Paladin of the Dead God

A deep, eerie sound echoed, similar to the sound of a horn or bubbles bursting. At the same time, a warm, unpleasant wind swept through, like being atop a warm-blooded creature.

The Grasp of the Abyss’s size can be adjusted by Isaac, but it can never be larger than the extent of the Color Beyond. So, within the space enveloped entirely by the Color, just how massive of a creature from the depths could be summoned?

Isaac felt vibrations as if an earthquake was shaking the ground. It was the sound of the atmosphere trembling.

The Reaper, sensing the anomaly, ceased its attack on Isaac and began to assess the situation. With the Color surrounding it on all sides, it was impossible to predict where the Grasp of the Abyss would emerge from.

‘Where’s it coming from? The walls? The ground?’

It was neither.

The sky was opening up.

For a moment, Isaac thought the Concealed Rite’s veil had been broken, but that was not the case. Instead, a massive eye had simply opened its eyelid in the sky. A soft yellow eye, tinged with an ominous red light, appeared like a second moon, its mere presence vibrating the atmosphere.

‘What in the world…?’

Even though he was the one who had summoned it, making eye contact with it caused his heart to feel crushed by the sheer pressure of its presence.

It was at least an angel, or something equivalent to an angel.

[The Nameless Chaos observes you.]

The Nameless Chaos forcibly neutralized Isaac’s psychological pressure, allowing him to regain his composure.

‘So the Grasp of the Abyss was borrowing the power of an angel?’

An angel affiliated with the Nameless Chaos?

Considering its immense power, it made sense. Even if it was only borrowing a limb or a single finger rather than the entire angel, it was still a terrifying power.

But this time, it seemed like the shoulder or even the head had been summoned.

Then, enormous tentacles began to slide out from the sky.

KWA-RRRR! Each tentacle was as thick as a tower and as long as a lightning bolt.

They were countless, and it was nearly impossible to discern their forms as each tentacle possessed its own lips, fingers, eyes, teeth, and claws, ripping and tearing everything in sight as they descended.

It was a terrifying storm of tentacles.

Have you ever tried to catch a mosquito with your bare hands?

That was precisely how the Reaper appeared. Except, from the mosquito’s perspective.

Catching a mosquito with your hands isn’t easy, but once caught, it’s crushed instantly. In the same way, the frenzied flailing of the Reaper’s scythe cut through a few tentacles, but it was like a mosquito bite compared to the sheer size of the creature.

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And finally, the Grasp succeeded in snatching the Reaper.

Whether or not killing an unavoidable death was possible was unknown. However, as the Abyss finally seized the Reaper’s scythe, the Reaper’s ethereal body was also caught in the tentacles.

The Reaper thrashed desperately with its scythe.

Isaac didn’t miss the opportunity. He quickly wielded Kaldwin, sprinting along the tentacles that had reached the ground. The acceleration feature of Kaldwin activated, propelling Isaac to the Reaper’s face in an instant.

Isaac mustered every ounce of strength, unleashing his most powerful sword technique against the vulnerable Reaper.

Psst, psss! A cracking sound resounded, and Kaldwin momentarily turned jet-black. The energy from the sword seemed to absorb all colors from its surroundings, enveloping the area in monochrome shades. The ominously burning blade split the world.

Cedric’s Swordsmanship: Horizon of Death.

KWA-D-R-R-R-RK! A sound unlike anything Isaac had ever heard tore through the air. Isaac watched as the Reaper’s scythe shattered before his eyes. Agonizing feedback wracked his body as he barely managed to land.

With its scythe lost, the Reaper was left utterly defenseless.

The sound of something being torn and crushed came from the Reaper as it was completely ensnared by the tentacles.

***

The Grasp of the Abyss lingered for a moment, writhing at the spot where the Reaper had been.

Isaac was reminded of a sea anemone.

Sea anemones appear to sway aimlessly with the current, but in reality, their tentacles capture and consume plankton and other nutrients. It moved in much the same way.

‘Did it… eat the Reaper?’

Exhausted, Isaac could only think about how he wished the creature would share some of what it consumed.

The Horizon of Death was a powerful technique, but every time he used it, the aftermath left his entire body’s muscles and nerves on the verge of being torn apart.

For an ordinary person, it was essentially a suicidal move. Isaac only attempted it because he trusted his regenerative abilities to handle the consequences.

‘Once I get out of here, I’ll need to replenish myself.’

As the battle ended, the veil of the Concealed Rite slowly lifted, allowing sunlight to filter in.

Isaac managed to stand by leaning on Kaldwin, having recovered just enough strength to move. His legs still trembled, but he couldn’t be sure if the Reaper was truly defeated.

Or if it could even be killed at all.

‘Huh? Kaldwin?’

At that moment, Isaac realized that Kaldwin’s appearance had changed.

When the Reaper’s scythe was shattered, fragments of it had embedded themselves into Kaldwin, transforming its once elegant form into something resembling a vicious saw blade used by mercenaries.

Isaac quickly checked Kaldwin’s status:

[Corrupted Holy Sword Kaldwin (EX+)]

[A practical sword wielded by Elil himself on the battlefield. Made of a unique metal not found in this world, it never breaks or dulls no matter what. Can accelerate its wielder up to three times a day for a short period. If held by anyone other than Elil’s champion, it will impale its wielder’s neck.]

