I walked through the quiet mansion where I could not feel any sign of the living.
　The narrow corridor, illuminated by the holy light, was very eerie.

　The hint of darkness grew stronger. The miasma was so thick that it would have choked anyone who was not used to it.

　Holos Kamen is trying to do something. Senri couldn't tell if it was a last-ditch attempt to stop him, or something he had been preparing for a long time.
　But she is up against a cunning necromancer. An evil sorcerer who has survived for a long time will have a trump card or two.

　The miasma that has enveloped the entire house is slowly eroding the blessings that Senri and the others are wearing. The miasma that has enveloped the entire house is slowly chipping away at the blessings that Senri and the others have been wearing. It is no longer enough to invade the body, but it is now the enemy's body.

　It was as if the entire world had been enveloped in darkness. Already, Senri's senses were not functioning properly.

　She could tell that the undead were nearby, but she couldn't tell how many meters away they were. Normally, I can see clearly, but I feel as if I am blindfolded and deafened.

　The only thing I can rely on in this situation is my senses. I just walked straight into the intense darkness.
　There are several rooms, but no signs of life from within. Our first priority is Holos Kamen. He's probably waiting for you at the far end.

d*mn. Master Epe is right, it's a nasty necromancer. Maybe there will be some ...... vampires in there.

That's not ...... likely, I think. It is very unlikely that a cautious, second-rate necromancer would use a dangerous vampire. A ...... Lesser might, though.

"...... Just kidding. I'm kidding, Senri. You're being too serious.

　Nevilla frowns and gives you a dumbfounded look.

But ............ yes. If, by any chance, vampires do appear, you might want to retreat.

　Vampires are a special kind of undead. They have a number of weaknesses, but they also have very different abilities compared to their pre-mutation counterparts.
　They have strong physical strength and the ability to regenerate completely even after losing much of their body. It has an intelligence beyond that of humans, but most of all, what makes it different from the undead is that it is highly resistant to magic.

　And that's why smart necromancers don't turn their undead into vampires.
　Vampires are highly resistant to sorcery. The same is true for necromancy.

　Vampires who are raised by necromancers often kill their parents who created them.
　They look down on people because of their superior abilities and are jealous of people because they have weaknesses that people do not have. Vampires with the ultimate power of death sometimes cannot even take orders, which should be absolute.
　This monster is not something that humans can handle. Vampires can be called the most harmful of all the curses created by necromancers.

　That is why the wiser necromancers who live longer do not create vampires.
　The only necromancers who create vampires are either third class who are too stupid to realize that they are beyond their control, or first class necromancers who have the power and confidence to control even their own existence.

　A vampire is a monster that can kill a third level knight single-handedly. If they show up in a battle against necromancers, it is recommended to retreat and rethink your strategy.

　But don't worry about that. If you can control vampires, you should be more aggressive.
　Since the undead are extremely vulnerable to sunlight, the timing of their use is crucial.

　Just then, Senri's ears caught the sound of light footsteps coming from nowhere.
　She stopped, looked up, and turned her clever eyes to the light. It wasn't her imagination.

"Wait, ...... is coming.

　Lefley and the others had already stopped as well.

　There were quite a few footsteps. The crunch of something hard scraping against metal.
　At the sound, he imagined the enemy's identity, and his hand tightened on his sword.

　Then it appeared from across the passage. Lefley clicks his tongue.

...... Scare Crimson Knights?

There are too many of them.

　A lot of them." The reddish bone knights rushed in with a high-pitched bang. There are too many of them to line up side by side in the narrow passage.

　The Scare Crimson is a special kind of skeleton that has been blessed with darkness by a necromancer.
　The strengthened and coated skeletons are resistant to the blessings of the Demise Knights, and they are fearsome beings that will attack you even after being purified.

　Still, the power of light is great. If you use Soul Release with all your might, you will be able to penetrate and purify the blessings of darkness.
　However, it was clear that the enemy's goal was to wear Senri and the others down.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it, but I'm going to try.

"Hey, Senri. I'm not going to use it.

"...... I know.

　This is not yet the enemy's main mission.
　In the event that you've got a lot of money, you're going to need to be able to pay for it. If you want to conserve your strength, you should kill them one by one.

