Category: This Necromancer Wants to Capture the Hearts of Deceased Beautiful Girls

Chapter 100: Lend Me Your Thigh for a Pillow

They observed the dreams of everyone in the camp. Without exception, everyone was running from something in their nightmares. Some tried to fight back, but their attacks were ineffective. The dream monsters wouldn’t stop, not even for a moment. Abyss also noticed that these nightmares were cyclical. The dreamers would inevitably be caught by the monster, and upon their dream-death, the nightmare would reset, the dreamers unaware of the repetition.

Flora was worried that the injuries sustained in these dreams might manifest in their physical bodies, as Givia had experienced, but it didn’t seem to be the case. Although most soldiers had died multiple times in their dreams, none had suffered any physical harm.

Perhaps the Outer God’s power affecting Givia was stronger, capable of inflicting real-world damage. After all, she was their primary target.

“So, we’ve identified the enemy’s surveillance method. A nightmare-manipulating Outer God. Quite interesting,” Abyss said, nodding with a smile. “Now, we need to find a way to stop them from spying on us. Otherwise, we might wake up to another group of assassins tomorrow.”

Abyss wasn’t afraid of assassins, but since these assassins weren’t human, nor did they resemble any known life forms on the continent, he didn’t feel the need to deal with them personally.

He was the most powerful necromancer on the continent, accompanied by the strongest Divine Arts user and Dou Warrior. It would be beneath him to deal with some unknown, gooey puppets sent by the enemy.

It was more elegant and efficient to eliminate the enemy’s scouts, blinding them.

“Should I cast a Divine Art to eliminate their fatigue, so they don’t need to sleep?” Flora suggested. As a benevolent Divine Arts user, her first instinct was to help people. Fatigue removal was a basic Divine Art. If Flora cast it with full power, she could prevent everyone within a radius of several hundred kilometers from feeling tired for days.

“Should I knock them all unconscious? They can’t dream if they’re unconscious,” Leona said, raising her fist. “Then Flora can heal them in the morning, leaving no trace.”

“Well… I have an idea,” Abyss said, thinking, then slowly revealed his plan. “One of you, lend me your thigh. I need to take a nap—I tend to fall asleep faster with a pillow.”

Leona and Flora were stunned, then realized what he meant.

He planned to enter the dream realm himself. Since the enemy was unaware of his existence, unaware that he was a madman collecting Outer Gods, their nightmare manipulation would likely affect him as well. This would allow him to find a way to counter their surveillance from within the dream realm.

“That’s… I don’t think it’s safe…” Flora said, frowning, reluctant to let Abyss take such a risk for a few assassins.

Although Abyss had successfully captured an Outer God, it didn’t mean Outer Gods were weak. He had exploited the rank disparity within his follower’s dream realm. But within his own dream, he wouldn’t have that advantage. It would be safer for her or Leona to sleep, allowing Abyss to enter their dreams.

“Yeah, I can take a nap, and you can enter my dream,” Leona agreed with Flora.

“Don’t worry, I’m doing this because I know it’s safe,” Abyss said with a smile. “I can exploit the enemy’s ignorance of my existence, pretend to be an ordinary person. I’ll deal with the monster in the dream realm. If I can’t find a way to counter their surveillance, I’ll just wake up normally in the morning. But if you two enter the dream realm, it might backfire.”

“Why?” Leona asked, feeling slightly offended, but still curious.

“Because the enemy will notice your unusual nature,” Abyss said, patting Leona’s head. “Flora is a Divine Arts user blessed by the gods, her very being imbued with divine power. This is common knowledge. And Leona, you just subdued a genuine Outer God. He’s probably still munching on soul chips in your mental world. If you two enter the dream realm, I’m worried it’ll alert the enemy.”

They understood. Abyss wasn’t doubting their abilities, but he was concerned that their connection to the gods might alert the Outer God manipulating the nightmares.

They didn’t know the enemy’s intelligence level or the full extent of their powers, so it was best to be cautious.

“Fine, I’ll let you use my thigh as a pillow,” Leona said, her voice begrudging, before Flora could speak.

Abyss scratched his head. “I was just being playful. If you’re uncomfortable, it’s fine. I can sleep on the ground. It’s just a bit less comfortable…”

“Just lie down!” Leona said, glaring at him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Abyss said, lying down obediently, resting his head on Leona’s thigh.

He had to admit, Leona’s thighs, as expected from a Dou Warrior known for her physical prowess, were incredibly firm and bouncy, yet not as hard as those of muscle-bound warriors. They were the perfect pillow. Her faint floral and fruity scent soothed his senses. He closed his eyes, his breathing becoming steady.

“ABC, wait, don’t sleep yet, wake up.”

Leona’s voice startled him awake. He felt a light tap on his face.

He opened his eyes, looking up at Leona’s face. With no other body parts obstructing his view, he had a clear view of her smooth chin.

“What’s wrong, Leona?” he asked, sitting up.

Leona sighed and looked down at him, gesturing towards Flora. “Flora says you can’t sleep yet. There’s something more important you need to do.”

Abyss was puzzled, but he remained patient. If Flora considered it important, it must be, otherwise, she would have supported his plan.

“What is it, Flora?” he asked, smiling.

Flora seemed hesitant. “Abyss, I hope you won’t be disgusted by what I’m about to show you…”

“How could I ever be disgusted by you? You’re my dearest Flora,” Abyss said, smiling reassuringly. “Just tell me what’s wrong. I’ll help you.”

Flora, seemingly determined, began unbuttoning her robe, revealing her collarbone. She then started to unfasten her undergarments…

Chapter 99: Givia’s Dream

“Wow… That dream was terrifying. Nothing’s more disturbing than seeing your best friend turn into a monster,” Leona said, shuddering. She had to admit, the entity manipulating these nightmares, or the person using its power, was truly evil.

“I’ve seen that bearded man before…” Flora said softly. “After the battle, I helped treat the wounded and saw those who died. That man, Burke, was killed by a dwarf crossbow bolt. Their bolts are thick, and it completely shattered his heart. He was strong, he even struggled for a while after his heart was destroyed, but he eventually succumbed.”

“And his friend, Finch, witnessed his death, leaving a deep scar on his mind. That’s why he dreamed about it,” Abyss said, nodding slightly. “It seems these nightmares aren’t completely fabricated. They’re based on real memories, amplified and twisted by negative emotions. Perhaps that’s how it works…”

“Let’s check someone else’s dream and see,” Leona suggested. Although she found the soldier’s dream disturbing, she was merely a spectator. Being invincible had made her immune to fear, even fear of monsters.

