Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: To Upton (2)
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Jamie rode the slightly humid yet refreshingly cool night breeze as he soared high into the sky.
He was currently flying through the air without Black's assistance.
"This is the feeling!"
He freely traversed the night sky, moving as he willed.
It had taken two days to fully absorb the Orb of Life. It was longer than expected and quite taxing, but now that it was completely absorbed, his body felt lighter than ever.
"My realm has risen too."
He hadn't reached 6th class yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Once his body fully adapted to the orb's power, casting 6th class magic would be no issue.
Jamie tested various spells simultaneously to check for any anomalies in his body.
The magic manifested more smoothly than before, and its power showed a clear difference even to the naked eye.
"Now, I could kill that doctor guy without much trouble."
He had grown strong enough to overwhelm the doctor with pure ability.
He wouldn't struggle like he did back then.
'Still a long way from my prime.'
Even so, it had been a while since he'd seen such noticeable growth since mastering the Full Body Breathing Method, so he couldn't help feeling elated.
If he continued growing like this, his body would surpass that of any peer by far.
Jamie excitedly circled the skies before turning toward the forest. He'd checked his condition; now it was time for business.
"Feels like it's been ages."
It had only been a few days, but it felt like forever.
"But that's about to end."
Jamie grinned and accelerated.
His speed was at least twice as fast as when relying on Black.
Defying Heaven's Gate
Subspace storage for undead minions unlocked
He arrived at the forest in an instant, slammed on the brakes mid-air, dispelled his flight magic, and plummeted toward the ground.
Just before hitting the dirt, he reapplied levitation magic for a soft landing.
Any other mage witnessing this would foam at the mouth in awe—it was stunt-level magic control.
"Even this is effortless now."
Jamie smiled contentedly at his perfect landing.
Then he turned to the two men emerging from the cabin.
Azad and Raiza.
"Master has returned."
"You're a bit faster than usual."
Unlike Raiza's greeting, Azad's eyes gleamed as he commented.
Bound by master-servant contract, they had sensed Jamie approaching. They must have noticed his dramatically increased speed.
Jamie hadn't expected him to mention it before greetings.
'This guy's definitely unique.'
He'd sensed it before, but Azad wasn't your average undead.
He hadn't made him average, so personality quirks were possible. Still, with the contract sealed, Raiza's demeanor was the norm.
'Maybe this one...'
Jamie's eyes narrowed.
Then he chuckled and shook his head.
Possible, but he needed to observe more. If his hunch was right...
'You might even succeed him, Peka.'
His sharpest blade from the past—an undead.
Azad just might possess similar qualities.
"Let's go inside."
Jamie led his two subordinates into the cabin.
As Azad, the last one in, closed the door, Jamie spoke.
"I'll be gone for a long while."
"How long, exactly?"
"Not sure. Upton's pretty far, so it'll take time."
"Upton? That's the northern edge. Basically the opposite direction."
"Quite the distance. Even on horseback, round trip's about a month."
And he'd have business there too, so over a month for sure.
"So we just keep chopping wood like always till you return?"
"What, you hate it?"
"Not hate, but..."
Azad wore a slightly dissatisfied expression.
Diverse emotions for an undead.
Early on, the unstable contract caused glitches, but he'd fixed those quickly.
Yet his personality shone through. What a peculiar one.
"We'll carry on as usual."
Raiza, meanwhile, accepted without complaint—though his face said otherwise.
Jamie smiled faintly at them both.
"You both want to come along, huh."
"We follow orders."
"...Yeah. Orders."
What a blatant guy.
Jamie addressed the visibly disappointed Azad.
"Good news: you're coming with me this time."
"Pardon?"
"But we're..."
Azad's eyes widened in surprise, while Raiza panicked but tried to stay composed.
Jamie extended his hand toward them.
"I remembered something I'd long forgotten."
His small hand darkened.
"Gate of Defying Heaven."
As he clenched his fist, the darkness dispersed, filling the cabin with black mist.
"Whoa, my power's..."
Azad felt his strength surging amid the black mist. Raiza too.
"I feel energy rising."
Undead didn't have "conditions" per se, but this felt like peak form.
And it wasn't over.
Creeeak—
A chilling wail echoed from behind them.
Both undead turned to see a rusty iron gate shrouded in black mist, exuding eerie deathly aura.
Even for undead, it was oppressively burdensome.
"What is this?"
Raiza swallowed dryly and looked to his master.
Jamie's eyes had turned purple.
"The Gate of Defying Heaven."
Literally, "the gate that defies the heavens."
But Jamie called it this:
"My undead warehouse."
"Undead... warehouse?"
"What's that?"
Azad and Raiza eyed it suspiciously.
Jamie crossed his legs.
"Your new home, something like that."
"New home...?"
"Not thrilled about living in a warehouse."
"It's just a convenient label. Sounds good, right?"
"Not really."
"Agreed."
Strong opinions, huh.
Strong egos?
'The ones inside didn't complain.'
Of course not.
They were mindless monsters. No room for gripes.
Naturally, Jamie didn't fuss over such details.
