Novel Skeletal Records of an Otherworldly Undead

An trashy NEET named Simon, who spent his days wasting away his life, died in accident on his way back from the convenience store. His life is turned upside down as he found himself in an unknown world with only the dead to accompany his immortal life. What should he do now? The rest is on Royalroad.

Spoiler: Prologue

Prologue: Dead World

'Sometimes, when the going gets too tough, the best decision is to give up.'


After finishing my studies at college and moving on to studying at university. This thought entered my mind as I was reminded of my inferiority at home due to my siblings.


An older sister who is talented in her studies and an older brother who was able to bring in a lot of money despite having been kicked out of high school.


Two older siblings and a massive gap between us. Nothing could describe the kind of treatment the most inferior of us, as in myself, was treated at home.


There was a kind of coldness in their eyes as well as disappointment. They didn't state it outright but their actions were enough to make me know my place as well as their perception of me.


"Why can't you be more like your siblings? Why aren't you scoring the highest grades at school? Do you want to waste our hard earned money?"


"Mom, please, I'm trying."


"Don't try, get the best results." My mom said what she wanted before ignoring me. There wasn't one reasonable bone in our mother's body and three of us siblings knew this well.


My mom says what she wants and treats us based on her mood as well.


As for our father, he wasn't exactly a person who actually cared about how we were treated and was quite similar to mom in this regard. Dad is just the type to comfort us with empty words.


When the realisation that I was untalented and had no way of beating my siblings academically or socially, I was no longer able to motivate myself to study. I left the course I picked at university and became a shut-in.


Mom tried her best to get me out of this phase of my life and force me to get a job no matter how small, but I was stubborn due to the strong inferiority complex I cultivated in my heart.


'What's the point in trying?' Was what I thought as I sank into a dark abyss.


The four walled attic that was my room was a sanctuary for me that I never wanted to leave. Even if I had nothing to do, I still had the internet, didn't I?


Wasting my time effectively became a way of life as I successfully upgraded myself from a Closet-Otaku to a NEET Otaku who has very, very thick skin.


Anime, Manga, Light Novels, and even 18+ content was something I wouldn't shy away from when it could be accessed with a click of a button. The kind of gory art that could cause a normal person nausea wasn't anything that could affect my mindset anymore!


"Simon, go get the groceries." I heard a voice from the kitchen and closed all the incognito tabs I opened as a result.


It's not that I'm scared... not at all...


Well, that's a massive lie. Even after leaving university and becoming a NEET for a few years, it isn't like I broke all contact with the outside world but more like I'm in-charge of odd jobs.


After getting to the corner store, I turned my head to find a paper-flat black square floating in mid air.


'What is this thing?' Was what I thought as I reached out towards the fading crack in reality yet it seems my curiosity lead to my end unknowingly.


"Aaaaargh!" I screamed in anguish as my entire arm was completely torn off.


I tried escaping the attraction force of the black hole that formed due to my careless actions but to no avail...


I didn't even have the time to show fear on my face as I was instantaneously ripped to shreds and erased from reality. How unlucky was I to actually due in such ridiculous circumstances?


------------------------------------


In a desolate wasteland that seemed to only contain the dust left behind by corpses that had rotted over millenniums of rotating clockwork appeared a black hole that seemed to be an anomaly in reality itself.


The same way online game can have bugs that really f*ck with players until the GM intervenes himself. It seemed as if the 'bug' that appeared on Earth was immediately fixed after being found by the world's governing laws.


In the instant it appeared, it vanished without a trace, leaving nothing to indicate that it ever existed.


Well... that's if you ignore the corpse that had been turned to paste by its chaotic attraction and repulsive force.


Even a biologist of the highest degree would have a hard time figuring out if the corpse that fell was human or not.


"Aaaaargh! Aaaaargh!" The silent ashen world was then filled with screams of despair as a transparent figure emerged out of the remains.


Who else could the wailing banshee be but myself? Screams of agony repeatedly left my mouth as I felt an excruciating pain coming from deep within my soul. The pain was so horrifying powerful that it threatened to destroy my mind and erase my soul!


'It burns! I... have to hide somewhere... Where is a good hiding place?' It was then that I somehow moved my ethereal body to enter a random skull that was laying in the area around me.


Before I knew it, I felt as if I entered an abyss of no return, as if the skull only represented my torment that was to come. The pain I felt eased as soon as I entered the remains but another feeling arose in my heart in turn as soon as I entered the oddly undamaged skull.


It was the feeling of entering a room with no walls. A feeling similar to what one would feel when walking out of the house for the first time yet different.


After the pain subsided, my heart raced as I my mind tried to regain its clarity.


The fact that I could actually 'sense' and manipulate my soul wasn't as shocking as the wasteland before me.


'What...? Where...?' I didn't know what to think first as my mind was dazed at the scene I could actually 'sense' without needing to use actual eyes.


'I died?' Was the first clear question that formed in my mind as I regained control of storm within my heart.


