As the Magical Gate passed by, the once dark and gloomy fort hall was suddenly illuminated.
However, the light only revealed a murky interior, scattered with armor and weapons.
William, the team leader, called out to the B-Rank Knight, skilled in light magic, "Turn on the light."
As the lightning flickered on, my gaze was drawn to the Knight sitting on a rusted chair.
His silver armor was covered in dust and a red cloak draped over his shoulders.
Beside him rested a dusty silver sword, placed carefully near the chair.
A single glance was enough to confirm that this was the infamous Headless Knight we had been searching for, as his head was nowhere to be seen.
Despite Stella's boastful confidence, William knew better than to engage the Headless Knight directly.
He had learned from the failure of a previous team, who had attempted to defeat the monster with a single arrow.
"I can take down the Headless Knight with my arrow from here. Just give me the signal, William," Stella said, preparing her special bow that glimmered with a dangerous light.
While her arrogance was undeniable, I couldn't deny the deadly power of her arrows.
But William interjected, "No, we can't risk it. The previous team made the same mistake and it ended in disaster. The Headless Knight is more complex than you think, Stella. It may appear to be just a vessel, but its true form lies somewhere within this fort."
Stella's curiosity was piqued, "Then how do we find the true Headless Knight?"
William pulled out an iron glove, infused with a green crystal, "This was created by the Knight Researcher to help us track the true form of the Headless Knight. With this, we can move forward with caution and precision." The team nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.
As the seconds ticked by, a dark aura and malevolent intent suddenly permeated the area, causing every Knight on the team to tense up and prepare their weapons.
The sound of cracking bones from the North caught my attention, and I saw the Headless Knight reach for the Silver Sword beside it and aim it at William.
The sound grew louder, and soon all around us, the lifeless Knight armors began to rise, brandishing swords, spears, and bows to attack our team.
A quick count revealed at least a hundred of these monstrous beings, all clad in hollowed armor and aggressively charging towards us.
"Incoming attack! All Knights, charge at those Monsters! Stella, focus on the Headless Knight with me!" William's order was met with unwavering passion from every Knight.
The eerie halls of Arcton Fort transformed into a battlefield as swords clashed, spears thrust, and shields clashed among the Knights and Monster Knights.
As a courier, I hung back and provided arrows, shields, axes, swords, spears, and healing potions from our bags whenever needed, as the Knights fought valiantly.
My fellow courier trembled in fear as they saw the bloodshed and chaos around them.
Yet, with each passing moment, the Monster Knights fell one by one, unable to match the swift and solid defense of our team.
It was only a matter of time before they were all defeated.
On the other side, I could see both William and Stella keeping their distance from the mysterious Knight seated on the throne.
As soon as the green crystal in William's iron glove began to glow, revealing the faint trace of a suspicious soul lurking among the Monster Knights, they immediately sprang into action to hunt it down.
"Advance! Take them down!" William's voice boomed, spurring the Knight Team to charge even more fiercely.
I watched as William swiftly closed the distance, expertly slicing one of the Monster Knights in half with a single swing of his sword.
Despite the suspicious soul's attempt to transfer from one Monster Knight to another, William's skill proved too much for it to handle, easily defeating each one with precision and ease.
As the suspicious soul frantically jumped from one body to the next, Stella's arrows flew faster and faster, relentlessly striking it with deadly accuracy.
In a desperate attempt to protect itself, the suspicious soul leapt towards the Mysterious Knight sitting on a chair, but Stella's arrows were too quick, piercing its body and trapping the suspicious soul for a brief moment.
In that moment, William quickly withdrew his sword and sliced the Mysterious Knight in half, along with its chair.
I cursed under my breath, amazed at the incredible strength and prowess of these S-Rank Knights in battle.
With the suspicious soul no longer able to transfer to another body, it seemed the Headless Knight had fallen, marking a major step towards conquering the Arcton Fort.
However, something seemed out of the ordinary.
The scent of blood lingered in the air, drawing me towards a trail of darkened footprints in the far east.
But what puzzled me was that the quest to defeat the Headless Knight was still active on my System.
If William and Stella had already vanquished the knight, the quest should have disappeared.
What was going on?
Driven by both curiosity and instinct, I cautiously followed the blood trail, the darkness deepening as I continued on.
Suddenly, a faint cry for help reached my ears.
As I followed the trail, the cry grew louder and I stopped in my tracks at the sight of a ball-shaped object on the ground.
Steeling myself, I approached it and reached out to touch it, realizing with shock that it was a human head.
