Chapter 32: The Hidarus Challenge [Part 5]: Trial By Fire
"Vargoz, are you sure about this? I haven't trained much in swordsmanship yet. I've mostly been doing summoner training", I said cautiously.
Of course, I was telling Vargoz this important fact while parrying and evading the attacks of the Demonic knight. Moments before the hostiles began their assault, I split the mobs into 6 groups so they could be used efficiently.
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Group 1: [2 Corrupted Angellic Healers]
-[Mimic x1, Wyvern x3, Giant Centipede x1, Orc x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 2: [3 Demonic Units Of Varying Types]
-[Jordan, Giant Spider x1, Cyborg, Vampire x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 3: [2 Giant Tentacle Monsters Of Varying Types]
-[Obsidian, Cyclops x2, Orc x4, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 4: [3 Dark-Magic Golems]
-[Silmes x5, Lich x1, Young Cerberus x2, Golems x 2C+, Elementals x1]-
Group 5: [4 Minotaurs Of Varying Elements]
-[Skeleton Warrior x1, Skeleton Archer x1, Skeleton Mage x1, Golems x3, Elementals x1]-
Group 6: [Giant, A rank Minotaur]
-[Briggs, Bose, Golems x4, Slimes x3, Giant Serpent x1, Lich x1, Orc x4, Elementals x2]-
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Placing myself in Group 2 wasn't initially the plan but Vargoz insisted on killing the Demonic units first.
"I don't see what you're so worried about! I gave you buffs to ensure that you meet the requirements of the contract. I'm still a cursed B+ sword after all! Unlike Miller, you should be able to draw more power from me. All it takes is a little blood and suffering!", Vargoz stated.
The other two Demonic units, which were preoccupied with the mobs in my group, were the Dullahan and the Demonic Mage. The Dullahan had a sword that was emitting blue flames and was riding a rather disturbing horse. As the spikes of the demon horse protruded from it's back and it's blackened bones replaced what would be his skin, the horse couldn't be called anything but disturbing. It also didn't help that the Dullahan's head was attached to the side of the horse as if it was just a canteen or a satchel. Meanwhile, the Demon Magus was dressed in what looked to be a mix between stealth and mage attire. He had a wide and long sword on his back and a floating grimoire that he read from. He could've passed as human if he didn't have curled horns on the sides of his head. He was wingless but he was currently floating without them, most likely due to some type of magic.
According to Vargoz, the Demonic Knight that I was facing was one of the Dark Knights Of Hell. The Knights of Hell are a unique breed of demons that were created by the Overlord Of Hell to take on missions that are considered disastrous or "suicidal" for other demons to take part in. They were primarily created by the use of ancient high tier summoning magic and a mixture of alchemy, before being imbued with the Overlord's Blessing. They are one of the oldest and most powerful demons serving under the Overlord Of Hell, so much so that they are revered and praised by virtually all demons for their prowess. Since they answer to no one but the Overlord Of Hell himself, the Dark Knight was most likely the person in charge of leading this group. However, each Dark Knight of Hell is not equal to the other, as some vary depending on the training they go through and the experience they have. Vargoz guessed that Hidarus, given his close friendship with the Overlord, could request units whenever he needed them. That included this B+ Dark Knight that was trying to slice my head off.
"Shit! How am I supposed to attack him? Every time I dodge, he keeps attacking me!", I said.
"Good thing I can passively give you buffs as part of the contract! You would most likely be dead by now without them. Dark Knights are considered top tier units. The fact that you are able to block or dodge every attack is impressive, to say the least. Even Dark Knights as low as B+ are considered dangerous in Hell", Vargoz said.
You may be surprised to hear that the Dark Knight wasn't an overly muscular or flashy unit. On the contrary, the Dark Knight had a regular body frame and was around my height of 6'1". His armor was sleek and matte black, as he wore a sleek helmet that concealed his face. In a sense, it looked futuristic but I had bigger problems to worry about than his attire. This knight was also a user of Dark Ice, which meant he could create, shape and manipulate the ice of a darker, more detrimental nature. It represents the hazardous and destructive side of ice, which in turn ignores most of the limitations and weaknesses of normal ice magic. In essence, he was solely in control of the negative powers of ice. It also didn't help that he had Superhuman strength despite his body frame suggesting otherwise. Vargoz's buffs were literally saving my life, which is something I wouldn't expect to say on my fifth day. Luckily, one of the turrets switched targets and shot the Dark Knight in the face with holy magic, temporarily stopping his attacks. Seizing the opportunity, I performed a large jump backward to gather myself. Before I could gather my thoughts, Vargoz saw an opening.
