Chapter 45: The Black Knight

While the battle against the Black Knight raged on in the main courtyard,

inside a side chamber—

Y lay sprawled on the floor,

staring up at the ceiling,

blood trailing down the side of his head.

Y: “Dwarven techniques… didn’t affect him.”

He let out a short breath, then muttered with a faint, wry smile:

Y: “That was a powerful blow…

It felt like fighting King at his full strength.”

Lucia rushed into the room.

Lucia: “I’ll treat you immediately!”

Y: “Save it… for someone who needs it more.”

Lucia (sharply):

“But you’re the one who needs treatment right now!”

Y slowly rose to his feet,

wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand,

then said with a quiet, enigmatic smile:

Y: “I’m not the type…

to fall twice in the same battle.”

He turned without another word

and left the room,

heading straight back toward the battlefield.

⸻

Everyone had surrounded the Black Knight.

Y stepped forward slowly, then lowered himself to sit near the wall and spoke calmly:

Y: “Everyone…

could you give me a few minutes to think?”

Lawrence: “You’re alive!”

Scarlet raised her weapon,

and Carlos moved to stand beside her.

Carlos extended his hand and tossed Y’s weapon toward him.

Y caught it effortlessly,

while Carlos reclaimed his spear and readied himself for combat.

Carlos: “How much time do you need?”

Y: “As much time as you can buy me.”

Carlos: “Understood.”

Y lifted his gaze and warned them:

Y: “The Black Knight…

has overwhelming physical strength.

And at the same time… he’s immortal.

He cannot die.”

Scarlet: “Carlos and I will handle the front line.

The rest of you… protect Y.”

Y sat down once more,

his eyes fixed on the Black Knight with deep concentration.

Y: “This is the first time I’ve fought someone

who doesn’t use magic…

and can’t truly be considered alive either.”

⸻

The Black Knight suddenly lunged forward,

his massive sword cleaving through the air.

But the strike was halted by a violent clash.

Javier was the one who intercepted the blow.

He staggered back a step,

sweat pouring down his brow.

Javier: “That attack is insanely heavy…

How did Y manage to block it the first time?”

Scarlet (calmly):

“I won’t deny his strength.

But when it comes to speed and reaction time…

Y operates on an entirely different level.”

Marina: “He’s clearly dangerous.

Why don’t we all attack him at once?”

Javier: “It would be pointless.”

He glanced toward the battlefield.

Javier: “Carlos knows that better than anyone…

They’ve already placed their bet on Y.”

⸻

A Black Knight…

He should be human—

but he isn’t.

I struck his arm while blocking the attack…

and yet, it wasn’t affected.

So he isn’t a spirit either…

A curse, perhaps?

And immortality itself…

could it be a curse?

Slowly, Y lifted his gaze toward the knight.

Y (in a whisper):

“I wonder…

how many Black Knights exist in this world?”

⸻

The Black Knight lunged again—

a sharp lateral strike from the right.

Carlos reacted instantly.

He slid aside, angling his spear to deflect the blow.

For a brief moment, the knight lost his balance.

Without hesitation,

Carlos drove his spear straight through the knight’s head with overwhelming force.

But—

The knight did not fall.

He released his sword

and answered with a direct punch that slammed into Carlos’s face.

The impact was devastating.

Carlos’s body was thrown to the ground.

Lucia rushed to him at once

and began treatment immediately.

⸻

At the rear of the battlefield,

Y stood motionless, his eyes gleaming with calm resolve.

This place… is a research facility.

There must be a way to prevent him from going berserk.

Let’s review everything from the beginning…

We entered this place—

nothing stood out

except the walls that absorb magic.

Then we faced the ice dragon.

And after its defeat,

the Black Knight appeared.

Was he imprisoned here?

And was the dragon the warden of that prison?

Anti-magic walls…

ice everywhere…

There has to be a connection.

Y raised his voice calmly.

Y: “Freezing him…

might be the only way to win for now.”

He turned toward Lucia.

Y: “Who handles planning in your team?”

Lucia: “Marina.”

Y shifted his gaze to Marina.

She had remained calm the entire time,

watching the battlefield from the corners of the room with unwavering focus.

Y stepped forward and stood beside them.

Y: “In your opinion… how do we win?”

Marina: “I believe freezing him

is the only viable method.”

Y: “I agree.

But freezing him doesn’t mean

we defeat him completely.”

Marina: “I’m well aware of that.

Do you have a plan?”

Y: “Not yet.

But this laboratory must contain

tools that can help us…

Dangerous materials, for example.”