“Yes, you’re right. Flora, please,” Abyss said.

“Alright.”

Flora refocused her attention, shifting her target to another sleeping soldier.

This soldier was also having a nightmare, but a different one. He was being chased by a group of children, their clothes ragged and dirty, their small, grimy hands reaching out for food. The soldier clutched his rations tightly, running through the camp, refusing to share.

As the children pursued him, they became increasingly grotesque and terrifying. Their thin, skeletal arms elongated, their fingers growing sharp and curved like hooks. Filthy, brownish-yellow mud oozed from their joints and orifices, a repulsive sight.

“This time, it’s children chasing him? They seem to be begging for food… Tsk… Still creepy. Imagine cute little kids suddenly turning into long-armed monsters. The contrast… Ugh,” Leona said, reviewing the dream like a movie critic.

“It’s probably based on a memory, and definitely not a pleasant one,” Abyss said, nodding.

Flora switched between several targets, and all of them were having nightmares. Leona listened intently, trying to hear any sounds from the other tents. The soldiers remained quiet, even while running in their dreams, so the guards outside remained unaware.

“I suspect they won’t remember these dreams tomorrow. That’s how the enemy is tracking our location without anyone realizing it,” Abyss said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “You must have noticed that no matter what monster they’re running from, they always start from this camp. Their movements have covered the entire surrounding area. If the enemy has a map, they can easily pinpoint our location… And you said we’ve been traveling for two days. They can use our previous locations to predict our next move and intercept us.”

“I see, that’s a clever tactic,” Leona said, smugly, as if she had personally foiled the enemy’s plan.

Flora sighed. She had seen so many nightmares. Although she wasn’t afraid, she felt a sense of unease. Staring at grotesque and monstrous creatures for prolonged periods would disturb anyone.

Abyss, sitting cross-legged, seemingly unfazed, suddenly suggested, “By the way, there’s that princess we met, the one I indirectly helped before. If she’s also plagued by nightmares, shouldn’t we check on her?”

“Right… She said she could sleep peacefully for an hour after wearing Flora’s pendant, then the nightmares would return. It should be time for her nightmares now. Let’s take a look. She remembers her dreams, so they’re probably more intense than those of ordinary soldiers,” Leona said, agreeing with Abyss’s suggestion.

Flora didn’t hesitate, switching her target to the sleeping Princess Givia.

…

As soon as she entered Givia’s dream, a wave of heat washed over them, distorting the air.

Abyss activated the shared thermal sensation between them, and he and Leona instantly felt the scorching heat of Givia’s dream.

This wasn’t the camp. The sky was red, the ground black and cracked. The air was as hot as a volcano, still and suffocating. In this desolate landscape, Princess Givia was running from a monstrous creature.

Calling it a creature was a stretch. It was more like a gelatinous blob of multicolored mud, constantly changing shape, oozing forward like an amoeba. It extended several pulsating tendrils towards Givia, attempting to touch her. It was five or six meters tall, its writhing appendages exuding a sense of overwhelming dread.

Givia seemed familiar with the creature, her movements not panicked, but the dream’s third-person perspective allowed Abyss and his companions to see the fear in her eyes.

Even though she had grown accustomed to the creature’s presence, she couldn’t shake her fear.

“Aah—Aah—”

The creature shrieked, its voice emanating from an unknown source. It wasn’t the roar of a monstrous beast, but more like the scream of a young woman, conveying unimaginable pain and anguish.

Hearing the scream, Givia quickened her pace.

The creature pursued relentlessly, and Givia continued running. The landscape was barren, offering no shelter. Her only option was to keep running until she woke up.

Even as spectators, the trio felt the crushing despair.

“It’s amazing she managed to endure this and still function effectively as a leader,” Leona said, genuinely impressed by Givia’s resilience.

Chapter 98: Perhaps Everyone Is a Traitor

This time, Leona was smarter.

That cunning Abyss always paused mid-sentence, waiting for Leona to express her surprise before delivering the rest, just to embarrass her. This time, she wouldn’t fall for it.

She stared at Abyss, her guard up, her rarely used brain working overtime.

Everyone is a traitor? Connecting this to the enemy’s nightmare manipulation ability, a possibility dawned on her.

“Are you saying this enemy might be using the dreams of everyone sleeping in this camp to determine our location?” Leona asked, snapping her fingers.

Abyss looked at her with a hint of admiration. “You actually thought before reacting with shock. Impressive progress.”

“Damn necromancer, you want to die?” Leona threatened, raising her fist.

Abyss quickly shielded his head with his arms.

Flora also gasped in realization. “Ah, I didn’t think of that at first. Leona’s right. If the assassin can manipulate nightmares, he might be able to influence and sense the dreams of the sleeping soldiers in this camp, using their combined perceptions to pinpoint our location…”

“Exactly. You two are really in sync with me,” Abyss said with a smile. “Flora is probably better suited for the next step. Divine Arts are gentler than my magic.”

“Leave it to me,” Flora said, readily accepting the task.

Peeking into dreams was possible with both magic and Divine Arts, but their approaches differed. Magic required influencing a person’s mind first, then using specific mechanisms to project their dreams for observation. Divine Arts, as a higher-ranked power, bypassed these complexities. It could directly project a person’s dream into the user’s mind without affecting the target’s body or mind, making it a more efficient and less intrusive method. This was why Abyss chose Flora for this task.

Flora chanted softly, a gentle light flickering on her forehead. Using Divine Arts as a conduit, she established a connection with everyone asleep in the camp. With a mere thought, she could access their dreams.

“How can I show you these dreams? Do you need to cast a spell on me, Abyss?” Flora asked.

Abyss shook his head. “No need for a spell. You and Leona both have my necromantic link. I can use its functions to connect our perceptions… Like this.”

Leona, who had been watching with amusement, suddenly felt her vision expand. She could see the inside of the tent from three different perspectives simultaneously.

“Huh? Huh? Why do I have three pairs of eyes? No, wait, am I sharing your vision?”

“That’s right. The necromantic link is a wondrous thing, with countless functions. Only your imagination limits its possibilities. It’s a necromancer’s bread and butter,” Abyss said with a smile. “If you want, I can share other senses with you, like touch or smell.”

Leona blushed, seemingly thinking about something inappropriate. Fortunately, Abyss wasn’t sharing their thoughts, unaware of what was going on in the mind of this surprisingly mature yet short woman.

