I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 21: The Cursed Sword (2)

The cursed sword briefly cleaved through the flames but it couldnt completely extinguish them.

The flames which filled the room gradually subsided after some time.

The flames had engulfed Dales armor, melting parts of it here and there. His physical condition wasnt great either.

Dale didnt pay much mind to that. Instead, he looked around.

He saw Hasinas body sprawled on the floor.

Surprisingly, Hasina was still alive.

The head that had been split in half had somehow reattached itself.

Tough one, arent you.

However, injuries other than on her head hadnt healed. Her eyes were dull and her life was slowly fading away.

Even with the power of a demon, surviving such a blow was impossible.

Dale approached her.

Hasina stared at the ceiling with a vacant look.

If I knew it would end like this, I wouldnt have followed Argul.

Dale responded to her.

So what if not Argur? Were you planning to follow Ganiagos instead?

This was one of the demons Dale faced in the game.

The Idol of mages and wizards.

An annoying enemy known for using bizarre spells.

Hasina laughed.

Heh, hehe. Have you been living under a rock? Ganiagos has been long gone.

Dale hesitated for a moment and then quickly asked,

Hes dead? Who killed him?

Hasina did not respond.

She continued to let out an irritating laugh and spouting only what she wanted to say.

Undead, revel in your victory as much as you like. My master has seen you through my eyes, and he will surely avenge me.

Just a moment ago, you were regretting choosing Argul.

Ah, the stars are drawing closer. Im about to become dust and disappear without a trace in this vast universe.

Hasina seemed to be out of her mind as she muttered incomprehensible words. Then suddenly, her facial expression changed.

It was a distinctly human expression, unlike anything she had shown before.

What have I done? What atrocities have I committed? I just wanted power for revenge. Mother, Father!

With a swift motion, Dale beheaded Hasina. He then drove his gauntlet into her heart.

A tremendous surge of life force and soul force flowed into him.

The melted portions of his armor rapidly restored to their original state.

Dale didnt bother to delve into Hasinas memories. Frankly, he wasnt interested.

Everyone has their own story.

Hasina, for her own reasons and story, betrayed humanity and served demons.

But one thing was important.

Hasina had become a servant of the demons and committed many sins.

That was all Dale needed to know. He was simply content with that.

My grade might just go up after this.

More growth and a stronger sword.

Dale had gained a lot from this request. Now, it was time to return.

Before leaving the ruins, Dale beheaded Hasina a few more times.

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He did this considering the possibility of her reviving as a servant of the demons.

Having completed his final task, Dale left the room without any hesitation.

It was as if the recent commotion had been an illusion. A cold silence settled over the ancient dwarven ruins.

***

As soon as Dale left the ruins, he encountered Harkin and Esther, along with Balton whom they were supporting.

The three were surprised to see Dale emerging alone.

S-Sir Dale!

Is it really you, Sir Dale? You havent turned into a servant of the demons, have you?

Dale frowned.

Why are you here? I told you to run away.

Esther and Harkin exchanged looks and hesitated in their response.

Well, we just couldnt leave you behind

I somehow felt that Sir Dale would win.

One stayed out of conscience, and the other because they believed Dale would win.

The sentiment of not abandoning their companions was commendable, but

If I had been defeated, someone should have relayed the news to the guild. But you would have likely ended up captured by the servant since you were just standing here.

Yes

Hmm.

Especially you Harkin. Even if Esther didnt know, you, with your long experience as a mercenary, should not have done this.

Dale was right.

What help could they have provided to Dale by waiting here?

The logical action was to run without looking back. That would have been rational.

Harkin awkwardly scratched his head and said,

Sir Dale, Im sorry. We should have run I have no excuse.

This was unexpected.

Dale thought of Harkin as a seasoned mercenary.

He always tried to make the best decisions, even when chased by the one-eyes in the past.

But now, that cool-headedness seemed absent in the mercenary.

Had Dale misjudged him?

Or perhaps theres been a change in his feelings.

Suddenly, Dale remembered seeing him crying alone in the tavern.

Could the death of a long-time friend have changed Harkin?

Dale decided not to press further.

Regardless, Dale had emerged victorious and returned alive.

Though he now had doubts about Harkin and Esthers judgment,

At least he knew they werent the type to abandon their companions in the heat of battle and flee.

That was enough for him.

Gradually, a dim light had begun to cover the sky.

They had spent the entire night in battle.

However, Esther and Harkin were too exhausted to depart immediately.

Balton also seemed to need more rest.

The group lit a campfire and gathered around it.

Harkin basked in the warmth of the fire and muttered,

Before we started this task, I never imagined wed be fighting a demons servant. Oh, by the way, Sir Dale, did you find any valuable items? Didnt the servant have any jewels or gold?

No. Even if there were any, they would have melted in the fire.

Oh, I see. So it was a fruitless task this time.

Instead, I found this.

Dale briefly explained how he defeated Hasina and then showed them the black longsword.

Esther, Harkin, and Balton all showed great interest.

So, the faithless Dwarven Kingdom really existed? Huh, I always thought it was just a made-up tale.

Harkin exclaimed in pure astonishment.

