15. Death Sorcerer's Dungeon
"What the hell are those things?"
"Evil Spirit Sorcerers."
"Evil Spirit Sorcerers? What's that supposed to mean?"
"The bastards who summoned those chunks of meat."
Evil Spirit Sorcerers. Most people hear the name and think of Necromancers—those black mages who wield necromancy—or Liches, the pinnacle of undead. But Evil Spirit Sorcerers are something a little different from both.
Compared to Necromancers first: these guys aren't even human. Evil Spirit Sorcerers are monsters that arise naturally. They're fundamentally distinct from Necromancers, who use black magic. Of course, their evil spirit sorcery shares some kinship with necromancy in that it manipulates the corpses of the dead. The difference lies in their approach. Necromancers show a baseline respect for death even as they command the deceased, but Evil Spirit Sorcerers start from a foundation of desecration. They deliberately mutilate perfectly intact bodies, stitching together grotesque undead that turn your stomach just to look at—like festering lumps of flesh. Flesh golems made from meat globs, Flesh Abominations, and all sorts of other freakish undead creations? Most of them stem from evil spirit sorcery.
Does that make them like Liches? Not quite. Liches are fundamentally undead spellcasters. The corpse of a great mage turning undead, or a grand sorcerer transforming their own flesh—that's what earns the name Lich. Evil Spirit Sorcerers operate on a different wavelength. They don't wield the vast array of spells a Lich commands. All they know is manipulating corpses, desecrating death with evil spirit sorcery, and maybe a handful of basic spells. A Lich represents the fall of a mighty human archmage, but an Evil Spirit Sorcerer is just the evolution of a specific monster breed.
Evil spirit sorcery is a special black magic that no race can learn—only monsters. The ones capable of it are usually bipedal monsters on the smarter side, like goblins, orcs, lizardmen, and so on. When one of those picks up evil spirit sorcery for whatever reason, it becomes an Evil Spirit Sorcerer. Spotting one is dead simple: once a monster masters it, no matter the type, its body withers to skin and bones, taking on a gaunt, sinister look that inspires instinctive revulsion. Their reproductive urges plummet too, making them seem almost undead themselves.
Incidentally, how and where monsters learn this stuff? Still an ongoing topic of research in magical academia. Especially among Necromancers, who grind their teeth over it...
Bella scowled at the explanation from Ian, glaring at the creature.
"Damn, they look like total shit."
As Bella crudely put it, the thing before them was emaciated, radiating a creepy hikikomori vibe that set everyone's teeth on edge. It reeked of victim complexes and paranoia, like some shut-in nursing every petty grudge against the world. Hand it a knife, and it'd probably dash out for a random stabbing spree. Pure criminal scum energy wafted off it.
-Khaaaak…!!!
A shrill screech erupted from its maw, like an old man's nails on a chalkboard. At the same moment, chunks of rotten flesh scattered across the floor floated up.
Ian quickly raised his crossbow and took aim.
Thwang!
The bolt flew straight for its forehead. But it bounced off some invisible barrier, clattering harmlessly to the ground.
"Tch... Close one."
Looked like some kind of shield. Should've loaded a dispel-enchanted bolt if he knew. Ian muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, the flesh lumps rapidly conglomerated. Trying to resurrect another meat blob? As the thought crossed his mind, the mass hurtled straight at him.
A squishy, half-formed projectile of gore shot forth, splattering acidic juices and chunks along its path as it flew.
"Ha, you cocky little shit."
Bella stepped right into its trajectory, yanking her greatsword from her back and raising it like a shield.
Thudoom!
The meat bullet slammed into the blade and burst apart. But the sorcerer had planned for that—it screeched again, scraping its throat raw.
-Khaaaaaa…!!
The scattered bits regrouped in midair. Bella clicked her tongue, drawing her karambit from her belt.
"Tch... Annoying bastard."
She swung wildly at the clumps, dispersing them thoroughly before they could reform.
In that opening, Cheong-ah and Dina dashed toward the Evil Spirit Sorcerer. Cheong-ah's blade sliced for its neck.
