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

Chapter 70: A One-Night Stand? No Thanks

Hearing the assassin’s response, Abyss couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.

When it came to races with a bad reputation on the continent, dark elves were second to none. They were known for their greed, lust, treachery, and lack of morals. And this member of the Shadow Sisterhood was a typical example.

As long as they were paid, they would do anything, never questioning the morality of their assignments or caring about breaking any rules. The Shadow Sisterhood was a mercenary organization specializing in assassination. They were efficient, but not reliable—if they failed to kill their target on the first attempt, and the target offered a higher price, they would switch sides and eliminate their previous employer.

Revealing client information for a price was commonplace for them. Loyalty wasn’t part of the Shadow Sisterhood’s code. Betraying outsiders for greater profit was considered a sign of intelligence in dark elf culture, a traditional virtue.

“I don’t know how those nobles managed to make Princess Helen hire such a powerful mage as a bodyguard, but since we’ve met, it must be fate,” the dark elf said, her tone more relaxed, sensing that Abyss wasn’t going to kill her. “Since Princess Helen can afford a bodyguard of your caliber, she can surely afford to buy my information, right?”

Abyss thought about it and realized she was right. However, he was helping Helen for free, simply because he found her cause worthy.

Before he could respond, the dark elf continued, “Of course, if you don’t want to pay, I can still tell you the information, handsome.”

“And the price?”

“Haha, simple. Spend a night with me,” the dark elf said, pushing out her chest seductively, her impressive figure on full display. “By the Gods of Light and Shadow, I’ll have no regrets in life if I can spend a romantic night with a beauty like you. Your eyes are captivating, they’re stealing my soul.”

“My eyes can indeed steal souls, because I’m a necromancer,” Abyss said, blinking. “As for spending the night, no thanks. I’m not interested in the living. But I can offer you something else in exchange for the information.”

The dark elf was surprised to learn that Abyss was a necromancer. She had initially assumed he was an illusionist, but it seemed he was more than that. A black magic user might be even more dangerous, as they were rarely bound by rules, as free and unrestrained as her own kind.

“What do you have that can be exchanged for information, my beauty?” the dark elf asked, adjusting her posture, appearing more serious. “Considering your beauty and power, I can lower the bar a bit for you.”

“I’ve been traveling for many years. I have a broken dagger. I’m not sure how valuable it is,” Abyss said, summoning his Magic Catfish and retrieving a half-broken dagger from its mouth.

The dark elf laughed. “Oh, my beauty, you won’t get a good price for that even in the antique market. Let’s forget about exchanging it for information. Seriously, you should consider going on a date with me. I’m quite skilled, and I won’t bother you afterwards…”

“I only offered it because you’re from the Shadow Sisterhood. Take a closer look at this dagger,” Abyss said calmly, not tempted by the alluring dark elf’s offer. He truly had no interest in the living.

The dark elf stopped laughing and took the dagger, examining it carefully. Her expression turned serious.

“Oh, this… My goodness, where did you get this?”

“I found it in the antique market. If you agree to accept this dagger, please give my regards to the leader of the Sisterhood when you return. I’ll visit her in the near future,” Abyss said, clasping his hands behind his back. “What do you say?”

“Alright, our Matriarch will definitely want this dagger,” the dark elf said, nodding, her previous dismissive attitude gone. “We’re canceling the assassination. I’ll give you the complete evidence. It’s up to you to decide whether to pursue legal action or handle it privately.”

Abyss watched with satisfaction as the dark elf accepted the dagger. She then took an envelope from her pocket, pulled out several sheets of paper, and unfolded them.

The completeness of the evidence surprised even Abyss. There was a contract for hiring an assassin from the Shadow Sisterhood, a confirmation reply from the Sisterhood, and a detailed profile of the client. The client had used a pseudonym, but the Sisterhood, for their own convenience, had thoughtfully investigated and included his real identity.

“Quite a few people involved. Three nobles working together… Hmm, as expected, General Bert is among them. This guy is truly ruthless in his pursuit of security,” Abyss said, flipping through the documents. “Excellent. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

The dark elf tilted her head curiously. This handsome young man spoke with such confidence, not like a subordinate of the princess, but more like her mentor.

“Can I leave your domain now?” she asked.

“Of course. Take the dagger with you, and when you leave, please deactivate the ‘Keep Out’ spell you cast on this street,” Abyss said, rolling up the three sheets of paper. “Although you almost succeeded in assassinating Princess Helen, I’ve decided not to hold you accountable. Those who hired you will face the consequences.”

“You’re quite perceptive,” the dark elf said with a smile. “Indeed, the reason we dark elves can stay in this business is because there are so many people who need us to do their dirty work, right?”

Abyss took her wrist, snapped his fingers, and they emerged from the Shadow Realm.

“Well, goodbye, handsome stranger,” the dark elf said, about to melt into the shadows and escape.

“Wait, one more question.”

“Ask away, as long as it’s reasonable.”

“Do you know where the owner of that dagger is buried?”

“…You mean… Lady Sophia?”

“Yes, Sophia, your former ace assassin.”

“She died over forty years ago. Our Matriarch buried her personally, so the exact location is a secret known only to her,” the dark elf said after a moment of thought. “Why do you ask? The dead can’t be resurrected… Wait, you’re a necromancer…”

“I need her body. Maybe in a while.”

“I see… Hmm? Oh… Tsk…”

The dark elf suddenly remembered Abyss’s previous statement about not being interested in the living. A shiver ran down her spine, and she vanished into the darkness, a look of disgust on her face.

Chapter 69: The Principled Dark Elf Assassin

Magical daggers were far sharper than ordinary steel daggers, requiring no sharpening. Moreover, the magical energy infused within them inflicted secondary damage, breaking down the flesh around the wound.

A stab to the heart with a magical dagger was essentially a death sentence, especially in this secluded area where the body wouldn’t be discovered for several minutes.

The woman behind Helen yanked the dagger out, flicking her wrist, and the magical blade vanished into thin air. She wore a tight-fitting ochre-red cloth armor and a matching cloak—a popular color in Golden Griffin City, where most houses had ochre-red roof tiles. Her hands were covered in leather gloves, and her boots, made from the supple and sound-dampening hide of an ogre, were silent on the cobblestones. Only half her face was visible, a mask embroidered with a spider pattern covering the lower half.

