"What in the Goddess' name is that..."

An adventurer beside me muttered under his coarse breath as the Lorren Plains came into our view. 

The Lorren Plains is the name of the plains north of the town. It was right outside the main gates of the city and is devoid of most monsters that plague the forests and hills that also surround the town. The moment we charged out of the main gates, I was in for quite a shock.

The wide, open terrain that stretched into the horizon was dotted with the undead. We could see the caravan in the midst of it as they held off the waves of undead that surrounded them. Even the monsters that could be found nearby was turned into the walking dead and forced to join the ranks of this army of the dead.

When we marched here, everyone was eager to fight this threat. Now, there was only silent murmurs and quiet stares amongst us. The sheer number of the undead was intimidating, and the disadvantegous terrain also didn't help our chances of taking down this threat.

"Tch. Steel your hearts! Adventurers of Lorren!"

Everyone turned to the man at the front of our column. He was a veteran adventurer and a Crusader.

"Stick to the plan! Everyone assigned to fight, come with me! Those who'll escort the target, we'll cut a path for you!"

He drew his long sword and turned towards the direction of the undead, who now turned their attention to us.

"Raaaaaaaaagh!"

The crusader charged the undead head-on with the attack group following behind them. Their howls and battle cries filled the air while they charged the large army. The undead met their battle cries with shrill screams as they rushed towards the oncoming mass of adventurers.

We followed close behind them as we readied ourselves for the initial contact with our enemies. Even if I was assigned to the group that was supposed to protect the caravan, I still preapred myself for any stray zombies that got too close for comfort.

"Hyaaaaaaaaah!"

"Kraaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The moment both sides clashed wiith one another, carnage tore through the front lines. Rotting flesh and stiff limbs came flying through the air and a dozen undead were already down. Still, the charge came to an abrupt halt as the zombies formed a wall with their bodies that prevented us from reaching the caravan.

"Fuck! Fuck! Help!"

One of the adventurers was being dragged away by the undead. Various gaunt arms and hands held tightly onto his limbs as he hanged on for dear life.

"Sacred Blessed Ground!"

The lone Archpriest in the entire force, Olivia, casted her spell on the poor soul about to be devoured by the undead.

Bright light exploded from beneath the man yet it only burned away the zombies that touched the sacred light.

"I need every Priest, Paladin, and Crusader here to cast Holy and Light spells!"

Olivia commanded with a serious tone as she pointed her staff towards the huge mass of undead that blocked their path.

"Sacred Light of Purification!"

"Light of Purification!"

Behind Olivia, the Priests casted their inferior yet effective Light of Purification spell. A large ray of white light blasted out of their staves and the combined power of all their spells immediately purified and took care of the large mass ahead of the group and cleared a path to the trapped caravan.

Seeing their chance, the frontline immediately flooded through the path made by the Holy Magic. I immediately dashed forward ahead of the other adventurers and pumped mana into my sword.

"Kyaah!"

An undead Dire Wolf pounced on one of the women in the caravan. It's jaw was torn so it's maw was two times larger than a normal Dire Wolf and it's breath stunk of decay. It was about to clamped down on the woman's waist when I released the mana in my sword towards its direction.

A small crescent shot out of the blade and flew several feet ahead of me before slicing the creature's head of its body. Its body crumpled into the ground and ceased moving immediately but the poor woman was covered with its black blood.

"Shit! There's too many! Too many!"

I could hear one of the adventurers shout out as he sliced three zombies with a single stroke of his sword. Suddenly, another one lunged at him, its rotting hands ready to tear off his face.

Before the rotting corpse could claim the man's life, a knife suddenly lodged itself on the corpse's forehead and it immediately fell to the ground like the corpse it was.

"Arthur! I'll cover you! Help the merchants get on!"

"Got it!"

Jin threw out a few more knives at the undead that was threatening the caravan. All 7 of them fell to the ground with a wet thud. Me and a few other adventurers took defensive postions around the caravan while the exhausted and tired escorts readied to change places with us.

"Grrroooooooooooooaaaaaaaahhh!"

The earth itself shook as a thunderous bellow rang out across the plains.

"What the-"

I shoved away some if the undead trying to claw their way towards the center of our formation. I didn't spare a glance at the source of that roar, instead I ran towards the merchants and the cargo in the center.

One of the men there was helping the people not fit for fighting into the wagons. He was wearing a full set of armor that covered him from head to toe. Without hesitation, I grabbed his shoulder.

