The Ruined Death Knight

With the sun lighting up the frozen lands and the people of Vashara waking up to do their own work. A few of them saw several undead training with each other and other simple carrying stuff, giving them the scare which woke them faster than an ice bath.

There were also a few of the unfortunate who lived near enough where the undead was training, which resulted in them walking out as if they had their vitality sucked out. Which earned those few the sympathizing look of the outsiders that Danzel and Shiro brought into the village.

Unlike them though who woke up to work, a particular small magic caster was still asleep in a house with a hole in its roof. on top of the mountain with a hole in its roof.

At first look, it looked like an abandoned house, but those who knew better, residing inside there was what few believed were primordial gods.

And at the very same house, a breeze of wind hit the house, moving the snow off the roof ever so slightly, making a sizeable block of ice fall inside the hole. The piece of cloth that was blocking the roof had by the night already accumulated quite an amount of snow, but the additional block of snow made the cloth collapse from the weight.

Dropping all the snow on top of the blanket of the bed.

*Pouff~

There was a certain silence as one would expect of an abandoned house, but the slight movement of the blanket proved otherwise.

"Mhmm~, cold."

Suddenly the blanket was pushed to the side, revealing a petite small figure with pale skin and messy white long hair.

It was none other than Shiro.

While half asleep and rubbing her eyes, Shiro gazed around confused.

"Rue?"

Founding no one and experiencing the cold breeze coming from the hole in the roof, Shiro finally looked at Danzel's work.

"Uwah~so cold~! Stupid Rue and him punching holes in the house." Shiro cursed Danzel as she reached for her staff on the side of her bed.

Picking her staff while still laying on the bed, she attempted to raise up from the bed.

But once she pulled her blanket, the ice that was still there fell on top of her feet, making her jump from the cold one step forward.

And the next moment she knew, the floor that was supposed to be there had vanished yesterday, making her fall inside the hole in the floor. The hole was only deep enough t

"Kyaahhhhh!!!"

The hole was only deep enough to fit half her body, but because of that, the moment of her fall made her head directly class with the floor to ensure dominance.

*Tuck!

"Hurt~!!!" Shiro groaned in pain as she let go of her staff and touch her forehead to ease the pain.

The scene spoke of utter defeat.

Which didn't last for long as Shiro raised up from the floor and used water magic with a mix of fire and air magic to clean herself as best as she could. Even projecting a mirror made out of ice which helped her fix her hair before leaving the house and closing the door strongly.

"Damned Rue, him and destroying the house! Just because you don't feel the cold doesn't means you can punch a hole through the roof! Stupid Undead!" Shiro complained out loud as she looked at her arm, particularly the clothing that Danzel had made with the fur, which had a large cut resulting from her fall on the floor.

Other than her clash with the floor and her head, she wasn't harmed as despite how petite she looked, she was of the 3rd-tier.

Despite the fact that she was a magic caster, her body was much tougher than one would expect. Though that didn't count for her clothing too.

"Sigh, how will I explain this to Rue? It's not like I can tell him that I fell on the floor and ruined the clothes that he made..." Shiro mumbled.

Even if she found the clothes somewhat awkward and the material bringing a bad taste. It was undeniable that the warmth that they brought was superb.

As she was wondering what to say to Danzel, her thoughts were interrupted by a small sound in the distance.

*Thikk~

"Hmm? This sound is..."

Putting her hood on and mask white fox mask on her face, she followed the direction of the sound.

As soon enough, she arrived at the source of the sound.

*Thikk! Thighkk! Tghnggh!!!

Clashes of swords.

One made out of compressed stone and one of refined metal, 2 beings much taller and more powerful than her were clashing in front of her.

The former being a living shadow and the latter a death knight, one of the strongest undead out there.

Both clashed with their weapons with speed and power to blow the nearby air away with each clash.

"Why is Rue fighting Baron?" She said confused as she observed their fight.

Danzel was only with a sword while Baron had a shield and a long sword together with armor around his shadowy body made out of tough stone.

At first, she was worried, but after taking a better look, she quickly recognized that those two were training as Danzel didn't take many initiations on attacking while Baron was the one on offense.

'Those two are so fierce, if I were in Rue's place, I would already be...' She thought as she hid and focused on the ongoing battle in hopes to pick up from the two.

*Thikkt!

Blocking another attack from Baron with his sword, Danzel slightly moved his head to the side, gazing for a moment at Shiro.

'What is she doing over there?' Danzel thought confused at her attempt in hiding herself.

