The title of a knight was never handed out simply for swinging a sword well. In the old world, the absolute minimum qualification required to earn that rank was the awakening of a mana core. True knights possessed the ability to circulate mana freely through their veins, constantly strengthening their muscles, bones, and reflexes far beyond human limits.

They channeled that raw energy directly into their weapons, turning ordinary steel into devastating instruments of destruction.

Even now, stripped of its humanity and corrupted by the lingering divinity of the holy war, the undead creature standing before Solomon retained the hardened physical constitution and deeply ingrained muscle memory of a true knight.

’This might be a hard fight, but not an impossible one to win.’

The undead knight lunged forward. Despite the heavy plate armor, it moved with terrifying speed. The creature raised its massive greatsword and brought it crashing down in a brutal overhead cleave.

Solomon instantly widened his stance, dropping his center of gravity. He knew he could not take the hit directly. He twisted his waist, transferring the kinetic energy from his hips up through his shoulders, and bent his wrists at a sharp forty-five-degree angle.

He brought his basic iron sword up to catch the descending blade at a slant, intending to parry and redirect the massive force.

The moment the two blades clashed, a loud ring of steel echoed through the corridor. The kinetic weight of the knight’s attack sent a violent shockwave down Solomon’s forearms. His boots slid back two inches across the stone floor.

’What an amazing strike! I was right to block it!’ He gritted his teeth as an immediate, painful numbness spread from his fingers all the way to his elbows.

The knight did not pause. It immediately stepped into the parry, using its momentum to swing the greatsword horizontally.

Solomon ducked low, feeling the wind of the heavy blade rustle his hair. He pivoted on his right heel, utilizing a basic footwork skill to spin behind the knight’s guard. He drove his iron sword toward the creature’s lower back, aiming for the gap between the backplate and the faulds.

The tip of his blade struck a thick layer of reinforced chainmail hidden beneath the plates and violently sparked, failing to pierce the armor.

Unlike the brittle foot soldiers he had fought earlier, this knight was entirely encased in masterfully crafted full-body armor. There were no obvious openings or exposed joints. Every vulnerable spot was protected by overlapping steel or dense chainmail.

The knight spun around, swinging a heavy steel backhand. Solomon leaped backward, using his basic parkour skills to push off the adjacent stone wall and gain distance. He landed gracefully, but his chest heaved as he tightened his grip on his vibrating sword. His hands were already throbbing.

High above the fight, the owl fluttered its wings, projecting the battle to a rapidly growing audience. The viewer count shot past three hundred and continued to climb by the second as they shared the intense feed.

[GamerGuy: holy crap the speed on that thing!]

[User12: he just parried a knight’s heavy strike with a basic iron sword. his wrists must be screaming.]

[LazyCat: the footwork is actually insane.]

[OldTimer: there are no gaps in that armor. he needs a blunt weapon to cause internal damage.]

[Skeptic: he is actually holding his own against a knight without using a talent...]

Small chimes echoed constantly as gifts flooded the stream.

[User12 gifted a Copper Dagger! (100 Points)]

[LazyCat gifted a Bronze Idol! (50 Points)]

[ThrillSeeker gifted a Copper Dagger! (100 Points)]

Solomon ignored the notifications completely. His eyes remained locked entirely on the undead knight. He narrowed his focus, analyzing the creature’s footwork and the slight shifting of its weight.

The knight charged again, thrusting the greatsword forward like a spear. Solomon stepped into the attack instead of retreating. He slapped the flat of his blade against the side of the greatsword, deflecting the thrust just inches past his shoulder.

He immediately utilized the opening, stepping deep into the knight’s guard. He twisted his body, putting his entire weight onto his front leg, and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick directly to the side of the knight’s armored knee.

The heavy steel joint clanked loudly, and the knight buckled slightly, but the corrupted mana core pulsing within the creature immediately stabilized its footing. The undead shoved its massive shoulder forward, slamming into Solomon’s chest and throwing him backward into the stone wall.

Solomon hit the masonry hard, knocking the wind from his lungs. He rolled sideways just in time to avoid the greatsword embedding itself into the wall where his head had been a fraction of a second prior.

Solomon pushed off the wall and immediately chained his movements, blending Basic Acrobatics with his Basic Swordsmanship. He ducked under a horizontal swing that sparked violently against the masonry, transferring his weight to his left leg to launch a rapid sequence of counter-strikes.