"You! You're a knight, right? Grab everyone and haul ass! We're making a break for it!"

"S-Sir, of course! Will do!"

The man was clearly shaking from under his armor as he said those words.

His pace quickened and the merchants immediately hurried into the wagons and carriages. With that underway, I turned towards the direction of that roar to see what it was about.

"Lightning Bolt!"

Maria's voice echoed out as a few dozen yellow streaks of lightning slithered across the undead like massive snakes. I watched as several dozen undead burned to crisp at the power of her spell. But as I followed the trail of burnt corpses with my eyes, I found myself staring at something unbelievable.

"It's a fucking Dragon! An undead Dragon!"

The advnturer beside me yelled out as he aimed his arrow at the large mass of bones and rotting flesh that was flying towards us. I could see various spells and arrows flying towards its direction as well but it's clear that those won't have any effect on that thing.

"Shit! Everyone! Clear a path for the main gates! We need to make our stand there!" 

The Crusader that was leading us shouted out as he prepared to cast a powerful spell. I looked as white light surrounded his body before swirling around him. The ground itself seemed to glow and burn away at the undead that set foot near him.

"Blessed Ground!"

The white light around him exploded around him and sent shockwaves that immediately purified the undead in his vicinity. With a loud cry, he lifted his longsword and pointed towards the gates of the city in the distance.

"All men! Clear a path for the caravan! Priests! Cast buffs on us frontliners!"

The adventurers around him immediately stood beside him and hacked away at the undead around them. I stayed close to the caravan and shot out some mana blades at the few undead birds and insects that would occasionally sneak up on us.

Mages and Archers immediately stuck close to the caravan while casting spells or shooting a deadly barrage of arrows while the Priests continued shielding and buffing everyone. With our formation secured, everyone moved forward quickly to put as much distance between them and the dragon.

The people cutting away at the undead infront of us made steady progress despite the sheer numbers of the undead that swarmed our small battalion. Aside from the adventurers, there were some knights mixed in with us as well, those who escorted the caravan safely towards the small town of Lorren but they weren't in fighting shape due to their exhaustion.

"Oi! Watch out!"

Jin's voice was as sharp as the knife she threw out. Seconds later, an undead lay on the ground with a knife deeply embedded into its eye, saving the young man that was distracted for a moment.

"T-Thanks! Ah! Crap!"

The man barely had any time to thank his savior before he had to drive his spear deep into an undead Dire Wolf.

"A-Arthur! My mana is running low!" 

Maria called out to me before firing off one last spell at the mass ahead of our group.

"Grab the other mages that are running low on mana as well and get inside the wagons!"

"O-Okay!"

Without delay, most of the mages in our group pulled out of the fight and jumped in into the wagons and carriages. Some shifted their spells into more defensive ones and helped out from within the safety of the wagons.

"S-Sir! The Dragon is approaching quickly!"

The knight Arthur ordered earlier was now pointing at the direction of the undead Dragon. The other adventurers heard this too and their attacks became more frantic and frenzied. Some of them even punched the undead that dared to pounce over their heads.

"Shit! Zel take care of Mi- Gah!"

An arrow barely missed me as I ducked for my life. If I was a second too late, it would have pierced my neck.

Damn it! Why did I have to bring that-

"Mister!"

With two heavy blows, three arrows were snapped midair, their shattered pieces raning down on us. Above me was Miia, who jumped out from Zel's grasp to block the arrows heading our way.

"Skeleton Archers! South of our position!"

From Jin's vantage point atop one of the wagons, she yelled out to us the new kind of foe we had to fend off. She did so while deflecting a barrage of arrows with her twin daggers.

"Mister! What should we do?"

"Go back inside one of the wagons and focus on defending the people."

I barked out to Miia as I blocked a handful of arrows with the flat side of my sword. Miia nodded and jumped back into one of the arrows before slicing two arrows that whizzed by me with her claws.

"Everyone! We're almost at the city!" 

The Crusader leading us yelled out as he yanked out two arrows embedded in his shoulder guard. 

"Everyone! Charge quickly!"

"Sacred Purify!"

"Blessed Ground!"

Olivia casted a powerful spell that decimated a vast swathe of the undead in front of us while the other Priests surrounded us with powerful barriers.

The zombies and the undead around us shrunk back as we continued our advance. The Holy barriers that surrounded us burned away at the undead as we steadily made our way towards the city. 

"Tch, the city will get overrun with the amounf of undead here."

"Boss! We're nearly at the gates but the undead is swarming us!"

