Lion Knight — Part 1
Lion Knight
Outskirts of Seoul.
A secret dueling arena.
Usually, this place would be overflowing with spectators and gamblers.
Today, however, it was dead silent.
Seo Woojin had rented out the entire place to serve as the official witness.
I arrived 30 minutes early, ahead of the duel.
Seo Woojin, who was already waiting, approached .
“You’re here, Teacher?”
“Where’s Lee Jaeyeol?”
“He’s not here yet. He’ll probably be the last to arrive. Oh, and this is Attorney Jung Myungsoo, a forr Supre Court judge. He’ll be serving as the official notary today.”
“Pleasure to et you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He didn’t seem like a superhuman.
The distinguished-looking gentleman extended his hand politely.
I shook his hand and greeted him as well.
“Thank you for your assistance today.”
“Hoho, it’s my pleasure. Woojin told
that you saved his life. Anyone who’s done so is no stranger to . I’ll make sure everything is handled smoothly. You just focus on winning the duel.”
People were slowly gathering.
Manager Choi was there, as well as Seo Woojin’s friends.
And there was an unexpected face too.
Baek Sorin, lightly ard, ca bouncing over.
“Teacher!”
“How did you know about this?”
“There are ways to find out! But what’s going on? Why are you dueling Seungcheon Security?”
“Ask Manager Choi. I need to prepare for the duel.”
“You’re going to win for sure, Teacher! Whoever they bring as their champion, make sure to flatten him!”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Finally, the ti for the duel had arrived.
The lights switched on, illuminating the center of the arena.
Lee Jaeyeol’s side arrived about an hour after that.
Lee Jaeyeol, scowling as if he’d bitten into sothing foul, was the last to enter.
Instead of focusing on him, I kept my gaze on the man standing beside him.
Clad in pitch-black armor with no gaps.
A massive shield strapped to his back, a war hamr, and a large-caliber shotgun—his gear was almost stereotypical.
Spiky hair, bushy sideburns, and intense, piercing eyes that evoked the image of a lion.
And the steel gauntlet on his right hand.
A lion engraving on the back of his hand.
I recognized him. It was soone I’d anticipated seeing.
‘Lion Knight Oh Dusik.’
I had seen him at the Superhuman Tower when I went for my Level 3 certification.
For a mber of the Old Father’s Cult, he was unusually polite.
Though there was no denying he was a fanatic.
Step, step.
Oh Dusik began walking toward .
Lee Jaeyeol followed behind him, looking nervous.
“Sir. You didn’t have to co here yourself.”
Oh Dusik responded in a booming voice.
“Silence. You have no right to speak. You’re not even worthy of being a Paladin. Consider yourself lucky I haven’t excommunicated you.”
“S-sir, excommunication…”
“Tsk, tsk. If the Saintess hadn’t personally baptized you, you would have been thrown out long ago. Be grateful it ended with just the revocation of your knighthood.”
Step, step.
Oh Dusik approached
directly.
I glanced at Lee Jaeyeol, who stood awkwardly behind him.
He was wearing Crusader armor.
At Level 3, he should have received his Paladin knighthood, yet…
‘Serves him right.’
It seed that sending an assassin after
had co back to haunt him.
While I felt a bit of schadenfreude, I also stayed alert.
The fact that the Old Father’s Cult was handling this by the book was, ironically, suspicious.
If they had just openly supported Lee Jaeyeol, I would have felt more at ease.
What exactly were they plotting?
“It’s good to see you again, Warrior Kim.”
“Oh, yes.”
Oh Dusik greeted
politely.
Then he bent at a full ninety-degree angle and expressed his apologies.
“First, I want to personally apologize for this unfortunate incident. I failed to properly educate my subordinates. This incident is entirely my fault, and it has nothing to do with our revered Old Father, the noble Saintess, or the Archbishops.”
What was this?
An apology?
I crossed my arms and replied curtly.
“Isn’t it a bit late for an apology? If you were really sorry, you should have apologized before the duel.”
“This apology is purely from
personally. The official stance of the Cult is different.”
“Of course. Go on, then.”
“A short while ago, the Saintess summoned
personally and spoke.”
Oh Dusik raised his head from his bow.
His eyes were blazing.
Like a volcano about to erupt.
The black volcanic ash of fanaticism cloaked him in a dark aura, and his eyes shone with intense madness as he stared at .
“The Great Old Father has spoken, and the Saintess conveyed the revelation to us, saying that Warrior Kim is destined to be the light and savior of our Cult.”
My gaze darkened alongside his.
The words “light” and “savior” again.
Hearing it one more ti…
“What on earth does that an? I have no connection with your Cult. Savior? Says who?”
“You will have one soon.”
“Hah, so you’re planning to make my induction into your Cult a condition of this duel?”
“Yes. I have no intention of killing you, Warrior Kim. My only condition is this: if I win, you join our Cult.”
What, did they sar honey on this offer?
Huh?
From the Saintess to the Lion Knight, they’re all clamoring to recruit .
I frowned in irritation.
My ring was vibrating.
A chilling sensation gripped my chest, and the hairs on my body stood on end.
