The Mad Lich's Phylactery

Pew!Pshhh—

The deeper he ventured inside, the more pathogens latched onto Vulcan—beyond just the monsters harboring the plague within their bodies. It was like stepping into traps; every footfall triggered lowlife moss, madness mushrooms, death spores, and the like to spew their individual germs.

All of them were bacterial clumps that interacted with the plague. Spread by noles, they amplified the plague's still-weak symptoms and drastically lowered the host's immunity. If he'd been infected, his condition would've worsened rapidly—but for Vulcan, that was a non-issue.

"Ugh, dust. Gonna give me rhinitis outta nowhere."

It just felt like an unpleasant stench and flying dust. Grumbling like that, his hands moved nimbly anyway. Poison, but also herbs—he harvested them all without missing a beat as he pressed forward.

"Grrrrrr..."

"You again?"

Monsters blocked his path now and then, but that was meaningless too. They might be higher level, but in raw combat power, they were weaker than the plague spreaders, the noles. They spread a thicker plague aura, sure, but they weren't immune to it either—their bodies were frail as could be.

"As if."

A light tap snapped bones; a sword swing turned flesh to mush. No contest. These plague experiments were suicide bombers from the start. Their goal was to infect foes, weaken them, and eventually kill—not to fight fair. As long as they got close somehow.

'Escaping to spread it further suits them just fine.'

Their intent was clear, so they swarmed relentlessly. Willing to sacrifice every last one to spread the plague and block further approach. Vulcan didn't hesitate—he smashed them all and advanced.

It wasn't long before he reached the boss room.

"...You. How are you still fine?"

There waited a robed figure, hood pulled low in the gloom—the apparent architect of this plague.

"Dunno. Guess I'm too healthy to catch your shitty bug?"

Did it trust its bodyguard experiments? It didn't flinch at Vulcan's approach. Just eyed him greedily, marveling that he'd reached here untainted.

'Lowbie.'

Vulcan sized it up the same way. He'd already pegged its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠class from the robes and dungeon vibe. Item power meant melee classes weren't a threat, but casters? Even less so. Debuff specialists? Forget it.

"Don't kill it! Capture alive for research!"

Sure enough, as combat kicked off, it took position to puppet the experiments. It waved its staff, unleashing some force—but nothing happened to Vulcan. The experiments took the hit: curses on him (blocked), buffs on them. They charged with renewed frenzy.

Vulcan swept his gaze over them and fell into textbook play.

"Agility boost."

His agility stat ballooned threefold in an instant, body stretching like taffy. The experiments flailed at empty air, unable to track the afterimage speed.

"Freeze! Or you'll lose an arm!"

Against summoner types, you rush the caster, not the adds. These bodyguards looked tougher than the hallway trash—tempting to test—but time was short. Shiny mana stones behind it beckoned.

'Can't let it use even one. Huge loss.'

Shunk!!

Despair Serpent pierced its chest. Sun Sword had higher attack, but he'd swapped for this one's agility bonus to accelerate. Deeper thrust—just in case.

"Gr... heh. Gotcha."

"?!"

—Idiot. Not human.

Then—twist. Despair Serpent wouldn't budge, even with Vulcan's strength. The thing's eyes ignited black—dead eyes from the start. No life spark.

"What the—!"

"Devour him, my children!"

Its robe flipped. No flesh inside—just vicious bugs.

"Lich?!"

A death entity sustaining immortality via Life Vessel infused with soul and mana. A lich—and a freakish one, bugs infused with eerie energy instead of flesh.

Shhhh—

At its command, the flesh-masses stirred. Bugs laden with dark magic, death aura, diseases crawled up Despair Serpent toward Vulcan.

'Eating... metal?'

Not just crawling—baring fangs, gnawing the blade. Armor next? Then slip through gaps for unblockable pain?

"Damn."

Dangerous. Didn't know their full powers, but gut screamed it. Ditch the sword? He reached for Blessed Sun Sword—then remembered option three.

"Devour him!!"

Despair Serpent's hidden ability: devour and grow via predation power. Originally for evolving from Pain Eater to Despair Serpent—but upgrade didn't erase it. Still devoured impure forces, converting to stats. He'd seen it munch Pain Eaters before.

Who'd win the eating contest? Bugs vs. serpent.

"Wh-what is this?!"

Enemy panicked. Bugs expecting to overwhelm? Now prey. One-sided slaughter—natural predator.

'Where's the Life Vessel.'

Meanwhile, Vulcan activated Dragon Eye, scanning. Bugs weren't the core—no inner power surge. But it'd draw fresh mana from somewhere in panic.

'No time?'

Could swap to Sun Sword, ignite with fire, burn 'em. But it doted on the bugs—plus, chance to evolve serpent again. No rash moves.

He cornered it, batting away charging experiments. Finally, it switched tactics.

"Flee! Now!!"

Couldn't watch its "children" die—abandoned grabbing Vulcan, scattered the bugs. Body hollowed: skeletal frame dangled.

Vulcan ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tsked regretfully, shattering joints.

"How dare a mere human!!!"

Clatter clatter. Limbs flew apart, but mouth lived—roaring. Like a transforming robot, bones recalled, reforming to fight.

Or tried.

"This is fun!"

Problem: Vulcan gripped the largest bone chunk at the end. Mana yanked it—and the lich—right to him. Reunited? Instant strike.

"Power of fire!"

Whoosh!!

Holy flames infused. Blessed Sun Sword's effect hampered regen—80% reduction. Plus fire: exploded body couldn't reattach.

"Regen not working as planned?"

Vulcan mocked. Arrogantly crushed black bone bits—but focused senses on mana threads to it.

'Damn.'

Almost simultaneous curse. Traced the mana source.

'Why waste such valuables...'

The mana stones he'd eyed from afar. Each worth more than equal-weight gold. Thought plague catalysts at first—but regen source. All nine: its Life Vessels.

—Clever. Exploiting humans' love for mana stones?

Impossible normally, but death-attuned stones via experiments. Planned for detection and purge.

'Really gotta smash 'em all?'

Normal stones couldn't Vessel, but infused with lab's thick death aura? Death mana stones—perfect for lich to shard soul/power into.

"This can't... be... me, like this...!"

Meanwhile, it powdered and burned, wailing injustice. Immortal lich, even in "death."

'Smart using stones as Vessel. Play dead, revive later when looter takes 'em.'

Lucky? Sneak into heart-space. Who'd destroy treasures?

'Pity, but no choice.'

Would've worked sans Vulcan's Dragon Eye. Turned from "vanishing" bones, teary-eyed, raised sword.

—Use Despair Serpent. Feed it since you're destroying anyway.

'Yeah, got it.'

Swapped back, stabbed death ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana stones.

"Nooo!!!"

Too late—frantic resistance useless. Bodiless, couldn't block swift thrusts. Nine holes punched instantly.

Krunch krunch!

Could've exploded—but black serpent energy from blade devoured safely.

"What?"

Unexpected harvest. No epic upgrade, but devouring nine death mana stones granted new power.

Not much change—just two new lines.

—0.1% chance for instant death

"...Instakill option?"

Fitting for Death Serpent. 0.1% was abysmal—but game-changer when it procs. Ends fights instantly.

But what gripped Vulcan? The line only he could see.

—Extractable option: Instant death

Not just usable—extractable to other gear.