"It won't be bad. Wider and more comfortable than here, at least."
"Comfortable...?"
The deathly aura from the gate was overwhelming even for them. Inside? Probably worse.
"It's my authority's effect. The interior's different—don't worry."
"If it's an order, we'll obey."
"Tch."
Complaints aside, defiance wasn't an option.
"Go in and come back out."
They exchanged glances, steeled themselves, and opened the iron gate.
Whoooosh— A spectral wind enveloped them.
Raiza entered first, Azad right behind.
The gate closed silently.
"Fun guys."
He'd made them just to monitor the Zenith Church at first, but they proved more capable than expected.
Maybe from their past as high-ranking organization members?
"Groom 'em right, and they'll be damn useful."
Especially Azad—he had potential to be a big deal.
Moments later, the gate reopened. The two undead emerged, expressions utterly transformed. Raiza stayed composed, but Azad's face beamed with joy.
"Well? Nice, right?"
"Called it a warehouse, so I had low expectations, but this is insane!"
Azad's voice brimmed with excitement.
Raiza nodded with a faint smile.
"Vast. And... it filled some inner void."
"That's my first authority, 'Defying Heaven.'"
The 1st stage authority 'Defying Heaven' wasn't mere necromancy.
Plain necromancy wouldn't qualify as an authority.
That was the key, decisive difference between Jamie and other black sorcerers.
"That pocket dimension's for carrying my undead. Stay there, and you'll grow stronger just existing."
"Explains the fulfillment."
"What's the principle?"
"It's my power. Everything inside flows with it. You absorb it, hence the growth."
The Gate of Defying Heaven was a space made purely of Jamie's power. Its size and growth effects scaled with his capacity.
"Not huge yet, but it'll expand, and so will you—day by day."
"...Isn't this too burdensome for you, Master?"
"Worried about me?"
"Sorry..."
"Whatever. If it were, I wouldn't show it."
Absorbing the Orb of Life skyrocketed all his abilities.
Plus Full Body Breathing Method for constant mana refill—no big deal if he paced himself.
"By the way, there were others inside. Who? Skin rotting off, skeletons everywhere."
"Your comrades. Get along."
"Eww."
Azad grimaced openly.
Raiza chided him; Jamie burst out laughing.
Departure day arrived.
Ras eyed Jamie with a slight frown.
"This was your 'fun' surprise?"
"Hahaha. Wasn't it fun?"
"Teasing adults like that! Had me scrambling to prepare!"
As Ras raised a knuckle to flick Jamie's forehead, Jamie grinned and dodged playfully.
Ras shook his head helplessly.
"Sorry for the trouble our boy's caused."
"Gah! Madam Countess! No, it's just banter."
Ras laughed awkwardly at Sears's sudden appearance.
"Uh, where's Sara?"
Sara was usually glued to her mother, but she was absent.
"Sleeping in the carriage. What about those kids?"
"Coming soon. Ah, there they are."
A boy and girl approached from the gate Ras pointed to, hand in hand, escorted by a soldier.
Riki and his sister Anna.
"Oh, how adorable."
Sears beamed a motherly smile at the striding siblings. She knew Riki from before, but Anna was new.
Orphaned, yet both seemed spirited—thank goodness.
"Hi."
"Hello. Anna, say hi."
"Hello."
Riki greeted first, then prompted his blind sister for a calm hello.
Sears smiled, stroking their heads.
"I'm Jamie's mom—coming along to Upton."
"I knew from before. Uh... what should I call you?"
"Just 'auntie' since you're my son's friend. Hohoho."
"I couldn't..."
Riki glanced flustered at Jamie amid Sears's teasing.
Jamie just shrugged.
"Auntie?"
Anna tilted her head curiously.
Too cute—Sears couldn't resist rubbing her cheeks.
"So precious."
"Eeee—"
Anna made a weird noise at the sudden touch.
"Anna, right? Pretty name."
Reminded her of daughter Sara.
Anna was two years older, but cuteness knew no age.
"Um, excuse me."
Riki floundered in bewilderment.
"You too?"
"Huh? No, nooo—"
Before Riki could protest, Sears kneaded his soft cheeks mercilessly.
His eyes spun dizzily.
"J-Jamie!"
"..."
"T-Tell your mom to stop!"
"Cute~"
Jamie merely shrugged at Riki's plaintive cry.
Why stop her?
Better her hands on them than him.
Jamie smirked inwardly in relief.
But the world turns unpredictably.
"Jamie, jealous much?"
Sears, alternating between Riki and Anna, suddenly turned.
"Huh? N-No, jealous? What do yo— Aaaah!"
"Staring daggers 'cause you're jealous! Our boy's so cute!"
Jamie couldn't dodge her sudden grasp.
The gleeful spectator fell victim to an unexpected misunderstanding—and fiercer fondling than usual.
When Sears's affectionate mauling ended, Jamie was utterly wrecked.
"Alright! Everyone into the carriage?"
Sears beamed brightly at the kids.
Riki sweated bullets.
Anna gripped her brother's hand tight.
Jamie was still out of it.
"..."
Ras thought Sears might be the scariest one here.