Chapter 43

It was noisy.

That was Najin’s first thought as he entered the Central Guild. Usually, he would visit the Central Guild to undertake quests, but today, he noticed an unusual commotion.

“What’s happening?”

Najin asked a nearby adventurer.

This was an adventurer who had participated in the Dochzenberg Forest clearing operation, someone he knew. Back then, this adventurer had viewed Najin with hostility, but now things were different.

They recognized him as a fellow professional.

Ever since the day he fought the Blood Troll, and the rumors about it spread throughout the city, nobody doubted Najin’s capabilities anymore. He had proven his skills through his achievements.

“Oh, isn’t that Ivan?”

As expected, the adventurer greeted Najin warmly.

After exchanging brief greetings, Najin pointed towards the crowd and continued.

“What’s all the commotion about?”

“Oh, a major quest came in from outside.”

“A major quest?”

“Yeah. What was it? Something about the escape route of a criminal passing near Cambria?”

The adventurer explained.

“A bunch of quests poured in from the next head of the Schulhauser family and the nobles from the territories around the Schulhauser family… The bounty’s no joke.”

“What kind of quest is it that’s causing all this fuss?”

“That’s the problem. Look at those guys gathered there. They all rushed over for the bounty but shook their heads when they saw the details.”

He said with a wry smile, shrugging his shoulders.

“This quest is beyond our capabilities. Even the ‘Knights of Atanga’ have issued the quest… that says it all.”

…Knights of Atanga?

Najin narrowed his eyes. That name was not something he could just ignore. After escaping the Underground City, the first information Najin sought was about Atanga.

The knight order Ivan belonged to.

The place Ivan always longed for.

A group formed by those who uphold honor and pride, adhering to the ancient knightly codes. The mention of their name allowed Najin to guess the nature of the quest. The Knights of Atanga usually moved for one reason.

“…Is the wanted criminal a knight?”

“Yeah. His charges are no joke. Why don’t you check it out?”

Najin nodded and walked towards the crowd. There, among the numerous quests from the nobles, was the quest from Atanga.

Najin, blending in with the adventurers, checked the contents.

[Wanted: Verheigen]

It was a wanted poster. Under the portrait that captured his appearance, his crimes and distinguishing features were densely listed.

Former commander of the Schulhauser family’s knight order.

Armed with a sword.

Close to the skill level of a Sword Seeker.

Charges – Murder of the head of the Schulhauser family. Murder of servants, private soldiers, and knights belonging to the Schulhauser family. Turned the mansion into a sea of blood overnight and fled…

Just reading this far, the gravity of his crimes was evident. However, the line that followed made the previous charges pale in comparison.

[Special note: Suspected of having contracted with a demon.]

A contract with a demon.

Evil, secretive, and humanity’s sworn enemy – that was what demons were. In imperial law, contracting with a demon was a grave crime, and demon contractors were to be killed immediately, without exception.

But… a knight contracting with a demon?

It was clear why the Knights of Atanga had stepped in. It was an act that tainted a knight’s honor and trampled upon their pride.

-A knight… contracted with a demon?

Merlin’s voice echoed in Najin’s ears, trembling with faint anger.

-What kind of madman does that? A knight making a pact with a demon? Joining hands with a demon? A knight? A knight…?

Merlin repeated the same words several times.

As if she couldn’t believe it. Then, she screamed in frustration. Najin’s shoulders jerked in response.

-A knight! One who swore to slay demons!

-For centuries under the name of Knight King Arthur, knights have slain demons. And now a knight makes a pact with a demon? This damn nonsense of Camlann…!

Merlin took deep, heavy breaths.

The weight of the name ‘knight’ might have changed over the past few centuries, but there were lines that should never be crossed. For Merlin, this was an unacceptable situation.

‘Try to calm down for now.’

-Hoo, hooo…

Merlin slowly regulated her breathing in response to Najin’s calming words.

