"You’re required to complete ethics training before becoming a formal necromancer, it seems. Cherish life. Respect human flesh and soul as they are, and never look upon them with different eyes; this is but one aspect of death, so neither should it be accepted differently······ Well, that’s about the gist of it, so let’s just skip through it."
I quietly watch Pureunel’s back as he flits about, seemingly eager to teach me quickly.
"Take it slow. At this rate, you’re gonna miss something."
"Don’t you worry. I am a very thorough necromancer, I tell you."
"······Right."
The necromancer’s floor they moved to was as spacious as the other training grounds, and several rooms existed there as well.
"What are all those rooms?"
Pureunel glances at where Hio points and replies nonchalantly.
"Isn’t it obvious. Corpses are likely stored in there."
"Corpses······ Well, you are a necromancer."
It’s a bit uncomfortable, but what can I do? I’ve already chosen the path of the necromancer.
"Hehehe. Don’t you worry. Later on, corpses won’t look like corpses to you. You’ll see them as very pretty children."
"Surely not······."
It feels like he actually means it, which makes it even more uncomfortable.
"First, come here."
Going there, Pureunel points to a book placed at his feet.
"Let’s start from the very basics among basics. Animate Dead—it’s the magic that raises corpses as zombies."
"Just zombies?"
"Tsk, tsk. Haven’t your eyes grown too high just because you made a Death Knight from the start? Zombies are quite cost-effective, you know. They don’t need a soul, and it doesn’t matter if the flesh is rotting."
"······Got it."
As I pick up the book, Pureunel begins to laugh.
"It uses all the essential runes that a necromancer absolutely must use, so it would be good to learn them. Consider it as getting the feel for summoning undead, too."
"After learning this?"
"Skeletons, of course. After that, there are things like Death Cutter or Bone Arrow······ Well, learn them anyway. They’re runes you’ll have to carve eventually, and to become a proper necromancer, your foundation must be solid."
A book written in ancient language and various runes.
The runes were ones I had already carved, and since I had the automatic translator Pureunel with me, the ancient language was no problem.
"Up to that point can be considered the necromancer’s 2nd Circle. From the 3rd Circle on, it’s a bit special. Things will get interesting."
"What is it?"
"Hehehe. Let’s leave that for later fun, and first, let’s go to the room with the corpses."
* * *
[Necromancy—Successfully cast 'Animate Dead'.]
[Necromancy—Successfully cast 'Animate Skeleton'.]
[Register 'Animate Dead' as a skill?]
[Register 'Animate Skeleton' as a skill?]
As expected of basic undead creation magic, there was nothing difficult.
Corpses began to move the moment the spell was cast.
The eyes of the dead, kept in cold storage, opened for the first time in a very long while.
They were rising again as zombies.
Of course, being the absolute basics, they were low-grade undead with weak durability that could only follow simple commands.
And beside them, skeletons with all their flesh fallen off were created.
Since Kkingkkingi had already been summoned, I couldn’t try activating them as skills, but that could be checked slowly later.
"Unfortunately, those fellows are disposable. They were created with such low-grade necromancy that they can’t be stored anywhere. If death energy isn’t replenished, they’ll naturally collapse before long."
Indeed, low-grade necromancy wasn’t very useful considering what went into it.
"But with that reaper around, you don’t need to worry about death energy, do you?"
At Pureunel’s words, I look at the shrunken reaper.
Kkingkking!
Kkingkkingi puffs out his chest.
Befitting a ghost governing death, death energy continuously flowed around him, and that was used to create the zombies and skeletons.
Of course, it wasn’t a large amount—just barely enough for the basics.
"Originally, to accomplish even those basics, one creates a vessel dedicated to death energy. Unlike mana, it’s not an energy that can be stored abundantly in the body, so one must always carry only a minimal amount and wander in search of death whenever it’s needed. It means you must always keep death by your side."
"······It’s an extreme job."
This meant Kkingkkingi had resolved the struggles of being such a necromancer.
"Still, magics like Death Cutter and Bone Arrow are fine. Just think that death energy goes into the creation, summoning, strengthening, and maintenance of undead."
What I learned next were 2nd Circle magics, Death Cutter and Bone Arrow.
As expected, they weren’t very useful magics.
Despite its grand name, Death Cutter felt like a subordinate magic to Wind Cutter.
Bone Arrow likewise didn’t look to have exceptional killing power.
"Hehehe. Don’t be too disappointed—didn’t I say the start is from the 3rd Circle? Necromancy’s 3rd Circle is largely the summoning series."
"Summoning series?"
Pureunel nods.
"Summon Phantom, Summon Phantom Steed, Summon Ghost, Summon Wraith, Summon Specter. It’s about opening the door to the nether realm and summoning these ghosts."
"Ghosts, you say······."
Hio scans Pureunel up and down with an uncomfortable gaze.