After a brief adjustment, Flora adapted to the shared vision. With a thought, she activated the Divine Arts’ detection mechanism.

…

She entered the dream of a soldier.

In the dream, the soldier was in the camp, gnawing on a piece of stale bread. A pot of unappetizing jerky simmered nearby. Despite the meager and unappealing meal, he ate with gusto.

“Hey, Finch, give me a bite of your bread. I ran out of rations,” a bearded man suddenly appeared beside him, smiling and extending his hand.

“Haha, Burke, you’re always so hungry,” the soldier said, chuckling and breaking off a piece of his bread, offering it to the bearded man.

Burke took the bread and munched on it contentedly, smiling at the soldier.

“Finch, I miss home. When the war is over and we help the princess reclaim our country, let’s go back to our village. You have to marry your sister to me. There’s no man in the village who loves her more than I do.”

“Hmph, if you truly love her, would you dare to perform the ‘Hero’s Trial’ for her?”

“Just killing a bear, two wild boars, and three wolves,” Burke said smiling. “I’m a fifth-tier Dou Warrior. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

“You always exaggerate. There aren’t that many wild beasts near our village. Where are you going to find them, you fool?”

“…Say, Finch.”

“Hmm?”

“My chest hurts. Can you take a look?”

“Your chest hurts? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know… It really hurts. It feels like something’s inside, tearing at my heart… I’ve never felt such pain…”

Burke’s expression contorted in agony. Finch, concerned, looked at his friend’s chest.

There was a large hole where his heart should be, revealing the scenery behind him.

“Finch, what’s wrong with me? Why does it hurt so much…?” Burke asked, his eyes wide with fear, a trail of dark red blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse.

“You… You’re not Burke… Stay away from me!” Finch stumbled backward, terrified.

“What’s wrong, Finch? It’s me, Burke… Why are you running away? Don’t you want to marry your sister to me anymore? It hurts so much… I feel so terrible… Finch… Help me…”

Burke’s voice grew louder, becoming a piercing shriek. His body began to transform, his human form swelling, twisting, and then rotting. Black goo oozed from the wounds on his body. Within moments, the once-jovial, bearded Burke had transformed into a grotesque, bloated, hairy monstrosity, writhing towards Finch.

“Finch… Finch… Don’t leave me… It hurts so much… It hurts so much…”

“Stay away from me! You’re not Burke! Get away from me! Monster! Monster!”

Finch ran for his life, his heart filled with terror.

Chapter 97: Is There a Traitor Among Us?

Abyss smiled, shaking the bottle in his hand. “Flora, do me a favor and block any sound from leaving the tent.”

“You’re actually going to taste it?! That’s disgusting! Just the smell alone is enough to make me puke my guts out!” Leona exclaimed, her face contorted in disgust. “I’m telling you, if you taste that thing, I’m going to call you the ‘Poop Necromancer’ from now on!”

Flora obediently cast a silencing spell within the tent. Now, even if Abyss banged drums and clanged cymbals, no one outside would hear a thing.

Abyss looked at Leona, puzzled. “Of course I’m not going to taste it myself. I have a knowledgeable friend I want you to meet. Come out, Glutton.”

He rubbed one of his rings, and a wisp of green smoke emerged, swirling and coalescing on the ground, forming a quadrupedal creature.

The smoke solidified, changing color, and a grotesque creature, dressed in surprisingly well-fitting clothes, stood before them.

“Master called Glutton?” the creature asked in a raspy voice, its large, fanged mouth opening wide.

“Yes, Glutton. I have a bottle of gel made from a corpse. Are you interested in trying it?” Abyss asked, holding up the potion bottle.

The creature’s eyes lit up at the sight of food. “Of course! Glutton eats everything, loves everything! Can eat, can help master, very happy!”

Leona’s jaw dropped. The ugly creature, eagerly awaiting Abyss to open the bottle, was a ghoul.

Ghouls were known for their insatiable appetites. Legend had it that their ancestors were sprites who had transformed after consuming too much carrion. These creatures were nocturnal, lurking in graveyards, devouring corpses, coffins, even tombstones. Their bodies were filthy and putrid, making them repulsive to most. Most importantly, ghouls were believed to be mindless, mere scavengers devolved from lower-ranking intelligent races.

But the ghoul before them was different. It not only spoke fluent Common Tongue but also wore clean clothes and didn’t reek of decay. Although its face was as hideous as any other ghoul’s, its shifty eyes hinted at intelligence.

What was going on?

“This is Glutton. I met him during my travels with my master. We found him in a tomb, digging up a grave robber’s corpse to eat. Instead of attacking us to protect his meal, he offered to trade a piece of rotten flesh for the spices I was carrying,” Abyss explained with a smile. “My master and I found him quite interesting, so I took him in. Later, I developed a spell to enhance the intelligence of lower-ranking creatures and tested it on him. It worked. That’s how I discovered he was a special ghoul. He travels the world, seeking to taste everything, from delicacies to garbage. He’s tried it all.”

“Taste everything in the world?” Leona said, impressed. “I want to eat everything in the world too, but only the delicious stuff.”

“Glutton loves everything,” Glutton said, opening his mouth wide, waiting for Abyss to pour the black goo into it.

Abyss obliged, tipping the bottle towards the ghoul’s fanged maw. The goo flowed slowly, disappearing into Glutton’s stomach.

“Have you tasted this before?” Abyss asked.

The knowledgeable ghoul savored the taste for a moment, then shook his head. “Glutton never tasted. New food.”

“Ah… I see,” Abyss said, slightly disappointed. “Thank you for your help.”

“Never tasted. New food. Contains old food,” Glutton suddenly added. “Black gooey made of many old foods.”

All three were intrigued. It seemed the ghoul had not only consumed the foul-smelling goo without hesitation but had also identified its components.

“What’s in it? Tell us,” Abyss asked eagerly.

Glutton thought for a moment, using his enhanced intelligence. “Black gooey has human blood, cow blood, pig fat, and apple. Mostly apple, but apple not fresh, rotten.”

“Apple?” Abyss’s interest intensified. “This goo contains apple? And a significant amount?”

“Could that half-headed mage have been created through magic?” Flora asked. She wasn’t well-versed in magic, especially black magic. “Were apples used as ingredients to create him…?”

“This is strange,” Leona said, scratching her head. “Why would such a disgusting creature be associated with apples? I love apples. Baked apples with nuts and caramel are one of my favorite desserts… Ah, I shouldn’t think about food right now.”

“Thank you, Glutton. I’ll treat you to something new and exciting next time. You can go back now,” Abyss said to the ghoul with a smile.