Those at the front yelled out as they swat away the various zombified creatures that blocked our path. Those that stayed close to the wagons and carriages took care of the cargo and the merchants. 

"Arthur! I'm out of throwing knives!"

"Maria and I are out of mana as well!"

Jin, Olivia, and Maria shouted out to me from one of the wagons. Their exhaustion clearly showed in their voices. 

"K-Kyaaah!"

For a moment, my attention was turned towards the scream. It was during that lapse in my focus when it happened.

"G-Gah?! Fuck!"

My shoulder was nearly ripped to ribbons by the undead that now surrounded me. The right side of the formation was now comprimised, a dozen adventurers now fighting their own battles as the undead swarmed us. Disorganized slug fests and fights based on pure grit and tenacity raged as the formation became more and more disorganized and chaotic.

Amidst this chaos, I found myself surrounded by at least 6 undead, all human corpses that glowed with a sickening, green hue. My shoulder's wound was deep, but I could still manage through it if I ignored the stinging pain.

"M-Mister!"

Miia called out, ready to jump out of the wagon to fight by my side. Zel's tight grasp prevented her from doing so.

"Stay there! Zel! Cast Holy Magic around your wagon! I'll hold- Gah!"

Before I could finish, one of the corpses lunged at me with its rotting jaw wide open.

In a silver flash, its head flew from its shoulders as my strike connected with its neck.

"Tch. They're pretty weak, but their numbers are fucking annoying!"

I let out a groan as I readied my sword as the zombies snarled at me, readying themselves to unleash a frenzy of attacks on me. Their attacks were simple however and all 5 of them charged towards me, leaving them wide open.  With a single stroke, all 5 of them crumpled to the ground, their green hue dissipating as their souls left their body with a soft gurgle and moan.

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"

I could feel the hairs on my back stand on end as a soft yet cold breeze swept through me. I turned around, my sword ready to meet any attack and laid eyes on the great enemy.

"Shit! It caught up to us!"

One of the adventurers in the rearguard shouted out as he lifted his shield. The Dragon's corpse towered over us and casted a large and looming shadow over the entire caravan. The handful of adventurers that defended our rear now cowered as the beast's terrifying aura pressed down against us.

The undead themselves seemed to have stopped their relentless attacks and slowly backed away from us. Everyone was either filled with worry, cautious and on their toes, or just sunk into despair. A grim silence filled the air as we stood on guard at what the beast might do to us.

"Uwooooaah!"

"Goouuuaaaaah!"

To everyone's horror, the corpses that had been defeated or cut down began to pull themselves together into amalgamations of the natural forms, even if they were already that in the first place. Still, human limbs began to crawl and attach to the bodies of the undead Dire Wolves and human heads were firmly attached into the shoulders of the dead Gigas Boars. It was a grotesque and horrifying sight.

Scenes like this made me want to shit my pants. In fact, I might've pissed myself already.

"Arrraaaagghhhh!"

With anguished moans, the undead slowly surrounded us in a tight circle. The green hue that emanated from their bodies glowed brighter while their inhuman moans, garbled snarls, and low growls filled the air. 

The guards in the city couldn't help but watch on in horror from atop the high walls as their adventurers are now surrounded by hundereds of undead. I can't blame them, I myself found this entire scene horrifying.

"You put up a brave fight, adventurers..."

"Holy shit, the Dragon spoke!"

"Rooooooooooooooooaaarr!"

The adventurer that shouted that was met by the Dragon's roar, its putrid breath oozed out of its maw causing some of us to vomit.

"Fool! It is not this mount that speaks, but I!"

The voice spoke in a deep and imposing voice. It wasn't garbled like the undead around us, but as clear as day. Yet its words felt like ice.

The Dragon's neck slumped forward, portions of its neck fell off while some of the bones protruded from the rotting flresh. But my eyes were focused on the figure clad in black that stood atop its head.

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"I-Impossible..."

"No way, isn't he..."

"S-So I will die here..."

"Why is he here?!"

Murmurs swept across our small force as the figure came into view, his presence snuffing out the courage of most adventurers. His very existence alone seemed to sap my strength away. Cold sweat crawled down my cheek as I did my best to steady myself under the weight of such pressure. 

The man stood at around 2 meters and he held a greatsword by his side like it was nothing. The light around him looked like it was being sucked up by his pitch black armor. In fact, he was covered by thick armor from head to toe, not one inch of him was visible under the armor. A steel fortress.

To me, the guy looked like Death himself. 

