Chapter 31

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Translator: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ace

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Core Secured, Rampage Unleashed

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Ian grinned in satisfaction after confirming that the Ethereal Core had been successfully stored in his inventory.

'Retrieval complete.'

Now all that was left was to head back.

'I want to stick around and cause a bit more chaos. But no can do.'

He was tempted to wreak more havoc, but he couldn't afford to delay returning the Ethereal Core to its proper place ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even a moment longer.

"Thanks. You can go now. You guided me honestly, so as a reward, I'll let you live."

Ian patted Brandon's shoulder. Honestly, he'd planned to kill him, but he'd changed his mind.

He'd expected a sneaky attack under the guise of guiding, but the guy had behaved and shown the way properly.

A decent necromancer like this deserved to live.

"What are you waiting for? I said go."

Something was off, though. The guy had his head bowed, mumbling something. What was that?

Listening closely, it wasn't mumbling—it was spellcasting.

"Die!"

Brandon swung his staff. Mana swirled wildly, morphing into sharp bone projectiles. Bone magic: Bone Spear.

"Whoa!"

Ian bent backward reflexively. The bone spear grazed his cheek by a hair's breadth. Shivering at the chill down his spine, he wiped away his sweat.

"That was close. Ddol Ddoli."

The moment Ian spoke, Ddol Ddoli drove its fist downward. With a meaty thud, Brandon turned into a bloody pulp. Ian shook his head at the gruesome sight.

What was that? A suicidal attack?

"Why'd you attack? I was gonna let you go."

No matter how he thought about it, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠made no sense. Did the guy want to die? Tired of city life?

In truth, it stemmed from rage over losing the Ethereal Core, but Ian had no way of knowing that. He probably never would.

The area was noisy, but he still performed soul extraction. He pulled a soul stone from his inventory and captured the soul within it. Having secured the Ethereal Core, he had the luxury for this.

A quick check showed it was magic-grade with average quality—not exceptional. But it had a nice special attribute he liked.

'Gotta extract this and infuse it into our Arcbone.'

Perfect for the bone golem itself. It'd help with his growth, even a little.

Come to think of it, how was the guy doing?

'Nah, what am I hoping for? It's only been a few days since we parted.'

He'd check after this mission. No need to rush.

"Over here!"

The surroundings suddenly grew noisy. Enemies were closing in. Ian immediately cast invisibility magic.

The main force would arrive soon, so it was time to slip away. Mission accomplished—no need to fight.

He had to hurry back anyway.

"Ddol Ddoli, how's your condition right now?"

-Ddol Ddoli is full of energy.

"Can you fight?"

-Ddol Ddoli can fight!

Ddol Ddoli thumped its chest. Stone dust flew, dusting Ian's face. Whoa, full of vigor.

"I gotta go. You cause as much chaos as you can and get out of the city."

-Ddol Ddoli doesn't know chaos.

"Uh, well. Just kill everyone who attacks you. Can do?"

-Not hard. Ddol Ddoli kills all enemies. All enemies here are bad guys.

"But be careful. If it gets dangerous, run immediately. Your life is the priority."

-Ddol Ddoli... life?

"Yeah. Killing enemies is good, but you're the most precious to me. Can you promise?"

No response. Looking up, Ddol Ddoli's gem eyes seemed misty.

'What? Is it crying?'

Can golems cry?

Nah, no way.

-Got it! Ddol Ddoli remembers master's words! Runs if dangerous!

The golem was thrilled. Ddol Ddoli's voice brimmed with excitement. Ian rubbed his throbbing forehead and patted it.

'Oh boy.'

As long as it understood.

"Alright. Let's split. If I need you, I'll call via comms—come running then. Got it?"

-Ddol Ddoli comes when master calls.

Ian vanished under invisibility and slipped away. Ddol Ddoli soon began rampaging.

A single building collapsing was everyday fare in Necropolis. So the countless residents paid little mind to rumors of an inn crumbling and a random rock giant appearing.

They saw zombies, skeletons, and ghost horses daily—what's a rock giant?

Life went on. Events here ranged from petty revenge between grudge-holders to faction brawls among the five great powers.

But as the uproar swelled beyond the norm, people realized their nonchalance was misplaced.

No matter how jaded, how could they stay calm amid citywide chaos?

"You drugged-up maniacs! So you finally revealed your vile ambitions!"

"Hah! You filthy scum say anything. You attacked first—what, vile ambitions?"

"Good timing, then. Become bones quietly!"

"Nonsense! You'll be sacrifices for our great research!"

Explosions rocked everywhere. Dust clouds billowed, flames erupted. Streets filled with skeletal soldiers, occasional zombies reeking of decay, and sword-wielding men.

All factions tangled in fusion-like chaos.

The outer streets of Necropolis's outer walls embodied pure pandemonium, a vivid devastation no words could capture. A man had just witnessed it.

Zailun, a 7th-circle master necromancer and head of the Bone Lord Family.

"Mm. What a mess."

Zailun rubbed his forehead. He'd rushed here on an urgent support request, but it was worse than expected.

"Report. What happened?"

"Yes! The Mad Alchemists attacked us out of nowhere."

"What? The druggies?"

"Yes!"

"No way. Even if they're a pack of lunatics, they wouldn't strike first like that."

