Volume 2, Chapter 32 – Death Knight Karl

In this game, when you die… do you really die?

In every player’s understanding, death in the game wasn’t true death.

After all, a player’s body was ultimately nothing but a bundle of data. If that data were to dissipate upon death, it would simply reform into new data, with the player’s consciousness transferring over upon revival.

That was the universally accepted truth among players.

But reality wasn’t as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Because the players’ so-called infinite resurrection mechanism didn’t last forever. Eventually, players would truly die.

“Do you think I was too cruel… Karl?”

Yunchou looked down at the Vice Leader’s corpse, which showed no sign of turning into white light after death. His gaze was deep and calm.

As his words faded, a hoarse, deathly voice echoed by his ear.

“No, my Lord. To be merciful to one’s enemies is to be cruel to oneself.”

The owner of that voice expressed his stance clearly.

As the voice spoke, a man clad in plain white armor suddenly appeared behind Yunchou.

Yes, appeared. Because a moment ago, there had been no one near Yunchou at all. The way this man materialized gave the eerie illusion that he had stepped out of thin air.

“…Is that so? Mercy toward one’s enemies is cruelty to oneself… When you put it that way, I suppose it does make me feel a little better. Still, Karl, it’s hard to believe that just a while ago, you were the Legendary Commander of the Holy Hand Knights.”

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Yunchou shifted his gaze away from the Vice Leader’s corpse and stared into the distance, where the remaining NPC troops had finished cleaning up the battlefield and were regrouping.

At his words, the man knelt on one knee, strands of white hair swaying quietly in the breeze.

“My Lord. The Karl of the past was a Paladin, a shield that protected the people. But now, I am merely a knight who died and was brought back to life. The Paladin Karl is dead. What remains is a Death Knight who serves only his Lord, devoted to becoming the sword in his Lord’s hand.”

“Is that so…”

Yunchou’s tone was unreadable, his eyes distant as if lost in thought.

After a long silence, he finally turned and looked at Karl, who still knelt before him.

“Karl, there’s something I need you to do next. It’s actually quite simple.”

“My Lord, please give your command.”

Karl’s response was formal and full of respect, hard to imagine that this same man had once been a noble Legendary Paladin bound by the Seven Virtues of the Knight.

Seeing his unwavering loyalty, Yunchou smiled faintly.

“Well, it’s not anything difficult. I just want someone of your Legendary strength to go and join the Graveyard, and work under the Undead Grand Duke Sargus.”

Though it sounded like he was sending Karl to act as an undercover agent, the order itself was strange, even suspicious.

Karl couldn’t help but voice his doubt.

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“My Lord, do you intend for me to infiltrate the Graveyard and wait for an opportunity?”

“No, no, not at all, Karl.”

Yunchou shook his head with a smile.

“Sargus is an ancient monster who’s lived for over a million years. With that kind of lifespan, if I were to send you to him, he’d see through your identity the moment he looked into it.”

“So if you went there with the intention of hiding your identity, you’d only expose yourself even more.”

“…”

Kneeling on one knee, Karl’s crimson eyes flickered faintly, as though deep in thought.

“Karl, my real order is simply for you to serve under Sargus properly. With your Legendary strength, he’ll surely welcome you. He might even assign you command of an undead army.”

Hearing that, Karl immediately understood Yunchou’s intention.

“My Lord’s plan… I understand it now.”

“Good. Then go, Karl. It’s about time I returned to the guild.”

Yunchou’s gaze settled on Karl, then he reached out and tightly gripped the hilt of the iron sword still lodged in the Vice Leader’s cold corpse.

A sharp metallic sound followed as he pulled the sword out with ease.

Yes, easily. Hard to believe that just moments ago, the Vice Leader had struggled desperately, unable to draw it even as he died.

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After pulling it out, Yunchou casually tossed the iron sword at Karl’s feet.

“My Lord?”

Karl raised his head in confusion, his pale, bloodless face showing uncertainty.

“Well, I’m giving you this sword because I need a favor from you.”

Yunchou’s lips curved into a faint, beautiful smile.

“Now, kill me.”

“My Lord?”

Even though he had been resurrected as a Death Knight and his personality completely altered, Karl still couldn’t comprehend such an absurd command.

“Don’t ask questions. Just do it. All you need to know is that you’re going to kill me now.”

“After you do, don’t bother with the remaining kingdom troops here. Go straight to the Graveyard.”

“Understood.”

Since Yunchou had given the order, Karl had no reason to hesitate further.

“My Lord, forgive my offense.”

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A low, rasping voice sounded as Karl picked up the sword Yunchou had tossed beside him, slowly rising to his feet.

Then, the sword flashed, and pierced straight through Yunchou’s body.

In Yunchou’s vision, his HP bar dropped rapidly, and a massive red damage number floated above his head.

As his HP hit zero, his body began to turn translucent and fade.

“Karl, you were once a Paladin, now reborn as a Death Knight. The Undead Grand Duke of the Graveyard, Sargus, will surely value you greatly. Your task from now on is to serve under him… and fight his wars in this world. Understood?”

“Understood.”

Karl nodded firmly.

Seeing that, Yunchou looked pleased.

“Good. You can go now. I’ll revive… and return to the guild.”

His low voice echoed faintly.

Then, a pale white light surrounded his fading body, and slowly, Yunchou disappeared from this area.

Left standing there alone was Karl, now fully reborn as a Death Knight.