"I-Impossible! Nehuet the Dread! Why are you here?!"

The Crusader that was leading the charge earlier is now pointing his sword at the figure. The figure only spared him a moment's glance and I could tell that to him, the Crusader was nothing more but an insect.

"That Merchant there... My business is with her and her only."

"Tch. We already knew that! What I'm asking about is why are you not by your master's side?"

The figure paused for a moment. Its hateful gaze shifted towards the Crusader.

"Humans truly are persistent creatures. I should know, after all..."

Nehuet jumped from atop the dragon and with a mighty thud, bits of earth and a cloud of dust exploded from his impact. Everyone took a step back as the murderous aura around Nehuet crushed us under its tremendous weight.

"I was once human too."

"A-Ahhhrgh!"

The Crusader suddenly groaned in pain. All eyes turned towards him in an instant.

"S-Shit!"

I snapped out the moment I realized what just happened. I turned quickly towards the Crusader with my blade in front of me.

Nehuet was no longer in the spot where he landed, he was behind the Crusader, blood dripping from his sword. In an instant, his greatsword has cleanly cleaved the Crusader's longsword in two and was planted firmly in his shoulder.

"Tsk. Even with all of that armor, you move like it is a part of your body!"

"And to think you still have the strength to stand, no, to live even with my sword in your shoulder..."

The two glared each other, the creaking of their armor was the only thing that broke the silence.

"Nehuet! I am Locke! Crusader and level 35 adventurer!"

Nehuet was taken aback by this sudden declaration, but before he could reply, the Crusader grabbed his sword tightly and clenched his teeth.

"May the Goddess' Blessing be upon you! Divine Destruction!"

"!"

Locke's body began to glow brightly. 

"Locke! What are you doing?!"

"Oi! There must be some other way to do this!"

"..."

Nehuet continued to watch what was happening passively. I could tell that beneath his helmet, he was smiling.

"Everyone! Make a break for the gates!"

Locke shouted one last time before the white light engulfed both he and Nehuet. The spot where both of them stood was filled with black smoke as the silent explosion swallowed both of them.

For a moment, the world stood still as I watched both the undead and Nehuet closely. The sound of feet shuffling behind me as well as the sight of some of the adventurers readying their weapons made my body tense up even more.

"... What a pointless sacrifice."

With a single stroke, the smoke around him was blown away. Not even a single dent was left on his armor.

"Merchant! Hand me the Heroic Artifact and I shall permit all of you to live."

There was silence among us once more as Nehuet raised his sword towards one of the carriages. His body was still smoking from the explosion that left no trace of Locke the Crusader, giving him an intimidating aura.

"P-Protect Ryoka at all costs! Do not let Locke's death be in vain!"

Another adventurer shouted before everyone raised their weapons at Nehuet once more. 

"Tch, letting these people fight for your sake..."

A surge of bloodlust shot out of Nehuet's red eyes. 

"Oi! He's doing something! He's doing something!"

"Everyone be on your guard!"

"Keep the formation tight!"

The shouts and frantic orders thrown out by the adventurers just put me on edge as I watched Nehuet's stance shift to a more relaxed one. Watching this demon relax felt like I have knots in my stomach. 

"Very well! Your silence means you have opted for this people to die!"

Nehuet plunged his sword into the ground, sending a shockwave of green mana towards us. The force of this caused me and some others to lose their footing for a moment.

"My soldiers! Rend them to pieces!"

The zombies around us howled before descending upon us with renewed fury. Their green glow now glowing brighter and their attacks now seem to be faster than before.

"A-Arthur! Shit! Maria, hold Miia!"

I glanced at my party for a moment, seeing Zel jumping off the wagon with her shield. What the hell is she thinking?

"Zel! Cover my back!"

"Got it!"

A few of the zombies charged towards us while the adventurers around us fought in isolated spots and positions. The undead Dragon seem to be battling a few of the adventurers while Nehuet watched on from the midst the battle.

He was just standing there, menacingly. Unmoving and firm like a fucking mountain.

"Tch. At this rate, we're gonna be fucking overrun!"

I shouted out to Zel as I swung my sword at some of the undead. The screams and shouting around us made it hard for me to talk to Zel even if she was just standing behind me.

"Someone needs to stop Nehuet!"

I already knew that, but how can I fucking face something like that?

Still, now is not the time to worry about things like that. The numbers of the undead around us just keep mounting. Soon, we might be facing a few dozen of this fucking corpses.

