Damn Necromancer - Chapter 84

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Wastrel Necromancer (84)
‘Did the Death Lord originate from here?’
Without his intervention, Merhen would still be enduring harassment throughout her academy life.
Eventually she would have participated in the practical examination naturally.
‘There she would have met the Death Lord…….’
She might have become undead.
The Knight Order drew their blades at the appearance of a demon and a Lich. The Mage Battalion casting spells from every conceivable angle was merely a bonus.
The students braced themselves as well.
Liches were known as evil undead, and Balkan was a demon without question. Battle could erupt at any moment without surprise.
A suffocating silence stretched on.
Like everyone else, Kim Min-woo felt the tension equally.
‘This is going to be rough…….’
It was none other than the Death Lord.
And now a legion commander was thrown into the mix.
But what about their own forces?
Merely a few hundred students, plus the Knight Order and Mage Battalion—middling strength at best by imperial standards.
Looking at it coldly, it felt like this Balkan or whatever the legion commander was called would wipe them all out.
‘Still…… we have to try.’
He would have preferred to avoid fighting altogether, but it seemed unlikely they’d be given that choice.
Because already in Balkan’s eyes, sadism was blooming thick and lustrous.
It was the feeling of a predator regarding its prey.
Soon after, Balkan gave a casual shrug.
―Lord. What’ll we do?
―…….
The Death Lord swept his gaze across everyone.
But only for a moment.
Meeting Kim Min-woo’s eyes, he tilted his head curiously.
―You…… what are you? Why do I sense my own power from you…….
The Death Lord regarded him with a gaze as if beholding some bizarre hybrid creature.
‘He sensed my skill?’
The Death Lord (EX).
He had devoured that man’s power whole.
Bewilderment was only natural.
From the perspective of that past self, it must feel like a human who suddenly appeared was using power similar to his own.
“What are you talking about?”
Kim Min-woo shrugged in response. The Death Lord was, on appearance, an exceedingly sinister Lich.
Worse, he was in league with a demon. With the Knight Order and Mage Battalion, and the students all gaping alive before them, it wouldn’t do to look like old acquaintances.
His silent gaze now shifted to Merhen.
―……Excellent.
This time the Lich nodded with satisfaction.
He spoke while keeping his eyes on Balkan.
―Deal with them. Except those two.
Kern and Merhen.
In that instant, all eyes converged on the pair. Merhen trembled, bewildered by his meaning. Kern, meanwhile—
―
“Let’s slay these wicked demons!”
He charged forward sword in hand.
The others, who had been staring blankly at that sight, began to gather their wits. They’d never harbored any soft notion that they could pass through an encounter with a demon and a Lich without battle.
Kern had simply rushed forward first.
“Dispose of them!”
Knights swarmed forward like a pack of hounds.
A torrent of spells came crashing down on Balkan as a matter of course.
―Heh heh. This won’t be dull.
[Balkan summons his beloved servant, the Flame Imp!]
A massive Flame Whip materialized above Balkan’s palm, his sharp fangs bared. He brought the whip down with full force toward the reckless human rushing at him first.
A single strike would engulf the entire body in flame.
The sight of a human burning and shrieking was one of Balkan’s most delightful pastimes.
Since he’d been told not to kill, he could simply douse the flames once they’d charred adequately. The Flame Whip flicked its tongue like a viper as it advanced toward Kim Min-woo.
[The Title ‘Law of Victory’ activates!]
[All ability scores increase by 150%!]
[All damage increased by 150%!]
‘Wow.’
Kim Min-woo felt a spike of genuine shock.
His level had climbed to 180 after clearing that swarm of monsters just moments ago.
And yet the Law of Victory was manifesting at this scale?
‘At least the late 1,600s.’
A legion commander’s level was truly staggering.
With levels like that, his ability scores would dwarf imagination.
The gap was terrifyingly vast.
[Hayangyi shares her water attribute with you!]
[Commander Sword Technique (S) is activated!]
[5,000 Mana consumed!]
He poured five thousand mana into the attack without hesitation.
Hundreds of sword qi bloomed above the Commander Sword.
