The Birth of the Little Lich
The lich.
A profoundly evil immortal being, evil to the marrow of its bones.
It was a high-ranking monster on an entirely different level from ordinary undead like skeletons or zombies.
A powerful boss that was rarely encountered even in the highest-tier ruins.
Kang Yoonsoo intended to create a lich using Nakron's grimoire.
'In the life where I lived as the last necromancer, I became a lich myself. But that's impossible now. So I'll substitute with this instead.'
Kang Yoonsoo carefully read through the section on liches.
"The following is a warning for the insolent wretch who has dared to skim through my grimoire.
To create an excellent lich, it is simplest to use the corpse of an archmage. Otherwise, the resulting lich's head will be severely impaired. A stupid lich that cannot even distinguish its own name will be born. Damn it, a stupid lich. How truly horrifying.
Remember this well. Creating a lich is clearly an act of suicide. A wicked lich will try to kill you first. Therefore, I recommend becoming a lich yourself rather than making one. Or just die in an easier way."
'There's no way to obtain an archmage's corpse right now. Skip it.'
He briefly considered working with Yushido to kill an imperial mage.
But assassinating the emperor alone would consume the entire day.
Besides, there was a chance the lich he went through the trouble of creating might rebel against him.
Kang Yoonsoo continued reading the required materials.
◈ Magic stone of outstanding potency
◈ Over 200 grief-laden mementos
◈ Approximately 300 bones from superior races
◈ Contractor's blood magic circle
He already knew the basic materials needed to create a lich from his past lives.
However, he had never actually created one before.
'Summoning something as large and powerful as a bone dragon wouldn't be bad, but this is right in front of the imperial palace. If I cause a large-scale battle, it won't end with just a wanted notice.'
Destroying the imperial palace itself wouldn't be a bad idea either.
But right now, that would be a waste of time.
He would skip unnecessary steps and grow as quickly as possible.
Because this was his final life.
Kang Yoonsoo pricked the back of his hand and let the blood flow.
He began drawing a thin yet large magic circle with his own blood.
"What the hell? Did you suddenly get into the occult or something?"
Yushido asked with a bored yawn.
Kang Yoonsoo finished the magic circle and placed the necessary materials on top of it.
'Good thing I hunted the Fossil Dragon Skeletodon before coming here.'
He piled up a massive heap of ancient dragon bones.
The grief-laden mementos could not be left out either.
'The items I took after killing the Crossed Blades bandit group.'
Kang Yoonsoo generously placed various equipment items onto the circle.
Finally, he took out a magic stone that glowed with a purple light.
'The exalted soul stone.'
A magic stone crafted by carving an ancient stone from the Crimson Rock Excavation Site.
The moment he placed the exalted soul stone on the magic circle, it began to vibrate.
"Sage dwelling in the deep abyss, answer my call and forge a new life."
As Kang Yoonsoo chanted the spell, the materials clattered and fused together.
Unlike when he had created the spirit, this time a deep and wicked darkness could be felt.
The exalted soul stone forms the lich's core. A vessel of life is being forged.
Bone preservation is extremely poor. The lich's body size will be reduced.
Grief-laden mementos from evil beings have been used as materials. The lich's dark magic will be greatly strengthened.
Because an archmage's remains were not used, the lich's knowledge will be significantly reduced.
The skill level of Multi-Corpse Revival has increased by 1.
Within the quiet darkness, a single undead was born.
It was a very short skeleton.
"……."
A dwarf skeleton whose height was barely that of a goblin or dwarf.
If it weren't for the red robe and bone staff characteristic of a lich, one would have mistaken it for a mere skeleton.
The little lich clacked its jaw and spoke.
"I am very evil."
The lich possessed a small, bright vessel.
It was the life vessel that contained the lich's life force.
By nature, a lich was an immortal being, but if that life vessel was destroyed, it would die instantly.
Kang Yoonsoo naturally reached out and snatched the life vessel away.
"Do not take that. It is mine."
The little lich protested in a discontented voice.
"No."
"You are very evil."
"Since I'm the one who made you, of course I'm worse than you."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
"You are a genius."
The little lich sounded impressed.
Indeed, because he hadn't used an archmage's corpse, its intelligence was quite low.
But thanks to that, he didn't have to worry about the lich plotting a rebellion.
"I am the master who created you. Try using the power you possess."
The little lich touched a tree in the forest.
In an instant, the perfectly healthy tree withered all the way to its roots.
'This should be enough.'
Kang Yoonsoo nodded.
Right now, its body was certainly weaker than that of a normal lich.
However, if raised well, it would become an imposing undead capable of leading an undead legion in the future.
"How truly adorable. I rather like you."
Unexpectedly, Iris showed interest in the little lich.
She gently stroked the lich's small skull.
The little lich naturally accepted her touch.
"I like you too. Unlike the master, you seem kind."
"What kind of lich is that? Undead should naturally enjoy slaughter. Want me to teach you a bit? Hm?"
Yushido wriggled as if his body was itching.
Kang Yoonsoo ignored him and shook the life vessel.
"I have your life vessel. If you don't follow my orders, I can kill you anytime I want."
"You don't need to do that. I will follow the master's commands. Please return the life vessel."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I'm evil."
"As expected, the master is smart."
Kang Yoonsoo pointed toward the centaur forces in the distance.
"Wait for the moment they die and join them. Then fight the enemy and draw their time and attention."
"Understood."
The little lich disappeared into the darkness.
Even so, Kang Yoonsoo did not let his guard down.
