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

Chapter 90: The Village Destroyed by Slime

“Miss Leona!”
As Leona swiftly entered the battlefield, preparing to punch the slime into oblivion, the Druid attempting to block its advance suddenly shouted.

“Miss Leona, please don’t attack it directly!” the Druid warned. “When the fight started, it was only the size of a cow. But as we attacked it, it kept breaking apart, splitting, and then merging back together, growing larger and larger. It might have a special ability to convert damage into energy to enhance itself!”

Hearing this, Leona instantly understood why the slime had grown so enormous.

Any damage inflicted on the slime would be absorbed and used to increase its size. Did this mean Leona couldn’t attack the giant slime at all? Could she only let it continue its rampage?

“Magic doesn’t work either?” Leona quickly asked.

“Its magic resistance is extremely high, and it can absorb magical damage too. I tried burning it; it didn’t work!” the Druid reported urgently.

The Golden Rose squad leader addressed Leona: “Miss Leona, we can’t help much anymore. We’ll evacuate the residents and rescue those trapped in the destroyed houses!”

“Alright! I’ll figure out how to deal with it!” Leona replied loudly.

The giant slime was slowly oozing forward. While slow, its immense size meant its speed was comparable to a person walking leisurely.

Slimes were typically very low-level creatures, resembling jelly-like blobs of magical slime whose color depended on the soil’s elemental content. They had a core, which was the slime’s true body. Slimes had poor mobility and no predatory abilities, feeding only on moss and plankton. However, due to having few natural enemies, they were widespread across the continent. But this giant slime was clearly different; it could engulf and rapidly digest any creature within its slime, making it extremely dangerous.

The slime seemed to notice Leona and turned towards her, oozing forward. It wasn’t exactly a charge, more like a taunt.

Leona could even see a human-like face pattern on the slime’s surface – a mocking expression, incredibly arrogant. It seemed this Iron Lily member knew Leona was a super Dou Qi Master; he had come specifically looking for a beating.

“This is a bit tricky…” Leona slowly retreated, luring the slime away from the houses. She asked the Druid beside her, who was clearly exhausted from the previous battle, “Druid, did you try attacking its core before?”

“We tried! It absorbs our power through that core! We couldn’t destroy it!” the Druid replied.

“Tsk… the core isn’t a weak point? Damn it.” Leona looked up at the slime.

The slime seemed to realize Leona was luring it away from the village. After a moment’s thought, the cunning creature turned back and began rolling towards the village – towards the villagers’ property. If allowed to continue, it would destroy everything, leaving the villagers destitute.

“This guy…” Leona bit her lower lip, desperately trying to think of a countermeasure.

The slime leisurely oozed towards the village, its arrogant expression still visible on its surface, clearly taunting, “Come beat me if you dare.”

Usually, it was Leona who provoked others like this; who dared provoke her? Leona gritted her teeth in anger, but she was helpless. She knew that with her strength, one punch could make the slime swell into a mountain, instantly escalating the disaster to an unacceptable level.

What to do?

Seeing Leona stumped, the Druid clenched his jaw and said, “Miss Leona, if you really have no other way, I can risk everything to hold it back, buying you as much time as possible to think!”

“Don’t push yourself; you’re already exhausted, aren’t you?” Leona shook her head firmly. “I know that overexerting your mind can cause brain damage for mages!”

“But there’s no other way now…”

“That’s not an option either… Wait, I have an idea!”

Leona suddenly clapped her hands. Her words made the slime pause for a moment.

Then, Leona moved. Like an arrow released from a bowstring, she shot towards the slime and punched it.

Half of the slime’s body instantly melted, collapsing into a puddle of jelly fragments.

Without hesitation, Leona punched the slime again, sending another large mass of slime splattering.

The Druid was shocked. Was this hot-tempered young lady planning to brute-force it? But wouldn’t that just make the slime stronger?

The slime’s initial surprise turned into ecstasy. The face on its surface twisted into a smug grin. Leona’s attacks were powerful, but it didn’t care; it even craved more.

Leona saw the expression on the other side through its translucent body. She wasn’t surprised; instead, a mysterious smile touched her lips.

The scattered slime began to swell and coalesce, rapidly moving towards the core.

And Leona, at that precise moment, reached out forcefully. Her small hand broke through the slime, grabbing its baseball-sized core.

“Off you go!” Before the slime could react further, she gripped the core, gathered her strength slightly, and hurled it upwards with all her might!

The slime’s core instantly broke the sound barrier, creating a series of sonic booms in the air as it vanished into the sky, disappearing without a trace.

“Let’s see you come back after being thrown into outer space! Stop thinking!” Leona clapped her hands, looking pleased.

The slime on the ground, now coreless, rapidly evaporated and disappeared.

The Druid beside her stared, dumbfounded. He never imagined this petite girl could throw an enemy out of the atmosphere.

“Alright, the slime problem is solved. Let’s go save people!” Leona said, running towards the village where collapsed houses trapped some villagers.

As soon as she entered the village, she heard a faint cry for help.

“Help… help… I’m under the roof…”

She immediately ran towards the sound. The weak cry came from the wreckage of a large collapsed house. A hand stuck out from underneath.

Seeing a civilian in distress, Leona didn’t hesitate. She rushed over and lifted the heavy roof section.

“Are you alright…”

“Oh, thank you, dear little sister. Of course, I’m fine.”

But just as Leona was about to check on the victim’s safety, the hand suddenly grabbed her ankle. A numbing sensation spread through her leg.

She saw a smiling woman lying there. The woman’s face was pale, but she didn’t look injured, and she definitely wasn’t an elf.

More importantly, Leona was shocked to find herself completely paralyzed, as if… her body was being controlled.

“Ah, you’re so pretty, and your body is so petite and cute. No wonder my interesting junior brother treasures you so much. But I’m sorry, now, you’re mine.”

Chapter 89: Evolution of Brain Crystal Power

Based on the leech-man’s intelligence, Abyss and a group of Druids launched a swift operation that same day, capturing several gathered Iron Lily members. Abyss easily extracted the crystals from their brains. These powerless and incapacitated individuals were then escorted by elves to a nearby city to face trial in the local citizen’s court.

The Iron Lily members had believed caution would allow them to approach Abyss slowly, never expecting the most impulsive among them, the leech-man, to betray them so thoroughly. To save his own skin, the leech-man had even revealed the specific abilities of his comrades and their favorite foods.

Abyss also contacted Arcaiste, informing him of his plans.

The Grand Sage, upon hearing Abyss truly intended to resurrect the person he admired most, had mixed feelings and struggled to decide. It was only after Abyss’s three companions explained their own experiences and treatment as undead that Arcaiste agreed to fully cooperate, arranging for Druids to defend against Iron Lily attacks and guard against Abyss’s potential former martial siblings. The Druids acted quickly, deploying to various regions of the Elven Kingdoms, ready to confront the remaining Iron Lily members lurking within.