She was taller than the average woman, her exposed skin a dark purple. Her bright violet eyes gleamed beneath the cloak, and her long, pointed ears protruded from a specially designed opening in the hood. All these features marked her as a dark elf.

The female dark elf kicked Helen’s back, sending her collapsing to the ground. She sighed in relief.

“I thought assassinating a princess would be a grand affair. It seems I won’t be getting a bonus for this,” she muttered to herself in Elven, her voice laced with annoyance. “So the princess that those nobles hate so much is such a naive fool. Hmph, what a bunch of incompetent buffoons, wasting my talents.”

Her eyes held a deep disdain for the nobles who had hired her.

“I agree with you. Many nobles are indeed incompetent buffoons,” the “Helen” lying on the ground suddenly said in fluent Elven.

“Of course… Huh?”

The female dark elf was startled by Helen’s sudden speech. She leaped back, instantly vanishing into the shadows beneath the eaves.

The “Helen” she had just stabbed in the heart slowly got up.

“No need to hide. From the moment you touched me, you were no longer in your original world.”

The fake Helen tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze fixed on the shadows beneath the eaves. Her eyes weren’t their usual blue, nor the emerald green they turned after consuming the potion, but a turquoise shade, both eerie and beautiful. She spoke in fluent Elven to the seemingly empty space, her face devoid of fear.

“You’re not Princess Helen.”

Silence stretched for a long moment before a pair of eyes reappeared in the shadows. The assassin had clearly failed to contact her organization.

“You’re right. I’m not Princess Helen.”

The imposter Helen wagged a finger in the air, and her body began to transform rapidly, growing taller, until she became a slender young man with ash-grey hair.

It was Abyss, of course. The real Princess Helen was safely inside the tavern, protected by Leona and Flora. Abyss had decided to take the blow for her.

Necromancers were still flesh and blood. A stab to the heart would render them unconscious and kill them within minutes. But Abyss wasn’t an ordinary necromancer—his body had been enhanced by Leona’s power, his strength and vitality multiplied severalfold. Even with a pierced heart, he could survive for hours, more than enough time to heal himself countless times with magic or Divine Arts.

He had deliberately avoided using any flashy magic to dodge the dark elf assassin’s attack, wanting to test the limits of his enhanced vitality.

The result was satisfying—he was now as tough as half a healthy two-headed ogre.

“You’re from the Shadow Sisterhood? I’ve heard much about your organization. Your skills are indeed impressive,” Abyss said. He wanted to applaud the dark elf, but that seemed too villainous, not fitting his current stance. He settled for a slight bow. “If I were an ordinary person, I would have died by your hand.”

Confusion flickered in the dark elf assassin’s eyes. The shadows beneath the eaves rippled, and she stepped out.

Impressive Shadow magic. Abyss immediately recognized the school of magic. Few mages on the continent practiced this obscure art, which focused on concealment, typically used by assassins and thieves.

Dark elf society was strictly matriarchal. Female dark elves, dominant in their society, were taller, stronger, and more intelligent than their male counterparts. This assassin was no exception. Even in flat boots, she was a few centimeters taller than Abyss. Her eyes held a mix of pride and wariness as she maintained her distance, circling him slowly. She held a magically materialized dagger in one hand and a short-range escape spell ready in the other. Having sensed Abyss’s power, she wasn’t planning a direct confrontation.

“You can’t leave until I allow it, so I’d like you to answer a few questions,” Abyss said calmly, folding his arms and looking at the dark elf. “You’ve tried to contact your organization with magic, haven’t you? And failed? That’s because you’re currently within my domain.”

“What do you want?” the female dark elf asked. Her Common Tongue was heavily accented, but the fact that she used it at all indicated her willingness to negotiate. “I’m just following orders. The Sisterhood received a request from Golden Griffin City, and I’m here to carry it out. That’s all.”

“You know who your employer is, right?” Abyss asked with a smile, his teeth gleaming. “You revealed it when you were talking to yourself after striking me down. Tell me his or their names, and I’ll let you leave.”

“Hmph, no way,” the dark elf shook her head. “Client information is the Sisterhood’s top secret. I can’t just tell you that.”

“I wouldn’t expect such words from a dark elf, a race that prides itself on betrayal,” Abyss said, tilting his head.

“Tsk, you’re quite knowledgeable, handsome,” the dark elf said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “If you want me to tell you… It’ll cost you extra.”

Chapter 68: Reunion at the Tavern

“Guests, did you see the meteor in the sky yesterday?” Dar, the dwarf, asked, his thick hands deftly holding three beer mugs by their handles as he placed them before Abyss and his companions. “It’s a shame I missed it. I was busy preparing spices in the tavern when it happened. The tremors even shattered two of my glasses. What a loss.”

“We saw it, we saw it. We were sleeping right where it landed. It almost crushed our camp,” Abyss said, taking a sip of his beer. “It was as hot as a dragon’s lungs.”

“Oh haha, you’re joking again,” Dar said with a hearty laugh. “I know you didn’t see it. Never mind then.”

Abyss just smiled at Dar, not saying anything more.

Today, Abyss wasn’t engrossed in Star’s notes about the Outer God. Instead, he was chatting quietly with Flora and Leona, discussing what they had done while he was unconscious.

“I always thought Leona fought purely on instinct. I didn’t know she had such a meticulous side,” Abyss said, looking at Leona incredulously after hearing Flora’s account.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Leona said, taking a large gulp of her beer. “Listen, I might be impulsive, but that’s not because I lack brains, it’s because I’m too lazy to use them. With these fists of mine, who in the entire continent would dare disrespect me? My ancestor once said, ‘Silence before a stunning display of power,’ which perfectly describes a genius like me, with both physical and mental prowess.”

“Knowing that your intelligence isn’t lacking puts my mind at ease,” Abyss said, nodding in satisfaction, reaching out to ruffle Leona’s hair.

“Stop it! Stop it!” Leona immediately covered her head. “I’m two years older than you! You’re like a little brother to me!”

“Oh, alright, sorry. I won’t touch your head again,” Abyss apologized.

