Allen kept hunting for magical beasts behind Eren’s back. He did that when Eren had fallen asleep.
Allen just came back from the hunt and meditated beside Eren who was sleeping. He looked at his inner sea that kept expanding in size.
“I am midway through level 10. If I keep doing this, I can level up in three days.”
“That’s good for you, Allen. You are progressing fast.”
Allen was taken aback by Eren’s sound. It turned out Eren had been awake for a while.
“I have a doubt that you are doing something behind my back. It seemed true. Actually, I’ve scouted you today.” Eren pointed at his back.
Allen just noticed a large beansprout with a round eye sticking on his back shoulder. There was something similar to Eren too.
“It’s a top grade nature magic, Scout Beansprout. It’s similar to your Mark of Shadow Sentry, but mine can only attach to living things.”
“You—you told me you didn’t have any single top-grade technique.”
“Oh, please, don’t we have one or two secrets behind our backs for example your undead corpse. I have no idea you are a skilled necromancer until now. Hell, elders will be surprised if they hear it.”
Allen sighed. It seemed he had to silence Eren forever. He reached the knife underneath his cloak.
Allen just didn’t sure if he could kill a late-stage acolyte with ease. After all, every time a magus level up, their body got strengthened, even though a little. However, their skin shouldn’t be thick enough to receive a full blow from the same realm magus without any injury. Furthermore, Eren wasn’t a fighter.
Should I do it? I don’t know if I can get out of this forest safely without him. What to do? Allen thought.
However, before Allen unsheathed the knife, Eren suddenly proposed an idea that piqued his interest.
“Change of plan! We can scout the surrounding area and look for the crimson tubers. Those plants grow randomly in here. With your scouts and my lantern, we can avoid any beast, even those that are stronger than rank 3. How’s my idea, Partner? We don’t have to hide anymore.”
Allen pulled back his hand from the knife. “That’s actually a good idea. But, how can I be sure that you won’t tell my secret to anyone?”
“I won’t. We are on the same boat. Besides, you have learned a lot of my secrets. Do you know why I can learn a lot of unique spells? Did my master reward me? No, I stole it from my master’s library. Do you believe me now?”
Allen smiled slightly. “Fair enough, but you have to help me hunt for souls. If we are going to look for crimson tubers, I want high odds. I will create several more of undead corpses.”
“I am actually curious about how the true necromancy works. Can you make undead out of a magical beast?”
“I can’t yet. We will target humans.”
Eren frowned. “You want us to hunt other people from the same sect? I am against it. The only undead you have now is enough.”
Allen rubbed his hair. “I know you are smart. I bet we’ve figured the same plan. It is true that beasts will avoid the area that’s covered by the lantern’s aroma. However, if we move around and somehow put any beast inside the radius of the lantern, they will go berserk and chase us. It is like a beast that goes berserk when you corner it. That’s why you want to scout the surroundings first before we move out.”
“As expected of you, that’s my idea. I bet you will think the more scouts the shorter we can wait, but there are major issues with killing other members of the same sect, logically and morally.”
What’s wrong with that? We are in an evil sect, Allen thought. However, he still wanted his cooperation, so he could only shrug.
“Fine by me, but we have been camping in here for a week. The time limit is near. If we have a deal, let’s go now. I don’t like to delay our activity.”
“Let’s start from this area first and then we can move to the next location,” Eren suggested.
In the morning, Eren scouted the area; while Allen made the undead did his job. He was waiting in the shelter.
Luckily, he had copied the pages of the original book into the system. Allen fathomed more about necromancy.
Allen had found the topic he wanted to know; the way to upgrade undead.
“There are two things necessary to upgrade undead. Firstly, I have to plant spiritual roots into their bodies. Secondly, I have to feed their souls until they are smart enough to form mind rune. The latter is easier, but I need some kind of treasure to upgrade my undead’s body.”
Allen remembered about the coffin this sect used to create magic slaves. It could plant spiritual roots inside normal humans’ bodies.
“I see. I can go to Grimfield and beg him to teach me Limitless Vigor Body Art. With that, I have an excuse to use the sect’s coffin.”
There was one more thing he figured after he had read the original’s book; there was a way to create undead from the beast. Allen had to form an imaginary model of beasts in his mind rune.
“This is easier to practice. If I use beast’s bones, they will be stronger than human bones.”
Suddenly, a vision from the undead corpse attracted him. It found a plant with a straight stem and crimson leaves in the middle of the bushes. “That’s the crimson tuber plant.”
Allen ordered it to look at the surrounding. Eren said this rare plant always guarded by a strong beast. He only shared vision with his undead, so he had to be extra careful.
