That's Not Yours
"Come back when you're done!"
"Rin! Wait!"
Immediately after arriving at the first floor of the Twin Stars Tower via the portal, I somehow managed to coax Ren and Rin and make my escape. Even after finishing my business, I had absolutely no intention of returning to the Twin Stars Tower, but I lied and said I would. If I hadn't, they probably would have held onto me forever.
The Twin Stars Tower was a dungeon surrounded on all sides by a forest. Heading straight through the western forest from the tower would eventually lead to the territory of the spirits. Thus, we were currently trekking westward through the woods.
For now, it was just a typical, lush green forest. But if we ventured deeper, we would eventually encounter the forest eroded by spiritual energy—the Forest of Spirits.
"He is the supreme Lord. Do not cling to him so closely."
"He's my Master first."
They had been bickering back and forth, but since they hadn't gotten into a real fight, I just let them be. Every time I saw those deep pink levels hovering above their heads, a wave of sheer regret washed over me. Seriously, if I just had a dick, damn it, I could have been the Harem King.
"I have a question, Boss."
At Charlotte's sudden inquiry, I gave her a nod of permission. She parted her lips, hesitating for a moment before continuing.
"I heard that you neither like nor dislike humans, Lord."
I briefly racked my brain, trying to remember when I had said that. Ah, right. I had said those exact words to Dalon. Just as there is such a thing as basic humanity, I couldn't bring myself to truly hate humans because I was once one of them. It wasn't as if I carried deep, traumatic scars inflicted by humanity like Charlotte did.
On the flip side, I couldn't exactly love them either. Given my current position, not to mention the fact that they had tried to kill me multiple times, I had ended up with this lukewarm, ambivalent feeling.
"If I truly hated humans, neither of you would be by my side right now."
"Yes. I, too, consider that a blessing. But there is one more thing I wish to ask... regarding your conflict with the Lich King."
She was incredibly sharp. I could already guess what her next question would be.
"If the Lich King intends to annihilate humanity, how do you plan to respond, Boss?"
"I am thinking of stopping him."
"I see. I do not know if you are aware, but my ultimate desire has always been the destruction of humanity. That was the very reason I volunteered to be your deputy."
Knowing Charlotte's backstory, I was well aware of that desire. In truth, her disposition made her far more suited to serve Calandas or Roxanne as her Lord rather than me. In other words, Charlotte's current wishes were the exact opposite of mine.
"But that is no longer the case. If you wish to save humanity from the Lich King, Lord, then I shall assist you with all my heart and soul."
Honestly, that caught me a bit off guard. I figured that even if she did decide to help, she would waver and hesitate before coming to a decision. But to commit so instantly?
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. To me, you come first, Boss. ...Always."
Looking at her deep pink level, I realized just how profound her feelings were. Between her lifelong, cherished desire and her brief relationship with me, she had, astonishingly, prioritized me. Even if choosing my side meant abandoning her ultimate goal.
"You are still the same Master Lucas."
"...Ria."
"It's so like you. Even after being betrayed and executed, you still feel compassion for humans."
A sentence welled up from deep inside, nearly bursting past my throat. I keep telling you, I'm not Lucas.
"I'm a human too, but I want the Empire to fall. They must pay dearly for the sin of killing you."
"..."
"But you are different from me, Master. And that, too, is just so like you. If you wish to save them, I will help you as well."
I hadn't even officially decided whether to intervene or not. But listening to them, it sounded as if I was already scheduled to throw down with Calandas. Well, my mind was leaning in that direction anyway.
As we walked and talked, the spiritual energy, hanging thick like fog, blocked our path like a wall. Stepping through it without hesitation, the scenery instantly transformed.
Misty plumes of spiritual energy swirled faintly in all directions, and a greyish-white haze subtly obscured our vision. The sparse patches of grass and trees were entirely dyed in shades of ash and grey. Not a single leaf remained on the barren branches, and there was not a shred of vitality to be felt.
Lowly ghosts, evil spirits, vengeful wraiths... all kinds of spirits were mingled within the spiritual haze. They were the type of creatures that would instantly pounce upon seeing the living. I was an undead, so they wouldn't even register my presence, but these two were different.
In this world, physical attacks could actually affect most spiritual entities. Once one's mana or aura reached a certain level, they could easily dispatch even high-tier spirits. These two, of course, far surpassed that threshold.
"Get ready."
Since I was basically invisible to them anyway, I figured I'd let them handle it. Taking a step forward as if going for a casual stroll, I watched.
Strangely, at that exact moment, the spirits froze. Every single one of their gazes locked onto me.
—Screeeech!—Hyaaaah!
Was it just my imagination? The moment I drew near, the evil spirits began shrieking in terror. They even began floating backward, desperately fleeing from me. ...What was going on? Spirits weren't supposed to even perceive the undead, so why?
At first, I thought I was seeing things, but no matter how I looked at it, they were actively avoiding me. As they fled, they babbled in some bizarre, incomprehensible tongue.
Black levels?
Looking closely, their level indicators were all pitch black. For some unknown reason, these evil spirits were absolutely terrified of innocent old me.
"An anomalous soul...?"
I reflexively turned my head at Charlotte's muttered words behind me. Had she translated the language of the spirits? I recalled reading a setting where high-level necromancers studied the language of evil spirits. I gave her a slight chin nudge, prompting her to continue.
"The soul rank... is bizarre? A predator approaches..."
