Chapter 204: As Expected... The Headless Horseman Is Already Lurking Beside Us, Isn’t He?

The figure before us was battered and bloodied, yet he radiated a wild, animalistic will to survive. He stared straight ahead, exhaustion etched deep into his features, but the fire in his eyes refused to die. Even now, you could almost believe this was a man who’d clawed his way out of a monster’s belly after seven relentless hours—alone.

“Captain Brody of the Stonewall Squad, was it?”

To be honest, I know precious little about the adventurer teams that operate outside the city walls.

My own “adventurer” status is more a convenient façade than a true calling.

Sure, I took on quests back in the day, but most of it was just to grind my Adventurer Level—solo-clearing labyrinths, not forging bonds with teams.

I rarely crossed paths with monsters, and even less so with other squads.

Back then, the Northern Countries were war-torn. Solo-clearing labyrinths meant fewer distractions and fewer complications.

As for my “adventures” after meeting Veya in Aurens Town? That’s another story entirely.

“We’re adventurers as well—hired to track down demons,” I explained, dragging myself back to the present and glancing at him.

His identity was still a mystery, but I wasn’t about to turn my back on a stranger—especially not here.

“Same as you… My teammate and I were teleported here from the Lava Platform by some spatial anomaly.”

“When I arrived, I saw other adventurers making a run for it. They should have already reported what’s happening to the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“Someone… actually made it out alive?”

Brody coughed, his voice suddenly thin and wavering.

For a moment, hope flickered in his eyes—snuffed out by my words, then reignited, as if he refused to let despair take root.

After all, we weren’t the only ones swept into this labyrinth.

Two full squads—over a hundred elite adventurers. There may not have been any true Legacy-levels among us, but there were plenty right at the threshold. Powerhouses like that wouldn’t be written off as casualties so easily. If I’d been the only one to fall into this trap, that would have been true despair.

“Here. Drink a healing potion and catch your breath.”

I tossed him a bottle from my pocket, scanning our surroundings as I spoke.

“So—what happened here? Did monsters ambush you the moment you arrived?”

“Yeah… Wait, what is this potion? It’s incredible!”

The thick, sweet liquid coated his tongue and slid down his throat.

A gentle warmth blossomed inside him, spreading through his limbs and veins in an instant.

Wounds—internal and external—began to knit together before my eyes.

His body, moments ago drained and battered, already showed signs of recovering its strength. With just a single bottle, he looked ready to fight again.

Of course, lost mana and blood wouldn’t return so easily. That would take time—and proper rest.

“Just a standard healing potion from the Holy See,” I replied.

“I see… Sorry, I suppose after being on edge for so long, seeing another human made me drop my guard for a moment.”

Brody apologized quickly, then caught himself, noticing how calm I was about it all.

But his next words struck like thunder.

“It was just as you guessed—we were attacked by monsters the moment we landed.”

“To be precise… it was a joint assault by monsters and demons. Without that, we would never have suffered such heavy losses.”

“Oh?”

So the demons who’d been conspicuously absent until now were finally making their move?

I nodded, signaling for Captain Brody to go on.

“There were over fifty monsters, all Level 70 or higher, waiting when we arrived. Luckily, with so many squads, the captains managed to work together and carve out a path for our people to retreat.”

“But just as we were about to finish covering the rear and catch up with the others, a terrifying demon appeared—alone.”

It sounded like a battle plucked from a nightmare.

As a near-Legacy-class Transcendent myself, this was the first time I truly understood what it meant to face an insurmountable gap.

“That monster’s strength was beyond anything you can imagine. With a single move, he took down every captain present. We didn’t even have a chance to react.”

“Fortunately, I have the [Near-Death] skill. I feigned death, let myself be swallowed by a dying monster, and managed to hide until now.”

“Looking at it now, this whole labyrinth was clearly a demon trap… Those filthy bastards! Especially that wretched Demon Lord—one day, I’ll wring his neck with my own hands!”

Why does everyone want to wring my neck?

Ah, that’s right. I’m not the Demon Lord anymore.

Calm down, Lin Wei. He’s not cursing you. Resist the urge to kick him through a wall.

I took a deep breath, glancing at the furious Brody—and at Iresha, who was nodding along, face twisted in shared outrage.

Time to get back on track.

“You don’t think that demon was one of the legendary Four Heavenly Kings, do you?”

“Did you see what he looked like?”

“No. I didn’t get a good look,” Brody said, shaking his head. “He moved too fast. By the time I realized he was there, I was already lying in a pool of blood. All I caught was a shadow in the darkness.”

“Oh, but I did notice—he was wearing heavy armor. I caught a glimpse just before I was swallowed. The Four Heavenly Kings… So that’s who I lost to…”

The realization seemed to bring Brody a strange sense of acceptance.

As for me, I’d already pieced it together.

“Wearing heavy armor, a shadow in the dark… Morteir must’ve come to the labyrinth to capture Krulu.”

A flash of violent red glinted in my eyes.

To Krulu, the Headless Horseman—Morteir—was a figure of particular significance.

They’d risen to Demon General together, both becoming one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Aside from myself, Morteir had taught Krulu more about combat than anyone.

He was always silent, composed—a cold-blooded killing machine.

Yet his past glory and strength had earned Krulu’s deep respect.

Of all the Four Heavenly Kings, he was closest to her.