“Helped master, Glutton very happy,” the ghoul said, transforming back into green smoke and disappearing into Abyss’s ring.

“It seems our current lead has gone cold. Let’s set it aside for now. I think we should investigate that nightmare-manipulating Outer God from other angles. We might find a connection to this goo later,” Abyss said, nodding, not showing any frustration.

“There’s another issue. The ambush we encountered. We believe there’s a traitor among Givia’s guards,” Flora said. “But we haven’t figured out a way to identify them without alerting them. And I’m worried that using my Divine Arts to erase memories might expose Givia to further danger.”

Abyss nodded. “If the enemy could set up an ambush in that valley you described, someone must have leaked our itinerary.”

“Do you have a way to make them confess without realizing it?” Leona asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “If you need help catching them, I wouldn’t mind lending a hand.”

“No, I don’t plan to make them confess,” Abyss said with a smile. “I’ve considered a possibility. The traitor might not be a single individual with malicious intent. It might be everyone in the caravan.”

Chapter 96: Information Exchange After Awakening

Abyss opened his eyes to find a pair of golden and emerald eyes staring at him from close range, his breath warm on their faces.

“Ah!” Leona was the first to react, startled by his sudden awakening. She scrambled backward.

Flora, a bit slower, stared at Abyss’s face, taking a moment to confirm he was truly awake before moving her head away.

“You’re awake?” she said, sighing in relief, her hand on her chest. “Leona and I saw your eyes glowing. We didn’t know what was happening. My Divine Arts failed to reach you. Are you alright?”

“Do you still remember who we are?” Leona asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Abyss stretched comfortably, yawned, and finally turned his gaze towards them. He wanted to sit up, but his body, after days of lying down, felt pleasantly languid. He abandoned the idea and asked with a smile, “You thought something was wrong? I’m perfectly fine. My soul is fully restored.”

“Then why were your eyes glowing?” Leona asked, her curiosity piqued. “Do you know how creepy it was to see your eyes glowing in the middle of the night?”

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Abyss apologized. “Here’s what happened, and I think Flora will find this particularly interesting. My soul was summoned to the Divine Realm. We had a friendly chat, and they decided to send me back to you.”

“Ah… The Divine Realm,” Flora said, understanding dawning on her. “So the gods have been watching us?”

“That’s right,” Abyss nodded. “But don’t worry, they don’t mind your lack of reverence.”

“Did they try to force you to do something?” Leona asked. Although she wasn’t the most perceptive, her intuition was sharp. She realized the gods wouldn’t summon Abyss just for a casual chat. They must have had a reason, and it probably wasn’t a request—they were gods, after all, and gods didn’t usually care about mortal feelings.

“Not exactly force me to do something, but they wanted to bind me with a chain, so they could monitor my actions. If I ever did anything that threatened the balance of life and death, they could just yank my soul back to the Divine Realm, preventing me from causing any more trouble,” Abyss said casually, seemingly unconcerned about the gods’ intentions.

After all, he had outmaneuvered them and successfully avoided being shackled.

“Did you obey them?” Leona asked, worried. “Or did you fight them and beat them up?”

“Of course not. I wouldn’t dare fight gods. I wouldn’t stand a chance,” Abyss shrugged. “I just made their attempt to bind me fail. They wanted to shackle my soul, but my soul isn’t complete. They couldn’t lock onto the entire thing, so they failed. Oh, and the way I did it was by hiding the piece I tore off within your soul. I suspected the gods wouldn’t ignore us, so I took precautions. They fell for it.”

Leona was initially pleased that Abyss had outsmarted the gods, but his mention of hiding his soul fragment within hers made her blush.

“You… You put your soul inside mine? Why?! Even if you’re inside me, I won’t be conquered!”

Abyss thought for a moment, not understanding her reaction. “Soul matters are complex. Explaining it would take a long time. Just know that it’s neither beneficial nor harmful to you.”

“Then… Will I dream about you often?” Leona pressed, her face still flushed. She had initially moved away from him, but now she was back, staring intently at his face.

“Well… I don’t know. I’ve never tried this before,” Abyss said, scratching his head. “Besides, you don’t need to sleep.”

“Leona, we’re undead,” Flora reminded her, turning to face her.

“I know… It’s just…” Leona mumbled, blushing even harder, suddenly annoyed for reasons she couldn’t explain.

“Speaking of sleep, Abyss, we encountered a new Outer God while you were asleep,” Flora said, trying to calm Leona down, then addressed Abyss.

Abyss’s eyes lit up, and he sat up, looking at Flora with interest.

“Tell me everything! What’s this Outer God doing?”

“Well, I’ll start from the beginning…”

…

By the time Leona had calmed down and proudly retrieved a small potion bottle from her belt pouch, Abyss had heard everything that happened while he was asleep. He was pleased with Helen’s progress in Golden Griffin City, delighted to encounter Princess Givia, whom he had indirectly helped before, and even more excited to learn about a new Outer God and the elimination of a suspected servant.

“You’re amazing, Leona! You did so well!” Abyss praised sincerely. “I knew I could count on you!”

“Hmph, of course. Who do you think I am?” Leona beamed, her previous annoyance forgotten. She placed the potion bottle containing the black goo in Abyss’s hand, waiting for his reaction.

“Hmm… This… It’s similar to a magical gel…” Abyss said, swirling the bottle, observing the goo’s properties. “But it’s too viscous, and the energy within it is inert. I don’t sense any interaction with the surrounding magic…”

“You haven’t seen this before?” Leona asked.

“I might have… But I’m not sure…” Abyss looked up. “We’ll know for sure if I taste it.”

“Are you insane?!”

Chapter 95: I Hate This

“My chains failed to bind you. Is your soul incomplete?” the Goddess of Magic asked, her voice betraying no emotion. “But we summoned you after you had fully recovered your soul through sleep, and currently, your soul appears to be perfectly intact. I’m curious… What have you done to your soul?”

Abyss’s soul did appear whole. The piece he had torn from his face to feed the Lord of Submergence had fully regenerated. His soul form, like his physical body, had a smooth, pale face.

He smiled and spread his arms, inviting the Goddess of Magic to examine him.

“…I see. You didn’t allow your soul to heal naturally. You replaced the missing fragment with an artificially crafted soul,” the Goddess of Magic said, quickly discerning his thoughts. “This artificial soul is remarkably intricate, which explains why it took you some time to create. It allows your soul to function as before, but it’s like a prosthesis, not truly a part of you.”