The answer to that question wasn't hard to find as I noticed my 'body' that was laid next to me. Even though it'd been turned to paste, there's no way I wouldn't recognise the groceries and the clothes I wore before my... death.


'Dead...' Was a word that seemed to corrupt my mind as I felt pain in my heart. This illusionary 'pain' felt a lot more agonising than the mental one.


'Have I fallen to hell?' I couldn't help but ask myself while remembering my family. Even though I thought I hated them, why is it I can't stop thinking about them after 'dying' in such a way?


I forced myself to calm down as soon as I realised my clarity was weakening.


'I am... dead...' I didn't feel sadness due to the fact that I could no longer see my family but because of how I died.


A selfish and black-hearted person like me who only thought about himself could only feel sad at his own demise.


That should be right.


My brother's delinquency caused me to suffer in high school, and even though I respect my sister, I will never be able to open my heart to her because I practically live in her shadow.


My parents were the same, their expectations of me were crushing!


It's not like I miss them or anything...


If my new body had tears, then I'd definitely cry without giving a damn about my image, since it wasn't like the dead had an image to uphold anyway.


'I don't like this place...' After taking my time to calm myself down and suppressing the turbulence in my heart, I decided to act on my emotions.


'Let's be positive about this... I... Err... I have definitely been transported to another world, right?' Even I didn't believe the nonsense in my head as my first thought was that I dropped to hell.


'There's no doubt about it... This is another world!' My emotional rollercoaster was on the move as my heart quickly went into denial.


The same 'rationalisation' I used in middle school when no one would befriend me appeared again. I decided to forcefully motivate myself with baseless lies I made up on the spot.


It was kind of 'I'm a lone wolf!' sh*t only a lonely child could think of.


'Let's be positive about this... Umm... This... Aha! Why don't I try to study my new body, it's interesting, isn't it? Of course it is! Who do I even think I'm asking? Of course anatomy is extremely interesting!' I fired myself up and gave myself a task in order to distract myself. Maybe I'd come to accept the world around me in given time...


---------------------------------------


Time flew- wait, there were no clocks and no heartbeat to even count the passage of time so I wasn't able to tell whether a hour went by or a day, but the results of my efforts to familiarise myself with my ethereal body paid off.


The first thing I realised while experimenting different ways to control my soul was that I couldn't leave the skull took possession of or I'd be attacked by the laws of the world.


No, that's not an accurate description for it. It's more like my soul could hide in the soul of this somewhat 'living' being in order to hide from the laws.


How did I know it was definitely 'universal laws'? The fact that I feel like I could disappear at any moment whenever I leave its confines isn't something that people normally feel.


It could be that or something else. The exact details can't be identified right now. However, I'm completely sure that the existence I'm in is a zombie!


A zombie! Although it's only a pile of bones, the fact that a soul is still attached to it clearly signifies it's an undead that has the ability to move!


Well... moving on from that, now what?


Using the Light Novels I once read as a reference, it should be by this time that a God appears out of nowhere and explains where I've been transported.


About... now!


I mean... now!


...


Light Novels! You lied to me!


Kidding, kidding, I would never put my faith in a entity I can't see anyway.


It's best to rely on yourself when the going gets tough and you can't escape...


Hmm... now that I've calmed down, I feel it's actually ironic that I'm trapped in the confines of a zombie's soul rather than my 'neat and tidy' room on Earth.


I don't know how much time passed as I was trying to distract myself from the loneliness I felt from not having anyone to talk to. On Earth, at least I always had chances to talk to people, but now I couldn't even if I wanted to...


Stay positive... look at the sky above, it IS a very beautiful night, isn't it?


Or is it morning? I can't tell since there aren't any stars or moons in the sky.


Not even a metaphorical existence is here to keep my lonely self company...


Let's stop looking outside... There's nothing interesting there to study.


I wonder if it's normal for souls to have the ability to hide within other souls.


Now that I think about it. To think the human body actually had a soul.


It's quite a mysterious existence indeed. No doubt about that.


The colour of my soul seems different to the one of the skull I possessed.


Is there a difference between souls from Earth and those of this world?


Wait, I have to sort my priorities, right now I should focus on moving my head.


A crackling sound ensued as the skeletal body I possessed moved despite the fact there weren't any logical ways to do so without muscles!


The entire body of the skeleton creaked with every motion I manipulated it to get up and stand on its two feet.


Hmm? Interesting! There's a strange 'energy' making this possible! Could it be the legendary 'Mana' of fantasy novels that were popular on Earth?


This new discovery is awesome! I have to take my time studying this 'energy'.

Spoiler: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Skeleton Pawns

Now, what can Zombies use in Role-Playing Games? The ability to... to...


Wait... Aren't they just weaklings?


Why can't I remember the positive traits of an Undead Skeleton?


While manipulating my skeletal body which was like a puppet to my will, I thought long and hard about this question while thinking about the mysteries regarding my situation.


