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Chapter 81




Chapter 6: In the Name of Glory (17)
***
“”“What a ridiculous trick, you insolent fool!”“”
Though it was unclear what method he used, after Aldrich swiftly dealt with the undead that filled the square, the face of the necromancer, who had been expressionless throughout the battle, now brimmed with anger.
“”“How many did you send? Dozens? Hundreds? Fine, do as you please! The spirits bound here outnumber them by tens of times, so go ahead and play your ferryman until your soul is utterly drained!”“”
Rumble, rumble, rumble—
The ground began to shake once more as the necromancer chanted his spell. The professor, without a moment’s hesitation, was already in motion.
‘He must have already surpassed the population of a small village. This village is on the route from Pelas to Tovrun. That guy must have absorbed every refugee from Pelas he could get his hands on!’
At the moment Aldrich began his incantation, the professor instinctively sensed it. The driving force that animated the undead in the square, the souls bound within, had left. However, if the necromancer’s words were true, he still had more than enough souls to use, meaning that if they gave him time, the previous situation would repeat itself.
“Borka, can you break through that barrier just once?”
“...I’ll try, but the distance is too great to guarantee anything.”
Just as the werewolf and the professor were about to leap across the trembling ground,
“I’ll take care of that.”
Ottoman’s hands, which had been preparing a spell, finally began to form seals.
Snap, crack, pop!
In the silent square, where the undead’s gnashing and screams had vanished, the familiar sound of fingers snapping could be heard. The specialty of a water mage is the chaining of spells, so it was no surprise that Ottoman wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
While the professor and Borka hesitated, the necromancer’s face, which had momentarily twisted, now wore a smug smile.
“”“Foolish! You’ve lost your only chance with a moment’s hesitation! Come forth! Army of the dead! Rise! Despair woven together! [Undead Rise]! [Summon Patchwork Giant]!”“”
Squish, squish!
Just as Ottoman’s spell was about to be completed, the necromancer’s spell activated in an instant, and a massive amount of black ash seeped into the ground. Simultaneously, the ground began to tremble violently, making it almost impossible to stand. It was clear to anyone that something enormous was about to emerge.
“Ottoman!”
“Don’t worry, just watch.”
“But... if we give him more time, the opportunity Aldrich created will be lost!”
“No, that won’t happen.”
Looking at the ground, which was now almost swollen, Ottoman smiled smugly.
“Time... indeed, a mage’s danger is proportional to the time given to them.”
Crack, crack, crack—!
.
.
.
.
.
With Ottoman’s confident declaration, all the vibrations and noises suddenly ceased.
Thud, thud—
A single rotten arm emerged from the ground.
The arm, which had barely managed to come out, soon slipped back into the hole, powerless.
“”“...You... what have you done...!”“”
“Nothing much. You just gave me too much time.”
Groan, groan—
With the sound of something massive collapsing, the ground that had been swollen began to sink. Down, down, it crumbled completely, endlessly.
“Professor, have you heard the first law of magic?”
“To change the battlefield if you find yourself in one prepared by your opponent?”
“You know it well.”
Realizing what Ottoman had done, the professor couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“What an absurd...”
“Isn’t a mage supposed to do things beyond common sense?”
Snap!
Fifth Circle Water Mage Spell
“[Ottoman Baudelaire’s Sinkhole]”
Rumble!
Beneath the completely collapsed ground, a massive cavity had formed. At the very bottom of this empty space, illuminated by eerie white roots, countless undead were floundering in swirling water.
“I’m a research mage, so analyzing and understanding situations is a habit. I don’t know much about necromancy, but I realized that at least 90% of the undead he commands are bipedal, meaning they’re useless without a place to stand. The water we used at the entrance had seeped into the ground, so I started carving from the inside. Initially, I aimed to topple that monstrous tree... but it seems the power was insufficient.”
“So, you brought all that water from the entrance... here?”
“Hmm? Of course. Would a water mage in battle leave the water behind? I grabbed it all through the path of underground water. It took some time due to the necromancy-tainted earth...”
Ottoman smiled contentedly at the necromancer’s horribly twisted face.
“It seems to have worked well.”
“I agree. The enemy’s face of shock always signifies a successful operation.”
The professor could see the young boy’s face contorting, revealing the face of an elderly man.
***
“”“You insignificant worms... daring to interfere with my ceremony!”“”
In the square, now left with only the white tree and the sunken cavity, the necromancer’s voice, filled with rage, echoed. Though it seemed he was enraged, the professor could tell he was quite flustered. Indeed, the tide had now turned in their favor. Most of the undead that could protect him were now below, and a water mage and a necromancer of similar level were targeting him, with two warriors of considerable combat strength guarding them.
The fear of defeat was quietly growing in the necromancer’s mind,
“”“Impossible.”“”
He couldn’t bear it. It was already terrifying enough to be pushed this far by a mere puppet of necromancers, Mute, but to be defeated and killed by such amateurish heroes? Me?
