Chapter 8
The party leader and raid team's tank, Manager Kim Jinsu, swallowed hard as he faced the oncoming army of bones.
"There are a damn lot of them."
"M-Manager, should we distribute potions?"
"......Distribute the maximum amount allowed."
Unlike private Hunter guilds, which spared no expense on Gate raids, the Association's raid teams had limited resources and budgets.
They couldn't even get a generous supply of short-term enhancement potions, the kind Hunter guilds would readily provide, or recovery potions that could save a life in a crisis.
In the end, the Hunter Association was just one government agency among many. As a national institution, it couldn't spend beyond its allotted budget.
"Still, it's lucky we're up against skeletons."
"Don't let your guard down. Even a stray blade can take you out."
Skeletons are among the easiest undead to fight.
Strength normally comes from muscle. Hunters awakened to mana relied less on it, but as long as they were living beings, that basic fact remained unchanged.
Skeletons were nothing but gaunt bones, without a shred of muscle. They moved through thought or the power of mana.
Their basic strength was low, so the things to watch out for were skeleton archers shooting stray arrows and the occasional Skeleton Mage.
Manager Kim shouted to his subordinates.
"Assistant Manager Sa and Staffer Park, the two tankers, fall back! Join Assistant Manager Han's second damage-dealer party and stay in reserve!"
They were the youngest and most talented members of the team. Kim Jinsu kept them in reserve while looking out for any Skeleton Mages.
"Mansik! How many archers and mages are there?"
"I can see thirty archers and two mages right now!"
"Anyone with sniping skills, take out the archers first! Those with shields, hold back whoever's charging! I'm counting on you, bastards!"
The skeleton army charged as soon as he finished speaking. When the mass of bones collided with them, Manager Kim's shield felt heavy.
'They're heavier than I expected. Is this what makes a Scarlet Gate different?'
But they weren't more than a B-rank tank like him could handle. With one hand, he blocked the Skeleton Warrior in front of him; with the other, he smashed its skull with his warhammer.
-Whoosh!
That was when an arrow flew through the gaps between a Skeleton's ribs. He was lucky his shield was a little long, or the arrow might have hit his knee.
'What the hell? Skeleton Archers can snipe, too?'
Manager Kim was taken aback for an instant, but as he smashed another Skeleton, he shouted:
"Archers, mages, why aren't you taking those bastards out already? Stray arrows from Skeleton Archers are the most dangerous!"
"Sorry!"
The Association Hunters retaliated, picking off the Skeleton Archers one by one. As the archers fell in succession with their skulls pierced, Manager Kim smiled triumphantly.
-Vwoom!
That was when magic circles appeared in front of them. The Skeleton Mages had begun casting spells.
'Damn it, we don't have a single mage on our side, but even those boneheads have mages!'
Mage Tower wizards didn't come cheap. Manager Kim swallowed the bitterness of belonging to a poor organization and shouted:
"I'm right here!!"
Mana infused his voice, instantly raising his threat level. The Skeleton Mages' gazes turned toward Manager Kim.
Thanks to that, the coordinates of the bombardment spell that had been about to land in the middle of the party shifted—straight toward Manager Kim.
-Kra-boom!
"Guh...!"
Thunder crashed down from the magic circle and struck Manager Kim head-on. But he held on. He could withstand it.
"Manager!"
"I'm fine... It just tingles. This armor cost a fortune—"
At that moment, a shadow fell over Manager Kim. He met its 'gaze.'
A head cradled at its waist. A headless knight. A massive warhorse. All of them were staring at him.
"Dullahan...!"
Before his paralyzed body could react, the headless knight charged forward on its massive warhorse and slammed straight into Manager Kim Jinsu.
"Gah?!"
Manager Kim went flying with a crash. He heard people calling out to him from all directions, but their voices soon turned into screams.
The headless knight, Dullahan—the dungeon boss—had begun rampaging with its massive sword.
"Kgh...!"
"W-what? How can it swing a greatsword that fast...?"