Abyss nodded.

“Replacing a part of your soul with a fabricated construct… Truly remarkable. You are a genius. No one has ever attempted this before,” the Goddess of Magic said, nodding slightly.

“Indeed, Goddess of Magic. I hope you will reconsider your decision to monitor me. I dislike being watched. It might not harm me directly, but I hate the feeling of being controlled,” Abyss said, his tone sincere, devoid of arrogance, yet his words were audacious in their defiance.

A mere mortal, expressing his “hate” to a god? If the Church heard this, they would try to kick him for his insolence. Gods didn’t require the opinions of mortals, and mortals were not to defy divine will. This wasn’t about respect for elders or superiors, but about the inherent hierarchy of rank. Before the absolute power of gods, mortals had no right to refuse their commands!

Even though Abyss had challenged and defeated an Outer God, he was still mortal. And he was currently in soul form, within the Divine Realm, the gods’ domain!

Magic was a naturally occurring force in the Haitville world. The Goddess of Magic wasn’t its creator, but its absolute administrator. With a mere thought, she could strip Abyss of his control over magic, turning him into a frail, ordinary boy. Flora and Leona would also perish, as their existence depended on his necromancy.

Yet, Abyss dared to defy her!

“You know I can recall the soul fragment you intentionally separated,” the Goddess of Magic said, her voice calm, but her words carried a subtle threat. “Leona’s dream realm is outside our observation. I don’t know the specifics of your actions, but I know your soul fragment must be hidden somewhere to allow for its automatic growth to meet the Lord of Submergence’s needs. If we search for it, it will be found.”

“I know you can’t recall it,” Abyss said, sitting down casually on the ground. “I did store my soul fragment somewhere, but it’s a place you can never reach. Yes, don’t look at me like that. I hid it within Leona’s soul. And Leona’s soul possesses the power of the Creator God…”

“…Whose rank surpasses ours,” the Goddess of Magic finished his sentence.

“Exactly. I’ve done my homework on this rank business,” Abyss said, nodding smugly. “I’m betting you can’t interfere with Leona’s soul. She’s mortal, yes, but the Creator God’s power within her is genuine.”

“Do you realize how reckless your actions are?” the Goddess of Magic asked. “Do you understand that if Leona is ever severely injured, you will not only suffer the backlash from the necromantic link but also endure grievous damage to your soul? This is not an exaggeration. Your enemies are Outer Gods. They can easily achieve this.”

“I trust Leona’s strength, and I will do everything in my power to protect her. That’s enough,” Abyss said, meeting the Goddess of Magic’s gaze.

“You are defying the will of the gods. I can strip you of your control over magic right now and make you pay for your arrogance,” the Goddess of Magic said, her voice hardening, though she still appeared calm. “You wouldn’t want to lose your power and your followers, would you? I’m giving you one last chance.”

“No, you won’t do that,” Abyss said with a smile. “For some reason, you can’t directly intervene against the Outer Gods’ invasion. I am your only tool, right? And I sense you have a grander plan in mind, although the details are unclear. But I’m confident in my assessment. A powerless mortal wouldn’t be of much use to a great god like you, would I?”

“…” The Goddess of Magic fell silent.

“So, can I go now?” Abyss asked, shrugging. “I miss my lovely followers.”

“You are cunning, bold, even audacious,” the Goddess of Magic said, observing him closely. “You have the ability and the audacity to toy with gods. No mortal has ever dared to treat us with such disrespect. Even a simple act of irreverence can bring misfortune or disaster… Yet, you fear nothing.”

“You flatter me,” Abyss said, standing up and dusting off his non-existent clothes.

“But I will let you leave. You may go. We will cease our monitoring of you.”

Abyss smiled brightly, bowing to the Goddess of Magic.

“Thank you, my lady.”

With that, his figure faded from the Divine Realm, vanishing completely.

The Goddess of Magic stood there, walking slowly towards a tree in the courtyard.

A tall, thin man stood beneath the tree, his expression unreadable. “Hilianda, are you really letting him go? He should be under our surveillance,” he said.

“We can’t antagonize him, Drayhem,” the Goddess of Magic said calmly. “This is the second chance we’ve waited eons for, and I sense there won’t be a third. We must seize every opportunity. He has read that journal, as we intended. We should be content and not act like greedy mortals.”

“You’re right, Hilianda,” the tall man said, nodding. “Niliya and I will continue monitoring the balance of life and death. If Belator’s actions cause problems, we will reconsider our approach.”

“Have you heard from the master?” the Goddess of Magic asked suddenly.

“You know our master acts on whim, there’s no pattern to his actions. None of us have received any news,” Drayhem said, shaking his head.

The Goddess of Magic nodded slightly, and both figures vanished from the courtyard.

Chapter 94: Unstoppable Abyss

“I’m curious, when did you realize I was planning to steal the Creator God’s power?” Abyss asked directly.

He knew he couldn’t hide anything from the gods, especially with his soul standing within their Divine Realm. Every thought was transparent to them. It was better to be open and honest than to try and deceive them.

He didn’t care if they disapproved. He wouldn’t stop regardless.

“From the moment you resurrected Saint Flora,” the Goddess of Magic replied, her voice calm and steady. “In fact, all five descendants of the ‘Transmigrators’ were under our observation. Flora, being the only one who could use Divine Arts, had a particularly strong connection to us. And then you borrowed a portion of her Divine Arts power to enhance your necromancy. We have to admit, you are quite bold.”

“Thank you,” Abyss said, bowing slightly.

“Rest assured, although you are a rebellious maverick, you are first and foremost a resident of Haitville. As the gods of this world, we will not interfere with your actions, as long as you do nothing to disrupt the balance of the world.”

“I am a necromancer with principles,” Abyss said, smiling politely. “Even without your reminder, I would abide by the necromancer’s creed.”

The Goddess of Magic nodded. As the guardian of magic in this world and the deity worshipped by all mages, she naturally knew the necromancer’s creed. And Abyss’s actions had indeed never violated it. The balance between life and death remained undisturbed, even with the emergence of such a powerful necromancer.

“Outer Gods originate from worlds that have already been destroyed. Their only purpose in coming to our world is to parasitize it, feeding on our faith, life force, and other resources to sustain themselves,” the Goddess of Magic explained. “Their goals are simple, but if left unchecked, they will eventually destroy our world as well. Your actions are beneficial to maintaining the peace of Haitville. That is one of the reasons why we will not stop you.”

“What if I eliminate the Creator God and take his place? Would that harm this world?” Abyss asked, spreading his hands.

