Eren just opened his eyes and realized he was transported to the dome. The coffins in this place somehow disappeared.
“Oh, you have awoken.”
Eren looked at the back of the white-haired woman in front of him. She wore white armor with a white cape made of fur.
Eren wondered who she was and asked, “Who are you?”
The woman turned back. Her crimson eyes felt like penetrating his soul. Her expression was cold. She put a thin, evil smile. “You better not knowing. By the way, the guardian of this necropolis has put a curse on you. Let me help you.”
She waved her hands, sending out the cold wind that was screaming in his ears.
Eren covered his ears, but the wind had vanished.
“The curse was stored in your mind runes. Don’t ask what the effect is. I have deleted it.”
Handclaps drew their attention. The guardian of the necropolis came out of a corridor. “The Maiden of Ashkera. We have finally met. Did you consume the pink-haired girl’s soul to awaken yourself?”
“Consume?” Eren muttered. He looked at the woman in front of him.
“What’s up?” Elise glanced at him. “Go now if you want to live. Elder Sweetfish is dead. You are free now.”
Eren was stunned. “I am free? You won’t enslave me?”
Elise grinned. “Go.”
Eren bowed and turned his back, running as fast as he could. He was lucky. The guardian didn’t chase him.
……
“No one can disturb us now, Lord Maiden.”
Elise chuckled. “What’s wrong with your honorific? By the way, mister, you have lived for a long time, right? How did you survive the Core Formation Magi Purge? My father, Kobold King, should have killed all of you.”
“Your father is strong, Lord Maiden. Even when I ganged him up with my brothers, we ended up injured. But, Kobold King didn’t kill me. This place is designed to conceal our presence.”
“I see. So, you can’t let me leave, can you?”
“Sadly.” Gerard waved his hands. Undead skeletons of various forms came out of every corridor, surrounding Elise. Their cultivations were the last stage of the magic foundation realm. “If I face the old you, I won’t dare. You are just a magic foundation realm magus. This is your end.”
“My end, huh….” Elise looked up.
It made her remember. Mircalla communicated with her, asking if she wanted to swap the body. She was in despair when Reymond was killed. She fed up with revenge.
Elise didn’t know how to console her. So, she agreed to swap the body in hope in the future she would calm down.
“Do you have any last word, Lord Maiden?”
Elise giggled. “Don’t be like that, Mister. It has been a long time since I become free. How about we have a nice conversation for a while? Do you know my magus title? If you tell me yours, I will tell you. Every magic core magus will be given a magus title. I am sure you have one.”
“No need to tell me, Lord Maiden. You were rather famous. Your title is Blood Warlock.”
Elise clapped her hands and smiled sweetly. “You are very knowledgeable. A warlock can summon powerful creatures from everywhere to aid them in battle. Every contract needs a catalyst. The creatures warlock summon can ask for sacrifice too. I only need blood as a catalyst to summon them. Do you know where those creatures come from?”
Gerard chuckled. “Do you want to test me, Lord Maiden? Afraid of death aren’t you?” Gerard flicked his fingers and his army marched forward. “As a farewell gift, I will answer your question. Warlock’s summoned creatures came from everywhere as you said.”
An undead skeleton stabbed Elise’s back and lifted her body. After a while, she was surrounded by undead skeletons. They piled up to attack her from every angle.
Elise’s voice vibrated to the entire dome. “You are right again, Mister. I have a special body that allows me to store living beings in the form of blood. I call it the Blood Kingdom Body.
“I can only swap body with Mircalla before she reaches a frenzied state. However, there’s another way. Mircalla used her blood as a catalyst to summon my Blood Kingdom Body. As a result, she entered a slumbering state. With my true body, I can stay for a long time!”
Blood flooded the floor. It spread to the wall and the ceiling. Eyes formed everywhere. “This is what happened when I decide to expand my body. Blood Magic: Devour!”
The calm sea of blood raged. Blood spears jutted out from the waves.
Gerard was surrounded by below, sides, and above. It was like inside the mouth of a ferocious beast. The sea of blood devoured Gerard and the undead army. The sea became a puddle of blood. Elise reappeared from it. She looked down and sighed.
“He destroyed his soul before I can absorb him. As expected of a necromancer. It’s a pity. I need a strong soul to awake Mircalla again.”
As she finished her sentence, a giant nail clawed down toward her. Her body split into two. Elise looked up and saw a giant crying mask or his face was solid.
“Middle stage of the magic core realm.”
As she fell, the giant crawled down from the ceiling. He trampled her body repeatedly. When he lifted his foot to check her, there was only a blood puddle.
The blood puddle expanded and formed gigantic heads of the wolf that bit the giant crying man.
The giant man roared, his body producing a shock wave that repelled the wolves.
The wolves merged into the sea of blood. The whole sea transformed into a giant wolf that was two meters taller than the crying man. Elise stood on its head. It howled.
The howl contained a magical property that made the crying man kneeling. He felt like he was facing a majestic being. His body trembled in fear and awe.
