Chapter 66: More Graves to Dig
Few had ever been to the Shadowblight, but its infamy was widespread across the continent. It was even used by parents to scare their children: “If you don’t go to sleep, the black mages will take you to the Shadowblight!”
The Shadowblight wasn’t always called that. An eon ago, roughly thirteen hundred years in the past, it was known as the continent of Caladi.
Continent was a generous term, as its size was closer to a large island, about a third the size of the Western Empire, roughly two million square kilometers. It was nominally under the rule of the Mynian Empire, but in reality, the Empire had no control over it. Located northeast of the Haitville continent, it was a cold and sparsely populated land, but rich in magic crystal deposits, making it a favorite destination for mages.
Mages and wealthy merchants often sailed to Caladi with their retinues, mined vast quantities of magic crystals, and returned laden with riches. Upon their return, they paid thirty percent in taxes to the Empire, processed the remaining crystals, sold them, and made a fortune.
Then, one day, without warning, a black rift appeared in the sky above Caladi. Before the inhabitants could even comprehend what it was, monstrous creatures poured out of it.
They were creatures of all shapes and sizes: buffalo with bat wings, giant black stick insects, colossal flying moles… They oozed a foul black sludge, contaminating the soil wherever they went. And worse, they attacked humans indiscriminately. They didn’t feed on humans, they simply killed them, tore them apart, and piled their bodies together.
Within a week, these creatures had overrun Caladi. The few survivors escaped by boat to Haitville, reporting the disaster to the Empire and the Church.
The Empire and the Church joined forces. The Empire dispatched an elite army, and the Church assembled a team of seasoned Holy Knights and high-ranking priests, all heading towards the monster-infested Caladi.
A month passed, and no one returned.
Finally, a message from a Church priest arrived via Divine Arts: a dimensional rift had opened on Caladi, releasing monsters from another world. They were powerful, capable of reproduction, and the land they contaminated had mutated, providing them with sustenance. These monsters had established a self-sustaining ecosystem with a complete food chain. The magic crystals and natural resources of Caladi were completely contaminated, rendered worthless.
With heavy hearts, the Empire abandoned the island. The contaminated magic crystals were useless, and Caladi, once a valuable source of crystals, had become a wasteland.
Some still ventured there, hoping to find something of value, but those who ventured too deep never returned. Only a few exceptionally powerful individuals managed to bring back investigative reports. As for treasures? Sadly, the contaminated magic crystals shattered upon contact with mana, rendering them useless.
Due to the corrosive and assimilating nature of the black sludge oozing from the monsters, people renamed Caladi the Shadowblight, and the creatures became known as Shadow Demons.
Leona, who loved legends and knightly tales, had heard countless stories about this place. She could understand powerful individuals venturing there, but the idea of an organization establishing their headquarters in such a place was absurd.
“Are you serious?” Leona asked, looking at Abyss skeptically. “Don’t tease me just because you think I’m stupid. I’m two years older than you, you know.”
“Of course I’m serious. The dirt on his feet is the contaminated soil unique to the Shadowblight,” Abyss shrugged. “Think about it, it makes sense. The Council of the Dead has been searching for a safe haven, and the Church’s influence extends across the continent. The only place they can’t reach is the Shadowblight. After gaining power from the Outer God, it’s highly likely they chose to relocate to a more hidden location.”
“Ugh… Those guys are hardcore,” Leona said, shuddering. “The thought of falling asleep to the roars of monsters every night, constantly smelling that contaminated stench… I can’t even imagine it. How can those necromancers stand it?”
“You won’t find another necromancer with a sense of smell as sensitive as mine in ten thousand,” Abyss pointed out. “Necromancers deal with embalming fluids, magical ingredients, and rotting corpses all day. Most of them have a dulled sense of smell.”
“That’s true. After all, they’re a bunch of weirdos. Such a harsh environment wouldn’t bother them,” Leona nodded in agreement.
“I feel a bit offended,” Abyss said, scratching his head.
“Abyss, are we going to the Shadowblight next?” Flora asked, her voice laced with anxiety. It wasn’t about their strength. According to the investigative reports, the monsters were grotesque and repulsive in both appearance and behavior. No girl with a normal sense of aesthetics would want to deal with those creatures from another world.
Abyss shook his head. “No, our next task is to dig up the other three geniuses.”
“Whose graves are you planning to rob this time?” Leona asked, rolling her eyes.
“A genius alchemist and mechanic, buried in the Eastern Empire; a genius druid, buried in the Elven Kingdoms; and a genius dark elf assassin, most likely buried somewhere in the southern part of the continent, based on the clues we have so far,” Abyss said. “Their strength is on par with yours. I need their power to have a chance against more Outer Gods.”
“Tsk… If you love digging graves so much, why don’t you just buy a cemetery?” Leona said, a hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Oh, cemeteries need to be bought too. I suddenly have a money-making idea,” Abyss said, seemingly inspired by Leona’s words. He clapped his hands. “I can’t have you all wandering around with me forever. So, I’m planning to buy a respectable and impressive cemetery for you to live in. And I’ll build a respectable and impressive portal. When I need your help, you can simply step through the portal and be by my side.”
“I’m not living in a cemetery!” Leona immediately protested. “I’m a princess! I want to live in a spacious palace!”
“Of course there will be a palace. I’ll build one for you, just like the Western Empire’s Imperial Palace, okay?” Abyss said, spreading his hands. “I can summon countless undead to help us build it.”
“Really? As grand as the Imperial Palace?” Leona asked skeptically.
“Of course, but it’ll be upside down. The Imperial Palace is above ground, ours will be underground.”
“…So it’s just a giant tomb!”
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