'First Knight Order Commander Helkin is an opponent I cannot face right now.'
He put on the rabbit mask.
The old knight does not sleep.
Because he does not feel the need to rest his body.
It had always been that way from the moment he was born until now.
One day, a passionate apprentice knight asked him,
"How can I become a great knight like Sir Helkin? I intend to devote my entire life to the sword."
"If you truly plan to devote everything to the sword, start by cutting off your dick."
The old knight sharpened his blade.
"That way, the fatal weakness disappears and you can focus on the sword without any trivial distractions. If you want, I can cut it for you right now."
That day, the apprentice knight ran away crying.
Afterward, "Is the Imperial First Knight Order Commander really a eunuch?" became the hottest topic in the palace.
Of course, that stigma was washed away by the testimony of the knights who had visited the bathhouse with the old knight.
However, it was a good example of the old knight's stubborn and obstinate personality.
"Grandfather."
"What is it?"
"A horse is coming."
Helkin pondered.
How should he explain to his seven-year-old grandson that a centaur was not a horse?
"That is not a horse. It is a centaur."
"A centaur isn't a horse?"
"Isn't the upper body human?"
"Then why is a centaur a mix of human and horse?"
"Because in the beginning, a human and a horse had sex."
The young grandson looked shocked.
Helkin realized he had made a verbal slip.
"There was probably no legal consent from the horse. It would be better to call it rape."
His grandson's face turned deathly pale.
Helkin sank into deep regret and wanted to cut out his own tongue.
"I have come with a message!"
One of the centaurs that had run ahead shouted.
The centaur looked at Helkin with cold eyes.
"Are you Helkin, the one called the strongest knight among humans?"
"That is a title others arbitrarily gave me."
"It really is Helkin. Then you must possess swordsmanship capable of annihilating even a mighty army, as the rumors say?"
"Well, I do have swordsmanship sufficient to instantly kill the being born of bestiality before my eyes."
Helkin casually placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Calling it a being born of bestiality was an insult to all centaurs.
However, the centaur merely sneered.
"You certainly have the composure befitting Helkin. I would like to test your strength right now, but I will refrain. Soon our forces will occupy the imperial palace. If possible, I wish to avoid unnecessary slaughter. Leave this place now and inform the humans of this fact."
"Oh? You seem quite confident?"
"In the first place, you humans are frail. We have made every preparation, and only death awaits you."
Helkin measured the gap.
Around the centaur's navel, the boundary between human and horse was visible.
He sliced it apart.
"Uh…?"
The centaur couldn't even see the sword being drawn.
Its body was cut in two and died.
Blood splattered everywhere.
"I-I'm going to the library!"
His grandson hurriedly ran away.
Helkin scratched his white-haired head and sighed.
'It's harder to see my grandson smile once than to slaughter hundreds of enemies.'
Clop! Clop! Clop!
Hundreds of centaurs armed with spears and bows charged from afar.
A fierce advance that shook the earth.
Helkin walked forward slowly.
Weapons flew fiercely toward him.
The moment the old knight swung his sword, several arrows were snapped, three spears were broken, and seven centaurs died instantly.
Kang Yoonsoo, Yushido, and Iris surprisingly worked well together.
Taking advantage of the moment when the imperial palace's attention was entirely focused on the centaur invasion, the three infiltrated the palace gardens.
At that moment, an unlucky guard ran into them.
Even though Yushido was unarmed, he subdued the guard and wrapped an arm around his neck.
He whispered coldly into the guard's ear.
"Question. Between apple pie and apple pie, which one tastes better?"
"W-what?"
"Answer properly. Your life depends on it."
"A-apple pie?"
"Damn it! You're making me commit meaningless slaughter again! Anyone can see the correct answer is sugar!"
Crack—!
Yushido twisted the guard's neck.
Iris said innocently,
"Yushido, you are crazy."
Kang Yoonsoo straightened the guard's neck, which had gone limp, back into place.
Then he poured a healing potion into his mouth.
Yushido made a deeply dissatisfied face behind the angel mask.
"Why are you saving him?"
"Leaving a corpse creates too many traces."
"What a rookie. Then just crush the body or grind it up. If you worry about something like that, you'll never accomplish anything big!"
Kang Yoonsoo ignored his words and kept walking.
Yushido grumbled as he stripped the guard of his clothes and sword and put them on.
"Let's climb up here."
They scaled the walls of the imperial palace.
Strangely, during the entire process of climbing the wall, no one called for help.
Kang Yoonsoo was skilled at wall climbing from the start, Yushido climbed with leisure while even performing dangerous stunts, and Iris dug her fingers into the wall with monstrous strength as she ascended.
"Hmm. Surprisingly, our coordination isn't bad. By any chance, do you two want to join my clan?"
"Is there delicious food there?"
"There are occasionally guys who enjoy human flesh."
"……Then I don't want to go."
They smashed a window and broke into the imperial palace.
The sound of shattering glass was quite loud, but fortunately, there was no one walking in the corridor.
Kang Yoonsoo took the lead.
"Assassinating the emperor sounds fun, so I like it. But how are you going to infiltrate the emperor's quarters? From here on, the structure doesn't allow sneaking in while avoiding people's eyes."
The moment Yushido spoke, Kang Yoonsoo reached a dead-end wall.
He kicked the wall twice with his foot and knocked on it five times with the back of his hand.
Then the stone wall split open, revealing a secret passage.
Yushido let out a bizarre laugh.
"I'm falling for you. Seriously."