How I came here doesn't really matter anymore since it's not like I can go back. I can only accept that my current circumstances was due to bad luck.


This world I'm in is like a void, the only thing I can see while looking around are the deathly sands of desolation.


Looking around, I found another skeleton that was similar to one I possessed. My senses could practically 'see' the black soul within its skull.


It's mysterious how my own white soul differs greatly from the black souls of the literally mindless zombies that are just laying motionless on the ground.


Could this be the difference between native souls and otherworldly souls?


Well, I guess this benefits me since it seems like I can possess anything as long as it is in range of my new body.


The skeletal body of mine creaked incessantly without pause like a very tone-deaf instrument. Just listening to the sound of my own bones felt weird.


Note to self: Gotta master body control because these sounds are so annoying!


I got up off the spot near the remains of my original body and reached out my lifeless skeletal hands towards the skull of the undead skeleton on the ground.


It didn't even resist as I grabbed the neck of the body and detached its skull.


Although listening to my bones creak was really unpleasant, sitting around and doing nothing had no benefits.


This is ignoring how boring it would be.


And so, my reasons for courageously doing something so outlandish was to experiment with the 'Mana' within me.


I tried sending the energy that controlled the bones of my skeletal body but to no avail. There wasn't even a reaction as it seemed as if the energy that controlled the Undead Skeleton couldn't be use to manipulate anything other than the bones of its own body.


Though I failed my experiment, my mood improved as I became engrossed in unlocking the secrets of my body.


No matter what I did, it seemed as if the Mana within my skeletal arms couldn't be emitted outside the bones.


The Mana within me allowed me to move the various parts of the body but couldn't allow me to anything else.


Hmm... Maybe the conjecture I thought of was inaccurate. It seems more like 'I' myself have no Mana but it's the Undead Skeleton I possessed that actually does have Mana within it.


My presence within the Undead Skeleton's Abyssal Soul seems to have no effect on the Mana within it yet my will did seem to have a massive impact when mentioning how obedient the Undead Skeleton is to my thoughts.


I wonder, what would have happened if it actually had intelligence? Would I have been pitted against its own will?


The thought of the matter caused me shivers, what would have been more unlucky was if I had to fight against the will of this Abyssal Soul that's definitely stronger than my own. The reason I could figure that out was due to the fact that it wasn't hard to 'see' the difference in size between my white soul and the Undead Skeleton's own.


If I was to simplify the logic of how I was even able to possess- No, rather 'hide' within the Abyssal Soul in the first place was similar to the logic of how a smaller box can fit in a bigger one. The reason this phenomenon could even happen was due to the emptiness of the Skeleton's mind.


I couldn't, see, hear, smell, taste or even feel anything with this body.


The only the true 'feeling' I had was the one that made me think my will was an extension of the Undead Skeleton's thoughts. It was as if the Abyssal Soul was the nervous system of the skeleton.


An idea flashed across my mind as I placed my forehead on the skull I detached from the other Undead.


I seemed to have familiarised with my environment quite fast as it touching the skull didn't feel revolting to me.


My 'Viral Soul' seemed to be able to 'infect' the blank mind of Abyssal Souls within the Undead Skeletons.


Through trial and error, I found that the maximum distance I could switch bodies before I felt the ethereal pain in my soul was five big steps away from the Undead I'm trying of possess.


Such a distance wasn't too far nor too close, but at least it would make a great escape plan if I was ever in trouble.


I didn't return to the Skeleton I originally possessed and rolled the detached skull of the other skeleton back to its headless body before making it reattach the neck bones.


Looking at the motionless Skeleton that wasn't moving after leaving its body, I didn't care about how embarrassing it looked and threw it over my shoulder.


Not that I even had any shame left considering the fact that Undead Skeletons had no clothes to begin with.


As I left, I didn't even have the guts to give the remains of my former body a second look. I was scared that I'd lose the strength I mustered as a result.


Mustering fearlessness is easy as long as I give up some braincells, but mustering courage takes willpower.


I don't know about anything else, but even if I'm a disembodied entity that lives within ghostly skeletons, there's no way I'd give up my will to survive!


As I walked aimlessly through the desolate world, I entertained some thoughts to amuse myself a few times.


For example: Is it true that my mind has already lost all concept of shame?


I tested it out by stopping and doing some cartwheels, jumping about randomly and posing in ways that would look cool if I was handsome.


The Undead Skeleton in my hands was no exception as I used it to dance the waltz. Have I gone completely nuts?


Maybe- no... it's already certain some screws in my head had been loosened.


I've already lost my sense of time in this desolate wasteland that doesn't have anything to like a moon or stars.


Not only that but my aimless wondering only led me to find more Undead Skeletons laying in the dust.


When the numbers of skeletons I held hit three was when I questioned myself if carrying so many was a good idea.


The answer I came up with? It's only natural I shouldn't waste resources.


Since my 'Will' and 'Intent' is able to manipulate the Undead Skeletons, I experimented to see if I could place some 'Lingering Intentions' in them.


