Chapter 343
Chapter 343
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 343
Chapter Title: Time of Development #3
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"Ah, the West Gate cemetery keeper. That odd fellow who buries corpses in abandoned land. I've heard about him too."
The day after visiting the Paranoya and West Gate cemeteries together.
I'd asked the keeper for a bit more time before deciding if I'd buy the land, since he said he'd sell it if I could use Necromancy.
Even though I'd mastered that first-circle spell called Light Vessel or whatever, I still knew nothing about Necromancy.
So I turned around and headed straight for Baron Fleur's mansion in the South Gate district. The sprawling estate was, as always, shrouded in heavy blackout curtains.
Black drapes covered every window, letting not a single ray of light seep through.
No one ever visited, leaving it desolate and lonely.
And such a place was perfect for practicing dark magic like Necromancy.
Baron Fleur sat across from me in the drawing room.
His body and face wrapped tightly in black robes, he spoke with a gleam in his blue eyes.
"That keeper wouldn't think twice about selling you the land. So you've come rushing to learn Necromancy from me."
"Yes. As you mentioned last time, I've opened the first-circle mana pathway. What's next?"
I recalled the week before, when I'd spent time with Elfride.
What was she doing now, I wondered.
Probably holed up in her inn, nose in a book.
I'd thought about dropping by, but for some reason, it felt awkward and embarrassing. I just couldn't bring myself to go. We'd gotten swept up in the mood back then.
Looking back now, it felt like we'd done something incredibly embarrassing together.
As I pondered how I'd face her from now on, Fleur spoke up.
"We'll take it step by step. Starting with an overview of Necromancy, then the history of the school—it'll take about four semesters."
Right.
I remembered that this man, Fleur, had once been a professor at the magic academy. It was going to be a purely theoretical lecture series. Four semesters? That was two years.
But I didn't have that kind of time right now.
"Can't we shorten it?"
"Of course, we could condense it. Though it'd be extremely dangerous and grueling. Speaking of which, you said you could use Necromancy before the seal, right?"
"Yes, well... I revived some bone goblins. Handled a dead wyvern too."
"I see. Bone goblins would be second-circle, a wyvern around fourth. But if your eyes glowed blue, you'd likely tapped into fifth-circle spirit arts—Domination Reinforcement as the foundation."
I couldn't follow what this man was saying.
Which made sense, in a way. I was barely at the beginner level for elementary magic, and here he was trying to teach me university-level knowledge.
Racking my brains, I finally managed to ask.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you can wield Necromancy up to the fifth circle without issue. Considering most mages only reach that at the end of their lives, it's impressive."
"Oh."
Whatever it was, it sounded like I had tremendous potential. And thinking about it, that was only natural.
It still didn't feel real, but I was known as the son of Pluto, the underworld god. So being able to use Necromancy was par for the course.
"As Pluto's son, with effort, you could reach the seventh circle. That's the level I barely achieved in this cursed immortal flesh. Maybe even beyond."
"Beyond that...?"
"Nothing's known past the seventh. I'd love to see it myself. Which is why you need to enter the Ghost Cave."
"Ghost Cave?"
Ghost Cave. The name alone sent chills down my spine.
I knew about the Demon Cave on Cheonggye Mountain in Gyeonggi Province, but Ghost Cave? Like a theme park haunted house? No way it was that tame.
"Follow me."
*
*
*
Baron Fleur.
Thinking about it, he was quite the eccentric in Sodmora's society. Collecting bizarre antiques no one else wanted.
Digging up graves to devour corpses, or anyone who entered his mansion never leaving alive.
Rumors like that swirled around him, tying him to haunted houses and ruins.
But knowing his true nature—an undead mage, a lich—made those rumors inevitable.
Still, Fleur offered a small clarification about the gossip.
"Most rumors about me stem from this mansion's basement. There's a deep, vast tunnel down here where evil spirits are sealed."
"Evil spirits...?"
Evil spirits.
I thought about ghosts.
I'd never believed in supernatural stuff like ghosts back home, but in a world with real magic and curses, they existed too.
They just lacked form, so without enchanted weapons, they were hard to dispel.
"There's a passage to the Ghost Cave down here."
With that, Fleur yanked open a heavy iron door.
Creaaak, whooooosh—.
As the rusted door swung open, an eerie chill whooshed past my face.
The chilling sound felt less like wind and more like screams or mocking laughter—pretty spooky.
"Come on."
Fleur descended the dark stairs without a care. A spiral staircase lit sporadically by torches.
We didn't talk much as we went down, so only the wind and our footsteps echoed off the cold walls.
Thud, thud—.
It felt like we'd descended several floors already. This basement staircase seemed endless. How far down did it go?
Feeling a twinge of unease, Fleur finally spoke.
"Pluto, ruler of the underworld—several evil ghosts fled his gaze into the mortal world. The ones in the Ghost Cave were captured by Pluto's priests and sealed in pitch-black darkness."
"There are a lot of them?"
"There were. Not sure how many remain now. We'll find out when we get inside."
Not sure how many now. I couldn't grasp what he meant, but he didn't seem inclined to explain further, so I didn't press.
