#98 I Showed Mercy.
The corpse displayed fairly respectable stats.
Theo crossed his arms and gazed down at the corpse. A wear level of B meant it hadn't been a jiangshi for very long. As for its appearance...
'Around his fifties, maybe.'
First things first. Theo extended his hand, raising the corpse upright.
Guuung—
Mana surged from Theo's heart. Thick, dense mana flowed out pleasantly, settling over the corpse.
Shashashak—
The corpse, now infused with mana throughout, slowly twisted its body and rose.
By Theo's standards, the processing on this jiangshi was abysmal.
[They couldn't even recognize a prime specimen like this.]
Of course, that was the view from Theo, heir to a long line of necromancers. In the human world, it was decent work—but to a master's descendant, utterly lacking.
Shashashak—
Flesh sloughed away from its entire body, leaving only sleek bones behind. Before long, a fully mana-charged skeleton stood tall.
'Hm?'
But then Theo narrowed his eyes. What was this distinctly different sensation from the skeletons he usually made?
In that instant—
Hwaaak—!
Something translucent flashed onto the skeleton's surface! The form resembled a man in his fifties. It shimmered briefly before merging back into the bones.
[......]
Theo tilted his head and addressed the skeleton.
[What was that?]
The skeleton, naturally, had no reply.
[Hmm......]
By the time Theo reached the log cabin, a girl was peeking furtively through the window.
[Hm?]
At Theo's murmur, she startled and whipped around to face him.
"Ah, Lord Hades!"
[......]
Theo racked his brain, trying to place the girl.
[Hmm......]
Nothing.
[Who are you?]
"That's mean."
[I've been hearing that a lot lately.]
"I'm Ena Rampage."
[Ena? Ah— Ian's daughter. What're you doing here?]
"Hehe."
The girl blushed shyly. Theo sidled up to the window for a peek: King was slumped at the table, dozing off with his head nodding.
[Why not go inside?]
She clutched her heart.
"Just watching him is enough. I don't wanna bother him, so I'm sneaking peeks."
Theo couldn't wrap his head around it.
[What's so great about that guy?]
"He's handsome and cool. Great personality too. And......"
[What about me? Why doesn't my SNS get more followers?]
To Theo's earnest question, she replied:
"Plus, Lord King's got insane willpower. And...... Ah! Forget it!"
Blushing furiously, the girl bolted off toward the Rampage estate.
Not listening one bit.
[End times, I tell ya.]
Theo shook his head and pushed open the door.
"Ah."
King jolted awake and greeted him.
"You're here."
[Yeah.]
"What's with the skeleton?"
[Something I wanna keep an eye on. Not heading to the World Ranking Tournament? Heard Kang-ho went.]
"Eh, not really. Kang-ho hyung's the VIP guest."
King stretched languidly.
"Eaten yet?"
[Not yet. Whip something up. Kimchi stew again?]
"Yessir!"
[You need to expand your menu.]
King headed to the kitchen with practiced ease. Theo perched on the table edge, staring intently at the skeleton standing beside him.
[Hmm......]
Soon enough, he grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV.
As expected, it was abuzz with World Ranking Tournament coverage.
[Russia's Marina Ivanova has defeated the UK's Lucas Wilden today, holding her rank...]
'World rankers.'
Theo propped his chin, pondering gravely. Xiao Shin, Zhang Wei... In the human world, this ranking business carried serious weight. Come to think of it, hierarchy was a big deal in the Demon Realm too.
Just as he mused about aiming for that level himself—
The screen shifted, and there was Kang-ho: lounging in a VIP seat with a bored look, absently braiding Seol-a's hair.
[Beast King Choi Kang-ho is in attendance...]
That instant—
Startle!
The skeleton moved.
It thudded over to the TV and halted, staring intently.
At Kang-ho.
[What, you know Kang-ho too?]
The skeleton pointed at someone onscreen—not Kang-ho, but the Chinese man beside him.
TV announcer: [Also drawing attention: seated with World Rank 5, Tao En...]
Tao En.
The skeleton, still staring, thudded back over and fixed on Theo. Blue light flickered in its sockets.
Theo narrowed his eyes.
[You know that guy.]
The skeleton nodded.
For some reason, Theo felt a sharp twinge deep in his chest.
[......!]
Emotions? In a skeleton?
A familiar he'd raised from the dead?
Theo wanted answers to these bizarre changes in his summons lately.