　Just then, I heard a door open behind me. The sound of countless footsteps came from behind me as well. Thelma raises her voice sharply.

"...... Oh, I'm trapped!

I didn't feel any sign of you. ...... Were you hiding behind a ward?



　Countless Scare Crimson Knights emerge from the room you've just passed through. Their bodies are protected by metal armor, and their hands, wrapped in baskets, hold swords and shields.

　It is probably the bones of a mercenary skilled in battle. There was a certain skill in the way he carried himself with both caution and vigor.
　Thelma's silver arrow, aimed at the skull, was easily sliced away by the sword.

　I'm sure there are individual differences, but I never thought I'd be able to put together such a large amount of warrior bones--

"Be careful.

Who do you think you're talking to?

Let's go!

　Even if they are protected by armor and reinforced by the Dark Blessing, they are still undead.
　A single blow from a blessed weapon can purify them. At Senri's words, his friends quickly dispersed.

　Leaving his back to his companions, Senri aimed his shining sword at the bone knight attacking him from the front.


§§


　The mace shattered the bone body with its armor, and the blessed arrows that entered the gap in the armor purified the evil being.
　Although Senri and his men specialize in defeating the Dark Ones, they are not bad at fighting other people. The battle was in Senri's favor from start to finish.

　The Scare Crimson Knights were powerful and skilled, but they didn't know how to retreat. He was controlled by the Necromancer, and that was his weakness.

　None of his companions were seriously injured, and the number of knights he had already purified exceeded twenty. The floor was littered with the countless armor of the purified Red Bone Man knights.

I'm not sure how many there are.　How many of them are there?

"Shut up and kill them!

　However, even at that stage, the number of enemies did not seem to have decreased.

　The momentum of the bone knights attacking them was unstoppable, and the swords they were swinging while shattering the armor of their comrades were powerful enough to injure even the demise knights with enhanced physical abilities if they were taken seriously.
　The miasma was slowly eroding the blessings. The expressions on the faces of my companions showed fatigue and a slight sense of conflict.

　How many troops does the enemy have? Wouldn't it be better to return to the city and rebuild?

　On the other hand, the enemy, being undead, has no worries.

"Don't be hasty!　Hey!

"......

　You'll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the following article.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. The blade pierced his armor, and the contents of the skeleton knight turned to dust and crumbled away.

　You're on the edge. Blessing is not infinite, but neither is physical strength. The five of us are holding our own, but if even one of us collapses, we'll be at an even greater disadvantage.
　Lefley and the others are worried about Senri's exhaustion. But Senri is also worried about his friends.

　There is no time to make a decision. The Scare Crimson knight is not the same as the undead he fought in the forest.
　If I cleanse the army with Soul Release here, how many more times can I use it?
　Two?　Three?

I'm fine. I still have power.

"......

　Lefley and the others didn't answer.

　We have to do this. It's a shame to do what they want, but it's impossible to purify this many undead with the blessing of a third level knight.
　I made up my mind, fought off the knight who thrust at me, and put the power of my blessing into my sword.

　Just as he was about to unleash his power, Senri saw someone he didn't expect.

　Blending in with the skeletal knights was a human woman. She wore a black slave badge around her neck and looked at him, pale.
　The decision was instantaneous. She put an excessive amount of power into her sword and the light exploded.

"Soul Release!

　My hands trembled with a tremendous sense of emptiness.
　The excess of power that was contained in the sword became a dazzling radiance that passed through the narrow corridor. The Scare Crimson knights who touch the light turn to dust in an instant. Not even the blessings of darkness can protect them from the storm of light.

　The light fades. The sound of falling armor and weapons echoes. Your knees threaten to shatter, but you hold on with all your strength in your dantian.

　I open my purple eyes and check the situation.
　Not a single Scare Crimson Knight was left in the corridor where there had been a staggering number of knights just now.

　The only person standing in the corridor, which was littered with armor that had lost its contents, was the woman Senri had seen just before she had released the cleansing light.
　In her right hand was a small knife, too weak compared to the weapons of the Scare Crimson knights.

　Soul Release is a technique used against the undead. No matter how much power you put into it, it will not harm humans.
　I knew that, but I still breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

　Thank God. .......