“That is an audacious thought, and you are unlikely to succeed. Therefore, we are not currently considering that risk,” the Goddess of Magic said, her voice devoid of emotion. She didn’t seem to scorn Abyss’s bold question, simply stating facts with absolute rationality. “As someone who has studied Divine Arts, you should understand the concept of rank.”

Abyss nodded. He had learned about rank during his conversations with the deceased Divine Arts user and had further researched the topic. His battle with the Lord of Submergence was a testament to his understanding of this concept.

Rank, in essence, was the hierarchy of beings within a world, with gods at the top, followed by intelligent races, then unintelligent creatures, and finally inanimate objects. The Creator God wasn’t included in this hierarchy, suggesting his rank was even higher than the “gods”.

The difference between higher and lower ranked beings was significant. The Church’s reliance on Divine Arts users stemmed from their ability to channel the power of gods, whose rank surpassed all others. Therefore, Divine Arts used against non-divine beings were absolute, their effects unavoidable and only influenced by the strength of the Divine Arts user.

For example, if a Divine Arts user cast a spell to drain one hundred units of magic power from a target, that target, regardless of their defenses, armor, or fortifications, would lose one hundred units of magic power. Their only recourse was to increase their magic capacity, making the loss less significant.

The reason Divine Arts were so effective against undead was that ordinary undead were considered inanimate objects, their rank far below that of gods. They were also entities outside the natural order, making them susceptible to the immense corrective force arising from the rank disparity, resulting in their destruction.

The Creator God’s rank was presumably supreme. Abyss knew challenging him now was foolish. If the Creator God willed it, he could rewrite history, erase Abyss Belator from existence, or simply turn him into a skunk.

Therefore, Abyss had to act while the Creator God was away, seizing the power he had neglected to reclaim, hoping to gain the necessary rank to challenge him. With high-ranked power at his disposal, the Creator God might find it more difficult to eliminate him.

“It seems you not only understand rank but have also studied its applications,” the Goddess of Magic said, seemingly reading his thoughts, nodding again. “Conversing with someone as knowledgeable as you saves a lot of time. Now, we have a request for you.”

“I’m all ears,” Abyss said.

“The continent you inhabit is the only place in this universe with intelligent life. To prevent you from straying down a dangerous path and causing a world-ending catastrophe, we want to place a chain on your soul, allowing us to monitor your actions. If we deem you a threat, we can forcibly pull your soul into the Divine Realm, minimizing the harm you could inflict in a disembodied state.”

The Goddess of Magic calmly stated their rather domineering request.

They weren’t benevolent beings after all. Summoning his soul to the Divine Realm was simply a way to control him.

“Are you really going to do this?” Abyss asked, shrugging.

“Now, Belator, extend your hands towards me,” the Goddess of Magic said, tapping her staff gently on the ground.

Abyss pouted and extended his hands.

With a wave of her staff, a golden thread emerged from her heart and wrapped itself around Abyss’s wrists.

“You gods are certainly cautious,” Abyss said, sighing. “You know I wouldn’t do anything like that. It’s not my style.”

“Just a precaution,” the Goddess of Magic said, continuing her work. The thread tightened around his wrists, forming shackles, one end connected to her through the thread.

Abyss watched silently, his hands outstretched.

The thread tightened further.

A smile spread across Abyss’s face.

The Goddess of Magic, seemingly sensing his thoughts, raised her head fully for the first time. Her eyes, glowing with blue magical light beneath her hood, stared intently at him.

At that moment, the golden thread snapped, falling limply to the ground and vanishing.

“I’ll have to decline, my lady. I don’t enjoy being monitored. It feels as uncomfortable as being inside an ogre’s stomach,” Abyss said, chuckling, his teeth gleaming white.

The Divine Art, cast by a god, had failed on him.

海·特维尔: (Hǎi.Tèwéiěr) could be translated as: Hai-Teweru, Haitville, Tethyr(Adaptation)

Chapter 93: Meeting the Master of All Mages

“What’s going on?” Leona was bewildered. “Flora, is he using Divine Arts in his sleep? Didn’t he get some of your power through that necromantic link?”

“That shouldn’t be possible…” Flora said, her brow furrowed in disbelief. Even she, the most talented Divine Arts user on the continent, had never encountered such a situation. “Divine Arts can’t be used in dreams. Prayers in dreams are ineffective in the real world. A Divine Arts user must be conscious, preferably in a state of heightened mental clarity, and chant the prayer in Holy Script to activate Divine Arts. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Could it be a curse? Does he have any enemies? Should you cast a wake-up spell on him?” Leona, clueless about Divine Arts, was worried about Abyss’s safety.

Her concern wasn’t unfounded. Abyss was a maverick, following only the necromancer’s creed and his aversion to chaos, disregarding everything else. He might have inadvertently disrupted someone’s grand scheme during one of his exploits.

It was impossible for someone like Abyss to have no enemies, but he probably didn’t even realize he had any. After all, in his eyes, everyone on the continent was weak.

“We shouldn’t wake him abruptly… He might be doing something important,” Flora said after a moment of thought. “I’ll try to use Divine Arts to sense his mental state… I hope he’s alright.”

Leona nodded, watching Flora prepare to cast the spell.

Flora chanted a prayer softly, and a faint golden ribbon of light connected her forehead to Abyss’s. But the connection lasted only a moment before vanishing.

“How is he? How is he?” Leona asked anxiously.

“This…” Flora’s expression remained tense. “My Divine Arts… failed… There’s some force interfering with my connection to the Nine Gods. It’s as if the link has been severed…”

“What?!”

…

“Belator.”

“…Belator.”

A gentle voice called Abyss’s name repeatedly, reaching him through a haze.

The voice came from all directions, prompting Abyss to slowly open his eyes and observe his surroundings.

He was in a vast courtyard, lush with grass, trees, and blooming flowers. The sky was milky white, with occasional streaks of golden light descending from above, vanishing before reaching the ground.

Seeing this, Abyss smiled.

He had been here before, after learning Divine Arts from the soul of a Divine Arts user—this was the Divine Realm, the abode of the Nine Gods of the Haitville Continent.

“Belator.”

The voice called his name again, this time from behind him.

Abyss turned to see a woman standing there.

She wore a simple, hooded robe, a silver staff in her left hand, its tip adorned with a crystal ball emitting a bright white light. She stood silently, her face partially hidden beneath the wide brim of her hood, her expression unreadable.

