18. I Doubted My Eyes at the First Awakening
Ian doubted his eyes at first. A familiar name. Regina. Why was her name appearing on that undead? He tried to think it was impossible, but the reality before him didn't change. Even after rubbing his eyes and double-checking, fearing he'd misread it, the name Regina Panther Pang remained unchanged. He had to accept it: that thing was Regina. No more denying reality.
"...Fuck."
A curse slipped out naturally. How had Regina ended up like this? Rage boiled up, his mind going white with fury. Even he was surprised by his own emotions. They'd only known each other a few weeks. Sure, she'd been kind to him, and there'd been various incidents, but could he really get this angry over someone like that? He questioned himself. Who knew. This was why he should've studied harder—no words came to mind to even describe his feelings. Was it the short strap on his bag? Or his shitty vocabulary? The only thought in his head was pure, simple rage. Nothing else. Necromancer or whatever, he'd make them pay without mercy.
First things first: put Regina out of her misery quickly. ...Even if she'd died tragically, he didn't want her used like this by anyone else.
The composite undead had grown stronger with Regina fused in. Surprisingly, she was holding her own against three women without being overwhelmed. Without Dina, even with Ian's buffs, Cheong-ah and Bella might not have won. That level of power.
"...I'll set you free now, Regina." And he'd capture that necromancer for revenge. That would be his thanks for the kindness she'd shown him.
Mana Absorption
Absorbs death mana and converts it into the target's mental strength.
The target was the undead composite: Regina. The moment he reached out to absorb her mana—
A red warning flashed before his eyes. The message puzzled him.
Target is not undead.
Cannot absorb mana.
What the hell...? It clearly said undead composite—how was it not undead? As confusion hit, an explanation appeared.
The core animating the target is still a living being—a beastkin black panther.
The Conductor cannot currently absorb mana from living beings.
"What?"
This meant Regina, that undead abomination, was alive. Or more precisely, she hadn't become undead? If Regina wasn't undead but still alive, then maybe—just maybe—he could save her?
"Hold on, then..."
He focused his eyes again, scanning the undead—Regina—with the Conductor's gaze. Up popped the usual window listing weaknesses and strengths. And under weaknesses: [Core (Internal)].
"...She said Regina was the core, right?"
The thought struck him. He quickly linked his mind to them.
'Cheong-ah, Bella, Dina.'
[Cheong-ah, Bella, Dina.]
Mid-battle, Ian's voice suddenly echoed in their heads, calling them. Cheong-ah, Bella, and Dina each reacted differently.
'You called, darling?'
'What the hell? I can hear Ju Cheong-ah too? We can do this among ourselves?'
'Looks like it.'
'What is this?! What's happening?!'
Cheong-ah responded calmly, Bella curiously, Dina startled.
'Hey, don't freak out, kid—er, Dina. It's Ian's new ability.'
'Oh...? Interesting. When did you get this power, Yeonja?'
[I'll explain later.]
'Understood.'
[More importantly...]
'Something important? What?'