Furthermore, Arcaiste contacted the Grey Elves, relaying the information. The Grey Elves responded proactively, dispatching a standing regular army of the Elven Kingdoms – the “Golden Rose Army” – to station troops in various regions, providing powerful support.

Abyss and Rebecca secluded themselves in the alchemy lab, researching for a full day (external time). Afterwards, Abyss began a peculiar activity – sitting in front of the Sacred Tree, facing it, chanting unknown incantations. No one knew what he was doing. Rebecca remained in the lab, presumably concocting some potion. Flora stood guard beside Abyss, ready for any emergency.

The restless Leona, however, personally joined the Druids in fighting the Iron Lily members. Abyss, initially hesitant due to the unknown abilities of the enemy Necromancers, eventually relented after the princess, eager for action, pleaded persistently. They seemed to reach some agreement before Abyss let her go.

Soon after, the Iron Lily members indeed began their move.

Terrorist attacks started occurring throughout the Elven Kingdoms. However, the Elven Kingdoms were prepared. Although innocent elves still lost their lives, large-scale massacres were averted.

The Elven Kingdoms’ joint force, the “Golden Rose Army,” demonstrated their impressive quality.

Composed of members from various city-states and villages across the Elven Kingdoms, all well-educated and rigorously trained, this army had honed its skills for years without seeing action. Finally facing their sworn enemies, they fought fiercely. Stationed throughout the Elven Kingdoms alongside the Druids, they defended against enemies, mobilized quickly when threats appeared, and protected many civilians. Despite casualties, the presence of Druids and elven healing mages mitigated the severity.

This fighting continued for a week. Abyss remained seated before the Sacred Tree, chanting ceaselessly, not even eating or drinking, sustained only by a potion Rebecca had given him earlier. Rebecca continued her experiments in the lab, while Flora stood vigil by Abyss. Leona, during this week, encountered increasingly bizarre enemies.

As the Iron Lily members collected more brain crystals, their powers evolved in strange ways. The leech-man’s abilities now seemed insignificant in comparison.

One transformed into a piranha, able to dissolve into water and move undetectably through it. Leona encountered this foe on a rainy day, creating a difficult situation as Druids couldn’t easily control the weather without complex spells. Leona, in a moment of inspiration, punched the clouds overhead, dispersing them with the force of her fist, finally capturing the creature capable of biting off a person’s neck.

Another turned into a rabbit whose eyes could fire beams that pierced through anything. A Golden Rose soldier was killed instantly. When Leona arrived, she concentrated her Dou Qi to emit an intense light, blinding the rabbit and defeating it.

Other strange abilities emerged, providing Leona with ample excitement but also a growing sense of unease. If the Iron Lilies continued evolving like this, what monstrous abilities would they develop?

Another unsettling development was the Lord of Bullying’s recent activity.

While no followers had attempted to build new temples near the Sacred Tree roots under Abyss’s surveillance, the Lord of Bullying himself began appearing in the dreams of some elves. In these dreams, the massive, teeth-covered monster whispered temptations, urging them to accept his power, become strong, and protect themselves and their families. Some elves remained steadfast and reported the dreams, while others seemed swayed.

The Druids and Grey Elves had explicitly warned the inhabitants of the Elven Kingdoms about these powers, but their allure was undeniable – the Iron Lily members with their troublesome abilities served as potent advertisements.

…

“Miss Leona, Iron Lily members have appeared in a village sixty kilometers away. The Druids are struggling to hold them back. We request your assistance!” reported a female Dark Elf warrior clad in dark red armor adorned with golden patterns.

“Take me there immediately!” Leona, who had just captured a poaching Iron Lily member, confiscated his brain crystals, and was resting with tea, leaped up, downed the hot tea in one gulp, tossed the cup to a nearby Golden Rose soldier cleaning the battlefield, and turned back.

Leona’s identity as a powerful Dou Qi Master was no longer a secret. Guided by the Golden Rose warrior, she ran at incredible speed, covering the sixty kilometers to the village on foot.

Before reaching the village, she saw a giant slime, over twenty meters tall, confronting a Druid and a small squad of Golden Rose soldiers. Several elven houses were already destroyed, and there seemed to be civilian casualties.

“What the heck is that? How can a slime grow so big?” She frowned.

Chapter 88: The Urgent Task

“Hmm… the information you provided is somewhat useful,” Abyss nodded at the leech-man. “Next, tell me, how many elves have you killed?”

“I…” The leech-man started to speak, then suddenly became wary. “Aren’t you going to let me go? I’ve already told you everything I know!”

“Think back,” Leona sneered from the side. “We never once mentioned letting you go if you told us everything.”

Only then did the leech-man realize his mistake. In his haste, he had spilled everything, but Abyss had never mentioned a deal. He had foolishly assumed betraying his comrades would guarantee his safety, but things hadn’t gone as planned.

“Speak. How many elves have you killed? I will determine your punishment based on your crimes,” Abyss sat down casually in front of the leech-man, watching him lazily. “Don’t think about wasting my time. If you don’t tell me yourself, I have many ways to make you talk.”

“I… I…” The leech-man trembled violently, barely maintaining his last shred of dignity, managing not to wet himself. “I haven’t killed any elves; I’m new…”

“You’re lying. One more chance.”

“One, just one…”

“Let’s stop this tedious game. If you lie again next time…” Abyss’s eyes grew colder, a chill creeping up the leech-man’s spine, instantly clearing his mind.

“Five or six! Five or six!”

“Five or six… good.” Abyss finally nodded, confirming the man wasn’t lying anymore. “Have all you Iron Lilies killed that many elves?”

The leech-man burst into tears, saying desperately, “Yes, yes, the condition for joining is to behead an elf prisoner in front of everyone. Everyone in the Iron Lilies has killed elves! Everyone!”

“There’s one more thing I’m curious about. Why do you Iron Lilies hate elves so much… Just now, you were even gnashing your teeth at me, thinking my helping elves was utterly shameful,” Abyss stood up again and asked.

“I… I actually don’t think you’re shameful… really…” The leech-man quickly distanced himself from his earlier words. “We believe elves are the source of disaster on this continent. They caused the great catastrophe in ancient times. Humans have a responsibility to wipe them from this world and restore peace. The elves’ endless research into magic is shaking the foundations of this world. If they continue, a second great catastrophe is inevitable, and then it will be too late…”

“So, the crimes you accuse the elves of are actually baseless?” Abyss interrupted the leech-man’s tirade.

Although terrified moments ago, the leech-man spoke of the elves’ supposed crimes with a fervent passion. Interrupted by Abyss, he paused for a long time before whispering, “Our elders have conclusive evidence, but we’re not allowed to see it casually…”

“Someone must be funding you, right? I guess you can’t steal much from the elves. Firstly, elves from the Elven Kingdoms rarely venture out, giving you few opportunities. Secondly, elves distributed in other countries are protected by local laws; you wouldn’t dare plunder too openly,” Abyss asked again.