“You…” Leona said, suddenly flustered. She stood up, blushing, and grabbed Abyss by the collar. “I meant… You need to ask for my permission first! I’m not that petty…”

“Welcome!” Dar suddenly boomed.

Leona, hearing this, knew another customer had entered. She quickly released Abyss’s collar and sat back down.

A slender girl entered, wearing a gray cloak, her silver hair tied back in a ponytail. It was none other than Princess Helen.

She spotted Abyss and his companions sitting at the bar and walked over excitedly, taking a seat beside Abyss.

“You’re here! I was worried you had already left Golden Griffin City!” Helen said, her voice filled with relief. “I have a question for you!”

“About those beads I gave you, right?” Abyss asked with a faint smile. “Didn’t they all shatter last night?”

“Yes,” Helen nodded. “Can you tell me what you did?”

“It’s… related to the meteor last night. I used them to protect some of your city’s residents,” Abyss replied.

“Did you predict the meteor?” Helen asked. Her memory of last night’s battle had been altered by Abyss’s magic, leaving her with only the impression of a meteor falling outside the city.

“Yes, I predicted it,” Abyss said, a mysterious smile on his face. “It was actually aimed at me.”

Helen didn’t understand what he meant, but it was clear he wasn’t going to explain further. Out of politeness, she didn’t press him. She hesitated for a moment, then said, “This morning, the palace was in chaos, organizing people to investigate the meteor crater. I took the opportunity to sneak out. I came here specifically to thank you for your help, Mr. Belator!”

“Just call me Abyss,” Abyss said, waving his hand dismissively. “I appreciate your gratitude. But are you sure you weren’t followed?”

“Huh?” Helen was surprised by the question. “I don’t think so… I snuck out.”

“Do you realize how many people’s interests you’ve crossed?” Leona asked, leaning towards Helen. “You should know that there are many people in Golden Griffin City who want you dead. Leaving the palace alone, without your guard, is the perfect opportunity for an assassin.”

“This…” Helen panicked. “Are you saying I’m being followed?”

“Someone is indeed following you,” Abyss nodded. “And it seems these assassins haven’t just started targeting you. They’ve been waiting for an opportunity. There were many people on the streets when you snuck out of the palace, so they wouldn’t attack carelessly. But now, you’re in a secluded part of the city, drinking in a remote tavern. If they’re going to strike, this is the perfect time.”

“Please protect me! I’ll repay your kindness!” Helen pleaded, her voice trembling.

This was a completely different level of pressure compared to when she had threatened those nobles. Back then, she had been acting as a princess, her every move protected and monitored by the royal guard. No one dared to touch her, no matter how much she offended those nobles. But now, she had deliberately evaded the royal guard’s protection and come to this remote tavern alone. If she were assassinated here… it might be a whole day before anyone noticed.

“I’ll definitely help you this time,” Abyss said, raising a hand to calm Helen down. “But you have to answer one question. Are you truly willing to abandon your carefree life as a princess, take up power, and fight against those corrupt and greedy nobles for the sake of your country? Once you choose this path, there’s no turning back.”

Helen calmed down, thought for a moment, and looked into Abyss’s eyes. “I am willing. And I won’t give up.”

“Good. Then have a drink with me,” Abyss said, giving her a wide smile. He called out to Dar, who was wiping tables at the other end of the tavern. “Barkeep, a glass of Arregian Knight, please.”

“Coming right up! I stocked up on two bottles after that lady ordered it last time and we were out. Glad it came in handy,” Dar said with a chuckle.

…

Helen carefully pushed open the tavern door, glancing left and right before stepping out.

The street was deserted. She hesitated for a moment, then continued walking.

After taking a few steps, her shadow behind her began to writhe, growing taller and more curvaceous. A pair of long, pointed ears twitched atop the shadow’s head.

Before Helen could react, a tall woman with dark purple skin emerged from the shadow. She held a magically materialized dagger and plunged it straight into Helen’s heart, the blade piercing through her chest.

“The Shadow Sisterhood sends their regards.”

Chapter 67: The “Meteor Incident”

Flora’s Holy Light spell illuminated the jar Dallan had used. The elf’s head within smiled in relief, mouthed a silent “thank you” in Elven, then turned to ash and vanished.

“Now, I need you to cast Spirit Chains on everyone who witnessed our battle,” Abyss said to Flora, nodding approvingly.

Flora understood immediately and began chanting softly.

A wave of holy energy rippled outward from her, reaching Golden Griffin City and its surrounding areas, several kilometers away. Invisible chains latched onto everyone, unnoticed. And it didn’t stop there. The Spirit Chains continued to extend, branching out from those in the city, reaching further and further: some across the continent, others to nearby towns and villages. By the time Flora finished chanting, these invisible chains had formed a vast network, encompassing the entire world.

Spirit Chains, a high-level Divine Art, was often used in wartime to link designated individuals, allowing the effects of magic and Divine Arts to be transmitted between them. An ordinary high-ranking Divine Arts user could link dozens or even hundreds of people. Flora, however, was different. If she wished, she could connect every intelligent being on the entire continent.

This time, her target was everyone who knew about the battle that had just taken place outside Golden Griffin City. Regardless of how they learned about it, as long as they possessed this information, they would be linked, without exception.

Flora winked at Abyss, signaling that she was done.

Abyss began chanting an obscure incantation. Powerful magical energy emanated from him, effortlessly bypassing Golden Griffin City’s supposedly impenetrable defensive barrier, silently influencing everyone connected by the Spirit Chains network.

…

“Huh… Why did our city barrier activate?” a mage apprentice asked, blinking in confusion, looking at the old mage beside him, who was channeling his mana into the city’s magic crystal nodes, maintaining the barrier.

The old mage glared at his apprentice. “I thought I told you not to drink those stimulating potions to stay awake. They damage your brain! You’re so flustered you can’t even remember what just happened? A meteor suddenly fell from the sky and crashed into the uninhabited outskirts. We activated the barrier to protect the city from the impact. Instead of asking pointless questions, go make me a cup of tea. And hurry up!”

The apprentice, suddenly enlightened, scurried away. The old mage grumbled, continuing to stand by the magic crystal, lamenting the decline of the younger generation.