Using my Lightning Bolt Spell, I illuminated the object and discovered it was the head of Lex, the A-Rank Knight who had gone missing during the Arcton Fort Invasion.
Despite his dire condition, he whispered for help with each labored breath.
Our eyes met, and I was taken aback by the crazed look in his eyes.
But then, his expression shifted to one of satisfaction, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"Finally, after all this suffering, I am free," he said to me with a maniacal grin.
I stepped back cautiously, prepared to defend myself with my Lightning Spell, but Lex continued to stare at me with his deranged laughter.
And then, a glowing green light emanated from his head, reminding me of the suspicious soul that William and Stella had been hunting.
Wait.
Does this imply that the Headless Knight is still among the living?
My instincts heighten as I witness a suspicious soul rapidly fly from Lex's head towards the Mysterious Knight's body.
I hastily chase after it, but my efforts are futile as the Mysterious Knight, who was previously defeated, is quickly revived after being possessed by the enigmatic soul.
William and Stella are aware of the resurrection, but it occurs too swiftly for them to comprehend that the Mysterious Knight has already sliced William's neck with a silver sword.
Stella's screams of terror pierce the air as she falls to her knees, her body drenched in blood.
But it is not her blood, it is William's.
I see his headless body stumble beside Stella.
This gruesome scene captures the attention of the Knights who are engaged in battle with the Monster Knights.
The Mysterious Knight falls, and William's headless body stands in his place.
He now embodies the true Headless Knight.
A brilliant green light emanates from the Headless Knight, causing all the Knights to shut their eyes momentarily due to its blinding intensity.
As the light fades, everyone stands frozen, fixated on the Headless Knight.
Suddenly, a sense of unease and dread washes over the Knights as the silver sword in the Headless Knight's grip emits a bright green light, accompanied by a sense of impending doom.
From my recollection, this light is a telltale sign that William is about to unleash a devastating horizontal slash with a wide range of attack.
"Duck! Now!" I shout, urging the clueless Knights to take cover.
My suspicions are confirmed as the Headless Knight swings his sword horizontally, slicing through any Knight still standing, regardless of their distance from him.
The wall behind me cracks from the force of the Headless Knight's slash, demonstrating its immense power and deadly range.
The screams of my fellow Knights ring out hysterically as I witness around ten of them fall, their bodies cut in half.
Only those who have ducked are spared from the Headless Knight's deadly blow.
But I never imagined that his slash could penetrate through their shields.
The cries of agony from our team echo once more, this time from the Knights who were injured by the Monster Knights.
It is disturbingly peculiar, as these creatures have become inexplicably strong, easily breaking through our defenses.
The Knight team is completely powerless against it!
Stella's arrow barrage, which had successfully taken down a Monster Knight before, is now useless against even a single one!
What on earth is going on?
"No! I don't want to die! Open the Magical Gate!", Stella screams in terror, urging the Knight responsible for the Magical Gate to open it as quickly as possible.
"I apologize, vice commander..! Our powers have not fully recovered for another Magical Gate opening!", one of the Knights says in fear.
"I don't give a damn! Can't you see how William died?! Open the Magical Gate now!", Stella insists, but she suddenly freezes as the Headless Knight's gleaming green light becomes increasingly clear, revealing that she is now the next target after William.
The Headless Knight exudes a murderous aura, making it difficult for the Knights to breathe.
None of them can hope to fight back against the Headless Knight and his army.
But I am different.
In a matter of seconds, I aim my right hand towards the Headless Knight, ready to cast a Lightning Spell.
As the Headless Knight swings his sword, my first Lightning Bolt strikes faster, forcing the Headless Knight back until he crashes into a chair, shattering it.
Stella, who was moments away from being brutally slashed by the Headless Knight, is left speechless as she watches the Lightning Bolt save her.
She and the other surviving Knights turn their attention towards me.
"What the hell? How can that F-rank Knight cast such a powerful spell?!"
"That Carrier can cast superior spells like that? How is that possible?!"
I can hear the Knights murmuring, but the panic and fear is evident on their faces, knowing they now have to face me.
I point my hand towards them, and they are taken aback as they see sparks of thunder emanating from my hand, indicating that I am ready to cast again.
"Duck if you don't want to get hit!", I shout, prompting the Knights to quickly duck and create distance from the remaining Monster Knights.
I count eleven Monster Knights left, five to the east, three to the north, and four to the west.
>Bonus Quest Activated: Defeat Headless Knight's Army (0/12)!
The notification from the System pierced through my thoughts like a bolt of lightning, confirming my decision with an undeniable urgency.