　The woman had dark hair and a pale complexion. She was dark-haired and pale, and her body was not well-fleshed, as if she hadn't been eating well.
　I wondered if she was a slave of Holos Kamen, since she was mixed in with the undead.

　And that face was familiar. I remembered seeing her on the street just the other day and casting a healing spell on her because she didn't look well.

　The woman looked dumbfounded, throwing her gaze from side to side. Senri took a slow deep breath to regulate his breathing, which could become ragged if he was not careful.


　The darkness is still here. But this was the end for the Scare Crimson Knight.

　I felt a heavy fatigue in my body. But not so much that he couldn't fight.

　I think his name was ...... Lu?　

"Idiot!　Senri, what a lot of power you--!

I'm ...... so proud of you, husband .......

　I'm not sure if you've seen this before. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to be injured.
　I open my arms to hold him.

　The moment his bony shoulder was about to touch your hand, the small knife in his right hand unexpectedly jumped up.

　The blade, dull in color and seemingly unsharp, was aimed at Senri.

　It was a very poor attack. The speed was slow, and her hand was trembling.
　It was a blow that Senri could easily take, even though she was exhausted after using all her strength.

　His consciousness went blank for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. An amateur's blow was easy for Senri, who had defeated many of the Dark Ones in the past, to avoid or take. Even if she were to take the blow unprotected, it would be impossible to inflict a fatal wound on Senri, who was protected by her blessing.

　She twisted her head and shifted her body out of the path of the knife. The blade passes right by Senri.



　And then - right in front of Senri's eyes - Luu was blown wide open.



　The arm that was trying to hug her flies through the air. There was a soft thud as she fell to the ground.

　Luu was lying on the floor, eyes wide open. There's a silver arrow stuck in his chest. Thelma's arrow.
　Blood drools from her pale lips. Her arms and legs are twitching.

　Your thoughts go blank for a moment, and you rush over. But it was clear that the wound was already fatal.

　His life was slipping away. All Senri could do was watch.
　Thelma said with a mixture of anger and sadness in her voice.

I know how you feel, but ...... what were you thinking, letting the minions of a necromancer in unprotected?

"Huh. ...... This time, ............ Thelma is right. No matter how much of a slave you are, you never know what they've got in store for you. You know that. You know the story of the Knight of the End who rescued a captive from a necromancer and was eaten by the monster that turned him into one.

　Lufrey's words slipped through my ears. I understand the meaning of the words. But I can't get them into my head.
　I lift up the body, which has almost no lean flesh. It's so light it doesn't feel like a human body.

　I knew it. A necromancer is one who strays from the path of humanity and creates tragedy.
　As a Knight of the End, Senri had seen many tragedies. I can't even begin to count the number of people I've failed to save.

　Nevilla looks down at the dying Lu with cruel eyes.

"It's not our job to save them. Our job is to destroy. Our job is to save tragedy before it happens.

"............

　Demon knights are cruel. I'm not sure if you're a first class knight or not.
　I'm sure that even if Epe was here, a first class knight with a fighting ability far beyond Senri's, the end result would have been the same.

　Death is salvation for the demise knight who fights the necromancer who plays with souls.

　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it. The only thing I could hear was the sound of her breathing.
　Tears flowed from both of her eyes. Finally, Luu smiled slightly, closed her eyelids, and lost her strength.

　With trembling hands, he laid his still warm body on the floor. He bites his tongue hard and stumbles to his feet, controlling his emotions.

　He grips his sword so tightly that his hands turn white.
　No one touched Senri. He just quietly asks Senri, "Can you fight?

"Can you fight, ......?

"If we defeat Horos, ...... we will build a tomb.

　Senri said quietly in a trembling voice, and gritted his teeth as he looked ahead.


§



　The necromancer waited patiently for Senri and the others in the center of the house, in a large open hall.
　There was no resistance after the Scare Crimson Knight. But it was clear that this was not the last move.

　Holos Kamen was an old man. He led two skeletal knights with something behind them, and stood calmly.

　His features were wrinkled, his hair was dyed white, and only his eyes were glittering with vitality. His small body was covered with a jet-black robe, and he held a short staff in his right hand.
　His master, Epe, is ageless due to his overflowing positive energy, but the man in front of him is ageless in another sense.

