A Grim Proposition
Ominous portents and grueling days continued without end. Lately, the Master of the Red Magic Tower found his sighs multiplying and his wrinkles deepening. Putting aside his ongoing research, he did nothing but clutch his head in agony at the round table. Because of a single Abyssal Palace, the Empire had been plunged into unprecedented chaos. The time had come for even the mages to cast off their cloaks of seclusion and step out into the world.
"Those bastards. Ordering me around like a dog," the Tower Master grumbled as he walked toward his private office. He had been summoned yet again for some meeting, but it had yielded nothing of substance. They called it a grand committee or a round-table conference, but in truth, it was just a continuous, futile waste of time.
Creak. The Tower Master opened the door and stepped inside, only to freeze instantly. A dense, suffocating death energy crept up his body. The hair on his arms stood on end, and a cold sweat broke out across his brow. It was a chilling, razor-sharp aura of death that made his entire body shudder. This energy, which made even swallowing his own saliva feel heavy, did not belong to any common undead he was sick of dealing with. It was undoubtedly an undead of an incredibly high caliber.
"...Who is there?" Just speaking those words made the death energy tighten around his throat. The Tower Master forced his eyes open and scanned his surroundings. Caw! A crow perched atop the bookshelf fluttered its wings. A skeletal hand reached out toward the flying bird. Only after the crow landed on those bony fingertips did the Tower Master finally see it.
"Mortal. I have been waiting for you." A pitch-black robe blended seamlessly with the shadows. Beneath the hood, there was no face—only a deep, formless darkness. The great scythe slung over his shoulder exuded a ghostly energy, as if ready to harvest life itself. The Tower Master swallowed hard. This was an appearance he had seen in the texts detailing the 7 Abyssal Palaces. No, even without referencing literature, there was no way he wouldn't recognize it. The very image of the Grim Reaper known to all mankind had originated from this being. The Rank 5 of the Abyssal Palaces, the soul harvester of the Putrid Cave—the Reaper. He was the right hand of the Lich King, serving as both lieutenant and sub-boss.
"...Have you come to take my soul?"
"Depending on your words and actions, perhaps. But not today. The Lich King has taken an interest in you." Swoosh. A skeletal finger pointed directly at him. "Become a lich, mortal. My Lord has seen fit to bestow his grace upon you."
It was an unexpected proposal. The Tower Master narrowed his eyes, weighing the creature's true intentions. He didn't need to think long. What those words meant, their ultimate purpose, could only be one thing. "Do you intend to destroy the Empire? To wipe out humanity?"
"Wise for a mortal. Indeed."
"...But why?"
"If you ask for a reason, a mortal cannot comprehend it. For it belongs not to the realm of logic, but to the realm of instinct. By killing humans, we feel alive within death. You, too, shall soon be the same." Caw! The crow let out a cry as if in agreement. The Reaper turned his head. The night view outside the window was blindingly bright.
"My Lord is planning a grand undertaking. On the day it is carried out, those lights will fade, and the fires of disaster will illuminate the horizon. All of mankind will feel death with every one of their senses."
"...."
"Yet, not all humans shall suffer. My Lord desires that you, the Masters of the Five-Colored Magic Towers, become his vassals." The Tower Master flinched. If those words were true, some of his peers might have already turned.
"When the end falls upon the Empire, a massive new undead legion will be born. My Lord intends to entrust the positions of Legion Commanders to you. Become the servants who will execute his grand design on his behalf."
"...."
"Is it not an enticing offer? An opportunity to break free from the shackles of mortality, to gain eternal life, and to enjoy the honor of an Abyssal Palace executive within that eternity."
"Do you truly think I would accept?"
"Every mortal yearns for eternity. You are no different."
A hypothesis flashed through his mind. Bargore, the Death Knight of the Tomb of Faith. Was his subversion of the Empire also part of Calandas's plan? A Death Knight and a Lich King. Even a child knew the relationship between the two; there was no way the Tower Master was ignorant of it. "Bargore. That Death Knight must be part of this as well."