The mages who had been levitating in the sky, maintaining order, seeing no further meteors falling, dispersed. The old mage even saw several large figures slowly descending towards the Imperial Palace—the royal elite, the Western Empire’s trump card, the Griffin Knight Guard, composed entirely of young noble Dou Warriors of sixth-tier and above.

The royal family had mobilized the Griffin Knights just for a few meteors? Even though they spent a fortune on mages, they still didn’t trust their abilities. The old mage shook his head, inwardly complaining.

“Alright, alright, everyone go home. The meteors have stopped falling!” Guards patrolled the streets and alleys, one hand on their swords, the other holding their helmets, banging them together to create a clanging sound. “The magic barrier will protect everyone. Disperse!”

After a brief moment of confusion, the city’s residents dispersed. Some had wet themselves in fear, and laughter erupted throughout the crowd, mocking those who had been scared witless by a few meteors. This incident would become a source of amusement for years to come.

The Chief Mage, still hovering in the sky, frowned, wondering why he had been so flustered that he had flown up to maintain order. It was just a few meteors. If necessary, they could simply launch a spell to shatter them, and the city barrier would catch the debris.

“Ah, the older I get, the more things I worry about,” the Chief Mage sighed, returning to his tower with his hands clasped behind his back.

Most of the mages withdrew, leaving only a few young mages or capable apprentices to maintain the city barrier at its minimum level.

No one noticed anything unusual. Even those who received news through magical communication only remembered that Golden Griffin City had narrowly avoided being struck by meteors.

The few who recorded the incident in their journals tore out the relevant pages and burned them, unable to explain why. They simply felt an inexplicable aversion to those pages.

…

“That’s it?” Leona asked incredulously, watching as the seven layers of Golden Griffin City’s protective barrier deactivated one by one, leaving only a thin layer remaining.

“Thanks to your dramatic entrance from the sky. That impact was so convincing that it took minimal effort to manipulate their memories,” Abyss said with a smile. “It’s much easier than making them forget everything. Otherwise, I’d have to come up with another story to fill in the gaps in their memories.”

Leona glanced at the massive crater created by the magical bombardment. It did resemble a meteor impact.

“Unfortunately, we can’t sleep in the wilderness tonight. Let’s find an inn in the city,” Abyss said, looking at their extinguished bonfire with regret. “Ah, it’s so peaceful and spacious out here.”

“You made a noble Imperial Princess sleep in the wilderness with you for days!” Leona said, kicking Abyss. She immediately realized the ambiguity of her words and blushed, turning away and wrapping Abyss’s cloak tightly around herself.

“Are we leaving tomorrow?” Flora asked, clumsily trying to fold the tent.

“Ugh… I don’t want to go grave robbing with a pervert who’s only interested in dead people…” Leona grumbled, kicking a stone.

“We’re not leaving tomorrow. Princess Helen still needs our help with one last thing,” Abyss said, helping Flora pack up the tent and stuffing it and the blankets into the Magic Catfish’s gaping maw. “We’ve done our part, but let’s see it through to the end. According to reliable sources from my undead friends, a few daring nobles in Golden Griffin City seem to be up to no good.”

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!”

Chapter 65: The Nine Outer Gods

Abyss raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“But we, the Council of the Dead, are different. We just want to survive, we just want more power to protect ourselves. We discovered that we could use the language bestowed by the Lord of Submergence to wield Divine Arts, to fight against the Church. A small gift from our lord could save a weak necromancer from the blades of mercenaries… Hehe, can you understand that feeling of hope?” Dallan asked, his gaze fixed on Abyss.

Abyss wasn’t moved by Dallan’s words. He shook his head and sighed. “But when you take the lives of others, organize cultists to sacrifice innocent people, just to increase your own power, have you considered the victims?”

Dallan was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said, “Hahaha… Because people have wronged us in the past, this is just atonement for their actions…”

“I will stop you,” Abyss said, closing his eyes. “Although I don’t believe in repaying kindness with kindness, I firmly believe that evil should be punished. But are your actions truly punishing evil? Innocent necromancers are killed by the world, and then other angry necromancers retaliate against unrelated people. Then, the loved ones of those innocent people seek revenge, and the cycle continues…”

Flora added, “This will never end, until one side is completely annihilated, or both sides are reduced to dust. Just like the world your Lord of Submergence came from, as you said.”

“You’re just making excuses for your own desires,” Leona said coldly, glancing at Dallan. “If a group of people constantly hypnotize themselves with excuses, they’ll eventually believe them wholeheartedly, even treating them as truth. You might spout noble-sounding words, and perhaps the first person who sought power from that giant jellyfish truly believed them, but you, hmph, are just a bunch of selfish and self-righteous fools.”

Abyss nodded slightly. Although Leona had little experience with society, she had grown up in the noble circle, where people were adept at using flowery language to deceive themselves. She understood this phenomenon deeply.

Dallan sighed softly. “You might be… right… I don’t even know if what I’ve been pursuing since I was an apprentice has changed, if I’ve strayed from the path… Hehe… I should thank you for reminding me…”

“Does the Council of the Dead have any other plans? You can’t be their last resort, can you?” Abyss asked.

“Hehehe, of course there are more… The Council first discovered the Lord of Submergence over a hundred years ago. Since then, they’ve been gathering information on other Outer Gods. The Council has now established connections with many factions. You might not know this, but including the Lord of Submergence, there are nine Outer Gods on this continent. They haven’t arrived yet, but each faction is eager for their power… They’re all similar, coming from destroyed worlds. Some are cunning and deceitful, others are ignorant and foolish. But their goal is the same: to survive in this new world. And they’ll try anything to achieve that.”

“Nine deities… Do you know any specific details?” Abyss asked, his expression unchanged, but Flora could see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

“I am a Bishop serving the Lord of Submergence. I must be loyal to one master and am not allowed to know too much about other deities. But I… Hehe… Can tell you that all Outer Gods connect to this world through ‘artifacts.’ These artifacts carry their power. They guide mortals to worship them, gradually increasing their influence in this world, gathering various forms of nourishment as a source of power. When they accumulate enough power, they can break through the world’s barrier…” Dallan’s voice slowed down. “The Lord of Submergence feeds on souls offered to him. He should have patiently waited for us to gather more souls, but he was eager to arrive, attempting to enter this world through possession. In the end, he encountered you, the unexpected variable.”