“What exactly does ‘light and savior’ an? Let’s hear it.”
“It is as it sounds. You are the hope, the salt, and the ultimate goal of our Cult. Not limited to our Cult, but a savior who will rescue this world from the impending apocalypse.”
Grand words.
So what exactly does that an?
Just as I was about to press him for specifics, a sudden insight flashed through my mind.
‘The Old Father isn’t truly dead.’
And in a few years, he’s supposed to be resurrected.
By the hands of the Saintess.
In the ga, he was represented only as a mass of tentacles.
The story was that the players entered mid-resurrection to battle him as a boss.
If that’s the case, the “light and savior” the Saintess spoke of ultimately ans…
“A vessel, isn’t it?”
When I asked outright, Oh Dusik reverently clasped his hands together.
“Precisely.”
“Hah! Are you insane? You want to use
as a vessel? You think I’d ever agree to that?”
“It would be an act of noble dedication and sacred offering. I am here to ensure that Warrior Kim becos the vessel and incarnation of our Great Old Father.”
“This lunatic!”
Chills ran down my spine.
This guy is seriously nuts!
Who gave them permission to use
as a sacrifice?
This is no different from being a pig they fatten up for slaughter.
They plan to nurture
for years and then offer
up during the resurrection ritual.
If I lose here, it’d be better to just kill myself.
The way they keep ntioning my “body and soul” makes it clear: if I end up as a sacrifice, the Old Father will consu both my body and spirit.
“I understand that this goes against your free will.”
Oh Dusik looked at
with a grave expression.
“So give it your all. I will do the sa. I am determined to offer you to the Old Father.”
“Ha… damn fanatical bastard.”
“Thank you for the complint.”
I have to win, no matter what.
There’s no room for retreat.
I’m confident I can win if I stick to my plan.
“Ahem.”
Our lawyer cleared his throat.
“Since ti is of the essence, let’s begin the duel. Crusader Lee Jaeyeol… or rather, the forr Paladin, where is your notary?”
“Here. Let’s review the terms of the duel.”
The terms had been reviewed long before we arrived.
It wasn’t just a legal contract but a magical pact.
Breaking it would cause one’s heart to explode.
The lawyers went over only the most critical clauses.
“I will now confirm the terms for both sides. First, Crusader Lee Jaeyeol. If you are victorious, all past grievances will be dismissed, and Warrior Kim will officially undergo baptism and join the Old Father’s Cult. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“Conversely, if Warrior Kim is victorious, Crusader Lee Jaeyeol will acknowledge his assassination attempt in writing, issue an apology, and vow before the Old Father that he will refrain from any direct or indirect harm to Warrior Kim in the future. Additionally, he will provide a specified compensation. Is that correct?”
The truth is, Lee Jaeyeol initially tried to resolve everything with a financial settlent.
He offered 10 billion won.
I turned it down.
While 10 billion won is certainly a large sum, I’m not exactly hurting for money right now.
I’d rather receive a written apology and a vow that he’ll never interfere with
again than accept his money.
Of course, this won’t be the end of it.
I hold grudges.
One day, when I have enough power to stand against not just Seungcheon Security but the entire Seungcheon Group…
Lee Jaeyeol will taste the full extent of my accumulated wrath.
‘The real issue here is the Old Father’s Cult…’
Should I add a clause now prohibiting forced induction?
…It’s pointless.
The only one who could enforce such a clause is the Saintess herself.
If she shows up and starts ddling, things will only get more complicated.
For now, it’s better to be satisfied with the knowledge of the Cult’s sinister plans and focus on defeating the Lion Knight in front of .
“Next, the rules of the duel. We’ll follow the international standard rules established by the International Superhuman Federation. All abilities and weapons are permitted, but each participant must use items that clearly belong to them. Weapons acquired within the past week must be declared now. Do either of you have any new items?”
“I do not.”
“Neither do I.”
“Next, regarding consumables. You may only use consumables that you’ve personally crafted here on-site. What consumables will each of you use?”
Oh Dusik tapped the handle of his war hamr.
“With the Old Father by my side, I will not be using any consumables.”
“Understood. Warrior Kim, what about you?”
“I’ll be using quite a few.”
I opened my golf bag and started pulling out the items I’d prepared.
“First, I’ll use three potions. The Potion of Iron Body, the Potion of Lightning Reflexes, and the Potion of Dragon’s Mana—these three.”
“Three potions, you say?”
“Yes. I’ll prepare them right now.”
I quickly spread out the potion ingredients and my tools on the floor.
I didn’t bring a full workbench, but I set up a small folding table and lit a miniature magical furnace.
The lawyers watched with interest, occasionally checking their watches.
“There’s a 10-minute limit per potion. If you exceed that, it will be considered lack of proficiency, and the item will be disallowed.”
“That’s more than enough ti.”
With my traits in potion making, crafting, and modification, I finished in no ti, producing the three potions.
“Three potions confird. Is that all?”
“One more. I’ll be crafting an enhancent catalyst.”
“You truly seem well-versed in alchemy. This ti, you have another 10-minute limit.”
