Novels online

Chapter 287

My Villains Episode 287

53. midnight sun(6)

Luke, riding the Ghost Steed, looked back at the army while being guarded by the knights..

Dozens of banshees, ghouls, and spirits were flying above the monastery, spewing despair. The snow-covered mountains and cliffs below were full of frozen corpses, no, his followers who had dedicated their bodies and souls to him..

“Hmm.”

As a true seeker of the Spiritual Gate, Luke had long since forgotten personal worldly values. However, as I looked back at the army that had worked hard, shedding blood and sweat, a sigh of satisfaction escaped my lips..

He slowly drove the ghost warhorse and advanced to the front of the army..

Seteni Ora Monastery, the first sacred site of the Gwangmyeong Church, was radiating five-colored brilliance, with its exterior walls covered in soot and scars. Even that miserable bravado will come to an end with just one command..

The sight of the monastery was like a pebble in front of a large wave, and Luke fell into a strange feeling..

Luke, who lost his parents around the age of five, was taken in by a 'reputable' scholar who was his father's friend. The scholar's residence was the University of Altenburg, and Luke visited the library from a young age while running errands for his adoptive father..

Thanks to his natural intelligence and persistent inquisitiveness, as well as a seemingly benign environment, Luke quickly learned to read and cultivated his knowledge through books. He accumulated all kinds of knowledge through self-study, including literature, theology, and Spakht language, as well as law, mathematics, medicine, and other foreign languages..

It was around that time that I encountered Yeonggeummun. Teachings that seemed abstract but had clear logic were what Luke most desperately wanted at that time, and he was easily fascinated by them..

After his adoptive father finally died from an unknown disease, Luke, who worked as a librarian, left the city and headed to the countryside. He was deeply immersed in his own Yeonggeummun, and needed to escape the influence of Gwangmyeonggyo in order to cultivate peace of mind..

In a village so small and poor that there was no church, but with beautiful rye fields on an autumn evening, Luke worked as an undertaker, like all spiritual practitioners..

The ignorant villagers did not let go of their obsession with life, disguised as hope, even in a life full of hard labor and all kinds of dangers..

Luke tried to teach them how to let go of their pain and obsession, but the stubborn villagers would not listen to him..

In the end, Luke decided to create an environment so that the villagers could realize the truth for themselves..

At first, bugs and fungi were released into the rye fields. Poverty following a poor harvest made life clearer.

Next, they made dolls out of bones and hid them around the village. Those who had symbols of xie jiao were reported and burned. The weakened bond made thinking more flexible..

Finally, the children were taken away. In a situation where brief happiness turned into permanent misery, the villagers finally let go of their obsession..

When the village fully accepted his teachings, Luke felt a thrill as if he had been struck by lightning. It was the most valuable feeling one could feel as a seeker..

From then on, Luke pursued that feeling throughout his life..

“That task seems like it was just yesterday.……

His journey, which started with a small achievement, soon achieved a great cause, and the sacred site of Gwangmyeong Bridge was placed in a precarious situation at his feet..

Luke quietly closed his eyes to contemplate the indescribable and mysterious feeling..

It was then.

Ugh, Luke.-!”

A loud voice penetrated between the strange sound of the curtain of light fluttering, the screams of the banshees, and the meaningless growls of the followers. It was a voice so loud that you couldn't believe it came from a human..

Luke tried to smile at the familiar voice, but his mouth tightened at the next words..

“You're such a fucking old man.!”

In the middle of the monastery walls, a tall man stood tall..

Standing on two feet on the battlements with open eyes, cutting through the wind like the figurehead of a sailing ship, was a handsome man wearing plate armor..

It looked like he could have fallen 7 or 8 meters if he took one wrong step, but the man raised his voice and continued yelling as if nothing had happened..

“It was only three days ago, three days ago, that I realized there was nothing more to see here! If a cub that is old enough to eat its age opens its muzzle, is it all trash?!”

The old man, who was nicknamed the King of Death, silently touched the corner of his mouth as the blood-covered swordsman or the man called the Red Knight spoke loudly..

After gathering his courage, Luke waved his wand slightly and raised his magic power. He raised his voice with a similar technique as when making the 'Declaration of the Abyss', a type of black magic..

“Nice to meet you, Poynix.. ”

Some of the troops on top of the castle were visibly shaken by the voices coming from all directions. If Phoenix's roar was like the roar of a wild beast, Luke's greeting was as eerie as the whisper of a ghost..

“The vulgar remarks are still the same. Old memories are starting to come to mind.. ”

“Where are our memories, you crazy bastard?-!”

“Who would have thought that you, who were unusually polite and serious for a young person, would change in an instant?. ”

Poynix, whose face was contorted, cursed and took a deep breath, saying something like 'That's a total idiot.'.

“Cut the bullshit and tell me why you came back!”

