Chapter 95: A Flower Blooming in Death (5)

Countless shadows engulfed Paxen.

And then vanished.

Thud.

Paxen’s head was severed.

“…”

That’s how it looked to the cadets.

So, no one spoke.

They stared at Gerard, swallowing hard.

No one knew where his blood-dripping sword would point next.

‘He killed Paxen, but it could turn on us.’

Especially Karina, knowing their unpredictable nature, was on high alert.

“Don’t let your guard down. We don’t know when he’ll attack.”

At her words, the others nodded.

Only Rachel, at the back, gazed at Gerard casually.

‘…My eyes weren’t wrong. Amazing.’

Then Bain stepped forward.

“You… are you our enemy? You seem to know that swordsman…”

Bain pointed at Clatter, clashing with Zad.

It was everyone’s question.

They’d clearly seen Gerard help Clatter by blocking Paxen.

“He’s my ally.”

Gerard’s brief words shocked them again.

‘The Mysterious Swordsman is a thief!’

I, Karina, gaped.

‘That kind of swordsman is in Shadow?’

No, it made sense.

Shadow’s prowess had been renowned for a decade.

‘Then Shadow killed Narsi and exposed his crimes…’

Why?

As my mind swirled, Ivan stepped forward, sword raised.

I quickly grabbed him.

“What are you doing, Ivan!”

“Catching thieves.”

“Ugh.”

I clutched my throbbing head.

Right.

Whatever the case, the Shadow master before us was my target for revenge, a clear ‘enemy.’

This chance might never come again.

‘His strength is formidable…’

But we were still in fighting shape.

A six-to-one battle.

I checked Gwyn’s condition, injured earlier.

“Gwyn, can you do this?”

“Of course. I could go all day.”

“Fool.”

But despite my words, my face brightened.

‘Right. We’ve got a shot at this.’

As the cadets reignited their resolve,

Gerard frowned.

‘Even after showing that gap, they still want to fight.’

I’d done it on purpose.

To scare them off.

To make them sit and watch Zad and Clatter fight.

‘But they act like they’ve got extra lives.’

Was it because they were protagonists?

Heroes of Frey was a game, so there was a protagonist buff.

But that didn’t mean extra lives.

‘This is a hassle.’

I couldn’t kill them.

Beating them to near-death was the best option, but there were too many.

[You gonna attack me too?]

Rachel flinched as she prepared to strike.

Then her eyes crinkled.

[For now? I’ve gotta at least pretend, so I don’t look suspicious. Heh.]

[I’ll kill you if you try.]

Rachel suddenly collapsed to her knees.

“Ugh!”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“My… stomach hurts… I got hit earlier, and now…”

“Ugh, what an idiot.”

I genuinely felt sorry.

I called her an idiot, but fighting together, I’d seen Rachel’s true skill.

She was more useful than Gwyn right now, a key asset.

To go out so lamely was a shame.

“No matter. We’re enough.”

As Ivan moved to attack me first,

Rumble!

The ground shook.

All eyes turned to it.

Three warhorses charged across the dark campus.

‘…Central Knights?’

Seeing them, I frowned.

‘This is insane.’

Did they hear the battle while passing by?

Or maybe the city guard reported it.

Karina’s flames were visible at night, so it wasn’t surprising someone intervened.

But…

‘Three Central Knights is too much.’

An unexpected variable.

The knights dismounted and approached Ivan to assess the situation.

“Greetings. I’m Ivan, 890th class cadet.”

“I’m Karina Zain, 890th class.”

“Gwyn Gaiard.”

“Ah, you’re the Academy Investigation Team…”

The knight paused.

His eyes locked on Paxen’s rolling head.

His expression hardened coldly.

“…Explain what happened. Quickly and concisely.”

Two knights drew swords, encircling not just me but Zad and Clatter, still fighting.

‘Hm.’

Sensing the tension, Zad and Clatter paused, scanning the surroundings.

“…”

A calm before the storm enveloped them.

Three Central Knights.

Even I couldn’t block them all.

But I wasn’t planning to run.

Clatter was fighting for his wish.

Watching it through was my duty as his ally and master.

I recalled all my daggers with [Telekinesis], preparing for the coming fight.

“Thief.”

A knight stood before me.

A silver brooch gleamed on his shoulder.

He was a squad leader, like Paxen.

‘So, an Expert upper-tier.’

I quickly gauged his strength.

“I’ve heard everything. Don’t resist; submit to arrest.”

I smirked.

“Your words don’t add up. Have you heard the story? Yet you demand I surrender? I gave your zombie comrade an honorable death. And this is your thanks?”

“…”

“The Central Knights have a strange way of showing gratitude.”

A flash of killing intent crossed the leader’s face.

He gripped his sword.

“We’ll hear your story at headquarters. Resist, and it’s immediate execution.”

The other two knights took the same stance.

I stared at them and spoke softly.

“You know what?”

“…?”

“Right now, 30 minutes have passed.”

The leader tilted his head.

I tossed something into the air.

A gleaming gold coin.

“…Money?”

Someone muttered.

But.

At my next words, the radiant coin turned blood-red, as if dipped in gore.

“Call of the Blood Moon.”

A crimson pillar crashed from the sky.