“That guy’s brain is indeed not very functional. He’s powerful, but he’s just an embodiment of chaos. Even his own thoughts are chaotic,” Leona nodded in agreement.

“There’s bound to be conflict between him and me. It’s not a coincidence,” Abyss said with a smile, spreading his arms. “The Creator God of this world will be dethroned sooner or later, and I’ll take his place. Honestly, I don’t welcome any deities from other worlds coming here to freeload.”

“Hehehe… You’re even crazier than us,” Dallan said, a twisted smile on his face. “And if you’re going after the Council of the Dead, I hope you’ll spare the innocent. There are many necromancers in the Council who simply want a reliable organization to belong to.”

“I don’t kill,” Abyss shook his head. “Their future will be determined by their past actions.”

“Like me? Can you let me commit suicide now?”

“If you don’t want to live anymore, go ahead. But if you try to run, I’ll have the people you killed come and have a chat with you. If you can convince them, you’re free to go.”

“I can’t atone for my sins, nor can I convince them,” Dallan laughed maniacally. “Hehehe, I’m a ninth-tier necromancer. Humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, dragonkin… I’ve personally killed hundreds, if not thousands, of intelligent beings.”

Abyss turned away in disgust and said to Flora, “Flora, release him. Let him end it.”

Dallan didn’t hesitate when he used magic to detonate his own heart. He didn’t regret killing so many intelligent beings, only that he had followed the wrong god. In his eyes, it seemed natural for necromancers to toy with the lives of the living. His soul, no longer bound to the Lord of Submergence, didn’t become his nourishment but dissipated naturally, weakening as his spirit faded, until it vanished completely. Abyss could see some souls rushing towards him, perhaps the souls of those he had killed, seeking revenge in the realm of the dead. Abyss didn’t bother using magic to observe them. It was pointless now.

“You just let him die like that?” Leona frowned at Abyss. “You haven’t even asked him where the Council of the Dead’s headquarters is.”

“No need to ask. I already know,” Abyss shook his head.

“Where?” Leona asked, puzzled.

“The Shadowblight,” Abyss said, pointing at Dallan’s mangled body. “I smell the dirt on his soles. A pungent mix of sulfur and bitter almonds. Only the soil in the Shadowblight has that smell.”

“The Shadowblight?!” Leona exclaimed, shocked. “Is the Council of the Dead insane? Why would they establish their headquarters in that place?”

Chapter 64: The Lord of Submergence: Wrathful Bubos

The more someone is driven by their ideals, the harder they fall when those ideals crumble. Some lash out at the world, seeking revenge or trying to salvage what’s left. Others sink into an abyss of despair.

Dallan was the latter. Having experienced a series of failures, culminating in his failed attempt at self-sacrifice, he looked at Abyss with vacant eyes, a fixed grin on his bloodstained face. Even after Flora released the Silence spell, he remained silent.

The lord he had devoted his life to, the one he believed would be the savior of himself and the world, had abandoned him without hesitation, without even a word of farewell. He had entrusted the Face of Hell, his only hope for entering this world, to a girl who had never pledged her loyalty. And in the end, even that had failed.

The image of his lord, a powerful being who treated all things equally and promised a glorious future, crumbled in an instant. All his efforts had been in vain.

No matter what Abyss said, Dallan didn’t want to speak.

He knew Abyss, as a necromancer, could simply kill him and interrogate his soul. Resistance was futile, but Dallan was beyond caring. He simply didn’t want to speak.

“Why won’t this old geezer say anything?” Leona complained, sitting on the ground nearby. She quickly turned away when Abyss looked at her.

“Heh… Kill me…” Dallan finally spoke. His laughter was involuntary, but his tone was devoid of any humor.

“I can let you commit suicide, as long as you don’t harm anyone else,” Abyss sighed, looking up at Dallan, who was still suspended in mid-air by Flora’s spell. “But before that, I’d like you to tell me why the Council of the Dead wants the Lord of Submergence to arrive. Anyone with eyes can see that this monster has no intention of saving the world. He doesn’t have the brains to offer you any future. He’s just feeding.”

Dallan glanced at him.

Abyss had been asking about the Lord of Submergence’s abilities and plans, but now he was interested in Dallan’s motivations for becoming a follower.

“Heh… You’re a necromancer too. You must know the persecution we face on this continent, right?” Dallan said, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion.

Abyss nodded. He was a necromancer, raised by his master since birth. He knew the reputation of necromancers and how people treated them.

“We are a school of magic, and our spells are even more difficult to learn than those of other schools, yet we don’t receive the same treatment as other mages. We’re labeled as black magic users, and once discovered, we’re immediately… Hehe, reported. The weak ones become targets for the Mercenary Guild, their heads chopped off by those crude and foolish mercenaries for the bounty offered by the government. The stronger ones are hunted down by the Church, their magic stripped away before they’re burned alive in public.”

Dallan stared blankly into the distance, recounting the fate of necromancers. It wasn’t an isolated incident but the inevitable destiny of every necromancer who was discovered.

“The Council of the Dead was founded to unite all necromancers on the continent, so we wouldn’t be isolated and helpless when facing danger, so we would at least have a chance to escape persecution.”

“But the Church is very powerful. They have not only resources and manpower but also… Hehe, unparalleled influence. Our people, if they carelessly reveal their identities or whereabouts, are easily captured and burned. Sometimes they even find our gatherings and arrest many of us at once,” Dallan said, glancing at Abyss. “As a powerful necromancer, you must have never experienced that, right? Being completely helpless before the Church, even their weakest novice priest can turn your undead to ash with a single spell.”

Abyss didn’t respond, continuing to listen.

“The Council of the Dead was once in dire straits. Then, one of our members stumbled upon a mask in the wilderness—a mask embedded in a rock, its origins unknown, a complete mystery. He brought it back to the Council, and we studied it.”

“The results came within a single night. The apprentice of the man who found the mask, out of curiosity, put it on and immediately went mad. He shouted about sacrificing himself for the Lord of Submergence and stabbed himself in the heart.”

“His master tried to resurrect him, but his soul was nowhere to be found.”