My heart raced with excitement and determination as I quickly focused my mind and channeled my energy into the spell.
The air crackled with electricity as I unleashed not one, not two, but eleven powerful Lightning Bolts, each one striking through and obliterating eleven Monster Knights.
I could practically taste the ozone in the air as the bolts struck with precision, five Monster Knights from the east, three from the north, and four from the west.
>You get 1.000 Monster Diamond!
Great!
I am grateful for the reward, System!
The continuous casting of Lightning Bolt drained my Mana quickly, but I promptly replenished it by taking a gulp of Mana Potion.
Recovery Item:
>Health Potion (x5)
>Mana Potion (x4)
Condition:
>Health Power:100%
>Mana Power :100%
Great, I had sufficient resources for recovery and my Health and Mana levels were at their peak as I checked the System.
However, all fell silent as the Knight's Team, including Stella, remained speechless and fixated on me.
Their thoughts didn't matter to me at all.
All that mattered was that the quest to defeat The Headless Knight was still unfinished, as confirmed by the System.
My focus shifted to The Headless Knight, who was struggling to rise from the ground as the effects of the thunderbolt still lingered.
I swiftly targeted the Headless Knight, readying my Lightning Spell once more.
The first bolt of lightning struck.
The second bolt of lightning struck.
The third bolt of lightning struck.
The fourth bolt of lightning struck.
The fifth bolt of lightning struck.
The sixth bolt of lightning struck.
The seventh bolt of lightning struck.
The eighth bolt of lightning struck.
>Mana Power: 28%
>Caution! You can't cast Magical Barrier due to low Mana Power
>Possible Lightning Bolt Casting Spell: 3
"Damn it," I cursed as the System reminded me of my limitations.
Despite landing eight successful Lightning Bolts on the Headless Knight, the stubborn warrior refused to be defeated.
Even though my spells had left him paralyzed, he still struggled to rise.
Was my magic not strong enough, or did this knight possess extraordinary endurance?
I refused to give up on my quest. Ignoring the murmurs I heard from the Knights Team and Stella, I summoned my ninth Lightning Bolt and struck the Headless Knight once more.
And then a tenth strike.
In that brief moment, I saw a suspicious figure emerge from the knight's body, writhing in agony from the constant barrage of my spells.
I aimed carefully, hoping my eleventh Lightning Bolt would finally end this battle.
But then, a shiver ran down my body.
Without a sound, I could sense a murderous intent lurking behind me.
In an instant, I instinctively leapt to the left, narrowly evading a barrage of arrows that came hurtling towards me.
Unfortunately, two of them found their mark on my right shoulder.
My Health Power depleted, but I could still bear the pain.
However, a sudden wave of nausea overcame me, forcing me to kneel and vomit.
>Health Power: 60%
>Mana Power: 10%
>Caution! You get poisoned!
>You can't use Recovery Potion due the Nausea status effect
>Caution! You can't cast Magical Barrier due to low Mana Power
>Possible Lightning Bolt Casting Spell: 1
The System just sent me a notification about my dire situation.
As if that wasn't bad enough, I soon realized that the arrow was not from The Headless Knight or his army, but from Stella.
"Foolish traitor!" Stella shouted at me, her eyes blazing with anger.
She readied another arrow and aimed her bow straight at my head, while the Knight Teams prepared their weapons to attack me from all directions.
"What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking me?" I yelled back, struggling to hold back my pain.
"Silence! I know you're in league with the Monster! The fact that only you have the ability to harm the Monster and none of us can find any evidence of your treachery proves it! You are to blame for William's murder, you despicable coward!" Stella accused, hurling baseless accusations at me.
To make matters worse, the Knight Teams seemed to believe her words more than mine.
They brandished their weapons, their hostility towards me is real.
"Stella is right! This traitor and lowest of Knights could never wield such a powerful Magician Spell! He is clearly the intruder!"
"What kind of Knight would side with the Monster? You deserve to die, coward!"
Shit!
These foolish Knights were quickly closing in on me.
With my limited abilities and the Nausea status effect, I was unable to fight back or even replenish my Mana!
My current mana levels were not even enough to cast a Magical Barrier.
Instinctively, I fled, dodging the Knights as they swung their axes and swords at me mercilessly.
But just as I thought I had escaped, a silver arrow struck my left leg, causing me to stumble and lose my balance.
It was Stella's arrow! No wonder it had found its mark.
The sound of the Knights' footsteps felt like a death sentence, closing in on me.