"Isn't it their vile ambitions surfacing? Why else reveal their ace in the hole?"

"Ace? What's that?"

"Yes. A Stone Golem. Even 5th-circle spells barely scratch it—they prepared well."

"Hmm."

Zailun's brow furrowed. A Stone Golem shrugging off 5th-circle spells? What was that?

"I need to see this Stone Golem first."

"Pardon? But Lord, our men are losing. We need support..."

"I decide. Shut up and guide."

"Yes! Sorry!"

Following his subordinate into the inner city, Zailun scowled at the rumored Stone Golem.

"That's it! That absurd monster... Gah!"

Zailun smacked his subordinate's head. The man groaned, clutching his forehead.

"Idiot. Does that look like a mere Stone Golem to you?"

"Pardon?"

"It's more than that. Far more."

Zailun shuddered. His eyes caught countless magic inscriptions on the massive frame.

Fortification, miniaturization, expansion, grand magic defense array...

He stopped counting. Too dense.

"Insane. A masterpiece—what genius created this?"

"Pardon? Didn't you hear? The Mad Alchemists made it."

"Wrong. Beyond their skill. They can't synthesize that, nor do they have mages for those arrays."

"Pardon?"

"One thing's clear: not human work. Human magic can't inscribe that."

"What..."

"Something above humans. A superior being looking down on human magic."

The subordinate eyed Zailun questioningly. Greed burned in Zailun's gaze.

'Dragon.'

"Lord! Where are you going? It's dangerous!"

Zailun walked entranced. The subordinate tried stopping him, to no avail.

'Finally, a dragon!'

He had one dream.

To witness magic's pinnacle.

This might be the moment.

"Lord! Dangerous! If you go there..."

The words cut off. The subordinate's face exploded.

Zailun, having slain him casually, approached the rock giant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠entranced.

And shouted.

"O agent of the great one's will! This humble human, treading the path of magic's extremes, beseeches you!"

His voice echoed. The giant looked down. Then tilted its head.

-Hm?

'He heard!'

"I am Zailun! Please hear me! I wish to meet your master!"

Mana surged. His 7th-circle power, envied by all, welled up.

But compared to draconic might, childlike.

"This qualifies me for an audience! Guide me to your master—let me glean but a fragment of the great dragon's wisdom! I'll offer my body gladly...!"

Thud!

"...!"

Zailun blinked. What? No voice.

He realized belatedly: his body flattened, face burst, voiceless.

'O agent of the great one... why me...'

Zailun's thoughts ended. The infamous grand mage's end, dreaming of magic's peak via necromancy. Ddol Ddoli muttered indifferently.

-Ddol Ddoli ignores bad guys. Kills all bad guys. Oh, kills mosquitoes too. Mosquitoes are master's arch-nemesis.

Ian raced back to the Empire diligently and successfully returned the Ethereal Core.

Relief washed over him as the facility reactivated instantly upon reinsertion.

'Lost ten years off my life.'

Thankfully, within the golden hour. No astronomical financial loss.

"Investigator! Thank you! You saved us!"

Barton, the facility manager at the southern Ethereal Converter, bowed repeatedly.

Ian's success spared him dismissal.

Though not fully off the hook.

"How to repay this grace... Truly... Sniff!"

Barton clutched Ian's pant leg, weeping.

Ian smirked at the profuse thanks.

"If you're that grateful, I do have a way you can repay me."

"Name it! Anything I can do!"

"You're from the Tower, right, Mage Barton?"

"Yes! What do you want?"

"Could you get me a Teleport spellbook?"

"Huh? Ah, that."

"Not necessarily Teleport. Any spatial movement spellbook. No Blink."

"Well."

Barton fidgeted, conflicted.

"Ugh, fine. I'll get it somehow. Towers don't allow exporting high-tier books casually, but repaying a benefactor comes first."

"Heh. Thanks."

Ian nodded pleased.

'Finally, Teleport.'

Even with money, high-tier spellbooks were unobtainable.

Towers controlled them strictly.

Spatial movement ones especially.

Ian, top graduate of the Empire's premier Magic Academy, entering central bureaucracy—the pinnacle for a commoner—had never even glimpsed one.

'Lucky to have Blink.'

Blink wasn't even high-tier, yet a nightmare to learn.

During Academy days, bribing that professor for the book... Memories still drew sighs.

"Please make it happen. I really want to learn it."

"Trust me. A man's word is bond. My master will approve."

Barton's assurance rang true.

Tower folk indeed.

'Hate the Tower cartel, but reliable allies.'

"Huh?"

Ian blinked at the sudden alert. What died?

'Zailun? The one I know?'

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Common names abounded, but 'Grand Necromancer' Zailun? Unique.

Head of Bone Lord Family. Future Necropolis No. 2, humanity's betrayer.

'He's dead? No way. Not the type to die early.'

But the system confirmed it. Fact.

'Our Ddol Ddoli killed him?'

Whatever. Dead is dead.

The issue was aftermath.

'Without him, what happens to Necropolis?'

Five factions would unify under him, rising as a humanity-threatening power.

No Zailun?

What then?

'Hope they self-destruct fighting.'

Ian's wish was partially granted.

One prank sparked a city-engulfing inferno.

Not total annihilation, but deeper into chaos? Certain.