Episode 1205
Episode 1205
The Death Knights were utterly dumbfounded.
They had been earnestly pleading to offer their assistance, and yet this was the response they got...
'At least buy us some time! How can you be so oblivious?!'
So, what do you think?
When the Yaksha King asked, the knights answered immediately.
—Upon reflection, it seems we don't need to go after all.
Even I, the Yaksha King, thought the same.
The Yaksha King nodded.
These knights, true to their role as Gonadaltes' retainers, were indeed wise.
Completely unaware of the conversation happening behind him, Lee Han continued forward.
"I had a bad feeling the moment the Yaksha King showed up instead of the Skeleton Principal."
Of course, he hadn't refrained from complaining. With every step, Lee Han cursed the Yaksha King.
The leader of the extermination squad's grand command was nothing more than, 'Go solve it on your own and come back'?!
A voice from the staff reached his ears.
—I've heard the Yaksha King commands an army so vast it stretches even to the outer seas of the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas.
Even Saratan, the violent exile, had heard of the Yaksha King's reputation.
Powerhouses of that caliber, even if they never interact, inevitably hear rumors about one another.
But Lee Han remained unimpressed.
"Yeah, right. His palace wasn't even that big. Probably just baseless rumors."
—W-Well, it might be best not to insult him too much.
Saratan felt oddly uneasy.
Though he himself had once been a spirit who rampaged without discrimination, this mage's madness surpassed even his own.
To speak so dismissively of a being like the Yaksha King...
"What? Saratan... are you scared?"
—!
"Disappointing. You always acted like some legendary warrior who never backed down in the spirit realm."
Come to think of it, it had been the same when facing the General of Fire Heaven.
He put on a tough act all by himself, but the moment he met a truly insane spirit, he strangely lost his nerve.
—N-No! What nonsense are you spouting, you brat?!
"Saratan. You can be honest with me. There's no point in bluffing—it won't do either of us any good. We're on the same side for now."
Saratan realized the other was speaking sincerely.
If it had been mockery or provocation, he could've handled it, but hearing such genuine consideration made his insides twist.
—I said no!!! Release me right now, and I'll challenge that bastard myself!
"Alright, alright. Let's say you're right."
—■■■■■■!
As Saratan spewed curses in the ancient language of the spirits, Hamster frowned.
—The dead have noticed us. Be careful.
"I know."
Lee Han summoned his Skeleton Golem and Skeleton Warriors.
At a glance, it was a standard undead summoning composition for black mages—but the reality was different.
The golem was summoned with a dragon's fang as its core, and the warriors were reinforced with dark and blood elements.
Moreover, these weren't summons contracted from the Undead Realm—they were pure constructs of the mage's own mana, created through the old methods.
A powerful undead force that could regenerate from any damage as long as the mage replenished their mana.
Because this was possible, Lee Han saw no need to wander the Undead Realm like other black mages, seeking contracts with powerful undead.
...He'd already met far too many powerful beings as it was...
"Let's go."
Lee Han landed lightly atop the golem and gave the order to charge forward.
Immediately, the restless dead lurking nearby turned their gaze toward him, eyes and mouths spewing crimson flames.
—A living one!
—Offer his blood to our master!
A sphere of water materialized in the air before raining down like a torrent.
Having ascended to the 5th Circle, these water droplets—imbued with ideology and concepts—were powerful enough to tear through space itself.
Lee Han didn't stop. Simultaneously, he activated another 5th Circle spell: <Wardanaz's Telekinesis>.
The magic, which activated without the need for incantations, proved immensely powerful in battles where every second counted.
The revenants melted away before they could even breach the ranks of the skeletal warriors. Watching from Lee Han's shoulder, Hamster shuddered.
'This kid...!'
Hamster had almost forgotten, given how Lee Han usually spouted trivial nonsense and avoided head-on confrontations.
Just how rapidly this young mage was growing stronger!
This was entirely different from deceiving or ambushing foes. The sheer firepower Lee Han unleashed to sweep the battlefield sent chills down Hamster's spine—chills befitting a magic criminal.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Lee Han mastered other 5th Circle spells, stepped into the realm of Small Worlds, and began developing high-tier magic.
Hamster couldn't help but fear he was nurturing a monster who would one day wipe out all other magic criminals.
"It's over."
Lee Han surveyed the surroundings before speaking.
The battle had been more one-sided than expected.
The revenants knew how to weaponize the blood lingering in their corpses, which was fairly threatening, but their defenses were pitifully weak.
Unless they managed to break through the undead summons, the moment their advance stalled, Lee Han could simply melt them away with sheer firepower.
'Is this all?'
He wondered if the King of Ghouls had assigned him this task precisely because it wasn't particularly difficult.
Though, that didn't seem like the kind of consideration the King would show...
-Look over there.
Saratan interrupted his thoughts. Lee Han replied wearily.
"Got it. Got it. You're more violent than the General of Fire Heaven and stronger than the King of Ghouls. Happy now?"
-...I said look at that mansion, you dim-witted mage brat!!
At the spirit's desperate cry, Lee Han turned his gaze.
