Chapter 53: A Madman Meets a Lunatic
Princess Helen’s plan was progressing smoothly. The Western Empire’s court, previously divided over the Empress Dowager’s confiscated funds, now had a “Princess faction.” A group of influential ministers firmly supported Helen, quickly swaying the Emperor’s opinion—he had initially intended to use the money to purchase new equipment for the army.
Now, the royal family was actively recruiting experienced physicians and alchemists from all over the Empire, making preparations for the establishment of the Royal Medical Association.
Helen’s dream was coming to fruition. Meanwhile, another individual was also on the verge of achieving his goal.
On the desolate wasteland outside Golden Griffin City, a lone, thin man dismounted from a black steed. Looking at the campsite and the three individuals sitting there eating, his body twitched uncontrollably, a morbid smile plastered on his face.
“Hehehe… According to the last message from the priest in Golden Griffin City, it’s them: a frail boy, a short girl, and a beautiful blonde girl…”
The man’s complexion, like Abyss’s, was pale, lacking blood. He wore a black mage robe, a necklace of human finger bones around his neck. His right hand gripped a twisted staff, while his left held a jar containing a head—an elf’s, its eyes wide open in eternal terror. He seemed to suffer from some ailment, his body trembling intermittently, a perpetually fixed smile etching deep wrinkles into his face.
He was dressed like a stereotypical necromancer, making Abyss, in his simple cloth armor and empty hands, look unprofessional in comparison.
This was Bishop Dallan, mentioned by the priest. Upon receiving news of the theft of the artifact required for the Lord of Submergence’s arrival, he had immediately set off from the Council of the Dead’s headquarters, traveling all the way to Golden Griffin City. He had intended to pursue Abyss relentlessly, but seeing the three individuals before him, seemingly unconcerned, he hesitated.
Why weren’t they running? Why were they camped here, waiting for him? Had the priest not informed them of his invincibility?
“Yo, bro, you made it?” Leona called out from the campsite, gnawing on a lamb leg. Her sharp senses as a Dou Warrior had detected Dallan’s arrival long ago, but she was too lazy to greet him.
Abyss and Flora also glanced towards Dallan. Flora’s gaze was wary, while Abyss looked at him as casually as one would a passerby.
Dallan’s eerie smile remained, but his eyes narrowed. These three were either fools or had something up their sleeve. He decided to proceed cautiously.
A string of obscure and archaic words flowed from his lips. Simultaneously, the elf head in the jar in his left hand turned its eyes, chanting along with him.
A jet-black bone armor sprouted from his heart, gradually covering his entire body. Abyss also had bone armor, but their styles were completely different—Abyss’s was simple, like a beetle’s exoskeleton, while Dallan’s was twisted, with countless spikes protruding outward, reflecting a strange bluish-purple light in the moonlight.
This was one of the signature skills of a necromancer: Bone Armor. It not only provided protection but also allowed the user to launch any part of the armor at high speeds, inflicting significant damage on approaching enemies.
As he continued chanting, a screeching black shadow enveloped him, forming a constantly shifting, semi-transparent black cloak. This spell, called the Wraith Cloak, greatly enhanced a necromancer’s resistance to magical attacks.
Charm Resistance, Enhanced Perception, Calm Mind… He cast high-level spell after spell on himself as if they were free.
“The Council of the Dead greets you… Hehehe…”
Dallan finally spoke, his eyes fixed on Abyss’s every move, waiting for a response.
Abyss, hearing this, slowly stood up from his seat in the campsite, his usual nonchalant smile on his face. He walked towards Dallan leisurely, stopping a dozen paces away. “Well, Necromancer Abyss greets you.”
“Hehehe… The priest in Golden Griffin City informed me that you might be a black magic user. It seems his deduction was correct,” Dallan said, his eyes glowing with an eerie blue light due to the amplification spells he had cast, making his fixed smile even more unsettling in the darkness.
“I apologize for not using necromancy earlier to give him a more accurate message,” Abyss said with a smile.
Dallan’s eyes didn’t smile. “Hehehe… How did you kill the priest? Hehehe…”
“I didn’t kill him. He committed suicide, burning his soul and the souls of his followers—you didn’t know?” Abyss asked, feigning surprise. “He sent a message before he died. If I’m not mistaken, it was intended for you, right?”
Of course, Dallan knew. He and the priest communicated regularly through magic crystals. The priest’s last message had mentioned monitoring the individuals who stole the artifact. That same night, Dallan, already on his way, received the priest’s dying message sent through magic.
He had assumed the priest, even if he couldn’t defeat the enemy with the artifact, would be able to protect himself. He hadn’t expected him to die so quickly, especially by burning his own soul.
This meant that the enemy the priest faced was incredibly powerful, so powerful that escape was impossible, leaving him with no choice but to send a final message at the cost of his life. Dallan couldn’t be sure whether the enemy wielded the power of the artifact or possessed immense personal strength.
But it didn’t matter, Dallan thought confidently. He possessed the most important part of the Lord of Submergence’s artifact, “Face of Hell”: the Mask of Nothingness—a featureless mask with three holes, designed to hold three gemstones. As long as he had this mask, victory was assured.
“Hehehe… Hand over the three gemstones… This is your last chance. You don’t understand the power of the Lord of Submergence. To think you could steal his artifact and use it for your own purposes… Hehehe… How utterly foolish… Hehehe…”
Abyss raised an eyebrow, an innocent expression on his face. “You misunderstand. I don’t want your Lord of Submergence’s artifact. Those artifacts are rather mediocre, I don’t find them particularly appealing.”
“Heh… Then what do you want them for?”
“What I want is the power of your tentacle monster master himself,” Abyss said with a wide grin. “Look, you’ve brought the other part of the artifact and a head full of information. My wait wasn’t in vain after all. Thank you.”
Dallan chuckled, his eyes filled with mockery.
This boy was a madman! A madman blinded by power!
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