SSS Unknown: Dark Knight's Legacy

'The Darknight Order, huh…' The name lingered in his mind. Steel's words had revealed its existence to him, offering answers to some of his lingering questions. But at the same time, it had raised even more.

'The Death Knight didn't just appear by chance.' The pieces were slowly falling into place. He had noticed a recurring pattern — every critical location seemed to have a Death Knight guarding it. 

Could it be that these figures weren't just wandering forces but part of something bigger? A part of an orchestrated system?

He felt a stirring thought take shape: 'This Dungeon is actually a part of the Order?' The very idea seemed plausible. The dungeon's eerie atmosphere, its unsettling depths, and the mysterious creatures that lurked within—it all felt too calculated, too deliberate to be random.

But before he could delve further into that train of thought, the sound of flowing water and the rhythmic thud of hammering interrupted his musings. 

The source of the water slowly came into view. A large stream meandered past the ruined remnants of the goblin settlement, cutting through the landscape with its slow, steady flow. 

Smaller tributaries branched off from it, trickling down into hidden crevices, carving paths through the earth. Any living creature within the area that needed water would inevitably come here to drink.

The magic in the air felt tangible— a dense concentration of mana that saturated the area. 

As his eyes swept over the surroundings, he took in the presence of giant crystal stakes jutting from the ground like jagged, imposing teeth. They glimmered faintly in the dimming light, adding a mysterious aura to the already eerie landscape.

With his eyes closed, he could almost feel the hum of the magic intensifying, the air thick with it. There was a reason the centipedes and other creatures had gathered here. The natural energy, mixed with the unnatural magic emanating from the crystals, was irresistible.

Ahead of him, Meat and Boar, the two ogres, were panting heavily from their exertions, their massive forms soaked with sweat and dirt. 

They had been working tirelessly to dig the earth, following Unknown's instructions to prepare the area for their plan. The two ogres had arrived earlier and had already done a significant portion of the work, but the task wasn't finished yet.

 They were still busy, hewing through the earth with crude tools, the sound of pickaxes and shovels ringing out in the still air.

"Good job, take a rest now," Unknown called out, his voice not unkind, though tinged with the practical tone he always used.

"You don't need to be so polite," Boar grunted, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Hm, whatever." Unknown's reply was indifferent, his focus on the task ahead.

They had dug a sizable hole near the water's edge. The earth around it was uneven, the edges rough and jagged, but it would serve its purpose. 

The priority, for now, wasn't about making it perfect—it was about concealing the fresh corpses that lay hidden from view. But they had a bigger issue to address first.

"See the cave nearby, Meat?" Unknown asked, his gaze shifting to the dark opening just off the stream.

"Yeah. Are you planning to lead the water into there?" Meat replied, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Exactly," Unknown confirmed, his tone sharp. "That's why I had you dig the hole. We'll block the flow of the water and redirect it into the cave."

Meat gave him a skeptical look. "That sounds impractical. How do you plan on digging a trench to lead it there? Digging by hand would take days, maybe weeks."

Despite being an Ogre, Meat was surprisingly intelligent—though in a way that set him apart from his brutish kin. He understood the intricacies of tactics and strategy better than most, but lacked the raw strength and stamina to execute them properly. 

He struggled to understand what someone with the intellect and strength of Unknown could think of.

"There's a way, and it'll be fast," Unknown said, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. He approached the cave, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "You'll understand once we start."

Earlier during a scouting trip, he had ventured inside the cave. At first glance, it seemed like any ordinary cavern—dark, cool, and unremarkable.

But as he ventured deeper, he discovered that it was far from ordinary. It was a nest of centipedes, their monstrous forms slithering through the cave's labyrinthine passages. The timing had been perfect; it was the ideal opportunity to eliminate them and use the cave as a storage point for fresh water.

But this wouldn't be easy. Fighting inside the cave would be suicidal. The centipedes knew the territory and would have the advantage in the dark. So, Unknown decided on a different approach—luring them out. That way, they could strike when they were vulnerable, exposed in the open.

But even though this was a chance to strengthen himself, he knew that sooner or later, he would need to confront the centipedes head-on if he wanted to fully conquer this dungeon. His current level of strength wasn't enough.

Not yet.

The larger question lingered in the back of his mind: If the Undead King's army ever became an enemy, would I even survive? He wasn't sure. The future seemed uncertain, but one thing was for sure—he needed to grow stronger, and fast.

Time was something he didn't have.

With that thought, he readied himself, drawing on his instincts. He had a plan to make the cave work in their favor, and now was the time to set it into motion. 