　As I look into his cloudy eyes, I feel as if I am peering into an unfathomable darkness.
　A strange blood magic circle is drawn on the carpet. Lefley and the others gasp at the evil presence.



"At last, you have come, ...... Knight of the End, ...... fearsome one, to kick my camp to the curb and reach this point. ......

"Holos Kamen. In the name of Senri Sylvis, one of the Knights of the End, ...... I kill you!

"Hmm. ............ Looks like Lou was helpful.

"Yes!

　Senri's words, and those of his natural enemy, the Knights of the End, did not faze Horus Kamen in the slightest.

　Persuasion is impossible. I want to tell him how Luu died and question him, but that's not possible.
　The being in front of you is not like Luu. He's all evil. He's gone his own way.

　I can't move an inch. It's not because of fear. It's because of the inner workings of Holos Kamen.

　Now Horos looks defenseless. But that's a mistake.
　There's a negativity in this hall I've never felt before. Holos Kamen cries out.

"But my art is already done. This is a different world now. Those who interfere with my longing, let them die with the power of death in their eyes!

　The ground and the air trembled. The ground and air trembled. The two skeletal knights suddenly collapsed, and the black object in their hands flew to the center of the magic circle.

　--And then it unexpectedly took shape.

　Senri understood. It was-- fangs. Two giant fangs.
　Lufrey and the others stepped back, their faces pale. They must have realized the true nature of the technique.

　Darkness gathers around the fangs. Arms with razor-sharp claws, huge wings that block out the sunlight, fangs that bite through everything, and eyes that shine.
　Holos Kamen smiles high in the sky.

"Behold!　This is the secret of my necromancy!

"Nonsense. ...... With just two fangs...

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.

　You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
　Originally, to create undead from a corpse, the majority of the corpse had to remain intact. At the very least, Senri had never heard of creating an undead being with only two fangs.


　It was a black evil dragon.

　Wings, fangs. Claws. A huge tail. Smooth skin covering its body and blood vessels standing out clearly beneath it. What it lacked in flesh and blood, it made up for in pure darkness, and its height was too great to fit in the house. Its head broke through the ceiling with ease, and the sunlight shone on its black body.

　The evil dragon roared. As if in rebellion against the sun.

　Holos Kamen cried out, commanding.

"Now, kill!　Guardian of death, guardian of the underworld!

　How evil. How long have you studied this?
　The negative energy of his jet-black existence far surpassed that of the vampires Senri had fought in the past.

　The energy of destruction gathered in his wide open jaws.
　The concentration of power was instantaneous. Jet-black energy swirled as if a hole had been left in the world.

　And then the flames were unleashed.
　The black flames turned into rays and engulfed Senri and the others. It resembled the breath of a dragon, the most powerful of the phantoms.

　But Senri was not daunted.

　He just focused his mind as usual, looked at the approaching death, and put all his blessings into the sword.
　Then he swung his sword.

"Photon Delight.

"!

　The light from the sword's body became a meteor and swallowed the dark flames.
　He then proceeded to extinguish the flames without any conflict, and extinguished the half body of the evil dragon.

　My strength drained. My head hurts from exhaustion. My body is about to collapse.
　But his eyes were fixed on Holos Kamen.

　Annihilation. It was the work of Epe, Senri's master.
　The technique is simple, yet it has the potential to slaughter all the Dark Ones.
　It is a complete power move. It was also the technique that Senri was most suited to.

　The power it consumes is quickly replenished.
　It's in his nature. Epe, his teacher, called Senri's constitution, the vast power in his body, a soul that kept climbing.

　It was a blessing the gods gave Senri to become a Knight of the End.

　His strength had been drained along the way, but it was enough to blow away the necromancer.
　Senri has never lost a blessing in battle before.



That's ridiculous. ...... still has all this power.

I'm sorry, but you're going to die.

You're not ...... a first-class knight, are you?

You will be.

　This is not Lu's revenge. This is not a vendetta.
　This is a divine order given to Senri Sylvis, the Knight of the End.

　The evil dragon, with half of its body missing, regains its body through the power of Horos.

　As Senri faced it, he gathered his blessing on his sword again and swung it down with a little more strength than usual.