The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 94 - 95: The Knight of Light

To Hrag’s eyes, Karim was no longer a mere man—he was engulfed, submerged in a vast ocean of luminous energy. The sheer density of Light-element particles swirling around him was beyond anything Hrag had ever witnessed.

Karim’s wounds, once fatal, knitted together at an unnatural speed. The gaping gashes sealed, the deep cuts faded, leaving behind only traces of dried blood on his armor. But beneath the tarnished steel, his body had already been completely restored.

Yet, the light did not merely heal.

It strengthened.

The radiant energy continued to pour into Karim, not only mending his injuries but reinforcing his very being—his muscles, his bones, his essence.

A deep breath.

Then, Karim’s eyes fluttered open.

Warmth.

A golden, comforting warmth coursed through his veins, filling every fiber of his existence. His mind stirred, struggling to piece together the fragments of memory buried beneath the abyss of unconsciousness.

He had died. Hadn’t he?

His body, still floating midair, began to descend. The radiance dimmed ever so slightly as his feet touched the earth.

Karim sat up, bewildered. He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if to confirm they were real. His armor was still damaged, the punctures and gashes from battle clearly visible. His breastplate, where a fatal wound had once been, bore a gaping hole.

Yet, when his fingers traced the place where the blade had run him through—there was nothing. No pain. No scar. No sign that he had ever been wounded at all.

"I... I was dead. How am I...?" Karim’s voice trembled, his thoughts tangled in disbelief.

Then, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. His grip tightened, his eyes widened.

"Wait—I broke through?! I’m a Grand Knight now?!"

Hrag, who had been watching in silence, finally spoke.

"Ai chip, analyze Karim’s physical state."

A moment later, the response came.

"Subject: Karim. Strength: 5.1. Agility: 4.2. Constitution: 6.1. Spirit: 2.7. Unknown Light-element energy detected within the body."

Hrag’s eyes narrowed. Impossible.

Karim had surpassed the limits of a newly ascended Grand Knight. His stats were leagues above the standard threshold, which typically hovered between 3 and 4. And this—this was mere moments after his resurrection.

"It must be the Light-energy," Hrag mused. "It’s unlike magic. This is an entirely different power system."

Karim, now infused with this unknown force, was no longer someone Hrag could dismiss.

Just how strong had he become?

More pressing, however, was the question of why.

Why had the Light answered Karim? Why had it chosen to revive him?

Hrag folded his arms, deep in thought.

"Handsome, absurdly strong, dumb as a rock, and even has resurrection abilities... This guy isn’t secretly the protagonist, is he?"

The more he considered it, the more it made sense.

If the so-called will of the world truly existed, Karim was undoubtedly blessed by it. There was no other explanation for why Light-element energy had gathered so unnaturally to save him.

Unless... Karim had a connection to the very essence of Light itself.

"Captain Karim! You’re alive!"

The remnants of Karim’s adventurer company rushed toward him, their faces awash with relief and awe.

Moments ago, they had been locked in a desperate battle, too overwhelmed to come to their leader’s aid. Yet now, against all odds, he stood before them—reborn, stronger than ever.

Karim smiled. "Not only am I alive, but I’ve ascended to a Grand Knight."

A beat of silence—then, an eruption of cheers.

They knew what this meant.

For an adventurer company, the presence of a Grand Knight was a turning point. It would elevate them to the highest ranks, securing their reputation across kingdoms.

But Karim’s expression soon hardened.

"We can celebrate later," he said, his voice steady. "There’s still a matter that must be dealt with."

He stepped forward, his gaze locking onto Ives.

"Ives," he said coldly. "I never imagined you’d be so ruthless as to slaughter everyone to cover your tracks."

His eyes swept over the battlefield, the corpses littering the ground. His jaw tightened.

"This was my failure. I was reckless. I didn’t think things through... And because of that, they died." His fists clenched. "I won’t make the same mistake again."

His gaze snapped back to Ives, burning with resolve.

"I won’t kill you."

A murmur of confusion rippled through the adventurers.

