A Core Ship From The Start

Chapter 45: Chapter 33 Challenger_1

“Evil Demon!!!”

It’s safe to say that Duanmu Huai and his group were taken by surprise when they heard this sudden shout. However, they quickly saw a young man in worn-out armor, gripping a longsword and blocking their path.

“Evil demon! Take on my challenge!”

Staring at Duanmu Huai, the young knight raised his longsword and yelled out loud.

“………….”

Duanmu Huai looked to his left and then his right.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Well, who else could it be?”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, the elf on the carriage started to giggle.

“With the way you’re dressed, it would be hard to convince anyone you’re not a demon.”

“What nonsense. This is pure, standard Judge gear.”

“I’ve never heard of any Judge equipped like you are.”

While Duanmu Huai and the elf scout were having their chat, the young knight rushed at them, yelling furiously. He raised his longsword high and swung it down at Duanmu Huai!

“Take this————!!!”

However, just as the young knight’s longsword came down, it was caught in Duanmu Huai’s hand.

“What are you trying to pull?”

Looking at the young knight before him, Duanmu Huai was dumbfounded. The knight was nothing more than a level 3, who gave him the courage to fight him? If it weren’t for the yellow colour above the knight’s head indicating neutrality, Duanmu Huai would have already crushed this idiot out of fear of losing reputation points within the area.

“Release my sword, vile demon!!”

The young knight tried to pull out his longsword, but to no avail. Duanmu Huai’s grip was as solid as a pair of iron tongs, firmly holding his sword. However, this guy was bold and directly started to curse at Duanmu Huai.

“Enough, go away.”

Duanmu Huai, too lazy to pay him any mind, used one hand to throw the young knight, along with his sword, aside and continued walking. Initially, he thought this mystifying person might have a quest to offer but there was absolutely no response from the system…

“Halt!!”

After being thrown by Duanmu Huai, the young knight quickly rolled back to his feet.

“I’ll never let a demon like you harm people! I’ll destroy you and rescue your victims! Take this!!”

Shouting, the young knight once again rushed towards Duanmu Huai with his longsword high.

“I know very well, you big-sized demons are very clumsy, as long as I slide tackle………”

“Thud.”

Just then, Duanmu Huai’s punch landed on the face of this idiot preparing to slide tackle him, sending him flying. After that, he could see the knight fall down in a grassy area not far away, motionless.

“Sir Black Knight, did you kill him?”

Elisa was surprised to see this, but Duanmu Huai just shook his head.

“No, I just knocked him out. Let’s go. Who knows where this idiot came from.”

Saying this, Duanmu Huai continued walking.

However, the elf scout seemed interested and picked up the topic.

“Ah, I’d guess he’s an Adventurer Knight.”

“Adventurer Knight??”

Hearing the elf scout’s answer, Elisa looked confused, while the elf scout nodded.

“Yeah, simply put, they are knights who give up everything in search of the Lake Goddess. They wander around challenging various demons and monsters to prove their faith, with the hope that the Lake Goddess will appear before them and make them Holy Grail Knights……

“Has anyone succeeded?”

“Not as far as I know. Most Adventurer Knights die on their journeys, and if they’re all like this guy, it’s indeed going to be very difficult for them to survive.”

As he spoke, the elf scout chuckled, eyeing Duanmu Huai.

“It seems that the brave adventurer knight has taken you for his debut battle opponent.”

“If I really were a demon, I’d skin him alive and stuff a red-hot pair of tongs into his stomach.”

Duanmu Huai snorted coldly. He had heard tales of the ridiculous deeds of this kingdom on the forum, but he hadn’t expected reality to be even more absurd.

A mere level 3 daring to venture out for adventure? He’d likely end up as a meal on an orc’s plate.

To Duanmu Huai, this was nothing more than a minor episode along their journey. However, when they set up camp to rest and the elf scout reported again that the young knight was creepily lurking in the bushes, spying on them, Duanmu Huai was truly at a loss for words.

“What should we do? Should we drive him away?”

“It wouldn’t make a difference to kick out this naive idiot.”

Duanmu Huai shook his head and stood up.

“Perfect, we need a guide. Since this guy is so keen on following us, let’s make use of his worth. Go and grab that idiot. I’m curious to see what kind of ‘knightly spirit’ he possesses.”

“Understood.”

The elf scout promptly moved and in a short while, the young knight, who was knocked unconscious, was bound and thrown in front of Duanmu Huai. Duanmu Huai picked up his water cup and splashed the water on the young knight’s face. The knight instantly opened his eyes, and when he saw Duanmu Huai in his Power Armor standing before him, he turned as pale as a ghost.

“Despicable demon! You dared to attack when I was unaware! Return my sword to me, I demand a fair duel with you!”

At this sight, the elf scout chuckled softly on the side, whereas Elisa and Kristin were dumbfounded. It seemed as if the old Knight Kado recalled something and couldn’t help but sigh deeply at the scene.

“Such youth… I remember when I was his age… cough… cough…”

Mid-sentence, Kado blushed, hastily cutting himself off to suppress his own embarrassing past.

As for Ogis —— she found these clownish antics uninteresting, and continued reading her book by the firelight.

“How novel.”

Retorting at the young knight’s challenge, Duanmu Huai simply scoffed in dismissal.

“If I were a despicable demon as you claim, why should I duel fairly with you? And if I do duel fairly, am I still considered a despicable demon? Is there something wrong with your brain?”

“Uh… um…”

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s retort, the young knight was left speechless, but he quickly spoke again.

“I knew it, despicable demon! I shall never submit! You can kill me, but you’ll never subdue my heart! I’ll never bow to a despicable and evil existence like you!”

“Are you done yet…”

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai’s face darkened.

“Listen well. I am not a demon. We are merely foreigners in Bartonilla who intend to visit Calcas. If you lead us there, we will release you. How does that sound?”

“What are you planning to do in Calcas?”

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s proposition, the young knight looked puzzled. His eyes widened as if he had just realized something.

“I see now! You’re planning to destroy Bartonilla, eradicate the belief in the Great Goddess! Turn this land into your wicked territory! I will never let you succeed! No, I will never take you to Calcas! You can go ahead and kill me! But I refuse to bow to evil!”

Damn… this overly-imaginative fool is getting on my nerves…

Seeing the young knight’s dramatic display of ‘heroic sacrifice’, Duanmu Huai was similarly speechless. A na?ve girl would have been somewhat cute, but a grown man acting this way was just ridiculous. Judging by his age, he should have been over this stage, shouldn’t he?

“Listen carefully, kid.”

With that thought, Duanmu Huai removed his helmet and glared at him menacingly.

“If you wish to die at my hands, it won’t be as simple as you think. I’ll drill nails through your fingers, slice open your belly, pull out your intestines and wind them around your neck. Then hang you on a tree, letting you die slowly. Do you understand?”

“……….”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s fierce threats, the young knight started to shiver. Upon seeing Duanmu Huai’s face in the glow of the fire, the young knight’s eyes widened, and he let out a loud cry…

“Mommy!!!”

The next moment, the young knight’s eyes rolled back and his body went stiff before he passed out cold on the ground.