“Maybe… but I don’t know…” the leech-man said quickly. “Please, let me go. I’ll wash my hands of this when I get back. I’ll never kill again… no, from now on, I’ll treat elves with the utmost respect. Elves are my grandfathers, okay?”

“You’re lying again, but it doesn’t matter this time because I’m sending you to the nearby cemetery for the elves to judge you. But before that, I need to do something unpleasant to you,” Abyss suddenly smiled. “Of course, it won’t be painful. I hope you’re not too scared.”

Amidst the leech-man’s desperate screams, Abyss manipulated his skull. Two tweezer-like bones grew from the inner wall, perfectly extracting the crystal from his brain without damaging it and pushing it out of the cranial cavity. Rebecca had wanted this earlier, and Abyss hadn’t forgotten.

Then, Abyss summoned an undead minion and sent the pathetic man to the nearby cemetery. Under Abyss’s illusion, no one noticed the deceased in the cemetery forming a court and judging the captured Iron Lily member.

The final verdict was very elven – the deceased (including several elves killed by the Iron Lilies) didn’t advocate for immediate execution, believing it insufficient to compensate for the harm and suffering he had caused. Instead, they voted on a solution: Flora would cast a permanent Penance spell on him, forcing him to live the rest of his life in endless remorse, using his remaining years to help elves and atone for his past crimes.

As the leech-man, weeping profusely after Flora cast the Divine Art, left, Rebecca returned from the nearby village. Abyss was still in the underground cavity, studying the Sacred Tree and chatting with the others.

“The elves didn’t vote to kill him? They still dislike the death penalty, as always,” Rebecca said lightly as she stepped into the cavity. “I’ve completely healed that girl. Although it wasn’t convenient to open my alchemy lab in front of them, thankfully Keshel is a source of medicinal herbs; they have everything. You don’t need to worry anymore.”

“It’s good the girl is alright. I really didn’t want any innocent people to get hurt because of us,” Abyss said, collecting the Sacred Tree’s sap with a fist-sized round-bottom flask and a dropper. “I’ve also got a better understanding of the Iron Lilies – basically a bunch of lunatics who get their kicks from bullying the weak. Such people are everywhere, but the Iron Lily members are just the more extreme ones. Elves aren’t weak, but their way of doing things makes them seem easy to bully.”

Rebecca asked, “Didn’t he say earlier that even if he was fine, his comrades would start searching for the Sage’s Blood and attacking elves? Does that mean their attacks might intensify in the coming days? Do you have any defense plans?”

“And Prodo might make a move soon too,” Abyss added, turning his head.

“Exactly. What are your thoughts?” Rebecca asked.

“It sounds a bit passive, but I plan to let the Druids handle this,” Abyss said unexpectedly. “And these next few days, I will wholeheartedly focus on finding a way to resurrect Agnes. I feel we can’t delay any longer, especially with the new threat of Prodo and my potential former martial siblings. You might also need to contribute these days – while ensuring your safety, of course. I’m still unsure about the abilities of the enemy Necromancers.”

Chapter 87: Iron-Boned Leech-Man

“Since you don’t want to talk, I won’t bother asking,” Abyss smiled and shook his head. It didn’t really matter whether he knew this information or not. If Prodo was even slightly cautious, he would disguise himself, perhaps even use magic to alter his appearance. Asking these low-ranking thugs directly clearly wouldn’t yield any constructive results.

“In that case, I advise you to release me quickly. Although the Iron Lilies operate loosely, don’t underestimate our solidarity. If I don’t return to the agreed rendezvous point tonight, they will assume I’m missing…”

“Where is your rendezvous point?” Abyss asked immediately.

The leech-man almost choked with anger. He was threatening Abyss, yet Abyss was interested in the rendezvous point? Did this guy even understand the concept of fear?

“Do you know what they’ll do when they assume I’m missing?” The leech-man’s eyes widened, a sinister smile spreading across his face. “They will launch terrifying reprisals against the elves! I know, since you’ve made a dirty deal with the elves, you definitely don’t want them to die, right? So I’ll give you one last chance, let me go…”

“Where are the other Iron Lily members? Can you give me a list?”

“…”

“Why aren’t you answering me? So stingy,” Abyss pouted.

“Damn bastard! Don’t you want this last chance? Let me go! Otherwise, I’ll make you and your elves regret it! I won’t give you any of the damn information you want!”

The leech-man seemed to have exploded with anger. His voice became hysterical, and his body, bound by the Eternal Lock, struggled desperately – futilely, of course. The Eternal Lock’s hold was absolute, and divine power, not being material, had no concept of durability. He could struggle until the end of the universe, but as long as Flora maintained the lock, he couldn’t move an inch.

“My friend, have you misunderstood something?” Abyss’s expression suddenly turned cold again.

“…?” The leech-man paused, confused.

“Who told you I care about your threats? Who told you I care what actions your accomplices take?” Abyss took two more steps forward. He grabbed the leech-man’s wrinkled collar, distorted by the transformation, pulled him closer until their noses almost touched. “If your accomplices retaliate against the elves because you’re missing, then let them come! Did you really think sporadic harassment is easier to deal with than a large-scale, concentrated attack?”

“I…” The leech-man hadn’t expected Abyss to be so firm regarding the elves’ safety. He had thought a “good person” like Abyss, who selflessly helped the elves, would be intimidated and hesitant. But Abyss was tougher than the most fanatical Iron Lily member?

“You what? Iron Lilies, right? I truly hope as many of you come as possible. If you have the ability and the guts, then come! Let’s see who laughs last!” Abyss’s cyan eyes stared intently at the leech-man, an immense pressure rising from the depths of the leech-man’s soul.

This youth before him was terrifying! As if he were the god of death and slaughter himself, descended upon the mortal realm, ruling over all death in this world!

This was completely different from what the old man had said. He had told the Iron Lilies that this youth was kind and benevolent, easily manipulated through his weaknesses! That old liar!

The leech-man was thoroughly panicked. He had intended to scare Abyss into releasing him, but his supposedly effective tactic had failed completely.

It was true that the Iron Lilies would avenge fallen members, but because they were a relatively loose terrorist organization, acting on general orders from their leader, their retaliations were spontaneous and lacked unified command, likely rendering them ineffective.

Under the threat of death, his mind raced.

Even if his comrades avenged him, what good would it do? If he died, he was truly dead. He knew Necromancers had tenets, but those tenets didn’t forbid killing, only killing for selfish gain. Abyss wasn’t afraid to kill him; he simply didn’t want to play the role of executioner!

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll tell you everything!” he shouted immediately.

“Dealing with bastards like this, intimidation really is more effective,” Leona couldn’t help but remark in the mind link. “If you were nice to him, he’d definitely get more arrogant.”