Karim’s grip tightened around the massive sword embedded in the earth beside him. With a single motion, he wrenched it free. The blade gleamed as it caught the last remnants of Light swirling around him.

"You are Theodor’s Knight-Commander. Your execution is not mine to deliver."

He raised the greatsword, leveling it at Ives.

"I will personally escort you back—to the gallows."

Silence.

Then—a laugh.

Ives smirked, shaking his head as he slowly donned his helmet.

"The gallows?" He scoffed, drawing his sword. "You may have become a Grand Knight, but you’re still a mere fledgling."

The air around him shifted. His stance tensed, his muscles coiled like a serpent preparing to strike.

"I have been a Grand Knight for many years. Do you truly think you stand a chance?"

Yet even as he spoke, there was unease in his eyes.

Karim’s form shimmered.

Light coalesced around him, wrapping his body in a thin veil of brilliance. Even his sword—massive, unyielding—now glowed with an ethereal radiance.

Ives’ breath hitched.

His fingers curled tighter around his hilt. His pulse quickened.

"No... Impossible..." he whispered. "A Knight of Light?!"

Panic flickered across his face.

He had seen such warriors before.

They were not mere knights.

They were divine instruments.

And Karim was not of the Church.

Then how—?!

A Knight of Light?

Hrag’s brow furrowed. The term was unfamiliar—he had never heard of such an existence before.

But Ives... Ives knew.

His expression darkened, his breath unsteady. A heavy weight settled in his chest.

Karim, gripping his greatsword tightly, murmured, "So... this is the power of a Knight of Light? Strange..."

He had no time to dwell on the thought. With a burst of speed, he lunged.

Ives reacted instantly, both hands tightening around his longsword as he charged to meet Karim’s attack head-on.

Karim’s strike was simple—no elaborate flourish, no unnecessary movements. A single, devastating downward cleave.

But that one strike shone with an incandescent brilliance.

The lingering mist had long since dissipated, and as the sun’s golden rays bathed the battlefield, Karim himself seemed to radiate with an almost divine glow.

Then—

A flash of cold steel.

A single breath.

A single heartbeat.

None but Hrag saw what had happened.

Ives staggered.

The sword in his hands—shattered. Splintered steel rained to the ground in jagged fragments.

His right arm—gone. Severed cleanly at the shoulder, his hand still clutching the broken remnants of his weapon as it tumbled to the bloodstained dirt.

Then came the pain.

"AAAHHH!"

The delayed scream tore from his throat as he clutched at the empty space where his arm had been.

Karim did not hesitate.

He swung his greatsword once more, not to kill, but to cripple. The flat of the blade crashed against Ives’ left arm, shattering bone, leaving the limb twisted at an unnatural angle.

"I told you," Karim’s voice was cold, resolute. "I won’t kill you. I will drag you to the gallows myself—to atone for the lives you stole."

He slammed his greatsword into the ground, its blade standing tall, unwavering.

Ives trembled, teeth clenched, his gaze lifting to meet Karim’s.

Hate. Pure, seething hatred burned in his eyes.

But it did not matter.

The adventurers closed in, securing heavy iron chains scavenged from the merchant caravan. They bound Ives tightly, shackling his limbs, leaving him defenseless. For good measure, they shattered his knees, ensuring he could never flee.

Even now, Ives still had strength left. He could fight.

But he did not.

Because he knew it was meaningless.

Silent, grim, he allowed them to drag him toward the reinforced iron cage—one built to contain monsters. Its bars were thick, its locks near unbreakable.

For Ives, it was a prison from which he would never escape.

And as Karim’s men finished their work, the remnants of Ives’ soldiers made their choice.

They ran.

Scattering like rats, they abandoned their leader, fleeing into the wilderness.

Karim watched them go but made no move to pursue.

Their direction was clear.

They would not return to Stormwind.

No.

They had cast aside the last remnants of their honor.

From now on, they would live as true bandits.

But Karim had no strength to spare for them.

The battlefield was littered with the dead, and those still standing were weary, wounded, struggling to survive.

For now, vengeance could wait.