Marina’s eyes widened slightly.

Marina: “Dangerous materials…”

She smiled faintly.

Marina: “I have a plan.”

⸻

Lawrence charged forward

and collided head-on with the Black Knight.

The impact was brutal.

Lawrence was forced backward, his feet scraping against the frozen ground.

The Black Knight seized the opening

and lunged toward him.

But suddenly—

Three glowing orbs appeared in front of the knight

and detonated all at once.

It was Diego.

From within the smoke,

Scarlet burst forward.

Her magic wrapped around her body like armor,

and she struck with a direct punch.

A crimson lightning explosion

shook the entire chamber.

Scarlet retreated instantly.

The Black Knight emerged once more—

strange openings riddled his body,

pulsing violently as they struggled to close.

Carlos:

“It looks like concentrated magical attacks

slow down his regeneration.”

Y lifted his gaze, his voice calm and decisive.

Y:

“It’s time to switch.”

Marina:

“Everyone—follow me.

We have a plan.”

Then she shouted,

Marina:

“Hurry! Move!”

She turned sharply toward Lucia.

Marina:

“Stay here as support.”

Everyone sprinted toward the broken wall,

leaving Y and Lucia behind.

Y stepped forward alone.

He looked at the Black Knight

and smiled faintly.

Y:

“I’ll play with you for a while.”

———

Javier:

“What’s the plan, Marina?”

Marina:

“First,

we need to get the villagers out of this place.”

She turned toward Scarlet.

Marina:

“Scarlet, you’ll handle that.”

Scarlet:

“Where are they?”

Marina pulled out a map and said,

Marina:

“Use this.

It’s made from my magic.”

Then she continued,

Marina:

“With this map, you can pinpoint

the exit,

the villagers’ locations,

and our current position.”

Lawrence:

“That’s the best kind of magic anyone could ask for in a place like this.”

Marina:

“It works similarly to maps in video games.

I can mark locations and people over a wide area,

but only if I place a marker on them beforehand.”

She added,

Marina:

“As for the map itself…

I have to draw it manually.”

Scarlet:

“That’s incredibly useful.”

She took the map

and dashed off at full speed.

Marina:

“The rest of you… follow me.”

———

Lucia stepped closer to Y and spoke in a low voice.

Lucia:

“Do you have a plan for fighting him?”

Y:

“Just… fighting naturally.”

At that moment, the Black Knight burst forward,

charging straight at Lucia.

But Y moved instantly.

He intercepted the attack,

deflecting the blow at the very last second.

He planted his feet firmly in front of the knight and said calmly,

Y:

“Sorry…

but I’m your opponent now.”

———

At that moment, Scarlet reached one of the rooms.

She stepped forward and knocked on the door.

A voice came from inside.

Voice:

“Who’s there?”

Scarlet:

“It’s Scarlet.”

A brief silence followed.

Then, a startled reply—

Voice:

“Scarlet?!”

The door was thrown open,

and four people rushed out.

Scarlet:

“Follow me. Now.”

———

On the other side of the laboratory…

Marina came to a halt and surveyed the area.

Marina:

“This place will work. Dig here.”

She took out a communication stone and spoke into it.

Marina:

“What’s your status, Lucia?”

Lucia’s voice came through the stone.

Lucia:

“Everything is proceeding according to plan.”

—

Lucia stood still,

watching Y collide with the Black Knight.

The ground cracked beneath their feet

with every exchanged blow.

She tightened her grip on the communication stone and spoke quietly.

Lucia:

“Since arriving in this world…

I’ve never seen combat without magic

at this level.”

The hall fell into silence.

Snow drifted slowly from cracks in the ceiling, falling in a steady rhythm,

as though the world itself were silently observing

the confrontation between two men who did not belong to the same era.

Y stood several meters away from the Black Knight.

The air between them was charged—

one small movement would be enough to ignite hell itself.

The knight raised his broad sword with a harsh metallic scrape,

while Y rolled his short blade between his fingers,

his movements steady, his breathing calm.

There was no signal to begin—

Just a look.

And then,

both of them lunged forward at the same time.

⸻

The first collision was brutal.

The two blades met halfway,

and fragments exploded from beneath their feet.

Y pushed forward with all his strength,

but the knight held his ground—

then slammed into him with a crushing shoulder strike.

Y was thrown back.

A drop of blood fell from his lip.

He smiled faintly.

Y:

“Looks like we’re on the same level.”

The knight did not respond.

He simply raised his sword again—

A lightning-fast horizontal slash swept past,

missing Y’s neck by a hair’s breadth.

