Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 223
Chapter Title: Pursuit in Stika
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Next stop: Stika.
Leyzon had a longer conversation with Dexter before heading there.
The main topic was necromancers.
"So you're conducting research based on that book you showed me back then?"
Leyzon had revealed to Dexter that he was the one they'd met that day.
Primitive poison magic.
Dexter had seen it too, so he showed keen interest in Leyzon's research.
"If possible, I'd appreciate your input as well."
"I don't want to limit my studies to just poison magic."
Primitive magic held countless possibilities.
They still didn't know how to maximize its efficiency.
Yet Leyzon studied it diligently every day.
The research needed to expand in new directions.
And for that, they needed plenty of talented necromancers.
Dexter was one of them.
He was a necromancer skilled enough to lead the Gray Mage Tower.
"How about we use this as a starting point to rebuild the Gray Mage Tower in Sahā Village?"
The Gray Mage Tower, which had been destroyed by the imperial family and the ossuary.
Leyzon proposed its reconstruction.
Necromancers were already flocking to Sahā Village in droves.
Rebuilding the tower wasn't a pipe dream.
'A necromancer specialty hub.'
A genuine local specialty unlike anything in other cities.
As Leyzon grinned slyly, Dexter pondered seriously.
He too had lived his life for necromancers.
Leyzon's idea was worth serious consideration.
"Of course, I know it's still precarious."
The imperial family hadn't lifted the bounties on necromancers.
But lately, even that had grown lax.
Without the ossuary prioritizing their capture.
"I'm planning to actively spread the word about how essential necromancers are to this world."
The abyssal beings were becoming more prominent over time.
The nobles were watching closely too.
The need for necromancers would only grow.
"For now, having a tower lord to lead them is enough."
A tower lord who could guide them back to pursuing necromancy with fervor.
It was time for such a figure to emerge again.
Dexter let out a dry chuckle.
Then he slowly raised his head.
His eyes now gleamed with the sharp intellect of old.
"You're dead set on opposing the imperial family, aren't you?"
"They struck first."
Leyzon grinned, and Dexter smiled back.
"But to do that, we'll first need to deal with the Thousand-Year Mage."
The Thousand-Year Mage, mentioned time and again.
Dexter reminded him once more of the danger.
Leyzon nodded.
This world still hid many powerful figures.
Leyzon had ascended to their ranks, but he wouldn't grow complacent.
Still, cowering in a hole changed nothing.
"Yeah, we'll keep an eye on him."
If fate brought them to clash someday, he'd build his strength for it.
Seeing Leyzon's resolve, Dexter said no more.
He departed for Sahā Village right after.
The necromancers there would surely welcome him.
Everyone knew he truly protected their kind.
He'd faithfully resume his role as their tower lord.
'A fine gift for the Poison Spiders.'
He'd remind them to give him a proper welcome.
'Now, onto the last matter.'
Time to head to the Star Cathedral, Stika.
Gray Mage Tower Lord Dexter left guiding him around Sahā Village to Crowe.
Crowe would handle it just fine.
No need to worry about that side.
Meanwhile, Leyzon began his journey to Stika.
It hardly felt like travel.
Not with undead who could cross the skies in an instant.
Right on cue, Estelle's voice rang out.
True to her word, they'd arrived in the skies just outside Stika.
Thanks to Estelle's Sky Traverse [SS].
"Estelle, thanks to you, travel's been a breeze."
Praising Estelle prompted Syria to poke her head out.
"Right? Way too much praise!"
Syria couldn't stand seeing another undead get Leyzon's praise, even if they were both undead.
She'd handled all the travel with shadow wolves and bats until now.
Clearly miffed at losing her role.
"Syria's the one who's worked the hardest so far."
"Heehee."
Praising her promptly made her beam with a broad smile.
Ever consistent.
Estelle descended, setting everyone down.
The vast open sky came into view.
True to Stika's fame for starry nights, the sky was exceptionally clear.
It promised a spectacular sight come nightfall.
'Now to find Garjun here.'
Stika was known as the Star Cathedral.
But that was thanks to astronomers from other cities.
Stika itself was like a rural backwater with little civilizational progress.
Vast plains dominated by nomads and villages.
That was the Star Cathedral, Stika.
Finding someone there wasn't easy.
But that applied only to ordinary folk.
Finding another necromancer was different.
Especially since Garjun was now undead.
He couldn't hide his death aura if he tried.
