How to Live as a Knight After the Ending

Chapter 208: The Masked Man (1)

‘Zero Ground.’

Osian murmured the name as if rolling it in his mouth.

Considering that districts created after Tirna were called by larger numbers, Zero Ground, being called District 0, could be considered a truly monumental location.

As if reading Osian’s thoughts, the Underground Guide nodded.

“This place can be called one of the first cities that is the origin of Tirna.”

“One of the cities?”

Osian reacted to the specific words.

Not just a city, but cities?

The Underground Guide shrugged as if understanding that reaction.

“That’s the actual history. Zero Ground wasn’t simply the first and only one. Of course, I don’t know the details well.”

“I thought someone of the Underground Guide’s level would know a lot.”

“I’m just someone who’s good at finding paths. But you don’t need to be too curious, because we’re currently going to meet someone who knows the details of that history.”

The elevator that seemed like it would descend endlessly stopped midway.

When the doors opened, an extremely long bridge leading to the city stretched out before their eyes.

Looking closely, it wasn’t a bridge but a large pipeline connected to the underground city.

With each step, they could faintly feel the sensation of massive fluid flowing beneath their feet.

It seemed to be serving the role of supplying water to Zero Ground.

Finally entering the city, Osian felt various gazes flying toward him through the irregular buildings.

‘Everyone is looking at me with either curious or cautious gazes.’

Among them were hostile gazes and those looking with ill intent.

It couldn’t be helped since Osian’s appearance clearly showed he was not a resident of this place, Zero Ground.

His attire was neat and luxurious, his appearance refined, and he clearly hadn’t just wandered in.

If he hadn’t been moving with the Underground Guide, he would have surely been attacked more than 10 times.

‘Considering it’s underground, it’s not that dark. Rather, because they’ve lit lights everywhere to drive away the darkness, it’s almost blinding.’

This was similar to District 45.

Just as District 45 had neon signs everywhere, so did Zero Ground.

Through the pure white steam rising from various places, the brilliant lights of neon signs scattered, creating a peculiar atmosphere.

‘The residents’ appearances are all uniquely distinctive.’

Every single one had a face that would easily be mistaken for a criminal if walking around on the surface.

‘No. Most of them are probably criminals rejected from the surface. Even if not, they’re likely high-risk individuals or types that would be difficult to accept above ground.’

Even ordinary people were either hunched over, had protruding eyeballs, or unusually long limbs.

Some had disabilities, while others had machines attached to their bodies that had been illegally modified so many times they looked like surrealist sculptures.

‘It’s not just humans.’

The Orc that brushed past Osian was the same. Unlike other Orcs, its skin was white and its eyes were red.

It was amazing that something like an albino Orc existed.

Moreover, there were beast-folk using sign language and some dwarves could be seen. And their appearances deviated quite a bit from their racial norms.

Some dwarves had skin cracked like rocks, and some beast-folk had scales growing around their patchy fur.

Street vendors sitting in corners everywhere puffed purple and green smoke through their pipes. No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like something good for the body.

The Underground Guide and Osian passed by such residents and went deeper inside.

After reaching a certain point, the street people decreased and instead, two guards appeared.

“Stop. What’s your business?”

Osian carefully observed the guards’ appearance.

‘They seem to serve the role of surface guards, but they look stronger.’

They were wearing something like diving suits, and around their faces covered by cylindrical glass, purple smoke-like substance was rising eerily.

‘Soldiers enhanced by drugs? Impressive.’

He remembered seeing something similar to those diving suit-like outfits before.

They weren’t as good as Full Metal Ogres, but they were lighter and faster enhancement suits.

“He called for us. If you’re suspicious, feel free to contact inside to confirm.”

“Underground Guide? I see. Is this person the guest?”

As if the enhanced guards had been informed beforehand, they let Osian pass without any additional procedures.

Of course, they didn’t forget to give him warning glances telling him not to try anything foolish, as that was their role.

While the pressure from the two bulky figures glaring with sharp gazes was considerable, Osian felt no particular emotion.

After entering the building, the Underground Guide stopped.

“This is as far as I can guide you. You’ll have to go the rest of the way yourself. Just keep going straight ahead like this.”

Osian nodded lightly.

“Very well.”

“Aren’t you afraid? Or worried?”

“Why would I be?”

The Underground Guide was struck speechless at Osian’s response that seemed genuinely puzzled.

Is he asking because he doesn’t know? Not only did he come to Zero Ground, which even surface dwellers know little about, but he’s come all the way to what could be called its heart.

If someone else heard this, they would have every reason to suspect a trap had been set.

But Osian simply followed as instructed.

‘Is it because he has no thoughts or suspicions? No, it’s not that simple. It’s because he’s confident he can survive even if he falls into a trap.’

The Underground Guide felt chills.

From Osian’s perspective, he hadn’t particularly sensed any crisis so he didn’t think much of it, but from an outsider’s perspective, Osian would inevitably appear incredibly bold.

“Then I’ll be going. Thanks for guiding me this far.”

“Heh. Just think of it as payment for my mistake.”

The Underground Guide sent Osian off with a slight smile.

Osian opened the door and went inside.

Inside the door was another door, and after opening several such doors and continuing inward, he could reach a certain space.

It was an old-fashioned interior.

Antique furniture and soft lights were arranged, and one wall was densely packed with books that looked old.

The style completely opposite to the Harlem-like atmosphere outside gave a peculiar feeling.

Perhaps sensing Osian’s presence, the room’s owner emerged from behind the bookshelf.

