Swordmaster of the Graveyard – Episode 5
Chapter 2: The First Hidden Piece (2)
Blood fountained from the bodies of the vampires whose heads had flown off, falling like a crimson rain.
“H-how can this be! A Necromancer using swordsmanship? This is absurd!”
Viscount Radek was astonished. There had been Necromancers in ancient times who learned swordsmanship for self-defense, but most had been mediocre at best.
Yet the swordsmanship Jinhyeok displayed was clearly not something learned lightly for self-defense.
And it was familiar.
It resembled the swordsmanship that had massacred their ancestors in ancient times.
“Human! Where did you learn that swordsmanship!”
Viscount Radek bared his sharp fangs.
Jinhyeok’s lips curled upward.
“To think there’d be someone who knows the Eastern swordsmanship of Cain, the Vampire Hunter. For a boss in a beginner area, you know quite a lot.”
Viscount Radek was a vampire who, though weak, had lived for quite a long time.
“If what Necromancer Jiseokgyu said is true, the reward should be plenty.”
Jiseokgyu had told him that two brother swords lay dormant in the personal safe inside the lord’s study.
The key was in Viscount Radek’s possession.
“Good! We’ve shattered their defensive line! Surround them!”
Viscount Radek, who had been watching the situation unfold, shouted in excitement. Looking around, more than half of the undead had crumbled, and the defensive formation had collapsed.
Even the skeleton mages in the center were being threatened by the vampires’ spears and blades.
“Surround them and kill them!”
Viscount Radek shouted in excitement at the sight, but Jinhyeok remained composed.
“Don’t forget. I am a Necromancer.”
When he raised his hand, the skill “Blessing of Death,” which restored the undead, activated.
A wave of green mana spread outward.
“Kraaack!”
The skeleton soldier, whose arms had been utterly shattered and who had fallen just moments before, regained its original form. The vampire belatedly aimed his halberd, but the spear of the skeleton soldier—already finished regenerating—pierced his chest.
The skeleton soldier, seeing the vampire’s bewildered face, clattered its jaw wildly, expressing joy.
“Kraaack!”
“Uwaack!”
Screams burst from everywhere, the same scene playing out again and again.
The vampires were ambushed by skeleton soldiers from completely unexpected places and met gruesome ends.
Watching the festival of red blood, Jinhyeok tugged up the corner of his mouth.
“Just ‘repair’ them….”
His proficiency in the “Blessing of Death” skill wasn’t particularly high, but even now he could regenerate undead that weren’t severely damaged.
“Keuk!”
At the screams of his comrades, the vampire knight showed signs of agitation.
Viscount Radek’s castle was a hidden dungeon in the beginner zone.
He had lived a long time, but because no one visited this place, he lacked real combat experience.
The vampire knight’s stance crumbled. Jiseokgyu charged at him, eyes gleaming, and swung his sword.
Swoosh!
Jiseokgyu’s sword, imbued with the Slaughter Spirit Karsen, tore through plate armor like paper and left a deep wound on the vampire knight’s upper body.
Red blood splattered across Jiseokgyu’s face.
As the formation collapsed and a chaotic melee broke out, Jinhyeok gained the upper hand.
He drew his sword and joined the battle. The beginner-level vampires were swept away like autumn leaves in a gale.
“Damn it!”
As the number of vampires fell below ten, Viscount Radek—who had only been watching—spat a curse and drew his sword.
He could no longer stand idly by.
“He’s coming.”
“Yes, Master.”
Jiseokgyu nodded at Jinhyeok’s warning. Watching Viscount Radek slowly close the distance while holding his sword, Jiseokgyu’s eyes—turned green by Spirit Possession—gleamed sharply.
He had felt it during the battle against the goblins as well, but once combat began, Jiseokgyu changed. He became more serious than usual.
Jinhyeok left the remaining vampires to the skeleton soldiers.
Perhaps because they were beginner-level, despite being vampires they possessed physical strength almost no different from humans, so they were exhausted and few in number.
The remaining undead could handle them easily.
“Even if it’s a beginner area, he’s a boss. It could turn into a prolonged battle, so call forth a Bleeding Ghost or a Rotting Ghost.”
“Laken!”
Following Jinhyeok’s advice, Jiseokgyu summoned the spirit that caused excessive bleeding—the Bleeding Ghost Laken—into his sword.
Crimson mana coiled around the blade.
