Chapter 117 – 17th Floor. Transfer

A man with an appearance that could earn him the title of “Whatever-something Young Master” if you were to flip through a suitable female-oriented comic book, but unlike his looks, he emanated a dense aura of malice that made one’s skin tingle.

Severa and I remained vigilant, quickly entering combat positions against this being who had appeared by twisting space and distorting the floor’s structure.

‘This is faster than expected, but still according to plan.’

Necromancer, Levand.

A dark magician seeking knowledge of death.

Perhaps because of this, the 17th floor had one special gimmick.

Normally, in keeping with the late-dungeon difficulty, this boss fight would only occur after meeting various troublesome prerequisites and finding Levand hiding somewhere on the floor.

But with an undead monster summoning staff, the story changes.

“Ah… how vivid…”

Levand sent a sticky gaze filled with ecstasy.

Despite his flashy entrance and the overwhelming presence rising around him, far from showing hostility, his movements were cautious, as if gently handling a small chick, full of goodwill.

“Master, what is this guy?”

“Hmm…”

Sensing something strange about the situation, magical power gradually gathered in the Everchanging Staff, ready to cast a spell, but remained without being released.

After briefly watching the kaleidoscopic magical power brilliantly flickering in five colors, I could only shrug.

In truth, I don’t know more than this.

D.D was a crappy game with 50×50 pixel sprites scuttling around, so its text wasn’t as extensive as other RPGs.

I have no information beyond what Log shows me.

“I don’t know.”

“What an irresponsible thing to say..! He’s definitely not an ordinary being! At least the power I feel from him is something only found in self-acknowledged heroes… and he seems to have bad compatibility with me.”

“Of course. He’s reached the extreme of necromancy.”

Among the little information I know, one of his achievements is single-handedly destroying an entire kingdom.

That couldn’t be accomplished as easily as taking out a cake just by learning some forbidden magic, so Levand’s skill is proven by that alone.

Additionally, since Severa is a wraith, she naturally has poor compatibility with Levand, a master of necromancy.

“Hahaha! Please don’t be so wary! I have no intention of doing anything bad to you folks.”

Seemingly having read the tense atmosphere, Levand displayed a harmless smile in contrast to the ominous aura he was emitting, moving slowly as if careful not to startle small animals.

Such casualness raised our guard even more, but apparently unconcerned about that, Levand looked at Severa behind me with sparkling eyes.

“Stop.”

Halt—

“My, have I made another blunder? I apologize. It’s been decades since I met people, after all.”

“The way you suddenly appeared makes it seem like you want something. Stay where you are and tell us what you want.”

Just his approach makes my skin prickle as if being pricked by needles.

‘Is he similar to The Howler… but different?’

If I had to name the strongest opponent among those I’ve encountered so far, it would be The Howler, a manifestation of the final boss.

If I hadn’t attempted mutual destruction using the Crown of Madness gimmick artifact and the Mountain Spirit, I might not have been able to win.

My intuition tells me the man before me presents almost the same level of danger as The Howler.

“Are you a worshipper of that squid tentacle thing?”

But whatever.

I knew he was strong, which is why I summoned him now.

“Hmm? Ah. You mean those vulgar groups.”

In response to my question, Levand disparaged the cultists with indifference and rather expressed displeasure.

“If that’s what you thought, please accept my apology. It’s quite unpleasant to be equated with those who worship distorted abominations far removed from beautiful death.”

“Aren’t you also someone who sought forbidden knowledge?”

“Well, there are too many things in this rigid world labeled as forbidden.”

Swoosh— After hearing his response, Severa and I simultaneously looked at each other.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect despite not having said anything. Does this mean Severa and I are in sync?

As always, I decided to think positively. It’s harmful to stay sane in this cursed dungeon.

“I am one of the seekers who loves, praises, and savors death. You may call me a mere magician if you wish, only our paths differ.”

I was tempted to throw a dagger at him as he turned his back to us, spinning theatrically with exaggerated arm movements, but decided to continue the conversation.

After all, he won’t die from a simple attack.