A deluge of blade energies rushed forth.
The Flame Whip shredded through every last wisp of sword qi—but at the cost of its trajectory shifting slightly off course.
Into the path of that deflected whip, he summoned Dol-soe.
[Dol-soe uses Provocation (A) against Balkan!]
[The opponent’s level is far beyond reach. Provocation is ignored!]
[Dol-soe activates Defensive Stance (B)!]
The Provocation didn’t land, but having summoned the golem right at close range, the whip coiled tightly around it.
[Dol-soe is dismissed!]
Despite the Defensive Stance, Dol-soe was recalled in an instant. In that same breath, Kim Min-woo closed the distance to Balkan’s side.
[Curse of Aging (D)+9 activates!]
[The gap is far too vast!]
[The curse has no effect!]
The curse didn’t take hold.
He drove the Commander Sword hard into the creature’s leg.
Clang!
Sparks erupted as if striking solid steel.
Balkan’s whip came down faster than a heartbeat.
The speed was extraordinary.
He threw Dol-soe out again to block and slipped past the blow.
Cedric rushed forward and triggered his skill.
[Cedric activates Shadow Spear (SS)!]
[Cedric activates Dragon’s Strike (S)!]
Shadow Spear doubled the damage.
Then Dragon’s Strike magnified it sevenfold—fourteen times the base damage crashed into Balkan’s body.
Boom!
Yet not a single scratch appeared on him.
He’d expected as much.
The level gap was simply overwhelming. He pressed on, dodging the creature’s relentless blows while targeting the same spot again and again.
[The same location has been struck! Damage increased by 22%…….]
[The ‘Excavating One Spot’ title is…….]
The knights who’d charged in thrust their mana-laden swords at him from every direction.
A barrage of magic followed suit.
―Disappear.
[Balkan uses Fist of Flame!]
Flames erupted across his knuckles.
The instant his fist drove forward, a colossal pillar of fire materialized.
“Ahhh! Help me!”
“Kraaaagh!”
The knights caught in its pull turned to charred husks in seconds. Nearly fifty of them, obliterated by a single punch.
Half the Knight Order was gone.
From the students to the mages stationed in the rear.
Everyone felt a chilling dread settle over them.
The knights’ blades couldn’t touch him.
Magic was equally useless.
The enemy’s level was simply too far beyond them.
And what made it worse—far worse—was that the Lich in the back hadn’t even moved yet.
Whether or not he cared.
Kim Min-woo continued hammering at the same spot on the creature relentlessly.
[Striking the same location! Damage increased by 44%…….]
[The ‘Excavating One Spot’ title…….]
[Striking the same location! Damage increased by 55%…….]
[‘Excavating One Spot’…….]
While the Knight Order and mages drew its attention, he had to squeeze out every ounce of damage he could.
At last.
Crack!
A fountain of blood erupted from Balkan’s leg.
‘Got it.’
Kim Min-woo’s eyes brightened.
He’d pierced through the creature’s hardened exterior.
He’d found at least a basic route to victory.
* * *
Merhen stared ahead with trembling eyes.
A monster that even the mightiest knights could not match.
Only Kern continued to stand against it to the bitter end.
Yet the situation looked anything but favorable. His body was already being torn to shreds.
By contrast, Balkan—bearing only shallow wounds on his leg—was overwhelming him with ease.
‘Again…….’
Just like before.
Kern, who had thrown her forward before the wave. This time too, she was proving utterly useless.
Even now, no sign of magic awakening stirred within her.
Pathetic good-for-nothing.
Nothing but deadweight.
Then.
The Lich drew near.
Several mages hurriedly cast their spells, but to no avail.
“Ugh!”
With a single gesture from the Lich, a mage collapsed, clutching his heart. As fear-stricken mages retreated,
the approaching Lich spoke.
―Child. Become my minion.
“……What?”
―Have you not always despaired at your sealed talent?
“……How could you possibly know that?”
The Lich’s eyes traced an arc.
―Sometimes, talent only reveals itself in death. Your body is a prison.
“My body is a prison?”
―Yes. Your talent overflows, yet you will never succeed in awakening it for all your life. But if you become my minion, it would be different.