Beyond the ruins where the revenants had been swept aside stood a mansion—or what was left of it. Had Saratan not pointed it out, Lee Han might not have even recognized the crumbling, shattered structure as a mansion.
It must have been quite lavish in its prime. Upon closer inspection, though broken, marble and sandalwood pillars remained, and paintings still hung—albeit with torn canvases and crooked frames.
Inside sat more revenants. Unlike the others, they didn't lunge at Lee Han even as he approached.
'A trap?'
He considered bombarding them from a distance like before, but then the revenants spoke.
-Who sent that letter yesterday?
-It was from the Empire's tax collector. The audacity—they accused us of deceit.
-Arrogant human filth. We've held this land since before their ancestors were born. How dare some upstart borrow another's authority to threaten us?
-Calm yourself. They won't realize it anyway. Who in these lands would dare defy you, Elder?
-We need more power. More power! With enough strength, would those petty fools dare demand gold from us? Increase the sacrifices!
-But Elder, even now, the number of sacrifices isn't small. There are concerns—
-Silence! What can a few cowardly mutterers do? It's for the best. Wipe out those who disobey as an example! That'll shut the complainers up!
"......"
Lee Han was stunned.
These weren't just revenants—they were people who had once belonged to the Empire!
"What the hell is this?"
-Evil God Worshippers? They're just paying the price.
Hamster sneered.
As a magic criminal himself, Hamster knew all too well that power never came without cost.
Even worshipping a pure Evil God risked soul corruption—let alone a tainted one. They should be grateful it hadn't been worse.
-They probably still believe they're alive, wielding their old influence. Ignore them or wipe them out. Such trash are less useful than dust or dirt.
Ordinary undead would at least try to defeat intruders to gain power, but these ones didn't even have such rituals.
If left alone, they would keep repeating the same actions until the end of this dimension.
Lee Han steeled himself and approached.
He briefly considered launching a preemptive strike, but the thought that these might be people connected to Professor Voladi made it impossible.
"I'd like to ask you something."
The undead inside all turned their heads in unison.
Their clothes were all torn or tattered, and their bodies bore no intact parts due to their dealings with the Evil God.
The sight of them all spewing bloody light while staring at him was quite chilling.
-Who are you? What lowly creature dares intrude upon the true vampires' banquet?
'Oh dear. Was I too careless?'
At their violent reaction, Lee Han prepared himself to attack.
He had thought they might be delusional enough to be tricked, but...
-Calm yourselves. He is also a vampire. Seems to be from quite a distinguished family.
-Oh? Indeed. Sit down. And don't be late next time.
"......"
Lee Han wore an awkward expression.
For some reason, he didn't feel like obeying them. Instead of sitting, he continued speaking.
"Earlier, you said you'd make an example of those who disobeyed orders by wiping them out. Who were they?"
Though displeased that Lee Han didn't take a seat, the undead answered readily.
-Deserters. Those who defy our caring god's call and act on their own whims.
"Like the Bagrak family?"
Some of the undead couldn't recall the name of such a minor family, but one managed to remember.
The reason was simple—they had vaguely heard rumors somewhere that a mage from that family had enrolled at Einrogard.
-Yes. That family would make a fine example too.
"Ah! Look, it's Lord Sanguiros!"
Lee Han pointed his staff in the opposite direction with such a serious shout that even Hamster and Saratan instinctively turned their heads.
"O lightning. Descend and manifest!"
And in that instant, Lightning Transformation swept the undead away.
Lee Han gave them no chance, reducing his enemies to dust. A cold glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes.
-...Couldn't you have talked a bit more before ambushing them?
"If I did that, how would it even be an ambush? Saratan, are there any more left here? If we missed any, I'll spread rumors across the entire spirit realm that you were Bakwantalana's slave."
-There aren't! You bastard!
Saratan shouted loudly, his voice trembling. For some reason, it sounded like there was a hint of moisture in it.
"I see. Then let's really head back now."
With all the undead gone, what little remained of the mansion collapsed.
Lee Han watched the sight with a bitter expression.
To think Professor Voladi's family was attacked because of such greedy wretches.
There were countless wicked people in the Empire, but this was the first time someone close to him had suffered such extreme harm.
For the first time, Lee Han thought he understood why the Young Prince had wandered the continent so relentlessly.
Unlike Lee Han, who only felt this furious after learning someone close to him had been hurt, the Young Prince had been far more pure.
And so, his rage must have been just as pure.
"Wait. Did the Yaksha King send me alone out of consideration for Professor Bagrak?"
The thought suddenly occurred to him, and he voiced it.
At first, he had wondered why the Yaksha King hadn't even assigned knights to accompany him, but now it seemed possible the Yaksha King had foreseen this and acted considerately.
Saratan and Hamster agreed.
-That could be it.
-A being of his level would likely know.
'Have I been thinking too poorly of the Yaksha King?'
Lee Han reflected on it just a little.
Well, the Yaksha King was a heavyweight of the dimensions—it wasn't like he'd do something like this without any thought...
Now then, Os' disciple. Next is the swamp over there. Go and deal with it.
The moment Lee Han returned, the Yaksha King immediately issued new orders.
At those words, the light in Lee Han's eyes darkened.
...Was this really out of consideration?