Kshaaak!
In a daze, a cluster of light shot up into the air, flooding my vision with blinding white. As the glow slowly took shape, I couldn’t hide my astonishment. No way—it really was a monster summoning box. And since it cost a million GP, it had to be the most expensive “4” tier.
“────. ────.”
I was most curious about when Ansol had even bought that, but the moment wasn’t over yet. His face still burned with frustration as he muttered incantations under his breath. Judging by the turbulent magical energy nearby, it looked like he was about to use a miracle.
Suddenly, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. This scene felt eerily familiar.
Right—just like before. When we were about to be overwhelmed by the resurrected ancient evil god, Ansol had thrown a box and used a miracle in the same way. And unbelievably, he’d summoned Gehenna.
So, should I just let it happen? Or try to stop him?
A fierce internal conflict raged inside me.
If only there were a guarantee it would turn out the same way. With nearly ten thousand users, there’d be plenty of sacrifices for the ritual. But even so, could I really expect the same miracle this time?
Gehenna itself was an unprecedented anomaly, born from a series of incredible coincidences. Plus, with a three-month cooldown on miracles, you can’t just use them recklessly.
…And above all, for some reason, I hated the idea of dragging Gehenna into this just for my own benefit.
The moment I thought that,
“Ansol!”
I grabbed his shoulder urgently.
“Mi…! Y-yes?”
Startled, Ansol stammered, caught mid-spell. Luckily, my timing was perfect.
“That’s enough. No miracles.”
“B-but!”
“Calm down. The fight hasn’t even started yet.”
“Right. Throwing the box was overkill anyway. And there’s still plenty left, isn’t there?”
I spoke firmly, and Yujeong lightly tapped the Chaos Mimic in agreement. Gradually, the volcanic fury in Ansol’s eyes cooled. Though he looked disappointed, he swallowed his frustration and stared ahead.
While I was calming Ansol, outside, the magic circle—now darkened to pitch black—spat out a shadowy figure.
“That’s…”
At first glance, it was a sturdy horse clad in black armor. Dark smoke billowed from its entire body, and its eyes gleamed with a blood-red glow. Sitting atop the horse was a knight roughly the size of a grown man.
Though his appearance was almost human, the rust-red armor and the hollow eyes visible beneath the helmet made him seem anything but alive. Could it be? Had he summoned a death knight?
“Hey? That’s an Obelo Knight?”
“Obelo Knight?”
Hearing Hwajeong’s words, a mix of disappointment and relief washed over me. I’d faced an Obelo Knight before, and they were relatively easy opponents. Honestly, I’d hoped for a monster like Kushan Thor to come crashing through, but at least Thanatos wasn’t summoned.
“What are you talking about? When did you ever fight that guy?”
“Huh? I did. The boots I’m wearing now belonged to an Obelo Knight.”
“That was just a regular Obelo Knight. That one’s the captain.”
“Captain?”
“Yeah, you idiot. The Obelo Knight Captain. Can’t you tell by the fact he’s on horseback?”
“……”
Looking more closely, I could see the difference. The Obelo Knight I’d faced before hadn’t been mounted, and his armor was black.
“They’re the restless spirits wandering the ruins of the fallen kingdom. But since this one’s on horseback, he’s definitely the captain. Too bad. If the captain had appeared, he’d have been a worthy opponent.”
“Right. Each one was a hero in life. Even if not on your level, they’re definitely strong. Especially the captain—the hero among heroes—he could probably go toe-to-toe with an awakened Kushan Thor.”
Now that I thought about it, Hwajeong had said something like that before…
“Khaaaaaa!”
Just as I recalled Hwajeong’s words, a furious roar echoed through the area. The Obelo Knight Captain, having finished his summoning, drew a massive greatsword nearly as tall as himself. Without hesitation, he spurred his horse forward, swinging the blade wildly.
Just as Hwajeong had said, the Obelo Knight Captain unleashed terrifying power without restraint. One swing of his sword sliced through every user caught in its path. Then, with a heavy blow from the flat of his blade, those struck spewed blood and were sent flying through the air. In just two swings, he had cleared a perfect four-meter radius in every direction.
“Ugh, ughaaah!”
“What… what is this thing?!”
Those nearby finally snapped out of their shock, screaming as they backed away. They didn’t flee outright but quickly put distance between themselves and the knight, hesitating. The Obelo Knight Captain calmly scanned left and right, then gripped the reins tightly.
At that moment, Eldora, who had been hesitating ahead, suddenly charged forward.
“Haaaaaah!”
With a youthful battle cry, she swung Excalibur low, aiming to sweep the horse’s legs. The horse raised its front hooves and easily dodged. It looked like it was about to stomp down, but Eldora bounced away like a spring, her kick missing.
She immediately spun to the side and launched a spinning attack, while the Knights of the Round Table joined in to coordinate their assault.
“Face judgment!”