The Lich extended a hand, speaking with calculated enticement.
―I sense such profound sorrow. How you must have suffered. I will grant you the power to overturn it all. If only you take my hand…….
“I, I refuse.”
Merhen shook her head reflexively.
―Why?
“Why—why do I need a reason to not want to become undead?”
―I see.
The Lich, speaking flatly, extended its hand. In that instant, a nearby mage crumpled.
―And now?
Merhen trembled.
The mage who had been breathing beside her moments ago was now dead in an instant.
―Still not enough, it seems.
The Lich flicked its wrist.
Dozens of mages collapsed, spewing blood.
“Th-this is how you make minions? You think I’d follow you like this?!”
―We shall see.
The Death Lord smiled wickedly.
This process of turning her into a minion was not without merit.
Though her loyalty as a minion might be shallow, the deeper her resentment grew, the stronger her power would become.
He could always strengthen her loyalty later.
“I won’t. I absolutely won’t.”
―Even if that man dies?
“……!”
The Lich pointed to a spot.
Kern was there, locked in combat with Balkan. Merhen’s eyes trembled at the sight.
“Don’t…… don’t do this…….”
The Death Lord reached out his hand.
As if seized by an invisible grip, Kern’s body tensed and dragged helplessly toward that outstretched palm.
―Now, are your thoughts beginning to change?
“I’ll do it! I will! Just stop!”
Merhen spoke frantically, watching Kern bleed.
―You’ve made a wise choice. All you need do is grasp this hand. Such a simple matter…….
Then.
The Death Lord tilted his head and reached out his hand toward something.
―Screech!
A white bird caught in mid-flight let out a pitiful cry.
―Hmm…….
A pitch-black birdcage materialized above his hand as he stared at the creature.
The Death Lord, having imprisoned the white bird, fixed his gaze upon Merhen.
―So. What is your answer?
“But…… Kern will…….”
―Yes. I will spare him. I keep my word.
He would let him live.
The Death Lord had never intended to kill him in the first place.
A human who bore the same aura as himself. Wasn’t he duty-bound to discover why such a thing had come to pass?
Yet.
To spare him was one thing; how he would fulfill that promise was another matter entirely.
He could dissect that body methodically, again and again.
So long as the man remained alive, did it truly matter?
Merhen was extending her trembling hand when it happened.
“……Don’t…… do this.”
A small voice came from behind.
Beneath the crushing pressure, Kern spoke through gritted teeth.
“You…… cough…… said you…… hated the undead…….”
“Fool! This is no time to worry about me!”
“Either way…… that bastard…… won’t keep…… the promise…….”
―How tedious.
Crack!
The pressure intensified, and the sound of bones shattering throughout his body echoed outward. Blood gushed from Kern’s mouth.
That should finally silence him.
The Death Lord thought he had sealed the troublesome human’s mouth when.
“I can…… still awaken…….”
The Death Lord’s eyes narrowed.
At this level of pain, the man should have lost consciousness long ago. Yet he continued to speak.
To inflict more suffering would risk killing him outright.
Kern’s body had been shattered beyond such limits.
Merhen’s eyes trembled without mercy at the sight.
She had underestimated the Lich far too much.
His refusal to keep his word.
Now she understood.
He was the sort to crush a body without restraint.
He might very well keep Kern alive in name alone.
‘No…… this can’t be…….’
Such an outcome would be meaningless.
What was she supposed to do?
“I have…… to find a way…… I must…….”
Kern was right.
There was only one thing to rely on—her own awakening. Her heart raced wildly. Memories of every moment with Kern flooded back.
He was the first good person she had ever met in her life.
Just as he had saved her more than once.
She, too…….
‘I have to save her.’
There was no other choice.
If she failed, Kern would die.
She couldn’t let that happen.
She gathered her focus.
Never in her life had she wanted anything so desperately.
‘Please…….’
Just once would be enough.
If only she could awaken magic.
If only she could save Kern…….
She would surrender anything as the price.
That was the moment.
The Mana flowing through her body began to stir.
Flash!
Light erupted from her palm.
It was magic.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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