My goal was to make them move without having to personally move my soul to possess their half-alive bodies.


The first try was a failure.


The second try was another failure.


Failure after failure yet I didn't give up.


My stubborn heart wasn't one that could be persuaded by failures.


Since I hand a lot of time on my hands due to my immortal body, there's no way someone as patient as myself would actually consider giving up.


Since I didn't have a heartbeat, there was no way to count how long it took for me to succeed, but results mattered more than how long it took anyway!


It seems that sharing my consciousness can actually be done if I make a connection between the Abyssal Souls within the skulls of the Skeletons through creating a 'network' of Mana.


If Abyssal Souls were containers, then the Mana within them would be the water. Making connections between each 'container' was extremely difficult.


The first condition to do so was having a strange soul like mine that was completely empty and without a hint of Mana while the second was having the ability to control strong mindless souls.


I don't know much about this world but I'm certain a soul from another world like myself is unique in this wasteland.


Getting to the point, it seems like siphoning the Mana of an Undead Skeleton and exchanging it with the Mana of another Undead Skeleton creates a connection between souls. An intangible thread that allows me to share my 'Intentions' with all Undead Skeletons connected by its 'network'.


Me switching a bucket of Water (Mana) between a few Ponds (Abyssal Souls) seems to have benefited me a lot.


Now there were three Skeletons following me as I walked aimlessly.


Over time, all of the creaking sounds I made from moving my body lessened and the number Undead Skeletons following me increased a lot.


The cycle continued until the number of skeletons reached the dozens, it was then that I was forced to leave some behind because even I couldn't control more than twenty Skeletons at once.


Well... I may say that I 'left some of them behind' but that only included the physical bodies of the Skeletons.


When it came to the Abyssal Souls that was actually their main source of power, I stored them into the bones of the twenty Skeletons I controlled one by one. There's no way I'd leave such precious power sources laying around.


As the numbers of Abyssal Souls within my twenty Skeleton Pawns increased, it became harder and harder for me to control them due to interferences.


The Abyssal Souls within the skulls of my twenty Skeleton Pawns were fine but the large amounts of Abyssal Souls I put into each of their bones started to interfere with the connection I made.


Normally, Undead Skeletons could control their skeletal bodies since it was as easy as shifting their Mana to their bones in order to control them.


If I was to give an example of how they worked, then it could be said that they were like artfully crafted robots.


For some odd reason, all of them were basically copies of each other. This is including the one I'm currently using.


However, after I started to add Abyssal Souls into their 'components' like the bones on their arms or legs, the Mana inside their bodies had a harder time circulating around the 'power sources'.


It's similar to what happens when you attach batteries all over a robot, the electricity has a hard time moving around the obstacles in its way.


Instead of dealing with the problem, I slowed down my pace so that I was walking at the same speed as them.


Only when the entire 206 bones of one of my Skeleton Pawns were filled did I actually bother turning to fix the issue.


I did the same thing I did beforehand to create a 'network' of Mana between all the Abyssal Souls in one Skeleton Pawn and practically knitted them together using hundreds of 'threads'.


Each and every 'soul bone' of the Skeletons Pawns that followed me were connected this way, causing a phenomenon I hadn't seen before.


The density of the Skeleton Pawn's bones increased as it slowly darkened.


As soon as the pure white bones darkened completely into an abyssal black was when I found that the regenerative features normal Undead Skeletons had innately had weakened.


Though it benefited, the gains were actually equal to what it had lost.


It was a strange occurrence but I wasn't really surprised as much as before. In fact, I think there wouldn't be much to be surprised about if the sky fell on me.


After finding that its movements had turned back to normal, I decided to once again start my aimless journey.


What am I looking for?


What is the purpose of me doing so?


I've already forgotten such a reason after what seemed like an eternity of walking with a tireless, immortal body.


Whatever, it's best to remain positive and look for a way out of this place.


-------------------------------------


In the desolate wastelands that seemed to be located within an empty void, a row of twenty Black Skeletons followed the lead of an ordinary Undead Skeleton that seemed to have intelligence and consciousness.


Of course, that intimidating Undead Skeleton leading at front was myself.


When I started my aimless journey in solitude from life, there were times when I'd feel fear towards death, but now that sentiment had already erased.


There was no longer any fear in my heart, only stubborn determination to escape the eternal wasteland before me. My steps were firm as I no longer felt like running away from anything.


This wasn't only due to the white Undead Skeleton I possessed that had perfect agility now that I'd gotten a hang of controlling it but due to the fact that I now had faith in my survival!


Be it ghosts, zombies, or other beasts straight out of a horror movie, the only response I'd have to them now is: 'Come at me bro!'


The team of Black Skeletons, the Undead Skeleton I used as my main body, and the different techniques I made from scratch gave me courage!


As I thought this, the flames in the eye-sockets of my skull flickered as I finally found light coming from the horizon.


