Chapter 4: Half-Dead Creatures
Ever since the discovery of black stone veins beneath Black City, the city has become the private territory of Grand Duke Tidal.
The cruel and mad Grand Duke forced all the people in the city to become miners, extracting black stone for him. Those who could leave had already left long ago. Those who couldn't leave were still trying to find ways to escape.
In such a large city, it quickly became deserted, leaving behind treasures that once held immense value. Priceless handicrafts, precious metals, and other luxuries were now worth far less than a strip of meat that could fill a hungry stomach.
Karl wandered through the market, trading the last of his meat for a few "exquisite trinkets." Coming from an aristocratic family and having participated in various exhibitions, Karl had an eye for luxury goods. The items he acquired should fetch a decent price.
"It's time to go!" he muttered.
After wrapping the goods in linen and securing them on his back, Karl reminded Cologne to keep an eye out for the breathing technique before leaving.
"Thirty gold coins can buy a nice medium-sized house in Signo City," he mused. "In a more remote area, I might even be able to get a standalone house."
Although the atmosphere in Black City was depressing and filled with many inconveniences, it was incredibly profitable.
As he felt the weight of the package on his back, Karl smiled in anticipation. "Besides making money, learning the breathing technique here seems more feasible than in the other world. At least there's a chance."
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sharp instinct, and he narrowed his eyes. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, swinging his sword behind him on reflex.
"Swish!"
"Thud!"
The sound of air slicing and fabric tearing followed. Karl felt a sharp pain in his back as if the broadsword had hit something. The package on his back fell to the ground, the heavy clock inside making a loud clatter. Without time to check if anything was damaged, Karl quickly stood up and turned, holding his broadsword in a defensive stance.
Fierce Wind Sword Technique – Iron Gate Stance!
"Swish!"
A black shadow darted toward him at an incredible speed, like an arrow shot from a bow, crashing into his broadsword with great force.
"Clang!"
Karl grunted as the impact pushed him back two steps. Whatever had attacked him was knocked away by the broadsword.
As he regained his footing, the true form of the shadow became clear.
It was a dog-like creature, its jet-black fur blending seamlessly with the gloomy sky of Black City. This was the creature that had attacked him from behind. Luckily, the package and the soft armor he wore had prevented any serious injury.
Karl's eyes narrowed as he scanned the street.
Sure enough, the corpse he had noticed earlier was now gone, and in its place stood this "half-dead creature."
"I was careless," Karl thought, chastising himself for letting his guard down in a place like Black City, where danger could strike at any moment.
Half-dead creatures were unique to Black City. It was said that the black rock mines beneath the city contained "death energy." Over time, this energy would leak out, reviving corpses and turning them into half-dead creatures. Even the living could mutate into monsters if exposed to the mines for too long, losing all sanity and becoming much faster and stronger, with no sense of pain—only an instinct to attack anything alive.
Similar to the zombies of imagination, but far more agile, these half-dead creatures made Black City even more dangerous and terrifying.
The rotting "hound" opened its mouth, revealing sharp, decaying fangs. Its eyes glowed a menacing red.
"Swish!"
The hound lunged again, even faster than before.
But this time, Karl was prepared. He sidestepped quickly and swung his broadsword downward.
"Thud!"
The broadsword cut through the hound's fur and sunk deep into its rotten flesh, hitting bone. The impact sent the hound tumbling to the ground, but Karl's arm went numb from the force.
"It's fast... and strong. The worst part is... it doesn't have the weaknesses of living creatures," Karl thought, eyeing the creature warily.
The hound, seemingly unaffected by the deep wound, got back up as though nothing had happened. The gash running from its back to its abdomen had no effect.
"Damn it!" Karl cursed under his breath.
He lunged forward, broadsword in hand, and performed the Fierce Wind Sword Technique's Angry Slash. This move used the body's forward momentum to strengthen the sword strike and increase its attack power. Karl had spent considerable time mastering it, knowing that a prolonged fight would only end in his exhaustion and death.
"Woof!"
Sensing the threat, the hound quickly dodged to the side on all fours. Despite being a half-dead creature, it still retained some instincts, including the ability to avoid danger.
"Clang!"
Karl's sword hit the ground, barely missing the hound. It was a feint!
With a slight tremor in his arm, Karl triggered the hidden arrow mechanism in his sleeve. Two arrows shot out, one hitting the hound's throat and the other its front leg joint.
Cologne hadn't exaggerated about the power of the hidden arrows. Even a knight or servant would find it hard to dodge such a close-range attack. The arrows caused the hound to lose balance for a moment.
"Now!" Karl's eyes gleamed with determination as he rushed forward, swinging his broadsword.
Fierce Wind Slash!
This combat skill maximized the lethality of the sword, and Karl had mastered it thanks to the mysterious place that gave him extraordinary control over his body.
The broadsword and its afterimages slashed through the air. The hound's figure froze mid-motion, and tiny cracks began to form on its body. In the next instant, the hound crumbled into pieces, finally dead.
"Whew..." Karl let out a long breath. His hands trembled from the effort, barely able to hold onto the sword.
He gathered his scattered belongings and hurried back to his residence. Only after closing the door and securing the iron bars did he allow himself to relax.
"Bang!"
Karl tapped his forehead in frustration. "Half-dead creatures leave behind materials that can be exchanged for black stone... I forgot to check!"
But it was too late to go back now.
After calming himself, he passed through the mysterious place and returned to his residence in Signo City. Before he could even unpack his haul from Black City, a familiar voice echoed from the living room.
"Uncle? Why is he here?"