"Young master."
After returning from the Marquis, I was thinking about what to bring when Arin's voice came from outside the door.
"Come in."
Arin entered, dirt smudging her face and hair from training.
"The knight order accompanying you has been decided."
"Silver Eagle Knight Order, right?"
"You knew?"
Arin's voice rose slightly in surprise.
"Obviously. The Water Dragon Order just returned from the expedition, and the White Fang Order guards the family. Only Silver Eagle remains."
"I see."
The leader of the Silver Eagle Knight Order, Karox, was the older brother of the Marquis's wife, Kainas. He had a treacherous personality and had once tried to poison me, but he acted extremely loyal to the Marquis. That was why the Marquis had chosen him without hesitation.
Because I had warned them, things were quiet for now. But I knew neither Kainas nor Karox would stay still.
I had already warned them. If they touched me again, I would make them feel pain worse than death.
"You came just to tell me the order was decided?"
"Yes."
She had gathered the information and come straight to report it. The old Arin really had changed completely.
"Thanks."
"It's nothing. We depart the morning after tomorrow. The Magic Tower will provide warp support."
"Got it."
"Then I'll take my leave."
Arin bowed and left, immediately running back toward the training ground.
"I've changed a lot, but Arin has changed even more."
**
The next day, I visited Giranox.
"Is the repair I requested done?"
"Of course."
Giranox handed me a pitch-black belt containing ten throwing knives.
"Actually, there was nothing to repair. You used them cleanly."
"I told you when I left them—I only used them against the Sharkrai King."
"Haha! Right."
When I had asked him to repair the Twelve Secret Blades, Giranox had cried tears of joy upon hearing his weapon had killed the Sharkrai King.
"Anyone bothering you or making you uncomfortable?"
"No one. Everyone treats me so well it's almost burdensome."
"Good. I'm busy right now, so I'll visit again later."
"Ah, wait!"
I was about to head back to my room since preparations weren't finished, but Giranox urgently stopped me.
"The item you ordered is complete!"
"Already?"
"It was fun to make, so I worked through the night without noticing the time."
Giranox handed me an object wrapped in red cloth.
"Mm…"
Inside were two small sickles. The handles had holes, and the blades were sharply serrated like saw teeth.
"How is it?"
Giranox looked at me with the eager eyes of a puppy waiting for food.
"Not just good. It's perfect."
"Hahaha!"
These small sickles were the hidden weapons I had requested. In less than five days, he had created something even better than I imagined.
"I heard you're heading to a dangerous place, so I stayed up all night to finish them on time."
His sincerity warmed my chest.
"Thanks. I'll use them well."
"That's enough for me."
**
At dawn the next day, we headed to the warp site. Most people had already gathered.
"Peru."
"Yes."
"Check if the reported numbers match exactly."
"Understood."
After sending Peru to verify the headcount, I approached the Marquis, who wore a worried expression.
"Are you fully prepared?"
"Completely."
"You are in charge of this support mission. I've already spoken to Commander Karox. Show the Elion Ducal House the power of Rox."
"Understood."
"Young master, I'll be counting on you."
Karox, standing beside the Marquis, smiled and extended his hand.
I smiled back and shook it. The sight of me shaking hands with the man who had ordered my poisoning was pure comedy.
"Knight Commander, please take good care of your 'assistant.'"
"Khmm…"
Karox's face stiffened. He began squeezing my hand harder.
"Ugh."
But my body was the Celestial Martial Body. Without using internal energy, the strength in my grip alone made Karox's face twist.
"Kuuk."
I smirked and released his hand. Karox glared at me, face flushed.
"Yuren, these are the people you're responsible for. Say a few words before we depart."
"Marquis…"
"I already finished my speech before you arrived."
As I looked over the knight order, my eyes unexpectedly met someone else's.
"Colin? Why are you here?"
"I volunteered."
"I permitted it."
I glanced at the Marquis. He nodded awkwardly.
"Why are you heading to a dangerous place?"
"I want to become stronger."
Colin stared at me with steady eyes. They held a completely different light than before.
After the expedition, Colin had started greeting me properly and speaking respectfully. His mindset seemed to have changed a lot.
"Take good care of Colin."
"You're dumping too much on me."
"Hahaha! I'm saying it because I trust you. I'm counting on you."
The Marquis patted my shoulder heavily, as if entrusting everything to me.
"Peru, headcount confirmed?"
"Yes. Adding Young Master Colin makes it exact."
"Well done."
I stepped away from the group and climbed onto the platform so everyone could see me.
"Listen up."
Infusing my voice with internal energy, I didn't need to shout for my words to reach every ear clearly.
"From now on, we are heading to an extremely dangerous battlefield. Many have already died there."
"Ugh."
"Huk."
