Chapter 116 – 17th Floor. The Necromancer

A cool yet unpleasant gaze clung to the back of my neck.

In response to this vigilant stare, different from the voyeuristic Curator I felt on the 16th floor, I deliberately raised the corner of my mouth in a smirk and adopted an even more relaxed posture.

‘Unlike other floors, monsters find me even when I’m hiding. Now I understand why.’

Enemies cannot enter areas designated as hiding spots, or rooms considered enclosed spaces when entrances are blocked by items or summons.

This is only natural—given the roguelike genre’s characteristic of traveling alone, without the ability to post sentries despite needing sleep and rest. Without such protection systems, the already garbage-tier difficulty would be even more hellish.

‘So I was being watched.’

I thought only the Curator had voyeuristic tendencies, but it seems this damn Necromancer also has quite twisted preferences.

Of course, since I had no taste for being continuously violated by a man, I intended to smash his head.

But to find him in this vast art gallery, I would inevitably need to search and track him for a long time.

‘Or else…’

I could just summon him here.

“Severa.”

As soon as I called her, as if she had been waiting, pitch-black mist filled the surroundings before instantly compressing into a single form.

Along with that murky smoke, a pale hand emerged from the darkness like a butterfly tearing through its chrysalis.

I grabbed the extended fingertips as if they were asking to be held, and pulled with force.

Swoosh—

With no resistance, a cool presence enveloped me completely, and suddenly Severa and I were facing each other, holding hands as if dancing.

“Were you lonely? Your entrance is different today.”

“Hmph, if you knew I was lonely, you should have called me sooner.”

I had sincerely meant to compliment her on the fresh staging, but received a somewhat sharp response that made me break into an awkward sweat.

“You can come out on your own now without me calling you, can’t you? Though I still need to conserve resources.”

Over the past week, Severa had gained even more autonomy—her comings and goings and spell usage had become completely free. With unlimited Fuel, she wouldn’t need me at all.

Of course, that’s not possible, but she had progressed from being controlled to fully autonomous combat capability—a rather encouraging change.

While I was briefly lost in these thoughts, Severa’s face flushed bright red. She bit her lip and then kick—! sharply kicked my shin.

Fortunately, since I was wearing shin guards, the impact I received approached zero.

Armor really should be worn at all times. Either that, or Severa has a serious lack of exercise.

‘Or is it a lack of physical power, since she’s a ghost?’

But that doesn’t seem right—with 99% physical evasion, she should have 1% physical accuracy, but since that’s not the case, she probably just didn’t put much force into her kick.

“After coming in here, you didn’t need to come out or… or you were busy doing it with that lizard all the time!”

“Ah…”

I felt like saying “Only now you bring this up?” but I also thought she had a point.

No. Maybe I’m the one who’s twisted.

This seemed like an issue that needed a deep internal marathon meeting, but I decided to move past it.

“You spent all day with me too, so trying to act innocent doesn’t really work, you know?”

Squeeeze—

My hand, resting on the waist of Severa—who was dressed in a tight-fitting dress that perfectly matched the image of a witch, dark yet revealing her body’s silhouette—naturally slid down and squeezed the soft curves of her bottom.

Even though I didn’t apply much pressure, I could feel the resilient flesh pushing back against my fingers as they sank into the softness.

Perhaps the appeal of touching Severa was that vague sensation of holding something almost illusory.

“Hnn..!”

As my hand, filled with lustful intentions, kneaded and gradually searched for even more intimate places, Severa trembled and let out a sweet sound.

Isn’t she still a bit too vulnerable?

“Ahah..♡ Wait..! Not here!”

“A little is fine, right?”

Severa was fun to watch, showing interesting reactions to even light touches, but that was secondary.

What I was waiting for was something else.

With the intensified gaze I felt, I raised the corner of my mouth as if I’d been waiting for this.

“Hmm… rare powerful beings…”

Despite his brilliant golden hair that resembled a blazing sun, the Necromancer’s murky, dim, dark eyes—like they had been soaked and rotted in mud—were looking into a mirror held by a grotesquely twisted mummy with an intrigued expression.

His name was Necromancer Levand.

Once a prince of the glorious Sea Kingdom, he became a legendary mad Necromancer who, intoxicated by forbidden knowledge, turned everyone—royalty, nobility, and commoners alike—into beings that straddled the line between death and life.