"M-Mister! Let me fight as well!"

"Miia! Get back here!"

There was a blur in my vision for a moment, follwed by the wet thuds of heads dropping to the ground. Miia was now standing on my right, her sharp claws ready to slice through the horde around us.

"Shit, that's right... I brought you here with me... Fuck."

"Mister?"

I muttered out under my breath as I thrusted my sword into one of the zombies in front of me.

"Zel, protect Miia. I'm gonna do something crazy."

"W-What are you talking about? What are you gonna do?!"

I ignored her protests as I pumped more mana into my sword. I don't know if this will work, but hopefully it will buy as enough time to do something.

Still, if I end up dying after a few days in another world, I'm gonna be fucking pissed.

(Increased Mana Input detected.)

"That's right, you damn piece of steel. I'm gonna need to borrow some of your powers right now."

Talking to this sword made me feel weird, but maybe its because of desperation that I'm doing this. But a sword is supposed to be an extension of one's self when in combat, right? Doing this is just me talking to myself.

"Once this battle is over, I promise I'll name you."

The sword glowed slightly, as if it was happy to hear that.

(Multiple threats detected. Analyzing threat.)

The blade is now surrounded by white mana as it swirled around it. Even the undead seem to be cautious with me.

(Threat analysis complete. Adjusting form.)

"Let's see what this thing can do..."

I raised the sword and held it over my head. The mana that was swirling around its blade earlier burst out in different directions as white light. Everyone around me, even Nehuet himself turned towards me as the light glowed even brighter, bright enough that it forced everyone to close their eyes to prevent being blinded by it.

(Adjustment completed.)

I could feel the mana around the sword being sucked in as the sword got lighter. By now the light has dimmed enough that one could look at it without needing to squint. 

"Holy shit..."

I couldn't help but cuss as I looked at my sword. Its blade is now wrapped in white light while mana swirled around it constantly.

"Gruaah!"

"Tch."

I spun around quickly to block the corpe's attack. It seemed that it tried to get the jump on me from behind.

"Die!"

I yelled out as my blade got in contact with the zombie's chest. The moment my blade dug into the soft skin, the light from the sword burned away the undead while the mana that swirled around it sent out a shockwave that bathed its body in light.

In an instant, it was purified by Holy Magic. Not even dust remained.

"Heh, not bad! Not fucking bad!"

More zombies surrounded me but they were now cautious of my weapon. My lips curled into a grin as I held the grip of my sword tightly.

"Move out of the way! Dash!"

The earth under my feet exploded into dust as I lunged forward with increased speed and power. With a single swing, a dozen undead were purified as I cut a path towards the center of the fight.

My eyes were locked onto his position. I could see his eyes as I made my way towards him. They were filled with anticipation and contempt.

"...Interesting. Dragon, block his path."

In a cold voice, he pointed towards me with his free arm. A moment later, it was upon me.

"Fuck off, you overgrown lizard."

I immediately casted Parry above me on instinct. Moments later, the weight of one of its arms nearly crushed me as it brought it down on me with such force. 

"Gah! Shit! It's fucking heavy!"

As I held the sword with both of my hands, I could see something dripping in front of me. It was a black liquid with smoke coming off of it. 

"Graaah!"

I shot a glance upward while the Dragon roared and writhe in pain. Its right arm now a stump that burned with Holy Magic. In fact, I could see mana snaking its way through its body, burning away swathes of its rotting flesh.

"Heh! Don't get too cocky!"

I immediately cleaved infront of me, cutting through the Dragon's chest with my blade. It roared once more as its body was slowly burned away and purified. It raised its head once more and opened its jaws, its eyes filled with rage as it glared at me.

"Grrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

It brought its mighty head down on me, ready to bite me in half with its jaws. 

"Eat this! Thrust!"

Moments before it closed its jaws around me, I activated my skill, Thrust, and thrusted my sword and my arm down its throat. The tip of my sword shot out a burst of mana further down its throat.

The beast stopped mere inches before it closed. After a brief moment, its body crumbled away as white light surrounded its unmoving body.

With a breath of relief, I let out the air trapped in my lungs as I held my breath in trepidation. I thought I was goonna get eaten there for a moment.

"Well, to think Lorren has a Swordsman like this..."

A cold chill ran down my spine. A voice spoke coldly from behind me, the hairs on my back now standing upright.

"S-Shit!"

Within a blink of an eye, Nehuet was now standing behind me. His sword ready to cut me in half straight down the middle. 