As I spoke, I released a crushing aura. Groans rose from the knights pressed by my pressure.
"One person's mistake on the battlefield can lead to everyone's death. From the moment we warp, anyone who disobeys my orders will be executed on the spot."
Everyone held their breath.
"If anyone has complaints, step forward now."
Naturally, no one moved.
The Silver Eagle knights, who had only heard rumors of my performance, couldn't even meet my eyes. Only Karox trembled, teeth clenched.
"None. Then we depart."
"Are you finished?"
"Yes. Please proceed."
"Then please come this way."
Following the mage who seemed to be in charge, we entered a large magic circle surrounded by sixteen mages.
"Please step inside and wait a moment."
As we entered the circle, the mages quickly began chanting.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, good luck."
A flash of light. The world changed instantly. Unlike the Magic Tower's warp, it shook quite a bit, but we had arrived safely—unfamiliar knights and soldiers surrounded us.
"You've arrived."
A handsome silver-haired man walked forward. He was tall enough that I had to look up.
"I am Kyle Elion."
Kyle Elion, the eldest son of the Elion family and older brother of Carik Elion, whom I had crushed.
"Yuren Rox."
"You really came. I've heard of your remarkable feats lately. We would be grateful if you lend us that strength."
"You flatter me. Where is Duke Elion? I should greet him first."
"I'll guide you."
Following Kyle, we headed to the highest point of the castle. In the top-floor room open on all sides without walls, a middle-aged man with short silver hair stood up as if waiting.
"So you're Yuren Rox? You really resemble your father. It's like seeing Marquis Rox in his youth."
"Yuren Rox, eldest son of the Rox family, greets Duke Roper Elion."
"No need to be so formal."
At the Duke's words, I stood and gave a slight bow.
"Thank you for coming to help. You and the Silver Eagle Knight Order will be a great asset."
"It's only natural."
"Hoho, the old rumors really can't be trusted. The recent 'Slayer' rumors seem to describe you perfectly."
"Not at all."
"What kind of performance will you show us this time?"
The Duke seemed to already know about the Sharkrai King and Sea Serpent I had slain.
"I will simply do my best to help reclaim the northern wall."
"Thank you."
"Duke, are all the enemies undead now?"
"Correct. At first there were the large monsters we normally faced, but they were all devoured by the undead. Only undead remain now."
In the original novel, both large monsters and undead appeared together, but that phase had already passed.
"When do you plan to counterattack?"
"At sunrise tomorrow. With support from other families as well, we should be able to reclaim the northern wall."
"We will."
Honestly, I felt like I could wipe them all out alone right now.
"When the operation begins tomorrow, your group will exit through the western gate and advance upward."
"Could we go through the eastern gate instead?"
"Eastern? Is there a problem?"
"No. I just prefer the east."
Going through the east gate would let me quickly collect the spoils of this battle.
"Well, it doesn't matter. No matter where you go, you'll be facing rotten corpses. If it's east, you'll join Count Reben's forces."
"Understood."
"Then see you tomorrow."
"Yes. See you tomorrow."
After bowing politely to the Duke, I gathered Karox and the knights, explaining the operation time, location, and precautions.
The next day at dawn.
The undead had finally reached the front of the Second Defensive Wall. We watched them from atop the castle wall.
"Wow, there are so many. But most are just zombies, right? There are occasional ghouls. This should be easy."
"The strong ones are watching from afar. Unlike these lumps of flesh, they have intelligence."
I explained to Clyde while thinking about the mastermind behind this. That bastard was probably laughing gleefully in his hidden cave, watching through a crystal ball.
"I'll turn that laughter into tears."
"Wait!"
As sunrise approached and we prepared for the operation, the Duke, who had been observing the situation, called me.
"Look down there."
"Mm…"
Among the melting-flesh zombies and ghouls, a knight in pitch-black armor rode a horse. Strangely, he held his own head in his left hand.
"Grrrr."
He approached the castle gate, waving the axe in his right hand.
"It's a Dullahan, a high-ranking undead. First, gather the knights and deal with—"
"It's fine."
I applied poison to Agnes, turning it into a throwing dagger.
Shuuung!
The dagger sliced through the air and embedded itself in the Dullahan's head.
"Yeah. I knew it."
People unfamiliar with Dullahan usually thought the head was its weakness. In reality, the head was its hardest part. As expected, the Dullahan didn't even try to dodge and blocked the dagger with its head.
"But that will still take your life."
"Kuaaa…"
I counted 4.5 seconds inwardly. The Dullahan began melting.
It took only 4.5 seconds and one dagger to eliminate a high-ranking undead Dullahan.
"Eh?"
"What, what is that?!"
"Oh my god…"
People panicked as they watched the Dullahan melt instantly.
"What the hell is this…"
"Then let's proceed as planned."