I Became a Righteous Knight in a Game

Chapter 99

Dirk looked back on his life.

‘How did I end up here?’

A memory from his early childhood came to mind.

He had stolen bread because there was nothing to eat, and he remembered being caught and beaten severely for it.

The next memory was from when he had grown a little older.

He had gotten bigger, and it was a point in time when he was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone in a brawl.

But Dirk did not threaten the weak.

Instead, he beat up the people who threatened him and extorted money and food from them.

Then he met his younger siblings.

Luke, Hark, and even Irien.

They were all in a similar situation to when Dirk was young.

Dirk welcomed them as his family.

He guaranteed their safety, shared food, and supported them financially.

Then at some point.

Dirk found himself in a position of maintaining the balance in the back alleys.

The money he collected from various gangs alone was enough that there was no major problem in living.

‘That’s when I started saving money. Because I wanted to give Irien a proper education.’

It was around that time that he realized Irien had a talent.

Irien had lit a flame with a magic book he had obtained by chance, and the three brothers cut down on their expenses for their young sister.

‘And then.’

When they were living like that, barely getting by.

‘I met the Sir Knight.’

Knight Reinhardt had come to them.

He recognized Irien’s talent and willingly offered to be her sponsor.

He generously donated a huge sum of money that was hard to even touch, got rid of the gang that was bothering them in Lockfort, and even disposed of the warlock who was targeting Irien.

After living like that, when he came to his senses, he was here.

From a back-alley delinquent, he had become a trainee of a knight order called Taton.

It was to the point where it would not be an understatement to call it a success.

Anyone who remembered the past Dirk would surely be flabbergasted upon hearing it.

It should have been like that.

As his vision blurred, Dirk blinked his eyes.

His breathing became ragged.

His leg muscles felt like they would burst at any moment from running frantically, and his whole body was covered in dirt from rolling on the ground several times.

“Why am I here! In this state!”

Waaalk.

Overcome with emotion, Dirk stopped running.

It didn't seem like he could shake it off by running away any longer.

Grrrk-

A savage growl was heard from behind.

Just hearing it made his knees weak, but Dirk shook it off with spirit.

“You’re playing with me! You wolf bastard!”

Dirk spun around with a hwak.

He faced the enemy.

A wolf the size of a campsite tent was there.

Its bright yellow eyes were curved like a crescent moon as if enjoying the situation, and its yellowed teeth were revealed between its slightly parted jaws.

A hot, sticky breath was seeping out. Though he didn't know for sure, the stench must be terrible.

“I am! Knight Trainee Dirk!”

Dirk tried his best to push away his fear.

He drew the sword from his waist. He aimed it at the wolf and shouted again.

“And I’m about to become a knight! I can’t lose to a mere beast!”

Facing the bright yellow eyes, Dirk steeled his resolve.

He would not back down.

With his sword, he would cut the wolf.

Then he could live. He could return proudly and nag the instructor who had been teaching him.

Besides, if he hunted a wolf like this, even Knight Reinhardt would acknowledge him.

He would say he was qualified to be a knight, and willingly accept him as a comrade…….

As he was thinking that, Dirk realized.

The tip of his sword was trembling.

‘No, not the sword….’

In fact, it wasn’t the sword, but Dirk’s own hand that was trembling.

The fact that he managed to hold on without collapsing must be thanks to all the training he had undergone.

“Kuhung!”

The fact that he endured the wolf’s roar, and even the courage that helped him run forward instead, must also be the result of his training.

“Dieeeeee!”

The highly raised sword was a knight’s pride, and not turning his back even after facing the bright yellow eyes was a knight’s valor.

And something moved.

Just as he thought the wolf was lifting its paw, Dirk’s world spun.

“Keok, ugh.”

Dirk was flying through the air.

To be precise, he was thrown like a kite with a broken string, vomiting blood from his mouth and nose.

“Kkeo-eo….”

They say that when you’re in too much pain, you can’t even groan properly.

Dirk understood exactly what that meant.

Then he heard a thud. It was the sound of Dirk himself falling to the ground and rolling messily.

Dirk was lying face down, collapsed helplessly.

It was because he couldn't muster the courage to get up again.

Following that.

Drip.

Drip, drip.

Something started to fall next to Dirk’s face.

It was a clear, sticky liquid.

A liquid from which a terrible, gamey smell emanated.

“…You damn bastard. Do I look that tasty to you? You big dog bastard.”

The monster wolf was looking at him, licking its lips.

It seemed he looked so appetizing that it was drooling.

Dirk squeezed his eyes shut.

So this is how I die. At least I managed to get Irien into the academy. But I wanted to be called a Sir Knight at least once.

As such thoughts flashed through his mind.

Flash-

An intensely bright light burst out, making it hard to open his eyes.

“Kkyaeng!”

Along with the wolf’s completely unfitting scream.

***

Save Dirk.

With that single-minded determination, Reinhardt crossed the wilderness at full speed.

‘Just don’t die.’

He didn’t even ride a horse.

Because over short distances, he could run faster than a horse.

The wolf’s paw prints were clearly left in the wilderness.

Just by the size of the paw prints, one could estimate the wolf’s physique.

The paw prints alone were large enough for a human to lie down in with their limbs spread out.

‘This is driving me crazy. If I knew this would happen, I would have brought Bitdori.’

Bitdori was still in Serigel.

Unaware of anything, it must be enjoying seeing the world with pure excitement.

Only when it returned to the knight order would it realize that Reinhardt had disappeared somewhere.

‘I left in too much of a hurry.’

If only he had Bitdori, pinpointing Dirk’s location would have been instantaneous.

