Chapter 77: The Return of the Doom-Class Death Knight

Chapter 77: Her (2)

Veronica Sanche did not willingly accompany Demian.

"Ah! I sense someone nearby! They must be thieves! I'll find them and kill them!"

"It's almost evening. How about we catch some prey? How does roasted wild boar sound?"

"I need to take care of something! It's a big one! I'll be back soon!"

She tried to run away for various reasons, but each time she was caught again by Demian.

"Why do you keep getting caught!"

"It's because you're weak. Who told you to only study how to kill people?"

"What does killing people have to do with me not being able to run away!"

"You're still rebellious. You need more training."

"Ah... No! It's fine!"

After getting hit a few more times, Veronica Sanche finally became obedient.

The reason Demian brought Veronica Sanche along was to reform her.

'This was the policy of the Reformer. Even after reforming, one must not let their guard down.'

The Reformer would travel with the criminal for a while to continuously check if the reform was successful.

'If reform is impossible, I'll have to kill them immediately.'

During the exploration of the Longquist Mountains, he planned to keep a close eye on Veronica Sanche.

"You want me to prepare the camp? I can just sleep on a tree branch, you know?"

"I meant for my bed, not yours."

"That's your job!"

"It's a way for you to reflect on your mistakes while doing chores."

"No! You do it! I won't..."

Demian raised his club. Veronica Sanche hurriedly ran to prepare the camp.

'This is quite convenient.'

Thanks to Veronica Sanche, Demian was freed from tedious tasks.

* * *

Juan and the mercenaries also started preparing their camp.

On one side, they were preparing food and leveling the ground to lay out sleeping bags.

Among them, Juan was in charge of preparing the food. He placed an iron pot over a fire and boiled various ingredients.

While stirring and mashing the softened vegetables with a ladle, he heard a voice.

"Captain, can you spare a moment?"

Bread approached and asked Juan.

"Can't you see I'm cooking? Talk here."

Juan continued stirring the ingredients with the ladle.

Cooking required dedication. He couldn't leave his post for even a moment.

"Who is that man Victor, anyway?"

"I don't know much. It's our principle not to ask about clients."

There were a few rules among mercenaries.

One of the most important was to take the money and run.

It meant not to be curious about the client.

"Then I'll change my question. Are all knights as impressive as that?"

Bread spoke with a dreamy look on his face.

"Didn't you see it yourself this afternoon? Everything changed when that knight gave advice."

The battle this afternoon was initially a losing fight due to the overwhelming number of thieves.

But as soon as Demian started giving advice, the situation changed.

"Is that all? Didn't he also subdue that strange woman in one go?"

The Longquist Mountains were home to many criminals.

Among them, Hedgehog was particularly skilled and had united the surrounding thieves, forming a large force.

Especially last year, he turned two low-class knights who came to suppress the thieves into corpses, a story that became a legend among the thieves.

That Hedgehog was easily killed by Veronica Sanche, a woman.

Even a low-level thief could see the overwhelming difference in skill.

And Demian handled that woman like a child, subduing her.

"Since you were a knight trainee, you must know a lot about knights, right?"

As Bread said, Juan was a former knight trainee. Although he was kicked out due to lack of talent, he had about a year of training experience.

The instructor who taught the trainees, including Juan, was a squire. Occasionally, formal knights would come to teach the trainees.

The formal knights he saw back then...

"There's no way."

The knights who taught Juan only made grandiose statements. They would boast and then disappear.

In contrast, that knight gave necessary advice at the right time.

Just following his advice significantly improved one's skills.

"That knight is impressive."

Juan looked down at the iron pot and said briefly.

* * *

The next day, Demian started moving again.

Unlike yesterday, they didn't encounter any thieves along the way.

"It seems the news of Hedgehog's death has spread."

Juan said as they climbed a hill.

"Even though he was killed in one strike, Hedgehog was a notorious figure in the Longquist Mountains."

With a strong figure gone, the subordinates seemed to be keeping a low profile.

Thanks to this, Demian reached deep into the Longquist Mountains without a single battle.

While taking a short break, Demian sat on a stump and unfolded a map.

"Water."

Demian extended his hand. Veronica Sanche reluctantly handed him a water flask.

"You... You treat me like a maid... How long do you think I'll put up with this...!"

As Demian slowly picked up the club he had placed nearby, Veronica Sanche hurriedly ran away.

Demian took a sip of water and examined the map.

He had obtained the memory of the hiding place from the leader of Ura, but there were many uncertainties. Therefore, he had to keep checking the map.

"Victor, are you planning to go deeper inside?"

"Yes."

Demian's answer made Juan's expression stiffen.

"Um... Victor, going deeper is dangerous. The inner area is called the Forbidden Zone, and even thieves avoid it."

"Prohibited?"

"No one who has entered there has ever returned alive. Even knights like Hedgehog couldn't come back."

Juan's words made Demian smile.

It was proof that he had found the right place.

"I have business inside. If you think it's too dangerous, you don't have to follow me."

Demian's words made Juan sigh deeply.

"I can't leave a client after receiving payment."

After the break, Demian and the mercenaries moved deeper inside.

"Captain, why is it suddenly so cold?"

As they moved further in, one of the mercenaries, Bob, who was the largest, said.

"I'm also feeling a bit chilly."

"It's strange to feel cold on such a hot day."

Not only Bob but other members also complained of unusual symptoms.

"You weaklings. Hey, did you see that? That's what being weak looks like. I'm not weak!"

In contrast, Veronica Sanche was still energetic.