“Oh, actually, that was my plan all along,” Abyss replied with a barely perceptible smile, glancing at Leona and Flora. “I don’t intend to show any kindness to people like him.”

“He deserves it,” Flora didn’t object to Abyss’s approach.

The leech-man immediately spilled everything he knew, like beans from a bamboo tube.

The Iron Lilies’ initial actions were prompted by merchants who had successfully smuggled goods out of the Elven Kingdoms. These merchants exchanged money and goods with locals for temporary hunting rights, then harvested various crystals from small animals considered insignificant by the elves. They discovered that consuming these crystals like candy granted magical abilities, which alerted the power-hungry Iron Lilies to an opportunity.

They immediately traded with the merchants. Seeing a chance for profit without harming human interests, the merchants were willing to deal with the Iron Lilies, albeit discreetly and at inflated prices due to their illegal status.

The Iron Lilies weren’t fools. After acquiring some crystals, they gave them to willing members to try. As expected, the members gained magical powers without any study or training. After consuming a certain number of crystals, they discovered they could also transform.

Thus, Iron Lily members infiltrated the Elven Kingdoms in animal form, hunted for crystals, and used them to cultivate more members… Now, the Iron Lilies had almost completely infiltrated the Elven Kingdoms. But these individuals were nomadic, gathering only in small, scattered groups, making them difficult to eliminate entirely.

Among the information the leech-man provided, one detail caught Abyss’s attention – the old man who revealed the information about the Sage’s Blood wasn’t alone. He had several individuals beside him, possibly apprentices. They were dressed as mages in black robes, their faces concealed by hoods, leaving only their mouths visible.

Abyss desperately wanted to know if these individuals accompanying Prodo were followers of the Lord of Bullying or his own former martial brothers and sisters.

Chapter 86: The Traitor in Action

“So you recognize me?” Abyss, completely unfazed by the leech transforming into a man, took two steps closer, hands behind his back, and sneered. “Since you recognize me, you should know I’m a very powerful Necromancer, right?”

“I… Yes, so what? I came to absorb the Sage’s Blood within you!”
The short man initially considered lying but ultimately chose to be direct, his arrogant expression failing to mask his inner fear.

“That’s interesting. Since you know I’m a powerful Necromancer, why didn’t you consider that I might have ways to control my own blood?” Abyss suddenly flashed a mocking smile. “Sorry, my own blood flows as I command. Trying to suck my blood without permission will only result in failure.”

“What!?” The short man was stunned by Abyss’s words.

Abyss then made his face flush and pale alternately, demonstrating his ability to control his blood. From the moment he saw the leech he had pulled out, Abyss had been prepared. After the leech slipped from his grasp, he had immediately moved all the blood away from the area closest to the leech, including the veins in his wrist.

Although the leech had latched onto his wrist and torn off a piece of flesh, that flesh contained no blood. It had sucked nothing.

“Who sent you? Tell me,” Abyss’s smile vanished, his gaze fixed on the short man’s face. “Who told you I have the Sage’s Blood?”

“Nobody sent me; I work for myself,” the leech-man answered immediately. “An old man told me you have the Sage’s Blood. If I could latch onto you and drink my fill, I’d gain limitless power! It took me days to find and approach you. I just didn’t expect you to have such a bizarre ability!”

Abyss looked at the leech-man and realized he wasn’t lying. His eyes held contempt, as if looking at some shameless villain.

The leech-man was human, likely from the northern continent based on his features. He wasn’t an elf, making his identity obvious.

“It’s clear you dislike me and covet my power. Are you from the Iron Lilies?” Abyss asked.

“Hmph, why should I tell you who I am? But I want you to know, you Necromancers are all scum, and those who cooperate with elves are scum too. And you, you’re the scum of the scum!” the leech-man suddenly cursed. “Now that I’m caught by you and your filthy undead, I have no choice. But I advise you to let me go, or our people will retaliate on a massive scale. You will regret it.”

“So it is,” Abyss looked helplessly at his two companions beside him.

“Are all you Iron Lilies filled with cow dung?” Leona immediately scoffed. “What good does killing elves do you? You bastards spreading terror everywhere should all just die.”

“Elves are a plague upon this world, a remnant of the old era. Cleansing them is carrying out heaven’s will, fulfilling the world’s needs. How could shallow people like you understand?” The leech-man looked at Leona disdainfully.

Abyss informed Rebecca, who was with the elf girl, through the mind link: “Rebecca, the leech we took from the stomach is under control now. It’s a transformed human, an Iron Lily member. He came here on an old man’s advice, specifically to suck my blood.”

“Hmm? The Iron Lilies have already infiltrated the Elven Kingdoms?”

“Yes, and I suspect they entered in animal form. The animal brain crystals created by the Lord of Bullying might have the effect of turning people into animals. The border posts of the Elven Kingdoms are probably useless now. Guards at less important locations wouldn’t pay attention to the movement of wild animals,” Abyss said.

Rebecca replied: “Okay, I understand the situation. Don’t worry about things here. I just cleaned up the blood spilled from the girl’s stomach damaged by the leech and used medicine to heal her stomach. She’s fine now and should be able to walk soon.”

After saying this, Rebecca paused, then added: “By the way, since he’s an Iron Lily member, you definitely won’t let him leave alive. Abyss, remember to collect his brain crystal. I need more crystals for research to try and figure out the mechanism of their transformation into animals.”

Rebecca showed her highly rational side at this moment. Towards such villains who made it their mission to kill innocent residents, Rebecca felt no pity and had no fear or guilt about studying the crystals in their brains.

Abyss smiled slightly upon hearing this. He indeed had no intention of letting this man leave the Elven Kingdoms alive. After questioning the leech-man, Abyss would first strip him of the power that wasn’t his, then find an elven graveyard and let the elves judge him themselves.

“The old man who gave you the information, what did he look like?” Abyss asked again.

“Do you think I would expose the benefactor who provided us with crucial intelligence?” The leech-man, though still afraid of death, didn’t lose his bravado. “But let me warn you, my brothers are endless, and they are all coming for you. You and the elves will pay the price, and we will get your blood sooner or later. I was caught today only because I was too hasty, but my other brothers won’t be.”

Abyss shook his head, looking at this pathetic and hateful person. He was fundamentally afraid of death yet unwilling to abandon the Iron Lilies’ cause. How much brainwashing had this person undergone? Long-term exposure to the extremist environment of the Iron Lilies breeds such irrational thoughts.

However, the current information was already very valuable. At the very least, Abyss knew that Prodo was now active. He must be monitoring the Druid gathering through some means. The commotion Abyss had caused by draining the magic around the Sacred Tree had been significant. It seemed his identity as the inheritor of the Sage’s Blood was now fully exposed to Prodo, the power-hungry traitor of his school.

