Ch.23Chapter 23. The Necromancer’s Tomb (3)

Chapter 23. The Necromancer’s Tomb (3)

The paintings and writings on the wall must all be Charon’s work.

“I’ll check if there are any books.”

Nix and the warriors approached the bookshelf. I examined the wall paintings.

Perhaps due to my possession ability, I could read everything written there despite it being in a different language.

[Only after everyone in the Autumn Leaf tribe died and my children’s breath ceased did I realize. The Roas never intended to save us from the beginning.

Have the Roas ever responded? No. They have never responded even once. They only bestowed lowly talents in the name of blessings.

We performed tricks for them with faith that would never be rewarded.

Do they know how fast the heart beats when falling in love at first sight, or how soft a newborn child’s hand is? No, they wouldn’t. Being non-human entities, they cannot know.

Humans, weak beings. They do not love us.

Realize the truth. Only humans understand and love humans.]

Why did this guy write this on the wall instead of in a diary?

The roughly scratched writing clearly shows how damaged the writer’s mental state was.

No wonder he caused something like a zombie apocalypse.

I turned my gaze to read another passage.

[I encountered ancient knowledge and made it my own.

The magic that controls the bodies of the dead, necromancy.

Magic that the Roas forbid… I understand why they fear this.

This is magic that invades the realm of gods. Mastering it allows one to handle transcendent power.

I might even glimpse the world beyond this material plane where I exist.

Though no one has ever reached that realm, I am Charon, the greatest priest on earth. I can do it.]

What was this person trying to do?

[I opened a small hole and peeked into the world beyond the starlight. It was a world where only spiritual beings could wander.

While I was gazing endlessly, beings wandering there whispered to me.

Their name is Watchers. They are beings who have abandoned their physical bodies in the material world through some method and been reborn as spiritual entities.

They had ways to steal the souls of those living in the material world and said they had done many things with it. Frightening beings.

They tried to capture me and make me like them, so I hurriedly closed the hole and fled.

But I didn’t just run away. I grasped the principles of the ‘method’ they use from their whispers.

Information that pollutes the mind just by hearing it… it seems it will take a long time to fully master.

If I can learn it, I could have the power to confront divine beings.

Unfortunately, I don’t have much time left. Ishtania, who claims to be the guardian deity of civilized people, has recognized me and dispatched her minions.

Now I have no choice but to act. Rama, Radan, Ratu… my children, give me the courage and strength to face them.]

The world beyond starlight… is he talking about space? Or something like the fourth dimension?

At this point, it’s cosmic horror.

My head hurts from information that could be either magic or scientific knowledge.

[The gods neither understand nor love us.

There is no consideration or respect in their actions.

We are their toys. Toys played with until broken, then abandoned.

They must enjoy watching us suffer on earth.

Charon, father of three children and priest of the Autumn Leaf tribe, dies here.

I will become chaos.

Becoming a being that rules over death, I will be reborn through the death of gods.

I will end their dominion. I don’t care if humanity perishes in the process.

I will not stop until all gods are dead.]

This was the final writing left by Charon, who seemed to have developed severe chuunibyou in his later years.

Honestly, it was a bit scary to read.

Isn’t this the story of humanity’s greatest genius falling into corruption and trying to destroy the world?

I underestimated it because it was a zombie apocalypse, but it might have been as terrible as a demon apocalypse.

This is all because of zombie dramas and movies.

At first they make zombies seem dangerous, but later when survivors start warring among themselves, it gives the misconception that zombies are weak.

“Ah, I found it!”

Nix pointed to the Book of the Dead with his fingertip.

– Place me on the Book of the Dead.

Who knows what might happen if barbarians touch the book. The soldiers we dealt with earlier might have turned into zombies after touching this book.

This is when Malak, who doesn’t have a physical body, needs to step in. If it seems dangerous, I can return to my main body.

“I will do as Malak wishes.”