The specter of a red knight wielding a longsword appeared behind Jiseokgyu.
“Bear this in mind. It may be a beginner dungeon, but he’s a boss. I’ll handle all of his attacks, so you watch for openings.”
“Understood.”
“I’m going in first.”
Jinhyeok moved into his footwork. Compared to his prime during his first life, his movements were noticeably slower, but still fast enough to be difficult to follow with the naked eye.
Jinhyeok’s sword aimed for Viscount Radek’s neck. But the viscount swung his blade and knocked Jinhyeok’s sword aside.
“Kuh!”
The power behind Viscount Radek’s sword was far greater than expected. Jinhyeok swallowed a groan and stepped back, yet his stance did not crumble.
“I forgot that I’ve grown weaker.”
Having only faced weak enemies until now, he had forgotten that he no longer possessed the body of his prime, but that of an ordinary college student.
“I need to be careful.”
Jinhyeok approached in a defensive stance. Jiseokgyu still kept his distance. Viscount Radek swung his sword at Jinhyeok.
“Keuk!”
Though he used his skilled swordsmanship to deflect most of the power behind Viscount Radek’s sword, merely holding his ground was the best he could do.
“Viscount Radek’s swordsmanship is the Heavy Sword. Then the answer is the Quick Sword!”
His physical abilities weren’t what they had been in his prime, so it would be difficult to wield the Quick Sword at maximum efficiency. Still, he believed it would be enough to take down Viscount Radek.
Jinhyeok moved his footwork rapidly, confusing Viscount Radek by darting in front and behind him. Shallow wounds accumulated on areas the armor could not protect.
“Kraaa!”
Enraged, Viscount Radek let out a monstrous scream and swung his sword at Jinhyeok.
His blow was heavy, but his posture was wide and full of openings.
“An opening!”
Jiseokgyu, who had been watching the two fight from a short distance away, eyes gleamed sharply. Already having closed in near Viscount Radek, he thrust his sword.
“Haat!”
Ssak!
“Keuk!”
The sword imbued with the Bleeding Ghost cut the arm. However, perhaps due to a lack of cutting power, it left only a small wound despite his bold charge.
“Wh-what?”
But Viscount Radek was greatly flustered.
It was nothing more than a scratch. And yet, red blood burst forth like a fountain, as if he had been cut deeply.
“Bl-blood magic!”
Viscount Radek tried to cast blood magic to stem the bleeding. But Jinhyeok’s interference made it impossible to even attempt. Moving quickly this way and that, he tormented Viscount Radek.
Whenever he moved to block Jinhyeok’s sword, Jiseokgyu attacked from behind.
The wounds from the Bleeding Ghost accumulated, and before anyone knew it, a pool of red blood had formed on the ground where Viscount Radek stood. With every step he took, there was a sickening squelch as blood splashed.
“Keuk…! You monstrous bastards!”
Viscount Radek staggered from receiving Jinhyeok’s sword. Due to excessive blood loss, his vision grew hazy and strength drained from his entire body.
The hand holding the longsword trembled with effort.
“Master?”
Jiseokgyu’s gaze turned to Jinhyeok. Instead of answering, Jinhyeok quietly nodded.
“Haat!”
With a short shout, Viscount Radek’s head fell to the ground and rolled.
“Situation contained.”
Jinhyeok muttered to himself. The other vampires had already been finished off by the undead army.
“Master, what should we do now?”
“Looting.”
The two rummaged through Viscount Radek’s corpse, found the safe key, and moved to the armory.
The armory was neatly stocked with various weapons and military equipment. Jinhyeok stuffed every piece of usable equipment into his subspace.
Only after the armory was left completely empty did they make their way to the lord’s study.
Perhaps the forces that had resisted in the inner courtyard had been all of them, for no more vampires could be found inside the castle. Thanks to that, they reached the lord’s study without any hindrance.
Inside the personal safe in the lord’s study were 20 gold, two swords, and one ring.
Jinhyeok placed the Item Appraisal Scroll he had bought at a general store before leaving Lawrence Square over the swords and the ring. Then, information about the items began to record itself on the previously blank scroll.
Once the recording finished, Jinhyeok picked up the Item Appraisal Scroll.
Rustle.
“Wow.”
Jiseokgyu, seeing such a thing for the first time, exclaimed in admiration.
Regardless, Jinhyeok reached out and unfurled the scroll.