It doesnt give me a very good feeling. Wouldnt it be better just to discard it?

Esther regarded the sword with distaste.

Finally, Balton observed the longsword in silence for a while.

Then he closed his eyes and muttered.

The Blasphemer.

Dale asked,

The servant also referred to it by that name. Is it well-known?

To those interested in relics, its quite a famous story. I never thought Id see it in person.

Dale gestured with his chin, urging him to explain further.

After organizing his thoughts, Balton began,

In the distant past, there were dwarfs cursed by the God of Light. Why they were cursed and what the curse entailed arent known. All that is known is that it was a terrible curse. God probably hoped the dwarfs would repent and seek forgiveness. However, these irreverent Dwarves did not do so and instead rejected their faith.

Huh, crazy fools.

Harkin muttered under his breath, while Esther shook her head with a scowl.

Balton continued,

Due to the curse, the dwarfs fell one by one. Eventually, only the king remained. The king spent a hundred days and nights forging a single sword, imbuing it with the kingdoms desires. That is

This one.

Thats right.

Dale lifted the cursed sword and examined it closely. When he heard the history behind it, it seemed different to him now.

Then he noticed characters engraved on the blade. Dale pointed to them with his finger.

What are these characters?

Ancient Dwarven script.

Can you read it?

Balton nodded slightly and then spoke.

Stand tall by ones own strength without dependence.

Dale turned his gaze back to the sword, tracing the engraved script with his finger.

He wondered if the last dwarf king, who was left alone, had engraved this sentence with a sound mind or in madness.

Balton too kept his eyes on the sword as he concluded his explanation.

According to legend, this cursed sword can cut through all divinity. Its said that only a nonbeliever can wield it It seems that might have been a falsehood.

I have a question.

Please speak

Dale set the sword down on the ground and asked,

This sword cut through the servants flame. Im not certain, but it seemed like a flame created by a spell, not divinity.

Are you asking how it could cut through a spell?

Yes.

Balton shrugged and answered,

To the Dwarf king, there might have been no difference between a spell and divinity.

I see.

Hmm. Hmmmm. Lets leave it at that.

Hearing the conversation, Esther couldnt help but interject. To her, the talk was too profane and blasphemous.

Harkin who was dazed by it all then spoke up.

Um, this is a bit of a complicated conversation for me. Anyway, there was a great magic sword, and a demon servant came here looking for it, right?

Balton burst into laughter.

Hahahaha. Thats a goof explanation. I have no idea how she found a relic that had been buried for thousands of years, though.

After that, the group remained silent. As they relaxed, fatigue quickly overtook them.

Everyone fell asleep, except for Dale.

Dale removed his helmet, warmed his pale face by the fire, and pondered many things.

The demon servant. The tremendous power of a demon she had shown. The Blasphemer. The faithless dwarfs.

And the demon that was said to have already died.

Demons dont die that easily.

This place was the same as the game Dale used to play. Thanks to that, Dales memory could be put to good use.

However, not everything was the same.

Most notably, the era was slightly different. The moment Dale was in now was five years after the games setting.

Dale thought about the past he had seen through his computer monitor five years ago, which was, in fact, the setting of the game.

It was a dreadful era when the demons forces threatened to engulf the entire continent.

An end-of-the-century atmosphere where it felt like the world could end the next day.

A bleak worldview where, if not saved by the player, destruction was inevitable.

But what about now?

The situation on the front lines had reached a stalemate. Rather than being helplessly pushed back by the demons, the battle lines were solidified.

He saw mercenaries like Harkin returning to the cities. This was proof that there was now some breathing room.

What exactly has happened?

In Dales memory, the demons were unreasonably strong enemies.

The game developers were criticized for poor balance, so players always had to be cautious when facing demons.

They needed thorough preparation, to pour all their effort, and sometimes resort to clever tricks. Sometimes, they even changed their class to face the challenge.

Even so, they ultimately failed to conquer the demon king.

Thats how powerful the demons were.

The idea that such monsters had been vanquished was hard to believe.

Of course, this place was merely another reality with a setting similar to the game.

It wasnt strange to think that, without relying on gamers, the people of this world had united their strength to hunt down the demons.

.

Whenever he pondered this dilemma, he always arrived at the same question.

Who exactly summoned Dale to this place, and why?

There was a time when he nearly agonized over this mystery every day.

But pondering alone never yielded any answers.

As of now, only the Goddess of Night could possibly provide an answer to this question.

Yet the Goddess of Night did not offer a response.

She merely pointed him in a vague direction toward a solution.

Uh, how long have I slept?

The sleepy voice of Esther broke Dales train of thought.

Esther looked at Dale and raised one eyebrow.

Is there something on your mind?

Why?

Just asking. You seem more serious and thoughtful than usual. Its just my feelings.

Its nothing like that.

Thats good to hear. Take some rest, Sir Dale.

Nodding his head, Dale put his helmet back on.

His mind was cluttered, but his path was clear.

Become stronger and persevere. That way, he might grasp what he desires at the end of his journey.

Dale thought this as he looked at the fledgling priestess who was gazing at him strangely.

It wasnt time to rest yet.