And coincidentally, Abyss was now somewhat eager to meet this master who was once capable of fighting multiple top-tier Necromancers on the continent.

Chapter 85: A Troublesome Parasite

After the elf girl inhaled the anesthetic powder, she quickly entered a trance-like state. The abdominal pain was blocked by the drug’s effect. Abyss used ice magic to condense some water from the air, cleaned the girl’s abdomen and his own finger-turned-scalpel, then made the incision.

Abyss was extremely familiar with the anatomy of both humans and elves, especially in dissection. He quickly and accurately made a small downward cut on the girl’s upper abdomen. Simultaneously, he used magic to lower the temperature of that area of skin, slowing blood flow to prevent it from interfering with the surgery.

His practiced surgical technique amazed the elves. This Druid Master was so knowledgeable about the human body! Truly a master, so learned, even possessing such profound medical skills!

Abyss wasted no time. After cutting through the skin, he made another incision, directly into the elf girl’s stomach.

Then, just as he had removed the Tongue of Greed from Leona’s stomach, he inserted two fingers, directly grasping the wriggling creature inside!

“Flora, Rebecca, help with her wound!” he instructed the girls beside him, simultaneously pulling the strange, squirming creature out of the elf girl’s stomach.

“Scree!”

The thing pulled from the stomach let out a sharp cry, writhing frantically. Its strength was surprisingly great; Abyss couldn’t hold onto its slippery body with just two fingers, and it wriggled free.

Before them was a black leech, about the thickness of an adult’s thumb. Covered in stomach fluid, it slimily crawled up Abyss’s fingers and, without warning, latched onto the inside of his wrist!

“What is this thing?” Abyss frowned. He grabbed the leech’s tail with his other hand, trying to pull it off, but felt a tug on his wrist – the disgusting creature had firmly bitten into his flesh. Pulling it off forcefully might leave a large wound.

Something was wrong. Why would an ordinary leech scream? Why would it burrow into someone’s stomach? This thing probably wasn’t a leech at all!

Realizing this, Abyss didn’t hesitate and yanked the leech off. Its teeth and sucker tore away a piece of his inner wrist, leaving a fingernail-sized hole, which rapidly healed under Abyss’s magic.

“I’ll kill it!” Leona acted decisively. Knowing Abyss wouldn’t kill animals except for food, she stepped forward, snatched the leech, and squeezed hard.

Leona’s grip could crush solid iron balls like clay. With such force, not just a leech, even a dragon’s bone would shatter – however, Leona found her hand empty.

At that moment, her sharp dynamic vision caught sight of the leech – it had somehow escaped her grasp and was now darting up her arm at incredible speed.

“You little…”

The leech’s speed was indeed unnaturally fast, but Leona’s reaction and movement speed were orders of magnitude faster. Before the leech could move more than a few centimeters, Leona grabbed it again and squeezed hard.

This time, Leona understood how the leech escaped: just as her hand closed, transferring immense pressure, the leech performed a small spatial jump, perfectly avoiding the attack.

Flora and Rebecca had noticed something was wrong earlier. They immediately warned of the danger and evacuated the nearby crowd. Rebecca, being more medically knowledgeable, went back with the elf girl to treat the incision and the internal stomach wound. Flora, meanwhile, began chanting a prayer as the villagers fled.

Leona’s movements were a blur, but the leech’s spatial jumps matched her attack speed. While Leona could dodge its attacks, she couldn’t deliver a killing blow.

“Damn disgusting bug!” Leona, unaccustomed to such frustration, was furious. She grabbed the leech’s tail, but instead of squeezing, she slammed it violently against a nearby rock.

Leona’s strength in anger was staggering; the mere swing of her arm created a sonic boom. But the leech, which should have been smashed against the rock, teleported away the instant her arm swung down, flying towards her snow-white neck!

Buzz!

Just then, Flora finished her prayer. A golden chain materialized, locking the leech firmly in mid-air, immobilizing it.

“Don’t hit it anymore, Leona. Its ability likely involves spatial jumping when harmed. Physical attacks probably won’t work,” Abyss advised, his wrist wound already fully healed.

“Flora has it locked anyway…” Leona, still wanting to punch the leech suspended by the Eternal Lock, heard Abyss’s words. Thinking he might have a use for the leech, she reluctantly withdrew her fist with a huff.

“Is this a magic-using animal?” Flora frowned. “Even leeches have become like this? Why is it so aggressive…”

Abyss coldly stared at the leech struggling futilely against the Divine Art in mid-air. “This thing immediately tried to suck my blood the moment it appeared. That’s a bit…”

“Sent by the bad guys?” Leona’s eyes widened.

“Hmph, I understand,” Abyss snorted coldly, addressing the leech directly. “You, suspended in the air, I’ll give you a chance to change back now. Then we can talk. If you insist on playing the role of a bloodsucking parasite, I don’t mind letting my companion swat you dead like one.”

Just as Leona was about to ask why Abyss was talking to a leech, she watched in astonishment as the creature in mid-air began to transform – its body suddenly swelled, rapidly growing limbs and a head, like an inflating balloon. In moments, it became a short man.

“Don’t kill me… Why couldn’t I suck any blood from you!?”

The short man immediately asked Abyss in astonishment.

Chapter 84: The Sacred Tree’s Wound

The cavity was supported by extensions of the Sacred Tree’s roots. Sweeping away the damp topsoil revealed the rough bark of the roots. Standing there, one could feel the powerful life pulse of the Sacred Tree, like a human heartbeat. Countless streams of magic flowed from here towards the tree’s crown, and the small amount of escaping magic gave the air a strangely smooth, lubricated feel.

Flora chanted the spell for Candlelight, and a pure white light source ignited at her fingertip, illuminating the gnarled, dragon-like roots within the cavity.

Abyss nodded gratefully to Flora and began carefully examining the roots.

“Ah, found it. Look here.”

After a short search, Abyss found a scar in a crevice between the roots.

The three girls quickly gathered around. On the root was a roughly circular scar, appearing to be a break point, facing upwards, with slight deformation around it. One could guess that something fruit-like had once grown here.

What was most intriguing was the state of this break point.

Unlike what they had expected – that it would gradually dry out after the root nodule containing the Sage’s Blood was removed – it remained moist. Upon closer inspection, they could clearly see that the break point was rhythmically oozing a small pool of fresh-smelling sap, then reabsorbing it. The back-and-forth frequency was constant, remarkably similar to a human pulse.

“This break point hasn’t healed yet,” Abyss mused, stroking his chin, observing the rhythmically pulsing sap. “The Sacred Tree is an extremely vigorous plant; normally, such a wound should scar over quickly. But apparently, that’s not the case. If no one has been here since then, this break point should be twenty-six years old.”

“A wound that hasn’t healed in twenty-six years? Isn’t that strange?” Flora stared curiously at the break point.

“Hmm… perhaps it’s not a wound,” Rebecca pondered for a moment, then said, “Could it be possible that the Sacred Tree intentionally left this break point?”

