Chapter 66: Dunegeon III

Hubryk suddenly moved.

Unlike its previous attacks, this time it didn’t swing its greatsword immediately. Instead, it took a single step forward and made a short diagonal slash.

Ryan raised his weapon to block.

However, the moment their swords touched, Hubryk’s blade changed direction. It slipped past Ryan’s guard and struck his armor.

Clang!

Ryan took a step backward.

"Oh? A feint?"

He quickly understood what had happened.

Hubryk’s swordsmanship was built around controlling the opponent’s movements. Rather than relying on powerful attacks, it used small changes in direction and timing to create openings.

Ryan adjusted his stance and watched carefully.

Hubryk attacked again.

This time, Ryan didn’t immediately block. He waited until the last moment before moving his greatsword to intercept the attack.

Their weapons collided.

Ryan twisted his wrist, redirected Hubryk’s blade, and followed with a powerful horizontal slash.

Death Slash!

A dark crescent swept toward Hubryk.

The Death Knight raised its sword, but the attack forced it to retreat several steps.

Ryan smiled.

"Got you."

He had finally started understanding the rhythm of Hubryk’s swordsmanship.

The Death Knight wasn’t finished, however.

Its armor released another wave of pale energy, and the markings on its greatsword began glowing.

[Death Moon Sword Art: Crescent Reversal!]

Hubryk disappeared and reappeared beside Ryan.

Its greatsword moved in a smooth arc, releasing several overlapping crescent blades.

Ryan immediately activated Death Step.

He avoided the first attack, blocked the second, and used his own sword to deflect the third.

However, the final crescent changed direction in midair and approached him from behind.

Ryan used Spatial Exchange, switching positions with a nearby stone fragment.

The attack passed through his previous position.

"That was close."

Ryan turned toward Hubryk.

He had already learned enough from their exchanges. Although he couldn’t perfectly reproduce the Death Moon Knight’s techniques, he had understood their basic principles.

It was time to end the trial.

Ryan activated Death Blade Domain.

A dark aura spread throughout the battlefield, covering the pale ground with death energy.

Hubryk responded by activating its Death Moon Domain once again.

The black moon released a brilliant white glow, and countless crescent-shaped blades appeared around the Death Knight.

Both domains expanded until they collided.

Ryan raised his greatsword.

"Let’s finish this."

He poured a large amount of death energy into his weapon.

[Death Blade Execution!]

A massive dark blade emerged from his greatsword and swept toward Hubryk.

The Death Knight immediately raised its weapon.

[Death Moon: Eternal Night!]

Black and white energy collided in the center of the battlefield.

For several seconds, neither attack gained the advantage.

However, Ryan’s superior attributes and the power of his Death Blade Knight class gradually pushed the balance in his favor.

The crescent blades began breaking apart.

The dark energy continued forward, engulfing Hubryk and forcing it to one knee.

Its greatsword slipped from its hand and struck the ground.

[Death Moon Knight Hubryk has been defeated.]

[Inheritance Trial Completed.]

[Congratulations! You have successfully passed the Death Moon Knight Inheritance Trial.]

[Calculating inheritance rewards...]

Ryan lowered his greatsword.

"Finally. That was a pretty interesting fight."

He walked toward Hubryk, who was slowly disappearing into white particles.

The Death Knight looked up at him.

For a brief moment, the black flames inside its helmet became brighter.

Then a faint voice entered Ryan’s mind.

"May my swordsmanship continue through you."

Ryan nodded.

"Don’t worry. I’ll make good use of it."

The remaining energy gathered into several glowing objects before floating toward him.

[Inheritance Rewards Received!]

[Death Moon Knight Armor Set — Legendary-Rank]

[Death Moon Greatsword — Legendary-Rank]

[Death Moon Knight Sword Art — Legendary-Rank]

[Death Moon Knight Combat Techniques — Legendary-Rank]

[Death Moon Knight’s Combat Knowledge — Acquired]

Ryan examined the rewards one by one.

First, he opened the details of the armor set.

