I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 55: The Duel (3)

The head of the Jophis family who was acting as the notary declared,

The duel before us is watched over by the gods themselves, and the participants shall uphold their honor. The outcome shall bind the loser to accept their fate without recourse to retaliation.

In essence, the duel should end with the duel.

Let everyone present, including myself, bear witness to this duel to ensure that both participants maintain their honor until the very end.

After this lengthy proclamation, the head of the Jophis family stepped back.

Kristen grinned. His teeth gleaming unusually white in the sunlight.

And then he announced,

Kristen of the Grail family.

Dale responded briefly,

Dale.

Kristen then lowered the visor of his helmet. It was a helmet with long horizontal straight slits for his eye sockets.

And then he raised a silver-white longsword with both hands. The swords blade was emitting a chilling aura which marked it as no ordinary weapon.

Dale and Kristen retreated to opposite ends of the dueling arena.

It wasnt a formally constructed arena but rather a basic one which was crudely separated from the spectators by a simple wooden fence.

The space was large, yet

Dale couldnt help but wonder why they had chosen such a place.

He positioned his longsword towards his lower abdomen and then aimed its tip at his opponents head.

The initial strategy was to maintain distance and size up the opponent.

However, Kristen seemed to have a different idea in mind. He grinned at Dale and cracked his neck.

Lets see what youve got, shall we?

In that moment,

Kristen kicked the ground

By the time Dale had refocused on Kristen, he was already closing in rapidly.

!

It happened in the blink of an eye.

The speed was so fast it was hard to react to. A terrifying charge.

Dale instinctively straightened his sword. A horizontally swung longsword clashed against Dales in a cross.

A loud clash echoed as a formidable force traveled through the blades.

Dale tilted the angle of his sword and tried to somehow deflect the force.

But his opponent was more experienced.

Kristen who seemed to be pushing with all his might suddenly withdrew his sword forcefully.

Damn.

Dale found himself losing balance and pitching forward.

At the same time, Kristen lifted his sword above his head. His arm was turning a pale blue as he enhanced his body with magical power.

He then brought the sword down in a swift motion.

The attack was so fast it was barely visible. It was a strike as quick as lightning.

This is dangerous.

Dale twisted his body with all his might to avoid a vital hit.

The sword struck Dales left arm instead.

There was a clash between the solid armor and the sword.

Swords were not inherently designed to break armor.

But this time was different.

It was the armor that buckled under the pressure.

Crush!

The armor was shattered and the flesh beneath was exposed.

Kristen skillfully twisted the angle of his sword and created a deep gash in Dales arm without severing it completely before forcefully retreated.

He had anticipated Dales tactic of offering up his arm to close the distance.

Now that there was some distance between them, Kristen let out a mocking laugh.

Foolish undead. I already know all about how your kind fights.

Dale caressed his arm from which cold blood was dripping steadily.

Indeed, his opponent was very strong just like he had expected.

The enhancement of physical abilities through magic is particularly troublesome.

Even a body already strong becomes further strengthened by magic and it starts exerting power beyond expectation.

And then there was the sword that was sharp enough to tear through armor without a scratch.

And he even had exquisite swordsmanship.

He had to admit it.

That detestable knight had every right to his arrogance.

Dale stood still for a moment and started reflecting on Kristens movements which prompted the latter to taunt him further.

Whats wrong? Got cold feet already? That would be unfortunate. We must entertain the spectators whove come all this way! Or perhaps, should I go easy on you?

Were those frivolous words meant to provoke Dale?

If so, he had succeeded.

Even the usually calm Dale was starting to get a little irritated.

As Dale raised his sword again, Kristen smirked with satisfaction.

Thats more like it.

With another forceful stomp, Kristen propelled himself forward.

That momentum was dangerous. Dale who realized that also rushed forward at the same time.

The two collided in the middle; their encounter was unlike any before. Swords clashed and retreated in a dizzying dance of steel.

Clang! Clash! Clang!

With every meeting of silver and black blades, sparks flew into the air.

The rapid and chaotic exchange mesmerized the onlookers.

They were captivated by the spectacle. This was the very kind of thrilling battle they had hoped to witness.

Wow, th-thats incredible.

Are they evenly matched?