My skeletal body slowly approached a place that actually had rays of sunlight!

Spoiler: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Leaving the Nether Realm

As I ran forwards with all my might, I found that the 'light' I sensed in front of me came from a lush, green forest.


There seemed to be some line on the ground that was separating the wasteland and the fertile lands filled with trees yet I didn't pay attention to it. The thought of FINALLY being able to leave that lifeless world baited me.


I stretched my arms forward and attempted to touch the nearest tree but my hand was stopped by an invisible barrier that seemed to separate this lifeless wasteland and the outside world which seemed to contain life.


The jaw of my skull clattered together incessantly as I tried to speak, but it was only after remembering that I was merely a skeleton without flesh did I look for a method of communication.


"Ah... Eh... Oh... Ih... Uh... Qh..." With the infinite time I had, there wasn't anything I couldn't achieve as long as I had patience. A lot of random sounds could be heard from my mouth as I manipulated Mana within me to create vibrations in the air through my jaw.


I couldn't emit the Mana outwards but I could use my skeletal body to affect the world around me through touch.


The precise bodily control needed to do something this absurd was what I mastered over eternities as a Skeleton.


Over time, the sounds I was making through vibrating my jaw in a certain way turned more coherent and neat.


"S-save... me...!" Two words were spoken out spoken out repeatedly.


As I became more familiar with the technique I created. The cry for help became more distinct and clear.


"Save me! Save me! Please help me out! Save me!" I wailed pitifully as my facade of having an iron will collapsed towards the figure I noticed on the other side of the invisible barrier.


On the other side of the barrier was a black-clothed man who seemed to have been researching the barrier as well as keeping a distance from it all the same.


I slammed my skeletal hands on the wall of the barrier to attract his attention, only to fail miserably as the man ignored me. He didn't even look at me as he continued to study the plants of the forest located close to the it.


"Please! I'll give you anything! I hate this dead world! I'm going to go insane at this rate! Help me! Help me!" My skeletal hands broke from the abuse I gave them through hitting the barrier but I still desperately called for help.


I remember how I once read a Manga that depicted the times of ancient china and how imperial prisons controlled by the emperors in power had the ability to slowly weaken the mind of convicts.


This wasn't due to some fancy magical power but due to the harsh conditions placed on the convicts in the prison.


They lacked sun rays, lacked anything that could help them count time, and lacked anything that could keep them busy in the time they were imprisoned.


I lacked the two necessities a human being needs to stay healthy. All I could do was distract up my heart through giving myself tasks in my spare time.


I didn't do my best to finish those tasks quickly and patiently took my time with them exactly because I needed a hobby that could improve my mood.


Depression isn't scary on its own. What is scary though is what happens when a negative mood is mixed with solitude.


I was desperate due to how lonely it felt to live while having no one to talk to.


I didn't know how much longer I can last in that state, so disregarded everything and acted shamelessly.


The black clothed man seemed to have finished his task before turning to leave me by myself, causing me to panic.


'Attack!' I ordered the Black Skeletons mentally while smashing my arms on the invisible barrier with full force.


The twenty Black Skeletons behind me responded to my will and attacked the invisible barrier ferociously, their skeletal bodies were physically stronger but at slower attacking than my own.


"No!" I broke down mentally after seeing the figure of the man had disappeared. An indescribable sorrow overcame me as I fell to my knees.


I powerlessly laid there for a while as the bones on my arms healed at a noticeable pace. The Black Skeletons also stopped attacking as the cracks made on their bones slowly healed.


What should I do now? The exit is right in front of me but I'm helpless to pass through the invisible barrier before me.


I slowly calmed down again and regained my wits, my 'eyes' burned with a blinding light of determination.


I stood up, then looked at my skeletal hands for a long moment before deciding to experiment on the barrier.


However, it seemed I underestimated the bizarreness of that lifeless world.


I detached a bone from my skeletal fingers and threw it at the barrier.


This first tell was to see if an inanimate object that wasn't being animated by the Mana of an Abyssal Soul could actually leave this Nether Realm or not.


I expected to fail the first time round due to how vague the notion that a bone detached from me was considered more 'dead' than one attached to me.


But who could have thought that this experiment of mine would succeed?


The gloomy feeling in my heart were swept away as I started to laugh in joy.


This success motivated me to do another few experiments. I tested many things one after another and in the end found that the problem were Abyssal Souls I had collected in this realm.


It seemed as if this 'Nether Realm' I was part of wouldn't let the Undead Skeletons escape no matter what.


If my theory was correct, then as long as I abandoned the Undead Skeleton I possessed and escaped using my own original soul, I should phase through the invisible barrier quite easily.


My theory was merely that, a theory. It wasn't safe to gamble over a speculation without any evidence.


However, after finding a new hope, it wasn't as if I had many other options.


Whether my soul can actually survive without a vessel after leaving this Nether Realm is now up to fate. Even if I was to die, I would have no regrets.


