Re:Crafting in Another World
Chapter 107: Strongest Knight

Chapter 107: Strongest Knight

Meanwhile, deeper in the dungeon, Sir Juno’s squad faced a different threat. The tunnel of caves they traversed was narrower, its walls slick with moisture and dotted with glowing deep blue fungi. Juno Marciel led his fifty knights with calm confidence.

Beside him, Sir Maron scribbled notes in a small leather-bound book, his quill moving with practiced speed. Juno’s eyes flicked to Maron, a flicker of interest in his gaze, but he said nothing.

It’s almost as if Juno was trying to find out the secret that Maron was hiding without explicitly asking it from him.

"Sir, up ahead!" a knight called, pointing to a cluster of creatures skittering across the floor. They were something that looked like lizards, small reptilian beasts with shimmering deep blue scales and glowing blue eyes.

If Shennong were here, he could easily identify these creatures because he is the who brought them here and caused there mutation. He would call them Luna-Lizards.

Juno immediately knew that compared to the dungeon’s other denizens these were not as strong, but Juno knew better than to underestimate them.

"Engage," Juno ordered, his voice calm but commanding. "Quick and clean. We don’t want to be stuck here."

The knights charged, swords flashing. Juno struck first, cleaving a lizard in two with a single swing. The creature let out a pitiful squeak before collapsing, its blood glowing faintly on the stone floor. The other lizards hissed, their movements swift and coordinated, but they were no match for the knights’ skill. One by one, they fell, and the survivors fled into the shadows, their tails whipping behind them.

"Pathetic and weak creatures," Juno muttered, wiping his blade Ebonfang clean. "These creatures are intelligent, though. Did you see how they moved together?"

Sir Maron nodded, jotting down notes. "Their patterns suggest a hive-like coordination. And that glow in their blood—possibly a byproduct of the dungeon’s energy."

Juno’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the tunnel. "The dungeon core’s influence, no doubt. But there’s something else..." He trailed off, his gaze falling on Sir Gerald, one of his knights, who was clutching his arm and swaying. Foam bubbled at the knight’s mouth, his face pale and contorted in pain.

"Healers!" Juno barked. Two knights rushed forward, their hands glowing with healing magic as they tried to stabilize Gerald. Juno knelt beside him, inspecting a small scratch on the knight’s arm. "Poison," he said, his voice grim. "These lizards may be weak, but their venom is potent. Far more than it should be."

"Sir, we need to get him to the surface," one of the healers said, sweat beading on her brow. "This poison—it’s enhanced by the dungeon. It’s spreading too fast."

Juno’s jaw tightened. "Take him. You’ll need two others to escort him safely."

"Two others?" Sir Maron interjected, his tone sharp. "Sir, that’ll weaken our squad. We’re already stretched thin."

Juno’s eyes met Maron’s, cold and unyielding. "It’s no problem. We’ll manage."

The other knights exchanged frustrated glances. They knew Juno was the strongest among them, a warrior whose skill bordered on legendary. To them, he seemed untouchable, while they were just knights—replaceable, ordinary. Sir Maron’s expression darkened, but he said nothing, returning to his notes.

"Do it," Juno ordered the healers. "Get Gerald out of here. The rest of you, stay sharp. This dungeon’s full of surprises. I can feel it."

He muttered those words looking at a specific place in forest, where he felt something or someone powerful was watching him.

As the healers and their escorts retreated with Gerald, Juno turned to Maron. "Keep writing, Maron. The Sturgon will want every detail of this place. We’re not just here to fight—we’re here to claim its resources and structure."

Maron nodded, but his eyes lingered on Juno a moment too long, a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze.

While Sir Juno was fighting, Yenissa was not far from the scene, observing everything unfold. She made sure to conceal her presence, but as always, Juno looked right at her, which made her smile. She knew he was the most interesting human she had met so far—of course, that was if she didn’t count Shennong. After all, as Shennong’s supposed mother, even she sometimes had to question his humanity.

She crouched in the shadows of the Moonlight Forest, her eyes glinting with intrigue as she muttered to herself. "What would Shennong do with a man like him?" Her lips curled into a sly smile.

This knight, Sir Juno, radiated power—raw, unyielding, and exactly the kind of force Shennong would find... useful. She toyed with the idea of challenging him herself, to test whether her strength could eclipse his. Her fingers twitched, itching for a fight, but she shook her head. "No, no, Yenissa. Let the dungeon do its work. That’s why we built this place in the first place. To attract interesting individuals."

If a human as powerful as Juno fell here, the Moonlight Forest would gain a reputation—a cursed dungeon no mortal would dare enter. That would ruin Shennong’s plans. Yenissa’s smile widened. "Let’s make this interesting for you, human." With a whisper, she melted into the shadows, her form vanishing like smoke.

Meanwhile, deeper in the forest, Sir Juno strode through the undergrowth, his knight cloak billowing behind him. His sharp eyes scanned the twisted trees and glowing flora, alert for any sign of danger. Beside him, Sir Maron kept pace, though his expression was tense.