"...." Silence was as good as affirmation. The Tower Master knew all too well that the only reason humanity had survived this long was due to the mercy of the Abyssal Palaces. If even one of them mobilized, humanity would face extinction. If Bargore joined hands with Calandas, there would be absolutely no hope. A candle flickering in a hurricane would have a better chance of survival.
"...And if I refuse?"
"A mortal cannot escape death. However, you can choose how it finds you."
"...."
"Look at the present and foresee the future. Soon, the entire land will be stained with blood, and a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood will replace where the Empire once stood. Your corpse will not lie among them. Instead, you will stand atop that pile of bodies."
"This is my answer." Hummmm! Suddenly, red magic circles flared to life all around them. Dozens of magic circles interlocked simultaneously. The area was filled with light, like fireflies in the dark. The ground scorched black, and a haze rose along with the intense heat.
"Is that your choice?"
"Yes. When I open my eyes again, I will have transcended these limits." Whoosh! Pillars of fire erupted simultaneously from the activated magic circles. Their target was none other than the caster himself. As his life was extinguished, embers scattered in all directions, leaving behind scorched marks and a charred corpse that had met its end in the blazing heat.
The Reaper bent down to inspect the corpse closely. "To think this was the extent of his power. Truly, the clear limit of a mortal." The life was completely gone. Yet, the reason he did not harvest the soul was solely to obey his Lord's will. "The final spark of life is but the beginning in death."
The Reaper slung the corpse over his shoulder. With his great scythe resting on his other shoulder, he turned around. Caw! The one-eyed crow perched upon the blade. "Lich King. Everything is proceeding according to your will." The Reaper stepped into the shadows, his form vanishing without a trace, like smoke.
"I have some news. Everyone, gather around. Quickly." Not long after Rosesha had departed, Charlotte summoned the executives. Holding a newspaper in her hand, she cleared her throat. Rustle! She pointed directly at the headline of the newspaper. "The Empire has officially reclassified the rank of the Tomb of Faith."
"Oh!" "Kirik?" Isabella and Balutak poked their heads forward like a pair of meerkats. Looking at the backs of their heads blocking my view of the newspaper, I felt a sudden, intense urge to give them both a good smack. ...I felt like I'd seen this scene somewhere before.
Selina narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the page as she read aloud slowly. "Tomb of Faith... Rank promotion... is what it says?" A promotion? Out of nowhere? No, more importantly, by what authority did the Empire do this? They might tacitly accept the names of the dungeons, but ranks were a different story. Normally, rank changes were something the 72 Lords sensed instinctively. Yet, they had arbitrarily changed a rank that hadn't actually shifted. The pride of the higher-ranking Abyssal Palaces wouldn't tolerate this.
Could it be that? Meaning they were adjusting the practical ranking because of my status as a unique entity. That had to be it. There was no other plausible reason.
"Ooh!" "Kiririririk!" Sporadic gasps of admiration erupted from my band of troublemakers. With reactions like that, even I was starting to get curious. Suddenly, I felt a gaze on me. Right next to me, Cecilia was stealthily peeking at me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "...Go look." Whoosh— The moment the words left my mouth, Cecilia dashed over. I chose these executives myself, but I had no idea why every single one of them was like this. Did I accidentally recruit nothing but problem children?
"I still find this ranking unacceptable. I believe our rank should be at least one level higher," Charlotte said. If even Charlotte was saying that, it was probably a promotion of one or two ranks at most. If I had to be promoted, Rank 5 would be the perfect sweet spot. Rosesha would generously—no, enthusiastically—congratulate me, and Calandas might be secretly furious but wouldn't dare show it. Dalon and the giants wouldn't be much different. Since they were friendly toward me, they'd probably just think, As expected of a unique entity. As long as it wasn't Rank 3 or higher—meaning, as long as it didn't touch Roxanne—everything would be fine.
...The truth hidden behind the veil is that they are Rank 2...
"...." Nothing ever goes my fucking way.
"Doesn't everyone agree? Even though it has been adjusted, this ranking is still incorrect. As long as our Lord is here, the Tomb of Faith is practically Rank 1."