Instead of following paw prints like this, he could have approached via the shortest route.

Reinhardt swallowed his regret and picked up as much speed as he could.

The surrounding scenery passed by in an instant.

After running like that for a long time.

“Bbii-”

He heard a faint sound.

After pausing for a moment, Reinhardt sped up again.

“Bbiiii-!”

The sound became a little clearer.

“Bitdori!”

“Bbiiiiiiit!”

This time, it was heard from nearby. Reinhardt maintained his speed and quickly scanned his surroundings.

Far away.

Just as he thought something flashed in the distance, a familiar face approached him in an instant.

“Bbiit! Bbii! Bbiiiiit!”

It was Bitdori.

It was on the verge of tears.

It had clearly been looking for Reinhardt for a long time.

“Bbii? Bbiit! Bbiit!”

Then it landed on the running Reinhardt’s shoulder and waved its short arms wildly.

Though he didn't know for sure, it was clearly trying to say something like, ‘Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?’ or ‘Why did you leave without me?’

“Calm down. First, calm down.”

“Bbiit.”

“You can find me even if we’re far apart? You flew all the way from Serigel?”

“Bbit. Bbiii.”

“You worked hard. You saved me. I’ll praise you to your heart’s content later, so for now, find Dirk. Dirk is in danger.”

“Bbit?”

“There’s going to be a huge wolf with him. Dirk might die. You remember, right? The guy we met in Lockfort. Irien’s older brother.”

Bitdori paused, then its eyes widened.

It seemed to remember.

“Bbi, bbiiiiit!”

Then it flew up from his shoulder and began to fly forward at full speed.

Reinhardt chased after that trail of light.

‘It seemed to be somewhat effective against demonic beasts too.’

Bitdori could physically attack warlocks.

No matter how much it attacked other beings, it was like hitting them with a feather, but against ‘evil beings,’ its attribute damage was properly effective.

Demonic beasts also contained demonic energy.

In the original work, they were treated as mobs, so he didn't pay much attention, but theoretically, it should definitely be effective against demonic beasts as well.

‘Just be alive. As long as you’re breathing.’

As long as he wasn’t dead.

Those words were meant literally.

Even if he had fallen into a near-death state, if he just blindly poured divine power into him, he could be saved somehow.

Flash-

Just then, a pillar of light shot up into the air in the distance.

‘Bitdori.’

A battle had clearly broken out.

Seeing that much light erupt, it seemed it was fortunately beating up the demonic beast.

Reinhardt stopped thinking and increased his speed.

Only after running like that for a long time did Reinhardt see it.

“Krrrreung!”

“Bbiit! Bbiiiiit!”

A giant wolf swatting its forepaw in the air as if chasing a fly, and Bitdori dodging between its attacks and landing short punches.

[Injustice has been detected.]

*You have encountered a beast corrupted by demonic energy…….

There was no time to read the message.

‘Dirk.’

As his eyes darted around, Reinhardt found Dirk.

He was lying limp on the ground, as if he had fainted.

He was a mess, but fortunately, there were no visible fatal injuries.

‘Good. You held on well.’

He seemed to have put up some resistance, as he was still holding a sword in his hand.

It seemed he hadn't let go of it even as he fell.

It was a sight worthy of a passing grade as a knight.

Sreung-

Reinhardt drew the artisan’s masterpiece at a running speed.

The Sword of Pure Light scattered a brilliant light under the sun.

“Krrrrr……!”

The wolf spotted Reinhardt.

It meant that instead of the unidentified fly, it had decided on a definite target for attack.

Hwaak!

A forepaw came flying. It had the power and size to crush a human in one blow, but Reinhardt was fast.

KWAAAANG!

The forepaw slammed into the ground. From within the rising dust cloud, Reinhardt, who had lowered his upper body, shot out.

A trail of light drew a semicircle over the forepaw.

CHWAAK!

Black blood splattered, and the wolf let out a painful roar.

“Kuh-heong!”

The tendon in its forepaw was severed.

The wolf lost its balance and fell, but still swung its other paw.

However, Reinhardt was already in a position looking up at the wolf’s throat.

Bending his legs tightly to gather strength, Reinhardt jumped up.

He swung his sword upwards diagonally.

The trajectory precisely cut the wolf’s neck. Blood gushing out like a fountain stained the earth black.

“Geureuk, geureuk.”

The wolf collapsed helplessly.

Reinhardt watched from a few steps away from it.

The bright yellow eyes were glaring at him. Just as he thought the pupils trembled, they stopped completely.

[Demonic Beast has been slain.]

*[Justice]'s effect has been enhanced.

*Stat increase per stack +1

The message that appeared was proof that the situation was over.

Cheol-keok.

Sheathing his sword, Reinhardt let out a long breath.

“The reward is good. It’s good, but….”

Demonic beasts also have grades.

“How did a thing like this get all the way here already?”

The wolf before him was a direwolf.

Based on Paganoa’s classification method, it was an entity belonging to the Grade 3 demonic beasts.

Furthermore, it was as strong as it looked.

So much so that if it had crossed the Empire, it couldn’t have done so without being noticed.

It was only because it was Reinhardt that he could handle it so easily; if it had been an ordinary knight, one or two would not have been enough to face it.

“…It’s a warlock.”

The deliberation was short.

The fact that a direwolf had arrived quietly in the eastern part of the Empire meant that a warlock controlling it was somewhere nearby.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible to cross the Empire while avoiding human eyes.

In that case, at this moment, what Reinhardt had to do was clear.

“Bitdori. I need you to find one more person.”