“You’ve arrived.”

“So we meet again.”

Osian once again faced the man in the plague doctor mask who had previously introduced himself as the Underground Guide.

“Have you been well, Mr. Osian. It’s been a while since the Princess Orlea incident.”

“You know everything, don’t you?”

“Haha. I have ears that listen. I heard everything about how the incidents on the surface were handled.”

“More importantly, you deceived me about your identity. You said you were the Underground Guide?”

“I apologize for that. Since I had my own position that made it difficult to openly reveal my identity, I naturally had to cover it up like that.”

“Is that so?”

Osian responded while naturally sitting down on the guest sofa provided.

The Underground Guide, no, the masked man didn’t particularly point out this behavior.

Rather, he naturally sat down opposite him, casually placing the book he was holding on the table beside him.

“So what’s the reason for inviting me all the way here?”

Osian was the first to bring up the main point.

“From what I saw, Zero Ground seems to be a very secretive city that even surface people don’t know well about.”

“Well, most people do know about the fact that residents live underground.”

“But this is the first I’ve heard of a city of this scale.”

“That’s also correct, but Mr. Osian, you were qualified to receive an invitation.”

“Qualified.”

Osian’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Because of my identity?”

“Haha. You get straight to the point. So I won’t beat around the bush either. Yes, that’s right. I called you because you’re a knight.”

“You know quite a lot about me.”

“Know you well indeed. I also know about the great achievements you’ve made. Aren’t you the strongest knight who defeated ancient beings, countless mythical monsters, ancient spirits and avatars?”

That was the progress Osian had made in the game.

The masked man sincerely and firmly believed this story that no one else would believe.

“I don’t know well why you, who was said to have ascended, remain in such a world, but what does that matter? What’s important is that you are here, before my eyes now.”

“What do you want from me?”

The masked man knew about Osian. That’s probably why he invited Osian, but he seemed to want something more than that.

“I heard you take requests?”

The masked man’s words were unexpected.

“I’d like to make a request to Mr. Osian.”

“So you’re a client. Well, let’s hear what kind of request it is.”

“You probably already know, Mr. Osian. You must have encountered it on your way here.”

“That monster.”

Osian could immediately guess what the masked man wanted.

“Yes, that’s right. Due to this rainy season, that monster has become active. I would like Mr. Osian’s help in calming that monster down.”

“Help. The Krua and Atilla sisters also made such a request to me.”

“The Slithering Sisters are also involved in this matter. They take on dangerous tasks to solidify their position in Zero Ground. They are very helpful people.”

“But they’re not enough, so you’re asking me too?”

“The more forces we have, the better.”

“The monster must be that dangerous.”

Osian crossed his legs while sitting on the sofa and propped his chin with one hand.

That posture looked so natural. It was arrogant yet fitting, and because of that, his charisma stood out even more.

“You want me to face that monster?”

“Strictly speaking, yes. But because I know how dangerous that is, I’d like you to at least catch the monster’s attention and guide it to its dwelling place.”

“And if I guide it?”

“After that, it will be resolved on its own. The monster will calm down once it returns to its home. Until then, we just need to operate the sewage treatment facility at maximum capacity to drain the water that has accumulated in the monster’s dwelling.”

His tone was full of certainty, as if he knew something.

“You, you seem to know about that monster.”

The masked man showed no reaction to Osian’s sharp observation.

Either that, or he was desperately suppressing the reaction he should have shown.

Because he was wearing a mask, there was no way to read his expression, so there was no way to know what the masked man was thinking.

Therefore, Osian boldly gave up on reading his emotions and decided to focus on the situation itself.

“You’re strangely confident about the monster’s behavior patterns.”

“It’s just a conclusion drawn from analyzing the behavioral patterns the monster has shown since a very long time ago.”

“That can’t be. Isn’t the monster unintentionally wandering through other districts because the rainy season is particularly severe this year? Moreover, from my position having encountered it once, it doesn’t seem like it would become docile just because it returns to its dwelling.”

Yet the masked man said it would.

As if he knew well about that monster, or more precisely, its identity.

“You know its identity, yet you go as far as making a request to me, who could be considered an outsider?”

That was truly a laughable story.

“Answer properly. What do you want from me?”

A moment of silence followed.

The masked man seemed to be contemplating something as he fidgeted with his gloved fingers a few times while interlocking them.

It didn’t take long for the man to open his mouth.

“Mr. Osian. Do you know about knights?”

“You’re asking me, a knight, that?”

From the very question to Osian, who had reached the pinnacle of knighthood, some kind of intention could be felt.

“Though they’re said to have fallen now, there were many knights in the old days. They used the power of the heavens, wandered throughout the world, and exercised justice. Of course, not all knights were excellent. Just as there are good people and bad people, the same was true for knights.”

“Right.”

Osian nodded in agreement.

There were villains among knights too. Though not boss monster level, quite a few of the named enemies were former knights.

“But most tried to keep their creed. Even if it meant putting themselves in danger.”

Why suddenly bring up knights when they should be talking about the monster?

At that moment, the masked man removed the plague doctor mask he was wearing on his face.

Upon seeing the revealed bare face, Osian couldn’t help but twitch his eyebrow.

“You.”

“They desperately wish for everything to end rightfully.”

The face under the mask was a horrifically mangled face full of burn scars.

But that wasn’t at all surprising to Osian.

The one thing that surprised Osian when he saw him was the faint starlight flickering in his pupils.

“Please. Please help us.”