The Ruined Death Knight

Staring at the laughing skeleton who held the sword that was piercing his heart, Hanson was in disbelief.

`How are there two of them!?´

"Dammit!" Cursing out loud, out of his own shadow, multiple shadows came cramped together and jumped at the second undead.

But once the shadows came out and were about to reach out at the laughing undead, as if it didn´t exist in the first place.

The second undead disappeared without any trace to be left.

`Huh?´ 

Seeing that, Hanson was flabbergasted.

`How did it disappear? I didn´t take my eyes away for him even for a second, but...´

Unfortunately for Hanson, his racing thoughts were interrupted by Danzel's cold voice.

"Look over here..."

Remembering the situation he was in, Hanson hastily turned back around and raised his hand to block the incoming sword.

That was when he saw that didn´t match up.

`Where did the blood in my hand go?´ As he realized that, he also found the hole that was made by that second undead to now be gone.

Those thoughts of his were shortly pushed back in his mind, as he was forced to face the crisis in front of him.

Although Hanson reacted extremely quickly on the second undead piercing his heart, to which reacting at all is impressive enough.

He to process that his heart was pierced, recognizing the enemy and even responding against it by the span of a second.

Even for a battle-harder veteran who faced death every day could be hard to achieve.

Mostly the reason why he was so calm was that Hanson practices a very special art of using dark mana.

To the common man, it was just known as shadow magic, which although isn´t wrong.

It was a large understatement for how Hanson used that shadow magic.

The original technique was called [Shadow Ascension] or other refereed as becoming one with the shadows.

Unlike the usual summoning magic that calls upon an elemental to appear that can follow simple orders.

The Shadows of Hansons weren´t in fact categorized as summoning itself.

In fact, it was him manipulating the dark mana to his will, while sharing his senses with them.

That requires him to train his mind to extreme levels so that his shadows act as if it was him.

Just controlling one or two shadows at the same time would put the average user of dark mana into a mind overload.

Und Hanson who was still at the 3rd-level was capable to control 100 shadows while sharing his senses.

That alone should speak of how mental fortitude one's mind to be in hopes to achieve such a feat while still being in the 3rd-tier.

Because of that, when he found out that Kayn had actually talent for such a rare praxis, he of course was happy and thus became fond of him as the other two that were similarly talented, even if not on his own art.

But even with extreme senses and reflexes to react in less than a second.

Keeping up with his mind, the current body of him could.

Knowing that full well, as how frustrating as it was.

Hanson knew that the ominous dark blade could not be dodged unscarred.

Seeing the blade coming diagonally at him, aim to cut his body half.

Knowing that he couldn´t get away, he did everything in his power to reduce the damage.

Pushing his gauntlet up in his head, the ominous blade of the undead coming for his neck was blocked, but the blade did not stop.

Sliding at the Hansons gauntlets with sparks coming out, the blade passed Hanson's hand and went slightly to his right lung.

Covering the part that was about to be hit with shadow arms, Hanson gritted his teeth and prepare himself for the pain that was about to come.

And the pain indeed found its way towards him.

Slicing the hands that were protecting Hanson's body, the longsword that Danzel held dug through his flesh while leaving the dead man to do his job.

"Agh...!"

A large amount of blood splashed out as if the blood itself was dragged out and thrown into the ground. The main reason for that happening was of Danzel's improved original rune that he carved in the sword inspired most of his old blade Veren.

The dead mana stuck to Hansons cut part and burned his vitality by the second while also decreasing his natural regeneration. Having two courses at that too, Hanson currently felt horrible.

Danzel though wasn´t going to stop there when his enemy was vulnerable!

But as he tried to raise his blade to hack at Hanson once more.

Hanson didn´t hold the same opinion thoughts.

With dark mana whirlwind around his body, Hanson's body turned in shadows and exploded the next second. 

The shadow-like cloud moved around Danzels, making one think that Hansons could appear at any moment and at each angle.

But Danzel didn´t buy it.

Gathering the mana in his body into his sword, he released a wind blade and cut through that cloud.

"Once cursed by me, you got to thinking of something else if you plan to run away..." Danzel commented as he watched Hanson on the edge of the forest holding the wound with his hand.

"That thing of before... It wasn't an illusion was it!" Hanson yelled at the undead.

"..."

"And I am certain that I had crushed that skulls of yours. But here you are standing there...are you really a Wight as you said?"

"..."

There was a moment of silence between those two.

Hanson who by now realized he wasn't getting any answers was slowly sinking to the grounds shadows.

"Fighting you more isn't worth it anymore..." Hanson said frustrated.

But that little frustration wasn't going to let cloud his mind.

"Though I hate to say it, I lost. Risking my life to bring someone who is unwilling to work for me will bring both parties losses. The runes that you made those years helped me already achieve my goals. You are no longer needed..."

Although he knew that once he got back he would receive a punishment from the Union Head for losing a runesmith.

His position in the capital was granted and already rooted there.

Having the undead runesmith was a luxury as it was a ticking bomb.

Once that fact was revealed, the Council was bound to make trouble for him.

'I even got some apprentice waiting for me...'

Seeing no profits to be gained without any risk, Hanson gives up on bringing Danzel back.

"Although I would much prefer to have you killed..." Mumbling to himself, Hanson stared at the undead.

"Rue Danzel, the undead abomination that you are. Although I am leaving things being, don't think that you will escape the grasp of the Union! No matter where you go, sooner or later you will pay for what you have done today." With Hanson's voice turning that of deep echoes, he disappeared into the shadows.

"He left..." Danzel said.

Unable to sense his curses anymore, Danzel knew for a fact that he left.

"Sigh, I was forced to use it..." Danzel sighed as he pulled out a helmet from his storage ring.

Putting the helmet on, Danzel imminently started dashing in the forest towards the direction he originally planned to go.

That is out of this kingdom.

'Although I won...it doesn't feel like it' Danzel thought bitterly.

Even if in the end he had not a single crack in his bones and he critically wounded Hanson.

His dying once and being forced to activate his [Undying] talent didn't count as a victory for him.

After all, who wins by dying?

His win also revolved around managing to wound him after getting back from that dark place.

If he hadn't managed to wound him and leave back his mark so that the new skill [Mortal Reminder] could activate.

He was 90% percent sure that he would have been overwhelmed by Hanson and his shadow and end up dying for real.

Against an opponent like Hanson, Danzel knew that making mistakes would be his downfall.

But as he was too weak to face Hanson, he also needed to use [Sin of Wrath] to be able to keep up with him.

That thought influenced his mind to be more reckless and more relaxing on his undead instincts.

He founded it ironically.

Becoming stronger to be able to face him would make him do mistakes.

While without becoming stronger, he could avoid making mistakes and be beaten by Hanson who was stronger.

For that reason alone Danzel tried his best to make his plan so that he would avoid fighting Hanson at all costs.

But here he was, having done the exact opposite.

"I got lucky this time..." Danzel acknowledges it.

He wasn't his match.

Only the element of surprise was barely enough to make it somehow alive.

But for Danzel, that was good enough.

As long as he managed to make it out alive, everything else was a luxury.

"Although I worry for the last thing that Hanson said...Now getting out of here takes priority.." Danzel said, as he slowly disappeared deeper into the forest.