“Possible,” Abyss nodded. “This Sacred Tree is arguably one of the most powerful beings in the world; possessing some intelligence isn’t out of the question. This break point might hold some research value…”

Saying this, Abyss extended a finger, gently dipped it into the oozing sap, and licked it.

“How does it taste?” Leona immediately asked.

“Hmm… the taste is subtle, not particularly good. A bit salty, with a faint sweet aftertaste and a unique plant flavor,” Abyss savored it with his eyes closed. “My body isn’t reacting to this sap; it probably doesn’t have any medicinal effects.”

“Let me try,” Rebecca also dipped her finger and tasted the sap. “This is unlike any potion I’ve tasted before. I don’t sense any medicinal effects either, but it does contain a lot of nutrients. This might just be a simple nutrient solution. Someone weak could try taking it.”

“I thought the Sacred Tree’s sap would have some special effect,” Leona lost interest immediately upon hearing it didn’t taste good. “So, any other discoveries?”

“Have you noticed that the amount of sap here doesn’t decrease? No matter how much we wipe away, the amount that oozes out next time remains the same,” Flora pointed out. “Conversely, the sap here is in dynamic equilibrium. Perhaps we could try making it absorb water instead.”

“Good point,” Rebecca’s eyes lit up. She took a test tube and a dropper from her belt and began collecting the sap.

As Flora had said, no matter how much sap was removed, the amount oozing out during the pulse always returned to the previous level. Rebecca quickly filled the 20ml test tube. Timing it right, she inverted the test tube back onto the break point.

Soon, with the Sacred Tree’s pulse, the sap level in the test tube rapidly decreased. After about three pulses, the test tube was empty.

“Oh, look, it absorbed it all,” Abyss said with some surprise. “We’ve discovered another property of this break point.”

“Will this help us resurrect Agnes?” Flora looked at Abyss.

“Hmm… honestly, I don’t know yet, but knowing is better than not knowing,” Abyss smiled.

The four conducted various tests around the break point. Rebecca discovered it could absorb not only sap but also distilled water. She hesitated to use other reagents, fearing she might harm the Sacred Tree, which would cause significant trouble.

Just as Abyss was about to drip the sap into his own eye, a commotion erupted outside the cavity.

“Master! Master, are you free? A child in our village is feeling unwell, acting strangely. Could you take a look?”
A villager’s voice echoed down from above.

“Wait a moment, I’ll be right there,” Abyss immediately put down the dropper. Although he still had work to do, he dropped everything upon hearing this. Elves, unlike humans who often prioritize their own desires, valued reputation and were cautious about troubling others. For the villagers to specifically seek him out meant it wasn’t a minor issue.

Exiting the cavity and climbing the stairs back to the surface, Abyss saw several nearby villagers gathered around the hole he had dug. A female elf was supporting a young elf girl who was clutching her stomach, her face contorted in pain. Everyone looked worried.

“What happened?” Abyss immediately asked the villager who had called him.

“Master, apologies for interrupting your work, but the child suddenly developed severe stomach pain. Something is moving inside her stomach. Our village doctor is helpless. You are a Druid; can you save this child? The doctor said stopping whatever is in her stomach requires opening it, but he’s not confident about performing the surgery…”

“Master, it feels like my stomach is going to tear open…” the elf girl said to Abyss, her voice choked with tears.

“Don’t talk. Lie down. I need to open your stomach. Rebecca, anesthetize her,” Abyss didn’t hesitate. He immediately chanted an incantation, his right index finger rapidly petrifying and reshaping itself into a sharp scalpel.

The elf girl lay down, and Rebecca retrieved a pouch of anesthetic powder from her small bag.

At this moment, Abyss could clearly see a thumb-sized creature inside the girl’s stomach, constantly pushing against her belly wall, trying to get out, creating a horrifying, slowly moving bulge on her smooth upper abdomen.

Chapter 83: Excavating the Cavity

“What’s the Master doing? Digging a grave?”
An idle villager walked over from the fields, curiously asking another villager sitting on a rock.

In their line of sight were Abyss and his three companions. Abyss was chanting an incantation, using magic to move the earth bit by bit. Under the magic’s influence, the soil flowed aside on its own, forming a downward staircase leading somewhere underground. The scene looked rather strange, indeed bearing some resemblance to grave construction.

“Ah, finished with your fieldwork too?” the elf villager who was asked replied, leisurely chewing on the stem of a medicinal herb, speaking to the acquaintance who had just arrived. “Just stand here; don’t go over and cause trouble. The Master came out specially from the Druid gathering this time. I heard he’s looking for the treasure left behind by Grand Sage Agnes back then…”

“Treasure? What treasure? Grand Sage Agnes left treasure? How come I didn’t know? Does it grant immortality? Do we get a chance to try it?”

“Ha, you’re always so impatient. Let me finish. He’s looking for the place where Grand Sage Agnes’s treasure used to be. But that treasure was taken long ago,” the villager chewing the herb said smugly. “I just asked the Master myself; he told me directly. Remember over forty years ago? A bunch of Necromancers were always hanging around here. They even dug up your grandfather’s grave. The rumor back then was that they were looking for the treasure left by Grand Sage Agnes.”

“Ah… I remember now. I was just a young lad back then,” the newly arrived villager recalled immediately. “That makes sense. Those damned Necromancers stayed here for over ten years and then left. The treasure must have been taken by them. Hey, so why is the Master digging it up again?”

“That I don’t know; the Master didn’t tell me,” the herb-chewing villager shrugged. “Did you really think we have that much clout? Let me tell you, the Druid gathering has new rules now. Many things can’t be casually told to outsiders, not even to lower-ranking Druids. We’re lucky enough to be allowed to watch.”

“You know, even digging is so easy for Druids. Maybe tomorrow I’ll go to the gathering and ask a few Druids to help me dig a basement for growing mushrooms,” the newcomer nudged his acquaintance on the rock and sat down beside him, watching Abyss.

Undeterred by the two onlookers, Abyss continued to focus on his work.

Abyss’s nature magic was, of course, learned secretly from the Druids. He was now applying what he’d learned, conveniently using magic to move the earth and stones aside, forming an easily accessible staircase leading down.

The story recorded in the journal he saw yesterday hadn’t made Abyss give up on awakening Agnes; instead, the challenge had invigorated him. Now, Abyss intended to find the very cavity where Maggie’s mother had discovered the “coconut” containing the Sage’s Blood.

Abyss didn’t expect to find any other parts of the Sage’s Blood in the cavity; that would be pointless, as the probability of the Sage’s Blood now flowing within him was almost one hundred percent. He himself was the new vessel for the Sage’s Blood. Now, he simply wanted more information.

He had a small idea: to examine the place where the Sacred Tree had grown the root nodule containing the Sage’s Blood, hoping to gain some information about it – how it grew, where it came from, what Agnes had done.