The cave, situated 20 meters away from the water source, loomed in the distance. From their current position, the entrance was clearly visible, and they had an advantage.

Thankfully, the cave's entrance was lower than the water level, which meant their plan wouldn't be immediately compromised. That small detail ensured that the flow of water could be diverted inside as intended.

"If you're not tired, follow me." Unknown's voice cut through the air, steady and commanding.

"Where to?" Boar grunted, his massive frame not hiding the fatigue from the day's work.

"To fight." Unknown didn't elaborate, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The two ogres—Meat, and Boar—had been ordered to transport the freshly slain Shadow Wolves' corpses to the entrance of the cave. The act was simple enough, but it was part of a larger plan that would soon unfold.

Meanwhile, Unknown took a moment to himself, resting and gathering his strength before they encountered the centipedes that infested the cave.

"Right, fill it in like that." Unknown gestured towards the pile of boulders they had moved toward the entrance.

"Hey, don't just point your finger like that, come help us!" Boar protested, his gruff voice laced with frustration.

"No, that's your task. I have my own mission. So just stay quiet and do it." Unknown replied without hesitation, his tone sharp. His gaze never wavered from the cave, his mind focused on the impending battle.

"...Hmph..." Despite their grumbling, the ogres begrudgingly followed orders, moving to fill the entrance with dirt and debris. 

It was clear they weren't accustomed to being laborers instead of warriors, but they obeyed nonetheless. Despite their complaints, the work was progressing quickly. Their strength made short work of the tasks at hand.

The air grew thick with anticipation. The entrance to the cave was now partially blocked, the ground around it disrupted as they hurriedly completed their work. Once they finished, Unknown surveyed their progress, his sharp eyes scanning the area.

"Good, the cave entrance has been partially blocked. Now, step back a bit." His voice was firm, a quiet command to ensure the safety of his team as he took the next step of his plan.

Without hesitation, Unknown grabbed the bodies of the Shadow Wolves and tossed them into the cave entrance. 

The foul stench of their decaying flesh mingled with the humid air, adding an additional layer of grimness to the already chilling atmosphere. 

Then, he retrieved a vial of thick, viscous slime—gather and condense from the hundred of slime he defeated.

He poured it generously over the bodies, making sure it coated every inch of the remains.

"[Fire Spark]." He whispered the spell under his breath, the incantation rolling off his tongue with practiced ease.

In an instant, a burst of fire erupted from his hand, and the corpses ignited with an eerie flame, spreading quickly over their rotting flesh. The fire burned fiercely, the smoke that billowed from the blaze was thick and foul, stinging the air with the unmistakable scent of burning flesh. It was the smell of decay and death, a powerful mix that hung heavy over the area.

"Oi, why does it smell worse than before?" Boar grumbled, wrinkling his nose and stepping back from the growing cloud of smoke.

"It's toxic smoke, cover your nose and step back," Unknown warned, his tone clipped as he surveyed the cave's entrance. The thick, putrid fumes began to spread quickly, curling into the darkness of the cave.

Within minutes, the toxic smoke was everywhere, thickening the air. A few faint, unsettling noises came from the crevices within the cave—strange, wriggling sounds that sent a chill down their spines. It was only then that they began to see them.

"Hey, what is that? A centipede? Why is it so big?" Meat's voice cracked with a mixture of disbelief and disgust as a massive centipede's head emerged from a narrow crack in the cave wall. 

Its segmented body was undulated with a grotesque, unnatural rhythm as it slithered forward. The monstrous creature was at least ten times the size of any normal centipede they had encountered, its beady, glistening eyes glowering menacingly.

The ogres grimaced at the sight, their initial shock freezing them in place. They hesitated, clearly unsure whether to attack or retreat.

"If you can't fight it, fall back," Unknown ordered, his voice stern and commanding. His eyes narrowed as he watched the massive creature approach, his irritation growing as the two Ogres blocked his view and the path forward.

With a swift motion, Unknown shoved past them, pushing the ogres aside without a second thought. 

His magical [aura] began to pulse from his body, flowing into the sword that he drew with practiced ease. The blade began to glow, a deep crimson hue lighting up the surrounding area as he channeled his power into it.

This technique was a simple one, the enhancement of his weapon's power through his mana. It was a basic, almost instinctual skill for him, one that would give his strikes devastating force.

But while it was simple, not everyone could use it as naturally or as effectively as Unknown.

"[Quick Slash]!" Without wasting any more time, he struck.

The moment his sword was in motion, the air seemed to bend with the force of his strike. The blade met the centipede's head with precision, cutting through its thick, armored exoskeleton with a single enhanced strike. 