[Death Moon Knight Armor Set]

Rank: Legendary

Type: Complete Knight Equipment Set

Description:

An ancient armor set worn by the legendary Death Moon Knight, Hubryk. It was forged using rare materials infused with death energy and lunar essence.

The set consists of:

Death Moon Knight Helmet

Death Moon Knight Armor

Death Moon Knight Gauntlets

Death Moon Knight Greaves

Death Moon Knight Boots

Set Effects:

Increased Strength, Agility, and Constitution by 200.

Increased resistance against physical and magical attacks by 20%.

Increased death energy capacity and recovery by 30%.

Improved control over death energy by 50%.

Increased effectiveness of sword techniques performed under moonlight by 60%.

Special Ability: Death Moon Protection

Creates a protective layer of death and lunar energy around the wearer, reducing incoming damage by 50%.

Ryan nodded and opened the next item.

[Death Moon Greatsword]

Rank: Legendary

Type: Two-Handed Greatsword

Description:

A greatsword belonging to Death Moon Knight Hubryk. It contains concentrated death energy and lunar essence.

Special Effects:

Increases physical attack power.

Increases death energy output.

Enhances the effectiveness of crescent-shaped sword attacks.

Allows the user to channel death and lunar energy through the weapon.

Special Skill: Death Moonfall

Releases a massive crescent-shaped blade infused with death and lunar energy.

Ryan examined the weapon for a moment before moving to the final reward.

[Death Moon Knight Sword Art]

Rank: Legendary

Type: Sword Art Inheritance

Description:

A complete swordsmanship inheritance developed by Death Moon Knight Hubryk. It focuses on precise movements, controlled sword energy, continuous attacks, and counterattacks.

Included Techniques:

1. Crescent Slash: Releases a crescent-shaped sword wave infused with death energy.

2. Crescent Reversal: Redirects an incoming attack before launching a counterattack.

3. Moonlight Pursuit: A rapid sword technique that allows the user to close the distance between themselves and their opponent.

4. Death Moonfall: Summons a powerful crescent-shaped blade from above.

5. Eternal Night: An advanced technique that releases numerous crescent blades within a large area.

6. Death Moon Domain: Creates a domain infused with death and lunar energy, enhancing the user’s physical abilities and sword techniques.

Special Inheritance Effect: Swordsmanship Comprehension

Allows the inheritor to gradually understand and master the sword techniques contained within the inheritance.

Ryan carefully examined every detail.

"Not bad at all."

He was particularly interested in the sword art.

Although he already possessed several powerful class skills, his swordsmanship still had room for improvement. The techniques left behind by Hubryk could give him another fighting style to incorporate into his existing abilities.

He then looked at the Death Moon Greatsword.

"Another greatsword. I already have one, though."

Ryan glanced at his own Death Blade Greatsword before storing the new weapon in his spatial storage.

He had no intention of replacing his current weapon immediately. However, the Death Moon Greatsword was an S-Rank weapon, so keeping it was certainly worthwhile.

Finally, he examined the armor set.

His current equipment was Legendary-grade, while the new set was S-Rank.

It was a considerable upgrade in terms of rank, but he decided not to equip it just yet.

"I’ll compare their effects later."

Ryan stored the armor set as well.

Just as he finished examining the rewards, another notification appeared.

[The user has acquired the Death Moon Knight Inheritance.]

[Would you like to absorb the inherited combat knowledge immediately?]

Ryan looked at the notification.

"Of course."

[Absorbing Death Moon Knight’s Combat Knowledge...]

[Processing...]

[Inheritance successfully integrated.]

A stream of information entered his mind.

Ryan closed his eyes as countless memories of sword movements, techniques, and combat experiences appeared in his consciousness.

When he opened them again, he looked at the empty battlefield.

"So this is how he used those techniques."

He raised his greatsword and casually performed a few movements.

His sword moved smoothly through the air, leaving behind several pale crescent-shaped traces.

Ryan looked at the result with satisfaction.

"This inheritance was definitely worth choosing."