“Judgment Knight” Edward shouted, and with a familiar explosion, the horse faltered. Eldora and a silver-haired man darted in from either side, thrusting their swords. The knight hurriedly parried and scanned his surroundings.
But there were over ten Knights of the Round Table, and they moved with practiced coordination. Meanwhile, a flood of complex spells surged in from all sides, forcing the knight onto the defensive.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little off balance. Now that I’d inherited the Sword Lord class and had Gehenna’s fortress to back me up, I could handle this guy easily. But back when I was just a swordsmanship expert, he’d been a tough opponent.
And to think he was supposed to be on par with an awakened Kushan Thor? Of course, the circumstances were different, and standing alone deep in enemy territory was impressive…
“He doesn’t really look like Kushan Thor level.”
“Negative. Subjectively, I’d say Kushan Thor’s win rate is about 60%, but objectively, they’re almost evenly matched.”
I muttered to myself without realizing it, when a sharp mechanical voice whispered in my ear.
“And one more piece of advice: try not to draw the Obelo Knight Captain’s attention if you can help it.”
What was that about? I stared intently at the source. The colorless eyes watching below glanced at me before continuing.
“That’s because the Sword Lord and the Obelo Knights share a deep history. To make a long story short, the Sword Lord left the Obelo Kingdom after clashing with its leadership. When outsiders learned this, they invaded the kingdom, and the Obelo Knights fought desperately, waiting for the Sword Lord’s return.”
“But the Sword Lord never came back, so they felt abandoned. Is that it?”
“More precisely, the Sword Lord broke a vow to return if the kingdom was ever in danger. Of course, the Sword Lord had his reasons, but the Obelo Knights didn’t know that. They’re still bound by that oath, wandering the kingdom’s ruins. As warriors, they truly respect the Sword Lord, but deep down, they hate him for breaking the vow. They might drop everything and attack you the moment they see you.”
“…What the hell. By the way, what did you mean earlier about them being similar?”
“Exactly what I said. While Kushan Thor has overwhelming innate divine power, the Knight Captain is human. That means he can use magic.”
“Magic?”
Just then—
“Ahaaaaaaa!”
Before I could even react, another roar shook the castle.
While we were talking, the horse had vanished. The Obelo Knight Captain now stood on the ground, head thrown back, howling at the sky.
“It’s begun.”
The source narrowed its eyes and muttered quietly.
Before I could ask what was going on,
Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuung!
An immense surge of magical energy erupted around the Obelo Knight Captain. As he raised his greatsword high, dozens of dark clusters of light flickered into existence all around.
In no time, nearly a hundred of them took shape.
There was no need to ask what they were. Though their sizes varied, the sinister glow in their helmets and their dark armor made it clear—they were Obelo Knights, just like the one I’d faced before.
The real question was why they had suddenly appeared.
“Though the magic isn’t from his human life, the Knight Captain has summoned his knights. The Obelo Knights numbered one hundred in life, so this is probably ninety-nine of them.”
As if reading my thoughts, the source quickly explained.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene below. The summoned Obelo Knights quickly formed ranks around their captain.
“Ahaaaaaa!”
“Ahaaaaaa!”
They charged all at once, shouting battle cries. The sight of them advancing with fierce momentum, moving in perfect unison, was nothing short of spectacular. Like a raging wave swallowing the shoreline, they pushed forward with unstoppable force.
“What the hell is this now?!”
“Help meee!”
Meanwhile, the South Continent faction, which had been gradually regaining its footing, suddenly plunged back into chaos. Just when they thought the monster was nearly defeated, it summoned reinforcements, prompting Eldora to scream at the top of her lungs in frustration.
But the Obello Knights, showing their skill, chose not to engage the Round Table knights head-on. Instead, they adopted a conical formation, striking from the rear. In other words, they targeted the mages and priests, who were positioned relatively farther back, turning them into easy prey.
Rumble, rumble!
Panic-stricken users scattered in all directions, and soon the once orderly lines began to falter.
“Suhyun.”
Just as I was staring blankly, someone placed a hand on my shoulder from behind. Startled, I turned around to see my brother looking at me, his face flushed, his eyes glowing golden.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going on… but this is our chance. The perfect opportunity.”
At that moment—
“Let’s move.”
My senses snapped back to full alert.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Things are looking pretty favorable right now, so maybe it’s not quite time for Gehenna or Suna to make their appearance? :)
Of course, that goes for Shinsang as well. Haha.
Below is an excerpt from an earlier scene where Kim Suhyun fought the Obello Knight.
A strange, dark hum began to resonate where the sword and greatsword clashed. Then, a deep vibration pulsed through my hand, and an intense hostility radiated from the sword—not directed at me, but at my opponent.
“Krrr!”
The Obello Knight gripping the greatsword staggered back, almost as if startled. What could this phenomenon mean?
“…Sovereign?”
To my surprise, a muffled voice echoed from inside the helmet.