“W-Well, I’m not entirely sure, but… it’s highly likely they’re banshee. If they’re undead, that is.”
Go Yeon-ju’s voice trembled as she continued.
“And there are dozens of them… maybe even over a hundred. It’s an enormous number.”
The moment she finished speaking, the color drained from the faces of the clan members. Banshees were among the most difficult undead to deal with—far more dangerous than Death Knights or liches. Many users believed that encountering one meant certain death.
But there was no need to worry.
“It’s fine. Even if they are banshees, they’re just spectral beings. As long as this door stays firmly shut, we don’t have to open it.”
Trying to reassure them, I spoke up. Im Hanna stared anxiously at the door ahead.
“But what if their voices manage to open it…?”
“Well, if they wanted to kill us, wouldn’t they have opened it already?”
“Then what was that metallic sound earlier?”
“Probably just a coincidence. Maybe a self-triggered trap, or they’re simply drawn by the scent of life.”
Neither explanation was exactly right, but there was no time for lengthy discussion. I spoke confidently enough to satisfy the clan members, who began moving into position even before I finished.
I took the center as the Keeper, while Go Yeon-ju, Nam Da-eun, Lee Yoo-jung, and Jin Soo-hyun each faced one of the four doors from which the sounds had come. The archers and mages shifted to support the melee fighters, naturally forming a near-circular defensive formation. Meanwhile, the sound of hooves grew louder, now just beyond the doors.
Thud, thud!
Kukukukung!
Amid the quiet breathing and murmured spells, the four doors shattered simultaneously. Through the hazy smoke, the figures finally appeared. Clad head to toe in dark armor, each rode a horse wreathed in eerie shadows.
Their faces were hidden behind horned helmets, but where their eyes should have been, red glows flashed fiercely. In both hands, they gripped long lances forged from darkness. Even accounting for their mounts, their towering height—well over four meters—was intimidating. No doubt about it: these were Death Knights.
“Stream of Aqua! Chain Lightning!”
Jeong Ha-yeon took the initiative. A fierce jet of water shot straight ahead, drenching the Death Knights emerging from the right door, followed by golden lightning zigzagging through the air.
Though soaking them improved conductivity, these creatures had high magic resistance. The spells only staggered them briefly; the Death Knights trembled slightly but kept advancing.
“Targeted Chain Lightning! Gold Citrine!”
Kim Han-byul flicked a gemstone, and the situation shifted rapidly. A visible surge of electricity crackled, enveloping not only the Death Knights but their horses as well. Their trembling intensified, and a couple even dropped their lances.
“Wolryeong. The waning moon of the 26th day.”
Jeong Ha-yeon’s spellcasting didn’t stop. A pale, crescent-shaped ring of light formed, then split into dozens of smaller rings. With a flick of her staff, the rings shot out like bullets, striking the paralyzed Death Knights who could only absorb the blows.
After a moment, Jeong Ha-yeon paused to catch her breath, the rapid spellcasting dizzying even for her. The results were decent: out of seven Death Knights, two lay sprawled on the ground, and the rest were nearly broken, far from intact. She had deliberately held back to protect Lee Yoo-jung, who guarded the rightmost door and had weaker armor.
Grrrrr, grrrrr!
“They’re coming!”
The Death Knights’ roars overlapped with Vivian’s sharp cry. I quickly scanned the area. From left to right: six, seven, seven, seven… no, five. Twenty-five Death Knights charged in formation, lances pointed forward, accelerating as if to strike from all sides. This was dangerous.
“Ora! Imprison! Steel Binder of the 49th Legion!”
At that moment, the sound of dark chains filled the air. Chains shot out in all directions, anchoring into the walls and tightening. In an instant, they twisted around us, forming a complex barrier.
“Vivian! Nai…!”
Lee Yoo-jung started to cheer, but seeing the Death Knights easily leap over the chains, she fell silent. The idea was good, but the chains were set too low. Then—
“Just as I thought! You bastards! Imprison!”