Therefore, he had left the gathering early that morning with his three companions, wandering around Keshel, relying on his innate intuition to search for potential cavities. After digging in a few wrong spots, he had arrived here.

Abyss chanted, carefully excavating the soil layer by layer to minimize ecological damage, while Leona stood nearby, stomping the ground with her leather boots.

“There really is a cavity here! And it feels much sturdier than the other places we dug!”
Leona exclaimed happily to everyone.

“Not another villager’s hidden money stash this time?” Rebecca asked, crouching nearby with a smile.

“I don’t think so. I stomped on the money-hiding spots before, and the feel is different,” Leona stated confidently.

“It was really awkward when we dug up those boxes earlier…” Flora sighed, looking weary. “I hope we don’t dig up any more villagers’ retirement funds or private savings this time.”

“Hehe, if it weren’t for our diplomat Flora, the villagers might hate us by now,” Rebecca gave Flora a thumbs-up in admiration. “Flora just apologizes, and no one can stay angry. It’s like divine intervention.”

Abyss’s digging had indeed caused some trouble earlier, but Flora’s affinity shone through. She simply apologized sincerely to the villagers angered by having their treasures unearthed, perfectly resolving the conflict. This was without even using Divine Arts.

“Hmm… looks like you don’t need to worry. See, there really is a natural cavity here,” Abyss suddenly called out to the three girls.

The three girls hurried over to Abyss. Following his gaze, they saw that as the stairs descended about ten meters underground, a cavity indeed appeared. This cavity, unlike the previously excavated man-made ones, was supported by the Sacred Tree’s own roots. Moreover, the soil color near the cavity was slightly different, indicating it had indeed been dug open before. Over forty years hadn’t significantly altered the underground conditions.

“Let’s go down quickly,” Rebecca said eagerly. “I’m also very curious how Grand Sage Agnes, already deceased back then, managed to channel her power through the Sacred Tree.”

Abyss nodded and descended the stairs first. As he walked, he chanted an incantation, and the soil at the entrance immediately moved aside as if alive, revealing an opening large enough to enter.

Jumping into the opening, Abyss immediately confirmed that this was the place where his martial aunts and uncles had discovered the Sage’s Blood.

With his excellent darkvision, he could see faint, messy footprints on the ground. People had clearly been inside this cavity, and due to some unique property of this place, the traces hadn’t been erased even after more than forty years. Perhaps the Sacred Tree’s roots here hadn’t moved at all.

He crouched down, gently pinched the ground with his fingers, and picked up a pinch of white powder mixed with damp earth.

The three girls entered the cavity at this moment, and Abyss showed them the powder in his hand.

“What’s this? Chalk dust?” Leona blinked.

“This should be bone powder, right?” Flora recognized it immediately, whispering, “Abyss carries some too. It’s probably essential for Necromancers who use Bone Magic.”

“Correct,” Abyss grinned. “Since there’s bone powder here, it means someone used Bone Magic. We’ve finally found the place.”

Chapter 82: Abyss’s Plans

Maggie, after all, was a strong girl. After the three girls took turns comforting her, she smiled through her tears. The long-standing loneliness and injustice hadn’t broken her but had instead made her even more resilient. She decided to live well, carrying her mother’s part with her, instead of lamenting her fate.

“Now there’s still one doubt: what did my master do after obtaining the Sage’s Blood?” Abyss put down the journal, lost in thought.

“Indeed, the time span involved is rather long,” Baggs also mused. “I remember you said you are sixteen. So that means, after obtaining the Sage’s Blood, your master had ten years where we don’t know what he was doing. You only came to his side ten years later.”

“Hmm… looking at it this way, the number of doubts in my heart hasn’t decreased even after reading the journal,” Abyss said with a smile. He wasn’t annoyed because he couldn’t figure out the answers; instead, he was quite happy. “My master was indeed a mysterious person. During his lifetime, I could tell his strength was actually very formidable, even ranking among the top on the continent. Just perhaps much weaker compared to me.”

“Speaking of which, you previously thought your master died from catching a plague while dissecting corpses. Now it seems things aren’t that simple?” Rebecca asked. She had heard Abyss’s story before and remembered the cause of his master’s death.

“Yes, perhaps that person named Prodo caused him irreversible damage. Although he didn’t die immediately, his body was gradually weakening.” Abyss nodded. “That’s the real reason for his death.”

“Then are you going to seek revenge?” Leona asked curiously. According to the usual tropes of knight novels, Abyss should have already righteously embarked on a journey to find his enemy by now.

“Revenge? No need.” Abyss, however, was nonchalant. “That guy will definitely come looking for me. Doesn’t he want the Sage’s Blood? Then let him come here to get it. I won’t waste time looking for him, because sooner or later he’ll deliver himself to my doorstep. Before that, we should focus our energy on protecting our world.”

“Abyss, are you still going to resurrect Agnes? It seems her power has already been transferred into your body, and her remains no longer exist. Perhaps it’s no longer necessary,” Flora asked from the side.

Abyss smiled and glanced back at Flora.

“Of course, and I definitely must,” he said. “Flora, I don’t think her power was simply transferred. If we can resurrect her, she will definitely bring us surprises. As for the issue of her remains… I’ll find a way. Creating one out of thin air is certainly inappropriate, but this Grand Sage might have left us something else.”

“Left something else?” Flora was very curious.

“Do you still remember the illusion I told you about, the one I saw when channeling the magic around the Sacred Tree? At first, I thought it was just an illusion, but now I increasingly suspect it wasn’t an illusion at all, but Agnes’s actual soul.” Abyss looked towards the Sacred Tree through the window. “Her soul is indeed sleeping, but it hasn’t found peace. Her current state is fundamentally different from the low-energy state a soul enters when at rest. She must have her reasons for doing this.”

Baggs and Maggie listened from the side, somewhat bewildered. Rebecca then briefly explained Abyss’s long-standing goal to them.

Abyss continued after Rebecca: “Just now Rebecca mentioned my plan to become companions with them and try to obtain the Creator God’s power – Agnes’s Creator God power is also still with her, so I need her support.”

“The Creator God’s power…” Leona touched herself, saying uncertainly, “The power Abyss keeps thinking about has never shown any effect, has it? Our status is still mortal. Could it be that we don’t have the Creator God’s power at all?”

“The manifestation of the Creator God’s power in you now is talent, but I believe there must be some means to activate it,” Abyss said. “The Creator God probably hasn’t reclaimed that power, and your ancestors who possessed the ‘System’ have long since turned to dust. You are the last generation of the bloodline. The Creator God’s power must be within you.”

“Then why didn’t you first try resurrecting our ancestors? Maybe from them, you could obtain the Creator God’s power bound to their souls,” Leona asked again.

“I once thought about that too, but I gave up on it because I don’t dare to do it,” Abyss chuckled.