"What are you doing?! Cover the gap!"
The devastating cavalry charge had left a breach. Skeletons swarmed through it.
Skeletons weren't all that frightening. If you kept your formation, even a party made up mostly of D-ranks could handle them easily.
On the other hand, Skeletons were at their deadliest in a melee.
Unless you smashed their skulls, Skeletons could keep moving with nothing but the bones in their finger joints—and now they were tangled up with their allies.
"Ah, Manager Kim!"
Assistant Manager Han Hari and her team, who'd been waiting in reserve, stared at the front line collapsing in an instant, at a loss for what to do.
"What should we do? We have to go help him, Assistant Manager Han!"
They had to save him. They needed to send support right now. That was exactly why they'd held a reserve team back.
But Hari instinctively glanced behind her at Leon, who was waiting there. If it was him... that self-proclaimed Lionheart King who had even slaughtered the Great Demon...
"Your Majesty! Please, we need your help!"
Everyone's gaze naturally turned to Leon. But he only looked back at them with disinterest.
"A king does not lead from the front in a small skirmish like this."
"Pardon? What do you mean...?"
"You should find a way to distinguish yourselves. Why should I move my royal person for the sake of such wretched bones?"
The Knight King sincerely showed his disgust for the enemy and didn't draw his sword.
"For my sword to touch such mere undead would be an insult to the goddess as well. The sight of them is revolting."
What the hell was he talking about?!
But Hari knew one thing for certain: he had no intention of stepping in. His gaze remained fixed on the headless knight, watching it with interest.
"Assistant Manager Han! What are you going to do?!"
"Ah, damn it! The reserve team is moving out now!"
Hari drew her sword. The allies tangled up with the Skeletons were in danger, but the greatest threat was Dullahan, rampaging in the middle of their formation.
"I'll take the boss! Everyone else, support Manager Kim and the others!"
She sprang forward. Using a Skeleton as a foothold, she leaped through the air and closed in on Dullahan in an instant.
"Hup...!"
It was the perfect ambush, executed without a sound. But as if it had eyes in the back of its head, Dullahan lowered its greatsword behind itself and blocked Hari's blade.
"I-it blocked that?"
Her ambush had been stopped in an instant. It was a setback, but she had another move.
She kicked off Dullahan's horse and spun through the air. With a graceful turn, as if performing an acrobatic feat, she slashed at Dullahan's chest.
-Ka-kang!
But the blow was stopped by Dullahan's armor, leaving no more than a scratch.
'Ah... I should've bought a more expensive sword!'
It was the best weapon she could afford on her limited budget. But the dungeon boss's armor was heavier and tougher than she'd expected.
Hari was at least satisfied that she'd drawn Dullahan's attention to herself. Indeed, unlike when it had been tearing through the formation at random, Dullahan was now focused solely on her, holding its horse's reins.
"Come on!"
As if answering her taunt, Dullahan tugged on the reins and set the horse in motion. The moment a little distance opened up between them, it launched into its most reckless cavalry charge.
Dullahan slammed into Hari with a thud. Even B-rank tank Kim Jinsu had been sent flying by that charge. The dizzying impact was about to hit her—
-Fwoosh!
Flames erupted at the moment of impact, blunting the force of the charge. Hari smirked at Dullahan, which had realized they weren't ordinary flames.
"Sorry, but my skill has too wide an area of effect."
As if she'd been waiting for this very moment, flames swirled around her sword.
She'd waited for the cavalry charge to carry Dullahan away from her allies before activating her skill.
The mana in her heart whirled into flame, which quickly swelled into a massive blaze and swallowed Dullahan whole.
-GAAAAAAAA──!
A horrible roar came from the burning Dullahan. Hari didn't stop; she thrust her blade through its flaming head.
-Clang!
"Huh?"
The blow she'd been sure would win rang out with a crisp, unexpectedly light sound. It was as if her attack had struck steel.
'Did it block with the flat of its greatsword in that situation?'
-Hooh.
Someone let out an admiring exclamation. In that moment of hesitation, a fist shot through the flames.
