Chapter 36
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Arcbone's Dominion
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Arcbone opened his eyes. He felt his darkened vision returning.
The world was a mess. Buildings lay in ruins, and corpses littered the area. But what struck him first was his own body.
'My body... it's changed.'
Arcbone looked down. A skeletal frame stripped of all flesh. Aside from being slightly larger, it didn't look all that different from before.
But the real change wasn't on the surface.
'I'm... stronger.'
He could feel the power surging through him.
It wasn't overwhelmingly mighty, but it was incomparably denser than before. This thickened energy filled every joint, settling firmly into place.
He instinctively knew how to wield it.
Arcbone has awakened the skill 'Dark Mana Proficiency'.
He channeled the power. Pale smoke-like energy seeped from his joints, enveloping his frame and swiftly reinforcing his bones.
Crack!
He could feel the strengthened bones. His skeleton was now incomparably tougher.
But it wasn't enough. This was far from what he desired.
'I need to grow even stronger.'
A sharp surge of intent hurtled toward him like an arrow. Arcbone raised his bony arm to block it.
Clang!
"Wh-what the hell! He blocked it?!"
A voice rang out. Arcbone's head turned slowly toward the sound, his neck creaking like a rusty machine.
-There you are.
Arcbone advanced toward the voice. Beyond the rubble of collapsed buildings, a man clutching a staff rose from beneath a fallen roof, gritting his teeth as he cast dark magic.
"You bastard! Die!"
A razor-sharp bone blade materialized and shot forward. Faster than the last one, it was too quick to block with an arm—but it didn't matter. It struck Arcbone's skull with a metallic ring and ricocheted off.
-You can't break me.
"N-no way. That was Bone Blade infused with fifty percent of my mana...!"
-Pathetic. Why can't you shatter me?
"Grr! Then take this!"
The man half-closed his eyes, chanting desperately. Mana surged from his staff, completing a spell thick with necromantic power.
"A mere skeleton can't escape my control! Obey me, skeleton!"
The necromantic energy writhed like a sinister serpent toward Arcbone, but he didn't budge. It simply approached.
"H-how... Gah!"
-How dare a worm like you try to dominate me? I serve only my father. No one else commands my fealty.
Arcbone seized the man's throat, hoisting him into the air. The man choked and writhed in agony.
-Do you understand, foolish human?
"G-guh! Sp-spare... me..."
Stab!
The man's head lolled limp. As Arcbone released his grip, the corpse crumpled to the ground.
Arcbone has defeated Grade 1 Necromancer Rotten!
"M-monster! It's a monster! An undead monster!"
Another voice cried out. Turning his head, Arcbone saw a hiding human hurl his sword aside and flee in panic.
But Arcbone didn't pursue. The foe was too weak to warrant it.
Weaklings aren't worth engaging. No need to bother. Ignore them.
Arcbone stared at the fallen necromancer's corpse.
This one was better than the fleeing runt.
'Still too weak.'
Disappointing. Was he always this pathetic?
As Arcbone recalled, this guy had been strong. He'd crushed him thirty times, after all.
'He was part of Bone Lord's family. Pretty high-ranking too.'
And yet, he'd fallen so easily.
'No, he's not the weak one.'
'I've grown stronger.'
The bone blades that once shattered him couldn't touch him now.
Yes. He was stronger.
Not satisfyingly so, but enough to effortlessly slay a petty boss who lorded over skeleton grunts.
Arcbone turned away. The dead held no interest.
He would seek new enemies. Clash with the strong, defeat them, and grow.
But why?
Something kept him from leaving.
An unfamiliar emotion welled up. Realizing it was regret, the darkness dormant within Arcbone stirred.
At last, he understood how to harness this surging shadow.
Arcbone has awakened the skill 'Death Dominion'.
Arcbone extended a hand toward the necromancer's corpse. Shadows erupted from his palm, enveloping the body. It twitched, then slowly rose.
-Grraaah.
Torn flesh, blood-smeared skin—a zombie, common on the Black Wasteland.
But the transformation was just beginning.
Arcbone's trait 'Purified Evil' has activated!
Purification Curse has been applied to Grade 1 Necromancer Rotten!
-GRRAAAAAH!
The zombie thrashed wildly, screeching in agony. The air filled with the sound and stench of burning flesh as its meat melted away.
What remained was pristine white bone.
'Purified Evil' activation has ended.
'Grade 1 Necromancer Rotten' has been reborn as 'Skeleton Mage Rotten'!
The screams ceased as the skeleton stood erect.
It glanced around its new form, then knelt before Arcbone, bowing low.
-My king. I, Rotten, greet you anew in my rebirth.
-Good.
-I shall devote this life to serving you.
-No. That's wrong. It doesn't end there.
-My liege?
-Pledge your loyalty to my father. Our father.
-Father...
Rotten's hollow eye sockets flickered. He pondered the words deeply before slamming his skull to the ground.
-Understood, my king. I shall aid you in serving Him.