“”“Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not! I will not lose! I, the grandmaster of curses and summoning! To mere worms like you!!”“”
Swoosh!
With the necromancer’s resolve, his fingernails grew sharply. He could do it. He wasn’t a trivial being to die in such a place! He was a being of a different quality from the souls he had burned for decades! He could do it! There was no way he would fail!
“”“Do you really think you can surpass me with such a petty trick! I will show you how arrogant that thought was!”“”
Riding the black ash, the necromancer flew to the top of the human-skin tree, plunged his ten fingers into his chest, and tore them open.
“”“Guh! See the pinnacle of great necromancy! The supreme realm that can never be reached by walking a path of hypocrisy!”“”
As the necromancer reached into his chest, spitting blood, branches made of human bones began to gather around him.
“”“When sins accumulate, they become karma, and accumulated karma becomes a scaffold to bear the life of the sinner!”“”
Crack!
Without a moment’s hesitation, the necromancer pulled out his heart from his split chest and held it high. Soon, the black ash scattered throughout the village began to gather in the square, rushing towards his heart.
A foreboding wind blew. Anyone could sense that something terrible was about to happen.
“Throw me! Before he completes his incantation!”
Sensing the ominous energy, Borka rushed to the professor, who was preparing to leap across the vast cavity. He looked extremely anxious.
“Throw you? Right into the middle of that?”
“No time! Before I lose more of my sanity, quickly!”
Only then did the professor notice Borka’s condition. His eyes were filled with black energy, and the silver fur that once held spiritual energy had turned dull and gray. The necromancer’s magic had already seeped into him to this extent.
“Just once! If I use all my strength, I can momentarily nullify his defenses.”
Borka said no more. With a growl, saliva dripped from his mouth.
Of course, the professor could guess what he was thinking.
The professor, without a word, clasped his hands together as if to throw a ball, and Borka’s bare feet were placed on them. The werewolf’s feet felt like fire against the professor’s hands, which had grown cold due to the necromancer’s magic.
“I’m counting on you to be tough. I’ll throw you with all my might.”
“Don’t be late, follow me.”
Boom!
The professor looked up at the necromancer. The air was so thick with the heart’s energy that it was hard to breathe.
‘We don’t have time. Whatever this is, if we let it complete, it won’t end with just a headache!’
“Huff!”
Boom!
The professor’s arms tensed.
“Put all your strength into your legs! Here we go!”
As soon as Borka was ready, the professor used all his strength to push Borka’s feet with his hands.
“Waaaaah!!!”
“Gaaaaah!!”
Borka, using the force to kick off, flew towards the necromancer like a bolt of lightning.
Thud, thud—
The heart, which had already absorbed all the black ash, had turned pitch black and was pulsating. The necromancer, whose eyes were losing their vitality, looked at it with satisfaction.
“”“I will accumulate sins. I will make a scaffold to bring down those hypocrites in heaven.”“”
Crack!
“Gaaaaah!”
In an instant, Borka’s claws, which had pierced through the wall of human bones surrounding the necromancer, cleanly severed his head and flew through the opposite wall. The professor, who was preparing to leap from a distance, and Aldrich, who was supporting Ottoman, all witnessed the scene. The severed head soared into the air, and the massive human-skin tree, which had been moving nonstop, finally stopped.
“Did we... succeed?”
The white wall that had surrounded the necromancer collapsed, and the small boy’s body, along with the black heart in his hand, began to fall. As the word ‘victory’ flashed through everyone’s minds,
“”“Last... spell...”“”
The necromancer’s head, still smiling, opened its mouth.
[Rise, Demonic One]
Crack!
“Gaaaaah!”
In an instant, a massive white arm emerged from the tree, grabbing the black heart. The energy from the pulsating black heart flowed through the arm and into the tree—
“Damn! The spell is complete!”
“”“KAAAAAAA!!!!!”“”
Aldrich’s scream-like cry echoed as the white demon, shedding its skin, began to stir.
***
It was a massive, bone-made demon.
Huge wings made of black ash.
Three heads resembling goat skulls.
In one hand, a black mace; in the other, a black chain.
With a single roar, it sent shockwaves that could blow off the roofs of houses, and it slowly turned its body towards the group.
“What... is that?”
“A demon. No, not a complete demon. He used both a demon summoning spell and a lich transformation spell. Using that white tree as his soul container, he summoned a demon and transferred his consciousness into its body before it could fully manifest.”
“So, that’s the necromancer?”
“Part of him. Even with the utmost effort, the success rate of a lich transformation spell is barely 60%. To attempt it during a battle, using another demon’s body as the vessel, and at only the Fifth Circle... He must have lost most of his soul, and his power is far from complete. You can see his body crumbling already. If we leave him, he’ll die on his own—.”
“”“KAAAA!!! DUUU! RAKA!!!!!”“”
Swoosh!
“Damn it!”
Crack!
The professor, who had just pulled the two mages out of the range of the black mace, frowned.
