Chapter 62: The Return of the Doom-Grade Death Knight

Chapter 62: The Purge Squad (3)

Gamael acknowledged Damian Hassen more readily than expected.

However, not all members of the 'Mixed Blizzard' recognized Damian.

"…I will never forget what happened today."

Dionysius spat out his words, a mix of hatred and anger, before leaving the scene.

"If you lose, you should admit defeat gracefully. Anyway, those from that sect are all narrow-minded."

Margareta thought ill of Dionysius.

"Sir Damian, well done."

Agnes said, handing him a cup of water. Despite not breaking a sweat, Damian accepted the cup out of courtesy.

"Still, your skills are really impressive. Dionysius is someone the Mixed Blizzard heavily backs. I didn’t think you’d win so easily."

"Didn’t I tell you? I said he was remarkable, didn’t I?"

Agnes spoke with an excited tone, seemingly pleased that Damian had been recognized.

"Now, all that’s left is to judge the vile heretic."

Margareta said, clearly delighted.

"Congratulations on joining the purge squad."

* * *

After joining, what surprised Damian the most was the sheer size of the purge squad.

There were 80 elite soldiers and 10 third-tier Paladins.

'This much power is just for support?'

What was even more surprising was that this wasn’t the core force.

The core of this purge squad was the sect’s Paladins.

Only they had the power to deal with a high-ranking necromancer.

'The number of sect Paladins is small, but… they are several times stronger.'

The Mixed Blizzard had one second-tier Paladin and four third-tier Paladins.

The Blinding Pain had one second-tier Paladin and five third-tier Paladins.

Including Damian, Agnes, and Margareta.

'This force could easily crush any major noble family.'

People often said that if there was a force in the continent that could stand against the empire, it was the Church.

Looking at the purge squad, it seemed this wasn’t just idle talk.

'This much of a purge squad was wiped out?'

The more he learned about the purge squad, the more he couldn’t understand how they had been wiped out.

The necromancer was dangerous, but not to the extent of killing three second-tier Paladins simultaneously.

'There must have been a traitor among the three.'

Mid-class can only be countered by mid-class.

The same applied to second-tier Paladins. Only another second-tier Paladin could kill one.

'Currently, Gamael is the most suspicious.'

The Mixed Blizzard had conflicts with the Immolator.

Gamael had also immediately picked a fight with Margareta.

'I need to keep an eye on the Mixed Blizzard.'

* * *

While the Church was preparing the purge squad, they were also searching the mountains and investigating the dungeon.

"The search team found that there’s only one entrance to the dungeon."

During the meal, Margareta reported the investigation results to Damian and Agnes.

"The dungeon entrance is near the mountain peak. We have to climb a bit. I went to check, and the entrance is very wide and large."

Margareta spread her arms to illustrate. It must have been really big for her to describe it that way.

"We don’t know what’s inside the dungeon. Reports say that Flesh Golems keep appearing, preventing the search team from exploring the interior."

In other words, they would have to enter the dungeon themselves to find out what was inside.

"When are we entering the dungeon?"

At this question, Margareta laughed, showing her fangs.

"Tomorrow."

* * *

At noon.

The Church’s purge squad gathered at the dungeon entrance.

A hundred elite soldiers.

Ten Paladins.

And the sect’s Paladins.

The gathered purge squad exuded an overwhelming presence.

"Finally, the day has come."

Agnes, standing next to Damian, said.

Agnes had her usual expressionless face, but her eyes held a strange fire.

Damian could understand what she was feeling.

The opportunity for revenge was right in front of her. Her heart must have been filled with joy.

"I hope that necromancer is inside."

Agnes glared at the cave entrance with dark, sunken eyes.

Suddenly, Damian felt a sharp gaze and turned to look.

The Mixed Blizzard.

Dionysius glared at Damian before turning away.

'He seems to have a deep grudge against me.'

Damian’s lips curled up. From experience, those who acted like this always caused trouble.

"Advance!"

The centurion, commanding the soldiers, raised his voice. The soldiers led the way into the dungeon.

The Paladins stood behind the soldiers, ready to act at any moment.

*Crunch.*

*Crunch.*

Then, beasts leaped out from the cave.

They weren’t ordinary beasts. They were undead created by the necromancer.

Their bodies were a mix of horse, wolf, and tiger, with visible stitches connecting the different parts.

Their appearance was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

"Shield bearers to the front!"

At the decurion’s command, soldiers with round shields blocked the beasts.

The shields clashed with the beasts. The soldiers gritted their teeth and held their ground.

Then, the soldiers behind them slashed at the beasts with swords and spears.

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

The beasts were easily dispatched.

'Their coordination is excellent.'

Indeed, the elite soldiers were highly skilled.

If they were to become mercenaries, every soldier could earn the gold badge symbolizing a first-class mercenary.

"Advance again!!"

The centurion shouted. The soldiers sheathed their weapons and moved deeper into the dungeon.

*Is... is anyone there?*

*Here... someone’s here! Help us!*

Then, voices were heard from inside the cave. The centurion raised his hand to stop the soldiers.

"Stop!"

The centurion and soldiers looked into the cave with tense expressions.

From the deep darkness inside, something emerged.

First, a large, round body appeared. The body was a patchwork of animal and monster parts.

More than five legs supported the body, and two large hands protruded from its sides.

The beasts that had appeared earlier seemed like test subjects, as this one showed clear signs of meticulous creation.