"What do you make of this place, Maron?" Juno asked, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. "And Lady Cassandra’s... connection to it?"

Maron’s brow furrowed. "Sir Juno? I’m not sure what you mean."

Juno’s lips twitched into a knowing smile. He stopped walking and turned to face Maron, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword, Ebonfang. "Don’t play coy, Maron. This dungeon appeared out of nowhere, right on the edge of the Percival Barony. No warning, no reason. And yet, Lady Cassandra seemed to know exactly what we were walking into. Her eyes cannot lie. She knows this dungoen." His eyes narrowed. "Then there’s Lord Jamie Percival’s sudden illness. Strange, isn’t it? How his sickness changed everything in the barony."

Of course all of this was bluffing on Juno’s end. He was muttering the most random things in this journey with Sir Maron, but Lady Cassandra was what got the most reaction out of him, Juno knew this was the way to question him.

Maron’s face paled, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I... I have no idea what you mean, Sir Juno."

But before he could press further, the ground beneath them trembled. A low, guttural roar echoed through the forest, shaking the leaves. Juno’s hand tightened on Ebonfang’s hilt. "Well, now," he muttered, his voice low and thrilled. "What is it this time?"

The trees ahead groaned and snapped, crashing to the ground as a massive figure emerged. A blue troll, twice the size of any normal troll, lumbered into view. Its skin shimmered like sapphire under the moonlight, and its eyes glowed with malevolent hunger. In its gnarled hand, it clutched a strange wooden club, carved with eerie minerals that pulsed faintly. The beast was a nightmare made flesh, towering over the knights like a mountain.

Juno’s gaze hardened. "This thing’s strong," he said under his breath. "Too strong for most of the men here." He glanced at the dozen knights behind him, their faces pale but resolute. They were knights of the Percival Barony, not damsels to be coddled. "Form up! Order." Juno barked, his voice cutting through the tension. "Shields up, blades ready! This is no ordinary foe, but we are no ordinary men! Men of Sturgon Blood...Be brave and show your power."

The knights scrambled into formation, their armor clanking as they raised their swords and shields. Maron, gripping his longsword, shouted, "For the Sturgon!" The others echoed his cry, though fear flickered in their eyes.

The troll roared, shaking the ground, and charged. Its massive club swung down like a falling tree, smashing into the front line. Two knights were crushed instantly, their armor crumpling like tin under the blow. The others scattered, shouting in panic as the troll’s club swept through the air, felling trees and men alike.

"Hold your ground!" Juno roared, dodging a swing that splintered a nearby oak. He moved like a shadow, fluid and precise, his movements almost inhuman. While the other knights struggled to land blows—their swords barely scratching the troll’s thick hide—Juno was a whirlwind of death. He leaped onto a fallen log, using it as a springboard to launch himself at the troll’s side. Ebonfang flashed, slicing a deep gash across the creature’s thigh. The troll bellowed, black blood oozing from the wound, but it barely slowed.

"Ughh! Tough hide." Juno spat, landing lightly on his feet. "Everyone aim for the joints! Attack the vitals!" He dodged another swing, rolling under the troll’s arm and slashing at its knee. The blade bit deep, and the troll staggered, but it retaliated with terrifying speed, grabbing a knight and stuffing him, armor and all, into its gaping maw. The sickening crunch of metal and bone echoed through the forest.

The knights fought bravely, but they were outmatched. Sir Maron swung his sword at the troll’s leg, only for the blade to bounce off. "It’s like hitting stone!" he shouted, desperation in his voice.

"I told you to aim for the vital points!" Juno snapped, vaulting over a fallen knight to strike at the troll’s other leg. His blade carved through muscle, and the beast roared, swinging its club wildly. Another knight was caught, trampled underfoot like an insect. The troll’s hunger seemed insatiable, devouring men whole, armor and all, as if metal were merely seasoning.

From her hidden perch in the shadows, Yenissa watched, her eyes gleaming. "Oh, this is delightful," she murmured. "That sword... What a wonderful item that is? Shennong will love that." Her gaze locked onto Juno, who moved with a grace and ferocity that reminded her of a predator. "He’s no ordinary knight. I need to get that blade for Shennong."

Back in the fray, Juno’s eyes narrowed as the troll’s club narrowly missed his head. He could feel the weight of the battle pressing down on him. His men were dying, and holding back would be his undoing. He gripped Ebonfang tightly, its obsidian blade glinting in the moonlight. "Enough playing," he growled. Raising the sword, he spoke in a low, commanding tone. "Ebonfang, blade of the eternal night, awaken and shrink the deep! Unleash!"

His words had power to them as a pulse of dark energy surged through the sword, its blade glowing with an eerie, violet light. The air around Juno crackled, and his presence seemed to grow, as if the shadows themselves bent to his will. Yenissa’s eyes widened from her hiding spot. "Now this is troublesome! I didn’t expect this,"