I pulled out three special magical catalysts from my golf bag.
Celestial Gold, Infernal Silver, and World Iron.
I mixed them in a ratio of 1:3:16 and heated them with black fla.
Fwoosh—a mystical fire blazed, producing an eerie, iridescent glow.
Oh Dusik’s face went rigid when he saw the color.
“The Slayer’s tal…”
Lee Jaeyeol’s eyes widened.
“Slayer’s tal? Is that Slayer’s tal?”
“Yes. Hmph, you’ve certainly co well-prepared. But victory will belong to the Old Father.”
“Our leader will win for sure!”
Slayer’s tal Alloy.
This enhancent catalyst replicates the tal used to forge the sword that pierced the Old Father’s heart during the War of Divine Annihilation.
Since the Old Father was felled by a blade of this alloy, all his followers now carry a vulnerability to it.
The entire process took exactly 10 minutes.
I emptied the rest of my golf bag, letting my equipnt spill out.
Four grenade launchers clattered onto the floor.
They were all identical models, loaded with the sa rounds I’d brought specifically for this duel.
Anti-personnel grenades only.
“I’ll modify these grenades as well. The ti limit’s the sa, right?”
“Heh… You have quite the skill with your hands. Yes, 10 minutes. You’ll need to finish modifying each round within that ti.”
I opened the grenade casings and carefully added enhancent catalyst.
This was sothing I’d practiced extensively, and thanks to my relevant traits, it was possible.
Oh Dusik chuckled and shook his head, while Seo Woojin and Baek Sorin clenched their fists, watching
with anticipation.
After finishing the modifications on the grenades, I coated my Holy Sword with a mixture of the enhancent catalyst and a magical oil.
With the grenade launchers and Holy Sword now emitting a faint resonance, I was ready.
The lawyers conducted a final check.
“Three potions, one enhancent catalyst, and enhancent oil. Are these all the consumables?”
“Yes, that’s all.”
“Any unapproved consumables, especially poisons or drugs, will result in a forfeit.”
“I agree to the terms.”
I hadn’t prepared any mana potions or healing potions.
After all, I’m facing a Paladin.
In the ga, you can drink a potion with just a single tap, but reality isn’t so forgiving.
I won’t have ti to drink anything.
This duel will be an all-out assault, with no room for hesitation.
So, I downed the three potions in succession.
A rush of heat, a tingle, and a chill spread through my body.
I could feel it.
My body was strengthening, my senses sharpening, and mana was surging from my heart.
“Let’s begin. Everyone except the participants, please move to the spectator area.”
My allies approached.
They all wore anxious expressions.
They knew I’d prepared extensively, but the level difference was no small matter.
And my opponent wasn’t so pushover—he was a seasoned, well-equipped knight with a renowned reputation.
“Warrior Kim, you must win.”
“Of course.”
“Show them what you’re made of. You even beat Park Daeyeop—what’s one Paladin to you?”
“Thanks.”
“You can do it, Teacher! I believe in you!”
“Thank you. Just watch and see.”
“Teacher! You have to win! Don’t you dare lose here!”
“Right. Watch closely. You might learn sothing valuable.”
The lawyers, serving as the official witnesses, also moved to the spectator seats.
Now, only Oh Dusik and I remained in the arena.
Click. Click.
I slung two grenade launchers over my shoulders and held the remaining two in each hand.
They were already set to fire.
Oh Dusik rolled his shoulders, glancing at his shotgun before tossing it aside.
His chosen weapons were solely his shield and hamr.
Oh Dusik spoke in a resonant voice.
“Warrior Kim, offering your body and soul to the Old Father is a blessed and joyous act. Even now, why don’t you reconsider and join us willingly? If you do, I’ll personally request the Saintess to grant this man a fitting punishnt.”
“C-Captain!”
Lee Jaeyeol looked shocked and called out to Oh Dusik.
Oh Dusik fixed his gaze on .
But my answer was already decided.
Offering myself as a sacrifice to so god? Not a chance.
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
“Hmph… If that’s your answer, then I have no choice. I will deliver you to the Old Father. It may hurt a bit, so brace yourself.”
Oh Dusik assud his combat stance.
I leveled the grenade launcher at him.
Pop!
The ceiling lights flashed brightly once.
The number [10] appeared, and the AI’s voice echoed throughout the arena.
[10, 9, 8…]
Our eyes t.
Sparks flew.
His hair bristled, like that of an enraged lion.
And the mana radiating from him…
My limbs tingled.
Even beneath my protective suit, my skin prickled.
My heart felt as if it were shrinking under the pressure.
My vision narrowed, the periphery blurring until all I could see was one thing.
Oh Dusik, lifting his hamr and shield!
Those ten seconds felt like an eternity.
The entire arena was bathed in red as the countdown reached zero.
[…0, Begin!]
“Uoooooo!”
A battle cry.
And then a charge.
In an instant, Oh Dusik closed the ten-ter gap.
It was as if he’d warped through space.
Reaching right in front of , he swung his massive war hamr.
His eyes, blazing with madness, whispered their fanatical promise.
“You will beco a god.”
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support
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