Saintess Sword 1: "Butterfly Wing"
The sorcerer dodged, leaping back with spindly-leg agility. But Cheong-ah's sword was faster. No matter how quick it moved, it couldn't outpace the wind.
Her blade drew in an instant—swifter than the breeze.
-Khuaa?!!
The head soared through the air. The body crumpled. Strangely, no blood sprayed; only after it hit the ground did thick, oily black ichor—like crude oil—ooze from the stump.
"Tch, the grumpy girl's quicker than me."
"No, you were fast too, Dina."
Dina puffed her cheeks at Cheong-ah's words.
"Teasing me? You still got the kill."
"My sword's longer than your arms and legs, that's why."
"Hm, fair point. Anyway."
Dina nodded sagely, then glanced at the floor.
Cheong-ah tilted her head.
"What's up, Dina?"
"Evil Spirit Sorcerers existed in my era too. And chopping the head off once doesn't end them..."
Suddenly, spider-like legs sprouted from the severed neck, skittering away with a scritch-scratch. Dina spotted it, leaped, and stomped the head flat.
Crunch!
"You gotta clean up thoroughly like this. The sneaky bastards always scheme ways to survive. A head can just regrow a body."
"Didn't know that. Learned something new, Dina. Thanks."
"Mm! Special permission today: you may pet me. Praise me."
"Oh? For real? Good job, Dina."
"Hehe..."
The Evil Spirit Sorcerer went down easy enough. Bella and Ian approached, dodging the venomous ooze from the flesh remnants.
"What the? You hyped this Evil Spirit Sorcerer crap so much, Ian, but it ended anticlimactically."
"...Well."
Subjugation rank was Gold at minimum. You're the strong ones here, not that it was weak... Ian grumbled inwardly.
Dina shook her head.
"Evil Spirit Sorcerers are supposed to be weak. Just pathetic mob fodder. But that's not the real issue."
"What, squirt? You know about these assholes too?"
"Bella, Dina says they existed in her time."
"Indeed. As the grumpy girl says, they were around in my era. So I know them well."
Ian blinked curiously.
"Dina, they've been around that long?"
"Aye. I'm actually more surprised they're still here. Thought we'd wiped them out with the Demon King... Didn't expect survivors after all this time."
"Demon King...? Dina, are Evil Spirit Sorcerers tied to the Demon King?"
"Mm! These scum are the lowest minions under his command."
"What? Squirt, for real?"
"Aye. Kin to that savage beast of yours, oh vicious one!"
"Hey, who's vicious? You just called me squirt on purpose, didn't you?"
"Then stop calling me squirt. I am Dina..."
"Why don't you say my name right for once?"
"...Ahem. Anyway, Yeonja. Any questions?"
"Hey, changing the subject?"
The conversation turning against her, Dina swiftly shifted focus from Bella to Ian. Bella griped, but Dina ignored her completely—even as Bella poked her cheeks from behind.
Ian pondered Dina's words before asking.
"Uh... You said Evil Spirit Sorcerers have a separate problem? What'd you mean?"
"Oh, that? Nothing major."
Dina dodged Bella's prodding fingers with both hands.
"They're like cockroaches—one shows up, dozens or hundreds follow. And they have a leader called a Death Sorcerer. That's the annoying part."
"Yeah? How annoying?"
"Long story, but... You know Liches? Fallen archmages turned undead."
"Yeah. So what's that got to do with this Death Sorcerer?"
"A Death Sorcerer is a Lich that's mastered evil spirit sorcery. Makes 'em way trickier and more hassle than regular Evil Spirit Sorcerers."
An Evil Spirit Sorcerer plus a Lich. And dozens to hundreds of the former. High chance that Death Sorcerer was ahead in this dungeon, per Dina's words. Ian groaned.
"...Ugh."
...Wonder if I'll make it out of this dungeon alive.
Cheong-ah gently clasped his hand as he fretted. Bella slung an arm over his shoulder from the other side.
"Don't worry too much, darling."
"Yeah, idiot. We'll win anyway."
Ian couldn't bring himself to say it was him he was worried about surviving. He just flashed a kind smile and nodded.
"...Yeah. I trust you."
Heh. Bitterly amused inside.