“Hynes, the Chief Mage of the Council at the time, believed the mask possessed a special power. After thorough preparations, he put it on himself. Even with his strong mental fortitude, he immediately fell into an illusion. In that illusion, he saw a thundercloud filled with lightning, with countless tendrils extending outwards. The thundercloud called out his name, urging him to submit, and revealed its name: Wrathful Bubos, from a world destroyed by war, where it was once known as the Lord of Submergence.”

“Hynes eventually received power from the Lord of Submergence. The Lord bestowed a sliver of his power upon him as a reward for the soul of his apprentice who had sacrificed himself—yes, after the apprentice’s suicide, his soul became nourishment for the Lord of Submergence. The Lord feeds on souls, and as long as souls are offered to him, he will reciprocate with power. It’s a fair exchange… Hehe… Without exception.”

“Then, we finally had the means to protect ourselves. Until almost fifty years ago, someone discovered that the three gemstones embedded in the artifact, known as the Face of Hell, could be removed, and each possessed its own power. The mask itself, without the gemstones, granted the wearer immunity to all damage. At that time, the Lord of Submergence made a request to the Council: use these artifacts to turn a sufficiently powerful individual into a vessel for his arrival. Once he enters this world through the arrival ritual, he will regain his full power. We, as his servants, will gain unimaginable power and, together with him, slay the native gods and take their place.”

Abyss tilted his head. “You believed such an obvious lie?”

“Do you think he was lying?” Dallan asked, looking into Abyss’s eyes, his expression sincere. “He wasn’t lying. The world he came from was already the second world he had inhabited. In that world, his followers, empowered by him, embarked on an endless cycle of revenge. After achieving their revenge, they turned on each other, waging war for millennia until the last living being perished in the scorching heat.”

Chapter 63: Because I Trust You Completely

Leona’s jaw dropped, and a blush spread across her delicate face with visible speed. She stared at Abyss, speechless.

“Well… I don’t mind,” Abyss nodded, giving her an encouraging look. “As long as you like it.”

“I… I’m not… I…” Leona stammered, trying to explain.

Abyss, lying comfortably on Leona’s lap, glanced around and said, “Oh, and Leona, I did underestimate your strength before. The clothes I bought for you were only suitable for ordinary Dou Warriors. Look, in such a fierce battle, you’ve torn your clothes, holes here and there… Oh, through this hole, I can see…”

Boom!

Leona, unable to contain her temper any longer, punched Abyss’s head into the ground.

…

Abyss, brushing dirt off his hair, stood up, took off his cloak, and tossed it to Leona, who was sitting there mortified, clutching the torn fabric of her clothes. He stretched his neck, feeling significantly stronger. It seemed Leona’s loyalty had increased significantly while he was unconscious. Although he didn’t know the reason, he wasn’t in a hurry to find out—as long as their relationship was improving, it was a good thing.

“Abyss, we were so worried when you were lying there unconscious,” Flora said, approaching him, a happy blush on her face. “Thanks to the clue you left, I knew to use the Awakening spell on you.”

“It seems my worries were unnecessary. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have noticed that subtle clue,” Abyss said, gently stroking Flora’s soft golden hair. “Luckily, you’re Flora, my worthy follower. You even understood the obscure hint of biting my tongue.”

After patting Flora’s head, he reached out to ruffle Leona’s silver hair, but she slapped his hand away.

“Stop it! Don’t touch this princess’s head! You pervert!”

“Abyss, how did you do it? Those tendrils were really strong. I felt terrible after just a short exposure. How did you endure them for so long?” Flora asked curiously.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure myself. It was more of a gamble, but I won,” Abyss said with a faint smile. “From the beginning, I realized this Lord of Submergence wasn’t very intelligent or cunning. So, when I learned he was trying to drain my vitality, I used magic to shut down my cognitive abilities.”

Flora’s eyes widened, and even Leona, still sulking, turned to look at him.

Using magic to shut down one’s own mind was practically suicide for a mage, especially a necromancer who needed to constantly maintain their magic. Ninety-nine percent of mages wouldn’t bother learning such a self-destructive spell—it offered no benefits whatsoever.

“Then how did you maintain the magic on us? If you stopped thinking, we would have turned to ash, wouldn’t we?” Flora asked, bewildered. Her knowledge of magic wasn’t extensive, but she understood this basic principle.

“Remember Trivik?” Abyss asked with a smile. “The mage ghost who was chanting in Leona’s tomb?”

“Him?” Leona asked, surprised. “His task was complete. Shouldn’t he have returned already?”

“Just in case, I had him stay in your tomb and play cards. He’s a gambling addict, so he was more than happy to oblige,” Abyss said. “And look, it came in handy today, didn’t it? I informed him through our bond and transferred complete control of my mana to him. From the moment I lost consciousness, it was him, not me, who maintained the magic on you and Flora. He’s not very powerful himself, but he’s very knowledgeable. As long as he has enough mana, he’s not much weaker than me.”

“You gave him all your mana? You’re incredibly reckless!” Leona said, looking at Abyss as if he were a fool.

Indeed, Abyss’s actions were as reckless as shutting down his own mind: lighting a candle in a latrine—asking for trouble. If a seasoned necromancer happened to pass by, they would have mocked Abyss for his foolishness, handing over his mana to a ghost. If the ghost had any malicious intentions, Abyss would have been completely at his mercy, his body taken over.

In fact, that’s exactly what Dallan, hanging in mid-air, bound by Flora’s spell, thought.

Madman! This seemingly gentle boy was a true madman! More insane than any follower of the Lord of Submergence!

No sane necromancer would ever do such a thing! Sealing his own mind, relinquishing his mana—it was pure madness. And his ultimate goal was to enslave a god! How foolish, how arrogant!

To be defeated by a madman even more insane than himself, Dallan didn’t know whether to feel ashamed or humiliated.

“Never doubt the person you employ, and never employ the person you doubt. Look, my mana has been fully restored now. Trivik, having completed his task, will return to me soon,” Abyss said, spreading his arms and looking at the two girls with gentle eyes. “Just like I trust you with my life, I trust all my followers completely. My goal is to challenge a god. If I can’t even earn the loyalty of my followers, wouldn’t I be as ridiculous as a treant’s stomach?”

“Stop it… Trying to win us over with sweet talk…” Leona said, blushing and turning away.