And now… he’d come here on Sabela’s orders to hunt Krulu down?

“Someone of Captain Brody’s caliber… If it wasn’t one of the Four Heavenly Kings, no demon could have taken him down so easily.”

He’s probably already found the Hero and slipped in among them.

I mused, half to myself.

As the former Demon Lord, I knew Morteir’s skills intimately.

He possessed a disguise technique that could fool anyone.

He could—literally—become someone else in every way.

Krulu, at her peak, was only half a step behind the other Demon Generals.

But now, still wounded and barely recovered, she’d be lucky to muster half her former strength.

If Morteir revealed himself and a fight broke out, she might not survive.

Even if she’d betrayed me… she was still my… property?

Property or not, you don’t just let your assets get slaughtered for nothing.

“Oh, right—Captain Brody, if you hadn’t survived here… If you’d died, is there anything you’d want to say to your teammates before the end?”

Iresha’s eyes widened as understanding dawned.

But my look calmed her, and she managed to remain silent at my side.

“Huh? Last words?”

He scratched his head, grinning sheepishly.

“Well… I guess I’d apologize for dragging everyone into such a dangerous mess. Tell them, if they make it out, I’ll treat them to a huge meal, and throw a birthday party for Kena.”

He looked every bit the burly, honest squad captain as he spoke.

He wasn’t sure why I was asking, but after being saved, he didn’t mind being honest.

“Kena’s our team’s mage. We argued before coming in—she wanted to celebrate her birthday first, I insisted the labyrinth came first… I’m thirty-five and still can’t get my priorities straight. That’s about it, really.”

“If they’re still alive, I’ll pass the message along for you.”

“You’ll… pass it along?”

Brody suddenly looked uneasy.

He stared at his hand, realizing it was sticky with something foul. His neck throbbed with pain, and a memory surged up—something from just before, or perhaps… from when he was still alive.

A figure in heavy armor had stood before him, torn off his head, and replaced it with a decaying skull.

He hadn’t survived by hiding inside a monster with his Near-Death skill.

He’d survived, somehow, after losing his own head.

“I… I’m already dead?”

Thud.

His rotten head dropped to the ground, and his body collapsed with a heavy crash.

I sighed, glancing at the terrified Miss Iresha.

Rubbing my face, I forced myself to put on my usual reassuring smile.

“Did Her Highness the Princess get a fright?”

“That look—never seen a power like this before, have you?”

My tone was as warm as sunlight piercing a winter storm.

Iresha, though trembling, quickly gathered herself as I moved closer.

That familiar warmth—impossible to mistake—wrapped around her like a blanket in the dead of winter, banishing fear and pulling her back to reality.

“N-no… I really haven’t.”

She hesitated, then finally tugged gently at my sleeve.

She knew she’d feel safer if I held her. But actually asking for it was too embarrassing, so she settled for standing close, soaking in my presence.

“What… what happened to him?”

“Captain Brody… Was he already dead? The healing potion didn’t work, and his head just rotted off—what kind of power is that?”

She’d used my potions before—she knew how effective they were.

Yet nothing had worked on Brody. By any logic, it shouldn’t have been possible.

“Just as you guessed, Captain Brody was already dead.”

“To be precise, my potion did have some effect. Otherwise, he’d have collapsed from his wounds the moment he saw us—his skill would’ve failed, and he’d have gone down with that rotten head right away.”

Her body trembled, fear plain to see.

For the sake of her nerves, I decided to show a little compassion.

I gently wrapped my arms around her waist, patting her back as if soothing a frightened child.

“I picked up this intel back when I was adventuring in the Northern Countries. The Headless Horseman—one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Since birth, he’s never had a head, and that’s given him a unique power, almost a gift from the Demon God.”

“He can tear off anyone’s head and place it on his own shoulders, gaining their memories, habits, and speech for a short time. He becomes them, down to the core.”

“As for the head he takes, he places it on the victim’s body. His skill temporarily restores their original appearance, but it doesn’t last—the effect fades, and the head rots away… just like Captain Brody.”

I raised my hand, and the ground split open, forming a grave for Brody.

Once his body was swallowed by the earth, all was calm again, as if he’d never existed.

“If it weren’t for my potion and his own Near-Death skill forcing his body to hang on, he would’ve vanished hours ago—never even met us. Call it fate, I suppose.”

“I… I see.”

It sounded so natural coming from my mouth—as if I’d witnessed it myself.

Iresha edged closer, pretending it was only natural to lean against my shoulder.

The warmth of my breath on her neck made her blush. If only she could stay in my arms a little longer…

“Alright! That’s enough emotional support for now.”

“Time to get moving, Miss Iresha. We’ve got a long road ahead.”

Alas, the comfort lasted barely two minutes.

As I let go and stepped back, Iresha quickly patted her cheeks, took a deep breath, and tried to regain her usual composure.

“Ahem… So, if the one in the labyrinth really is a member of the Four Heavenly Kings… can the two of us handle this? It doesn’t seem possible!”

Iresha was confident, but she knew her limits.

If it were just a Legacy-level foe, with me here, she’d be fine—even against four or five of them, she’d grit her teeth and fight.

But the Four Heavenly Kings? Could we really keep going?

It felt like we’d be wiped out the moment we crossed their path.

“We’re just not in their league anymore.” Advertisement

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