There was no way I could survive if a hundred Knights were beating me at once!
In a moment of desperation, I checked the System.
>Magician Attribute:
>Topaz Gemstone* x2
*Activate the Soul of Earth requires Sorcerer's Bracelet to enhance, can be used for casting Gaia Endowment for once
Without hesitation, I snatched the Topaz Gemstone from the Inventory System and crushed it between my arms.
The sudden rush of energy flooded my body, empowering me to swiftly activate the Gaia Endowment spell.
Instantly, my physical stamina increased and the pain subsided.
It was as if my body had turned into steel, though there was no visible change in my appearance.
Despite the injury inflicted by Stella's arrow, I quickly rose to my feet and effortlessly blocked the Knight's relentless attacks from all sides - slashes, punches, and kicks.
With the Gaia Endowment spell still active, I could easily defend myself.
But for how long could I keep this up?!
Even with my ability to block their attacks, my Health Power was slowly decreasing.
And there was no guarantee that the Gaia Endowment spell would protect me for long in the midst of such chaos!
As the fort was engulfed in chaos and the threat of the giant's murderous intent loomed over everyone, a sudden sound of lightning and a bright green light caught the attention of all the Knights.
They turned to see the barely standing Headless Knight, slowly raising his silver sword to unleash a deadly slash.
"The Headless Knight is back! We're all doomed!"
The once brave and composed Knights now sounded like they had lost their minds, consumed by fear.
In front of me, Stella and many other Knights urgently tugged at my clothes, pleading for my help.
"You treacherous bastard! I don't want die stupidly! Do something to stop the Headless Knight!"
"Halt the Headless Knight or face your death, you worthless scum!"
What in the world were they yelling at me?
I can only assume that, since their powers seem to have no effect on the Headless Knight, they have turned their aggression towards me, even though it is the most foolish decision they could make.
This chaotic situation has been caused by Stella's panicked reaction to William's death.
What a foolish and careless woman.
Amidst the chaos, the Headless Knight's death threat looms over me, ready to take my life if I don't act quickly.
I pay no mind to these foolish Knights and shift my focus to the Headless Knight.
My attention is caught by the right glove of the Headless Knight, which I recognize as William's glove that can be used to track the suspicious souls that represent the True Headless Knight.
Upon closer inspection, I can see that even though the magical strings from the suspicious souls are faint, one of them leads into the body of the Headless Knight.
To my surprise, another suspicious soul is linked to Stella's body.
There is no time for overthinking. I am not a fighter by nature, but the physical strength granted by the Gaia Endowment spell makes me feel like a skilled combatant.
Without hesitation, I push aside the foolish Knights who try to stop me and deliver a powerful punch to Stella's body.
She is struck with intense pain and vomits heavily, as her armor defense is cursed by an unknown spell.
To my astonishment, the suspicious soul is expelled from her body due to the force of my punch.
I quickly grab hold of the suspicious soul, which is in the shape of a sphere, and tightly grip it to prevent its escape.
As I hold it, the once faint magical strings become clear, revealing that they not only connect the suspicious souls in the Headless Knight's body, but also to every Knight, including Stella.
Now I understand that these magical strings are the source of the curse that weakens the Knights' powers and defenses.
>Mana Power: 10%
>Possible Lightning Bolt Casting Spell: 1
I quickly scan the System, making sure I have the ability to cast Lightning Bolt at least once.
The Knights who falsely accused me as the catalyst for chaos are now fleeing as they realize the Headless Knight is readying his deadly strikes.
I have only a few seconds before the Headless Knight unleashes his attack.
I am unable to escape or dodge it as my body succumbs to numbness from overusing the Gaia Endowment spell.
My only hope is to aim my attack at the suspicious soul in my hand.
Without hesitation, I unleash a powerful bolt of lightning towards the soul.
The blue light of the Lightning Bolt shines brighter than expected as it surges through all the magical strings, rendering the Knights, Stella, and the Headless Knight paralyzed.
Their screams of agony echo through the fort, but I cannot stop the Lightning Bolt yet.
As the lightning obliterates the suspicious soul in my hand, I see the one within the Headless Knight also disintegrating under its destructive force.
The fort falls silent as everyone is left stumbling and paralyzed in the aftermath of the spell.
I collapse to my knees, gasping for air from exhaustion.
My heart races with fear, knowing that the Headless Knight may still somehow survive and spell certain death for me.
I am depleted of Mana, unable to use a recovery potion, and the Gaia Endowment spell has ceased.
But as a new notification from the System appears, I breathe a sigh of relief.