The Knight King Who Returned with God-Chapter 8 Chivalry (1)

Kim Jinsu, the party leader and tank of the raid team, gulped as he faced the incoming horde of skeletons.

"Damn, there's a lot of them."

"S-Should we distribute potions, sir?"

"...Give out the maximum limit."

Unlike private hunter guilds that could afford to splurge on Gate raids, the Association's raid team had limited resources and budget.

Potions for temporary stat boosts or emergency healing, which private guilds would generously supply, were in short supply here.

After all, the Hunter Association was just another government agency. And like any government body, it couldn't exceed its allocated budget easily.

"Still, at least they're just bones. That's a relief."

"Don't let your guard down. Even a stray hit can screw you over."

Skeletons were one of the easiest types of undead to deal with.

Power usually came from muscle. For Hunters with awakened mana, the dynamic was different, but the fundamentals didn't change—muscles matter.

Skeletons were nothing but dry bones. They moved through the force of lingering will or mana.

Their base strength was weak. The real threats were the skeleton archers, who fired stray arrows, or the occasional skeleton mage.

Kim barked orders to his team.

"Deputy Sa, Employee Park—both tanks, fall back! Agent Han, join Squad 2 and stay on reserve!"

They were the youngest and most talented in the team. Kim held them in reserve while he scanned for any sign of skeleton mages.

"Mansik! How many archers and mages do we have?"

"Thirty archers, two mages visible right now!"

"Anyone with sniper skills, take them out first! Shield-bearers, hold the line against the charge! I'm counting on you, bastards!"

Before he could even finish, the skeleton army charged.

When the sheer mass of bones collided with him, Kim's shield suddenly felt heavy.

'Heavier than I expected. Is this what makes a Scarlet Gate different?'

Still, it wasn't so heavy that a B-rank tank like him couldn't handle it. One hand blocked the skeleton warriors; the other swung his warhammer, crushing skulls.

—Whizz!

Suddenly, an arrow flew between the ribs of a skeleton—aimed straight at him. His long shield barely protected his knee in time.

'What the hell?! Skeleton archers have aim now?!'

Startled, Kim smashed another skeleton and shouted:

"Archers! Mages! Why the hell aren't you taking them out?! Blind arrows from skeleton archers are no joke!"

"Sorry, sir!"

In response, the Association Hunters focused their sniping efforts on the skeleton archers. As one after another went down with pierced skulls, Kim smiled with satisfaction.

—Woom!

Then, a magic circle appeared up ahead. The skeleton mages had begun casting spells.

'Goddamn it! We don't even have a single mage, and the skeletons do?!'

Magic Tower mages came with a steep price tag. Kim bit back the frustration of a poor man and yelled:

"I'M RIGHT HERE!!"

He infused his voice with mana, raising his threat level instantly. The skeleton mages turned their attention to him.

Because of that, the targeted location of their bombardment spell shifted—from the center of the party to him.

—BOOM!

"Grrgh...!"

A thunder spell exploded directly on top of him. But Kim withstood it. Barely.

"Sir!"

"I'm fine... Just tingling a bit. This armor's expensive as h—"

At that moment, a shadow loomed over him. Kim's eyes met something—a gaze.

A head resting on the waist. A headless knight. A massive warhorse.

All of it stared directly at him.

"Dullahan...!"

Paralyzed, he couldn't react in time. The headless knight charged in on his giant horse and crashed into Kim Jinsu with full force.

"Kuhhk?!"

CRASH! Kim was sent flying.

Voices calling his name rang out from all directions—but were quickly replaced by screams.

The headless knight—Dullahan, the boss of the dungeon—had begun his rampage with a massive sword in hand.

"Kragh...!"

"W-What the hell?! How can he swing a greatsword that fast?!"

"What are you doing?! Close that gap—now!"

A gap opened up in the formation after the devastating cavalry charge. The skeletons swarmed through it.

Skeletons themselves aren't particularly threatening. As long as formation is maintained, even a party made up mostly of D-rankers can handle them.

But the moment they become deadly is in chaos.

Unless you crush their skulls, these things can still move just with finger bones. Once they get tangled up with allies, it's a nightmare.

"Ah... Manager Kim!"

Han Hari and her party, who had been on standby as reserves, were agitated at the sudden collapse of the frontline.

"What do we do? We have to go help, Assistant Manager Han!"

They had to help. They were the designated backup for this very reason. They were supposed to move in now.

But Hari instinctively turned her gaze to Leon, who stood calmly behind her. If it was him... If the self-proclaimed Lionheart King who even defeated a Great Demon...

"Your Majesty! Please, we ask for your support!"

Everyone's eyes naturally shifted to Leon. But even under their pleading gaze, Leon only looked indifferent.

"A king does not lead the charge in such petty battles."

"What...? What do you mean?!"

"You must seek your own path to glory. Must I, a king, deign to move against such pitiful piles of bones?"

The Knight King showed sincere disgust toward the skeletons and didn't draw his sword.

"To stain my blade with such wretched undead would be an insult to the Goddess. Just watching them is repulsive."

What the hell is this guy even talking about?!

But Hari understood clearly now—he had no intention of moving. His eyes were fixed, almost fascinated, on the headless knight.

"Assistant Manager Han! What now?!"

"Ah, damn it! Reserve team, we're going in now!"

Hari drew her sword. The tangled frontlines were dangerous, but the most dangerous one was the Dullahan rampaging in the center of their formation.

"I'll handle the boss! Everyone else, support Manager Kim and the rest!"

She kicked off, using the skeletons as stepping stones, and leapt into the air—closing the distance to the Dullahan in an instant.

"...!"

It was a perfect, silent surprise attack. But the Dullahan, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, tilted his greatsword behind him to block her blade.