Her eyes widened with shock and confusion as she stared at me. But even if she looked at me like that, I was the one who understood the least. ...An anomalous soul. Was it because my soul came from another world? Or was it because my soul and body were different, causing some kind of distortion in causality?
One thing was certain: they had recognized my otherworldly soul and completely lost their minds. It felt a bit like being discriminated against for being a foreigner.
"As expected of the Rank 2 Lord of the Mugangung. Your soul rank is truly transcendent."
"My transcendent Master."
Inadvertently, thanks to me, we were able to stroll through the Forest of Spirits as if it were a peaceful park trail. But watching evil spirits—who looked far more terrifying than me—fleeing in absolute panic left me with a rather complicated feeling. It felt like I was being ostracized by the dead, which wasn't particularly pleasant.
Is it really okay for things to be this easy?
We bypassed the journey to the Forest of Spirits thanks to Renrin's portal, and once we arrived, we got a free pass without any interference from the spirits. Even if this was just the preparation phase, it felt ridiculously easy. It was as if the universe itself was showering me with unearned favor.
A distinct, deathly energy. The Lich King had sensed that aura during his inspection of the Frozen Lands. An aura of this magnitude clearly belonged to a Bone Dragon, or perhaps an undead of an even higher rank.
"A stray undead. I must subjugate it."
With his grand design on the horizon, he needed to bring any powerful, independent undead under his command. Though his instincts told him it was a solitary entity, he was truly marveled by the fact that a single creature could emit such an immense aura.
It is on a level comparable to my own.
Accompanied by his minions, the Lich King made his way toward the source. The place where the powerful soul lay dormant was a tomb buried deep underground. Was it the tomb of an ancient lich, or perhaps a Bone Dragon?
Filled with anticipation, Calandas ventured deep inside. Judging by the traps laid out at every turn, it was no ordinary tomb. An ancient ruin, or perhaps a dungeon.
Advancing without hesitation, he finally reached the innermost chamber. Creaaak— The stone door ground heavily against the floor, slowly sliding open. Beyond the newly revealed chamber, a crouching Bone Dragon came into view.
Calandas's skeletal finger pointed toward the beast.
"That is the one."
*Rumble.* Sensing the intruders, the Bone Dragon raised its massive, heavy frame. One glance was enough to tell. This creature was a high-tier entity that defied comparison to ordinary Bone Dragons.
It has been a long time since I felt such excitement.
If he could only subjugate this Bone Dragon, it would become an extraordinary minion—one that would utterly dwarf the current executives of the Putrid Cave. However, he could feel a blind, feral hostility radiating from the beast.
*Thud!* The ground trembled with every step the Bone Dragon took.
"So you will not go down easily."
*Whoosh!* Calandas's shadow expanded rapidly. From within the darkness, pitch-black hands and pale, skeletal arms erupted. In an instant, a legion of tens of thousands of undead seized control of the chamber.
Beside Calandas, the Reaper materialized without warning.
"Subdue that Bone Dragon."
"Yes, Master."
Meanwhile, the Bone Dragon opened its massive, terrifying maw. *Whirrr...* A chilling, razor-sharp frost began to coalesce around a black point at the center of its jaws.
*Boom!* With the sudden blast of its breath, the battle commenced.
Calandas cast multi-layered spells from a distance while continuously summoning reinforcements. Watching the Bone Dragon fight back, Calandas was filled with sheer ecstasy.
I must have it.
To think it could fight on equal terms against the forces of the Mugangung. A Hero Dullahan, a Magic Tower Master Lich... those mere playthings didn't even compare. He wanted this beast more than anything.
Before long, the battle devolved into a war of attrition, with no clear end in sight. It was only after a full day had passed that Calandas was finally able to deliver the decisive blow. At last, pierced by a final spear of ice, the Bone Dragon collapsed.
Calandas approached the beast and checked its glowing eyes.
"Fortunate. It is not yet dead."
To capture this single Bone Dragon, he had sacrificed two of his own Bone Dragons, a legion of fifty thousand undead, three Hero Dullahans, and two Magic Tower Master Liches. Yet, he felt no regret whatsoever. This creature was worth every bit of that price.
Calandas placed his hand upon the Bone Dragon's skull.
"Serve me, the Lich King."
He immediately attempted to interfere with its soul through the mental realm, but—
"...It already has a master."
Upon inspection, the Bone Dragon was an undead that already served another. Seeing that the Soul Binding was perfectly intact, its master's soul had not been extinguished. Furthermore, the bond was so incredibly robust that it could not be severed.
Who, then, was its master, and where were they? Whether they were in hiding or sealed away, and whether they were a lich or another Bone Dragon, remained a mystery. But that was not what mattered.
"I cannot simply give up like this."
He had to make this Bone Dragon his minion, no matter what. A bond this firm could not be broken, even by Calandas. However, there was another method—one only Calandas could employ.
Overlapping Binding. While he could not sever the existing bond, he could overlay his own imprint on top of it.
"It is regrettable that I will not be its primary master, but there is no other way."
Given how long the beast had been left abandoned, its master was highly likely to be sealed away. As long as that master never showed their face, this Bone Dragon would belong to Calandas forever.
Calandas carefully initiated the Soul Binding. When it finally succeeded, the Bone Dragon raised its upper body and spread its wings. Its blue eyes locked onto Calandas, and the beast immediately bowed its head in submission.
"Satisfactory."