He also remembered how she also tried to hide on the door yesterday awkwardly, making him question if she had a lack of talent in stealth.

On Baron's side, despite being severely unskilled in swordsmanship, he was sharp enough to pick up how his creator was distracted for a split moment.

His ethereal eyes flared up in the same color as his creator's eyes as he jumped at the opportunity in hand.

Baron raised the stone long sword up in the air and swung it down at his creator.

"Naive." Danzel said coldly as he moved a half step to the side and raised his guard with his sword, but instead of blocking the sword. He parried it and let the stone sword slide to the side and hit nothing.

Leaving Danzel the perfect opportunity to slash toward Baron.

Fortunately for Baron, he already had his shield in front of him, and he was able to block Danzel's sword, which was directly carved at the stone shield.

Baron felt awkward with his sword position as he swung from top right to left bottom, making any counterattack against his creator impossible.

Forcing him to fly back to create distance.

At such actions, Danzel didn't chase but instead raised his left hand and opened it in a palm while gathering his mana.

And a second later, his mana turned into fierce flames which upon their manifestation, were shot toward Baron like a bolt of a crossbow.

Which wasn't that impressive, to say the least considering Baron's strength.

'Fire Magic?' Baron thought confused as he raised his stone shield, which had already regenerated thanks to his magic, blocking the flames that were shot at him.

Once in contact with the shield, the flames exploded at the shield. Blocking the view in front of him with flames.

Alas, though the very same flames appeared his creator at his right side., readying his sword with an ominous aura.

'Wha-!? Dammit!' Baron cursed as he tried to move his sword and get away from his creator.

But it was too late.

"Too late." Danzel commended coldly as he swung his sword and cut through the shadowy body of Baron.

He directly cut the hand Baron down to his waist, leaving Baron with half his chest, his left arm, and his head.

Unshaken of the loss of his body parts, Baron wasn't going to allow himself to be defeated like this.

Swinging his remaining hand, he shield bashed his creator so as to create distance and allow his body to regenerate anew.

Seeing that, Danzel had no other choice but to block the shield bash using his own sword.

Even though he could destroy the shield with ease if he wanted, that would have destroyed the point of the training if he were to compare Baron's strength and equipment to his.

Nonetheless, despite his holding back his strength and skills, he wasn't going to go easy on Baron on his use of battle experience which he had cultivated through all the fights to the death though out the years.

Once he was pushed back, he raised his hand once more and shot another volley of fierce flames right at Baron's face.

And compared to before Baron had his shield in front of him, but now that wasn't the case.

Letting the fierce flames explode at Baron, engulfing him with fierce flames.

"That's enough." Danzel declared as he sheathed his sword back.

Meanwhile, Shiro was dumbfounded at the sight of the whole battle and the fact that Danzel without any hesitation shot Baron with fierce flames.

"Shiro! Come, your cover sucks." Danzel said as he turned to look at her directions.

Making her flinch and hide behind the side of the mountain wall.

'Dammit! How did he notice me when I hid so well!? Damn your perception Rue!' Shiro cursed as the lingering gaze of Danzel made her come out of her hiding spot.

"I didn't want to interrupt your...fight?" Shiro asked as she looked at the flames behind Danzel.

"Fight? What do you mean? That's simple training and nothing else. Also Baron, how long are you going to stay inside there? Don't tell me that those meager flames were able to beat you?"

"Never, O great creator!" Baron shouted as if he was offended before he put flames back with his stone sword.

No hint of any damage lingering on his body.

Danzel nodded but at the same time frowned, well as far as an undead could frown that is.

"You did improve Baron, but there are still several mistakes that I saw in our training." Danzel said coldly before turning towards Shiro.

"As you were so drawn at our training Shiro, can you tell me what Baron did wrong?"

Being questioned, Shiro flinched.

'How am I supposed to know!? I only saw you two fight for a few seconds at best!'

That was what Shiro wanted to yell at Danzel, but she actually consider Danzel's question seriously. She replayed the few seconds that she saw in her mind and thought of what did Baron wrong.

And a certain scene of the fight did make her see a flaw in Baron.

"Is it that Baron let you create distance for you to use magic? In the end, too, he gave you the necessary distance and opened himself up for you to use fire magic. Also your first use of magic...was a warning towards Baron, was it not?"

Hearing her answer, made Danzel sigh out loud.