“You learn such things and call yourself a magician..!”

Severa was outraged, seemingly on the verge of firing a spell, as his words were almost an insult to magicians.

“Haha! Everyone says that. But what does it matter?”

The expression on his face as he turned back around was unpleasantly confident.

“All of them now serve death beneath me.”

Clatter—

As Levand’s white hand cut through the air, bones assembled with a light, clear sound, forming a skeleton from seemingly nowhere.

Almost instantaneously, a torrent of compressed magical power that had been waiting to be released shot forth.

Following the magical formula, the power erupted into heat and flames, becoming a single beam that launched toward the emerging skeleton.

【Flame Beam】

Kwaaaaang———

A line of extreme heat filling the twisted corridor.

Eventually, it spread into a curtain and flew toward the skeleton, greedily devouring it.

The vessel, which was in the process of receiving a new soul imbued with the Necromancer’s ominous magical power, burned black, turned to ash, and was sufficient to incinerate even Levand standing beside it.

Almost simultaneously, another wave of flame followed.

The paintings on the corridor walls and the statues were helplessly blown away by the air pushed out by the flame wave, instantly vaporizing everything.

The power of a past existence, Asribe’s armament.

It shone again in the hands of the hero Severa, displaying power worthy of its reputation.

The flash filled the corridor for a full tens of seconds, and considerable time would be needed for the light to fade and the heat to dissipate.

“Wow. Your firepower is killer.”

“Haaa..! Creating a lifeless being just for a demonstration..!”

While I was purely impressed by the power, Severa ground her teeth and even shed a drop of cold sweat, which should be impossible for an ectoplasm like her.

“What do you mean by ‘lifeless being’?”

I knew Levand wasn’t dead despite that chaos, but Severa seemed more concerned about something else.

And I was curious about the ‘lifeless being,’ since it hadn’t appeared in D.D.

“…A high-level undead. A being once called a grand magician who refused death and became a servant of evil entities, eternally craving life. Naturally, they can use high-level magic, so their threat level is…”

“Aha!”

So… she was basically describing a lich.

The explanation perfectly fits the description of an evil undead magician—what else could it be?

‘So this guy can command liches with a single gesture? Aren’t liches usually boss monsters?’

There was a possibility they were just slightly stronger minions here, but judging from Severa’s reaction, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Had the Necromancer become stronger with the reality patch?

‘Hmm… that doesn’t seem right either.’

Crack— Crack crack—

Pop— Pop— Within the flames emitting black smoke as they burned the large canvas paintings in their frames like firewood, a figure rose, making quite an unpleasant sound.

That figure, no different from charred charcoal, wiped its blackened face as if washing it, acting as though its movement was completely natural.

“Gwa— Agak— Krkr—”

Air-leaking sounds that failed to form words, perhaps due to vocal cords damaged by extreme heat.

The charcoal figure briefly seemed lost in thought, chin in hand, tilting its head before clapping its hands—and whoosh! The flames surrounding it crawled along the floor then vanished with a small flicker.

The sight almost resembled the death of fire itself.

“Isn’t this too much? I wished to treat you folks well, but this sharp response makes it difficult.”

Thud— Plop—

Like a cicada shedding its thick shell and spreading its wings, the man peeled off his blackened skin, revealing a pale, glossy handsome face underneath. I couldn’t help but show a disgusted expression.

‘Disgusting bastard.’

Regardless, the man maintained his joyful smile and once again directed his gaze toward Severa.

Eyes so sweet they were difficult to watch, as if looking at a first love.

“To obliterate my minion with a single strike… More than expected! That solidity of soul! Autonomy! Reason and intelligence! Simultaneously, the magical power is unlike that of a mere pure specter!”

Levand was visibly excited, belying his appearance of having been completely incinerated just moments ago.

“Tell me! Where did you find such a specter? No, did you create it? Won’t you please transfer this specter to me! If it’s gold you want, I’ll give you treasure enough to buy a country and more!”

With his face full of ecstasy, arms outstretched, I…

“What the hell? This bastard…”