*Clang*

"...Impressive... Truly impressive."

The sound of our weapons meeting each other rang out across the area, silencing everyone and stopping the undead's attacks. 

"Blocking a sword is something anyone can do..."

I gritted my teeth as I pushed back the weight of his greatsword bearing down on me. If I was just a second too late to react, I would've died right here.

"Yet you reacted quickly enough to my presence. Something only a few individuals can achieve."

With a mighty push, I knocked away his sword and jumped back a few feet away from him. I could tell from beneath his helmet that he was smiling. 

"Tell me..."

He lifted his greatsword once more before placing it on his shoulder like it was a regular sword. Now that I was looking at it closely, that thing probably weighed around a few hundred, no, a thousand pounds at least.

"What is your name, Swordsman?"

"Arthur, Arthur Pendragon."

Nehuet paused for a moment, his body unmving and stiff like an armor on display. Then, he let out a deep breath.

"Arthur Pendragon... Perhaps you are worthy of fighting me on full strength."

What?! This guy's not even fighting seriously.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."

I muttered to myself as I prepared for any attacks. I need to watch out for anything, this guy might-

"Still, I must end this fight quickly. My mistress is not a patient person..."

He extended his free arm and pointed towards me. 

"Death's Authority!"

"Oh shi- Gah!"

In an instant, I lost all of the strength in my body as I fell forward. The warmth in my body slowly drained away as I lay on the ground. Miia's distant screams and shouts were one of the few things I could still make out with my hazy hearing.

"B-Bastard... What did..."

"A spell to kill and turn you into one of my soldiers. That is the power of Death's Authority."

Neheut spoke coldly as he passed me by, his armor creaking at the joints as he did. Still, he sounds pretty remorseful that he just killed someone like me. Or maybe that's just my opinion...

Either way, I don't want to die like this.

"Two people have already died due to my weakness. Merchant Ryoka, give me the artifact and I will permit all of you to live."

Nehuet continued to walk forward towards one of the carriages. His heavy steps silenced the murmurs and whispers among the adventurers while the undead around us watched in a docile state as their master approached his target.

"N-Nehuet... I won't... I won't die like this..."

I muttered out despite the difficulty I had in breathing. Only my voice pierced the silence that surrounded all of us.

Nehuet must've heard me for he turned his attention back towards me. His red eyes glowed brightly and from beneath that his helmet he was probably smiling proudly.

"Your strength is returning. Perhaps I will deal with the merchant later."

"Haah... Haah... You better... not underestimate me!"

Using the strength I have left, I staggered back onto my feet. The sheer amount of pain I felt just by standing made me feel like I was about to pass out. Still...

"Arthur Pendragon... I will fight you in earnest."

It felt good to finally face an opponent like this!

----------------------------------------

 "Haah... Haah..."

"Your breathing is ragged, your exhaustion is clearly showing."

"Shut up. I'm gonna kick your ass then have a drink later."

Nehuet watched me closely as I staggered to my feet. His sword pointed directly at me, ready strike at a moment's notice.

Death's Authority, a spell meant to kill anything then raise them us an undead. That spell sounds like something a boss in any RPG would have. An instant death spell that turns the strength of others into your own.

I would have probably died earlier if I wasn't careful. But that damn spell did a number on me by draining most of my mana.

"To think that I would meet a worthy opponent like you in this town... I am truly thankful from the bottom of my heart."

"Heh, if you want a fair fight... Go undo this thing or whatever."

Nehuet let out a chuckle while I fought against the heaviness my body is experiencing. The effect of the spell is slowly disappearing thanks to the sword I'm holding. 

"That would be unnecessary. After all, it seems that even a spell of that calibre is being purified."

Nehuet held his sword close to him as he readied his stance. I too readied myself for what this guy is about to throw at me.

"To think I would have to face someone like you here... One blessed by the Goddess Illyria herself."

Nehuet's red eyes blazed brightly as insane amounts of mana exploded out of him. Within seconds, he was upon me with his sword ready to thrust into my chest. 

I managed to react to his attack just in time. Holding both the hilt and the tip of the sword with both of my hands, I swung it to my right and parried his attack. In that moment, Nehuet's sword was pushed aside, leaving him wide open.

With a heavy swing, I aimed my attack at the spot where his helmet and his chest plate meet. I grit my teeth while I poured the strength that I have behind this blow.

"To think you would go for my neck."

The sound of steel meeting each other violently reverberated across the silent plain. 

"Tch. Figures."