After what felt like forever on the stairs, we stopped at a massive door where the steps ended.
Torchlight revealed a hefty door made of two iron plates. A small plaque bore engraved words.
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
I'd seen that phrase somewhere. The massive iron door's vibe, the unfiltered gloom wafting from beyond—it all felt familiar.
Suddenly, I recalled learning mana resonance from Elfride, meditating and endlessly falling.
A huge iron door had appeared then too.
It had swung open, slashing claws and blue-glowing eyes nearly tearing me apart—I'd barely escaped injury.
"Hoh, sensing something?"
Fleur addressed me as I lost in thought. Snapping back, I replied simply.
"No, just feels familiar."
"Naturally. It's modeled after the underworld's gate. Think of it as a makeshift hell built on earth."
Right, yeah.
Instead of answering, I fell silent.
Fleur continued.
"Go inside. No telling what'll happen or what'll come of it. But nothing beats facing intense fear to master Necromancy. It works wonders."
It works wonders.
"Meaning someone's tried it before?"
"Yes, many of Pluto's priests entered to gain power. You might meet some inside. Best if you don't—"
He chuckled, a low, horrific rasp like a skull's grin.
Creeeeak—.
Then the iron door before us swung inward on its own. Neither of us had touched it.
"They know you're here. Or rather, they sense you, Zigres. Go in. But be careful. You'll face what scares you most."
Whooooosh—.
An icy wind blew.
Mixed in came faint screams and wails.
Shit, Hasan! What brings you here? Come on in—!
Among them, a strangely familiar voice. Luna? No way Luna was here. She was surely headed to Ideope.
Someone inside was already trying to lure me, just like the hallucinations of Erebos I'd heard in the abyss before.
Fleur asked.
"Hear something?"
"Yes, clear as day."
"First since Vincent to hear voices at the entrance."
"Vincent? The high priest of Pluto?"
"Yes. When we were young, he and I entered and came out. Much has changed since. Thinking back still gives me nightmares."
"A lich having nightmares?"
"Yes. What's inside is nightmare and terror incarnate. Better to experience it than hear about it. Still time to turn back."
Come in—. Hurry—.
I wavered between Fleur's words and the voices from the deep darkness. Normally, I'd bolt and slam the door.
Or run like your father, flee far away—.
But fleeing now would make surpassing my father a pipe dream.
Right. Fine. I'll take the bait.
I stepped slowly into the Ghost Cave. The moment I entered the darkness, the iron door behind me slammed shut.
Whooooosh—.
With a fierce gust, I was alone in the dark. Fear hit, but I steadied myself and chanted briefly.
"Light Vessel—."
Soft orbs of light floated above my palm. Dim as a lantern, but enough to see my feet.
But right then.
Whip—.
Something hook-like lashed from the shadows, snagging my ankle.
"Uwaaah, shit, what the—!"
Snapping to, I saw it was a dark, black hand gripping me. Hand? More like...
Glossy and slimy, like a squid or octopus tentacle dipped in ink.
Sssss—.
Anyway, the point was, it had my foot and was dragging me into endless dark.
"Let go!"
Shing—.
I whipped out my dagger from my belt and slashed hard at my leg.
Slaaash—.
The upgraded two-gold dagger sliced through flesh, freeing me at last.
Kieeeek!!—!!
The writhing tentacle screamed beneath my foot. Stomping it burst with a squelch, followed by dead silence.
A sticky silence clung to me.
Dragged dozens of meters by the tentacle, I had no idea where I was.
Finding the exit door would be tough.
Terror gripped me at the thought of something bursting from the enveloping dark. To mask my fear, I yelled.
"Come at me, you bastard—!"
My roar echoed impressively. Even I thought it was loud, easing my fear a bit.
Shouts chase away fear and summon courage.
You fear so much, Hasan—. Yell all you want, nothing changes.
Then a whisper in my ear. Thin, yet horrific, like nails on glass.
So timid, so weak—. To birth trash like you, they abandoned everything and fled—.
"What?"
You're a failure, Zigres. Yet you have what I want. Unforgivable. I won't allow it—.
Clack, clack—.
I'll make you dream your worst nightmare—. Can you endure it—?
"Damn, shit, a nightmare?"
Only then did I recall Fleur's words at the entrance. I'd face what scared me most.
Right, what scares me most?
I fear tons of things, so who knows what it'd be. Hydra? Lion? Kanfride mad at me dodging her whip? Nah.
I pictured a massive spider.
A giant daimex spider with fangs as big as my torso.
If that jumped from the dark, I'd pass out in a minute, no joke. Please not a spider.
Seconds of desperate prayer later.
Swoosh—.
What emerged from the dark wasn't a spider, as wished.
But in a way, far worse.
First, a head taller than me.
A helmet like a crown, cascading black hair beneath. Thick beard.
Armor of leather, bone, and black cloth. Sturdy arms wielding twin spears—.
"...No way, for real—?"
Unfamiliar form. Darkness obscured details. But I knew him.
No matter the change, no matter the shadows, I'd recognize him.
He'd feel the same.
"Ah, Father—."