“Reason for coming back?”

“okay! Are you trying to trap me into this trap?!”

Luke looked puzzled for a moment, but then burst into laughter..

“No way, I believed that, no, that’s not true. I wasn't lying.

It's just a change of plans.. ”

“bullshit!”

“It's true, Poynix.. ”

Luke tapped the ghost steed with the bottom of his staff. The warhorse, covered in blue and cold flames, slowly moved forward. The Death Knight, the Headless Knight, and the Skeleton Knight followed..

“As the popular saying goes, I am a necromancer. Dealing with death and communicating with the soul.”

He glanced over the castle wall with a calm, carefree look, as if he were on an outing. And he continued speaking with a smile on his face..

“Thanks to you, I was able to see it. The sight of a large and shining soul abandoning the body and ascending to heaven..”

To the point where Poynix crossed his arms as if nothing had happened, the middle-aged man who was acting as a commander next to him suddenly contorted his face..

Luke, who gained confidence thanks to this, added confidence to his additional words..

“The saint finally died. Isn't that so, Lord Kavar??”

Only then did the cathedral knight, who realized his mistake, quickly correct his expression, but agitation was already spreading among the soldiers, along with ominous whispers..

“It looks like his eyes got damaged while he wasn't there— Well, that's okay.!”

Poynix crossed his arms as if it was no big deal, looked down at the castle, and opened his mouth..

“so! What do you want! Ah, if you want to check on the saint's condition, I'd like to tell you to look at this sacred barrier and get out of the way.!”

Poynix's superhuman voice seemed to be slowly losing strength, so Luke had to listen with narrowed eyes..

But regardless, Luke couldn't hold back his laughter..

“under. It's sad to see you trying so hard to act confident, Poynix.. ”

Phoenix puffed out his chest with an angry face as he tried to yell, but Luke, using the power of black magic, easily interrupted him..

“There is only one thing I want. All we have to do is destroy the monastery. That's the only reason I came here. ”

“If you destroy the shrine, you will be chased by all the priests on the continent.!”

“It's not that different now. And this is a place where Gwangmyeong Bridge, full of lies and hypocrisy, dares to call it a holy place. It deserves to collapse. ”

The area above the monastery walls became noisy for a moment. The cathedral knight tried to dissuade Phoenix, as if further conversation was meaningless, and Utequoi and other mercenaries blocked him, saying that the conversation was not over..

Phoenix asked Luke, who was watching him closely, with a slightly cautious expression..

“then… … Are you saying this trap wasn't aimed at me?!”

Like that expression, the momentum in his voice had also faded away..

Luke burst out laughing at the sight of the boy who used to run wild without knowing how to behave and became very calm..

“Hehehe! Poynix, did you really think that I was putting in all this trouble just because of you? If you thought that way, you overestimated yourself..”

Luke continued, laughing as much as he could at Phoenix, who was gritting his teeth in humiliation..

“While you were wandering around remote places and earning a small reputation, I swept through two countries and dealt with electors, viceroys, and heroes. After all the difficulties, the great work is just around the corner, so it would be foolish to get caught up in things like past blessings..”

Phoenix had a look of anger on his face, but he didn't swear or anything..

He hesitated for a moment, as if he was thinking about something, and then sighed briefly. He then glanced sideways at the cathedral knight and the soldiers following him and opened his mouth with an expression of unwillingness..

“……There is no reason for me to fight with you if I am not bound by past blessings.……

The cathedral knight opened his eyes as if those words were completely unexpected..

“Lord Phoenics! What does that mean! no way-”

Phoenics didn't even look at the cathedral knight who was talking nonsense..

As Phoenix's voice became quieter, Luke, who was slowly driving the ghost steed, had already reached a place about 50 meters away from the castle wall. It was within reach of an arrow, but there was a death knight by his side. So I was able to comfortably enjoy the complex judgment behind that handsome face..

“I also want to ask. What does that mean, Poynix??”

“It's not as big as your army, but I have friends and subordinates..”

As if to represent the shame and humiliation he felt, Poynix's voice was much more shriveled than before. However, Luke could easily sense that there was something irrational in that voice..

“It's a pretty strong party. If you risk your life and struggle, I can cut off your head.

Maybe.”

“My neck? Ha, how arrogant. No matter how hard I struggle, I will be swept away by this force and drown.. ”

“You probably want to see for yourself what happens, right? They say there is no need to be tied down by grudges and bleed each other..”

“Hey, traitor-!”

As the cathedral knight let out a bloody shout and drew his sword, Utequai with chains on his shoulders took a step forward and blocked his path..

“The story isn't over. stay still.”

“A man called the Silver Prince's Knight begs for his life from an evil necromancer! Don't you know no shame?!”