-Yes. That's it. My first subordinate.
Arcbone extended his hand. As Rotten tremblingly grasped it in reverence, their fates bound together.
Skeleton Mage Rotten has bound himself to Arcbone!
Arcbone has created his first retainer.
A new force has been generated by Arcbone.
Arcbone's force has been registered in the system.
"Hah, huff, huff...!"
Dark wizard Bill glanced back, lungs burning. Mindless zombies and skeletons swarmed everywhere—repulsive and terrifying. But he didn't see them.
He saw what lurked behind: the undying monster. The immortal skull.
Gone. Nowhere in sight. Had he shaken it off?
'N-no. If I stop, it'll catch up. And if it does... ugh!'
He pictured it. The skeleton dubbed the Immortal Skull.
It wasn't that strong.
Bill had smashed it five times himself.
But it wouldn't die.
No matter how many times you crushed it, it revived. As if never broken, it returned to form and closed in slowly.
That leisurely hunter's stalk was pure terror.
"Huff, huff!"
He'd witnessed it: the skeleton slaying a Grade 1 necromancer in one blow.
Reviving the victim as a minion.
Undeniably necromancy.
The undying skull now wielded necromancy.
It was growing stronger. Fast.
'I-I'm dead. Totally dead!'
Yes, he knew. It hadn't pursued him.
But fear gripped him. It always tracked its prey and saw the fight through to the end.
At first, it was the weakest skeleton. Yet it dismantled the Blood Reapers. The mighty blood mages who once split Necropolis into five were gone.
'I have to warn them. Somehow get the word out and beg for protection...!'
He scanned the surroundings. The Black Wasteland teemed with undead.
But not all this vast black land was the same. It was one of the few places foes of the light could set foot on the continent.
Not every faction was Necropolis.
'Right. To the Graveborn. They might take me in! If I offer my dead master's blood magic tome... yes!'
Clutching a thick grimoire tightly, Bill ran without stop.
Truth be told, if I claimed I wasn't disappointed watching Arcbone shatter the pinnacle result from the World Tree's blessing to pick a mundane option, I'd be lying.
Mutations were unpredictable, but the top outcome was obviously superior.
Not only did he reject the best, he kicked it away like it offended him.
What was this guy thinking?
'Does he have shit-tier tastes like a dung sommelier?'
Gamers often did. Skipping top-tier characters for trash ones. Or maining favorites regardless.
Dung sommeliers. Hipsters.
Maybe Arcbone was similar.
Whatever. Good results mattered.
'Learned necromancy right after splitting off. Good boy.'
Not a combat tree, but commander tech. Necromancy was natural.
Just two members, but it was a start.
Best part: starting with a force trait.
Matching one of Arcbone's core traits perfectly.
Description: A horde of evil souls purified to utmost purity.
Effect: Immune to corruption, decay, contamination. Weakness to holy power and light removed.
What did that mean?
Arcbone's undead would all share the Purified Evil trait.
'Insane. No weakness to light.'
Priests and holy knights—the undead's worst foes—were no threat.
'At least he won't get wiped out pointlessly by the Church of Light.'
Ian chuckled. Two members now, but that'd grow soon.
He pushed Arcbone from his mind. Couldn't obsess.
"Kes. What do you think?"
"Keruk! Impressive. This is your new lab, Master...!"
They'd moved to a new home.
Originally delayed, but the noble vacated early, letting them settle ahead.
Bags unpacked, and...
"It's huge."
Insanely huge.
A three-story mansion. Over a dozen rooms, plus terrace and garden. Absurd for one person.
"Guess we need staff. Your thoughts?"
"As you wish, Master. I follow your will entirely. Keruk."
"Hmm."
"But from my loyalty, may I offer one word?"
"Sure. Speak."
"For your happy alchemy research life, hiring ordinary human servants isn't ideal. Keruk."
Kes bowed deeply. Ian stroked his chin, nodding.
"Makes sense."
"Ah, as expected of my master! Such brilliant mind, grasping instantly! Your excellence blinds me. Ahh...!"
He banged his head repeatedly. Ian narrowed his eyes.
'Is this punk mocking me?'
"I hesitate to say, but humans might fear my ugly form. Keruk."
"Nah, you're not that gross. Kinda hard to approach, though."
The capital was advanced. Magic central. Full of exotic creatures.
Brainwashed goblin workers were common.
Mage Tower wizards used them a lot, normalizing goblins for imperials.
Still, goblins were monsters.
Folks wouldn't warm to them easily.
'But our Kes looks almost human. They'll adjust quick.'
No issue for Ian.
Real problem: the mansion as alchemy lab.
His skills far exceeded normal.
What would maids and butlers think of his experiments?
Rumors of Senior Investigator Ian's weird magic? Disaster.
'Can't risk weird gossip. Screws me over.'
"Decided."
"Keruk? How?"
"We'll make our own servants."
Homunculus workers for the mansion. Simple.