"Kgh...!"
Hari went rolling across the ground from the single blow. She couldn't understand it. She could accept that she hadn't felled it in one strike, but she'd felt no impact from her attack at all.
"Hari!"
Hunters rushed in to help her. But they couldn't even overcome Dullahan's swordsmanship.
"Gah?!"
It swung its man-sized greatsword with ease, blocking one blow and using its momentum to strike back.
Protecting its head, its fatal weak point, must have been an unavoidable choice. And yet, even with that handicap, Dullahan overwhelmed the Hunters in a sight that was almost awe-inspiring.
It was a display of sheer, overwhelming swordsmanship. Dullahan deflected attacks that could have been fatal to it, blocked them, and was about to unleash a lethal strike.
"Excellent!"
That was when it happened.
A booming voice rang out, loud enough to echo throughout the entire dungeon.
Everyone's gaze turned toward the golden-haired man in the rear.
* * * *
He had scorned the headless knight as an undead.
Leon had always despised abominations.
From skeleton soldiers and ghouls to corpse golems and death knights.
There was no honor or glory in raising the dead and using them as meat shields.
Those who had lost the skill they possessed in life and relied solely on strength and mana weren't even worthy opponents for a Grail Knight.
'I was mistaken. That thing isn't a mere undead.'
Leon had fought countless undead, but none of them had possessed swordsmanship of that caliber.
Those movements were impossible for the undead in the first place. How could a corpse wield such refined swordsmanship?
"Excellent!"
And so, he decided to enter the fight.
If he'd seen an outstanding knight, how could it not be honorable to defeat him?
His booming voice drew everyone's attention, and even the bones were no exception.
First, allow me to apologize. My shallow eyes mistook a knight as splendid as you for a mere undead.
-......
Dullahan lowered the sword it had been about to swing at Hari and listened to his voice.
"Despite wielding only one hand, you possess excellent swordsmanship. Your use of strategy and tactics is impressive. You must have been a renowned knight in life."
He was talking to the dungeon boss. Even the Hunters stopped, dumbfounded by the absurd situation.
"Very well! I, Leon Dragonia Lionheart, the Lionheart King, grant you permission to state your name! Tell me your name!"
-......
Dullahan didn't answer. More precisely, it couldn't.
Dullahan had no vocal cords. Though it resembled an undead, it was an Unseelie Fairy animated by thought, and it had no way to communicate with him.
Leon understood and nodded.
"Hmm... I see. I was discourteous. It is a shame I cannot learn your name, but let us leave it as one of the tragedies of war."
"......No, Your Majesty."
How can you be speaking to the actual boss...? Hari couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.
Whether the Hunters were baffled or not, Leon kept right on talking, utterly unbothered.
"O nameless knight! I grant you the right to challenge me, the Lionheart King, to a duel!"
A duel? He hadn't even challenged it to one—he'd merely granted a monster the right to challenge him?
It was an unprecedented eccentricity in the history of the Gates. But his odd behavior didn't end there.
"There is no need to wound innocent soldiers. Let us end this battle with an honorable duel between two knights!"
Do you really think that'll work? Everyone swallowed that thought just as—
-Nod
It worked?!
This was a first. A dungeon boss had accepted a Hunter's challenge to a duel?
No, had any Hunter ever even challenged a dungeon boss to a one-on-one duel?
His eccentricities didn't end there.
"Hmm... However, I have no warhorse of my own with which to face you as a knight. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I cannot provide one at present. This is clearly my fault, but..."
So what...?
"Knight, for the sake of your honor, would you dismount and face me fairly on foot?"
The boss wasn't an idiot. Why would it get off its horse—
-Step!
It was dismounting!?
Hari and the other Hunters couldn't close their gaping mouths. The headless rider, who'd charged on horseback while wielding a greatsword taller than a person, had dismounted of its own accord.
For an honorable duel between knights!
Before they knew it, the fighters had left the melee and formed a circle. The Hunters were left utterly dazed.