[Fine. Consider it mercy.]
Theo rose.
[Let's go.]
Theo flung open the door with flair and strode out.
“......”
Tao En crested the summit of a quiet mountain. He preferred these serene heights over the bustle of the city. A night that stirred memories of his homeland.
This city was truly something else.
'Peace.'
A land steeped in peace. This country was a world apart from China—a bizarre place where the mighty teemed yet coexisted in harmony.
—Let's check it out. Kang-ho had said.
Tao En thought of his father. Slain battling Paewangmun, his body never recovered.
He'd chased Zhang Wei and Xiao Shin all the way to South Korea. Accepted the World Ranking Tournament invite to confront them—but they'd already met their ends.
Tao En sat dejectedly on a summit rock.
Then—
Gooooong—
“......!”
He sensed strange mana rolling in from the far side of the peak.
An enemy? No—not hiding its power so brazenly.
Tao En sprang up, hand drifting to the sword at his waist.
Basrak!
A skeleton burst through the underbrush. Blue glow flickered in its empty sockets.
"A skeleton...?"
Tao En tilted his head. As it approached slowly, he backed away in alarm.
That moment—
The skeleton drew a sword from its waist. Plain-looking, but the stance it assumed was familiar.
"Huh?"
Southern China Jeongdo Alliance swordsmanship.
The skeleton advanced slowly, extending its blade—not a duel, but a polite sparring request. A unique Jeongdo stance.
“......”
Tao En drew his own sword without thinking, lightly clashing blades.
Chaeng—!
Twinge!
[......]
From the bushes, Theo watched—and felt the twinge again.
'It's real.'
Thoughts flashed through him—fragments of the corpse's memories. Tao En featured in many.
How many passed?
'......I get it now.'
Theo realized.
'That guy's father.'
He'd long sensed his power shifting strangely. His skeletons gaining self-awareness, knowledge, proactivity.
'What's happening to me?'
Like damp clothes in a drizzle—subtle, but not unwelcome.
Chaeng—chaeng—chaeng—
Swords met in slow, precise clashes.
Suddenly—
—These habits... Father...?
The skeleton stared silently.
Twinge!
Theo felt it anew.
The skeleton raised a hand slowly, patted Tao En's shoulder.
Then—
Flash—
A man's form projected onto it. The skeleton glanced back at Theo—seeming to smile faintly.
Soon—
Pashish—
The form vanished completely.
[......]
Theo was seized by an indescribable feeling.
[......]
—Father!
Not good, not bad—an itchy, warm itchiness. Awkward and rare, but familiar from this world now and then.
[Damn it......]
His heart all weird, Theo pouted.
[Useful fella.]
Theo drew his father's remains from his pocket.
'If only I'd salvaged Father's skeleton...'
Probably still under the castle ruins.
Maybe...
Theo blinked, glancing over.
Tao En knelt before the skeleton.
Watching with head cocked, Theo recalled a fragment from long ago.
—Father......
Himself on a ruined battlefield, raising his giant father's corpse—much like this.
A moment's hesitation.
[Lucky bastard.]
He turned away.
[Mercy for today.]
Theo withdrew his mana. The skeleton lost cohesion and crumbled slowly.
Seol-a bounded energetically around the log cabin. Bursting with vigor today—likely from spectating those blood-pumping fights.
She bounced on the bed before charging at Theo with a shout.
"Mom!"
[......]
So much to teach this one, Theo sighed.
Kang-ho was buried in a book.
Up close: [Childcare Manual]
Reading that?
Kang-ho flipped pages, then looked up at Theo.
"Ah, about that thing."
[Yeah.]
"That uh..."
As Kang-ho started, his smartphone blared.
"Ah, one sec."
He answered.
"Hello."
Tao En: "Hello, Mr. Choi Kang-ho. Tao En here."
Kang-ho: "Yeah, yeah. Actually right now..."
Tao En: "Thanks to you, I recovered my father's body."
Kang-ho: "Uh?"
Tao En: "On behalf of Southern China's Jeongdo Alliance, my deepest gratitude."
“......”
Kang-ho glanced blankly at Theo, who looked oddly wistful. He chuckled softly.
"I see. Good for you. Tell the guy that too."
Theo asked after he hung up.
[What thing?]
"Nothing."
Kang-ho chuckled again.
"Does something praiseworthy now and then."
[What?!]
Theo pouted, scooped up Seol-a, and flopped onto the bed with a poof.