Yet those with a keen eye for skill remarked calmly.

The dark knight is losing ground.

Yes.

Dale was well aware of this fact as well.

He found himself at a slight disadvantage with each clash of their swords.

Kristens strategies were consistently successful and Dales counterattacks were effectively blocked.

It felt like being toyed with.

That just went to show the overwhelming strength and technique of his opponent.

While Dales swordsmanship was honed through practical combat and experience, Kristens approach was the polar opposite.

His experience might have been limited but the efficient and systematic killing techniques he employed had been refined and evolved by numerous geniuses over a long period of time. These were not realms Dale could easily surpass.

Kristens mastery of the sword reached almost artistic levels.

As the battle dragged on, more and more scars covered Dales armor.

And as for Kristen, whenever there was an opening, he always pounced on it. Dale was losing more and more blood.

The fight was one-sided.

Yet there was something strange.

Why doesnt he go for a fatal blow?

Given Kristens skill, there had been several opportunities to inflict a fatal wound. Yet Kristen had refrained from doing so.

Was he wary of a hidden move Dale might have up his sleeve? No, that seemed unlikely given Kristens overly relaxed attitude.

It was as if he were . a bullfighter.

A matador who entertains the audience by wounding the bull step by step.

Kristen was making a mockery of Dale just as Erielle had predicted.

So thats how it is.

Dale must have been grossly underestimated.

Its time to change the flow of this battle.

Continuing like this would only lead to a slow defeat.

Dale wanted to probe deeper into his opponents skills but it was clear he had to resort to using his own trump card.

Dale clenched his fist and then he suddenly spread his fingers wide.

Whoosh!

A black mist spread out that enveloped both Dale and Kristen.

Kristen muttered with an air of nonchalance,

Ah, the black mist is it? But it seems its power isnt quite high yet?

Dale who has merged with the shadows didnt respond. Instead, he drew a hand axe from his holster and hurled it straight at Kristen.

Clang!

What a predictable move!

Kristen simply swung his sword and struck down the axe.

His keen senses did their job even though his vision was limited.

Kristen focused on his hearing. He could discern the sound of a blade slicing through the mist.

The axe is a feint. A sword thrust exploiting a brief opening? Far too obvious.

Kristen allowed a confident smile to spread across his face. He swung his sword toward where he anticipated the next attack would come from.

However, his expression quickly turned to one of surprise.

Huh?

The sword thrust came as expected.

But Dale who should have been wielding the sword was nowhere to be found.

Ah, another trick.

He hadnt expected a knight to abandon his sword.

Kristen hastily looked up, only to find Dale already reaching out with both arms.

This was the tactic he had used against Bordan before.

Yet Kristen was leagues beyond the likes of Bordan in skill.

In an instant, Kristens entire body shimmered with a blue light and his body was strengthened by magical power.

With a speed that was difficult for the eye to follow, Kristen thrust his sword at Dale, aiming for his chest.

Dale simply ignored the attack.

Ignoring everything else, Dale reached out with his left hand and grabbed Kristens arm.

At that moment, Kristens sword shattered Dales breastplate.

At the same time, a shockwave emanated from the relic glove covering Dales left hand.

Bang!

With a dull sound, the mist cleared.

The audience could finally see the outcome of the exchange.

Dales breastplate was severely dented.

However, it was so robust that the damage did not penetrate through to the inside.

Similarly, a part of Kristens right arm armor was slightly dented as well.

Because he got hit in the chest at the last moment he couldnt hold his grip properly. And so he failed to inflict satisfactory damage.

Yet this was enough to tarnish the perfect and effortless victory Kristen had desired.

That infuriated Kristen.

He gritted his teeth in frustration.

So, you rise when given an inch.

Killing intent flashed in Kristens eyes. The magical power that surged within him seeped firmly into his muscles.

When he enhanced his body, the remaining magical power dispersed through his eyes as a radiant glow which was ironically similar to that of a dark knight.

In the next moment,

Kristen kicked off the ground.

As the earth crumbled beneath him, he vanished from sight.

When Kristen reappeared, his sword was already thrusting towards Dales chest and he targeted the area already partially dented.

Crunch!

The armor gave way and blood spurted out.

