I Became an Undying Lich in a Game

In the darkened room, only the monitor glowed with a stark, white light. On the game screen, four adventurers in formation were walking down a dim corridor. The young man at the very front was 'Michael,' the player character I controlled. He was a youth with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠such handsome features that it drew involuntary admiration. It was well worth the two hours I’d spent customizing him when I first created the character. After all, a hero should naturally be beautiful from the very start.

Michael’s perfection wasn't limited to his appearance. His stats, combat techniques, magic, and faith—everything had been meticulously polished. Nine Stars, the game where you raise adventurers to save the world. I was a veteran player who had logged over 10,000 hours in this game. The hero Michael was the crystallization of all that experience. The same went for his companions. The most outstanding priest, mage, and rogue on the continent. My dream team, finally completed after long research. I was confident that this composition was the absolute best possible in the game.

Michael and his fellow adventurers continued to advance through the mansion. Contrary to the "Extreme" danger rating, no notable enemies appeared. The mansion was incredibly desolate.

As the adventurers reached the final area, a short cutscene began. Thud! Michael kicked the door open. The camera shifted to the Lich, who had been standing with its back to them in front of a towering bookshelf.

—I have waited a long time. Have you finally arrived?

The Lich slowly turned its head. Massive horns sprouted from both sides of its skull. Its piercing eyes flickered with blue flames. The figure was truly the very incarnation of a demon.

—You ignorant little lambs.

—If you desire it so much, I shall send you to hell.

The Lich’s eyes burned intensely. Soon after, it reached its hand toward the sky.

—...!

The adventurers looked around with tense expressions. The camera panned over the hall from a ceiling-mounted perspective.

—Damn it...! So many elite undead...! Everyone, be careful not to get surrounded!

Had they all lost their minds? There wasn't a single undead in sight, yet the adventurers were scanning their surroundings and drawing their weapons. It was an awkward scene, like a movie with unfinished CGI.

The cutscene ended.

Immediately, the Lich's health gauge appeared at the top of the screen, and the battle began. It was a screen I was so familiar with I could watch it in my sleep.

—My army, the chance you have longed for to tear into the flesh of the living has arrived. Go forth and enjoy yourselves!

The Lich shouted, raising its right hand with an imposing air. But... nothing happened. Naturally, there wasn't even a single mouse, let alone an army. After standing still and blanking out for a moment, the Lich moved to its next pattern.

—I shall harvest your souls.

A magic circle appeared on the floor, and a giant scythe emitting an ominous aura rose from it. The Lich grabbed the scythe with one hand. Or rather, it tried to.

—...

The scythe remained on the floor, not moving an inch. When one hand didn't work, the Lich grabbed the handle with both hands. And then, once more. It tried to lift it, straining like a weightlifter attempting a new world record.

—Ughhh...

After a few more attempts, the Lich gave up on lifting the scythe. Instead, it walked toward the adventurers and began to pummel Michael with its bare fists. Tap! Tap! A series of weak, pathetic punches followed that would drain the energy of anyone watching.

'It’s funny no matter how many times I see it.'

I rested my chin on my hand and watched the Lich perform its useless punching routine for a while. Even if I let go of the mouse and let it hit me dozens of times, Michael's health points wouldn't drop by even a sliver. The sight of the Lich desperately flailing about while Michael and his companions stood there blankly watching was almost pitiful.

—Die!

Contrary to the Lich's wishes, even if I left it like this all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠night, it wouldn't leave a scratch on Michael.

'How did you end up like this?'

The Lich was by no means a weak enemy. An apostle of the Goddess of Death and one of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠continent's strongest named characters. A terrifying existence that revived no matter how many times you killed it. The difficulty of the raid was extremely high. It was a formidable foe that you could barely hope to defeat only if you had the best equipment and didn't spare any consumable items. According to statistics, less than 0.1% of all players had achieved the quest to defeat the Lich. Generally speaking, that was true, but...

'You really suffer for having a trait like "Undying," don't you?'