'Since the exit out of this hell is right front of me. Why hesitate?' I resolutely emboldened my reckless heart.


With just a thought, I charged out of my skeletal body and passed through the invisible barrier the same way I did before. I felt surprise in my heart due to the lack of pain arising in my soul.


Instead, I felt a kind of comfortable sensation, like I was a fish in water. An exhilaration was like a mighty flame that flowed through my very soul.


'Why is it like this?' Was the first thought that entered my curious mind.


I moved back towards the invisible barrier by using the intrinsic spiritual self-manipulation I mastered within that desolate and void-like world.


As soon as I reentered that world, I felt a family sensation of pain, one which vanished as soon as I exited by reflex.


From what I could sense, it was actually the environment that affected my soul rather than 'universal laws'.


The 'Nether Realm' I once lived in seemed to have a special radiation there that was able to 'corrupt' the soul.


In contrast, it seemed the external energy outside that dead world was able to comfort disembodied souls.


Hmm... external energy... let's just call it Ether for short. It's not like I can call it Mana anyway since I'd get it confused with internal energy if I did.


The 'Death' Ether of that world seemed to have the ability to corrupt souls and erase their consciousness whilst the 'Life' Ether now surrounding me in this vibrant world does the opposite.


Ah...! I'm so unbelievably happy that I could die at any moment~! ...Not!


Even so, I basked in the sunlight that I have been missing for so long with prideful joy fostering in my heart.


It's not like a dead guy like me could fear death, but being 'erased' by the Death Ether of that world is different.


One could imagine the kind of pride I felt from achieving a miracle like this.


How many people can say that they died, gone to realm of the dead, and escaped out of there on their own?


I am so awesome~! Wait... 'on my own?' ...Really? Was I on my own?


I looked at the Undead Skeletons thoughtfully with a hint of doubt.


Technically, if it wasn't for the fact that the Undead Skeletons I 'collected' had no will of their own, they could have been considered 'living' in my eyes.


I'm unable to count just how long they accompanied me on my journey, but the affection I have with them isn't something that could be made with mere belongings. I can no longer see them as inanimate objects or puppets.


That's not to say that I see them as 'genuine' people, it's more like the sense of closeness one experiences with their 'house' or 'vehicle' to be exact.


Plus, after calming myself once again and thinking things through, there's no reason I shouldn't have caution towards a world that isn't Earth.


There's no doubt that a colourful world full of greenery like this isn't the even in the same universe as my own. Even an ignorant person like me would have knowledge of a place this mysterious.


Wait... something doesn't make sense...


Death Ether is able to wipe out my consciousness, but the Death Mana within the Abyssal Souls can't?


Is it because Mana is more tamed?


Whatever, the important thing right now is finding a way to bring them out.


I possessed the white-boned Undead Skeleton once more and connected myself to the 'network' I made myself.


I could sense millions upon thousands of 'threads' connecting each Abyssal Soul together. In fact, the Black Skeletons seemed to have unified their Abyssal Souls and bones into one entity. This made it easier for me to manipulate them in various ways.


The 'threads' connecting to the main body I use most often had already turned into twenty strong and firm 'ropes' overtime that was hard to cut.


To take the Abyssal Souls of the Undead Skeletons out of the Nether Realm would probably need me to do the same thing I did after coming to this alternate world in reverse.


It looks like I'd have to somehow hide the Abyssal Souls in my own Viral Soul rather than the other way round.


Hmm... how can I fit these skull-sized Abyssal Souls in my apple-sized soul?


I thought long and hard about it but was unable to come up with a solution.


Looks like I'll just have to memorise this location and come back for them...


I felt unwilling, so naturally threw that idea out of my mind in an instant.


Then an idea popped into my head as I looked at the Gaia Realm beyond the invisible barrier of the Nether Realm.


'It's just a matter of size, right?' If I had a face, a smile would have formed onto it as I gazed at the Skeletons with pity.


'Only one Abyssal Soul would be able to fit into my Viral Soul.' And with that thought in mind, I sent an order to all the Black Skeletons under my control.


'Assimilate into one entity!' The order I gave was short yet very effective.


The bodies of the Black Skeletons shuddered as they slowly disinterested into a miasmic ash. This ominous ash didn't disappear as it was swallowed by the Skeleton I was residing within.


The skull of the Undead Skeleton I controlled turned completely black as the Black Bones and Abyssal Souls of twenty Black Skeletons assimilated into it and hardened it beyond belief!


Though this in turn increased its density and weight, the overall strength of the white-bones the Undead Skeleton had originally increased as well due to the increase in Mana.


The Abyssal Soul within the skull of the Undead Skeleton became much more powerful despite its size being exactly the same as before. This in turn made it harder to control for others who were not that familiar with the Skeleton.


As someone who has been 'driving' the Undead Skeleton for so long, the difference in strength was easy for me to adjust to by spending a little effort.


It was only when I was sure that my control of the Undead Skeleton's body was back to normal did I continue the experiment I had recently thought of.


