For a month, Dawn City, famed for its breathtaking sunrises, has been besieged by a relentless horde of Undead Monsters.
Its beauty has been utterly ravaged, transforming it into a nightmarish hellscape.
Of course The Knight Association had an serious attempt to take back Dawn City from those Undead Monsters.
However, they overwhelmed by high-priority missions, so they had to dispatched only A-rank and lower knights to reclaim the city.
Now those Knights who assigned to this mission perpetually shrouded in an unnatural, oppressive aura all around the city and darkness of the sky on Dawn City.
It can be said, the city itself seems to exist in a separate and malevolent realm from human world.
Despite those horror condition, the Talisman of Maps had direct me to this life-threatening city, which I had to go through it for the sake of missing puzzle of Miracle Potion.
Approaching the city gates, I encountered a substantial contingent of knights assembled for the impending assault.
I'm fully aware no one in there likes me, just as Avyanna said, but I have privilege as Crystallice Guild's representative.
Despite I'm being blacklisted from most guilds, my affiliation with the Crystallice Guild granted me immediate entry into this raid mission.
The mission itself is categorized as a full-scale raid due to its scale and the diverse guilds participating.
Arrived at the gate, a young man with short black hair, clad in the expensive, wearing a high-quality armor of a high-ranking A-rank knight – reminiscent of Avyanna's – stood before me.
His gaze is intense to me.
The sun medal pinned to his tunic immediately caught my eye; a symbol of elite graduate of training at the prestigious Knight Academy.
As far as I remember, The Knight Academy's rise is directly tied to the power shift from military to knights, following battles between human and extradimensional monsters for decades.
Knights, especially those of high rank, wield influence rivaling that of celebrities, military, or political leaders, attracting ambitious and talented individuals to participate as a Knights despite the inherent dangers of their profession.
This young man's arrogance, evident in his bearing, is therefore unsurprising for me.
This is Lance, a youngest A-rank Knight, whose strength and rank are comparable to Winstein's, though his age are far younger.
Lance's voice, flat and frigid, cut through the air.
"So, you've joined this raid, have you?"
"Yes," I replied shortly.
His arrogance oozed like venom. "The hundred-strong knight contingent is already assembled. I'm the chosen leader, in case that detail escaped your notice."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over me with undisguised contempt.
"My primary concern is identifying and eliminating weak links that I know will made the mission failed. And you, Alstair, are a prime candidate for betrayal." His words hung heavy with disdain.
I understood the unspoken accusation.
He despised me.
He, and the hundred knights he controlled, loathed my presence.
"You're a liability, a manipulative mage who deceive Avyanna into abandoning her prestigious guild for your fledgling enterprise," he spat.
His disgust is shown on his face.
"It was an appalling display of naivete on her part. She was embarrassment.", Lance added his disgust toward Avyanna.
"Your concern for Avyanna is... touching," I remarked, my tone even.
"Touching? I pity her! Her judgment so utterly compromised by your deceitful charm! It's miraculous the Knight Executives haven't already condemned you! Despite all of that, Avyanna still give you unwavering support?! You're a remarkably fortunate scoundrel!" he sneered.
"Regardless of your assessment, I am capable to do this mission as a Crystallice Guild's representative," I declared, my voice firm.
A sneering smile twisted his lips, rapidly replaced by a flush of fury.
With blinding speed, he leveled his spear at my neck.
The weapon's sharpened point emanated a palpable threat, a tangible aura of power.
Even at his age, his A-rank knight prowess was undeniable.
"Ah, there's your true nature, you conceited fool!" he roared, his voice echoing across the assembled knights.
"You believe you can single-handedly vanquish the three monstrous bosses guarding Dawn City? I relish the prospect of watching you meet your demise at their claws, you fraudster!" I paused for a while.
Not because of his yapping, but he mention the three monster bosses, which is resonated with the path of the miracle from Talisman of Map.
I had already planned this expedition would be undertaken alone, yet my conviction remained unshaken.
So far, I can say I'm on the right track.
Then, abruptly, Lance barked an order.
"Bring forth that imbecile!" Several knights dragged a obese man, clad in a threadbare knight's uniform, his gear overflowing his shoulders.
The man was roughly dumped at my feet.