“Greetings, Goddess of Magic,” Abyss said, bowing before she could introduce herself, his manners impeccable.

“You know me?” she asked, her voice calm, devoid of emotion. Her lips didn’t move when she spoke, and her body didn’t rise and fall with breath, making her seem like a statue.

“Of course I know you,” Abyss said with a smile. “You are the revered deity of all mages on the Haitville Continent. We necromancers, although we also worship the God of Death and Slaughter, hold you in the highest regard.”

The Goddess of Magic showed no reaction to his flattery, her expression unchanged. After a moment of silence, she said, “Do you know why I summoned you to the Divine Realm?”

“I wouldn’t presume to know, my lady,” Abyss shrugged. “I just subdued an Outer God from another world and fed him a piece of my soul. I’m currently recovering my damaged soul through sleep.”

He was, of course, joking. The moment he found himself in the Divine Realm, he knew why he had been summoned.

Although the Nine Gods didn’t hold the same lofty status in his mind as they did for the uninformed masses, Abyss never underestimated their power or their awareness. They might have ignored his previous exploits, but his recent battle with Dallan couldn’t have gone unnoticed.

It was a large-scale battle, a clash between two peak ninth-tier mages, a rare occurrence even in decades.

Abyss had been prepared to negotiate with the gods, to convince them to allow him to eliminate their creator. But to his surprise, after defeating Dallan, he hadn’t sensed any interference. He had even had time to chat with Princess Helen and subdue another Outer God in Leona’s dream realm.

He had a hunch. Based on his previous observations in the Divine Realm, the Nine Gods mostly remained passive, their divine duties automatically responding to the prayers of their followers, bestowing their blessings.

Divine Arts users’ prayers were also handled automatically, but Abyss hadn’t witnessed the gods reacting to Flora’s prayers, even though those spells were powerful and large-scale.

“…You did well,” the Goddess of Magic said suddenly.

Abyss rubbed his ears.

“What did you say? I just subdued a god from another world and claimed his power for myself. Aren’t you going to confiscate it?”

“You did well. All nine of us support your actions and have no intention of taking away the Outer God’s power you obtained.”

The Goddess of Magic’s expression remained serene. “Outer Gods are invasive forces that threaten this world. We won’t directly assist you, but we won’t interfere with your attempts to acquire their power or eliminate them, if you have the ability.”

Abyss was intrigued.

The Nine Gods were so lenient? What about his plan to steal the Creator God’s power? What was their stance on that?

“We are also aware of the followers you resurrected. We hope you won’t order them to do anything that harms this world. We will not interfere with you.”

Could the Goddess of Magic read minds?

“I cannot read minds, at least not directly. But your soul is currently in the Divine Realm, and souls cannot conceal their thoughts.”

Did gods really not need to use the restroom?

“…We do not have the same metabolic processes as mortals, nor do we require sustenance from food.”

Abyss chuckled. It seemed he could freely ask any question that crossed his mind.

***

Chapter 92: A Spark in Abyss’s Eyes

Leona’s first thought was: Abyss’s gift was gone!

Of course, she quickly realized it wasn’t just about the gift; they had lost a valuable clue. As a necromancer, Abyss possessed a deep understanding of anatomy and magic. If he had a corpse to study, he might have gleaned some useful information. But a puddle of foul-smelling black goo? What could he possibly learn from that?

Was he supposed to taste it? What if he got a stomach ache?

Leona grumbled to herself as she returned to the wagon where Givia was.

“What happened to the corpse?” Givia asked curiously.

“It’s gone. It turned into a puddle of black goo… And by the way, you can probably say goodbye to that wagon. The goo is like tar, it’s stuck to the floor,” Leona sighed. “We could have learned something from it, but now it’s useless.”

“So… That means the mage who attacked us wasn’t human?” Givia asked.

“Most likely not. I don’t know of any human race that can chant spells after losing their entire head, including their brain,” Leona said, shaking her head. “And it wasn’t undead either. Undead turn to ash or revert to their original corpses after being destroyed. I’ve never heard of an undead turning into black goo.”

“I have to stop Kevin,” Givia said, peering out of the wagon with a worried expression. “That mage who attacked us was probably his doing… He wanted to kill me, erase me from this world. If it weren’t for you, I might have been incinerated along with the wagon.”

“There’s something else…” Flora said, wanting to warn Givia.

“I know… There’s a traitor in our ranks, but I don’t have any evidence to identify them yet,” Givia said. “We Ossi people rarely study magic, and my guards are no exception. They don’t know much about it. I don’t know how the traitor is relaying information. Before we left, only Santos and I knew our destination, and Santos would never betray me. He lost his position and all his wealth in the capital to help me escape. Someone who sacrificed so much for me wouldn’t be a traitor…”

Leona and Flora exchanged glances. They were unparalleled geniuses, but their understanding of magic was limited. Leona’s knowledge was basic, and Flora only knew a bit more. If Abyss were awake, things might be easier, but he was still recovering his soul. They couldn’t wake him just to help a princess they had only known for a day find a traitor.

The caravan continued its journey towards the Eastern Empire without stopping. Givia gave Leona a potion bottle to collect a sample of the black goo, but she decided not to tell her guards about the traitor. It would not only alert the culprit but also damage the morale of the already shaken troops, who had lost comrades in the attack.

Even though they were brave Ossi warriors willing to die for her, the loss of their comrades had understandably dampened their spirits. She didn’t want to add to their burden.

Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any more attackers. Kevin seemed unaware that his mage had failed—after all, with the half-headed mage’s abilities and the strange smoke’s power, no one on the continent should have been able to defeat him.

Unfortunately for him, he hadn’t anticipated Leona. She had not only dominated the fight but also kicked the mage’s remaining half-head off.

Givia’s Fountain’s Draw was respectfully returned to her, and the soldier who had been fatally wounded was almost fully recovered thanks to the pendant and Flora’s Divine Arts. Givia claimed that with the pendant, she could now sleep peacefully for about an hour before the nightmares began.

After a full day of travel, night fell, and the caravan set up camp in a relatively safe location, their backs against a slope. After a simple meal of dry rations and boiled jerky, everyone prepared to rest. Only a few guards remained awake, taking turns to ensure the camp’s safety.

Givia, after tidying up, lay down to sleep. Even though she knew the nightmares would return in about an hour, she desperately needed rest. Even an hour of peaceful sleep was a luxury.

Leona and Flora shared a tent with Abyss. It belonged to one of the deceased guards. In the past, Leona would have considered sleeping in a dead man’s tent unlucky, but things were different now—she was dead herself. There was nothing wrong with a dead person sleeping in a dead person’s tent.