“There’s something you don’t dare to do?” Leona crossed her arms in disbelief. “You must be joking. You’re my… You’re the man who even dares to curse Outer Gods to their faces. Don’t disappoint me here, hey!”

“Because I currently really have no way – I speculate the System on your ancestors is directly connected to the Creator God. It’s even possible the Creator God is the System’s operator. He summoned your ancestors from another world for amusement; it’s impossible that he didn’t install surveillance methods.” Abyss gently shook his head. “If I rashly disturb your ancestors, it’s highly likely I’ll be discovered by the Creator God, which would be equivalent to burying my own opportunity. It’s very easy for the Creator God to make me disappear; I wouldn’t even have any possibility of countering.”

“Then are we okay?” Leona still didn’t fully understand.

Rebecca spoke for Abyss at this moment: “Obviously, there’s no problem with us. The reason the Creator God let us die is because He couldn’t be bothered to monitor us anymore. And the fact that we can continue to act now indicates He hasn’t discovered us, or…”

“Or He has already discovered us, but He intends to observe us, looking for more amusement,” Abyss smiled. “For now, we don’t need to consider such a pessimistic possibility; we just need to do what we need to do right now. If He really intends to watch a complete show, believe me, I will make Him regret it deeply.”

Leona paused for a moment, then also revealed a smile.

“What do you plan to do next, Master Belator?” Baggs asked, lying on Maggie’s head.

Abyss took a deep breath, stretched lazily, and then said: “Tonight, I really gained a lot, but most of the things recorded are, after all, things of the past. I won’t let them affect my mood. In the next few days, I need to start searching for a way to resurrect Agnes, research the animal mutations, and also guard against possible attacks from the Iron Lilies. I have a feeling that before long, the Iron Lilies will launch an attack on us.”

“Ah… the Iron Lilies…” A very obvious expression of disgust appeared on Baggs’s cat face. As an elf, he naturally hated this extremist racist group that slaughtered elves.

“Furthermore, if the Iron Lilies were just a group that indiscriminately attacked elves, I think it’s absolutely impossible for them to have existed for so long. The conflict between humans and elves is much less severe than before. Why can these non-productive thugs still exist?” Abyss narrowed his eyes. “Behind them, someone must be providing financial support for some purpose…”

Chapter 81: The Sage’s Blood’s Destination

Abyss was astonished by the revelation, but it didn’t shake his composure. After a moment of thought, he continued reading.

“I will explain why my fellow disciples and I have waited here for eighteen years: after Agnes’s death, we immediately received her notification. To ensure such immense power didn’t fall into the hands of those who disregard the Tenets, we rushed here.”

This corroborated Baggs’s account to Maggie.

“We deduced that Agnes’s intention was to pass on her power, and only Necromancers could successfully transplant her blood, imbued with extraordinary power. Perhaps she didn’t differentiate between magical schools, caring only for the purity of the recipient’s heart.”

“Was Miss Agnes like that?” Maggie asked her master.

Baggs nodded. “Indeed, your mother’s guess was correct. Agnes was indifferent to many things, unconcerned with superficial matters. Perhaps that’s the mindset of a transcendent being.”

Abyss, hearing this, pondered. He also disliked superficialities. Had Agnes’s blood influenced his personality?

Unable to find an immediate answer, he continued reading: “Miss Agnes didn’t entrust her power to just any Necromancer. She didn’t simply leave her blood for anyone to take but hid it in a cavity beneath the Druids’ Sacred Tree. This cavity was difficult to find, located near the Sacred Tree’s roots, undetectable by magic. For a while, no one found it, giving us ample time to gather.”

“While searching for the Sage’s Blood, we fought off Necromancers from other factions, preventing them from claiming the power. Agnes was renowned throughout the continent; some Necromancers even risked everything to come here. The battles weren’t easy; they were desperate, forcing us to kill some of them. Strictly speaking, it didn’t violate the Tenets, but it pained us greatly.”

“After finally locating the Sage’s Blood and informing Master, he ordered us to guard it, forbidding us from taking it. This treasure was meant for our exceptionally talented and loyal junior brother, Glad.”

“We obeyed Master’s orders without question, remaining here as guardians. During these long yet fleeting eighteen years, I experienced much. I was fortunate to find love; I witnessed betrayal driven by greed among my fellow disciples; I had a lovely daughter. These years were fulfilling; even if I die now, I have no regrets.”

“Master passed away nine years after giving us his orders; we couldn’t attend his funeral. We lost contact with Glad for a while, but in our eighteenth year of waiting, he contacted us again, sharing exciting news: his preparations were complete; all conditions were met. He only needed the Sage’s Blood and a suitable recipient to fulfill Master’s plan and Agnes’s wishes.”

“He didn’t tell us who the recipient was, nor did he say when he would perform the transfusion. It was uncertain, but we were overjoyed; our long wait was finally over, and we could leave, seeking freedom. I planned to settle in a beautiful place with my husband and daughter.”

“But fate had other plans. Our eldest senior brother, Prodo, Master’s first and strongest disciple, who had been expelled for his violent nature and violation of the school’s rules, somehow learned about the Sage’s Blood in our possession. This information was only shared with prominent factions, not individuals, and everyone kept it secret to avoid conflict. This villain, upon learning the news, meticulously planned to seize the Sage’s Blood and intercepted Glad, who was on his way to us.”

“He arrived shortly after Glad, and a great battle ensued. I was fatally wounded, and Glad was injured, but Prodo was ultimately defeated, escaping with his remaining magic. We had won. We led Glad to the Sage’s Blood – a coconut-like fruit. When I touched it, I felt a life force pulsing within, the power of the Grand Sage. Now it’s in the right hands.”

“That’s how it happened. My fellow disciples have all left, and I will spend my final moments with my family. My body is weak; my heart can no longer sustain me; I won’t last much longer. To those who read this journal, remember, Prodo is still alive; he might still be plotting to seize the Sage’s Blood. If you are the inheritor of the Sage’s Blood, heed my warning: have a resolute will; don’t be swayed by evil. Your power is immense; the fate of Hai-Teweru’s civilization might rest on your decisions.”

“My body will likely be buried nearby, but I implore you not to retrieve my soul or resurrect me. I have recorded everything of value in this journal. Let me rest in peace; let this be the end of my story. If you ever meet my daughter, Maggie, please tell her that her mother loves her and hopes she will grow up happily, choosing her own path.”

The journal ended there. The information, though concise, was enough for Abyss to understand the events.

Maggie, hearing her mother’s last words, couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. Grief poured out like a flood. She sobbed softly.

“Your mother and her fellow disciples were heroes. They did the right thing,” Rebecca whispered to Maggie. “She ensured your and Abyss’s birth. And Abyss, inheriting Agnes’s power, will save our world from the Outer God’s destruction, leading us to freedom. Just watch; he won’t disappoint us.”