Mere inches from his neck, my sword was stopped by the black greatsword that he wielded. His right arm is bent in an unnatural angle while he used his left arm to support the sword's flat side. Seeing this now, I finally understand just what I am facing.

"There's nothing under that armor, is there?"

"Correct. The only thing beneath this hollow shell is the soul of a man tethered to this world."

He shoved me away with such force that I was thrown back a few feet away from him. His right arm creaked like a rusty machine as it returned to a more natural position.

Around me, everyone watched anxiously as I took on a more defensive stance. Nehuet dragged his greatsword behind him with his left arm while he watched my movements closely.

I took a deep breath as he slowly closed the distance between us. His slow yet steady steps squeaked and creaked under his own weight. My heart raced as his bloodshot gaze met mine.

The moment he entered my range, I leapt towards him. He immediately swiveled his body as my sword came crashing down on the spot he was standing. Immediately, I follwed up with a swing to my right, followed by another. Both of which were parried by his sword as Nehuet moved at inhuman speeds.

Streaks of black and white filled the air around us as we unleashed a flurry of attacks upon one another. No spells, no buffs, just the two of us unleashing techniques and attacks against one another. Sparks were sent flying each time our swords met while our blows sent powerful shockwaves around us. 

With each attack, I could feel the excitement welling up from inside me. Sweat rolled down my face as I found myself struggling to keep up with Nehuet's unnnatural speed while a frustrated yet excited smile began to form on my face. His bloodlust wrapped around us as Nehuet's attacks became faster, stronger, deadlier.

Suddenly, Nehuet's sword came thundering down upon me. His blade arched above him leaving behind a streak of black that seemed to cut the very air itself. I immediately tumbled to the right as bits of dirt and rock were sent in every direction as the spot I was just in exploded with a deafening boom.

I immediately jumped backwards to put some distance between Nehuet and I while he turned his head towards me. I could tell that under that pitch-black helmet of his, he was smiling at me.

"A full minute has elapsed since we started this battle to the death. It truly seems that I have been blessed with a strong opponent!"

His voice was filled with joy and amusement, as if he was enjoying this. His red eyes glowed brightly as he lifted his sword with one arm.

"First, you survived a spell designed to kill everything instantly. Second, you have survived a full minute in a batlle with me. These two events have never happened within the span of my century long existence."

"There's... a first time for everything... I guess..."

I said in between breaths while I warily watched his movements.

"You truly are an amusing person. Arthur Pendragon, I shall remember your name. You have fought honorably as a warrior..."

"Oi! What the fuck are you trying to pull?!"

I immediately lifted my sword in a defensive postion. A change in Nehuet's aura as well as his stance made me feel even more wary and nervous. 

The pressure around him seem to become even more heavier as his aura surged once more. His red eyes now blazed like hellfire as he held out his sword with both his hands. The guy now looked like the second stage of a boss battle.

My gut's telling me that this guy is about to unleash something strong.

"Once, I was a human knight for a kingdom now gone..."

Nehuet's tone is now serious and sharp. His eyes locked intently at me as his intimidating pressure threatened to crush me with its weight.

"During my lifetime, I honed my technique to perfection. Still, it wasn't enough to defeat the Demon King when he brought down the kingdom I have sworn to protect..."

Runes began to appear on the sword's blade as it began to glow brightly. Mana swirled all around him like a tornado as he channeled more of his power into the sword.

"The technique I was so proud of was still imperfect. It was limited by what the human body could do!  But the Demon King... He gave me the chance to perfect it! He remove the limits of the human body and gave me the power to become something more!"

God, this guy is an RPG boss alright. 

Still, with monologues like these, it just means I need to be weary of something big coming my way.

"Arthur Pendragon, I thank you for giving me this opportunity. A battle like this brings me great joy as a former knight! To think that I could find someone worthy of receiving my life's work..."

"And what the hell is your life's work?"

Nuhuet chuckled as he finally finished channeling his mana into his sword. His eyes gleamed once more as he looked at me not with bloodlust, but  with a look of respect and admiration.

"The reason I joined the Demon King's forces is to perfect the technique I developed as a human. Once I did, however, I found out that the attack I have spent my life perfecting was imperfect! It was limited by the strain it placed on the human body! But now that I have such a body, I found myself frustrated that I could not unleash this move upon my enemies for none are worthy to face such a devasting technique! That is... until now..."

Nehuet's voice chilled me to the bone. It was filled with joy and bloodlust at the same time.