He targeted the microscopic gaps at the knight’s elbows and the back of its knees, relying on Basic Piercing techniques, but the overlapping plates and dense chainmail completely absorbed the impacts.

He was fighting a walking fortress. Every time their blades met, the sheer kinetic force threatened to dislocate Solomon’s shoulders.

The grinding of stone and the clanking of rusted metal suddenly echoed from the surrounding dark tunnels.

The labyrinth pathways had locked them into a four-way intersection. Suddenly, from the three intersecting passages, dozens of corrupted undead soldiers dragged their chipped weapons into the dim light.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

Solomon clenched his jaw as the rotting infantry closed in. The narrow corridors heavily hindered his agile fighting style, stripping away his ability to flip and maneuver freely.

However, the cramped space also worked to his advantage. The sheer volume of soldiers and the massive knight could not attack him all at once without tripping over each other.

Two undead soldiers lunged at him from the right flank. Solomon deflected a spear thrust with the flat of his blade, stepped inside the attacker’s guard, and decapitated the first soldier. He spun to slice the second one in half, but a massive shadow suddenly loomed over him.

The undead knight roared and swung its greatsword in a devastating arc.

It didn’t aim for Solomon. Instead, the massive blade cleaved straight through the two undead soldiers, shattering their corrupted bones and scattering them across the cobblestones.

The knight raised its weapon and stepped forward, actively pushing the lesser undead back into the tunnels.

It was as if the knight wanted the prey all to itself.

Solomon lowered his iron sword and let out a breathless laugh. "It seems like I have met a seriously crazy fan who demands a private meet-and-greet."

The blue projection instantly flared with panicked text.

[GamerGuy: bro this is absolutely NOT the time to pass jokes!]

[User12: take this seriously or you are going to die!]

[LazyCat: focus on the giant sword!]

[Skeptic: how can you even smile right now?!]

"I am just trying to lighten the mood," Solomon muttered, raising his guard just as the knight charged again.

The heavy greatsword crashed down. Solomon angled his blade, bending his wrists and twisting his waist to slide the incoming attack off his guard, but the sheer weight of the blow forced him to one knee. His arms shook violently. The numbness in his fingers was turning into a burning ache.

Just as he pushed himself back to his feet, footsteps echoed from the single passage directly behind him.

Solomon cursed his luck. He expected to see another horde of corrupted infantry cutting off his only retreat.

He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw a second fully armored knight stepping out of the shadows. The silver plate armor gleamed in the torchlight, completely free of the rust and decay of the ancient battlefield.

"Unbelievable," Solomon spat.

Realizing he was about to be sandwiched between two juggernauts, Solomon made a split-second decision. He abandoned the undead knight and dashed straight toward the second, closer threat. He pulled his sword back and thrust his blade directly at the new knight’s chest plate.

The second knight reacted with terrifying speed. It raised a silver gauntlet, casually slapping Solomon’s iron sword aside, and immediately delivered a heavy front kick to Solomon’s midsection.

The blow connected, but instead of letting the force throw him to the ground, Solomon instantly adapted. He absorbed the kinetic energy, folding his body backward. He planted his left hand firmly on the stone floor, utilizing his Basic Unarmed Combat and Acrobatics.

Using his planted arm as a pivot, he spun his entire body weight like a coiled spring and whipped his right leg up in a brutal, sweeping arc.

His boot slammed squarely into the side of the second knight’s helmet.

The heavy metal helm snapped off its latches and flew through the air, clattering loudly against the stone floor. A cascade of brilliant golden hair immediately spilled out over the silver shoulder plates.

Solomon landed gracefully on his feet and raised his sword, completely stunned.

A young girl with piercing emerald eyes glared back at him. She rubbed her jaw, her face flushed with absolute fury.

"Are you completely out of your mind, you barbarian?!" she yelled, her voice echoing sharply down the corridor.

It wasn’t a second undead monster, but seemingly another adventurer.

❖ ❖ ❖

A/N- This Chapter turned out longer than expected. Are you guys fine with long Chapters or would you prefer short ones?

Also, how was the fight scene? Is it too detailed, or should I keep it at the same pace?

And yes, it’s the girl from the cover, although she is wearing armor here.

PS- This novel is participating in a contest and it needs support. Please share it with your friends and fellow readers. Support it with power stones, comments, and reviews. And don’t forget to add it to your library.

Thank you for reading!