“And thank you, Leona. You took a huge risk for me. I won’t forget it,” Abyss said, suddenly serious. He crouched beside Leona and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You must have known that when you put on that mask, there was a high chance you’d be enslaved by the Lord of Submergence, your soul devoured—but you still did it. Thank you.”

“It wasn’t because I was worried about you… It was only because if you died, I would turn to ash. That’s all…” Leona said, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms, hiding her blush from Abyss.

“And Flora, you’ve been working hard these past few days, preparing for this battle. Thank you,” Abyss said, looking up at Flora with a smile. “Without your abilities and wisdom, we might not have been able to defeat Dallan. After we’re done with the current situation, I want to hear all about your fight with him.”

“It’s my duty…” Flora said, waving her hands dismissively.

“By the way, how did you know I put on the mask? I didn’t tell you, did I?” Leona suddenly asked, peering at Abyss from between her arms. “Weren’t you unconscious?”

“I was, but when I woke up, I found that one of my followers had somehow captured a monster that was trying to pry its way into this world from another dimension,” Abyss said, glancing up at Dallan, a mocking smile on his face.

“It seems I have more opportunities to study this fellow now.”

Chapter 62: Leona, It’s My First Time

The streaks of blue light shot into Dallan’s chest with incredible speed. As he absorbed them, his body began to glow blue. He looked at Leona with manic eyes and shouted hoarsely, “I’ll… Hehehe… Take you down with me! Let my lord’s power cleanse everything! Once you’re dead, the Council of the Dead… Hehehe… Will retrieve the Face of Hell, and my lord’s arrival can begin anew…”

Leona stared at Dallan’s ranting with a cold indifference, as if listening to a boring story.

“My sacrifice, even the sacrifice of all believers in Golden Griffin City, is nothing. My lord requires endless offerings… Hahahaha… I… I’m about to become my lord’s nourishment…”

Dallan laughed maniacally, tears streaming down his face.

“Sacrifice… Through endless sacrifice, my lord can continuously bestow his grace upon the foolish and unenlightened masses… Ah… What a glorious world that will be… Hehehehehe…”

“Are you done yet?”

Leona’s impatient question snapped Dallan out of his delusional fantasy.

He suddenly realized that the sacrificial ritual he had just performed hadn’t taken effect. By now, his body should have exploded, countless tendrils erupting from him, spreading for dozens of kilometers, piercing the hearts of all living beings, draining their life essence to nourish the great Lord of Submergence.

But nothing happened. After absorbing the blue light, he didn’t feel his body being torn apart. Instead, he felt… a sense of coolness?

“What… What’s going on…”

“Your little trick, the priest from Golden Griffin City used something similar,” Leona said, flicking her hair nonchalantly. The Dou Qi flames enveloping her body swayed like her pigtails. “But he used it to send a signal and try to curse us. My ABC already guessed you taught him that—he hasn’t received any formal Dou Qi or magic training. If he could use such a powerful spell, you must have been behind it.”

Despair washed over Dallan again. He stared at Leona incredulously, then at Abyss, who was lying unconscious on the ground, his head resting on Flora’s lap.

Just who was this boy? How had he figured out a way to counter the forbidden art of “Soul Sacrifice” in just a few days? Had everything been part of his plan all along, despite Dallan’s attempts to surprise him?

Why was he so calm, so methodical? Why did every trump card Dallan revealed turn into a joke before him?

“What you absorbed just now are ‘vegetarian souls’ developed by ABC, essentially fake souls made of mana. He told me this was his first time putting them to practical use,” Leona said with a triumphant grin. “Honestly, when it comes to brains, you’re no match for ABC. He has created more things in a few years than all the mages on the continent combined in a century. Anyway, ABC said these souls have a calming effect when absorbed and are beneficial to the body if consumed regularly. They just can’t provide nourishment for your jellyfish-like master.”

“No… No…” Dallan shook his head, his smile more pathetic than tears.

“Flora, restrain him!” Leona waved her hand dismissively, tossing Dallan’s bloated, mutated body towards Flora.

Flora, without missing a beat, chanted a prayer. Before Dallan landed on her, chains materialized, binding him in mid-air. At the same time, a golden light, like a zipper, sealed his mouth, preventing him from chanting any spells.

Dallan struggled, but his efforts were even less effective than against Leona’s Dou Qi. Eternal Chains was an absolute binding spell. As long as he was from this world, he couldn’t break free. And Flora’s “bonus gift” for Dallan was another Divine Art: Silence. This spell was specifically designed to counter mages, not only preventing them from speaking but also severely disrupting their ability to chant even silently in their minds.

“How’s ABC doing?” Leona asked, ignoring Dallan, who was now securely bound by the Eternal Chains. The raging Dou Qi flames around her body suddenly shrank to a radius of half a meter. She casually tucked the Face of Hell into her belt, jumped down from the sky, and landed softly on the ground without causing any tremors.

“I tried to wake him up earlier, but he didn’t respond…” Flora said, her brow furrowed with worry. “But he can’t be defeated so easily. Otherwise, we would have turned to ash by now.”

Leona sat down on the ground, lifting Abyss’s head onto her lap. “I’ll try to stimulate him. You think of a solution,” she said to Flora.

After Flora nodded, Leona began applying her usual methods for dealing with an unresponsive person.

She tried pinching Abyss’s philtrum, but he didn’t even flinch. His handsome face remained peaceful and serene.

He was still breathing, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

She flicked his forehead lightly. If this were before her death, she wouldn’t have dared to do this. Back then, under the influence of the Tongue of Greed, she couldn’t control her strength and might have accidentally turned his head into a smashed watermelon.

A red mark appeared on Abyss’s forehead, a small bump forming. Any normal person would have been woken up by the pain, but Abyss remained motionless, his eyes closed.

Flora watched as Leona tried various methods to inflict pain on Abyss, her mind racing, searching for any clues or hints he might have left behind.

“This is just to save him… This is what a knight should do… It’s not like I like him…”

Leona muttered to herself, prying open Abyss’s mouth, preparing to give him artificial respiration.

At that moment, a realization struck Flora. She noticed that as Leona opened his mouth, Abyss’s teeth seemed to be gently biting his tongue.

