15. Death Sorcerer's Dungeon
In the midst of the qi bombardment that Dina had sent flying with her fists, thick clouds of dust billowed up. Scattered around nearby were the remnants of the undead the Death Sorcerer had hastily summoned. Bella, standing behind with her half-shattered greatsword in hand, tilted her head at the sight.
"Did we get him...?"
"Bella. How can you say that?"
"What? Is asking if we got him the problem?"
"You know Ian said before that saying stuff like that triggers a resurrection spell on the enemy."
"Pfft, as if that exists. It's all superstition. Ian's just overreacting... Huh?"
As if responding to her muttering about resurrection spells, the Death Sorcerer naturally emerged from the dust, still not fallen. Bella stared at him in admiration.
"Whoa, fuck, he's really still alive?"
"Aigoo, seriously. I'm telling Ian later."
"...Wait, is this my fault?"
Bella let out a disbelieving chuckle. But even with the resurrection spell, he had taken considerable damage—his robe was torn to shreds in places, revealing his skeletal frame made of bare bones: shattered ribs, arm bones, and more. He looked like a discarded science classroom skeleton model from a junkyard, barely propped up by his staff.
Dina gazed at him with intrigued eyes.
"Hmm, still alive, eh? As expected of a Death Sorcerer—quite resilient."
- Grgh... kuh... Damn it. How the hell...
The Death Sorcerer glared ahead with purple glows flashing from his half-crushed skull, coughing hoarsely. A gray-haired woman with a cold smile on her lips. Setting aside the question of where she came from, how had it come to this? From his perspective, getting beaten half to death by Dina was absurd and unjust.
He too had been a great archmage in life, once powerful enough to lead his own faction. True, his fear of death had led him to a forbidden choice, resulting in this bony husk... but even after that, he had honed countless spells. Not just his main magic, but even necromancy, which mocked death itself.
Yet how...?
How had he been toyed with by this magic-less brute who only knew fists?
- A barbaric bitch who only swings her fists...
Even in his archmage days, he had faced many outstanding powerhouses. He had clashed with top platinum adventurers and toppled a few who strutted as guardians of nations. For nearly a millennium, he had researched magic and necromancy. At first, it was thrilling. What mage wouldn't rejoice in studying beloved spells and advancing their realm?
Even he, fallen to lichdom and become a Death Sorcerer, felt the same. Yes, at first it was immensely enjoyable.
But after a hundred years... another hundred. As time dragged on, the once-exciting research grew tedious. His withered bony body repulsed him, and feeling no sensations but pain bred doubt.
What magic? This isn't magic...
Regret set in. He should never have defied death. He should have accepted it as a human.
He realized then: the reason he pursued magic and growth was the admiration from others around him. Their recognition had brought joy.
What glory was worth binding his life to this wretched form forever?!
Loneliness gnawed. Solitude, desolation. He hated this silence.
But no matter the regret, this body couldn't revive.
Then, a thought struck the Death Sorcerer: If he couldn't revive this body...
Steal a living one.
And the vile necromancy created by the Demon King to mock death naturally included such a method.
But it wasn't easy. That spell was one of the Demon King's tools to dominate his necromancer followers—not something a lesser practitioner like him, far below even past sorcerers, could wield directly.
So he began research. To live again. To gain a body brimming with warmth.
His studies progressed to the final stage. All he needed now was a suitable new vessel for his soul.
Thus, he built this dungeon. Lured adventurers for sturdy, robust bodies. Waiting for ones that satisfied him.
Iron-rank adventurers. Too weak.
Silver-rank. Better, but not quite.
Gold-rank. A bit greedier, just a little more.
Then they appeared. Female bodies, not male—but exquisite. Even compared to the beauties he had seen in his archmage days, incomparable. Truly beautiful.
One of those bodies would suffice; he could snag another later. Beautiful women stirred desire across eras.
Before that, toy with some worthless body he picked up...
Defeat them, slowly shatter their minds...
It should have been certain victory.
But that certainty vanished the instant the woman before him appeared.
- Damn it.