"He blocked it?!"

Her surprise attack was instantly thwarted. A setback—but she had a follow-up.

Using the Dullahan's horse as a springboard, she twisted in midair, pulling off a dazzling spin, and slashed at his chest.

–Clang!

But it only scratched the surface of the Dullahan's armor.

'Damn... should've bought a more expensive sword!'

Given the limited budget, this had been the best weapon available. But the dungeon boss's armor was tougher than she expected—dense, heavy, and solid.

Still, she was satisfied that she had drawn the Dullahan's attention. No longer rampaging blindly, he now focused solely on her, pulling on the reins of his warhorse.

"Come at me!"

As if answering her provocation, the reins snapped taut and the horse charged forward—a brutal cavalry charge from just a few steps away.

Boom! The Dullahan slammed into her. It was the same attack that had sent a B-rank tank like Kim Jinsu flying. The impact should have been overwhelming—

–Whoosh!

—but at the moment of impact, flames erupted around them, cushioning the blow. The Dullahan realized at once that this was no ordinary fire. Hari smirked at him.

"Sorry, but my skills are a bit... flashy."

She had been waiting for this moment. As soon as she had lured him away from the others with his last charge, she activated her skill.

The flames stirred by her heart's mana surged upward and instantly engulfed the Dullahan in a blazing inferno.

–GAAAAAAAAAH!

A monstrous scream rang out from within the flames. Hari didn't let up—she drove her blade straight through the burning Dullahan's head.

–Clang!

"...What?"

The finishing blow, which she had been sure would end it, struck with a far too clean sound—as if it had hit steel.

'He blocked it? With the flat of his greatsword... even in that situation?!'

–Hooh.

A voice of admiration, a flicker of hesitation, and then—a fist came flying through the flames.

"Ghhk...!"

The punch sent her sprawling across the ground.

Hari couldn't believe it. It was one thing to survive her strike—but to block it perfectly? She hadn't even felt any impact.

"Hari!"

Other Hunters rushed in to help her. But even their combined attacks couldn't break through the Dullahan's swordsmanship.

"Gahk?!"

He casually swung his massive greatsword—taller than a person—to deflect each strike, then countered with overwhelming force.

It might've been to protect his vulnerable head, but even with that huge handicap, the Dullahan was completely overwhelming the Hunters.

It was pure swordsmanship supremacy—parrying deadly attacks, deflecting them, and preparing for a lethal counterstrike.

"Magnificent!"

It was then.

A booming voice rang out, loud enough to shake the entire dungeon.

Everyone turned their eyes toward the blond man standing in the rear.

He had dismissed the headless knight as just another undead.

Leon had always despised unholy things.

Skeleton soldiers, ghouls, corpse golems, death knights—

There was no honor, no glory in raising the dead just to use them as meat shields.

Creatures that lost their skills in life and relied only on brute strength and magic held no value to a knight of the Grail.

"I misjudged. That thing is no ordinary undead."

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Leon had faced countless undead in his time, but none with swordsmanship like that.

Such precise movements should have been impossible for an undead. Since when did corpses wield refined swordsmanship?

"Magnificent!"

And with that, he decided to join the fight.

If he had found a truly outstanding knight, then what could be more honorable than defeating him in battle?

His thunderous voice drew the attention of all—even the skeletons froze.

"First, I must offer my apology. To mistake such a fine knight for a mere undead—such was the folly of my shallow eyes."

—...

The Dullahan, who had just been about to strike Hari, halted and listened to the voice.

"You wield a blade with excellence, even with one hand. You show strategy and tactics. Surely, in life, you were a renowned knight."

He was... talking to the dungeon boss. Even the Hunters froze at the absurdity of it.

"Very well! I, Leon Dragonia Lionheart, the Lionheart King, grant you the honor of naming yourself! Speak your name!"

—...

The Dullahan did not respond. He couldn't.

He had no vocal cords. He was closer to an undead moved by lingering will, but unlike typical undead, he had no means to communicate with mortals or the Unseelie Fae.

Realizing this, Leon gave a solemn nod.

"Hmm... I see. Then I have committed a further offense. It is a shame I cannot know your name. Let us leave it as a tragedy of the battlefield."

"...Wait, Your Majesty..."

You can't just... talk to the final boss like this...!

Hari couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

Whether the other Hunters were dumbfounded or not, Leon carried on like nothing else in the world mattered.

"Nameless knight! I grant you the right to challenge me to a duel!"

A duel? No, wait—he didn't even challenge the boss, he granted him the right to challenge Leon? A monster?

It was a historical first since the appearance of the Gates. But Leon's eccentricity didn't stop there.

"There is no need to harm innocent soldiers. Let us end this battle with a noble duel between two knights!"

Is that even going to work?

Everyone held their breath—and then:

–Nod.

It worked?!

This had never happened before. A dungeon boss had accepted a duel from a Hunter?

No, no Hunter had ever thought to propose a one-on-one duel to a boss in the first place!

And the spectacle wasn't over.

"Hmm... however, as a knight, I must confess—I lack a steed. Due to certain circumstances, I could not prepare my horse today. That is clearly my failing..."

...So what now?

"Knight, for the sake of your honor, would you not dismount, and face me, man to man, foot to foot, in a fair and equal duel?"

He's not seriously going to—no, the boss isn't that dumb—there's no way he's going to—

–Step.

HE'S GETTING OFF?!

Hari and the Hunters stood gaping, jaws unhinged, unable to process what they were seeing.

The headless knight, who had just moments ago been charging on horseback, swinging a sword larger than a person, dismounted.

For the sake of a fair duel between knights.

And then, as if by magic, the chaos of the battlefield subsided. A ring formed for the duel, and the Hunters looked on, dazed and awestruck.