Vivian spread her clenched hands wide. The taut chains snapped upward, soaring into the air before arcing down like a deadly noose. If this landed, the Death Knights would be trapped in a tightening circle of chains. I couldn’t help but admire the move—but the Death Knights were no pushovers. Judging it impossible to dodge, they abandoned their horses. The trapped mounts screamed in protest, but the Death Knights rolled on the ground, quickly rising to charge again.
Vivian slammed the ground in frustration, but just stopping the cavalry charge was a victory. Soon, the melee fighters were shielded, and the clash with the Death Knights began almost simultaneously. The air filled with the clashing of weapons and shouted battle cries.
The fight quickly grew fierce, but the situation was manageable. Few could handle seven Death Knights at once, but Go Yeon-ju and Nam Da-eun were more than capable if they avoided overextending.
Inspired by Vivian’s tactic, Go Yeon-ju moved relentlessly through shadows, spreading darkness. When one Death Knight got caught, she summoned shadows to encircle and crush it.
The Death Knights attacking Nam Da-eun staggered, their weakened lances swinging feebly. Likely due to their armor’s effects, Nam Da-eun exploited this perfectly, weaving fluidly through their ranks. Each flash of her cold blade sent a severed helmet tumbling to the ground.
“Damn it! What the hell are these things?!”
Jin Soo-hyun shouted but held his ground. Vivian, having withdrawn Imprison, summoned a satyr for support, while Im Hanna fired arrows to clear paths when they were surrounded. Most impressive was how they retreated quickly whenever an opening closed, blocking the enemy’s advance.
The problem was Lee Yoo-jung.
“Hmm.”
Burning with golden light, Lee Yoo-jung barely dodged a lance aimed at her head, only to be kicked in the abdomen and sent sprawling. Kim Han-byul threw gemstones to support her, fighting off five nearly broken Death Knights, but it was clear she was struggling.
It wasn’t lack of skill—rather, the combat dynamic between knights and mercenaries was unfavorable. Lee Yoo-jung’s style relied on swift mobility to control the battlefield, but the Death Knights had set traps and cut off her routes with precision. The fact she hadn’t suffered a fatal blow yet was commendable. Though it was only a matter of time before she broke through.
Just then, Lee Yoo-jung veered sharply left. I clicked my tongue and gripped my sword tighter. Go Yeon-ju and Nam Da-eun had already taken down more than half the enemy, and Jin Soo-hyun was just starting to fell his second.
I lightly stomped the ground.
“Ah, damn!”
Lee Yoo-jung cursed. She had dodged the lances thrusting in a line from the right by moving left, which was good. But unknowingly, she’d opened a gap. One of the Death Knights, annoyed by the mage’s constant gemstone interference, broke formation and charged forward. Before she could block, four others surrounded her.
“Damn it…!”
She gritted her teeth. She could handle two or three enemies even if it meant injury. In fact, she’d prefer a reckless charge over this. But facing five enemies calmly pressing in was maddening. She wanted to lash out wildly, but she held herself back. Now she could see and think clearly—if she lost control here, she’d be skewered by those sharp lances.
In the end, the number dropped to four, but it was still overwhelming. Worse, one had broken through her defense, which was deeply troubling.
Then—
KABOOM!
Crackling sounds and the explosion of dozens of shards scattered everywhere. Lee Yoo-jung’s eyes glazed over as she stared at the dark fragments that struck her chest. The armor she had barely dented with all her strength was shredded to pieces in a single blast.
At that moment—
Thwack! The sound of a heavy strike echoed as the Death Knights suddenly staggered. Inside the helmet, where a fierce red glow flashed, an invisible sword had been driven deep. Just as the red light flared fiercely, the helmet exploded with a sharp pop. Only then did Lee Yoo-jung realize what was happening. It was the magical explosion technique Kim Soo-hyun favored—something she had seen him use countless times before.
The blade didn’t stop. Piercing through the shattered helmet, it swept sideways and sliced clean through the stunned Death Knight’s torso. The severed upper body tumbled to the ground. Startled, the nearby knight took a step back and thrust his lance forward. But Kim Soo-hyun tilted his body just enough to let the lance graze past, then slipped inside and lightly plunged his sword in. Another magical explosion followed.
“You handle the last two,” Kim Soo-hyun said.
