The Undead King of the Palace of Darkness

Even a vampire wouldn’t be able to avoid a fatal wound from the attack using all my force. In response, the action Mirage King took was ‘evasion’.

The Mirage King jumped. A bone spear pierces the place the King was at just a few moments ago. Rubble bursts open as if there was an explosion, and a big hole opens up in the ground. The jet-black flames hadn’t extinguished yet even though the spear had stopped.

Looking at the spear sticking into the center of a small crater, the Mirage king looks at his own palm, dumbfounded.

“Im… possible… I, the Mirage, — no matter how much of a desperate attack it was — evaded a novice King’s attack?!”

Was he underestimating me? No – that’s wrong.

Most likely the core of the reason for their existence, the existence of the Kings of the Death, is ‘power’.

Even though the Lord was aware of the Death Knights drawing near, he still didn’t choose to flee. The Necromancer that sent those undead after me at the old caste was the same.

They kept seeking power. Whatever the reason. And, as a result, they overcame death and came to be feared as Kings after continuing to fight for a long time.

The Mirage King lost to the Order of Death Knights. But, his pride hasn’t changed.

Perhaps it was too shocking, as the face of the Mirage King distorts.

“Im, possible…”

No, it’s possible. I’ll definitely kill you here. His endurance – if given time, and his immortality, he will soon be untouchable.

The right arm I lost ―― the cross section of my right shoulder is complaining of numb pain. The right arm that I twisted off and threw isn’t regenerating.

The bone spear, which was formerly my right arm, is still stuck in the ground.

Thinking back, the Sable I sucked blood from didn’t have a heart. The heart is the most important organ for the vampires, but even though it’s not like it never regenerates back, it remains missing.

I didn’t question it that time, but now I can understand it. The reason why Sable’s heart didn’t regenerate — was because she still had a magical connection to the heart she had hid somewhere. Just like how I do right now. Think. Make your mind churn. My physical abilities are better, he has more experience, and in addition, he has even mastered magic. At first glance it looks like I have the advantage, but if he doesn’t stop, he would turn the table on me.

How can I kill this guy?

At that moment, the Mirage King raised his face. Blood red eyes like the ones I also had before. His voice was different from before. It was solemn.

“Looks like, I have no other choice, but to admit it, King of the Palace of the Darkness. You are, strong… Maybe even stronger than the current me ―― Jet Nuumite Braklion.”

Names are important for the mages. Just like how the Lord once tried to tie me down by naming me. And, therefore, when they challenge somebody to a duel, they always name themselves.

Calmness returned to the Mirage King’s — Jet’s — face. He suppressed both his anger and sadness, declaring to me.

“I will kill you. On my name as the Mirage King, that has reigned over all since ancient times.”

I felt his consciousness switch. The Mirage King until now was undoubtedly wary of me too. He was using his full powers.

But, he wasn’t risking his life. This time he will undoubtedly come at me, prepared to die.

My expression naturally stiffened. Even though I wasn’t afraid even a little bit just a while ago… However, I can’t exactly run away.

I encourage myself. I change my stiff expression into a smile.

I have somebody to protect. He doesn’t. This is a big difference.

Be proud, End Baron.

During the fight with Albertus, I was the one being protected. Even though the fight with Rainel happened by chance, it all started with me.

Until now, I’ve always fought for myself. But this time is different. This time I am going to be fighting for my beloved, just like a human.

It’s fine, I can win. No matter how desperate he becomes, it’s not like his abilities can change.

I hold down the cross section on my right shoulder and glare at him, pouring all my killing intent into it. I transform my remaining left arm into a sword. I didn’t name myself, but Jet’s expression didn’t change.

Perhaps it was something like a kind of a switch for him.

“Thirsty. I am thirsty. Aah, you would not understand the feelings of somebody who had lost their desires for a long time.”

I do. Jet is sucking up power from the earth.

The rubble turned into sand and an enormous amount of mana gathered in one spot.

That magic was clearly different from before.

Darkness took a shape. A beautiful crystal sword formed in his hand. I noticed the power in that sword with a single glance. Its translucent polished blade was jet-black just like the darkness itself, sucking up the power of death from the surroundings.

This is most likely the secret technique of earth magic. A line of blood drips from the corner of Jet’s mouth. His regenerative ability isn’t working. His blood power is running out.

Jet swings his sword lightly. Its blade cuts through the darkness, through the atmosphere and makes a deep cut in the ground. It’s too ridiculous. It’s a repulsively sharp cut. It probably can’t be blocked even with a bone sword.

“The sword of daybreak. You would not know, this is the wisdom that was obsolete even in my time. Let’s do this – King.”

Daybreak. A word symbolizing dawn. It’s a sword that’s not very suitable for a vampire. Jet stepped in. He should be weakened, but his every move is as good as the last.

He’s not using any other magic anymore, but the pressure is stronger than before.

I can’t just optimistically think about it as just an ordinary sword. I transform the sword on my left arm into a longer one. There is a big difference between our reach. It’s my blade tip that reaches its destination first. Jet blocks the attack from his sideways with a sword.

There was almost no impact. A sword made from Sharp Claws that was far superior to the normal metal was soundlessly severed. I did expect this but what terrifying power. Just as I fell back, Jet stepped in, deeper. Continuous slashes. The blade of the crystal sword clearly reflected my face, that shouldn’t be reflecting in the mirror.

I blow Cursed Flames on him. I kick up the ground and block his view. But Jet’s advance doesn’t stop. He’s stepping in without defending or evading.

Even though he’s not using cheap magic like walls and the gravel, his attacks are starting to slowly but certainly cut into my body. A sharp pain that’s incomparable to the one I felt a while ago. I certainly heard the looming footsteps of death.