Y dropped low with fluid precision

and countered with a kick to the knight’s right knee—

but it barely moved him.

Y caught the next movement of the knight’s arm

and raised his weapon to block—

The second clash was even heavier.

The ground fractured beneath them,

and the air filled with white sparks

as metal screamed against metal.

⸻

They exchanged dozens of blows in mere seconds,

each strike flowing into the next,

as if they were reflections moving within the same instant.

The Black Knight fought with raw brutality—

every motion carried the weight of a mountain,

every swing capable of shattering bone and steel alike.

Y, however, fought with a cold, calculating mind.

Each dodge was deliberate.

Each step measured to the smallest margin.

Every counter aimed for a joint,

a hinge,

a structural weakness.

Yet neither of them managed to break the balance.

Steel clashed again and again,

sparks carving fleeting arcs through the frozen air.

The ground beneath them continued to fracture,

unable to endure the pressure of two forces

that refused to yield.

Neither advanced.

Neither retreated.

For the first time since the battle began, it was clear—

This was not a clash of strength alone,

but a contest of endurance, precision,

and resolve.

And it was far from over.

⸻

The knight drove his sword downward with overwhelming force.

Y deflected the strike with a slight tilt of his blade—

but instead of retreating,

he stepped into his opponent’s range.

He seized the knight’s metallic arm,

drove his shoulder upward,

and twisted—trying to break his balance.

But the Black Knight responded with brutal force.

He spun violently, throwing his full weight into the motion,

and hurled Y to the ground.

Y slammed against the iron wall.

Yet he used the momentum—

springing back to his feet in a single motion.

With his weapon raised in one hand,

he unleashed a rapid sequence of strikes,

each blow sharp and precise,

forcing the knight backward step by step.

The air between them grew hot despite the freezing cold.

Sweat, blood, and ragged breaths mixed together,

steam rising from the fractured ground beneath their feet.

Neither slowed.

Neither yielded.

The battle had crossed into a realm

where pain no longer mattered—

only persistence did.

⸻

A moment of silence.

Both of them stood motionless.

Ice fragments drifted around them like ash.

The knight moved first—

a swift, lateral strike.

But Y ducked beneath it

and drove his fist into the knight’s metallic chest.

A hollow sound thundered through the chamber.

The knight answered with a kick

that sent Y rolling backward across the ice.

They rose again at the same time.

Y smiled faintly.

Y: “…Good.”

The knight raised his sword once more,

tilting his head slightly—

as if in agreement.

⸻

They lunged simultaneously—

Two blades cut through the air,

two intersecting lines of steel.

When they met this time,

everything froze for a heartbeat.

The swords locked together,

each pushing against the other in a silent struggle.

The slow grind of iron echoed—

Then their power detonated at once.

Both were thrown back with equal force.

Y slid two meters across the ice.

The Black Knight staggered back two steps,

driving his sword into the ground to steady himself.

They stared at one another.

No words.

No movement.

⸻

Y spoke calmly, wiping blood from his mouth.

Y:

“You’re an opponent worthy of respect.”

The knight lifted his sword slightly—

a gesture of acknowledgment.

Then, for the first time,

they both stepped back at the same moment.

A heavy silence settled over the hall.

No victor.

No defeated.

Only heated breaths

against the cold, unyielding ice.

⸻

Y and the Black Knight collided once more.

The clash of metal thundered through the hall,

sparks exploding beneath their feet.

Y (calmly, analyzing):

“The dwarven technique is useless against you offensively…

but I can redirect the impact—into the ground.”

Suddenly, Lucia’s voice rang out from behind.

Lucia: “Everything’s ready!”

The instant Y heard her, he retreated in a blur,

scooped her into his arms,

and sprinted into the dark corridors.

The Black Knight pursued without hesitation—

a relentless shadow.

Y (low voice): “Where’s the location?”

Lucia (quickly):

“Third turn on the left! Second floor! Fifth turn on the right!”

Then—

“We’re here!”

Y set her down gently.

Lucia stepped back.

Y stood before the entrance,

the calm before the storm.

The Black Knight emerged from the smoke,

his eyes burning with a dark, ominous glow.

He raised his sword and lunged—

A devastating strike sent Y crashing into the center of the room.

The knight advanced with heavy steps,

lifting his arm to finish the fight.

But Y twisted at the last instant,

narrowly avoiding the killing blow—

and turned.

At that moment, the ground beneath them collapsed.

The wall cracked open, revealing the hidden passage Marina had prepared.

