The Ruined Death Knight

Sitting in the chair where he spend two whole years working there, Danzel stared intensely at the Sun Timer.

Once he saw the image fall into the new hour, Danzel stood up.

"It´s time..."

Pulling his long sword out of his sheath, he glanced around the place in case he forgot something.

He tried preparing as best as he could those five remaining days, but even then, he wasn´t confident in his plan.

He observed and gather knowledge of the dealings that Hanson made with the army.

So he knew that his presence would only be reported at the very least at the night.

How he learned that was when he intentionally was giving Hanson runed items that didn´t work. 

By doing that he would receive complaints of Hanson.

Although he was getting fewer resources for some amount of time by doing that, Danzel found it well worth it.

The time when the mistake was realized and reported was between 6 to 8 hours in time.

Since it was quite early in the morning, the changes armies of both kingdoms colliding were bottom low.

But the risk of that not being the case, although low, it was still there.

Danzel though decided to still go for it.

As stubborn as it sounded, Danzel couldn´t just run away knowing that Hanson received many privileges in the Union.

He didn´t know much of what he received, but the talk of him being promoted was currently being talked for four months straight.

And his way of dragging him back down was to break a taboo.

That was the practice of necromancy.

One of the few reasons why Berum was at war with Arcana was because of such taboo.

As a kingdom that focuses on improving its magical knowledge.

Magic casters of great power and wisdom were bound to be born.

But.

Where there is light, there must be shadow.

As magic is an endless path towards knowledge and power.

Many people would do anything to reach the end of this path.

And among those people, many would even forsake their humanity and seek how to become immortal beings.

A Lich.

Making the arcana kingdom, in a way.

The birthplace of many Liches who brought forth many terrible events throughout history.

Being a plague or a legion of undead.

There were many such cases.

And the Berum kingdom followed the teaching of the Sacred Cross and adored the immortal bird that was once their king.

A being who is made out of pure life force.

The phoenix.

For those reasons, the Berum kingdom sought to eliminate to what wherein their eyes, the spawn of evils.

But such claims were of course refused by the Arcana Kingdom.

And that those Liches were just madmen who are their enemy too.

Such claims made Berum's justification to bring a full-out war against the Arcana kingdom, to be invalid.

`I wonder what will happen.´ Danzel thought to himself.

Although vaguely, he knew Arcanas situation, so he was curious how it will appear to the Berum if their soldiers rose from the dead and became enraged ghouls who would kill every living thing once they got their eyes to them.

"I ain´t going to be here anyway..." He shook his head just thinking of that situation.

What if doing that made the war between those two kingdoms escalate to a full-out war?

Danzel didn´t care.

He was trapped here for two whole years and even once killed by one of the powerhouses of this very kingdom.

Nonetheless, the idea of many of them dying didn´t make him feel bad at all.

"Now..."

Seeing that he got everything ready, Danzel brought a small circular metal container that had small chains. In the middle of the container, was a glass.

Past the glass was to what looked dark green smoke. 

He locked the chains tightly to his ribs, making the container look like a core of sorts.

Equipping his chest plate once more, he started to bring out the things he prepared through the two years.

Bring it out of his other storage ring, big containers of the form of barrels were placed near the door, holding a similar dark green smoke in them.

Though it wasn´t clear to see, the smoke was so tightly packed inside the barrels that if any crack happend to the glass, the smoke could explode out.

"Let´s hope that those things work just like the book said..."

The smoke that they contained was no mere smoke.

In fact, it was poisonous gas mixed with dead mana.

The magic books that had information about death magic, in particular, contained many more things than magic.

That poisonous gas was made by Danzel with some rather commonly found fungus that he had to feed with dead mana for a whole week. And after the week, he had to trap those fungi in such containers and then drown them with dead mana until they begin to disappear and become that poisonous smoke.

The gas according to the book was supposed to be used to make dead bodies better receive dead mana, so that they have a better chance to become natural undead.

But Danzel didn´t need that.

The book also mentions that the gas was poisonous to the living.

"Although it isn´t supposed to be lethal, I will use what I have..."

Currently outside his door were fours guards that held the strength of a 3rd-tier, with the strongest being Edward and the others being similar levels to when he was five days ago.

Although his guards were supposed to be seven with those church kids.

The time he chose now was when they went to train with Hanson.

Making him only to get rid of the four guards and the three employees that we're normal people.

The only thing he worried about was the contract that he made with Hanson.

Danzel didn´t know if Hanson carried it in training or not with Kayns group.

That was the variable to his plan.

The moment he attacks them outside, the contract that he created will snitch on him.

`Quite ironic to have my creation be something that would hold me back at times like this...´ Danzel thought as he shook his head.

Having finished putting the last barrel facing the door, brought the last of his toys from the storage ring.

Appearing from thin air and falling the next second to the ground.

More the 30 corpses of both men and women were left to the ground, wearing both gauntlets and a chest plate with the remaining just being casual clothing.

"It has been a while when I have last done that..." Danzel said as he stared down at the pale corpses.

With his dead mana going around his body, Danzel started his spell.

"Be made to serve~" Saying his cast, the dead mana shot out to the 10 corpses.

Absorbing the dead mana, the corpses that had their eyes close were shot wide up the next moment while their bodies started to rise.

Staring at the zombies for a moment, Danzel cast [Raise Undead] two times more.

Making the rest of the corpses become zombies.

"Let´s hope that they will be useful..." Danzel said uncertainly.

Although by raising his spell from [Lesser Raise Undead] to [Raise Undead] the casting got much shorter and the zombies had higher stats.

They were still a zombie.

A tier 1 undead!

Expecting them to win against a 3rd-tier opponent was nothing more of a joke.