“...At least we’ve crossed the line of enmity.”
“Hmm. We don’t have time to wait for him to die.”
“What’s his weakness?”
Aldrich answered immediately, as if there was no need to think.
“Even though his form has changed, he’s still a necromancer. Find his soul container. Once you destroy it, the rest will just be a pile of oddly shaped bones.”
“Looks like we don’t need to search for it.”
Aldrich’s words made the professor’s eyes turn to the demon’s chest. The black heart, created by the necromancer in his final moments, was embedded in the demon’s chest, transmitting its power throughout the body.
No time to hold back. If the professor’s character were to die here, he would lose the chance to separate from Hyde forever.
“Just once! If I use all my strength, I can get to that heart in a few seconds.”
“Don’t be late, follow me.”
Boom!
The professor looked up at the necromancer. The air was so thick with the heart’s energy that it was hard to breathe.
‘We don’t have time. Whatever this is, if we let it complete, it won’t end with just a headache!’
“Huff!”
Boom!
The professor’s arms tensed.
“Put all your strength into your legs! Here we go!”
As soon as Borka was ready, the professor used all his strength to push Borka’s feet with his hands.
“Waaaaah!!!”
“Gaaaaah!!”
Borka, using the force to kick off, flew towards the necromancer like a bolt of lightning.
Thud, thud—
The heart, which had already absorbed all the black ash, had turned pitch black and was pulsating. The necromancer, whose eyes were losing their vitality, looked at it with satisfaction.
“”“I will accumulate sins. I will make a scaffold to bring down those hypocrites in heaven.”“”
Crack!
“Gaaaaah!”
In an instant, Borka’s claws, which had pierced through the wall of human bones surrounding the necromancer, cleanly severed his head and flew through the opposite wall. The professor, who was preparing to leap from a distance, and Aldrich, who was supporting Ottoman, all witnessed the scene. The severed head soared into the air, and the massive human-skin tree, which had been moving nonstop, finally stopped.
“Did we... succeed?”
The white wall that had surrounded the necromancer collapsed, and the small boy’s body, along with the black heart in his hand, began to fall. As the word ‘victory’ flashed through everyone’s minds,
“”“Last... spell...”“”
The necromancer’s head, still smiling, opened its mouth.
[Rise, Demonic One]
Crack!
“Gaaaaah!”
In an instant, a massive white arm emerged from the tree, grabbing the black heart. The energy from the pulsating black heart flowed through the arm and into the tree—
“Damn! The spell is complete!”
“”“KAAAAAAA!!!!!”“”
Aldrich’s scream-like cry echoed as the white demon, shedding its skin, began to stir.
***
It was a massive, bone-made demon.
Huge wings made of black ash.
Three heads resembling goat skulls.
In one hand, a black mace; in the other, a black chain.
With a single roar, it sent shockwaves that could blow off the roofs of houses, and it slowly turned its body towards the group.
“What... is that?”
“A demon. No, not a complete demon. He used both a demon summoning spell and a lich transformation spell. Using that white tree as his soul container, he summoned a demon and transferred his consciousness into its body before it could fully manifest.”
“So, that’s the necromancer?”
“Part of him. Even with the utmost effort, the success rate of a lich transformation spell is barely 60%. To attempt it during a battle, using another demon’s body as the vessel, and at only the Fifth Circle... He must have lost most of his soul, and his power is far from complete. You can see his body crumbling already. If we leave him, he’ll die on his own—.”
“”“KAAAA!!! DUUU! RAKA!!!!!”“”
Swoosh!
“Damn it!”
Crack!
The professor, who had just pulled the two mages out of the range of the black mace, frowned.
“...At least we’ve crossed the line of enmity.”
“Hmm. We don’t have time to wait for him to die.”
“What’s his weakness?”
Aldrich answered immediately, as if there was no need to think.
“Even though his form has changed, he’s still a necromancer. Find his soul container. Once you destroy it, the rest will just be a pile of oddly shaped bones.”
“Looks like we don’t need to search for it.”
Aldrich’s words made the professor’s eyes turn to the demon’s chest. The black heart, created by the necromancer in his final moments, was embedded in the demon’s chest, transmitting its power throughout the body.
No time to hold back. If the professor’s character were to die here, he would lose the chance to separate from Hyde forever.
“Just once! If I use all my strength, I can get to that heart in a few seconds.”
“Don’t be late, follow me.”
Boom!
The professor looked up at the demon. The air was so thick with the heart’s energy that it was hard to breathe.
‘We don’t have time. Whatever this is, if we let it complete, it won’t end with just a headache!’
“Huff!”
Boom!
The professor’s arms tensed.
“Put all your strength into your legs! Here we go!”
As soon as Borka was ready, the professor used all his strength to push Borka’s feet with his hands.
“Waaaaah!!!”
“Gaaaaah!!”
Borka, using the force to kick off, flew towards the demon like a bolt of lightning.
Thud, thud—
The heart, which had already absorbed all the black ash, had