"I-Is that so... Fine! I'll take it head on!"

In the face of such a terrifying force, I smiled defiantly as I raised my sword. Neheut seemed excited as well, excited and glad that I am facing him right now.

"Haha! Yes! Arthur Pendragon! You have my respect as a knight! I shall remember your name! Very well, let us not delay this any further!"

"Bring it on!"

I pumped mana into my blade as I watched Nehuet charge towards me. 

"I am truly thankful to have met you, Arthur Pendragon! Behold! My strongest technique!"

In a mere instant, I was surrounded by streaks of black as Nehuet closed the gap between us. My eyes locked into the depths of his eyes as he focused his gaze forward, beyond me.

"「1st Technique, Blade of a Thousand Petals.」"

He spoke in a firm voice as he passed by me. Then, at the same moment, the streaks of black around me closed in all around while I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

For a moment, everything stood still as Nehuet stood behind me with a serious expression.

I walked forward three steps before dropping my sword to the ground. With a fina chuckle, I dropped down to the ground as the pain washed over me. Right now, there's a hole in my chest and my body is covered in deep cuts and gaping wounds.

But it didn't feel painful.

It felt... melancholy.

"I hope you rest in peace, Arthur. A shame that a world lost a swordsman as gifted as you."

Nehuet's voice sounded sad and lonely as he walked over towards me. I wanted to reply that I wasn't really dead, but I don't think I have the strength to do so.

"Rest now. You will not become an undead. To use your body like that will dishonor me."

Nehuet softly said as he walked past me.

Ahh... So this is death. It feels like that time as well. It feels cold... no, lonely. It feels lonely. The heat, the emotions, the excitement I could feel earlier is slowly draining away with my blood. 

For a moment, I was about to accept death and close my eyes. 

To think that I could become some sort of main character in a story...

How silly of me.

"To think that a hero will accept death just like that, pathetic."

"...."

That voice, it can't be. A familiar voice spoke from somewhere.

"I gave you my blessing and you still died to an undead?! Are you even a hero?!"

Nope, it's definitely her. That irritating and condescending tone is definitely her.

"What a pain in the ass. A hero who can hold his own against a villain but dies easily in the end... What a fucking joke."

"Tch. S-Shut up! If you're so damn great, how about reviving me?!"

Nehuet stopped dead in his tracks and the sound of his neck creaking as he turned towards me is unmistakable. Wait a minute...

Did they just hear me?

"I-Impossible... You... You..."

The sound of metal clattering made me look towards Nehuet's direction. He was shaking either in fear or in anger as he stared at me with his crimson glare.

"My blessing won't work if you just accept defeat like that, you know?"

Her teasing voice made me want to punch her. Still, I listened to what she was about to say.

"You better show me what you're made of, Arthur. Give me a good rematch."

"Damn goddess... Why can't... you be... like Eahna?"

Those words that left my mouth was supposed to be for Illyria, but everyone around heard it loud and clear. I staggered to my feet while I used my sword to prop myself up. The wounds on me are still there, but they're healing quickly.

"At least... say those things in person... you damn... goddess!"

I yelled out as I lifted my sword. Right now, that goddess is probably smiling at me from above while eating some chips or whatever.

No, why the hell am I thinking about her right now? The thing I should be worried about is...

"Ahaha! To think I will be foiled by the Goddess herself!"

Nehuet pointed the tip of his sword at me, his armor is steaming due to the heat and power of his attack earlier.

"Yeah?! How the hell could you tell?"

I let out a laugh as I shakily entered a fighting stance. Blood spurted out from some of my wounds and pain assaulted me on multiple sides but I just gritted my teeth at the pain.

"You are like a pillar of light in the darkness... You have the same light as the merchant hiding in her carriage. A light that is clearly from the heavens themselves..."

Nehuet is probably smiling as he said that.

"You just noticed it now?"

"No... It just appeared just now. You must have been blessed with life by the Goddess herself..."

"Heh, probably. Still, it's great that I can feel pain right now. Makes me feel alive."

I could feel a grin curling on my lips as I slowly approached Nehuet.

"Looks like our duel isn't over yet, Nehuet!"

"So it seems..."

In the span of a couple days, I went from taking on a swarm of Giant Rats to one of the Demon King's powerful minion.

If you ask me, that shit is not fucking funny or balanced. A hero should either be OP from the start or work their way up to that point. Instead, here I am...

"I ain't going easy on you this time."

"So will I..."

Battling a monster that I shouldn't be battling at this point in time.