"Will they be useful?"
"······"
"I’m joking. Joking. But they don’t look that special, considering how you talked earlier? Back then you made it sound like necromancers held all the specialness in the world, but turns out it’s not much, is it? Swindler ghosts, I swear."
Toward Hio sending such an insolent gaze, Pureunel speaks with a solemn expression.
"Hear me out first. Don’t be surprised later."
Summon Phantom.
Summons a ghost without even a shadow. A specter that flies at great speed to confuse enemies.
Summon Phantom Steed.
Likewise a spectral horse without even a shadow. It is characterized by being tremendously fast.
Summon Wraith.
Summons a ghost of black shadow. It leaps out from a person’s shadow to attack the enemy. It has the element of surprise, but its attack power is not outstanding.
Summon Ghost.
Summons a ghost with not even a dark shadow.
The area near a summoned ghost is bathed in complete darkness.
"Among these, what we must pay attention to is precisely this: Summon Phantom Steed."
"A spectral steed?"
"That’s right."
Pureunel changes his appearance like a toy horse and clatters in the air.
"A spectral steed exceptional in speed. Actually, it’s not that great a fellow. A sorcerer would hardly use it directly, and later, if you hand it to a high-ranking undead of the ghost realm, it would be quite useful."
"I would hardly use it, and a high-ranking undead of the ghost realm would use it······."
Something······ I’m starting to get a feeling.
As I began to understand what Pureunel was trying to say, my eyes widened with anticipation.
"······Surely not?"
Pureunel, who had been clattering while floating in the air, stops moving and grins broadly.
"Hehehehe. Yes. Did you catch on? Normal people cannot ride a spectral steed. It’s a magic with little use. But if one is a ghost, it’s different."
Yes. If one is a ghost, it’s different.
To be precise, if one has a ghost’s body, one can ride a spectral steed.
And hadn’t Hio absorbed the essence of a high-tier Specter, changing his constitution?
Hadn’t he obtained two traits?
Specter’s Eye.
And Spirit Body.
Though he hadn’t originally obtained them to be used this way······.
"Just imagine. The sight of you racing through the air on a spectral steed that is second to none in speed in the nether realm!"
As if that were all.
"Moreover, if combined with that bizarre trait of yours······ wouldn’t it be quite a sight to behold."
Summon the spectral steed that has become a skill after learning Summon Phantom Steed.
What majesty would a dramatically splendid spectral steed display?
Well, that aside, obtaining an excellent means of transportation that could freely race through the air was huge in itself.
That alone was an enormous gain.
"Quickly······ let’s learn quickly! No, should I raise my Spirit Power first? I need to increase the duration of my Spirit Body transformation. Yeah. That would be good. It’s a good thing I haven’t been using the accumulated points."
His body couldn’t help but burn with excitement.
"Haaak······."
"······You, calm down first······"
"Shut up!"
"······You’ve lost your mind. You’re completely crazy."
Even after raising the magic stat with points, fame points had steadily accumulated, so there was quite a bit of leeway.
4th Circle magic was still distant, and Spirit Power seemed well worth raising.
A spectral steed racing swiftly through the sky held that much merit.
[Purchase stat 'Spirit Power' for 190pt.]
[Stat 'Spirit Power' increases by +19.]
The power of his soul grew even stronger.
Now all he had to do was learn Summon Phantom Steed to obtain a very excellent means of transportation.
"Master! Teach me the magic quickly!"
Pureunel shakes his head at the urging Hio.
"You’re only calling me master at times like this."
Even so, he approaches Hio to teach the magic.
* * *
Indeed, 3rd Circle magic was quite complex.
According to Pureunel, it was because it opened the door to the nether realm, but it would be quite easy once one got used to it.
It took roughly about two days.
To open the door to the nether realm and summon the spectral steed.
[Necromancy—Successfully cast 'Summon Phantom Steed'.]
[Register 'Summon Phantom Steed' as a skill?]
In Hio’s eyes, who had activated Specter’s Eye, the sight was thus:
The air splitting wide open, and from within it, a Phantom Steed leaping out. A spectral steed.
Slightly larger than an ordinary horse.
"Hurry, transform into your Spirit Body and try riding it. For a mere 3rd Circle necromancer to ride a spectral steed······ We may be witnessing a historic moment!"
Together with Pureunel’s urging, he converts his body’s characteristics.
Rather than transforming, it would be more accurate to say he brought out a hidden trait.
[Trait—'Spirit Body' activates.]
His body became somewhat hazy.
But it wasn’t very noticeable, and outwardly there was no difference from usual.
A strange body that lets ordinary physical attacks slide right off.
He had obtained this trait aiming for that, but······ wasn’t he using it in a completely different way?
Hio walked over and climbed onto the spectral steed standing still.
"Ooh······!"
He could mount without any sense of discord.
"Let’s go! Phantom steed!"