'A curse seems to be laid over the entire area.'

The reason they were feeling cold was due to the curse.

A curse of weakness was continuously tormenting the mercenaries. It was clearly set up to prevent outsiders from entering Ura.

'The curse gets stronger the deeper we go.'

This curse seemed to be the reason why this area was called the Forbidden Zone.

Demian activated the power of consumption. As he used his power, the curse surrounding them began to disappear.

"Hey? Suddenly, my body feels lighter."

"The weather seems to be getting warmer."

The mercenaries' expressions brightened.

'But the fact that even a low-class knight couldn't return is a bit concerning.'

Unlike the mercenaries, Veronica Sanche, a low-class knight, was not affected by the curse.

This meant there was something that could kill a low-class knight.

As Demian was pondering this, something began to appear in front of them.

A half-rotten body, rusty weapons, and slow movements.

"...Z, Zombies! They're zombies!"

Juan shouted in panic. The mercenaries hastily drew their weapons.

Zombies are corpses animated by black magic, a low-level undead that isn't particularly dangerous.

"Captain! There are more than just a few of them!"

The problem was the number. Dozens of zombies were now surrounding the group.

They seemed to be the reanimated bodies of mercenaries who had died after entering the Forbidden Zone.

"This is a good situation to gain experience."

Demian's words made the mercenaries look at him in surprise. Demian leaped onto a nearby tree branch and said,

"What? Go fight. If you feel like you're going to die, I'll help you, so don't worry."

The mercenaries, with no choice, charged forward, crying.

"Everyone, gather here! Fight with your backs against the trees! Don't be afraid; they move slowly!"

Juan and the mercenaries tried to fight as they usually would. Demian told them,

"Fighting in one place against zombies is suicide. Keep moving and shake them off!"

The mercenaries quickly changed their strategy as Demian suggested.

The mercenaries with shields broke through, while those with spears held the zombies at bay.

"Should I go help a bit?"

Veronica Sanche, who had also climbed a tree, asked Demian.

"You have a different opponent to deal with."

"Huh? What? What? You? You?"

Demian pointed to something. Behind the group of zombies, a large monster appeared.

-Roar!

A troll.

But it wasn't an ordinary troll. It had two heads and four arms.

Such a troll shouldn't exist. Upon closer inspection, there was a seam-like line in the center of its body.

It was a flesh golem.

The familiar feeling suggested it was created by the Corpse Player.

'The hiding place of Ura is definitely here.'

This flesh golem was proof that the hiding place of Ura was here.

"Wow, what a strange creature. I'll kill it right away!"

"Huh? Shouldn't you listen to the explanation first...?"

"It's not necessary!"

Veronica Sanche, wielding dual swords, charged at the flesh golem. Demian clicked his tongue.

'That's not as easy as you think.'

This was the place guarding the hiding place of Ura. The Corpse Player wouldn't have made it carelessly.

"Die! Die!"

She swung her dual swords with enthusiasm. An aura-infused strike hit the flesh golem's arm.

The aura easily cut through the flesh golem's flesh, but it gradually slowed down and eventually stopped.

"Huh? What?"

Veronica Sanche's aura was sharp enough to cut through bones and muscles.

It was strange that it couldn't cut through the flesh golem's arm.

-Roar!

The flesh golem swung its fist at Veronica Sanche. She dodged without even having time to pull out her sword.

"What? Why, why can't I cut it?"

It was a new experience for her. Veronica Sanche couldn't shake off her confusion.

"I don't know what's happening... If one strike doesn't work, I'll just keep striking!"

Veronica Sanche picked up another sword from the ground, one used by a zombie.

She moved quickly, hacking at the flesh golem. Numerous wounds appeared on the flesh golem's body.

But soon, Veronica Sanche's movements noticeably slowed down.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

She started panting, seemingly exhausted.

It was clearly strange. A low-class knight shouldn't tire so quickly.

'This flesh golem must have the ability to absorb mana.'

That's why she quickly tired out every time she used aura.

The reason her sword didn't penetrate deeply at first was likely due to the sudden absorption of mana, causing the aura to disappear.

'Blocking aura head-on is difficult. So, they came up with this trick.'

A mage's strength doesn't match a knight's, but a mage's cunning surpasses a knight's.

But Veronica Sanche had a significant weakness.

She was only familiar with cutting people.

"Ah! Save me! Save me!"

Finally, with her mana almost depleted, Veronica Sanche started running away from the flesh golem's attacks.

Demian clicked his tongue and drew his iron sword, blocking the flesh golem's path.

-Roar!

The flesh golem roared and swung its fist. Veronica Sanche shouted,

"Hey! Be careful! This thing is strange! Aura doesn't work well..."

Demian dodged the flesh golem's fist and swung his iron sword twice. The thick wrist was severed and fell to the ground.

"...Huh?"

Veronica Sanche was greatly surprised to see the iron sword, without aura, cut off the troll's wrist.

-Roar!

Unable to feel pain, the flesh golem ignored the severed wrist and charged forward.

Demian gripped his iron sword with both hands and swung it twice. Two deep cuts crossed the flesh golem's torso.

The flesh golem's body split and collapsed to the ground.

"..."

Veronica Sanche's mouth slowly opened in shock.

"Rest."

Demian said briefly and ran to where Juan's mercenaries were.

Veronica Sanche stared at the flesh golem and Demian for a long time.

* * *

Demian helped Juan's mercenaries eliminate the zombie horde.

He didn't directly help but gave advice to help them