Even so, to a veteran like me, it was just a punching bag that revived endlessly. It had been a nerve-wracking challenge for the first ten hunts or so, but because it weakened slightly every time it revived, it had long since become a scarecrow.

"Stop dying now."

I aimed at the Lich's head and launched a light attack. Crunch! In a single blow, the Lich's health gauge hit rock bottom. There was no need to use a skill. The current Lich couldn't even withstand a single basic attack from Michael.

Fsssss—

The cracked armor of the Lich began to heave like a boiling kettle, and black energy started leaking from the fissures. This was its 444th death. I didn't know what the Lich thought, but I felt it was a somewhat commemorative number.

Just as I was waiting for it to die with a blank expression, chin in hand:

"Huh?"

Something different from usual happened.

—K, kghhh...

Usually, the Lich would let out a blood-curdling scream, float into the air, flap about, and then collapse. This time was different. The horn on the Lich's helmet broke, and then the helmet split in two and fell to the floor.

—G...

The Lich, kneeling on one knee on the floor, trembled and raised its head.

—Stop killing me, you bad person!

Long, smooth gray hair flowed down like a waterfall. Large green eyes filled with resentment glared at me. Having discovered the Lich's true identity, which I hadn't expected, I froze as if struck by lightning.

No, holy shit. She was a girl?

—You asshole!

It was information no one had discovered until now. Even I, the self-proclaimed greatest veteran of this game.

'Is it like an Easter egg?'

Perhaps it was a small prank hidden by the developers. They must have thought no player would kill it 444 times, no matter how many times it revived. If the goal was to surprise the player, the developers had succeeded brilliantly. Honestly, it was unexpected. But...

"So what?"

Girl or not, it didn't matter. Forget it, just drop the loot.

Clang!

Michael brought his sword down once more onto the head of the gritting-teeth Lich.

...How much time had passed? I slept too much. I should get up soon.

I barely managed to open my eyes. My eyelids felt like lead, and my eyes stung as if sand were stuck to them. Not only that, but my head was throbbing, and my whole body felt stiff...

Did I grind the Lich too much? It was great that I finally got the item I was aiming for, but maybe I pushed myself too hard. First, I should eat and wash up. When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fatigue builds up in your body, a bowl of spicy ramen with an egg and green onions is the best.

I sat up to get out of bed.

Clink—

A strange sound of chains rattling echoed. Huh? Something was wrong. This definitely wasn't the comfortable feeling of lying in bed. This sensation is...

My mind snapped awake instantly, and my sleepiness vanished. I was currently tied to something.

Clink-clink-clink-clink—

I thrashed my body like a madman, but to no avail. Both arms. Both legs. I couldn't move any of them as I pleased. There was even a thick chain around my neck. My heart sank, and cold sweat broke out.

...What on earth is this situation? Kidnapping? Imprisonment? An SM play at a secret club with weird tastes? Suddenly, a scene from a movie flashed through my mind. It was a story about a protagonist who was imprisoned in a narrow cell without knowing why and lived there for over ten years eating only fried dumplings, I think.

"Is, is anyone nearby-! Please help me!"

As I shouted for help with all my might, a high-pitched, sharp girl's voice rang out.

...Huh? My voice just now sounded a bit strange. I felt a sense of incongruity, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. Strange messages floated into my mind one after another.

Trait, Undying, stats... These were familiar terms. Wait. Anyone who heard this would laugh and call me a lunatic, but at this moment, an absurd possibility popped into my head. These are the terms from Nine Stars, which I was playing until just a moment ago. Did I enter the game, or what?

I let out a hollow laugh because it was so ridiculous. It was an absurd story. But this situation...

Beep, beep, beep—

Lost in thought, I was brought back to reality by an ominous, ear-piercing beep. The sound was coming from the thin silver necklace locked around my neck.

Ah, I know what this is. It's definitely Nine Stars. This is also in the game. It must have been the "Ancient Magic Restraining Device." If so, it explains what this bizarre device that has me bound and unable to move is. I don't know the reason, but someone must have bound me with an "Ancient Magic Restraining Device."

But if my guess is correct...

Three seconds from now, I die.