A click consonant… This type of sound was uncommon on the continent. The only languages that used click consonants were Elven, the ancient language used by mages, and Holy Script used by Divine Arts users. If this was a syllable in Holy Script, then the word starting with this syllable should be…

Wisdom? That was the first word that came to mind.

Yes, Awakening! The Awakening spell!

It was a high-level healing Divine Art used to treat people who had become mentally impaired due to mental trauma, reawakening their intelligence and restoring their cognitive abilities!

Without hesitation, Flora chanted the prayer, and a golden light flashed on Abyss’s forehead.

His eyes opened almost instantly.

He saw Leona leaning over him, her rosy lips slightly parted, her eyes closed, seemingly determined to give him artificial respiration.

“Um… Leona? This is my first time kissing a girl… Could you…”

Leona’s eyes flew open, meeting Abyss’s turquoise gaze.

“… Be gentle?”

Chapter 61: Your Lord is an Idiot

“What… What’s happening…”

Dallan, plummeting from the sky, stared in disbelief at Leona, who hovered in his former position, the mask covering her face.

He couldn’t comprehend what had transpired. He had the absolute advantage, but as Leona performed that backflip, his body was suddenly ripped apart by his lord’s tendrils, and the Mask of Nothingness, previously his, was now on Leona’s face.

No, it wasn’t just the Mask of Nothingness. At some point, the three gemstones had been embedded in it. Leona now wore the complete Face of Hell! The artifact’s final form, necessary for his lord’s arrival… How?

The descent seemed to stretch on forever as countless thoughts raced through Dallan’s mind.

His connection to his lord was gone… His lord had abandoned him.

His Mask of Nothingness had been transferred to someone else… It had to be Princess Leona.

Why?

How?

Bang!

Dallan’s mangled body crashed to the ground. He couldn’t even cough up blood anymore; it simply sprayed from the cracks in his flesh. He landed on the recently solidified lava rock, its sharp edges shattering his bones. His lord’s protection didn’t shield him this time. His injuries remained untreated.

“Gasp… Gasp…” Dallan was still alive. He tried to chant a spell, but only managed a raspy wheeze.

Ignoring the searing pain in his arm, he fumbled in his pockets. He retrieved a cracked vial, half-empty, from his thigh pocket and poured the contents onto his chest without hesitation.

It was a potion that accelerated healing, reserved for emergencies, the kind only unscrupulous alchemists with no regard for regulations or ethics would brew. As the potion touched his wounds, a cloud of acrid smoke erupted with a sizzling sound. Dallan’s body convulsed violently, and he moaned uncontrollably. Excruciating pain surged through every part of him where the potion touched.

Flesh rapidly regenerated, growing wildly and uncontrollably. In the blink of an eye, grotesque growths covered his chest. His skin hardened into a rough shell, covered in irregularly shaped purple scales. The potion was transforming parts of his body into some unknown creature.

But Dallan didn’t care. His lungs were finally healed, and his cracked lips moved, rapidly chanting a long incantation. His broken body began to mend—but his skin was turning a dark blue, the color of corpses and the dying.

Leona, hovering in the sky, remained motionless for a long moment before making her next move. She turned, looked down at Dallan, who was struggling to heal himself on the ground, and exhaled heavily, the sound muffled by the mask.

Flora stood still, her eyes fixed on Leona.

“Leona… Don’t become a slave to the Lord of Submergence…” she prayed silently, but her prayer wasn’t directed at any deity, but at Leona.

“Hehehehehe… Princess Leona… Hehehehehe… You’ve taken my place… Cough, cough, cough…” Dallan, lying on the ground, a pathetic sight, looked up at Leona and chuckled hoarsely, his body twitching uncontrollably from the potion’s lingering side effects. “You’re the new… The new Bishop… Rejoice, a new Bishop, stronger than I, has been born… Hahahahaha…”

Leona didn’t speak. She extended a hand towards Dallan, and her Dou Qi condensed into a giant hand, grabbing him and lifting him before her.

“Hahahaha… Hahahaha…” Dallan no longer cared about the pain of being held by Leona’s Dou Qi hand. His already warped grin stretched almost to his ears, his eyes filled with madness and ecstasy as he stared at the Face of Hell on Leona’s face. “The new Bishop… My lord’s arrival is imminent… Hahahahaha…” As he laughed, he stretched his free hand towards Leona with all his might, even though he couldn’t reach her.

“Huff… Huff…” Leona’s heavy breathing echoed within the mask.

“Please grant me a sliver of grace… Let me touch your mask… Let me be embraced by my lord one last time… Hehehe… By my lord…”

“Well, I’m sorry about that.”

“Gah…” Dallan’s frantic plea was cut short.

“Your lord probably can’t arrive anymore, because I’ve taken control of his power. In a few days, I might even chop him up and make a jellyfish salad. Ugh, so frustrating.”

“You… You…” Dallan’s eyes bulged, his mouth wide open, revealing his broken teeth. “You haven’t embraced the Lord of Submergence’s cause…”

“It’s amazing that you cultists would worship a brain-dead creature from another world,” Leona said, gently removing the Face of Hell from her face, revealing her delicate features. The tendrils that had pierced her face instantly retracted, leaving only small marks that healed in the blink of an eye. “Guess what? Your Lord of Submergence is just a giant monster acting on instinct. I met him just now. He tried to make me obey him… Guess what I said?”

Dallan stared at Leona, speechless.

“I told him to stop blabbering in the spirit world and come down to the real world if he wants to fight. Let’s see if I don’t beat him to a pulp,” Leona grinned. “He immediately shut up.”

“Aaaaaah! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” Dallan finally reacted, struggling and writhing, his eyes bloodshot.

“Your anger is useless. This Face of Hell seems to be your lord’s only connection to this world, and now it’s in my hands. Oh well, nothing you can do about it. So frustrating,” Leona said.

Dallan roared in fury, but his weak necromancer body was no match for Leona’s Dou Qi.

“You forced me to do this!” he said, his eyes filled with despair. A single, short syllable escaped his lips.

At that moment, numerous streaks of blue light shot from Golden Griffin City, completely ignoring the protective barrier, converging towards them.

“My lord! I offer my soul and the souls of all believers in Golden Griffin City as a sacrifice! Please enter this world, even for a moment!” Dallan shouted, absorbing all the incoming streaks of light into his body!