I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

28 – Fighting to the Death is Easy, but Lending a Path is Hard (7)

The wizard felt as if he were stripped naked before the black knight’s gaze.

Unconsciously, he took a step back, overwhelmed by Kriel’s presence. He felt an indescribable sense of helplessness.

Even if he resisted that knight now, he could not see a future where he would escape alive.

Since accepting the blessing of the abyss, the wizard had seen many strong individuals. He had bowed his head before them and avoided them from a distance.

His life was marked by humiliation and defeat. Nevertheless, it was the first time he felt such overwhelming despair.

‘…No.’

It was not the first time. There had been one other moment when he was certain he could never oppose that being.

However, the figure looking down at the wizard at that moment was the complete opposite of a paladin.

A demon who had bestowed upon him the blessing of the abyss. The wizard recalled the words muttered by the sword held in the paladin’s grip.

He then remembered the words of the black knight who had so easily discerned his rank.

There was only one meaning to that fact.

‘A demon…!’

And not just any demon. He roamed the Holy Kingdom, boldly claiming to be a paladin, and was even appointed as a grand warrior by some order.

It was proof that he possessed the power to completely blind the eyes of the priests. And he walked around in such a dark knight-like attire!

Perhaps he was even surpassing the level of a demon and encroaching upon the realm of a devil. If that were the case, it made sense that the cursed sword in the black knight’s hand spoke of a ‘rightful ruler.’

If he had accumulated enough demonic energy from the abyss to ascend as a new devil, he would indeed be the most powerful being among the abyssal followers of this era.

The black knight let out a sigh. It was a sigh that felt like a lament for something pitiful and wretched.

Of course, the meaning behind Criel’s sigh was not pity or sympathy for the demonic wizard.

It was merely regret for being mistaken as a demon just because he had set the mood, and remorse for his career choice.

When an intelligent being like a human is consumed by the abyss, its danger is considered half to one level higher than that of a non-intelligent being of the same rank.

A human turned into a monster is considered equivalent to a monster turned into a demonic beast, and a human turned into a demonic beast is considered comparable to a monster turned into a demon.

This was because intelligent beings inherently possessed the higher intelligence that ordinary monsters only began to develop at the level of a demon.

But it was different for Criel. Just as he found dealing with demonic beasts easier than dealing with demons, he found it easier to deceive abyssal beings with intelligence than those without.

If the one behind the wyverns had been the wyvern leader instead of a human wizard, he would have already been dancing with his sword. Criel decided to make the most of the wizard who had mistaken his identity and quickly handle the matter.

Before speaking to the wizard, Criel recalled the principles of the Tír na nÓg chivalry.

‘The abyss can be deceived!’

“If you have realized your place, why do you not adopt the proper attitude? Truly disappointing.”

Criel recalled his memories from his military days. Whether on Earth or in Tír na nÓg, wasn’t it the job of higher-ups in the military to be disappointed in their subordinates?

The performance, backed by countless reference materials, was indeed effective. The wizard hesitated and then knelt down.

“I failed to recognize the one who walks the darkest abyss. Mercy, please show mercy…!”

“Mercy? Have you realized your mistake?”

“I approached with dirty feet, unaware that this was a place planned by the demon, and that was my first rudeness. My comrades are not here with me, and that is my second rudeness.”

Ah, so he had comrades. Criel nodded. The wizard took it as a sign of mercy from the demon.

“Please grant me a way to live. Even if I have ruined the great one’s plans, I will dedicate this humble body to the grand scheme.”

“You have drawn too much attention.”

“I have a plan! A brilliant idea that will allow us to settle in the heart of the gateway city without anyone’s suspicion!”

Just as the wizard was about to say more, Criel waved his hand. The wizard hurriedly closed his mouth and bowed his head to the ground again.

“What are your comrades doing?”

“We were planning to assassinate the chief wizard of the gateway city. We aimed for his return journey…”

“I’ve heard enough.” Kriel gestured, and the wizard was lifted. He remained on his knees, raising only his upper body. He dared not rise to meet Kriel’s gaze at eye level.