* * *

“Call of the Blood Moon?”

“Yup.”

“What’s that?”

“A kind of multi-spatial leap. Eclipse. This coin-like artifact triggers it.”

Dayle continued.

“You know about [Call of the Golden Throne].”

Of course.

[Call of the Golden Throne] was the emperor’s power.

It summoned all Imperial Knights to his side, a type of rally spell.

“I made it inspired by that. How’s that? Surprised? Shocked?”

Yeah.

Dayle’s smug grin was annoying, but I was genuinely shocked.

‘Replicating the emperor’s power with an artifact.’

I wasn’t someone needing protection like the emperor, so it might seem useless.

But in dire situations, it was invaluable.

The crimson pillar faded.

Two figures emerged, kneeling before me.

“We greet the Master.”

I nodded at them.

“…”

And mentally drew a question mark.

‘Which one’s Dayle and which one’s Luis?’

They said 30 minutes for disguises, and they were flawless.

Both were lanky, so I couldn’t tell.

“Oh ho. Got the situation in one glance.”

The blonde youth on the right surveyed the area.

A One Hand Musket and Arming Sword were in his hands.

‘That’s Dayle.’

Then the black-haired youth drew his sword and shouted.

“Keke. Nice! Time to have some fun.”

He licked his lips.

‘…Is this guy Dayle?’

Whatever.

What mattered was Shadow was all here.

Zad and Clatter had resumed fighting, and I looked down at the Central Knights.

“Gonna keep standing there?”

The leader shouted.

“Execute him.”

Three swords rushed at us.

* * *

[Ever heard of Dead Flower?]

Clatter stared at Zad.

The fight paused with the Central Knights’ arrival.

Zad looked at Clatter and continued.

[A flower blooming in death.]

Dead Flower.

Long ago, after wars, a flower was often seen on corpse-strewn fields.

A tiny, blood-droplet-like blossom.

Once a nameless weed, it was called Dead Flower for thriving on the blood of the dead in battlefields.

[But you know? No one knows what a true Dead Flower is.]

Now, any flower blooming in battlefields, graves, or cemeteries—any weed in death’s domain—was called Dead Flower.

[Just a rootless weed.]

Zad’s voice carried bitterness.

[I wanted to transcend that.]

Zad looked at Clatter.

[When I opened my eyes, I was called Number 109. I didn’t know who or what I was. Why I was born or why I lived. My so-called master dissected me, demanding sacrifice for research.]

“…”

[Then I realized. I’m an undead that shouldn’t exist, born unnaturally. From then, I decided to leave my mark on this world.]

Clatter charged again.

Zad blocked with his claws.

His elongated nails moved like twin swords, pressuring Clatter.

[I created what humans call the zombie outbreak. To leave my name. To transcend being an undead and be recognized as a species.]

So Zad sought strong bodies.

If he mixed them with his power, he could create a new species beyond undead.

He’d be the origin of that species.

[But I soon realized I was wrong. I killed a human. A body stronger than any I’d seen, but it cost a tremendous sacrifice.]

Zad pointed to his neck.

A deep gash was visible.

Paxen’s mark.

[I was glad to control him, but despair followed. I had to abandon dozens of other bodies to do it. That’s when I saw my limits.]

No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t surpass humans.

[We’re just human byproducts. I’m no different. Born in death, tainted by human desire, an incomplete being. No matter how I struggle, I’m just a weed.]

Zad’s claws and Clatter’s sword clashed fiercely.

Sparks flew, and a crack formed in Zad’s claws.

[But you’re different.]

Zad’s claws shattered.

Clatter’s dagger pierced his shoulder, slicing down, severing his arm.

[I’ve watched you. Destroying my bodies, consuming their thoughts, growing.]

Clatter’s fist struck Zad’s chest.

Boom!

Zad’s chest caved in, and he stumbled back.

But he lunged at Clatter again.

[You kept getting stronger. As if you had no limits. Death is infinite and eternal. Seeing you, I thought of death, and now I’m certain.]

Crack, Zad’s femur snapped in half.

His body tilted.

Clatter kicked his other leg off.

[You’re not a weed. A true Dead Flower.]

Thud.

Zad collapsed, legless, but Clatter held him up.

Two corpses faced each other.

Looking into Clatter’s empty eyes, Zad spoke calmly.

[Eat me.]

“…”

[Devour me. Make this power I’ve gathered yours.]

Then.

A grim voice came from Clatter’s bandaged mouth.

[Names. Weeds. Dead Flowers. Death. Leaving a mark on the world… I don’t care.]

For the first time, emotion flickered on Zad’s face, always impassive since awakening.

Eyes wide with shock.

[I never planned to fulfill your dream.]

Zad laughed.

[Doesn’t matter. It’s already done.]

His vision shook side to side.

The weight below lightened.

A thud, and his sight plunged into darkness.

‘I’m fertilizer. For you.’

Zad’s consciousness faded.

Clatter stared at Zad’s head, all that remained.

His closed eyes looked oddly relieved.

“…”

Then.

Clatter saw thoughts seeping from the severed head.

Thick, sticky thoughts.

Far denser than any he’d absorbed.

Clatter turned.

He saw three allies fighting for him.

──Click!

Without hesitation, Clatter reached for it.

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