"Syria, Eden, Estelle."
Leyzon called out to his three undead.
"Scour Stika for Garjun. Report any whiff of necromancer presence."
"Got it! I'll find him first!"
"Okayyy."
The three undead sprang into action at once.
Stika was about to be turned upside down starting today.
He figured they'd find him without much delay.
Or so Leyzon thought—until the search dragged on over a week.
A week later, midday.
Leyzon was staying in one of Stika's villages.
A relatively upscale inn by local standards.
His only task there: studying the primitive magic tome penned by the Poison Spiders.
After poring over it for hours, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Tougher to track down than expected."
Syria's awkward response came through.
Undead were more sensitive to death auras than anyone.
He'd assumed they'd sniff out undead Garjun in no time.
Yet no trace anywhere in Stika.
Leyzon closed the book.
"It's fine. Good work, everyone."
Time to stop relying on the undead for this.
Leyzon decided to take matters into his own hands.
He hadn't been idle while they searched.
Informants existed everywhere.
Today, he'd uncovered Stika's underworld information guild.
'A hundred years on, and all the old guilds have merged or vanished.'
Pity he couldn't leverage past experience here.
But he could learn the lay of the land from now on.
Leyzon shook his head at Syria's question.
"Doubt it."
If his undead couldn't find Garjun, why would an info guild?
No chance.
But he didn't need to hunt solely through them.
If pushing didn't work, pull instead.
"We'll use the info guild to spread word of us instead."
A necromancer seeking the former Gray Mage Tower Lord.
Leyzon planned to broadcast that across Stika.
A necromancer of Garjun's caliber surely had ears everywhere.
This would reach him directly through those channels.
"No need to stick to one approach."
Above all, he'd deliberately loosed the undead for a full week.
Garjun's eyes must have caught their movements.
By now, he'd be plotting some response.
Leyzon knew Garjun's keen interest in necromancers.
He wasn't former tower lord for nothing.
'He won't hide in his burrow forever.'
Time to smoke him out.
And another week passed.
"Zero reaction."
"……."
As Eden said, Garjun remained utterly silent after that.
Leyzon had expected him to show at least once, but the plan flopped.
"Maybe he's not in Stika at all?"
Syria had a point; it wasn't impossible.
He might have finished his business and left.
'What now.'
No leads after all this, and Leyzon started to worry.
How to flush him out?
Then a sudden idea struck.
"...Phyrshiran."
She materialized like smoke at his call.
"Yes, Leyzon? You called?"
The mistress of the Resonance World, Ghost Princess Phyrshiran.
Leyzon spoke as she appeared.
"Do human souls and undead souls have the same form?"
Souls each had distinct shapes.
Leyzon knew the answer, having turned Phyrshiran into undead himself.
"No, they're different forms."
As expected, matching what he knew.
"Then could you detect the soul signature of a hidden undead in Stika?"
Phyrshiran paused at the question.
Then she looked slightly troubled.
"The former Gray Mage Tower Lord, right? My power alone probably won't cut it."
"That's fine."
The mere possibility was enough.
Leyzon's lips curved upward.
Whatever it was, he was holed up tight.
Time for a forced reveal.
"Phyrshiran, we're doing undead fusion."
She caught on at last.
"Oh, I've always wanted to try that."
Apparently a secret wish of hers.
Leyzon gallantly extended his hand.
"If I may have the honor, Princess."
Phyrshiran took it, playing along.
"Gladly."
Undead Fusion activated.
Phyrshiran
Phyrshiran's form faded away.
A purple flame flickered above Leyzon's head.
His body turned translucent, a gray-transparent cloak billowing around him.
Leyzon's eyes gleamed with a blue aura that hunted souls.
He then drew his staff and activated the fusion spell.
"Soul Resonance, Attribute Fusion: Phantasm Orb."
Amplification skills layered onto Soul Resonance [SS] one by one.
With each addition, the resonance's range widened.
Spreading from the village across plains, to nomad camps and hamlets.
As it expanded far and wide—
Whoosh—
Leyzon's eyes caught a black flame igniting.
His head snapped up.
He'd found it in a completely unexpected place.
Now he understood why they'd missed him all this time.
"Ha, figures the madman would pull something like this."
Leyzon chuckled wryly and turned.
"Syria, Eden, Estelle."
Time to meet the former Gray Mage Tower Lord.
"We're heading to a hero-grade dungeon: Starwatch Layer."
Garjun was there.