The air vibrated with Lance's sneering laughter, a coarse harsh that scraped against my ears.
"Here, bring this thing," he barked, shoving the portly knight towards me.
The fat man's jowls quivered, his eyes pleading.
Lance's team roared with amusement, a wave of contempt washing over me.
"The weakling and the problematic magician," Lance drawled, his gaze cutting like a shard of ice.
"A perfect recipe for disaster!" His words were punctuated by the eruption of more laughter, a mocking chorus that echoed off the Dawn City walls.
"Look at them, the problematic and the weak knight! Such a ideal combination to getting destroyed in this mission!"
"Hahahaha! The hallucinated magician said he can solve this mission only by himself?! What a joke!"
"He even must bring the dumb fat man as his only partner! It's pretty dumb but funny at the same time!" The taunts continued, piercing my resolve.
My fingers twitched, as the urge to unleash a Frost Bite spell to all these clown for shutting these damn mouth.
But it would be wasting my time and energy for me to do it.
With a contemptuous flick of his wrist, the youthful, overconfident Lance dismissed his legion – a hundred knights strong – with a roar.
"The playing times are over! To the battlefield!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across those Knights.
Lance and his raid team immediately strive through the Dawn City.
Their weapons gleamed as they sprang into action, a tide of steel surging towards the conflict.
Their advance was so swift, they were mere blurs, vanishing into the fray.
Soon, only the dissonance of steel on monstrous hide and the agonized cries of the Undead Monsters reached my ears, a evidence to their brutal efficiency.
Lance and his strike force, it appeared, intended a swift, decisive victory over the three monster bosses before exhaustion claimed them.
Silence descended as they stormed Dawn City, leaving only the fat man and myself at the deserted gates.
"Sir Alstair!" the fat knight suddenly gasped, struggling to his feet, his body wracked with pain.
The livid bruises, marring his flesh were a disturbing anomaly suggesting a brutal preemptive assault.
My suspicion solidified: Lance and his knights were bullying him harshly.
"Forgive the interruption, sir," he wheezed, his breath coming in ragged gasps, "but I beg you, let me accompany you! I'll safeguard your equipment, your precious Monster Diamonds—trust me!" he begged desperately.
"The Dawn City currently filled with horde of undead," I cautioned, "this mission far too dangerous for you. You can try a different and better mission."
"No! Please, I beg you! No knight want me to join, and I'm desperate for money!"
"As I said before, other mission might have better safety and enough payment for you," I stated firmly. "But the Dawn City mission is a death sentence. Don't throw your life on a meaningless act."
The fat knight collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"I beg you, Sir Alstair! Please! My little sister is gravely ill, and I'm her sole provider. Our parents are gone, and I must cover her expensive medical expenses!" His sincerity was undeniable.
The weight of his despair settled heavily upon me.
A profound sense of déjà vu washed over me. This obese knight's reason mirrored my own wretched past as the weakest Knight, a period marked by relentless harassment, ridicule, and grievous wounds sustained on countless missions.
The crushing irony was inescapable: I was forcing him into a role identical to my own past servitude – the only employment I could secure to meet my meager financial obligations, though it barely provided enough to survive.
"Are you really certain about your request? The likelihood of severe injury at the hands of the undead monster is deeply serious," I pressed the fat knight, seeking clarity.
"Yes, sir! Fear not! A knight accepts the possibility of death in the line of duty! My sister's well-being is my sole motivation!" he declared, his voice brimming with fervent hope, a hope that both impressed and troubled me.
I sensed his unwavering resolve, yet his cavalier acceptance of death really put me on my nerves.
My hand lashed out, a sharp but not injurious blow across his cheek, a stark warning.
"You may join me, but that reckless disregard for your life is unacceptable. Your sister needs you come back alive and safe. I understand your financial desperation, but I refuse to witness you throw your life meaninglessly for miserable amount of money. Do you understand my concern?" I demanded, my tone resolute.
His head bowed in deep regret, "Yes, sir. I apologize..."
The slap seemingly caused him no physical pain; however, I perceived a genuine acceptance of my rebuke, a glimmer of understanding in his humbled demeanor.
"Good. What's your name?", I asked.
"My name is Bain, sir.", he answered.
"Okay, Bain. Come with me."