“Did you ask for a way to live?”

“Yes. I truly did not know that someone favored by the Abyss resided in this region. Though our abilities may be humble, our resolve is strong!”

“Is that so? Come closer.”

The wizard crawled slowly. The black knight raised his ashen cross sword—the wizard trembled slightly.

“Do you recognize this sword?”

“My knowledge is limited…”

Kriel infused the sword with his aura. A chilling light wrapped around the ashen blade. The cold emanating from the blade felt like the desolate winds of the underworld.

An ashen blade, a blue radiance.

Anyone who had delved into the Abyss would recognize this weapon.

“The Seven Demon Blades!”

“You have confessed your sins and sought judgment, so I will treat you with truth. I am the rightful owner of this blade.”

The rightful owner of the legacy left by the Demon King. In other words, this person was a candidate for the new Demon King. Reverence filled the wizard’s heart.

The ashen blade, imbued with a cold light, lightly tapped the wizard’s left shoulder.

It was a gesture reminiscent of a knight’s investiture. The wizard felt both relief at surviving and joy at joining the grand plan of the Abyss.

Now, the blade moved to the right shoulder, and it was time to recite the incantation. Naturally, a blessing would be bestowed, whether it be blood, a spirit, or something to enhance the Abyss’s magic.

As Kriel moved the blade to the right shoulder, he began to speak.

“I have a question for you.”

The wizard searched his old memories for the appropriate response. Demons were powerful but capricious. He had to be as agreeable as possible.

“Please, ask your question.”

“You asked for a way to live, so I will ask about the path. Before you lies an easy path and a difficult path. Which will you choose?”

Was this a test of loyalty? The wizard answered immediately upon understanding.

“I will follow any difficult path!”

“Is that so? I prefer the easy path.”

“What?”

Kriel swung Tuon without hesitation.

*

The creature’s skin was tougher than expected.

Originally, I intended to strike the neck as soon as the moment approached, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that simple physical force alone wouldn’t be enough to sever the neck in one go.

Perhaps because he was the one controlling the wyvern, his skin had also transformed into a form similar to that of a dragon. If he were a sword master, he might have been able to demonstrate a clean cut with a kitchen knife, but unfortunately, my swordsmanship skills weren’t that good.

I had no choice but to pretend to show off the Seven Great Demon Soldiers while distracting him with various useless words to buy time to infuse my sword with energy. It was fortunate that the head flew off in one go.

If he had still been breathing and regenerated to attack, it would have been a big problem. Fighting a wizard in the wizard’s stronghold was not a wise act.

[Hey. What does that mean?]

“What do you mean?”

[The thing about the easy path.]

“It’s nothing special. It’s an old sage’s saying that it’s easier to die resisting injustice than to accept and compromise with it.”

[Oh. That’s a truly knightly thing to say.]

In this case, it would be more accurate to call it the spirit of a scholar rather than chivalry. Anyway, Ori wouldn’t understand even if I talked about scholars, so I didn’t bother to correct him.

At some point, Tuon, who had slipped out of my hand and taken on a human form, returned holding something.

“Take it.”

“Huh?”

It was the severed head of the wizard.

“If you want to claim credit, you need proper evidence!”

He wasn’t wrong, so I nodded reluctantly.

It would be more convincing to show the head of the wizard with hardened skin than to just say I dealt with the wyvern’s master without any evidence.

I should hurry back and report to the border guard commander. According to the wizard’s last words, the court wizard of the gate city might also be in danger.

*

As soon as I arrived at the gate city, I received one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

Good news. The court wizard returned unharmed.

He said that he was on his way to his family home because his runaway brother had been found dead, but he was guided on the right path by some pesky abyssal creatures.

Here, the right path meant the path to the afterlife.

So, he safely returned home, only to find that there was no news about his brother. Sensing something strange, the court wizard quickly returned to the gate city.

Bad news.

“Ah. Brother…!”

The abyssal creature I had turned into a corpse was the court wizard’s brother.

He was indeed found as a corpse.