"Sigh, as expected of a genius of magic, Shiro is correct. If your only reliable weapon is melee combat, you shouldn't let a magic caster space or time cast spells. Your pushing me away with the shield was one of your worst mistakes. If I were you, I would have tried to crush my opponent's skull. Even if you had failed, the position of your shield would still be the center of your body."

Seeing her answer is correct, Shiro put a smile behind her mask, but that smile was extinguished as fast as it appeared.

"Though that is only one of the many mistakes that Baron did. Can you tell me the rest, Shiro? Or how about you Baron?"

His questioning was met with the silence of both of them with Baron feeling frustrated and ashamed internally, only managing to say a few words quietly.

"I apologize, the creator, as I am incompetent."

Danzel sighed out loud as he perceived negative feelings of Baron.

"I am not blaming you, you simply lack the necessary experience. In fact, you learning extremely fast."

'If not a bit too fast...just like all the others.' Danzel thought but didn't voice out those thoughts.

"Your mistakes are nothing but mistakes that I always used to make back when I started using the sword. The first mistake that you did was jumping on the first opportunity that appeared. Do not forget, an opportunity doesn't just appear on its own, but is created by some disturbance."

"The moment you saw me get distracted by Shiro, you jumped to land a blow, making your movements readable to anyone with a good amount of experience. The opportunity that you thought appeared might turn out to be a trap in the mind you take the bait."

"The most reliable opportunities come when you yourself force them out on your enemies. Other opportunities that may arise should be second-guessed and doubted first before going in for the kill. Do not forget it." Danzel explained looking down at Shiro too.

"You too, Shiro. You also lack experience in a battle to the death. There is going to be a time when no one is going to protect you and you will have to fight on your own. And that time will come."

*Gulp.

Shiro gulped her saliva at Danzel's words at the sheer idea of fighting alone. As till to this day, she never fought alone without the assistance of her grandpa or someone else.

Just the idea alone terrified her, making her legs go weak.

'He is right, it isn't a matter of if it happens, but when it is going to happen.' Shiro glanced at her hand, regaining the resolve and strength on her legs back.

Unaware of her internal turmoils. Danzel continued with his lecture.

"And Baron, don't lower your weapon this low again. At the very least have it have the "blade" at waist level. Not only that but you have the habit of thinking of the shield and sword as two separate weapons when they are supposed to be used as one."

"Your shield doesn't only block attacks, but it also restricts your enemy's action that can take. Your sword is there to capitalize on those restrictions and to punish your enemies if they go beyond those restrictions, further limiting the actions of the enemy. You have to become more aware of the effects that your sole weapons have on your enemy."

Danzel said as he drew his sword and brought out his shield.

"Let's try once more, but this time you will be attacked and I will be the defender. Though that doesn't mean that I will not retaliate."

"Yes! I thank thee creator for sharing your wisdom despite being unworthy. I will try my best not to disappoint." Baron bowed his back once before becoming battle ready.

That resulted in Shiro's thoughts bursting away and refocusing on the auras of the two undead becoming fiercer by the second.

Despite knowing that, no, one believed that she would ever have to face Rue or Baron or any of Rue's undead. The mere thought of going against beings at Rue's level scared her off their strength but was also frustrated at the fact that she wouldn't be able to do anything against them.

Suddenly, an idea appeared in her mind.

And with it came a great hesitation as she stared at Danzel back.

His aura of death was so immense that made her feel like an alpha predator was always looking at her neck while her eyes flickered between seeing Danzel's body having dark green cracks.

Despite such sight, her will to make the correct choice.

At least what she considered correct wasn't hindered, making her clench her staff and step forward one step closer to Danzel's death aura.

"Rue~!!!" Shiro yelled, taking Danzel and Baron's attention.

"Hmm?" Danzel turned around and looked at her with his cold eyes confused.

Before he could ask her what was going on, Shiro stared at his eyes unflinching with pure determination before saying.

"Please teach me how to fight! Just like you do teach me magic. I beg you, please teach me how to not rely on anyone but myself!"

Despite knowing that the being in front of her killed thousands of people.

And one of the strongest kinds of undead that were cursed to hate the living.

It didn't matter.

In order to not rely on anyone.

In order to protect herself.

To go back alive and reunite with her Grandfather.

To be proud to stand by her grandfather's side and be a member of the Haruki clan.

She wasn't going to be a hindrance to herself.

Seeing all the desires and determination inside Shiro's eyes, Danzel couldn't help but smile.

"It isn't going to be as easy as you think." Danzel said.

With neither a cold voice nor that of one that contained any warmth.