The spiritual flames in my eyes flickered eerily as I manipulate my bone structure to shrink my body.


Crackling sounds endued as my skeletal body slowly shrank, the skeletal body I controlled became shorter and shorter until the skull of the Skeleton also turned apple-sized.


It was only then did I ready myself for what was to come. The black skull of the Undead Skeleton I controlled suddenly disappeared as I charged back to the Gaia Realm once again.


'It looks like I'll have to give up on the rest of the Skeleton.' I sighed inwardly after being unable to think of a way to take the rest of the Skeleton with me.

Spoiler: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Possession

There are probably many exceptions in this world, and I'm likely one of them.


I practically 'flew' the black skull of the Undead Skeleton into the Gaia Realm.


The Gaia Realm is definitely a magical world, no doubt about that, but I'm sure a disembodied skull flying around the place wouldn't be taken as 'normal'.


I had used my Viral Soul to cover the black skull and trick the barrier that separated the Nether Realm and Gaia Realm. However, the state I went into couldn't be held for too long because of how uncomfortable my soul felt.


Though I was able to change the Abyssal Souls size by shrinking its medium, it didn't change the fact that the Abyssal Souls were more powerful than me. The feeling I got while covering it was like I'd put an entire apple in my mouth without biting it.


It couldn't be 'swallowed' nor could it be 'digested', the only thing I could do was casually spitting it back out.


It was then that I increased its size back to how it originally was before.


The black skull that had once again became my 'vehicle' fell powerlessly to the ground after hitting a tree.


Without the rest of the Undead Skeleton's body, the only thing I could do was roll the head itself to travel.


The 'Life' Ether of the Gaia Realm seemed to not be able to benefit the Undead Skeleton's skull I controlled.


Well, that's only natural considering both life and death are polar opposites.


I still hadn't regained any of my five senses so I couldn't enjoy nature much.


Whether it was the softness of the grass or the warmth of the sun, all of it was still unfamiliar to a dead guy like me.


----------------------------------------


In the Dark Forest, home to the chaotic Beast Race that always attacked the Humans of the Gaia Realm, was a black-clothed man who seemed to be gathering information for someone.


The man looked quite eerie as his skin was pale and his eyes were ominous.


'Looks like the school's Headmaster was right. There seems to be an anomaly in the Dark Forest, but what can it be? Looks like we'll have to increase the range of our search so that we can quickly find that artifact. The whole world will be in danger if it falls into the wrong hands.' The black-clothed man thought with concern before disappearing into the shadows.


------------------------------------


A long time after the man had disappeared, a disembodied black skull rolled its way towards the Outer Reaches of the Dark Forest by itself.


Traveling in the Gaia Realm was a lot more comfortable since I could use the sun in the sky to keep track of time.


I may be a tireless disembodied black skull right now but even I get mental fatigue whenever I worry too much.


In fact, it seems having a spiritual body is a lot more convenient than a normal one. Though that's just my excuse to nor possess a living being since doing so would be wrong and dangerous.


It was then that I noticed a few marking on the floor, seemingly indicating that there was a path laid down there for those who're traveling.


Since I was merely a skull, there was no way I could hitchhike by being friendly.


Hmm... or that really the case?


I decided to just lay there in the middle of the road and enjoy the surrounding.


An entire day passed as I lay there motionlessly but I wasn't inpatient.


All I did was wait without complaining.


Time passed... The sun raised higher and higher until it hit the highest noon.


I patiently waited while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the Gaia Realm without even caring about finding a person in the vibrant forest anymore.


It was then that I sensed a carriage being pulled by horses towards me.


A short man with long moustache who seemed like your typical rich merchant in a LitRPG drove the carriage along.


The short man closed in at a fast speed but he was still able to notice my 'head'.


The man slowed down his carriage abruptly and looked at me with interest. His eyes shines brightly as he probably thought he found an antique.


This short guy is perceptive. He probably realised I couldn't cause harm due to the lack of presence I had.


In the short man's eyes, he most likely could only see my black skull as some kind of artifact refined by humans.


"Ooh?! How beautiful~ The craftsmanship that went into this strange artifact is exquisite~!" The short man's fat belly bounced up and down as he seemed very excited.


The man pulled out a monocle and gazed at my black skull with joy.


Okay, even if this guy is from another world, he's definitely creepy. What normal person shows so much affection for a disembodied skull on the road?


Though it didn't really matter to me much since it wasn't like I wanted to communicate with the guy. Although I couldn't hear his words, it was easy to make out the gist of the man's thoughts from the greedy expression on his face.


I need information, if I want to find a place I can... 'live'... the first thing I'll need to do is learn how to speak.


Observing the merchant could prove beneficial for me. Although my impression of him isn't that good, I still believe I'd learn many things from him.


The merchant seemed satisfied as he stopped inspecting me and put my black skull away into a wooden box.