The wolf grew two more heads and four pairs of legs. “This is my mount, the Hound of Eve, Asura Wolf.”
The wolf pounced at the crying man and tore his flesh.
……
Allen got out of the abandoned mansion. When he looked up, the sun had risen. He remembered that this place was still in Mortal Circle of the Cage Forest.
He lashed a darkness chain to a nearby tree and retracted himself to it. He watched the mansion on a thick branch.
After a while, four men and a woman came out. The three men surrounded the man with a jellyfish tattoo and pushed him to the ground. The brunette woman separated them and stood before the jellyfish tattooed man. She shouted to the other three.
The mansion exploded, sending debris everywhere. They retreated. A large hole appeared in the middle. A giant with rigid, angry face crawled out. In his right hand were a three-headed wolf and a white-haired woman.
“Gerard?” Allen muttered.
One man who had brown hair shouted, “Elder Karnstein!”
“We need to retreat,” said the man who wore glasses.
They ran to the forest. However, the brunette man stopped and looked at the tree where Allen was. He approached.
Allen frowned. Maybe he knows me? But, I don’t know whether he is hostile toward me or not. His level is higher than me. I rather come out in peace.
Allen jumped down from the tree. He shot a darkness chain and drew a line on the ground with its blade.
“Please do not pass the line, Sir. It seems you know me. But, I have amnesia. I can’t remember our relationship. You have to explain it first.”
The man raised his hands. “Relax, Len. It’s me, Eren Woodpecker. I am your friend. What did you say? You have amnesia?”
Allen wasn’t convinced yet. “Do you have proof?”
Eren pointed at Allen’s right shoulder. A green stem suddenly grew. It sprouted one big eye.
“That’s my spell. With your nature, you won’t let strangers casting a spell to you.”
“Fine, I am convinced.”
“What happened to you, Allen?”
“I forget other people’s names and my memories with them. I know other details such as I am a member of Coffin Sect.”
“You don’t have a reason to lie.” Eren pointed at the woman in the giant’s hand. “She is your master. It’s a pity that we can’t do anything. Peter, the sect master’s son, got information that our sect has defeated the executioner from the church. But, we suffer big causalities too.
“My master is dead. I am free. Peter suggested me to leave the sect. I will go to my village. What do you plan to do?”
Allen pondered. Gerrard said that he had erased other participants’ memories about him and the true nature of the trial. However, Eren could remember him.
If he came back, elders or sect master could restore their memories. Besides, he was sent to the necropolis by them. They should be aware of his existence.
“Can I go with you, Eren?”
“Of course.” Eren shook his head. “No, I am glad, to be honest. Let’s go, Allen.”
Allen glanced at the giant angry man and the woman in his hand. He took some photos and followed Eren to the forest.
……
Johan had escaped from Peter and Ren. Vanilla intercepted them when they attempted to capture him.
Johan leaned against a tree and clutched the cross necklace he wore. “Father, my mission is done.”
An elderly voice replied, “Well done, my son. It was a pity you didn’t die.”
“I witnessed the sight of a Light Archive Jellyfish. Peter defeated me and took away His blessing.”
“It doesn’t matter, my son. You have sacrificed our people in the designated place. Several teams have done it too. Now, we only need to sacrifice more people to nine designated places more. After that, we move to the central point of our designation, the alliance’s capital.
“Kill innocent mortals and kill ourselves. We will activate a supreme spell to kill Kobold King.”
“As you wish, father.” Johan bowed.
“You can come back, son.”
“Wait, father. I have something in mind too. I have to use the spell to her too.”
Johan’s father chuckled. “Now that you are still alive. I doubt you need a son to spread your name. Well, we will keep an eye on her just in case you die in the future. That spell was simple but effective. It will fertile the seeds you have implanted in her and she will pregnant. She will grow a feeling toward you too at least until she gives birth.”
Father’s voice disappeared. Johan looked up and gritted his teeth. “To hell, I will depend on my son to spread my name. I will change it. I will do it alone.
“There will be wars everywhere. After my people are defeated and sacrificed, I will lead my army to have revenge against them.”
Johan punched the tree and walked away.
……
Several days later, Allen and Eren had gone out of the Mortal Circle of the Cage Forest. They visited a small village and entered a tavern. They ordered some food and drinks.
As they enjoyed their foods, Allen heard people gossiping.
“The Church of Enlightenment has gone mad! They offended the Alliance and many middle and lower-tier organizations. I heard they would attack X City, which is only X kilometer from here.”
“It’s a large scale war. The church goes all out. They send all his forces to several cities controlled by the Alliance.”
“The Alliance put a bounty for every member of the Church of Enlightenment!”
“A low tier sect has defeated the church’s army. The sect is called Coffin Sect. Now, the Alliance announces them as a mid-tier organization.”
Allen chewed the food slowly while in thought. There will be many corpses. I can go to Eren’s village and find a way to place the undead tower safely. Then, I will create many undead minions and experiment. I won’t miss a chance to get plenty of souls in this war.
Act 1: The Nether Necropolis (End)