It’s not that I’m becoming timid. His advance just became bolder. He’s stopped defending with magic, putting all his strength into the sword. Strangely enough, it’s the same strategy I was using against the Mirage King earlier.

The definite difference in our physical abilities is meaningless at this point.

He’s thirsty. But even if he dries up right this moment, Jet most likely wouldn’t cease attacking. There’s not even an opportunity to push back his advance. Unlike before, right now, I should be able to use my vampire powers. But the enemy knows that.

In the extreme situation, the magic I chose was something I’ve been practicing all the time. The magic I learned from reading the handbook of everyday magic. I thought that I could use it some day. I know the weaknesses of vampires. The sword cuts deeply into my side. I chant.

“Create Water.”

“?!”

It’s a very elementary and common magic that creates a small amount of water from the air. But, in my hands, that only convenient magic becomes a sufficient means of attack. The air dries all at once. The extracted flowing water attacks Jet — and is swallowed by the large amount of soil that rises from the ground. “Idiot. As if you could beat me with spells.”

“?!”

It was overwritten. I was the one who cast the spell first, but he caught up to me.

I realize my mistake, but a sharp pain runs through my body even before I have time to feel regrets. I lose my balance. No — my legs have been cut off.

As I fall down, Jet’s blade mercilessly attacks me.

The sensations in my body are divided at once. I don’t even know where and how many times I’ve been cut.

When I regained consciousness, I was looking up at Jet.

My body — doesn’t move. No, I have — no body. My heart and the brain still seem to be fine, but as one would expect when your whole body has been severed into pieces, regeneration will take some time.

Jet also seemed to be wounded all over. His pale complexion had already turned ashen and his eyes were tinted with the maddening light. He stood above me, holding the crystal sword in an underhanded grip. Its tip was pointed towards my skull.

“Fuu, fuu… you are, quite capable. But, this is, the end.”

“Do you not, want to recruit me, as another vampire?”

The Mirage King frowned at the question I asked with the sliver of hope.

“As if I would. You would, not accept.” He understands me well. Looks like he understood me deeply in the short time of the battle. I can’t stand. I can’t hold a sword either. Looks like my limbs have been severed. I can’t move. I can’t regenerate in time either. I stopped struggling and relaxed.

I requested timidly.

“I have one last… thing to say.”

“… Say it.”

I’m not begging for life. I won’t tell him to save Senri either. Because even if I ask, he probably won’t listen. I’m dizzy. After preparing myself, I say the words that might become my last.

“Woof woof”

“… What did you say… ?!”

I heard howling. A dog wrapped in jet-black flames bit into the arm of the Mirage King that was looking down on me. It’s my right arm that was still severed from earlier.

The burning black dog leaned over him. Shaken by an unexpected surprise attack, the Mirage King tumbled.

What I transform into is a dog, but it’s not just an ordinary dog. I thought that I could do it. It’s known that true vampires can transform into a huge colony of bats. I was able to change just my face into a dog. In that case, changing just my severed right hand into a dog is the application of the same principle.

The flame burns the Mirage King’s armor. A scream echoes in moonlit night. Even if he won’t die, experiencing cursed flames for the first time must be painful.

I won the bet. Taking the chance, I concentrate my powers, regenerate the rest of my body except my right that’s doing its best as a dog and get up.

Having recovered from the pain, the Mirage King who slayed my loyal right arm, stands up. His anger, his feelings, crush into me.

“W-what a stupid magic trick.” Perhaps because the dog died, my right arm regenerated. Certainly, it’s a stupid magic trick. However, I regained my rhythm. I calmed down a little bit.

Jet is attacking me even more fiercely than before.

I receive the attacks that are fired continuously like an inferno without striking a pose. His blade barely misses me, barely not reaching my stomach and my whole body is blown away by a big horizontal swing.

But it doesn’t make contact. Jet’s expression stiffens and he steps in deeper, but it’s already useless.

Don’t you know? This is the evasion spell — which Avicord was using.

A spell that feels mana, fending off and evading the attack almost like a willow, not going against the flow of the air. No matter how powerful a weapon is, no matter how otherworldly sharp it is, it’s meaningless if it doesn’t make contact.

I only learned by watching, did I pull it off reasonably well?

In my opinion, the Mirage King was invincible. It’s exactly because he was invincible that he knows very little about evasion. The fact that my attack made a direct hit is proof of that.

A thick metal sword grows in the rear. Jet spits out a lot of blood. His flesh, that’s supposed to be immortal, is screaming. It’s no wonder.

It’s normally impossible to fight to this extent without drinking a single drop of blood. What a terrifying tenacity. And the insight to immediately see through the trick of the evasion from a slight incongruence.

All traces of mana have disappeared from the surrounding earth. The rubble and the soil have turned into fine sand, perhaps a side-effect of losing mana, and whirled up. It’s probably a temporary exhaustion, but this wall is the last magic.

The Mirage King steps in desperately, perhaps unable to afford to even talk anymore. Maybe because the exhaustion took rid of his wasteful movements, his gait, his bearing, is very refined compared to his first attack.

The strongest attack is unleashed from the strongest sword. On the other hand, my retreat route has been cut and I don’t even have ‘Blood Ruler’ that’s always been with me.

I just focus single-mindedly. The scenery and the swung down blade flow in slow motion. Jet’s distorted expression. I can see everything, even the joy that comes from satisfying his combat instincts, smoldering in the depth of his eyes. And, the moment that blade reached me – the Mirage King was pierced all over by the pillar of blood that had appeared from all directions. His expression froze in that state of delight. He had been caught entirely unaware. The blood stakes had run through him, his head and heart cleanly pierced.

“I had forgotten to mention it. I have power too.”