Crimson Servant

Chapter 47 The Sword of Oath to Protect
  Karl felt something was wrong with his body.

At first, he thought it was just the psychological discomfort caused by drinking the undead potion, and he would get used to it with the intense fighting. But the result was exactly the opposite. When Karl was immersed in the battle, the strangeness and discomfort originating from the depths of his soul became clearer. The paladin's keen combat intuition discovered abnormalities in his body.

Every movement of Karl's sword swing produced an afterimage similar to high-speed motion. This afterimage became more and more conspicuous, as if it was about to separate from his body. Of course, Karl would not believe that this was caused by his heavy, frozen body. His opponent was dealing with him with agility, and he could not be the faster one.

The biting cold air seemed to gush out from deep inside his body. Karl temporarily suppressed the doubts in his heart and continued to stiffly resist Saiman's fierce attack. The coldness was refreshing. After a sudden inspiration, Karl had a flash of inspiration and found the reason for his body's lack of coordination.

The phantom that becomes active as it moves, is not an afterimage, but... a soul.

It is an out-of-body soul that is contaminated by death as the body and mind become dead. The power of death brought drastic changes to Karl's body and mind. His soul transformed into negative energy aggregates such as ghosts, and his body became as stiff as a corpse. This is the inevitable result of death.

At this moment, Paladin Carl Demiras understood the truth about the Death Knight.

The soul that is constantly turning into a spirit controls the actions of the body that is gradually dying. This is where the feeling of disharmony comes from. I feel unfamiliar with my body because it is transforming into a corpse that does not fit the soul. The movements that were originally like arms and fingers also felt laggy due to indirect manipulation, making the movements appear cumbersome.

Karl believes that if this transformation continues, and the gap between soul and body continues to widen, he will truly transform into a monster called a death knight, an undead monster that is not limited to his own body, but can replace the corpse as a soul container at will.

The incoordination of body and soul seemed to be an irreparable combat flaw, but Karl's outstanding combat talent allowed the young man to quickly find the special combat skills of a death knight.

A combat technique called "Spiritual Strike".

The cold will orders his soul and body to use the power divided into two to destroy the enemy at the same time. In this way, every cumbersome attack of the death knight is actually a double blow. One is a physical strike driven by the body, and the other is a spiritual strike carried out by the soul.

Attacks at the soul level are even more difficult to detect, and few flesh and blood armors can block them. They are silent and penetrate the defense. This is the reason why Saiman feels palpitations after parrying or dodging Karl's attacks. It seems that he is not injured, but in fact he has suffered the damage of the spiritual world's strike.

The all-pervasive death plague has been injected into his body, and Saiman has not yet understood the source of these terrible threats. The truly terrifying threat is not only the cold aura and the cold light sword, but the death that comes unexpectedly and silently.

Just like Carl's final blow.

Before the sword blade and armor collided, Karl detonated a spiritual strike that penetrated deep into Saiman. The violent soul impact caused the druid to temporarily lose consciousness in fear. Karl saw his pale pupils lose focus and knew that Saiman had completely lost the chance to block his attack.

This moment pronounces your death!

"No! Karl!" The exclamation from behind distracted Karl for a moment. He subconsciously relaxed his grip, allowing Saiman to escape. The icy sharp blade made a horizontal incision on Saiman's green chest, leaving only a trace of adhering flesh.

Seeing Saiman kneeling on the ground, with repair sprouts sprouting from his body, Jurgen breathed a sigh of relief, but soon fell into regret for his weakness. He originally thought that when Saiman killed Chuck, he was mentally prepared to kill his loved ones. But seeing that familiar figure being constantly damaged by Karl's attacks, Jurgen had to admit that his strength was also constantly peeling off. Until the end, Jurgen couldn't help but speak out to save his child who had committed the crime.

Carl quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Jurgen's reminder reminded Carl of the close connection between the sinner in front of him and his companions. He did not resent the righteous killing of relatives, but he was still worried about how to face the lost Jurgen after ending everything.

It might be good to stop now. The executioner who executes justice will not be himself.

