"Hyah!"

Six lances pierced a wolf simultaneously from above while Klaus swung a one-handed sword at a wolf next to it. Seeing their comrades being defeated with ease, the remaining two wolves took a few steps backward, growling in an attempt to intimidate Klaus.

The wolves put up quite a distance between them and Klaus and tried to perceive his next move. By being wary of every gesture—even the slightest movement of his muscles—they would be able to anticipate and counter Klaus's attack appropriately. Perhaps Klaus noticed the changes in the Draugrs that he hesitated to shuffle closer towards them.

If these creatures were trying to predict how he would strike, he couldn't rely on his sword. He was convinced that they would just move out of his sword's reach if he tried to attack.

"...It would be a million times better if you just run away and invite stronger Draugrs here. Bring your friends over so I could make good use of my time," said Klaus as he pointed his sword's tip at the wolves.

"!!!"

A thundering crash resounded throughout the library after a marble statue descended towards the Draugrs, sending clouds of smoke in every direction. Klaus waved his hand repeatedly, trying to avoid the dust particles from getting into his eyes.

"That was a bit excessive..."

He looked over the marble statue of Diana of Gabii he'd created from thin air. Despite his attempt to create an exact copy, this version of Diana turned out to be far inferior—as expected. It would be impossible for him to replicate the work of the great sculptor Praxiteles.

Meanwhile, on the upper floor, the Keeper who had been protecting Klaus's Crown looked straight at the hidden floor's entrance. She blinked, waiting ever so patiently for anyone to come and try retrieve the Crown from her.

"?"

She blinked a few times, and her eyebrows drew together afterward. What was this bad feeling?

A new, powerful presence suddenly appeared out of nowhere, alerting the Keeper at the same time. She felt nervous for a few seconds but recomposed herself and decided to pinpoint the presence's location.

"..." The Keeper narrowed her eyes, focusing on the task at hand as she prepared to fight. When she finally located the presence through her mind, her body shuddered from an ear-splitting shriek. This presence—a powerful Draugr—was attacking Klaus relentlessly as it let out a series of creepy, anguish screams.

"Arrgh!!" Klaus blocked a swipe of the large bat-like creature with his sword and was blown back from the sheer force of it. His body rolled along the floor about a dozen meters before he stopped moving.

"Huff... Are you kidding me? My weapon broke into pieces just from that one swipe of its wing?"

Klaus tried to crawl away to safety after he discarded his broken sword. He hid behind a bookshelf, using the limited time he had to assess his condition before the Draugr get him. A throbbing pain coursed throughout his entire right arm, possibly due to the impact he'd taken.

Back then, he only raised his sword to block the Draugr's attack without taking a defensive stance, so his bones absorbed some of the force as a result. He was caught off guard, and it almost cost him an arm.

"Huff... Brynhildr's not here, so by hook or by crook, I have to get by without getting hurt," mumbled Klaus as he imagined a layered rawhide shield in his left hand.

This kidney-shaped shield had a history of being used by Moorish soldiers in the 15th century. Unsurprisingly, this type of shield could easily defend their owners from blows regardless of their nature. Impacts from both sharp and blunt weapons wouldn't damage the shield.

"I hope this is enough. If it doesn't help much, I'll have to settle for a buckler shield and try to maneuver to its blind spot after that."

A high-pitched scream startled Klaus, and he turned his head to look up above—only to meet the bat-like Draugr face-to-face. Its head and wings resembled a bat, unlike its lower half. It sat on top of the bookshelf behind Klaus with its two strong, reptile-like legs.

"Eek!" Klaus rolled out of hiding when one of the Draugr's wing changed form into a lance and stabbed towards him.

The Draugr tilted its head in confusion and flapped its other wing a few times. It sent its lance towards Klaus again, and when he blocked the attack with his shield, it turned its head upward and screamed. Overwhelmed with frustration, the Draugr dropped to the floor and started rushing forward while attacking.

"D-don't come closer! Stay away!"

Two separate lances pierced through the air with such force that the air vibrated in response. Klaus trusted his instincts and dived downward, evading the first barrage of attacks in time.

He raised his shield above his head and warded off a few incoming strikes. Once the Draugr stopped its assault for a few moments, Klaus rolled out of the way and awkwardly stood back up.

"Huff... huff..." His left arm trembled from the previous series of attacks. Immediately, he realized that if he only defended against the Draugr, he would wear himself out. He could already feel his muscles screaming from the pain, and he gritted his teeth.

Swoosh!

The Draugr's lance struck against his shield, and the impact changed the attack's momentum. Its shaft bent to the side, and it retracted back to the Draugr's side.

"I-I can't think like this!" shouted Klaus as he evaded and blocked the lances.

After a few minutes of defending himself against the Draugr's relentless attacks, Klaus succumbed to exhaustion. He hunkered down and gasped for air under a staircase leading to the upper floor. There was no way he could lose to a Draugr like this?

Making use of the short reprieve he had at the moment, Klaus imagined a few objects in mind, until the Draugr stuck its head underneath the staircase. It let out a screeching noise once it found Klaus and began to shift its wings into lances when—

Two trucks crashed into its body from above and immediately flattening the organs within it. Taking the opportunity right before him, Klaus scurried away from his hiding spot and summoned a loaded ballista.

"Aaaargh!" The ballista launched a large metal bolt, and it pierced the Draugr directly from the front and jutted out from its stomach.

"...It's not over yet," mumbled Klaus as he prepared for the Draugr's resurrection from death.

"!!!!!"

A wicked bloodlust filled the library, and Klaus unconsciously gasped from it. The dead Draugr's eyes glowed in red as its repulsive body grew larger every second. Its wings split into four, and they turned into whips and smashed the staircase.

"Hm!" Klaus created four trucks from high above, intending to stop the Draugr before it completely resurrected itself.

"Gyeaaaaaaaaaaak!!" The Draugr's whips tore the four trucks apart with relative ease as if they were made of paper. Ominous black scales covered the entirety of the resurrected Draugrs, completely changing its appearance to be far more intimidating than before.

"...You've got to be kidding me."

One of the whips lashed at Klaus horizontally, and it struck his side hard enough to send him flying in the air. Another whip descended from above, but Klaus managed to defend himself against it with his shield, deadening the impact.

"Graaakh!" He crashed against the floor, and air escaped his lungs at the same time. "Huff... Graakhh!"

His confidence immediately dropped after that attack. He couldn't see the whips at all when the Draugr swung them at him.

"Ugh..." He could feel his right side throbbing from pain. His hand touched the site of injury in an attempt to assess his current condition. There was no doubt that the whip destroyed a small chunk of his flesh.

Klaus didn't prepare himself well enough against this powerful Draugr. Regret started to swirl in his chest when he realized he could've been avoided this injury if he had worn a body armor for himself.

Fighting a Draugr isn't a mere game, and yet he took the situation this lightly?

The sound of whips cracking the floor brought Klaus back to reality. He had to fight the Draugr and survive its rush of attacks no matter what.

"...Huff." He took a few deep breaths and stood back up on his feet.

Whips lashed at him from both sides at breakneck speed!