His genius didn’t dim even after consuming an entire nation. After years of research, he succeeded in pinpointing the coordinates of the Infinite Gallery of Knowledge, which had only appeared in myths.

However, due to a very “minor” mistake, he’d been stagnating, blocked from accessing the knowledge he desired by the insignificant creatures and the facility’s administrator who had crossed over with him.

Amid the stressful stagnation of not being able to take even one step forward, the appearance of the three figures reflected in the mirror was an interesting change.

A knight with aged but masterful techniques at the highest level humans could achieve.

A dragon-person radiating pure energy like a spirit.

And lastly, a seemingly ordinary man whose limits were impossible to gauge.

“Is that old knight a Paladin? Royal Guard? Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Levand briefly showed interest in the knight who had instantly detected and neutralized the invisible corpse hidden instead of a trap, but soon set it aside.

Talents like that had existed by the dozens in his homeland, so compared to the other two, his value was less.

“And a dragon-person with the power of a spirit… that’s interesting. It would make excellent material, but subduing it would be quite troublesome. If I move rashly, I’m more likely to be the one defeated.”

With his ultimate knowledge, he could make that perfect body shine even more beautifully.

The thought of the result—which would be as brilliant as a jewel reflecting light—made his mouth water as a seeker of knowledge. But considering the interference from the lowly creatures trying to invade from the lower floors, hunting carried high risks.

Especially since they were a party…

“Hm?”

The scene in the mirror was quite strange even to him, not just to adventurers or mercenaries.

His brow furrowed at the sight of the three intruders splitting up and each taking different corridors.

This was good news. It meant he could hunt them one by one in their divided state and obtain three excellent specimens.

‘Are they confident? Or is it just the recklessness of ordinary beings?’

Though he maintained the appearance of a young man through forbidden powers, he had lived far longer than an ordinary human lifespan.

Continuing to raise his guard against the intruders’ movements, he tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers like centipede legs touching the ground, and mobilized his minions.

The floor began to move organically like a single organism.

Using authority stolen from the Gallery’s administrator, he constantly changed the Gallery’s structure to prevent the scattered individuals from meeting, guiding them into the net of death formed by minions created with his knowledge.

Without major unexpected events, the result would be as boringly predictable as always.

And then, the next moment.

Bolt upright!

“What?!”

Levand, dressed in noble attire that gave off a splendid and refreshing impression unsuited to the gloomy image of a Necromancer, jumped up from his chair and rushed to the mirror, burying his head into it as if trying to enter it.

The retina and the mirror barely 3cm apart.

Necromancer Levand couldn’t tear his eyes away from the scene reflected in those dull, lusterless irises.

Boom— Boom— Boom—

The floor shakes.

The foul stench of decay thickens, twisting and bringing the previously acclimated disgust back to my nostrils.

‘She’s light on her feet too.’

As the 17th floor violently trembled, I raised the corner of my mouth as if I had expected this.

Severa, held in my arms, showed wariness at this violent force, but upon noticing my lack of surprise, she quickly raised her staff, preparing for battle.

The appearance was clearly different from previous magic staves—it looked like a twisted old tree that had been miniaturized and brought here.

The fearsome size approaching 2m, exceeding Severa’s height, wasn’t designed with swinging in mind.

And four different colored gems radiated brilliant magical power as if showing off to the world.

“Ngh! Even at a time like this!”

“No, it’s been a while, so I find it hard to let go.”

Apparently greatly bothered by my fondling of her buttocks, Severa gripped her staff tightly. I quickly removed my hand and adopted a surrendering posture.

I strongly assert that I have no intention of harming you! With this pose, Severa narrowed her eyes and slowly moved to the side.

Even so, it was unclear whether she actually intended to avoid me, having moved just one step away.

I really wanted to stroke her wildly at the sight, but I decided to hold back.

Because he had arrived.

Kwaaaaang———

Space twists, evil energy gnaws at the surroundings, and an ominous presence fills the void.

“So you’ve come, Voyeur Pervert #2.”

The collapsed art gallery.

Emerging through the thickly spreading dust was a man with hair as brilliant as the sun.

『Necromancer, Levand』Level: 25☆

Health: ???/??? □□□□□□□□□□

【A legendary Necromancer who rules the Art Gallery of the Infinite Knowledge Gallery. No one knows the power of this being who easily destroyed an entire nation with unholy knowledge.】

It was the swift arrival of the boss.