The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel-Chapter 74

Adellan spotted Dark, clad in black, and shot an arrow without hesitation.
Thwip!
With a sharp whizz, the arrow flew.
The instant she released the bowstring, Dark instinctively threw his body sideways to dodge.
Then, like a spring, he sprang up and charged at her.
But Adellan shot another arrow in the blink of an eye.
Thwip!
“Damn it!”
Dark threw his body sideways once more.
He managed to avoid the arrow again, but Hellot charged in and slammed into him with his shoulder.
Thud!
“Urgh!”
Dark was sent flying, limp.
Clutching his chest as if greatly impacted, he rolled on the ground.
“You won’t escape this time, no way.”
Hellot approached Dark, radiating immense pressure.
Behind him, Adellan had an arrow nocked. It was practically a siege.
“Ugh…”
Dark struggled to his feet.
Every time he moved, the injured areas throbbed, feeling as if his bones were broken.
It was nothing short of the worst situation.
The only saving grace was Hellot; if he removed his mask, he wouldn't be attacked further.
However, that would expose Arthur’s entire plan, so he couldn’t reveal his identity until Arthur gave the signal.
‘No choice then.’
Dark endured the pain and looked at Hellot.
He could see the veins bulging on Hellot’s right forearm, which gripped the mace.
He looked ready to attack any second.
And sure enough.
Hellot swung his mace with all his might.
Whoosh—.
With a heavy sound, the mace came flying.
Dark tried to retreat but stumbled as his chest throbbed.
‘Damn it!’
He gritted his teeth and backed away.
He barely dodged the attack, but a greater danger was coming.
Adellan’s arrow!
As the sharp whizzing sound reached him, an alarm bell rang in Dark’s head.
He quickly tried to throw his body to dodge, but the shock from Hellot’s attack prevented his body from moving as he wished, and an arrow buried itself in his left shoulder.
Thunk!
“Argh!”
Dark groaned and collapsed to the ground.
At the same time, Hellot’s mace descended like lightning above his head.
“...!”
Dark instinctively twisted his body to dodge.
Crack!
“Aargh!”
He avoided his head but sacrificed his right shoulder instead.
The bone-crushing pain turned his mind blank, and the shock prevented even a scream from escaping.
He simply knelt on one knee, trembling like a dazed man.
Hellot realized that the man was overwhelmed by pain and unable to do anything.
He rested his mace on his shoulder and stared intently.
Adellan also made the same judgment and approached Dark.
Just as she stood before him and reached out to pull down his mask.
Dark’s bloodshot eyes flashed, and he brought a dagger to her throat with lightning speed.
“Gasp!”
It was too fast to react to.
Adellan’s face twisted in horror, and Hellot also grimaced hideously.
“You bastard.”
As Hellot gripped his mace tightly and prepared to advance, Dark applied a slight pressure to the dagger.
A wound appeared on Adellan’s neck, and blood began to trickle out.
“Damn him…”
Dark glanced at Adellan, then swiftly snatched her bow.
He then moved behind her, completely subduing her, and headed towards the castle wall stairs.
With every step, unimaginable, excruciating pain surged through him.
As he ascended the castle wall stairs, one step at a time with Adellan, groans involuntarily escaped his lips.
“Argh.”
However, the dagger pointed at Adellan’s throat didn't budge, preventing her escape.
Hellot followed, maintaining a certain distance, and said.
“You will die by my hand today.”
“Argh.”
Dark heard neither his words nor any other sound.
Only the singular thought of completing his mission echoed in his mind.
He climbed onto the castle wall and backed towards the flagpole Arthur had mentioned.
“Now, only death awaits you.”
Just as Hellot, radiating terrifying killing intent, climbed onto the wall and glared at Dark.
His eyes lit up, and a smile touched his lips. Because Arthur was standing behind Dark.
“It’s over…?”
But Arthur was wearing the same black attire as the man.
Hellot’s expression turned blank.
Just then, he sensed someone approaching rapidly and turned his head.
A man in black attire sprinted swiftly, with Drakan in pursuit.
“W-What is all this…?”
Hellot’s eyes widened.
Drakan, who had been chasing Peri, spotted several people on the castle wall.
Adellan, subdued by Hellot and the man in black.
And behind that man, another one in black attire…!
Drakan’s eyes shot open, and he halted.
“Count…?”
Dark saw Peri rushing like an arrow and his eyes wavered.
“Why are you here…!”
Only then did he sense a familiar presence behind him.
