Next afternoon.
Jax was changing batteries for Xiao Qi's doll—that girl had been adding parts to it nonstop lately. Doll was getting heavy as hell.
Knock on the door.
**Thump. Thump. Thump.**
Three times.
Heavy.
Jax looked up.
At the door stood a... knight?
Black full-plate armor. Dark red patterns all over. Helmet covered everything—only two eyes showed. Crimson red. Staring right at him.
He had a horse behind him.
No. Not a horse.
Mechanical warhorse. Black armor covering every inch. Eyes glowing red too.
**[Black Knight]**
**[Level]:** 67
**[Type]:** Death Knight
**[Danger Level]:** High
**[Bio]:** A Death Knight wandering The Underbelly. Former captain of a kingdom's knight order. After death, transformed into a fusion of machine and undead. Lethal combat power. Obsessed with challenging the strong. Craves power like a sickness.
Jax's hand went to his revolver.
Black Knight looked at him.
"You the mechanic?"
Voice low. Metallic. Shook in the air.
Jax didn't answer.
Black Knight stepped forward.
The human-skin lantern went crazy. Flame flickering hard.
**This visitor meant trouble.**
Jax's finger touched the trigger.
Black Knight stopped.
Looked at the revolver.
"That won't kill me."
Jax knew he was right.
Didn't lower it anyway.
Black Knight was quiet a few seconds.
Then reached into his armor. Pulled something out.
Money pouch.
Tossed it on the bench.
Clatter—
Black Skull Coins. All of them.
One Black Skull Coin was a thousand New Coins.
This pouch? At least twenty.
Jax looked at the pouch.
Black Knight spoke.
"I need a blade. One that cuts through monarch-level defenses."
Jax was quiet for two seconds.
"Month."
Black Knight shook his head.
"Three days."
Jax looked at him.
"Can't."
Black Knight stared back.
Crimson eyes burning in that helmet.
"You got two days left."
He turned. Mounted the mechanical warhorse.
Hooves clanged against iron plates. Sharp metal sound.
At the door, he looked back.
"Three days. I come collect. Not ready? You die."
Hoofbeats faded into the fog.
Jax stood there. Looked at the money.
Xiao Qi peeked out from the back.
"Uncle. That guy was scary."
Jax nodded.
"Yeah."
She blinked.
"Can you make that blade?"
Jax didn't answer.
Walked to the bench. Started sorting materials.
---
**[Chapter Fourteen · End]**
**[Ding! Quest triggered: The Black Knight's Commission. Objective: Forge a weapon capable of cutting through monarch-level defenses within three days. Rewards: Black Skull Coins ×20, Mechanical Forging EXP +500, Black Knight Favorability +20.** **]**
**[Ding! Quest Failure Penalty: Death.** **]**