Since the discovery of a Black Stone ore vein beneath Black City, it had become the private dominion of Duke Tildar.
The brutal, mad Duke Tildar had forced the city's inhabitants into servitude as miners, extracting Black Stone for him.
Those who could leave had already gone.
Those who couldn't were trying every means to escape.
In a short time, a vast city had turned into a ghost town, inevitably leaving behind some valuables.
Once-valuable handicrafts and precious metals, in the eyes of those struggling just to find food, weren't as precious as a piece of meat that could fill their stomachs.
Carl walked around the market, exchanging his remaining meat strips for a few 'exquisite trinkets.'
Coming from a noble family and having attended various exhibitions, he had a certain appreciation for luxury items.
The items he acquired should fetch a good amount of money.
"Time to leave!"
After wrapping the items in linen and strapping them to his back, Carl once again instructed Kolon to monitor any developments regarding breathing techniques, then he stepped away.
Thirty Gold Coins could buy a nice middle-class residence in Sigerno City; in remote areas, it might even be possible to get a detached house.
Hmm...
Although Black City is oppressive and inconvenient, it's exceedingly convenient for making money.
Feeling the bulging package on his back, Carl's lips unconsciously curled upward, and his mood also became somewhat buoyant.
Aside from making money, obtaining breathing techniques here is easier than in the other world; at least there are connections available.
Unlike...
"Hmm?"
Lost in thought, Carl's eyes narrowed suddenly. He lunged forward, reflexively gripping his sword and swinging it behind him.
SWOOSH!
RIP!
The sound of something slicing through the air and fabric tearing arose.
Carl felt a pain in his back. His broadsword seemed to have struck something. Items from his package scattered all around, with the heavy grandfather clock causing a loud THUMP on impact.
Without time to check for any damage, he flipped to his feet, turned around, and positioned his broadsword horizontally in front of him.
Gale Swordsmanship—Iron Gate Style!
SWOOSH!
A dark shadow pounced straight at him, as swift as an arrow loosed from a bow, crashing into the broadsword with great force.
CLANG!
"Ugh!"
Carl grunted, stumbling backward a few steps. The attacker was also sent flying by his broadsword.
Taking advantage of this moment, the true form of the shadow finally came into view.
It was, startlingly, a canine-like creature, its pitch-black fur easily overlooked in the dim light.
It was this creature that had sneak-attacked him from behind. Fortunately, his package and the soft armor he wore underneath had saved him from injury.
Canine-like?
Carl's eyes twitched as he instinctively looked down the street.
Exactly!
The corpse he had seen on the ground upon arrival had vanished without a trace. In its place stood this half-dead creature.
He had been careless!
Caught up in his elation, he had forgotten to observe his surroundings. This was Black City, after all, where death could occur at any time.
Half-dead creatures were a specialty of Black City.
It was said that due to the 'Dead Air' found within the Black Stone ore veins, as mining progressed, this air leaked out. Corpses infected by the Dead Air would 'revive' into half-dead creatures.
It wasn't just corpses. If a living person remained in the mines for too long, they too would undergo a twisted transformation, completely losing their sanity and becoming a monster.
After the transformation, their speed and strength greatly increased, and they felt no pain, possessing only a primal instinct to attack living beings.
They were similar to the zombies from his memories, but far more agile.
No one knew how many 'half-dead creatures' lurked within Black City, making the city increasingly dangerous and terrifying.
"WHINE..."
The rotting 'hound' opened its massive mouth, baring its ferocious fangs, its eyes blood-red.
SWOOSH!
It pounced again, its speed still astonishing.
But this time Carl was prepared. He slid to the side, dodging its attack while delivering a fierce downward slash.
SQUELCH!
The broadsword cleaved through the 'Hound's' hide, sinking deep into its rotting flesh and striking bone.
The impact caused the 'Hound' to tumble to the ground, and Carl also felt his arm go numb, alarm bells ringing in his mind.
Such speed, and its strength isn't bad either. The key is... this thing doesn't have the vital spots of a living creature.
The 'Hound,' despite being struck by the sword, merely rolled over and stood up as if nothing had happened.
The gash that stretched from its back to its abdomen seemed to have no effect on it.
"Ha!"
Carl let out a low shout. He pushed off with his feet and charged forward, his broadsword stirring up a whirlwind.
Fury Strike!
This was a killing blow from Gale Swordsmanship, capable of using the body's forward momentum to empower the blade and increase its attack power.
Mastering this move had cost Carl a great deal of effort.
The half-dead creature knew no fatigue, but he did. If he couldn't end the battle quickly, he would undoubtedly die once his Physical Strength was depleted.
Therefore, after a moment's thought, he decided to attack first.
"WHINE..."
The 'Hound' whined, seemingly sensing the threat from this move. It crouched low and leaped sideways.
This also demonstrated that the half-dead creatures of Black City hadn't completely lost their wits. They retained at least some primal instincts from their former lives, knowing to seek advantage and avoid danger.
CLANG!
The broadsword struck the ground with a crisp sound but, strangely, left barely a mark.
Feint!
Carl's ferocious-looking strike was merely a ruse to make the 'Hound' reveal an opening, allowing him to seize the chance to raise his arm and launch a hidden attack.
His arm trembled slightly. A sharp recoil pushed his upper body back.
Sleeve Arrows!
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
Two dark streaks shot from his sleeves. In a flash, they pierced the 'Hound's' throat and a front leg joint.
Kolon hadn't exaggerated. The Sleeve Arrows were incredibly powerful. At close range, even a Knight Attendant would struggle to dodge them.
However, this wasn't nearly enough to kill a half-dead creature. It merely caused the 'Hound' to stumble and lose its balance.
"Hmph!"
Carl's eyes flashed red. He surged forward again, his broadsword a blur of afterimages.
Battle Skill—Gale Slash!
Knight-level swordsmanship styles all had accompanying Battle Skills designed to maximize their lethality.
Generally speaking, only Knight Attendants or true Knights could master Battle Skills.
This was because Battle Skills were highly complex and demanded superior physical conditioning, making them difficult for ordinary people to learn.
However, Carl was an exception. By utilizing that mystical place, he possessed absolute rationality and meticulous control over his body, allowing him to master this very Gale Slash.
The two afterimages and the physical broadsword converged in mid-air, striking down. The 'Hound's' lunging form froze abruptly.
The next moment, several fine cracks spiderwebbed across the 'Hound's' body before it shattered into pieces on the ground.
In this state, even a half-dead creature was well and truly dead.
"Whew..."
Carl let out a long, ragged breath. His hands, still gripping the broadsword, trembled so much it felt like he could barely hold it.
"Let's go!"
He was nearly overcome with exhaustion, his heart still pounding with lingering fear. He quickly bent down, gathered the scattered items from the ground, wrapped them up, and hurried away.
Only when he returned to his 'lodgings,' closed the door, and secured the bar did he finally let out a sigh of relief.
SNAP!
Slapping his forehead, Carl spoke with belated realization, "Half-dead creatures leave things behind when they're killed—things that can be exchanged for Black Stones. I forgot to check earlier."
Despite this, going back was out of the question.
After calming himself, he used the mystical place to return to his residence in Sigerno City. He had barely begun to sort through his gains from the trip when a familiar voice drifted in from the living room.
"Uncle, how did he get here?"