The Black Knight tried to retreat—

But Y leapt down from above,

empowered by Carlos’s magic activated earlier,

and struck the knight’s arm with all his strength.

The blow severed it—

tearing the weapon from his grasp.

Both bodies plunged downward—

Into the water reservoir beneath the laboratory.

Javier and Carlos rushed forward,

pulling Y out at once—

while the Black Knight sank deeper into the freezing depths below.

⸻

Steady footsteps echoed at the entrance.

A figure in a white laboratory coat entered,

carrying a massive metal container.

It was Marina.

She looked down at the Black Knight and spoke in a calm, merciless voice:

Marina:

“Let’s see… how your regeneration handles liquid nitrogen.”

She opened the container

and poured its contents into the reservoir.

A dense white vapor erupted upward,

and the water began freezing at an astonishing speed.

The Black Knight tried to move—

But his limbs stiffened instantly.

Within seconds,

his entire body was encased—

a solid mass of ice.

———

Diego (grinning):

“We won!”

Marina calmly removed her mask and replied coldly:

Marina:

“We haven’t won yet… freezing him doesn’t mean it’s over.”

Lawrence stepped closer.

Lawrence:

“Leaving him frozen like this could mean he’ll move again someday.”

Marina answered as she turned toward the injured Y:

Marina:

“I’ve completed my part of the plan… now it’s your turn.”

Y:

“Can we begin immediately?”

Marina:

“You can—but it would be better to wait at least one hour.”

⸻

Moments later, Scarlet entered, brushing the remnants of battle from her armor.

Lawrence:

“Scarlet, how are the others?”

Scarlet:

“They’re all fine. They reached the village safely.”

Lawrence:

“Good.”

Y stood up, checking his weapon as he spoke:

Y:

“Scarlet, Lawrence, and I will explore what remains of this place.

We’ll be back soon.”

Carlos:

“I’ll come with you.”

Marina replied in her usual detached tone:

Marina:

“Do as you wish.”

⸻

As they moved through the dark corridors, Y studied the scars of battle etched into the walls and spoke calmly:

Y:

“What do you think about the Black Knight?”

Scarlet:

“He’s not the real one.”

Carlos:

“Not real? You mean the laboratory created him?”

Y:

“The descriptions differ in every legend, but there’s one detail they all agree on—

the Black Knight was once… human.”

Lawrence (thoughtfully):

“I’ve never heard of him before.”

Scarlet:

“That’s normal… he’s become a very old legend.”

⸻

Meanwhile, as Carlos’s team rested in a side chamber,

an unnatural calm settled after the storm.

Only their exhausted breathing broke the silence.

Javier drew in a deep breath.

Javier:

“Freezing the Black Knight… that was genuinely a brilliant idea.”

Lucia smiled faintly, wiping the sweat from her brow:

Lucia:

“It was the only solution… and both Y and Marina realized it immediately.”

Marina’s gaze lingered on the floor before she spoke in a measured tone:

Marina:

“Y… he’s far more composed than I expected.

Why haven’t we heard of him before?”

Diego replied with a tired smile:

Diego:

“Who knows? Even Carlos rarely runs into him.”

Lucia added quietly, her eyes distant as if replaying the scene:

Lucia:

“He was smiling while fighting the Black Knight.”

Marina raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued:

Marina:

“Smiling? …No wonder he’s Carlos’s friend, then.”

⸻

On the other side, deep within the old laboratory,

Y, Lawrence, Scarlet, and Carlos examined the area where the Black Knight had been imprisoned.

Lawrence:

“There’s nothing here.”

Y:

“I expected we’d find at least a hint.”

Carlos suddenly lifted his head.

Carlos:

“We found a suspicious room before we fell down here… there might be something there.”

Y:

“Let’s go.”

⸻

After a careful search through the laboratory, they stopped inside a narrow chamber.

Strange symbols covered its walls.

Y:

“I don’t see anything unusual here… what about you?”

Scarlet:

“Nothing.”

Lawrence:

“Same here.”

But Carlos was staring intently at a small carving on the wall—

a star-like symbol with curved edges.

Y stepped closer.

Y:

“Did you find something?”

Carlos:

“I’m sure I’ve seen this mark before… but I can’t remember where.”

Lawrence smiled faintly.

Lawrence:

“At least our search wasn’t pointless.”

Y:

“Maybe someone from your team will recognize it.”

⸻

A short while later, everyone regrouped in the main hall.

Y held up a small sheet of paper with the symbol sketched on it.

Y:

“Does anyone recognize this star-shaped mark?”