Staring at Dina, the Death Sorcerer dimly realized: she was a being on another level entirely.
Too late. That regret burned.
Where had this bitch come from? She hadn't been there moments ago...
No, that wasn't important now. His life was. He had to flee to the corner of his dungeon where his hidden heart lay. With that, he could regenerate this husk endlessly.
As he scanned for an escape angle, something incomprehensible entered his vision: a boy cowering in the corner with crude magic tools, having absorbed Dina's blessing and reverted to childlike youth—Ian.
What's that guy...? When did he get there?
Puzzlement brought unease. A strange sense of he belongs there. The moment he noticed Ian, ominous black aura cloaked his body.
Not mere black. It devoured light like a void, staining surrounding mana black.
Mana usually took colors from one's imagery or personality: blue, red, green, yellow, orange, silver, gold. Myriad hues.
But black? It shouldn't exist. By the Goddess's will.
Mana was the Goddess's creation, who shaped this world. Even the Demon King, her foe, wielded purple, not black.
Yet around him, colorless or white mana was greedily sucked in by the black aura from his body—like matter into a black hole.
Unable to comprehend, doubt sprouted in the Death Sorcerer's mind.
What the hell...?
Chills ran through his bones.
What was that guy? No—he knew.
A memory surfaced: from nearly a millennium ago, when he was still human, wandering to evade death and learn necromancy. A tale from a heretical cult.
Mana, said to be the Goddess's creation, was actually made by another. The Goddess, jealous, slew him and claimed it. But he would return to save the world from her torment.
He had dismissed it as nonsense then.
- Kuh... kuheheh... KUHIAHAHA!
It was real! He existed!
The fools' ravings were true!
If so... that could save him now.
Dina noticed his gaze on Ian and subtly blocked his view with her body.
"...What're you looking at?"
- None of your business. You bitches wouldn't understand anyway...!
The Death Sorcerer staggered to his feet.
If I seize that body, it's enough!
From the aura, the boy didn't grasp his power's worth. Unawakened, it could be subdued.
The arrogant mage raised his staff, pouring all his mana into an orb.
- ――――――.
―――――.
―――――――!!!!
He chanted.
Dina sensed and lunged, but too late.
"You bastard, what are you trying to do...!"
He had researched and memorized this spell countless times. Seconds sufficed.
Flash!
The necromantic spell completed instantly.
- Kuhahaha!
Staff thrust out.
Dina tried to block, but the magic shot straight at Ian.
- Soul, be bound...!
Cheong-ah and Bella startled, trying to intercept, but the beam engulfed Ian in a blink.
"Ian...!"
"Hey, dodge!"
Ian flinched at the sudden light.
"Hup...?!"
The spell finished. The sorcerer's soul invaded Ian's body to possess it. His original husk crumbled to ash.
Ian's body glowed.
"Guh... guuuuh...?!"
He curled in agony—a new pain unlike any before.
The three women rushed to the groaning Ian in worry.
"Ian! Are you okay?!"
"What the hell is this...!"
"Yeonja! Yeonja...!"
Meanwhile, the sorcerer searched Ian's soul to fully absorb it.
Where is it? Where?!
After some time, as Ian screamed in torment...
He found it.
And upon seeing it...
Oh...
The Death Sorcerer realized.
I was arrogant...!
He was just a frog in a well.
A fallen archmage daring to...
Challenge the vessel of the evil god...
He should have just fled.
In deep regret, the sorcerer's soul was crushed by Ian's.
A pitch-black soul devouring even light. Vast beyond comparison.
Soon after, the sorcerer's soul vanished without trace, devoured.
By then, a blue message window appeared before Ian's eyes.
You have acquired a magic stone of extremely high purity and enormous size.
Considering the current size and purity of the magic stone, it is treated as equivalent to 24 magic stones.
Target registration is possible.
- Consume 5 magic stones [New Conductor ability acquirable]
- Consume 7 magic stones
Seeing it, Ian muttered through his pained writhing, mouth agape.
"Yeah, sex..."
That those words made Cheong-ah, Bella, and even Dina shudder was something only Ian remained oblivious to.