As the middle-aged cathedral knight shouted angrily, the soldiers following him also pointed their spears at Phoenix and the mercenaries..

“These rat-sized bastards, they point their knives at me!”

Starting with the shouts of a fierce mercenary, Poynix's men also raised their weapons and stood shoulder to shoulder..

As if he couldn't see the commotion, Phoenix was looking down at Luke with a stern expression..

“we are leaving.”

“I'm leaving?”

“okay. As long as you don't come after us, there won't be a fight..”

After hearing those words, Luke narrowed his eyes and looked at Phoenics as if trying to determine the truth..

“•••…It's my intention that I have nothing to lose.. ”

“Instead, even if I leave, don't attack the monastery for a day. Don't move your army.”

“day? Is that a condition??”

“okay.”

Luke quickly realized the intention behind the condition..

‘Gero forces trying to prevent individual destruction..’

I understand the intention, but it was clearly a proposal with many loopholes, so Luke had his doubts..

‘but… … There doesn't seem to be any room for trickery..’

At first glance, it looked like Poynix's party numbered only about twenty people. His army was too large to attack the rear after breaking out of the siege..

At best, all they could do was to take advantage of their small numbers and run away at high speed, but even if they did that, they wouldn't be able to shake off the knights riding ghost warhorses..

‘Are you trying to grasp at straws?.’

That was a pretty stupid suggestion, Luke thought..

He is a spiritual seeker and an excellent necromancer. My memory was too good to forget the humiliation I experienced at the hands of Poynix in the basement of South Harbor. Also, the mission given to him was too heavy to be bound by promises like this.,

Finally Luke nodded..

“Yes, I also have a condition.. ”

“What is it?”

“Leave now. Because I don't have much time.”

“As soon as the zombies to the east get bitten, I'll move on. In particular, clear away all bugs on the road..”

Since then, several minor adjustments have been made between the two..

Meanwhile, the cathedral knight was shaking with anger and shaking his hands. However, as a cathedral knight, it was impossible for humans to cut each other before the King of Death, so he had no choice but to watch Phoenix's treacherous act..

“good. This should be enough.”

Looking down at Luke and the knights who had already approached about 40 meters in front, Poy Nyx nodded..

“We'll be leaving soon, so we'll be on our way.”

“Oops, there's one more condition.. ”

“what? The story is over, what are the conditions??”

“It's not that difficult. All I ask is that you be polite to me like you did before.. ”

“……manners?”

“That's right. You're making promises to each other in the first place, but if you don't even show basic courtesy, how can you build trust?. ”

Phoenix immediately swore and refused, but Luke was stubborn as if he would never give in..

After remaining silent for a while, Phoenix finally lowered his head..

“……So, let's do it..”

“I wish they would call me by the same name as before..”

“All right… … Elderly.”

Seeing him give up his pride as a leader with a small number of subordinates, Luke burst into laughter as if he was proud of him. Phoenix's chin trembled, then he turned and climbed down the battlements..

“good. Let's go back.”

Luke, who had gained magical power, was so excited that he tapped the bony butt of the horse with his staff. The ghost steed slowly turned his head..

It was then.

Cracking-

“ o Ugh9”

While my son-in-law was noisy with the voices of cathedral knights and soldiers, and the endless screams of banshees, strangely enough, the sound of loud footsteps tugged at his ears..

Luke looked back as if fascinated, and saw Phoenix who had just kicked off the battlements and flew up..

“••••••her?”

For a moment, he did not understand the situation. It was so unrealistic to see a giant wearing plate armor leaping more than 10 meters with a single stomp..

However, there was still a distance of close to 20 meters between Luke and Phoenix, and there were still Skeleton Knights left to feel threatened..

So, while Luke stiffened for a moment, Phoenix, who had started to fall after a long jump, uttered an unknown word, 'Aelo'..

and-

pop!

With the sound of a leather drum exploding, the armored knight accelerated like an arrow.!

“Gee, raise it.-”

When he saw the ancient-looking longsword in Phoenix's hand sparkling like the morning star, Luke was surprised and raised his magic power..

“Uh-haaap!”

However, before he could react, a roar that was several times more ferocious than the previous one erupted. Phoenix was shot like an arrow and attacked Luke..

No, it almost hit me..

Wow!!

A two-handed sword flowing black smoke blocked the morning star..

The Death Knight, an undead man wearing a cloak like bat wings and filled with death inside his armor and helmet, stopped Phoenix..

“This guy, how dare he-”

Seeing Luke shaking his hands in relief and anger behind the death knight, Phoenix smiled unexpectedly..

“Search, you crazy old man..”

“••••♦•What,”

Before Luke could even finish speaking, snow fell on the floor..

No, it wasn't. A small figure rose from the snow..

deeply!

“Bent.”

Luke faced the assassin's callous gaze and fell backwards, blood spurting from his neck..