[White Sun Sword]
C-Rank.
One of two swords gifted to Viscount Radek by the blacksmith Axion when he inherited the territory of the southern forest of Lawrence.
Called the brother swords together with the Black Moon Sword, they incorporate a special vampire technique and can withstand Aura.
Increases the wielder’s Strength.
[Black Moon Sword]
C-Rank.
One of two swords gifted to Viscount Radek by the blacksmith Axion when he inherited the territory of the southern forest of Lawrence.
Called the brother swords together with the White Sun Sword, they are made of magic iron, making them excellent mediums for magic.
Increases the wielder’s Mana.
[Ring of Mana]
D-Rank.
A ring of mana crafted with vampire techniques.
Increases the wearer’s maximum mana.
These were C-Rank items unobtainable in a beginner dungeon. The Ring of Mana was even D-Rank. He had expected as much, but a smile spread across Jinhyeok’s lips at the splendid spoils of war.
“Jiseokgyu.”
“Yes, Master.”
Jiseokgyu approached Jinhyeok as he answered.
“It’s the Black Moon Sword. You use it.”
Jinhyeok handed the Black Moon Sword to Jiseokgyu.
At the sight of the Black Moon Sword, which exuded an extremely luxurious atmosphere thanks to the craftsmanship vampires prided themselves on, Jiseokgyu wore an entranced, hazy expression.
“Can I really take it?”
“Yes. I think it’s best if you use it.”
The Black Moon Sword’s effect was magic enhancement. It was equipment perfectly suited for Jiseokgyu, who used a type of magic that summoned spirits.
Although Jinhyeok could use it as well, in preparation for enemies wielding Aura, he decided to use the White Sun Sword for the time being, since he couldn’t use Aura yet.
The existence of Aura, which grants cutting power to swords, is an important factor that determines combat prowess in the Other World.
Jinhyeok decided to wear the Ring of Mana, as his mana consumption was high.
They searched other places but found nothing except a small amount of gold. Lastly, the two stripped equipment from the vampire corpses in the inner courtyard and put them into subspace.
Right there, they melted the flesh with acid magic, leaving only the skeletons behind, and replenished the destroyed skeleton soldiers.
Having secured fifty skeleton soldiers, Jinhyeok armed forty of them with the looted equipment.
“I think I’ve obtained everything there is to get here.”
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, Master.”
The moment they left the vampire territory, they sensed numerous presences. Jinhyeok stopped walking and placed his hand on the hilt of the White Sun Sword.
And he opened his mouth with a displeased expression.
“Come on out, all of you.”
Had the threat worked? Or had they intended to reveal themselves from the start?
Over ten people appeared, each with a sword at their waist.
The frigid smell of death accompanied them.
‘The Ronin Guild.’
“I’m Sebastian Reed, an executive of the Ronin Guild. Didn’t you see the notice? This is our area.”
Sebastian emitted a sharp, fierce killing intent.
He was a foreigner, but the moment one entered the Other World, all languages unified. Thus, communication was possible.
“You used the hunting ground without permission, so you’ll have to pay a fine.”
Sebastian curled up the corner of his mouth. The Ronin Guild was infamous in Lawrence as a thug guild. It was large in scale and had connections with local nobles.
“And if I refuse?”
“If you don’t want to pay the fine, we’ll just have to take your life. We don’t go easy on beginners.”
The Other World was a world of sheer power.
The public order was poor, and the Public Security Bureau did not heavily involve itself in crimes unless locals were implicated.
And that negligence manifested as the extreme tyranny of large guilds.
“Haah.”
Jinhyeok sighed in disbelief, quickly rolling his eyes to survey the surroundings. The enemy numbered eleven in total.
“Even if you look around, there’s no one to help you. What will you do? Ahaha.”
A female guild member who appeared to be a mage laughed unpleasantly.
“You seem pretty good with a sword for a beginner, but we’re eleven. Give up. Don’t waste your life for nothing.”
“I’m very busy. Interfere with me, and I’ll kill you.”
Jinhyeok warned them. He had something he absolutely had to do. He did not want to waste time in a place like this.
“Just the two of you? Go ahead and try.”
Sebastian gave a sly smile. Looking at him, Jinhyeok also smiled.
“Who said that?”
He sheathed his sword and raised his hand.
“I meant, who said there were only two of us?”
The Reaper of Death raises his scythe, and the legions of the undead appear.