Chapter 14: Death’s New Master

Stealing someone else’s summons.

If they were of similar levels, it would be difficult to do, but if the difference in level was too great, it wouldn’t be hard at all.

The Death Knight they had summoned was around levels 20-30. Even with multiple buffs, It wouldn’t surpass the mid-30s. On the other hand, Lucy’s brainwashing skill was a level 100 illusion magic, strengthened up to the 7th tree (skill tree). Taking control of a lower-level summon was hardly a challenge.

The Death Knight, now fully under Lucy’s control, no longer obeyed the apostles and turned against them.

Now, only three apostles remained.

They looked at Lucy like death row inmates awaiting execution. Perhaps because their trump card had been taken away, they all seemed to have lost their fighting spirit.

Their next action was entirely predictable.

“Ha… I surrender. If you let me go, I’ll give you everything you want!”

One of the apostles, the quickest to react, began pleading desperately, his eyes wide with fear.

Lucy looked down at them, unmoved by their cries for mercy.

Mercy was a virtue, especially toward a defeated opponent. But this situation was different.

The missing pamphlets she’d seen earlier had contained many children. The reason for their kidnapping was still unknown, but the thick scent of death wafting from the passage suggested their fate.

Child kidnappers. Murderers.

Did such people deserve mercy?

Lucy decided they did not.

She gave the Death Knight its first order.

“Kill everyone except one.”

Upon hearing the command, the Death Knight moved forward, its heavy armor clanking with each step.

The apostles, realizing there would be no mercy, fired their magic wildly, half-mad with desperation.

[Magic Skill: Fireball]

[Magic Skill: Lightning]

[Magic Skill: Ice Pick]

It was a last-ditch struggle, but ultimately futile.

The Death Knight’s ‘magic resistance’ nullified their attacks. Soon, their magic power depleted, and all that awaited them was a pitch-black sword.

With each swing, blood splattered the walls, and final screams echoed through the passageway.

After two slashes, only one remained.

Lucy approached the survivor, removed her mask, and cast an illusion spell.

“Tell me everything. Your companions, their locations, the ritual you’re performing here. Don’t leave anything out.”

“Ah…!!”

Blareuk-!

The moment the man under the illusion tried to speak, blue flames erupted from his body, consuming him in an instant.

It was Lucy’s first time encountering such magic, but she quickly deduced that it was a ‘curse spell’ designed to prevent information leaks.

Unable to extract any information, Lucy could only frown.

What were their true intentions?

Something felt off. The location, the number of missing people—there were too many unknowns.

‘We’ll find out if we go further in.’

Regardless of their motives, the people here were clearly enemies.

Lucy issued her next command without hesitation. “Find any remaining enemies.”

The Death Knight obeyed, running down the underground passage in search of threats.

After about twenty minutes of navigating the underground passage, they finally reached an unknown chamber at its end.

The circular room exuded an eerie atmosphere.

The dull stone walls and remnants of ritualistic markings gave it the appearance of a necromancer’s lair.

Two men stood inside.

One was using fire magic to burn stacks of paper. The other sat in a chair, impatiently urging him to hurry.

Judging by the organized ritual tools, it seemed they were attempting to erase evidence before fleeing.

As Lucy stepped closer, the seated man noticed her and shot up from his chair.

A black-haired man.

He stood nearly 190 cm tall, his thick muscles evident even beneath his robe. He glared at Lucy with a menacing expression, then narrowed his eyes at the Death Knight behind her.

“You’re here. That means all my subordinates are dead.”

“Exactly.”

“Tch, you filthy bastard… Who are you? Reveal your identity.”

“Just an adventurer. It’s a hobby.”

“An adventurer..?”

His eyes shifted to the wooden pendant hanging from Lucy’s neck—a symbol of an apprentice adventurer.

Despite single-handedly defeating his men without a scratch and controlling a Death Knight, she still bore the mark of a rookie. It was clear that she was at least Silver-level.

Suspicion filled his gaze.

“A fraud pretending to be an adventurer.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you here?”

“Thirty minutes ago, you kidnapped a girl. I’m here to take her back.”

“What…?!”

His eyes widened in shock. Then, veins bulged in his forehead as rage twisted his features.

“You’re telling me… the reason you interrupted our noble ritual… was just to save some brat!?”

His teeth gnashed audibly.

There was no reasoning with a person like this.

The man reached for the axe at his waist, a confident smirk forming on his lips.

Lucy eyed him carefully.

