaving my legs trembling with overexcitement.

My vision narrowed. All distractions fell away, leaving only the Black Knight in my sight.

Thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump-thump.

The external world faded, and the rhythmic pounding of my heart echoed in my ears.

Blood circulated faster, heating my body unnaturally. My face flushed with heat, and I let out a breathless, involuntary laugh.

I lowered the tip of my spear. Lucia wasn’t picky about weapons; she used whatever was within reach. While she favored light, slender rapiers or the complete opposite—heavy, solid maces—her arsenal varied depending on the situation.

Though spears weren’t her forte, she wasn’t unfamiliar with them either.

Adjusting my stance, I bent my knees slightly, tensing the muscles in my legs.

My focus locked onto the Black Knight. He continued relentlessly driving Eugene and Frey into a corner, completely ignoring me.

‘Don’t rush.’
Panicking would ruin everything.

Calmly, steadily.

But keep my body taut with the right amount of tension.

With my overclocked body, time stretched unnaturally long. Movements that had previously blurred as afterimages now became discernible, though the Black Knight remained fast enough to strain my perception.

Focus. Concentrate to the limit.

Darkness crept into the edges of my vision, like a curtain of shadows swallowing the light. Soon, the Black Knight was the only thing I could see.

He was strong, but not invincible. A named monster—a high rank among monsters, but still only that. He wasn’t a calamity-class beast or a devil.

If I could exploit his momentary lapse, I might not land a decisive blow, but at least a significant strike.

‘Now.’

Eugene, who had been valiantly defending against the Black Knight’s onslaught, finally faltered. His Sun Sword was knocked aside, leaving an opening.

A critical mistake against a superior foe was akin to inviting death.

The instant the Black Knight moved to claim Eugene’s life, I sprang into action.

With legs burning as though on fire, I propelled myself forward at a speed I’d never achieved before.

Even then, the Black Knight barely spared me a glance. With mechanical precision, he swung his longsword.

It was as if I had been the one ambushed, despite my attempt at a sneak attack.

The trajectory was deadly precise, forcing me to abandon my intended thrust and raise the spear to block.

The sturdy spear snapped cleanly in two, unable to withstand even a single strike.

I had expected this.

The Lizardman’s spear had served its purpose—it had intercepted the strike.

The altered trajectory left the slash grazing my neck instead of severing my head outright. A shallow wound spilled blood, but I was alive.

Astaroth aside, why do monsters love to sever necks so much?

I like it too. Seems like we share the same hobby?

Blood spurted from the half-severed neck.

Unfortunately, the carotid artery had been cut, causing the blood flowing through the body to spurt out in great waves, as if trying to drain from the body entirely.

For a human, or any living being, it would be a fatal wound.

If not for super regeneration, that is.

“…!”

Ignoring the wound on my neck, I thrust the broken spear into him.

The Black Knight skillfully deflected it. My grip was torn apart as the spear spun away from my hand.

Whoosh.

The longsword pierced my chest.

Though it wasn’t very large, the soft, squishy chest was crushed under the blow.

Ribs were broken, and even the heart, once protected within, was pierced through by the strike.

Blood bubbled up from my esophagus.

I couldn’t breathe. My airway was completely blocked with blood.

With the lack of oxygen, my head grew fuzzy.

But the sensation was heightened as I clearly felt the sharp blade of the sword grinding through my chest.

“Hic….”

…It hurts.

My back twisted, and my body spasmed.

I struggled, my legs trembling.

My wrist bent, and a weak moan echoed in my mouth.

It hurts. It’s hot. It hurts. It hurts so much.

I drooled in a messy way, and my body trembled in agony.

The sticky blood-mixed saliva further stained Lucia’s already-dirty clothes, making them even darker.

My knees buckled, and my legs instinctively curled up.

As I did, the blade of the sword forced through my fat, deepening the wound.

My mind went blank. Everything in front of me blurred. Drops of tears obstructed my view.

It hurts. Feels good. Hurts. Feels so good. More, more, please. Ruin me completely~♡.

…Of course, I wouldn’t say something like that in such a serious situation, right?

I was just joking. No, I’m not serious at all.

“Ugh, hi, uh…!”

It was hard to hold back the disgusting moans pouring from my throat.

I bit my lower lip hard, tearing the skin to snap my consciousness back from the pleasure.

I was lucky. It was a thrust. If it had been another cleaving strike, that would have been troublesome.

I had moved under the assumption that I would be injured from the start.

However, whether my plan succeeded or not depended on what kind of injury I received.

If the goal had been to sever my windpipe by targeting my heart, that would have been a big mistake.

It was a misjudgment not knowing what abilities Lucia has.

All the hiding I did, all of it was for this moment.

If you hadn’t underestimated me and given me an opening, I’d have been torn apart in an instant.

Thanks for the thrust.

In many ways.

“Kh…!”

I pulled my body forward.

Perhaps the Black Knight hadn’t expected this.

A sign of unease, something the stoic death knight couldn’t hide, was now apparent.

It was the first time he had faced someone who didn’t die after being pierced through the heart and instead dug deeper into their wounds.

The longsword pushed even deeper into my body, each movement causing my flesh to tear further, and my thoughts fragmented.

The hole in Lucia’s precious body widened. With all my might, I grabbed the Black Knight’s arm.

To stop him from pulling out the longsword. To prevent him from swinging it.

So, it was just once.

Using Lucia’s regeneration ability to confuse the Black Knight was my role.

Lucia’s entire body was blocking the Black Knight’s right arm.

So now you know what to do, right?

“Now!”

It was the first time my voice came out so strained. It was hard to breathe because of the blood that was rising, and it was even harder to talk.

But no matter how strained the voice was, the message was clear.

The Black Knight struggled with the longsword embedded in my body, but my resistance slowed him down, even for just a few seconds.

At that moment, the Black Knight had no choice but to act swiftly.

The weapon’s trajectory shifted slightly.

A red flame, the color of burning sunlight, cut through the air, driving the darkness away.

The Black Knight, unable to use his right arm, immediately raised his left.

He had blocked Eugene’s strike, but that was okay.

He had intended to defend with the gauntlet, but I had seen him do that before.

He blocked heat rays with his left arm the same way.

Just then, Frey, who had caught the broken spear, rushed forward.

With an unbelievable force for her small frame, she rammed the broken spear into the Black Knight’s left arm.

The force was enough to break the Black Knight’s arm.

The empty body, now without defense, staggered.

The left arm severed.

Even the sturdy black armor now felt soft, like tofu, at this moment.

Now that the arm was no longer holding me, I stumbled back.

Thud.

Frey’s small hand grabbed the Black Knight’s helmet.

The only thing I could see was Frey’s back.

But I could guess what expression she was wearing.

“Try and endure this, you tin-can bastard.”

Close-range bombardment.

The Black Knight’s helmet was engulfed by the greedy red light and instantly ignited.

 

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Lucia has been active for a while now!

Please give her lots of praise!

Lucia is a child who craves praises!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Wow, Lucia is definitely strong enough to keep up, alright!

This might clear up some of the weak mc allegations, heh.