They wouldn´t even count as cannon founders!

That is if it weren´t for Danzel's runic equipment.

Walking to each of the zombies one by one.

Danzel activated the gauntlets that the zombies had, resulting in them glowing in a dark green light.

Those were runes that had the [Rune of Eniv], the rune that sucked out the vitality of both the users and the target.

And the chest plate that those zombies wore, had the same runes that bestowed a self-activating barrier that could block attacks of the 3rd-tier for a short amount of time.

`They wouldn´t able to kill them instantly and each touch of them would be a pain to deal with.´ Danzel though.

Danzel hoped to simply overwhelm them and finish them off before they notify Hanson.

`You all, go to those containers and break them when I say so.´ Danzel transmitted his command internally to the zombies who the latter followed them.

The internal transmission was one of the benefits of upgrading the skill [Lesser Raise Undead] to [Raise Undead].

Seeing them in position, Danzel channeled his mana into his long sword.

`You over there, go and open the door when I tell you.´

The zombie who was instructed to go held the door while staring dumbly to the ground.

Taking his stance, Danzel clenched his sword as hard as he could.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Hanson..." Danzel mumbled to himself as the mana in his sword reached his peak.

`Now!´

The zombie holding the door including the other zombies on each barrel upon the command of their liege.

Began to fulfill his instruction.

*Ttsss!

*Ttsss!

With the door opening and poisonous gas bursting out, Danzel released the wind-piercing blade together with a deafening sound.

***

A few seconds before the door opens...

Clueless about what is about to happend the guards tasked to look after Danzel were bored.

They were two to the left and two to the right.

With the two-guard closer to the door rambling out of boredom.

"Hey, Edward. How about a drink after our swift is over and seeing some pretty girls while we are it?"

Hearing that, Edward put a wry smile on his face.

"Mikel, we are currently at our job. So I hope we keep such talk after our shift is done."

"Oh come on Edward! For use elites looking after a fossil is boring as hell! If it weren't for the good pay that Hanson is offering us, then I wouldn't waste my time here." Mikel said.

Hearing that, Edward shook his head.

'I got to report to Hanson to replace this guy with someone else...' Edward though.

As Edward was about to answer Mikels previous question, the sound of the door opening could be heard.

'What the..!' Sensing the mana coming out of the door, Edward who worked as a guard for those two years knew that something was off and got wary.

The other three guards though didn't though.

Once the door was opened, the air cutting sound together with Edwards's warning shouted out.

"Dodge!"

*Fsheeeeeen!

A dark green wind cut horizontal through the walls, closing in the guards.

Realizing what was happening, the guards tried to guard against the reaping blade of wind.

But it was too late.

The wind blade cut a deep wound in their chest and pushed the two guards forcefully to the side so that the wind blade could continue flying at the other two.

Edward who realized early the imminent danger dodged in time while the guard opposite to managed to block the wind blade, which resulted in him being pushed to the side.

"Arghhh!"

"Dammit! It hurts!" 

Both the guards yelled in pain and rage.

If their body weren't that of a 3rd-tier, then they would have split in half!

But what happend next stained them.

"Cough~Cough, smoke?"

"N-No! Is poison! Don't breath it-"

The dark green gas came like a wave, filling the whole path.

And currently, in that poisonous gas, a shadow was to be seen.

Passing the two guards, a cry run out!

"Arghh..."

Hearing the cry of the guard opposite to him, Edward saw a massive shadow coming at him!

"You Undead!" Knowing too well who this figure was, Edward swung his sword with one hand at the shadow.

Maybe it was because of how fast things were progressing.

That Edward forgot who he was dealing with.

As the sword was about to hit the shadow behind the most, a barrier appeared that blocked Edwards's attack.

"Ah..." Seeing his mistake, Edward quickly trapped his communication device to report to Hanson.

"Too late..."

With the speed that Edward could barely see, Danzel cut Edwards's head clean off.

'Kill them' transmitting his thoughts on the zombies, they dashed towards the two wounded men.

"What the-!"

"Zombies!?"

The two-man who didn't yet see Edward and the other guards swift dead exclaimed in surprise before scoffing from inside.

You think that mere undead will stop us!?

Grinding their teeth, the guards swung their swords, realizing a wind blade similar to Danzels.

But...

The barrier of the zombies who were in charge activated and fully blocked the attack.

"Hu-?"

Before having the chance to understand what happend, the 30 zombies with glowing gauntlets rushed at them!

They managed to kill the first four of those, but once new zombies with the barrier were in front of them, all zombies crashes at the two, pushing them to the ground

"Aghhh! Some were zombies..."

"I can't do like this..!"

As the wound that Danzel did was a fatal one, the two didn't have the strength to push away 24 meat backs with a barrier protecting them.

Seeing that, Danzel went down the stairs.

'At least they were in some use' danzel thought as he saw he stared at the stunned employee who looked at him in horror.

One who was able to realize the current situation went to grab the communication device.

"No, you don't" 

Casting his spell internally, a dark green hand appeared in front of that man and dashed out to grab his wrist.

"Ahhhh!"

Dragging the employee to him, Danzel swung his sword at the man.

Granting him a swift death.

"Kyagghh-"

Seeing the death of their senior, the two couldn't help but panic.

"Now be quiet..."

Sending an internal command, the dark green hands grabbed the two employees at their throats and pushed them at the wall up high.

"Gh-I can'- breat-"

"Please- spare us-"

Pulling a robe out of his storage ring.

Danzel wore it and pulled the hoodie to hide his mask.

Walking towards the exit of the door casually, he turned around the choking man.

"No"

With that, Danzel walked out of the building with the choking sounds in the background coming to an end.