It was a Flesh Golem, the necromancer’s main weapon.

The moment the soldiers saw the Flesh Golem, their faces hardened.

It wasn’t because of its grotesque appearance.

*Ah! It hurts! It hurts!*

*It’s cold... it’s painful...*

It was because of the human heads attached to the round body.

There were eight heads, all crying and screaming.

*Ah, it hurts... my whole body aches so much!*

*Mama... where are you... Mama...*

One of the heads belonged to a child.

The horrifying sight left the soldiers and even the Paladins speechless.

"Wh-what is that...?"

"Are the people’s consciousnesses still intact...?"

The soldiers and Paladins had killed countless undead and black mages as the Church’s sword.

But this was the first time they had encountered an undead with intact consciousness.

*Church, it’s the Church! They’ve come from the Church!*

*Help us! Help us!*

The heads, upon seeing the purge squad, were overjoyed.

Despite their pleas for help, the soldiers couldn’t take any action.

*What are you doing! Help us!*

*Stay still! Restore us to our original state!*

The heads vented their anger and tried to attack the soldiers with their heavy arms.

"You fools!"

Margareta shouted.

"Snap out of it! That’s just an undead! Paladins, what are you doing? Protect the soldiers immediately!"

Margareta’s shout snapped the Paladins back to their senses.

The Paladins rushed at the Flesh Golem, slashing at it with their weapons.

*Ah! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts so much!*

*Stop, stop! We’re sorry!*

Each time the Flesh Golem was injured, the heads attached to its body screamed. The Paladins hesitated.

*Stop touching us!*

*It hurts! It hurts!*

Seizing the opportunity, the Flesh Golem swung its fist. A Paladin was hit and sent flying.

*Why are you tormenting us!*

*Don’t touch us! If you do, we’ll kill you all!*

Holes opened in various parts of the Flesh Golem’s body.

Green smoke spewed out from the holes. The Paladins jumped back in shock.

"It’s poison! The thing is releasing poison!"

The poison was so potent that the weeds on the ground withered instantly.

The Paladins used holy power to protect themselves from the poison.

*Die! All of you die!*

*Die! Die! Die!*

The Flesh Golem, spewing hatred, attacked the Paladins.

The Paladins, using holy power to resist the poison, were pushed back by the Flesh Golem.

More than ten Paladins were being overwhelmed by a single Flesh Golem.

"This isn’t good. Agnes, you need to step in."

"Understood. Sir Damian, please assist me."

Agnes turned to speak, but Damian was nowhere to be seen.

"Sir Damian?"

Damian had already passed the soldiers and was approaching the Flesh Golem.

"Sir Damian!"

Agnes shouted in surprise. But Damian Hassen didn’t hear her.

All of Damian’s senses were focused on the Flesh Golem.

*Die! Die!*

*Don’t touch me!*

Damian, as a high-level black mage, could understand how the Flesh Golem was moving.

Black magic power can’t be obtained through normal means.

It is only generated in death or pain.

The Flesh Golem was powered by the black magic power emitted by the many human souls bound to it.

The more the Paladins attacked, the stronger it became.

The more pain it endured, the more black magic power it emitted.

*It hurts! It hurts!*

*Mama... where are you... Mama...*

They were all ordinary people.

People who had been captured by the necromancer, unwillingly modified, and used as materials for black magic.

They must have felt an indescribable fear and a horror beyond words.

Damian had felt the same when he was modified into a Death Knight.

The terror of being restrained.

The horrific pain with each procedure.

The disgust at his body changing into something else.

*It’s coming! It’s coming again!*

*Are you going to hurt us too?*

The Flesh Golem noticed Damian and spewed more poison.

*Die! You die too!*

*I’ll tear you apart!*

Ten bones sprouted from the Flesh Golem’s body and shot out with a loud noise.

Damian didn’t dodge. He just moved slowly.

The bones hit Damian, but none of them pierced him. They just grazed him and stuck into the ground.

*What? What?*

*What’s going on! What’s going on!*

The Flesh Golem fired more bones. Again, they only grazed Damian Hassen.

It wasn’t that the Flesh Golem missed.

Damian was dodging all the bone arrows by a hair’s breadth.

Before long, Damian reached the Flesh Golem.

*Don’t come! Don’t come!*

*Don’t hurt me!*

The Flesh Golem spewed more poison.

Damian’s holy sword activated, protecting him from the poison.

The poison had no effect on Damian.

Damian looked up at the Flesh Golem’s body.

His knowledge as a black mage told him where the core of the Flesh Golem was.

*Die! Die!*

*I’ll explode!*

The Flesh Golem tried to punch.

But Damian was faster, plunging his holy sword into the Flesh Golem’s body.

The deeply embedded holy sword severed the core. The Flesh Golem’s movements abruptly stopped.

The Flesh Golem knelt on the ground, its arms drooping.

*Ah... Ah... Ah...*

*Ah... Ah...*

The five heads lost their strength, their eyes slowly closing.

*Ma... Ma... Mama...*

The last head closed its eyes. Only then did Damian pull out his holy sword.

Agnes arrived late. She shuddered when she saw Damian’s face.

"Hmm."

Damian sighed, wiping his face with his palm. His expression finally relaxed.

This was why he hated black mages.

Every time he encountered one, he was reminded of the annoying memories. The feeling of disgust was an added bonus.

"This isn’t going to work."

Damian muttered in a chilling voice.

"I can’t let them die easily."