Ankoku Kishi Monogatari (WN) - Chapter 157: The Dark Knight vs Zarxis

◆Silver Witch; Kuna

I was flying in the air on Glorious’ back with Kuroki as the Black Rose Garden spread beneath us.

The giant Black Rose Garden was filled with many Alraunes.

The Alraune are a species that grows by absorbing miasma, but once they ran out of miasma, their source of nourishment, they would seek nourishment by killing other living creatures.

But, it wasn’t a problem in our case because there was a literal giant lump of miasma right before them.

The black roses were coiling around Modegal’s feet, absorbing its miasma.

「MY KIN! DESTROY THOSE BLACK ROSES!」

Zarxis screamed to his followers. Well, that was a given since miasma was also like a source of nourishment for the undead.

The army of the Reaper moved immediately to eliminate the black roses, following Zarxis’ order.

Naturally, Heqat along with Guno and her squadron wouldn’t allow that.

We were outnumbered.

But this barrier gave us an advantage. We wouldn’t lose even against a greater number of enemies inside this barrier.

「Kuna, are you ready?」

Kuroki turned around and looked at Kuna.

Kuroki was going to fight Zarxis.

That’s why Kuna had to get away from him. Zarxis’ children were also below us. Despite our advantageous situation, it didn’t change the fact that they were dangerous elements.

That’s what Kuna had to fight them.

「Of course Kuroki! Fight to your heart’s content! Kuna will take care of the army of the Reaper below!」

Kuna replied so as she jumped down from Glorious.

Kuna jumped down to Modegal’s body, heading toward the specter knights who tried to cut the Alraune.

「VANISH! FILTHY CORPSES!」

Kuna slayed a few specter knights with her scythe.

They were no match for Kuna.

The real problem was the children of the Reaper.

That bat woman Zaffrada and the fly-headed Zalbuth were fighting against Heqat.

Both were wounded. The reason Heqat could fight by herself against them was because the Black Rose Garden had amplified her magical power.

Thus I went looking for the other child of the Reaper. There should be another one left.

「By the way, why are you standing behind Kuna?」

A toadman warrior approached Kuna from behind.

Honestly, it was so suspicious, and I knew the reason for that.

Suddenly, numerous feelers broke out from the Toadman’s abdomen.

There was a mouth at the tip of each feeler and they were rushing at Kuna.

「NO WAY, HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?!」

I already knew that the toadman had been controlled by the enemy. That’s why it was easy to deal with it.

I spun my scythe, cutting down the feelers and beheading the toadman.

The headless toadman retreated, trying to get away from Kuna.

「As expected. I want you even more now.」

Someone then came out from the passage where the toadman had lost his head.

The nobleman of death, Zasha.

His figure was that of a human child.

But, Kuna could see through such a facade.

His real figure was that of a giant leech.

「Anyone would doubt it when someone suddenly approaches them from behind. It isn’t even a trick.」

Zasha revealed a repulsive-looking laugh.

The way he looked at Kuna was really repulsive.

「Fufufu, your beauty makes me want to touch your cheek.」

I sneered upon hearing his remark.

「Are you an idiot or what? Kuroki is the only one allowed to touch Kuna. You think someone like you has the qualification to touch me? Dream on, ugly leech. Well, it’s not like a weakling who can’t even beat Zaffrada can touch me.」

Among the children of the Reaper, Zasha was nothing compared to Zaffrada and Zalbuth; he wasn’t too powerful.

This small fry couldn’t defeat Kuna.

And yet, he looked too composed for a weakling.

「Are you sure about that? I kept my best war weapon in Modegal! I couldn’t take them out during the fight against the Dark Knight but now it’s their chance to shine! Come forth! DOOM VERMIN LORD!」

A giant rhinoceros beetle came out from inside Modegal’s body along with Zasha’s shout.

Its huge jaw was clicking menacingly at Kuna.

「I’m an insect user just like you. We’re a match made in heaven. So how about having an insect battle against me?」

Zasha made such a disgusting remark.

「I have no reason to play along with you. But, since you want an insect battle against me, I’ll give you one! COME FORTH, RAINBOW STAG BEETLE!」

A giant rainbow stag beetle appeared along with Kuna’s summon.

This insect was among the strongest in Kuna’s possession, its body shone with an iridescent color.

They wouldn’t lose against such an ugly insect!

Zasha summoned more insects. They looked so disgusting since the ones he summoned resembled wood bugs or centipedes.

Alas, Kuna summoned her insects too.

Kuna felt that the battle in the sky was still ongoing.

The battle between Kuroki and Zarxis had only just begun.

Alas, there was no way Kuna’s beloved Kuroki would lose against the likes of Zarxis!

「GO DOOM VERMIN LORD!」

The beetle moved along with Zasha’s voice.

「SMASH THAT UGLY FACE FOR ME, RAINBOW STAG BEETLE!」

Kuna also launched her attack.

===

◆Dark Knight; Kuroki

I fought against Zarxis on top of Modegal’s head.

Modegal’s giant feelers were dancing around Zarxis.

The feelers had mouths on their tips filled with razor-sharp fangs, and the lament of larvae could be heard from inside.

I was riding on Glorious’ back, maneuvering around between the incoming feelers.

