Sid stammered, stumbling back. The system offered another prompt.

[Q: Block/Parry]

He raised his spear horizontally, catching the next swing, but the impact sent him crashing into the wall. His HUD flashed red.

[Warning: Right Knee Unstable — HP and Stamina Reduced]

Sid gritted his teeth, a low groan escaping him.

"F*ck it, can someone just drop me a new right knee already?"

The knight advanced again, slow and deliberate, its movements oddly methodical. It wasn't flailing like the other zombies— this one had instinct. Combat memory. Even in death, it fought like a seasoned guard. Sid exhaled sharply.

"Alright, you're not a mindless corpse. Fine— let's play it like a boss fight."

He circled to the right, his HUD blinking new prompts.

[Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll] [Left Mouse Button: Quick Strike → W + Left Mouse Button: Push Enemy]

Sid obeyed, rolling under the knight's shield bash and stabbing upward at the exposed joint beneath the armpit. The blade grazed the armor, barely drawing blood… if any. The zombie retaliated instantly, slamming the shield down on him like a hammer.

"Ugh— okay, note to self, parry timing on this guy sucks!"

Sid groaned, scrambling back on all fours.

[Hold Q: Break Free]

The knight's shield hooked him, dragging him forward. Sid slammed his elbow down, wrenching free, and kicked himself backward. His knee throbbed as he tried to stand. He looked up— the massive guard loomed above him, raising its shield again.

"Combat Vision, any bright ideas?!"

His HUD blinked:

[Backstep Parry: Tap S + Q]

"Got it!"

He planted his good leg and timed it perfectly, just as the shield crashed down, Sid shifted back, slamming the spear tip under its chin. Sparks flew as steel scraped against steel, the blow sending the creature staggering for a brief moment. Sid panted, grinning weakly.

"Okay! That actually worked! Little faith restored!"

The victory was short lived. The knight steadied itself, shield lifting again, this time lower, targeting Sid's legs. Before he could react, the shield bashed into his brace, sending pain like electricity up his thigh.

"Ah— damn it!"

Sid shouted, collapsing onto one knee. The knight pressed the attack, its weight relentless.

[Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll]

Flashed in his sight, but his leg wouldn't move fast enough. The zombie slammed its shoulder forward, shield-first, driving him across the hall. Each shove forced him back, step by step, toward Evelise's grand door.

"Come on, come on, I get it— you're built different!"

Sid grunted, trying to push back. His spear bent under the pressure, its shaft creaking. His HUD blinked red again—

[Stamina Critical]

He tried a last desperate shove, thrusting forward. The spear scraped across the guard's helmet, barely nicking it. The knight didn't even flinch. With one final push, the zombie slammed Sid hard against the door.

"Ugh—!"

His back hit the wood with a deep thud. The impact rattled the hallway, and for a second, Sid saw stars. He dropped his spear, gasping.

The knight stepped back, shield lowering as if sizing him up again. The air between them trembled with tension—metal creaking, flames flickering from the lanterns nearby. Sid spat blood to the side, forcing a grin through the pain.

"Heh… one-sided, huh? You're not even giving me the tutorial boss handicap."

He pushed himself up, grabbing the spear again. The HUD flickered faintly, as if struggling to keep up.

"No way. I'm not backing off. Not when her room's right behind me."

He steadied himself, knee trembling but spear ready. The knight raised its shield once more, silent and unrelenting. Both stood still for a heartbeat, the moonlight spilling through the cracked windows, then they charged again, steel against steel, the hallway roaring alive with another clash.

CLAAANG!

Sid's back slammed into the grand chamber doors again, the wood cracking from the repeated impact. His lungs burned. His right knee screamed. His stamina bar flashed a deep red in his vision, pulsing like a warning siren. The Knight Guard loomed over him, shield raised high and unmoving… unyielding even in death.

"Move— damn it, MOVE!"

Sid yelled, driving his spear upward. The strike connected but slid uselessly off the shield's curve. The zombie shoved him again, forcing him another step back. He could almost feel the doorknob press against his spine.

[Q: Block/Parry] [Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll]

His HUD screamed at him, but the prompts were useless. His knee wouldn't let him dodge, and his parries were mistimed every other swing.

"Come on! I'm one step from her room! Just let me through!"

He snarled, sweat running down his jaw. His spear cracked under another shield slam, splintering in half. The fragments scattered across the marble.

[Weapon Durability: 0%]

[Weapon Broken]

Sid threw the shaft aside, fury boiling over.

"Fine—Inventory: SWORD!"

A flash of blue light, and the sword appeared in his hands. He swung in wide arcs, sparks flying as the blade struck the shield again and again. The guard absorbed every hit like a wall of iron, retaliating with a crushing bash that sent Sid reeling.

[HP -10%]

"Inventory: AXE!"

He shouted. The sword vanished, replaced by the heavy weapon mid swing. He grunted, slamming it down hard. The blow connected, barely denting the shield but it was enough to make the knight stagger back half a step. Sid growled, pressing the attack.

"You like that?! Huh?! Try blocking THIS!"

The knight countered, twisting its shield to hook the axe's head. With one brutal wrench, it yanked the weapon out of Sid's grip and hurled it across the floor. The undead guard bashed forward, slamming its shield straight into his chest. Sid hit the wall again, coughing blood, his HUD flickering red.

[Stamina: Critical]

[HP: 48%]

Sid gritted his teeth, fury and exhaustion mixing in his voice.

"Inventory—Spear! No—SWORD! AXE! CROSSBOW!"

He kept shouting, weapons flashing in and out of existence as he tried everything in desperate rhythm. Each strike met the same unbreakable wall of steel. Sparks burst, blades dulled, arrows shattered.

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