He lacked any particularly powerful equipment, but he radiated strength. He was certainly stronger than the apostles she had faced earlier.

It was best to gauge his abilities first.

She issued a command to the Death Knight. “Attack.”

The Death Knight roared and charged.

The man stood his ground, raising his axe with one hand while casting a buff with the other.

[Magic Buff: Warrior’s Heart]

A red aura enveloped his body, greatly enhancing his physical abilities.

With newfound strength, he met the Death Knight’s blade head-on. Sparks flew as the two clashed, forcing both back.

Their raw power was equal.

However, in terms of agility and technique, the man had the advantage. He quickly exploited the Death Knight’s blind spots, launching a flurry of attacks.

[Battle Skill: Infinite Slash]

With each swing of his axe, his attack speed increased.

The Death Knight managed to block the first few strikes, but soon, it could do nothing but absorb the onslaught with its armor.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

Lucy watched with arms folded, analyzing the fight.

The man was a ‘Magic Warrior.’ Judging by his skills, he was around level 40.

Slightly stronger than the Death Knight.

Still, not a threat.

The fight continued until, after the 56th slash, the Death Knight finally dispersed into black smoke.

“Whew… That was tough, but it’s over.”

The man smirked, believing himself victorious.

A fatal mistake.

He had assumed that ‘a summoner without their summon is powerless.’

Lucy chuckled at his arrogance.

“What’s so funny?” he snapped.

“Oh, just… it’s amusing when people think they’re strong.”

“Hah! Trying to buy time? Do you have backup coming?”

Before Lucy could even respond, the man charged at her.

Annoyed, she issued a simple command, her voice laced with power.

“Stop.”

“!!”

The man froze mid-motion, his body trembling.

“Kneel.”

He dropped to his knees, eyes filled with humiliation.

“T… What is this? Why can’t I move?!”

“Probably a difference in levels.”

“Damn you… just kill me!”

“Not yet. First, tell me who you are and what ritual you were performing. Depending on your answer, I might hand you over to the guards instead of killing you.”

Lucy first tried to extract information through words, knowing that if she resorted to illusions again, he might attempt suicide once more.

The man glared at her, showing no intention of speaking.

Just as she was about to give up, the sound of a flute echoed from one side.

It was the apostle who had been with the man earlier.

He had drawn a flute from his bosom and was now casting an illusion.

“Illusions don’t work on me anyway…” Lucy started to say but stopped mid-sentence.

The illusion wasn’t aimed at her.

The iron-barred cage stood in place.

The children who had been sleeping inside stirred at the flute’s melody and stepped out.

There were seven of them—boys and girls, demon children—and among them was the old man’s granddaughter.

Their eyes were vacant, entranced by the spell, and each child clutched a dagger. Slowly, they raised the blades to their own throats.

“Don’t move! The moment you say anything foolish, the children die!”

“A hostage situation? What a headache.”

“Shut up! Release the priest, now!”

“Tsk.”

The situation had escalated.

Lucy complied, untying the man he called the priest as ordered.

Freed from his restraints, he grabbed his neck and rose, his bloodshot eyes burning with murderous intent.

“Good work, Okeris.”

“It was all thanks to the priest’s foresight.”

“Heh. You heard me, kid! If you want to save the children, don’t move.”

“Understood. Do whatever you want.”

Lucy adopted an extremely submissive stance, raising both arms to signal complete compliance.

The man smirked, cautiously stepping toward her.

A girl who didn’t resist—something felt off. But he was certain that if he hesitated, he might never get another chance.

He enchanted his axe with ‘Additional Toxicity Enchantment’ and swung it down toward the unresisting girl.

Sheek!

Lucy fell, her shoulder slashed open, blood pooling around her.

Still unsatisfied, the man straddled her and began hacking her apart.

Sheek!

Sheek!

Sheek!

Sheek!

The axe struck again and again, blood spraying in all directions, drenching his own body in crimson.

When she seemed so battered that survival seemed impossible, the man finally stopped, panting heavily.

“Whew…”

He had killed her.

He had slaughtered countless people in this manner—he knew death when he saw it.

Then, a familiar voice reached his ears.

“S… Sir… Why did… How… Gulp…!”

His subordinate’s voice—why was it coming from beneath him?

He blinked, rubbed his eyes several times.

And then he understood.

“Why are you, Okeris…?”

The one he had been hacking apart wasn’t Lucy.

It was his own subordinate, Okeris.