Dale hurriedly reached for his sword in an attempt to counterattack.

But his blade cut through empty air. By then, Kristen was already behind him.

So fast?

Slash! Blood sprayed again as he was struck.

Dale swiftly turned around and slashed with his sword but Kristen was out of his line of sight once again.

His side armor was dented by a sword strike coming from his flank.

Feeling bewildered, undead? Thats what you get for provoking me.

Dale thrust his fist towards the sound. But, as if to mock him, Kristen leaned over his shoulder and whispered.

Its too late for regrets. Now, I will reveal your true face.

Slah!

His leg was deeply cut. Dale lost his balance and fell to the ground.

..

His whole body was covered with wounds.

He had bled too much. He was already low on blood and his armor was draining his life force as well.

Thirst overwhelmed him. He was desperate for life force.

I need life force. I must find some.

But where? The best option seemed to be killing that accursed knight and taking his life force but that appeared difficult at the moment.

Then

As Kristen watched Dale with an indifferent gaze, a satisfied smile formed on his face.

Good. This is just right. Its time to stop pretending to be human.

With that, he kicked Dales body with all the strength in his iron-clad boots.

Kristens body was enhanced by magical power and it had already far surpassed human limits.

Propelled by that incredible force, Dales body flew and crashed into the wooden fence that divided the dueling arena.

Thud!

The fence shattered with ease. And Dale, tumbling further, landed amidst the spectators.

Wh-What?

Huh.

There was a collective gasp of surprise.

Only then did Dale fully grasp Kristens intent.

He looked up at the surrounding spectators, each one wearing a face of shock and fear.

Their fear only served to stimulate Dale further. The undeads primal urge to prey on life began to stir within him.

Devour.

He could hear this command echoing from inside him.

At the same time, a conversation he had once had resurfaced in his mind.

Dark knights would heal by killing their enemies and when wounded in battle, they would kill nearby allies to recover.

He remembered now. It was a conversation he had with Balton.

The reason why dark knights were feared by people and unable to blend into society.

A dark knight was like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. And Dale was no exception.

The thirst grew more intense. Instinct began to overpower reason.

Dales condition was dangerous.

To survive, he needed to consume life force.

Gradually, he was becoming less the human Dale and more the undead Dale.

This cant happen.

He must not succumb to this instinct.

After all his declarations of proving his humanity, he couldnt just give in now.

He would rather embrace death. He must die as a human.

As his mind became clouded, a clear voice pierced through to Dale.

Sir Dale.

Dale lifted his head.

The spectators had all fled from him, but there were others who remained behind: It was Esther and Harkin.

Esther pointed to one side with her finger. The thing at the end of her pointed finger was a ring that emitted a soft light.

It was a ring Dale received from the priestess who had died unjustly.

How did it fall to the ground? Had his pocket been torn in the scuffle with the sword?

It wasnt a pressing concern at the moment.

According to Esther, the ring contained the spirit of an ancient hero and it would bestow immense power upon those with pure souls but only once.

Dale clasped the ring in his hand.

He wished, at that moment for strength.

The ring flickered with light several times.

Blink. Blink. Stop.

And then the light faded away as if it were all a lie.

..

..

..

After a moment of sizing up the situation, Harkin muttered.

Whats this? Nothings happening?

A flustered Esther murmured.

Ma-maybe the ring doesnt like Sir Dale.

..

Dale eyed the ring with confusion as he thought to himself,

These relics always have to be so hard to please.

But it is always Dale who chooses.

He grasped the ring with the hand donning the relic gauntlet and, using the last of his life force to its limit, unleashed a shockwave.

Boom!

The force was so intense it could have sent his fist flying. The ancient ring crumpled with ease. As it did, the spirit of the hero contained within escaped.

Dale immediately seized the spirit before absorbing it with all his might.

The spirit screamed in agony and resisted fiercely as if begging to be released.

Dale paid it no mind.

He focused solely on capturing the spirit and drawing its power into himself.

And just when he thought he had absorbed all its strength, the spirits resistance ceased.

Dale could feel a powerful and pure force pulsing within him.

He was certain.

If only for a moment, if only briefly,

He had become a being of a higher order.

Now it was time for the counterattack.