Diego raised his head immediately.

Diego:

“I know it well. That’s the emblem of the library in the Hunters’ Kingdom.”

Carlos:

“That’s right. It’s carved into the library’s main gate.”

Lucia:

“The one in charge there is Mister Albedo, isn’t he?”

Marina:

“Yes… and that makes sense. Albedo possesses vast knowledge about this world.”

Y nodded.

Y:

“Then we know our next destination.”

Scarlet tightened her glove.

Scarlet:

“No reason to stay here any longer, then.”

Lawrence glanced at the frozen Black Knight.

Lawrence:

“But what are we going to do about him?”

Y watched the ice in silence before answering:

Y:

“I have an idea.

First… we need to move him from the pool to the previous battlefield.”

⸻

Everyone entered the chamber where the Black Knight lay frozen.

The air was so cold it felt as if time itself had stopped.

Scarlet stepped forward, studying the scene.

Scarlet:

“Strange… I never imagined we’d find a pool in a place like this.”

Y smiled faintly.

Y:

“It wasn’t here before… it was made.”

She turned to him in surprise.

Scarlet:

“Made?”

Lawrence explained as he ran his hand along the cracked wall:

Lawrence:

“Yes. We carved the pit using Carlos’s and Diego’s magic,

then Javier reinforced it with protective enchantments,

and finally I filled it using my water magic.”

Marina nodded seriously.

Marina:

“Now we begin the second phase of the plan.”

Scarlet:

“And what’s the next step?”

Y:

“Simple… we move the Black Knight from here to the arena.”

Carlos chuckled lightly.

Carlos:

“That won’t be easy… we’ll have to carve a new route.”

Javier shrugged with a tired smile.

Javier:

“That’s life.”

Y replied firmly:

Y:

“Then… let’s begin.”

⸻

Several hours later, they finally managed to transport the frozen Black Knight to the battlefield.

Silence fell over the arena as the frozen figure was placed at its center.

Ice particles drifted through the air like the ashes of suspended souls.

Standing a few steps away, Y looked calmly at Carlos and Scarlet.

Y:

“Attack me… with everything you have.”

Everyone froze.

Diego (stunned):

“Have you lost your mind?!”

Carlos (sighing):

“I think he’s serious.”

Marina:

“Y! What are you thinking?!”

Y didn’t answer.

He simply closed his eyes and extended his arms forward—

as if welcoming the storm.

Scarlet’s body ignited with strands of crimson lightning, dancing around her like living rage,

while a vortex of orange fire erupted around Carlos—

a majestic warmth concealing pure hell beneath it.

Carlos (shouting):

“Don’t die before you explain this to us!”

Their energies were released simultaneously.

The explosion felt as if the sky itself had crashed into the earth.

The arena was swallowed by multicolored light—

red devouring orange, orange melting red,

until they fused into a third hue: a golden violet,

shuddering like lightning trapped inside a raging storm.

Dust engulfed the battlefield.

The walls trembled.

Chunks of ice fell from the ceiling like crystalline rain.

Marina (shouting through the smoke):

“What did you do?!”

Carlos (his voice shaking):

“Everything’s under control… I think.”

Diego:

“Even I’m not crazy enough to try something like that!”

When the dust finally settled, Y was still standing.

His body was covered in burns, yet a faint smile rested on his face.

He extended his hand calmly.

Y:

“Give me the spear… now.”

Carlos hesitated, then handed it to him.

Y gripped it with both hands, closed his eyes, and whispered:

Y:

“Domain… Mirror of the Soul.”

In an instant, overlapping circles of light erupted around him—three layers of energy.

Scarlet and Carlos were drawn into the domain,

their powers merging into a single radiant force that roared around Y like a storm of flame and lightning.

Crimson lightning and orange fire fused within the spear,

from which emerged a golden-violet strand of light, blazing with indescribable heat.

Y raised the spear high, his voice low yet absolute:

Y:

“Let’s see…

can regeneration withstand this?”

He hurled the spear with overwhelming force into the chest of the frozen Black Knight.

The explosion was not a sound—

it was a sensation.

Heat and lightning swept through the arena.

Ice shattered.

The ground cracked.

Light detonated in deadly silence.

When everything faded, the Black Knight was gone.

Completely.

Even the air seemed to hold its breath.

All that remained was steam rising from the ground

and a fragment of black armor slowly melting away.

Y collapsed onto his back, staring at the fractured ceiling.

With a calm smile and a barely audible voice, he said:

Y:

“Now… you can heal me.”