Up to this point, everything seemed the same except for the name change, but additional descriptions followed.

[When Holy Grail Knight Isaac destroyed the Reaper’s scythe, Kaldwin absorbed fragments of the scythe. The sword’s aura has grown stronger, with added effects: life drain against the living and soul damage against the dead.]

Isaac had never seen an item with his name on it before. To think it would be attached to Elil’s holy sword, even if it was “corrupted.” Isaac’s actions had etched his name into Kaldwin’s history.

But instead of feeling exhilarated, Isaac was struck with a sudden dread.

‘What if that crazy inbred elf gets angry and asks what I did to his sword?’

He decided it was best not to draw attention to Kaldwin or mention it publicly for the time being. Although the sword’s unintentional upgrade was a welcome improvement, it was best kept quiet—especially with more battles against the Immortal Order on the horizon.

Isaac tried to sheath Kaldwin, but the jagged edges made it impossible to fit back into its scabbard. Frustrated, he wrapped the blade in a scrap of cloth instead.

He then headed toward the site where the Reaper’s scythe had shattered, still uncertain if the Reaper was truly dead.

‘I haven’t received a mission completion message yet.’

If he had killed the Reaper, the mission from the Nameless Chaos to “survive the Reaper” should have been marked as complete. As Isaac approached the spot where the scythe had been destroyed, the scattered fragments began to wriggle and reassemble.

“Damn it.”

At the earliest, it would take half a day; at most, a full day for the Reaper to recover.

From the partially restored pieces alone, it was clear the Reaper would never fully regain its original form or size. Still, even a partial recovery would mean Isaac would never sleep soundly again.

Isaac briefly considered taking one of the larger shards as a keepsake but didn’t want to risk it stabbing him in the back when he least expected it.

Ultimately, the Reaper would undoubtedly return to pursue him.

Isaac knew he couldn’t afford to keep facing off against the Reaper every time, no matter how spectacularly he managed to destroy it.

In the end, he would have to pay the tax.

***

Isaac was lost in thought as he walked, eventually finding himself at the castle gate.

Coincidentally, he locked eyes with Edelred, who was just entering.

“Huh?”

“Oh?”

Both were startled by the sudden encounter, but Edelred quickly approached with a bright smile.

“Master, as expected, you’ve already finished! I thought maybe it was you when that ominous black pillar vanished. You never cease to amaze me! I wonder what kind of evil summoned something like that.”

“Oh, if you mean that black pillar, I was the one who summoned it.”

“Oh, is that so? To wield even such sinister powers with ease—you truly are remarkable, Master. For one so righteous, even evil can be as useful as a kitchen knife.”

Edelred accepted this explanation without a shred of doubt.

Only then did Isaac take a good look around. He had been too absorbed in his thoughts to notice, but Edelred’s presence at the fortress suggested their plan had succeeded.

“Were all the civilians safely evacuated?”

“Yes! Following your orders, Ciero’s Dawn Army and the residents have successfully evacuated. On the way here, I heard rumors that the Dawn Army was nothing more than a ragtag group of beggars, but they were surprisingly passionate, and Ciero himself seems like a decent man. I was shocked by how different he was from the rumors.”

“…”

Isaac decided not to mention Ciero’s past misdeeds for now.

It seemed that Ciero’s trial had come to an end. He had finally managed to turn the stroke of luck that was Isaac into a miracle.

“Oh, and we’ve captured what I guess you could call a prisoner. The leader of the enemy.”

“Their leader?”

“Yes. Batenna Kran. He called himself the Lord of Rehe Plains and King of Kran. We beheaded him, but he’s still… alive? Or moving, at least. It’s hard to tell with an undead. Normally, we’d burn them, but Ciero requested that we keep him alive for now.”

Isaac’s eyes widened as he quickly spoke up.

“Would it be alright if I met with him?”

***

Elil’s soldiers and knights continued mowing down the zombies like brittle straw. They had to be burned before they could spread disease or cause further damage elsewhere. Leaving them would risk their reanimation by other undead forces.

Isaac went to the tent where Batenna Kran’s head was being kept. Since he was royalty, they couldn’t simply toss his body aside, so they had set up a temporary shelter.

Inside the tent, Batenna Kran’s headless corpse lay to one side, while his severed head rested on a desk. He looked slightly older than Isaac remembered from the game, perhaps due to decay or the shock of betrayal—it was impossible to know.

Despite the putrid stench of decay, Isaac approached without flinching and respectfully bowed. Only then did Batenna Kran’s eyes slowly open.

“A Holy Grail Knight. I’ve heard of your reputation.”

Even without lungs, speech was not an issue. Undead communicate not with vocal cords but through a power akin to a miracle. Involuntarily turned undead, however, lack even the ability to speak.

“I am honored to meet the King of Kran.”

“The King of Kran? Are you mocking me? My fortress was stolen by rogues, who have now been chased out. And now foreigners and heretics are fighting like scavengers over what’s left. Kran Fortress is nothing but an empty house now—how can a king without territory still be a king?”

“I will return it to you.”

“What?”

Isaac spoke calmly.

“The King of Kran still stands here, albeit in a slightly different form. You are still the rightful king. Kran Fortress is yours.”

Isaac was desperate to pay his dues in full.