He also understood why Hellot had suddenly made that expression.
Dark withdrew the dagger from Adellan’s throat and turned around.
“I’ll kill you!”
Adellan also turned around, radiating killing intent.
She, along with Dark, spotted Arthur, clad in black.
“Count…”
Dark, on the verge of collapsing, struggled towards Arthur.
Despite the arrow lodged in his left shoulder, he endured the pain and held out the bow to him.
“Mission accomplished.”
Arthur looked at Dark, who was bowing his head with a firm expression, and spoke to Peri.
“Bring Millerf.”
“Yes, sir.”
Peri swiftly descended.
Arthur let out a long whistle.
Piiiiip—!
The Britannikers, who had been rampaging throughout the castle, quieted down.
***
A short while later.
Hearing Arthur’s signal, the Devil’s Corps members gathered on the castle wall one by one.
They looked at Dark’s condition with serious expressions.
Meanwhile, Hellot, Adellan, and Drakan waited silently for Arthur to speak.
Arthur did not take his eyes off Dark for a long time.
Seeing the display Dark had just put on, a feeling as hot as lava surged from deep within Arthur’s chest.
Though it was merely training, he completed the mission with the resolve to sacrifice his life, just as if it were a real battle.
He felt both admiration and a sense of foolishness.
From the first time he saw him, Dark had a strong will to somehow uphold his words.
It had seemed reckless and pointlessly prideful.
But after observing him for a long time, Arthur realized that wasn’t the case.
He was a person with a strong sense of responsibility and an unyielding character that valued trust.
This incident not only deepened his trust in Dark but also completely erased the negative perception he had of those born with shadow power.
Consequently, his trust in Jakal, whom he had sent to the Nibon territory, also became firmer.
On the other hand, he couldn't hide his disappointment in the Knights.
Arthur looked at Hellot.
As Hellot met his gaze, words he had kept inside involuntarily burst out.
“Please tell us why you orchestrated this.”
Drakan and Adellan didn’t speak, but their eyes questioned him.
Arthur looked at each of them once, then said.
“Only disappointment.”
“C-Count…”
Drakan and Adellan realized that he had tested them.
They quickly reflected on their actions.
They realized they hadn’t accurately assessed the situation and had acted based on emotion.
Above all, they had been complacent.
As a result, the castle had turned into chaos, with Britannikers’ rampage destroying various places.
“My Lord!”
Millerf climbed onto the castle wall with a startled expression.
He looked at Arthur, clad in black, then his gaze shifted to Dark, who was bowing his head before him.
“Oh dear!”
Millerf approached Dark and examined his condition.
His shoulder blade was shattered, and an arrow was lodged in his left shoulder.
“Who on earth…?”
He frowned, then remembered what he had heard from Peri.
That all of this was Arthur’s plan.
He subtly glanced at Hellot and Adellan.
The right shoulder injury must have been Hellot’s doing, and the arrow, hers.
“Hmm.”
Millerf shifted his gaze to Arthur, wearing a significant expression.
He, too, couldn’t quite understand why Arthur had created such a reckless situation.
However, if Arthur had put something into action, there must be a reason everyone could accept.
At the same time, Marquis Valtre came to mind.
He had gone down to Yarve and clearly found something out.
He was curious about what it was, but for now, treating Dark was the top priority.
“I’ll treat you, so relax.”
“...Yes,”
Dark replied with difficulty.
Millerf knew he was currently enduring through sheer willpower.
He quickly cast a healing spell. Dark’s body glowed green, and a faint flush slowly returned to his pale face.
Next, he cast a spell to calm his mind and body.
A moment later, Dark’s twisted face relaxed.
“Thank you.”
He respectfully bowed to Millerf.
Millerf gave a benevolent smile and shifted his gaze to Arthur.
“I hear there are others injured, so I will go and treat them.”
Arthur nodded, and Millerf descended with Peri.
“You all, assemble at the training ground.”
The moment Arthur’s words fell, Hellot swiftly descended, and just as Drakan and Adellan were about to follow. Suddenly, Dark blocked Adellan’s path.
“What are you doing?”
Adellan, already upset with him, frowned at his rude behavior.
“Please wait a moment.”
“Why should I?”
Adellan waved her hand, trying to push him aside.
But Dark gently took her hand and pulled a potion from his pocket.
Then he quickly sprayed it onto the wound on her neck.
“What are you doing?!”
The moment Adellan shrieked sharply and brought her hand to her neck, the wound healed.
“Ah!”