"Strike him! Now!", Vargoz shouted.
As I placed both hands on Vargoz's handle, I placed the sword guard on my back left before charging at the Dark Knight. Using the buffs that Vargoz gave me, I quickly picked up speed.
"That's it, my boy! Close the distance and deal some damage!", Vargoz shouted.
As I reached the Dark knight, it sensed my presence and raised its left-handed shield. As I increased the pressure on his shield, Vargoz advised me on an opportunity.
"I didn't expect to use this so soon but these are extraordinary circumstances, right? There's a way to beat this guy, the A rank Minotaur, and possibly even the Behemoths converging on our position in a reasonable time frame", Vargoz cautiously stated.
"Really? What is it? I'm all ears, Vargoz. As you can see, I'm trying not to die at the moment so anything is better than nothing", I said.
As Vargoz continued, the Dark Knight was regaining his composure, as he slowly began pushing back against the sword and began reaching for his dropped weapon.
"I mean...there's definitely a way to do it but I'm not sure if we should do it. The cost might be too high for someone like you...", Vargoz stated.
Before Vargoz could finish, the Dark Knight rapidly performed a shield bash before quickly grabbing his sword and slicing me diagonally across my chest. As he left a large and bloody wound and ready to finish me off, Obsidian pounced on the Dark Knight and tried to bite through his armor. Obsidian essentially saved my life seconds before I lost it. While they were in the Altercation, I was laying on the floor and severely bleeding out. The Cyborg and one of the vampires rushed over to treat my wounds, as I started to cough up blood.
"Do you still"--cough, cough--"still think the cost could be too high by any chance?", I said weakly.
"Well at this rate, I'll be the one who devours your soul, Dungeon Master. Before I tell you, I need to tell you a story. You see, after I was tricked into becoming a cursed sword, I gradually learned what I was able to do so I could still quench my bloodthirsty appetite. Things like applying buffs, teaching the user important knowledge, or even modifying the sword type for each enemy. However, back when I was first found by an unsuspecting hero, I noticed that he was able to draw out more power than I ever thought possible. Eventually, the adventurer hungered for more power and asked me if this was the best that I could do", Vargoz said calmly.
As the Cyborg tried to stitch up the Dark Ice-infused wound, the Vampire used healing magic to support him.
"So what"--cough--"did you tell him? Was it possible?", I asked weakly.
"Of course it was possible! I'm Vargoz after all! But...as you would expect, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Upon giving the adventurer more power, he gradually began to lose his mind and inched closer towards becoming 'corrupted'. Mind you, this was a hero who used to be a sweet person on the inside and what you would call a 'goody two shoes'. It was only later that I realized that by unlocking the power that was stored away, parts of my personality would seep into the brain of the user. Seeing as my original personality was very brutal, this was not an ideal situation for him. This meant that the nice hero who was pure and motivated by justice eventually turned into a sadistic, twisted, and corrupted 'hero', if you could still call him that", Vargoz said.
"Why are you telling me this"--hard cough--"at this moment in time?", I asked.
"Since I've grown fond of you and also don't want to be punished by Hidarus for losing, I'm giving you the opportunity to harness the power that's stored inside this sword and hopefully control it. The fact of the matter is, you are in no shape to take on Behemoths like the rest of your Dungeon members, Jordan. However, by utilizing my power, you could have an easier time reaching your goals of becoming the strongest Dungeon Master in Orune", Vargoz stated.
"Oh yeah?"--cough--"and what's the catch?", I asked.
"Usually, I would say there is no catch but I'll be honest with you since I like you. There's a chance, a slight chance mind you, that you'll lose yourself in the process and cause unknown destruction amongst Orune. You would eventually return back to your normal self but the timing of that would be unknown. The chances of becoming 'corrupted' are primarily based on the strength of your convictions. The chance is also increased when you possess feelings of hatred. I call it 'The Taint Of Hidarus'. Sounds good, right? I came up with the name. Anyway, you could get healed by this vampire and Cyborg, which are doing a decent job, and barely fight. Or you could unlock the taint and unleash hell upon the hostiles in front of you, effectively saving the Dungeon with your own two hands. It's up to you, of course. I'm just the messenger of opportunity after all", Vargoz stated.
Vargoz may have told me that it was my choice but it was an offer that I didn't have the luxury to refuse.
That's right.
I'm essentially making a deal with the devil himself. Just to protect the Dungeon.
And hopefully, complete this Trial By Fire.
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