Flora and Leona, not needing sleep, didn’t bother with pointless pretense. They sat beside the snoring Abyss, chatting about girly things.

As Leona was describing her favorite type of handkerchief, a sudden flash of light caught her eye.

“Huh?” she said, blinking. “Flora, did you see Abyss’s eyes glowing?”

“Glowing?” Flora, who had her back to Abyss, hadn’t seen anything. She turned to look.

Abyss lay there, breathing steadily, seemingly normal.

“I saw it! There was a light beneath his eyelids. His eyes weren’t open, but his eyeballs were glowing!” Leona insisted.

Flora was surprised. Abyss’s eyes did glow sometimes, but that was usually the light of his soul flames when he used magic. Soul flames weren’t physical entities, but more like projections that emanated from his eye sockets.

She stared at Abyss’s face, but he remained asleep, showing no reaction.

However, after observing him for a while, Flora also noticed what Leona had described—

Two faint golden beams of light were emanating from beneath Abyss’s eyelids, clearly visible in the darkness!

“Isn’t that the light often seen when Divine Arts are being used?” Flora asked, bewildered. “What’s going on?”

Chapter 91: The Nightmare-Manipulating Monster

Leona and Flora weren’t surprised by Princess Givia’s first goal, but her second plan shocked them.

“You said Outer God?” Leona asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You mean an Outer God is tormenting you? What does he want from you?”

Flora was also concerned. “Which Outer God? We have some knowledge about them. Their power is immense. Mortals can’t fight them. Countering them is… extremely difficult. How did you attract the attention of an Outer God?”

Although Flora had witnessed Abyss subdue the Lord of Submergence in Leona’s dream realm, she wasn’t blinded by their victory.

Abyss hadn’t defeated the colossal monster through brute force, but through a clever trick. He had exploited his elevated status in his follower’s dream, forcefully raising his mortal rank to match the Lord of Submergence’s, allowing him to control the severed tendrils and turn them against their owner. He had also manipulated the Lord of Submergence into accepting a wager, securing his submission.

Abyss was a risk-taker. His plans were always audacious. If the Lord of Submergence’s rank had been higher, or if he had been slightly more intelligent, Abyss’s plan might have failed, and Leona would have had to abandon the Face of Hell for her own safety.

Flora knew that challenging an Outer God, let alone countering one, was practically impossible for a mortal.

“I initially thought my brother, Kevin, was simply pursuing me for political reasons, to secure his throne and gain time to earn the people’s trust,” Givia said, realizing that Flora and Leona had some knowledge about Outer Gods. “But subsequent events proved me wrong.”

Leona and Flora sat up straight, eager to hear Givia’s story, leaving Abyss to sleep peacefully.

“Kevin wasn’t aiming for any political ambition… He seems to be using something to create nightmares,” Givia said, frowning. “I fled the capital right after he ascended the throne. His position was still unstable, and he didn’t pursue me. I thought I would be safe for a while. But a few months later, the nightmares began.”

“These weren’t ordinary nightmares, not just illusions caused by stress. In my dreams, I encountered an indescribable, constantly shifting and monstrous creature. It was trying to consume me, and I could only run.”

“Its attacks weren’t fierce. It simply wriggled towards me, reaching for me with its morphing tendrils, its movements slow and predictable. But it appeared in every dream I had, and eventually, it got to the point where I could see its grotesque form even with my eyes closed…”

“Can you imagine the despair of having nightmares every day? And these nightmares weren’t just illusions. If that creature touched me in my dreams, my real body would be injured… Look.”

Givia extended her arm towards Leona and Flora, rolling up her sleeve. A scar, as if burned by a hot iron rod, marred her skin, an unusual sight on a princess’s arm.

“In one of my nightmares, I let it touch me, wanting to see if it was just a terrifying illusion or something more, something that could affect my mind. That’s how I got this scar,” Givia said, her voice laced with pain.

“My spirit was on the verge of breaking, and the wound wouldn’t heal. Every time I saw it, I was reminded of that monstrous creature in my dreams… It was the care and support of my people that gave me the will to live. Then, one of my veteran soldiers gave me a pendant. He said several men had died to obtain it. It had the power to soothe the mind and accelerate healing. That’s how my wound finally healed, and I no longer saw that monster every time I closed my eyes.”

Givia chuckled wryly, wiping her eyes. Her makeup smudged, revealing dark circles. Her energetic demeanor was a facade. She desperately needed rest.

But how could she rest? Sleep brought nightmares, an endless cycle of terror and escape. Reality, despite its challenges, was preferable to those dreams.

Flora looked at her with sympathy. Now she understood how her Fountain’s Draw had been lost. Givia’s loyal soldiers had risked their lives to steal it from her tomb, hoping to save their princess.

Flora also recalled that on the night she had regained consciousness, Abyss had mentioned protecting someone from the Church’s pursuit…

Could it be them?

“I researched extensively, consulted with my knowledgeable advisors, and finally reached a conclusion. Kevin is utilizing the power of a deity from another world, what people on this continent call an Outer God. His ambition isn’t limited to the throne. He might be planning something far more sinister… I have to uncover his plans and stop him from harming our people. But first, I need to find a way to counter this Outer God.”

Leona bit her lip, thinking. Several pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

The mage with half a head, the one she had encountered, might be a servant of this Outer God… His smoky projection possessed the ability to induce sleep, perhaps a necessary condition for activating the power of the Outer God Givia described…

It explained why the smoke’s hypnotic effect was so potent. High-ranking undead were practically immune to hypnosis. Only the power of an Outer God could make Leona drowsy with just a brief exposure.

“Givia, I didn’t tell you this before because I thought you wouldn’t believe me, but the corpse I brought back, it’s not an ordinary corpse. He only had half a head, but he could chant spells and sense my location. It was very strange,” Leona said.

Flora gasped. Leona had faced such a terrifying enemy?

“A mage with only half a head?” Givia asked, surprised. “No… I haven’t encountered anything like that. What is Kevin up to? Or could it be…”

“Could it be that he has gained a deeper understanding of the Outer God’s power over time?”

“Yes… That’s a possibility…” Givia said, her voice laced with anxiety.

“I need to examine that corpse again!” Leona said, her intuition screaming at her that something was wrong. She jumped out of the wagon and rushed to the one carrying the corpse.

But the corpse was gone. On the wooden floor of the wagon, only a puddle of tar-like substance remained, emitting a pungent, fishy odor…