The sheer power of the blow split the creature's head in two, sending a spray of dark blood and ichor splattering across the cave floor. The beast twitched once, then fell limp, dead before it even had a chance to react.

The sight of Unknown effortlessly dispatching such a formidable monster left the trio in stunned silence, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and wariness. Even though the kill had been relatively simple for Unknown, they knew it had only been possible because of the perfect conditions he'd created.

"What are you staring at? Draw your weapons and fight, they're coming out!" Unknown barked at them, his impatience now evident as more of the centipedes began emerging from the shadows.

"...Right!" Boar, Meat, and Steel nodded quickly, snapping out of their daze. The four of them were now facing the full brunt of the centipede nest, and they knew they had to act fast.

As the first centipede fell, the others inside the cave began to push their way through the crevices, their massive bodies writhing as they fought to escape. 

They didn't realize that they were walking straight into a trap. As the second centipede's head appeared from the darkness, it was immediately met with a flurry of attacks from the group.

Steel, Boar, Meat, and Unknown all moved in unison, striking in perfect coordination. The second centipede didn't stand a chance. It was slain almost as quickly as it had appeared, its lifeless body collapsing onto the cave floor, green blood pouring out in waves, staining the rocky ground beneath it.

The scent of blood and death thickened the air, but the group remained focused, their strikes precise and powerful. The centipedes kept coming, but one by one, they were cut down, their massive forms quickly overwhelming the space.

Each new centipede met the same swift fate—killed before it could even react.

Before long, they had nearly cleared out the entire nest. It had been a daunting task, one that would have taken Unknown hours, maybe days, if he had tried to take them all on alone.

But with the help of Steel's group, the fight was over in a fraction of the time.

"So, is it over? Can we really do it?" Boar asked, his voice shaky but hopeful as he glanced around at the defeated centipedes littering the cave floor.

"Yeah, that's right, Boar... we really did it." Meat grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow, relief flooding his features.

But unlike them, Unknown wasn't celebrating. His eyes remained sharp, scanning every corner of the cave, every movement in the shadows. 

His stance was tense, focused, and the air around him was heavy with caution. He knew that they had only dealt with the smaller threat. The real danger still lay dormant deep inside the cave.

"Get back!!" Unknown shouted suddenly, his voice filled with urgency.

Before anyone could react, a deafening Bwummg echoed through the cave as the thick stone blocking the further entrance shattered with a single, brutal strike. 

The force of the blow reverberated through the walls, and a cold shiver ran down the spine of everyone present. Thankfully, Unknown had warned them in time. If they hadn't moved, Meat and Boar would have been reduced to nothing more than a bloody smear under the massive force.

"Hey, do we really have to fight that?" Boar asked, his voice trembling with disbelief as he stared at the monstrosity before them.

"Are you kidding? How can we fight that?" Meat added, his face draining of color as he took in the grotesque form emerging from the shadows.

In front of them, a massive Lord Centipede revealed itself from the depths of the cave. 

Its grotesque, armored body was an abomination of nature—its exoskeleton seemed to shimmer with an unnatural gleam, almost as if it were made of stone. 

The tail at the end of its body ended in a jagged, razor-sharp blade that could easily cleave through steel. Six pairs of glowing blue eyes flickered with an angry, fiery intensity. Each eye seemed to burn with a hatred that transcended mere instinct, a malevolent force waiting to strike.

The sheer size and power of the creature were staggering, and the air felt thick with its presence. It was a monster far beyond anything they had fought so far, a guardian of nightmares.

'Thanks to Steel's group, I didn't have to expend all my magic. If there's a chance, I could still defeat it,' Unknown thought, his mind racing. 

But even with that, the odds were slim. His magic reserves were limited, and Steel's group was already fatigued from the earlier battle. They were in no condition to fight this creature.

"Hey, you, what do we do now? Give orders!" Meat barked, his voice tense with fear and uncertainty.

Unknown looked at them, his expression unreadable, then spoke in a low, dangerous tone. "We fight on."

"You're crazy! Are you planning to poke it with that toothpick? That's impossible!" Boar exclaimed, his fear overcoming any rational thought. The thought of facing such a terrifying beast with their current strength seemed like sheer madness.

"Shut up and fight. If you're scared, just retrieve." Unknown snapped, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. His eyes locked onto the monstrous creature before them, unfazed by its terrifying appearance. 

It was a fight they couldn't avoid. If they didn't face it now, it would only come after them later, stronger and more dangerous.

The decision was made.

The tension in the air thickened. Every step forward felt like an eternity. They had no choice but to face the Lord Centipede.

Even if the odds were stacked against them, even if it seemed impossible—this was the fight they had to win.