After confirming the kneeling enemy, he immediately dashed off—this time toward where Jin Soo-hyun was fighting.
Perhaps sensing something was off, the Death Knights who had just succeeded in summoning Satyrus simultaneously turned around. But it was too late. Their opponent was already leaping down from above.
The three Death Knights thrust their lances skyward, but in Kim Soo-hyun’s left hand was the Sun-Moon Divine Sword. Swinging his left arm, he knocked away the incoming lance aimed at him, then with his right arm, he swung horizontally across the exposed torsos.
Ssshk, ssshk, ssshk! The sharp sound of slicing echoed, like a kitchen knife cutting through radish. It was as if the legendary Cheonghong—the sword said to cut steel like tofu—was at work. The inherited power of the blade unleashed its full might once again. The once formidable Death Knights didn’t even manage to resist as their chests were sliced open.
The sluggish battle shifted rapidly the moment Kim Soo-hyun joined. Sensing the opportunity, Jin Soo-hyun hammered the backs of the enemies without hesitation, while Go Yeon-ju and Nam Da-eun, having just finished their own fights, joined in from various directions. Within five minutes, not a single Death Knight remained standing.
With the battle over, the expedition party took a brief rest. There were no serious injuries, and since the fight ended more easily than expected, the mood was surprisingly light. Though Lee Yoo-jung looked a bit pale, no one blamed her. Standing firm against so many high-ranking undead was praise enough.
As the light break ended, whispers began again.
What’s going on with these guys? What happened?
Heh, heh. The Death Knights…
That one! It’s that one!
Ugh…
Moments later.
“Alright, we need to move… but where to?”
“Anywhere but straight ahead should be fine.”
As the party prepared to move, the voices grew louder, like predators eyeing fresh prey.
Left! The second one from the left!
No! You’ll die if you go there! It’s the right side! Right!
The giggling continued, but the clan members ignored it completely, simply exchanging their own opinions.
“Definitely no straight ahead… Ugh, I hate everywhere.”
“Suddenly I’m missing Ansol.”
Glancing at the bone-strewn square and the doors ahead, Kim Soo-hyun fell into thought. Then, suddenly, someone quietly began chanting a spell.
“Spatial analysis. Initiate.”
With a bang and a burst of thick smoke, the source of the bright eyes looked around, then fixed their gaze on the pile of bones in the center. Kim Soo-hyun noticed something unusual.
“Source, what’s wrong?”
“There are seven.”
“Actually, I have a tough request. Could you explain using the five Ws and one H from now on?”
“That’s not difficult.”
The source nodded slowly and began a detailed explanation.
“I just used spatial analysis from where I’m standing to detect a new, seventh door.”
“You left out the ‘why’ at the end. Explain again.”
“…”
“Just kidding.”
Kim Soo-hyun corrected himself as the source stared at him.
Hearing about a secret door, the clan members immediately rushed to the square and began clearing away the bones. A faint smile crossed Kim Soo-hyun’s lips. Of course, he already knew about the secret door; he had just been pondering how to reveal it. The source’s timely discovery was perfect.
Had they missed it and passed by, they might have wandered the first basement level endlessly, just like before—exhausted by traps and monsters scattered everywhere. But now, finding it meant a huge time advantage.
No, no! That place is dangerous!
Heh. Walking straight into the jaws of death on your own. How foolish.
Damn! How did they find out? I was looking forward to watching them get lost!
Shut up! Don’t say things like that!
Though voices clamored, the expedition party paid no mind and kept clearing the bones. After about thirty minutes, the flat floor of the square was finally revealed. Digging where the source indicated, they uncovered the secret door. Like the entrance they had come through, it led to a stairway descending into a tunnel.
“This looks better than those other five doors,” Kim Soo-hyun said.
Everyone agreed. Though they had ignored it before, the voices they’d heard earlier had convinced them.
The expedition party reformed their ranks and slowly descended the stairs, bypassing the first basement level and entering the second. In effect, they had already cleared more than half the dungeon.
Perhaps it was a privilege reserved only for those who knew the future.
Back at the first floor entrance, where the expedition had disappeared,
…damn it.
Shut up, you idiot.
Only voices blaming each other echoed quietly.