The feelers were trying to catch Glorious.

When the feelers opened their mouths, they spewed blue flashes.

「GLORIOUS!」

Upon hearing my signal, Glorious fired his exploding flame breath to erase the blue flash.

As a great dragon, Glorious wouldn’t be defeated that easily.

He fired exploding flame breaths one after another, blowing the feelers away.

「HOW ABOUT THIS, DARK KNIGHT!! O LARVAE, GATHER ON MY SWORD!」

The blue spirits gathered, winding around Zarxis’ sword of sin.

Though it looked like a blue flame at glance, its actual form was that of souls.

Human faces appeared from the sword of blue flame that was swung at me.

I covered my sword with black flame and swung my sword from the opposite direction.

Two flames clashed in the air.

「UWAA!」

Both of us got thrown back.

Zarxis’ strength was terrifying. Maybe he was receiving a buff from Modegal.

The larvae that were fired by Modegal were sucked into Zarxis’ body.

「DARK KNIGHT, DIE!」

Zarxis swung his sword again and again.

Every single one of his slashes was so powerful that I was forced to parry each of them.

Alas, that strength was obviously drained bit-by-bit.

The reason was that Modegal’s miasma was being sucked by the black roses, thus reducing the power that could be given to Zarxis.

I on the other hand got stronger and stronger from the magical power released by the black roses that reached their matured state after sucking miasma.

Thus, I slowly gained the upper hand in this battle.

「GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH! WHY?! WHY CAN’T I FILL THIS WORLD WITH DEATH?!」

Zarxis screamed with a mortified face.

Hearing that, I felt a pang of guilt in my heart for Zarxis.

Zarxis was born as an existence that spread death. He must be really frustrated for being unable to do his mission.

「Zarxis. It would’ve been for the best if you had changed just like Modes, alas…」

I muttered so.

Modes had the power of destruction. According to Nargol, he was born to destroy this world.

Alas, he made his own decision and decided to betray Nargol, his own mother.

Speaking of what Modes felt back then, he might have felt really complicated inside.

Alas, I wouldn’t let Zarxis fill this world with death. Despite not being a local of this world, I came to like this world.

I had no grudge toward Zarxis, but I had to stop him.

「HERE I COME, ZARXIS! O DRAGONS, LEND ME YOUR POWER!」

The dragons in my body roared.

I felt my body getting filled with vitality as my magical power rose.

I readied my demon sword.

「WATCH THIS DARK KNIGHT! LEND ME ALL YOUR POWER, MODEGAL!」

Zarxis’ body was then sucked into Modegal’s mouth.

Modegal’s mouth then opened up, swallowing Zarxis inside.

Zarxis’ face then appeared inside Modegal’s giant mouth.

The larvae then formed a single face.

Modegal opened its huge mouth, trying to swallow me.

「GLORIOUS!」

Glorious flapped his wings upon hearing my voice.

Modegal came closer.

「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

I brandished my demon sword to the side as strong as I could.

The black flame clad in a red glow from the sword’s blade then increased in size.

「DARK KNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!」

Zarxis shouted.

Modegal who lost the source of its power was no match for me.

Modegal’s body was cut right in half at the midsection.

Its upper body got blown away, and its lower body crumbled on its knees.

Gwuno and her team cheered when they saw that.

What was left from Modegal was a body that was covered in black roses.

The remaining kin of the Reaper rushed toward the upper body that got blown away.

I couldn’t blow it to smithereens. The remaining body of Modegal was trying to escape.

「DARK KNIGHT! I PROMISE THAT I’LL STRANGLE YOU TO DEATH SOMEDAY!」

Zarxis cursed at me when he came out from Modegal’s body, his kin were also glaring at me.

Zaffrada, Zalbuth and Zasha were also in a good condition. And just like Zarxis, they were glaring at me too.

Modegal’s body then got shrouded by thick mist, and vanished.

The Black Rose Garden was still an incomplete magic barrier. Thus they could escape as long as the barrier was destroyed.

I descended along with Glorious.

Kuna had already been waiting for me below. There was a corpse of a huge insect beside her.

It might have been taken down by Kuna.

「KUROKI!」

Kuna rushed at once and hugged me as soon as I stepped on the ground.

I spread my arms, caught Kuna and patted her head.

「As expected of Kuroki! Not even the Reaper can defeat you!」

Kuna rubbed her head on my chest.

Behind Kuna was Heqat who followed after her.

「Though we got the upper hand, we failed to defeat them. RibbitRibbitRibbit.」

I nodded to her.

Both Zarxis and the children of the Reaper went all out in the end. Thus, making it harder to kill them.

Gwuno had also come to us. [TL: Guno will be changed to Gwuno from this point on after the author revealed the correct spelling in english last week along with Gwuno’s AI illustration.]

「Your Excellency, the Reaper has escaped. What shall we do?」

Zarxis had left. Though we might be able to chase him, the Black Rose Garden couldn’t be brought with us.

And fighting outside the area of the Black Rose Garden in Ruvania was a suicidal mission.

「Yup… I don’t think I can fight anymore. Let’s go back to Nargol. Let’s fix our skyboat for now. How’s its’ condition?」

I asked while looking at our fallen skyboat.

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