"Kirik. That is true-dak! Balutak's Great Chief is strong-dak! He can beat all 72 Great Chiefs-dak!"
"Exactly, exactly! If it's a one-on-one, Boss wins every time!"
Cecilia also nodded silently in agreement. They were practically desecrating my already dead corpse as a group. These thoughtless fools didn't understand the gravity of the situation. Of all people, a nobody like me had surpassed Roxanne. Even if it was just a practical ranking perceived by humans, that alone was enough to offend Roxanne. With her arrogant nature, she was undoubtedly planning my demise. I was so anxious right now that I felt like Roxanne would open a portal and invade at any second, demanding a duel to the death to prove who the real Rank 2 was.
I looked around, but thankfully, there was no sign of a portal. Please, just don't hurt me, I beg of you. This godforsaken world was endlessly screwing me over and overhyping me. If it was going to overhype me, it should do it properly. If it was going to screw me over, it should do it straightforwardly. How many times had I been caught in this bizarre middle ground of being both screwed over and overhyped? Because of my reputation as an Abyssal Palace Lord, I couldn't even complain. I had no choice but to swallow my grievances in silence.
Looking at them now, they had gathered together to list the reasons why I was actually Rank 1, recounting my past deeds. They were saying things like how the Boss had killed the Grand Sage with a single glance, and how defeating Roxanne would be a piece of cake. It was so cringe-inducing I could barely watch. My karma is hitting me like a truck, seriously. I didn't want to rain on their parade, so I just let them be.
While I felt like I needed to keep an eye on Roxanne due to the rank change, in reality, Calandas was the primary threat. Now that the Empire was in unprecedented chaos, Calandas wouldn't miss this opportunity. If Calandas invaded the Empire in the near future... my stance on the matter was still undecided. If I left him be, I might be his next target. On the other hand, if I opposed him, I would not only have to suffer severe losses but also face the consequences. Opposing a fellow Abyssal Palace Lord to protect humans? I could already picture myself being summoned to an emergency meeting and executed.
Therefore, my top priority had to be my personal strength. Whether I stopped Calandas to help the humans or fought him as a future enemy, the only sure safeguard either way was absolute power. Conveniently, I also know of an Ancient Dungeon that would be incredibly effective against Calandas. With Cecilia by my side, acquiring the second Ancient Dungeon Core would be easier than before. If I could obtain that along with the Holy Sword, a duel against Calandas would be highly winnable due to the elemental advantage. With a bit of exaggeration, I could practically guarantee victory. But first and foremost...
"I shall ask you this." At my words, the executives' attention focused on me. "A time will come when you must risk your lives for me. When that day arrives, will you willingly lay down your lives?"
"Kirik! Balutak is always ready-dak!"
"Me too, me too!"
"You can even raise me as an undead after I die. I will only serve you, Master."
"Since becoming a vampire, I have dedicated my entire life to you. Even after death, I will become a lich to serve you for eternity."
Naturally, a silence fell, and everyone's gaze shifted to a single person. Selina flinched and let out an awkward laugh. "Ahaha... Well, I've been indebted to the Lord both in life and in death. Of course I must follow you."
A feast of deep pink and green levels hovered above them. Their loyalty, far more reliable than mere words, was plain to see. Though they all had their troublesome sides, their potential was undeniable. It was safe to say that this force alone was already on par with an Abyssal Palace.
Bang! The door to the deputy's room burst open. Estizel came running out, her feet pattering rapidly. Standing before everyone, she smiled brightly and flashed a V-sign with her fingers. "Rank 49! I'm Rank 49! I made it to Rank 49! The greatest genius in history, defying even the gods! Let's hear some app... lause..."
The only response was a bone-chilling silence. Estizel's bright smile gradually stiffened. Finally, Charlotte, with an expressionless face, politely gestured toward me. "Our Lord has been promoted to Rank 2."
"......Eh?" Creak, creak. Estizel tilted her head like a broken wooden doll. After staring at me for a long moment, she tightly pursed her lips and hung her head. She trudged back with weak, lifeless steps. I hadn't done anything wrong, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.
"Kirik. She is trying to show off in front of an expert-dak."