After hesitating briefly, Nix used the staff part of his scythe to take out the Book of the Dead and placed me on it.

The book that came into contact with me glowed and then disappeared with a poof.

[Z———– Control———-]

What is this?

[You have learned the blessing ‘Zombie Control (Low)’]

…Has the skill been converted into a blessing?

I checked my status window.

[Name: Malak]

– Available Blessings: Healing Totem (High), Divine Possession, Binding Totem, Zombie Control (Low)

– Available Points: 55

– Followers: Paya, Lakye, Muri, Nix

– Enter Community

There was no problem.

– We’ve achieved our purpose. Let’s hurry and leave.

“Understood.”

No, wait.

– This tomb is dangerous. Can you conceal it so others cannot access it?

This is right. Now that there’s no skill here, it’s just an ominous place that shoots out status ailments.

We can’t completely close it off, but taking this much precaution before leaving is appropriate.

“I’ll try to cover it with vegetation.”

Nix nodded and moved with the warriors toward the only entrance and exit.

***

After finishing the adventure, we returned to the tribal federation’s totem. For convenience, I’ll call it Totem #1.

“You returned quite quickly. I was guarding this totem.”

Lakye, who had been leaning against Totem #1, greeted me. Thanks to her, I felt human warmth as soon as I arrived.

It seems like she wasn’t guarding the totem but just resting, but let’s overlook minor details.

– I’ve learned a new blessing.

“Oh, excellent.”

But is it right to call this a blessing?

According to Charon’s writings, it was magic forbidden by the Roas, yet here I am using it again. It’s a bit of an ironic situation.

Well, everything comes full circle. I just need to use it well.

I asked Lakye to bring me a dead animal carcass.

“I brought it from a place called the Feather House.”

A chicken with a broken neck was placed before me. Its tongue hung limply, and its eyes were rolled back.

…It looks like it was just killed.

– Chief Lakye, I asked for an animal carcass, not for you to kill one.

“It was old and sick. It would have died naturally anyway.”

This is too much. She’s truly a woman without blood or tears.

Since I can’t revive it, I’ll have to use this.

I used the Zombie Control (Low) skill. But how do I do this?

Let’s try doing it like Divine Possession.

Looking at the chicken, thinking about possessing it… it worked!

Cock-a-doodle…

I can control the chicken’s body. Not remote control, but direct control.

I raised the limp body of the old hen (nickname for zombie chicken). This could be called corpse possession.

“How fascinating… may I touch it?”

– I don’t mind.

My voice came from somewhere other than the old hen’s vocal cords.

It was a resonating voice like with the totem, seemingly created by magical means.

Lakye stroked the old hen’s body.

Being a corpse without sensation, I couldn’t feel her touch.

That’s actually fortunate.

If I could feel sensations, I might scream if hit by a sword during battle.

Anyway, the blessing usage was successful. Now it’s time to start a new project.

Before that, I wanted to take a short break, so I casually clicked on the community.

[Abraham: I’m tired now

I thought things would change eventually as I gained experience.

I had hope that I might be able to return to Earth. Not anymore.

When I reached level 7, I found that no matter how many low-level demons I killed, I stopped gaining experience.

But going after mid-level demons is dangerous because they might summon dark clouds…

The max level is 10, and I’ve barely reached level 7. How am I supposed to kill high-level demons? Is it even possible to win alone?

I’m sick of the community, of living in hiding, of this fucking world.

What meaning is there in this life? Rather than withering away, I’d prefer to die fighting gloriously.

Actually, I dreamed of being a hero when I was young. I want to go out in style.

Before I go, I just want to see the face of that bastard, that dark cloud bastard who destroyed George and his raid party.

Tomorrow I’m going after a mid-level demon. I’ll keep fighting until it summons the dark clouds.

Paladins in the Tibera region, leave if you don’t want to get involved.

If you’re curious about how far a level 7 paladin can fight, come and see.]

Something unusual was happening in the community.