It seems that the situation has been decided. Saiman, who was seriously injured, seems to be unable to make waves. The frost plague has completely controlled his vitality. Karl only needs one thought to freeze him completely.

The tall Saiman knelt on the ground. He lowered his head and repaired the injury to the extent that Karl allowed. His face was haggard, and there were two terrible wounds on his chest that were staggered and frozen. His body was shaking, as if he had caught a cold. .

Until his laughter gradually grew louder, so loud that it made Carl uneasy.

Karl froze Saiman, making him fixed in a piece of ice except for his head, but Saiman was still laughing harshly.

"Do you know why I fought and fled with you?" His cold voice sounded like a despicable winner.

"Because you are afraid of death." Karl responded coldly.

Saiman actually nodded in agreement, "Yes, because I am afraid of death, so I want to stay far away from the real terror..."

Karl looked at the location of the two of them. Under the quiet guidance of the druid, they had crossed most of the center of the tree, reached the most remote corner, and stood on the outermost edge.

Carl woke up suddenly and looked back to the center, where the huge bud was and where John was tied.

The ominous red light illuminated from the decayed sepals, and Seman's voice made Karl feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

"What makes you think that the crimson corrosion will stop when it reaches the tree mother?"

"What makes you think that everything will end as long as you defeat me?" The sepals that restrain the sun were ignited by red light, and the burning ashes were uncovered bit by bit, and a twisted and evil chaotic force seemed to ignite the entire space.

A crimson sun appeared in front of everyone's eyes, and it erupted with a strange red light that could burn all minds into madness.

Just by staring at the ominous light, Karl could feel the blurring of his vision and the stinging pain transmitted to his spirit. The burning pain could be felt even in the suppressed body of the Death Knight.

That fallen sun is spreading madness and corrupting everything.

Damn it, John's still stuck in there! None of his companions can escape this catastrophe! This beast wants to drag everyone to death!
  The suppression of death and the erosion of crimson drove Karl's nerves into madness. He no longer paid attention to the harsh laughter from Seman behind his ears, and rushed towards the core of the disaster.

"No, this time, I will never allow failure."

Death Knight Carl sprinted towards the center, erected an ice barrier in front of his lying companions, stepped over them and rushed towards the center.

Jurgen suppressed a cry of pain, and Lightning clutched his head.

Facing the burning sun in front of him, Carl couldn't find the figure that was so familiar that he was disgusted. He was swallowed by the doomsday.

"Huh..." The swirling cold air struggled to resist the erosion of the red light, and Karl could even hear the sound of the armor being blown. The mental oppression in front of him formed an invisible wall, a barrier that he had to break.

Karl took out the holy symbol of Mithras and held it high in front of his eyes. Under the burning red light, the frost was dissipating from its golden surface.

It glowed as warmly at the clash of two evil forces as it did when it was first delivered to him by the bishop.

The visor parted to both sides, and Karl revealed his true face towards Faith.

His blond hair turned pale as frost and snow, his face was withered, and his bloodless skin was weather-beaten... His eyes were still resolute, and his eyes seemed to be burning with fire.

"O great Mithras...

Please forgive me for my sin of neglecting my faith...

In order to fulfill the vow I made...

That brilliance as noble as yours...

I will do my best to protect my companions...

Even if I give everything I have for it..."

Death, the power of blasphemy, you must surrender to me.

Karl opened his heart and completely controlled this depravity. His determination to transcend death stirred up a fierce storm. He stood in the storm, as proud as a mountain.

The paladin raised his sword, a storm of frost wrapped around it, and the cold power of death burst into dazzling white light. Ice and snow roar in place of his tongue, and death roars in execution of his will.

"Howling wind impact."

Facing the crimson sun, Karl swung the blade of death, and the frost magic that froze everything burst out, cutting away all the red light.

Stepping on the traces of death condensed under his feet, Karl charged towards his last companion.

　puff.

　　Don't you think the way Death Knight moves is similar to Madoka Magica?
  　　Use the soul gem to control the body of a puppet that is not afraid of pain.

　　Death Knights are all magical girls!

　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)