32 The Hidarus Challenge Part 5 : Trial By Fire (1/2)
”Vargoz, are you sure about this? I haven't trained much in swordsmanship yet. I've mostly been doing summoner training”, I said cautiously.
Of course, I was telling Vargoz this important fact while parrying and evading the attacks of the Demonic knight. Moments before the hostiles began their assault, I split the mobs into 6 groups so they could be used efficiently.
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Group 1: [2 Corrupted Angellic Healers]
-[Mimic x1, Wyvern x3, Giant Centipede x1, Orc x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 2: [3 Demonic Units Of Varying Types]
-[Jordan, Giant Spider x1, Cyborg, Vampire x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 3: [2 Giant Tentacle Monsters Of Varying Types]
-[Obsidian, Cyclops x2, Orc x4, Golem x1, Elementals x1]-
Group 4: [3 Dark-Magic Golems]
-[Silmes x5, Lich x1, Young Cerberus x2, Golems x 2C+, Elementals x1]-
Group 5: [4 Minotaurs Of Varying Elements]
-[Skeleton Warrior x1, Skeleton Archer x1, Skeleton Mage x1, Golems x3, Elementals x1]-
Group 6: [Giant, A rank Minotaur]
-[Briggs, Bose, Golems x4, Slimes x3, Giant Serpent x1, Lich x1, Orc x4, Elementals x2]-
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Placing myself in Group 2 wasn't initially the plan but Vargoz insisted on killing the Demonic units first.
”I don't see what you're so worried about! I gave you buffs to ensure that you meet the requirements of the contract. I'm still a cursed B+ sword after all! Unlike Miller, you should be able to draw more power from me. All it takes is a little blood and suffering!”, Vargoz stated.
The other two Demonic units, which were preoccupied with the mobs in my group, were the Dullahan and the Demonic Mage. The Dullahan had a sword that was emitting blue flames and was riding a rather disturbing horse. As the spikes of the demon horse protruded from it's back and it's blackened bones replaced what would be his skin, the horse couldn't be called anything but disturbing. It also didn't help that the Dullahan's head was attached to the side of the horse as if it was just a canteen or a satchel. Meanwhile, the Demon Magus was dressed in what looked to be a mix between stealth and mage attire. He had a wide and long sword on his back and a floating grimoire that he read from. He could've passed as human if he didn't have curled horns on the sides of his head. He was wingless but he was currently floating without them, most likely due to some type of magic.
According to Vargoz, the Demonic Knight that I was facing was one of the Dark Knights Of Hell. The Knights of Hell are a unique breed of demons that were created by the Overlord Of Hell to take on missions that are considered disastrous or ”suicidal” for other demons to take part in. They were primarily created by the use of ancient high tier summoning magic and a mixture of alchemy, before being imbued with the Overlord's Blessing. They are one of the oldest and most powerful demons serving under the Overlord Of Hell, so much so that they are revered and praised by virtually all demons for their prowess. Since they answer to no one but the Overlord Of Hell himself, the Dark Knight was most likely the person in charge of leading this group. However, each Dark Knight of Hell is not equal to the other, as some vary depending on the training they go through and the experience they have. Vargoz guessed that Hidarus, given his close friendship with the Overlord, could request units whenever he needed them. That included this B+ Dark Knight that was trying to slice my head off.
”Shit! How am I supposed to attack him? Every time I dodge, he keeps attacking me!”, I said.
”Good thing I can passively give you buffs as part of the contract! You would most likely be dead by now without them. Dark Knights are considered top tier units. The fact that you are able to block or dodge every attack is impressive, to say the least. Even Dark Knights as low as B+ are considered dangerous in Hell”, Vargoz said.
You may be surprised to hear that the Dark Knight wasn't an overly muscular or flashy unit. On the contrary, the Dark Knight had a regular body frame and was around my height of 6'1”. His armor was sleek and matte black, as he wore a sleek helmet that concealed his face. In a sense, it looked futuristic but I had bigger problems to worry about than his attire. This knight was also a user of Dark Ice, which meant he could create, shape and manipulate the ice of a darker, more detrimental nature. It represents the hazardous and destructive side of ice, which in turn ignores most of the limitations and weaknesses of normal ice magic. In essence, he was solely in control of the negative powers of ice. It also didn't help that he had Superhuman strength despite his body frame suggesting otherwise. Vargoz's buffs were literally saving my life, which is something I wouldn't expect to say on my fifth day. Luckily, one of the turrets switched targets and shot the Dark Knight in the face with holy magic, temporarily stopping his attacks. Seizing the opportunity, I performed a large jump backward to gather myself. Before I could gather my thoughts, Vargoz saw an opening.