She realized Dark had done it to treat her.
However, since it was a wound he had inflicted, her gratitude quickly vanished, and she frowned, saying.
“I don’t like it.”
Adellan pushed Dark aside and descended.
Dark looked at her retreating figure with an apologetic expression for a moment, then turned around.
The Devil’s Corps members focused on Arthur.
Arthur quickly climbed onto the castle wall to where the flagpoles were.
He hung the flags of each Knight Order where the Phoenix Knights’ flag had been, then came down.
Four flags fluttered in the wind.
The members, seeing them, could roughly guess what Arthur was thinking.
Arthur spoke to the members.
“Through this training, you must have realized what each of you lacks. If you wish to follow me, you must become stronger than you are now.”
“Understood!”
They replied without the slightest hesitation.
“Follow me.”
Arthur led the way down.
***
All Knight Orders were gathered at the training ground.
Tension hung in the air among them.
The place that had been a crucible of chaos just moments ago fell silent in an instant.
However, the grim expressions on the Knight Commanders’ faces indicated that something had definitely happened.
Just as questions began to appear on everyone’s faces. A group clad in black attire appeared in the training ground.
“Huh! Those guys are…”
“What is this?”
“What’s going on?”
Everyone stared at them in bewilderment, then realized that the figure leading them was Arthur.
“Why is the Count…?”
“No way?”
“All of this was…”
Their faces rapidly darkened.
Arthur ascended the platform, and the Devil’s Corps stood proudly, facing the Knights.
Arthur surveyed the Knights gathered in the training ground and opened his mouth.
“Were you complacent after your victory against Count Yarve? Or is this truly the extent of your abilities?”
Everyone sealed their lips and lowered their heads, causing Arthur to frown.
“Heads up!”
At his fierce shout, everyone raised their heads and stood at attention.
Just as the tension, like walking on thin ice, reached its peak.
A strong wind, enough to make hair fly, swept through.
“I won’t mince words.”
Arthur suddenly summoned K1 into his right hand.
Seeing him draw his weapon, everyone’s eyes wavered, and an ominous premonition filled the air.
‘No…!’
Anxiety and apprehension crossed everyone’s faces.
As Arthur raised the gun and aimed it towards the castle entrance, everyone’s gaze followed the muzzle.
“Oh! Those are…”
Four flags were fluttering.
‘What is he planning to do?’
When the four flags overlapped into one, Arthur pulled the trigger.
Bang!
“...!”
A hole appeared in the center of the flags.
Everyone’s eyes widened.
He had defaced the flags, symbols of their families and Knight Orders.
It was an act that should never be done, never even conceived. Rage welled up in the Knights’ chests.
Arthur paid no heed to their reactions and pulled the trigger again.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-bang!
This time, he fired mercilessly.
The flags became like a tattered rag, riddled with holes, and fell to the ground.
“This isn’t right.”
“Even so…”
“Why on earth…?”
The Knights’ faces, filled with extreme anger and dissatisfaction, were like ticking time bombs, ready to explode if touched.
Arthur looked at them with cold eyes.
“As of today, you shall be reborn.”
“...!”
Everyone’s eyes went wide. Drakan asked with a trembling voice.
“H-How do you mean?”
Arthur turned his head towards where the flags had been hung. Everyone’s gaze once again focused there.
“Huh?”
A single flag was being raised.
As the wind blew, the flag unfurled completely.
Three times larger than a typical flag, it powerfully fluttered.
A golden dragon on a crimson background!
“This is it!”
The very one the Julius family had used in their battle against the Demon King.
The crimson color embodied a solemn resolve to leave no monster alive.
It was a symbol of absolute strength, and at the same time, its cruelty had made the Empire tremble in fear.
Arthur, of course, couldn’t have been unaware of it.
‘If that’s the case…!’
Drakan’s eyes trembled violently.
Arthur drew his Mana to its absolute peak.
A golden aura erupted from him, and K1 was wreathed in lightning.
An intense aura overwhelmed everyone.
“Absolute strength! Death Knights! That is what people will call you from now on.”
At his words, everyone’s chests, including Drakan’s, swelled with intense fervor.
Their hearts pounded wildly.
At the same time, they displayed the utmost respect they could show Arthur.
The Phoenix Knights performed a sword salute with precision.
The Lannister Knights and the Defen Knights slammed their black spears and shields into the ground.
Finally, the Del Knights drew their bowstrings towards the sky.
Then, they all knelt on one knee before Arthur and shouted in unison.
“Aye—!”