The skeleton walked slowly, passing through grasses and bushes. It only walked around the plant. When its way was blocked by bushes, it reached its skeletal hands and swiped them away as soundless as possible.
What made Allen worried came true when the skeleton swiped away bushes. There was a beast sleeping behind the bushes.
It was a giant hound with baggy eyes socket. Its back was covered with spiked carapaces. It had razor-like claws. Allen knew this beast from a certain book he had read. It was a rank three magical beast, Goliceros Hound.
Allen immediately ordered the corpse to retreat soundlessly. He chanted something and scout beansprout grew from his back shoulder. His hands form a sign in front of it.
The scout beansprout nodded and retracted back to his back shoulder. Shortly after, Eren came in rush. He stopped before Allen and knelt, panting.
“Where did your corpse find the plant? Is there any beast that guards it?”
“You need to calm first, Eren. Now that we have found it, you have to deactivate the lantern.”
“Hold on, are we really sure? Once I deactivate it, I have to remake it again, and it needs a long time.”
“We’ve talked about it, Eren. You said you have another way to survive.”
“I was. However, the other way is more dangerous. Ah, whatever. Let’s go.”
Once Eren deactivates the lantern magic, they rushed out of the former safe area to the undead’s whereabouts.
As Allen felt he was near the undead, he made Eren halted. They hid inside nearby bushes and watched the tuber plant in front of them.
“There are thick bushes behind the plant. That’s where a rank three beast lying. It is asleep. However, I bet it will wake up once it smells living beings approaching.”
“What kind of beast is it?”
“Goliceros Hound. Do you have any idea how to steal the plant without disturbing it? This was your idea after all.”
Eren puffed his chest. “You can count on me. This is my last top-grade spell in my arsenal, Assailant Roots!”
Eren put his hand on the ground. Allen felt like something was slithering inside the ground. The tuber plant in front of them shook slightly.
When Eren retracted his hand, he was grabbing a crimson-colored tuber. He immediately hid it behind his cloak and retreated.
“Let’s go immediately, Allen. Mission has been completed.”
Allen followed behind Eren who retreated in rush. He couldn’t hide the shock in his face. This man, despite wasn’t favored by his master and didn’t have help from a mighty device, could learn plenty of useful spells. Deep in his heart, he respected him.
“What’s wrong, Allen?” Eren turned his head to Allen.
Allen shook his head. “Nothing, but why did you worry so much if you could steal it easily?”
“Easily? You can hear it soon.”
As soon as Eren said that, Allen heard a loud scream behind him. He knew it was coming from the beast that guarded the crimson tuber plant.
“Sorry, Allen. I don’t have any idea to fight the beast if it finds us, so we can only run!”
“I have an idea. You have to trust me.”
Without waiting for his partner’s reply, Allen tapped Eren’s shoulder and sucked his life force.
He could feel resistant from him, but Eren decided to believe Allen.
Eren’s knees became weak, and Allen shouldered him.
Allen felt his mana went wild in his spiritual sea. “This can do, Darkness Chain!”
A black vortex appeared in front of him and shot out a chain that lashed to a faraway tree. Allen held onto a chain that appeared from the other side of the vortex. Suddenly, it retracted and his body was pulled forward. He didn’t forget to bring Eren along.
As he would reach the designated tree, he cast the same spell and lashed another faraway tree. They were pulled from tree to tree.
“Wow, this is awesome, Allen. This is like flying. Do you mind going on like this for a while?”
“I am fine, but you can die because of this. I am using your life force converted mana after all.”
“On second thought, put me down as soon as you feel we are safe.”
Allen laughed. “I was joking. My absorption speed isn’t fast enough to last long enough. I still use the majority of my mana.”
After going around in a circle, Allen came back to the place they had found the crimson tuber. He landed on a clear ground. The beast should have left and wouldn’t come back before finding the burglars. Furthermore, the beast’s roar was loud; other beasts should hear it and avoided this area for a while.
He looked at Eren; his face was pale. They needed rest. Luckily, his undead was still in here. He ordered it to scout the surrounding.
Allen guarded Eren who was lying beside him. As time passed by, the sun had almost sunken.
Eren woke up. Allen sighed in relief. “Finally, now, it’s my turn to rest.”
“Did I fall unconscious?”
“Yeah, it’s almost night time. We camp here. As they say, the tiger’s den is safer from other predators. We will leave as soon as their hunting times are done.”
“We have to think another way to hunt crimson tubers. If we do this way, we can’t reach the quota in the exact time limit.”
“Do you want to give up?”
“I won’t.”
Allen grinned. “Then, help me hunt magical beasts together with searching crimson tubers. I want to create another undead minion.”
Lovecultmanga· Jul 14, 2020
3.5/5 not the worst