While Merlin was catching her breath, Najin gauged the atmosphere among the surrounding adventurers. As he had heard earlier, those blinded by the reward had gathered, only to click their tongues in disapproval upon learning the details.

A quest beyond their abilities.

One that should not be touched, it seemed.

It wasn’t hard to guess the reason.

The target was close to the level of a Sword Seeker and, moreover, was suspected of having made a pact with a demon. A quest too daunting for anyone of average skill.

“This needs a White rank to take it on…”

The adventurers murmured among themselves.

Their opinion was logical. To confront such a formidable adversary, the top tier of adventurers in the city, the White rank, would be needed.

But even they would likely not step forward.

That’s what the adventurers thought.

The risk involved in this quest was too high, and there was nothing to gain from being entangled with a demon. The demonic energy emitted by those affiliated with demons erodes the human mind, consuming souls, and often engraves curses.

And that wasn’t all.

Those affiliated with demons often wield unknown sorcery. Powers referred to as the might of demons. In other words, unpredictable variables in combat.

The risk, compounded by these variables.

For those who valued their lives, it was a quest best left untouched. Of course, the quest was not solely about extermination. The task of killing a knight who had conspired with a demon fell to the Knights of Atanga. Most of the quest involved stalling for time or… finding traces for investigation.

‘Just that even that is too dangerous, so they’re avoiding it.’

Najin contemplated the adventurers’ mood as he stroked his chin. He didn’t yet have the sense of mission to slay demons, nor the responsibility as a descendant of Arthur to punish a knight who conspired with a demon.

For such heavy burdens, Najin had only just started his journey.

However, apart from such considerations, Najin felt intrigued by this quest. He was interested in the Knights of Atanga, to which Ivan belonged, and the existence known as demons.

‘Merlin.’

Najin muttered inwardly.

‘You said that once I reach the pinnacle of Cambria… the next place I should go is surely the Demon Realm?’

The Demon Realm, the land of demons.

Adjacent to the Battlefield of the Stars, the place where Arthur headed after leaving Cambria… the stage where Arthur began to be called a hero in earnest.

-Right.

‘And what I will have to confront there will be demons.’

-That’s likely.

A moment of contemplation.

It didn’t take long to reach a conclusion.

‘It wouldn’t hurt to gain some experience beforehand.’

Najin made his choice.

He took a big step forward. Merlin affirmed Najin’s decision. With Merlin’s voice cheering him on, Najin made his way through the crowd of adventurers to the front of the bulletin board.

“……”

All eyes were on Najin.

Receiving the stares of the adventurers, Najin reached out his hand. Toward the quest that everyone else was just watching, too intimidated to touch.

And then, snatch.

Najin tore off the quest paper with the emblem of the Knights of Atanga from the bulletin board. This action signified one thing: he was taking on the quest.

As Najin did this, someone let out a hollow laugh, another muttered about him not valuing his life, and yet another clicked their tongue. However, none of them mocked him.

The act of confidently seizing such a perilous quest.

It was reminiscent of their own past selves when they first stepped into the City of Opportunities, Cambria, overflowing with confidence and ambition. It was indeed the mark of a true adventurer.

“Aren’t you ashamed, Verheigen!”

It was someone’s outcry.

Hearing the resounding voice, Verheigen slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurred due to the contract with the demon, and he could properly see only out of one eye.

The fusion with the demon was not yet complete.

His darkening eyes were blurry. Verheigen blinked several times, trying to focus on what lay ahead.

“So many have come.”

There were his pursuers.

They were knights from the Schulhauser family he once belonged to and from neighboring territories, as well as mercenaries. Verheigen narrowed his eyes.

He did not see the emblem of Atanga.

They probably hadn’t caught up yet, considering he chose the farthest route from the Knights of Atanga’s stronghold. Verheigen exhaled deeply.

“Ashamed? Why should I be ashamed?”

“You have violated the pride of a knight.”

The pursuing knights shouted. The mercenaries aimed their bows and crossbows at him, while the knights’ swords gleamed with sword aura. Verheigen smirked in front of the shining sword auras.