The spectral steed, understanding Hio’s words, raised its front legs high and neighed as it dashed.
"Uh, uhh?"
Because its speed was too fast.
"St-stop!"
Kwaaang—!
He ended up getting thrown and slamming his head straight into the Mage Tower’s wall.
"Tsk, tsk······ No matter how much a ghost’s body you have, you can’t pierce the Mage Tower’s outer walls."
It seemed he needed to get a bit more used to it.
* * *
Heuka.
Its original meaning is Black Child.
An evil group that once dyed the continent in blood.
A notorious reputation built upon fear.
It was said to have gone quiet after a major clash with the Sword Saint, but its name had already become a symbol of terror.
"Haaa······."
Black mist spewed from the breath the man exhaled.
"Yes. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure."
A metallic sound as if rising from hell.
It was a voice heard through the man’s mouth.
"Dividing the empire through civil war, also a failure. The children carefully planted in the palace were filtered out too······ Yes."
With every word, his breath came out.
The room was hazy with black smoke mixed in it.
"Yes. Nothing has succeeded. It’s all nothing but failures."
Hoo— He exhales his final breath and turns his head.
Dozens of people in black were prostrated on the floor, bowing their heads.
All of them were executives of Heuka.
"The news of the children who entered the imperial palace was cut off all at once."
"Yes."
In the answer of the executive at the very front, there was neither hesitation nor emotion mixed in.
Because he was made that way.
"The reason."
"It has not been identified."
"Not identified. Yes······ Was there something missed?"
"A new figure has appeared. One who stood by the Imperial Princess in the war. It is Hio Pavlenko."
"Hio Pavlenko. A name I hear for the first time."
The person in black answered without the slightest tremor while prostrated.
"He is an eccentric who goes around calling himself a mage. It is presumed he uses fairly plausible skills, but his exact level is unknown. He seems to have acted as a variable in this war."
The man’s gaze fixes on the back of the prostrated executive’s head.
"Variable. A variable. Yes. A variable. So it was a variable. Yes. What you're saying is that this variable picked out every last one of our children in the war, and even picked out the children who had infiltrated the imperial palace."
"As no other variables were observed, for the time being, that is the most likely conclusion."
"Yes. I understand."
The man extended his hand.
"Then you understand as well."
The black mist within the room grew denser.
From the body of the black-clad man who had been prostrating himself as he delivered his report, black mist began to be drawn out.
"Yes."
At the man's gesture, the black mist was pulled out endlessly.
The executive's face grew visibly gaunt, his skin tightening until it clung to his bones, and yet there was not the slightest tremor in his voice.
"I shall do so. Lord Ataolf."
Because the man before him was their master, the leader of Black Fang.
Ataolf of the Black Mist.
Thus, even if he drew every last wisp of black mist from his body, it did not matter.
Though that mist had already become his lifeline.
Though it was certain that if all of it were extracted, he would die, he simply bowed his head calmly and awaited the death to come.
For, as has been said again and again, he had been made that way.
"Yes. You have done well."
At last, all the mist was drawn from the black-clad man's body, and his black robes collapsed limply to the floor.
He had died just like that, with only bones and skin remaining.
And yet not a single person in the room showed the slightest sign of agitation.
What remained was a scene of nothing but grotesquerie.
Ataolf calmly pointed to the black-clad man beside him.
"Hio Pavlenko's movements."
The executive who had been singled out answered without the slightest hesitation.
"He is at Imenia Academy."
Though the voice was different, the emotion that had been thoroughly stripped away was identical.
Only then did Ataolf nod.
"Yes. Then the children there must be in danger as well."
"We judge that possibility to be high."
From their standpoint, they had no choice but to think so.
A war where the variable should have been insignificant.
A mission that should not have been particularly difficult, for they were the ones sowing confusion.
And yet, as the war drew near, contact with every related individual was suddenly cut off.
The only variable that entered their field of vision was Hio Pavlenko.
It had been the same at the imperial family.
They had tried to actively exploit the chaos of the imperial throne changing hands... but contact with every single person who had infiltrated the imperial palace was severed at the same time.
Even the members of Black Fang who had slipped in and hidden there long, long ago, without a single exception.
That, too, had happened while Hio Pavlenko was staying in the imperial palace.
"Yes."
And now that very Hio Pavlenko was at Imenia.
Failure in the civil war. Failure in the imperial palace.
The next important institution, Imenia.
They could not lose the seeds they had painstakingly sown before even harvesting them.
Ataolf gestured.
"We should at least create an environment where the children we went to such trouble to raise can run wild... yes."
At that, all the executives rose to their feet at once.
"Go to Imenia."
The door opened.
The executives poured out.
"Kill, burn, and plunder. Destroy and bring it down. And..."
The black mist began to follow after them.
"Find Hio Pavlenko."
It was the return of terror.
"Rip him to pieces and kill him."