Bang!

The knights charged forward.

The mercenaries released their bowstrings and pulled their crossbows. Arrows and sword strikes surrounded by sword auras flew from all directions. Verheigen did not move an inch.

Thud, an arrow lodged into his body.

Swoosh, the sword auras grazed his skin.

But the moment they swung their swords, the knights realized something. Despite their sword auras, they couldn’t inflict a fatal wound on Verheigen. The sword strikes were shallow. Why?

His body was no longer human.

Becoming a physical embodiment of a demon, merging with the demon, Verheigen’s body had acquired resistance. Verheigen’s lips split into a wide grin as he caught a sword with his body.

“Honor, pride, that damn code.”

The demon-contracted knight sneered.

Crack! Crushing the sword with his bare hand, he reached out. He grabbed the face of the knight in front of him. Human skulls couldn’t withstand the grip strength that shattered swords.

The knight’s helmet crumpled.

Unable to bear the pain, the knight screamed.

The mercenaries shot their arrows, and the surrounding knights swung their swords, but Verheigen paid no attention to them, exerting more strength in his hand.

Crack!

The helmet crumpled. Blood and other matter spilled out from the gaps in the helmet. No more screams were heard. The knights’ eyes widened as they witnessed their comrade’s head explode.

He was much stronger than they had anticipated.

They realized Verheigen was no ordinary demon contractor. The rank of the demon he was rumored to have contracted with was undoubtedly underestimated. In this desperate situation, the knights clenched their teeth.

Some were enraged, and others felt fear.

But still, they were knights.

They might not have always lived with honor and pride, sometimes indulging in debauchery… but at least they took pride in being knights.

Different from a knight who conspired with a demon.

The option to flee did not exist for them. They charged with their swords, repeatedly widening the wounds left by their fallen comrade’s sword auras, thrusting their blades into them.

“Such foolishness.”

Persistent attacks.

Realizing the situation had gone awry, the mercenaries had already fled, but the knights swung their swords until the end. Unemotionally, Verheigen crushed their heads, tore off their arms, and pierced their hearts.

No need for a sword in all this.

Verheigen felt exhilaration in this fact.

Sword auras from seven knights and ten well-trained mercenaries. A battle that would have been difficult not long ago, with slim chances of survival. But now?

He overpowered them all without drawing his sword.

Overwhelming everyone with bare hands.

“What does pride and honor give? What do you gain by keeping them? Mere pretense, utterly useless…”

Soaked in exhilaration, Verheigen muttered.

He looked at a knight whose arm had been torn off. Blood gushing out. The knight’s face turned pale from blood loss. But still, the knight clutched his sword.

The last remaining knight.

He charged over his comrades’ bodies and drove his sword into Verheigen’s shoulder. The sword deeply embedded in the wound opened by the seven knights. However, this did not signify victory.

Verheigen was unaffected.

Even this wound would heal overnight.

He ripped off the knight’s remaining arm. He kicked and shattered the knight’s knee. The knight, now armless, collapsed. Grabbing the knight’s hair, Verheigen brought his face close.

“Why cling to something that gains you nothing, you foolish friend?”

Verheigen smirked.

He expected the knight’s face to be filled with fear and despair, but the knight only grimaced in pain, not in despair. The knight sneered at Verheigen amidst groans.

“There’s nothing to gain.”

The knight’s laughter echoed through the blood foam.

“It has value. A demon-conspirer like you wouldn’t understand.”

That was the knight’s last testament.

Crack, Verheigen crushed his head. Shaking off the blood on his hand, Verheigen looked indifferently at the knight’s corpse and kicked it away.

“Boring.”

Verheigen pulled the sword from his shoulder and sighed. He moved on, heading towards the Demon Realm. He needed to be quick before reaching his destination.

Ordinary pursuers didn’t scare him.

But the Knights of Atanga did.

They specialized in slaying demons. Facing them in his incomplete fusion state could mean he couldn’t guarantee victory. Verheigen hastened his steps.