I didn't stray far from my skull and watched the merchant in rapt attention. Every movement, every word he spoke, every expression he made, it was fun trying to infer information.


The horses that pulled along the carriage were abnormal not only in their outer appearance but in their abilities. They seemed to have endless stamina as they rushed for hours on end without being given time to rest.


Hah... I should be observing the persistence of these horses rather than the stupid merchant who seemed to be admiring his money out loud.


I'm definitely not going to help this guy if he was to get robbed by bandits...


Moving on, look at those damn horses~! Aren't they so respectable?


After a long time of deciding to forget about the merchant in the carriage and observing the horses in admiration, it seems the merchant ran out of luck.


"Hey, fatty, give us ya money!" I have no idea what the skinny bandit who appeared out of nowhere said but it was definitely just some cliché lines.


Just look at that hideous face of his that even a kind-hearted individual would have a hard time looking at.


I don't know if having one's hair dyed is a trend in this world but it seems the four bandits who looked real threatening with their sharp weapons in hand really liked the colour red.


Should I help the merchant out?


Hmmm... there are no dangers in doing so... since I'm just a spirit after all.


Do I want to do it? ...Nah!


Maybe I'll do it after he's beaten to a pulp. I just don't want to reveal myself.


A sadistic smile appeared on the faces of the bandits as a red energy covered their swords and turned into flames!


Into flames! I just have to repeat it a few times. These guys can control fire!


Wow! How are they even doing that?!


It has to do with Life Mana, right?


Absolutely! There's no other explanation to this 'Fire Magic'.


The merchant panicked as he quickly moved his hand into a box next to my skull and threw it towards the men.


The scarred man who seemed to be the leader chuckled as he cut the box in half, but immediately regretted doing so after noticing what was inside.


Boom!


An explosion resounded as the four bandits accidentally inhaled a purple gas that exploded out of the box.


"Hahahaha! You think can just 'take' what's mine? You dirty, foolish and ignorant 'bastards'!" Though I can't understand his words, his face looks contorted as he sprayed saliva like a storm. If this fatty isn't swearing his *ss off right now then what is he doing?


It was then that he seemed to have realised something and pulled out a cloth from his inner pocket to cover his face. It was too bad he miscalculated and forgot all about his loyal steeds.


When he saw his horses being affected by the poisonous gas, his eyes turned red as moved to cut the restraints off the horse and personally rode it away.


That shrewd little fatty didn't abandon the carriage and just stayed a distance for while until the purple fog dissipated, decisively sacrificing one of his strong horses to the poisonous fog..


As a former human from Earth, I was sure that I'd feel disgusted by the death of others, but it seems I was wrong.


The time I spent in the Nether Realm probably altered my core values significantly more than I'd predicted.


In my past life on Earth, I was the type of guy who who would go the flow whenever it was possible to do so.


I was quite introverted and didn't really know sometimes regarding how to act.


However, I was never this apathetic.


Four people died in front of me, and yet I felt nothing. It was a unusual feeling in my heart, as if I wasn't able to see them as fellow Humans beings.


Though despite noticing this alteration in perspective, I had no desire to change the way I see living beings.


Why would I stick to the morals of my past life? It wasn't as if it mattered anyway since I wasn't planning to return to being Human anymore.


I didn't want to experience 'death' again because it just felt too wrong...


I sighed inwardly while gazing at the corpse of the horse that had just died from being poisoned by the purple fog in pity. It had done all it could for its selfish master, yet was still fated to die.


Is there no justice in this world?


It's unfortunate that I didn't have the capabilities to save it from its tragedy.


'I guess in death, all living, no matter who or what they are, are equal.' A melancholy shrouded my mind as I lost interest in the sly and tricky merchant.


I didn't really care anymore about learning the human language as I manipulated the black skull to my will.


'Corrupt!' I ordered the skull of the Undead Skeleton and turned it into black dust that headed straight for the lifeless horse that died painlessly.


The first 'body' I chose to possess was not a human, but a mere horse, since my heart was able to feel the genuine loyalty of the horse more intimately than what I felt from the merchant.


I wasn't someone who had profound feelings and lofty ideals. There wasn't really any deep reasoning behind my decision as it whim on my part.


The black dust left behind by my skull flew towards the horse and shrouded it.


It sank into the skin of the once powerful horse and corrupted it way more visibly than the poison did.


The poisonous fog killed the horse without spilling a drop of blood, but the dust of the black skull darkened the colour of the horse's skin entirely.


In the poisonous fog that was left behind by the greedy merchant, the horse that I took possession of stood up ominously as it trod along the road.


It didn't even look affected by the poison anymore as its empty mind only obeyed my will alone. The Undead Horse's eyes were empty as its fur seemed as black as a moonless night.


'I wonder what I should do now. Head for the closest civilisation? Hmm... it's not like they can kill me so, why not do it then? Let's cause some chaos!' I eerily laughed in my heart as I used my four legs to awkwardly trod forward.


I wasn't quite used to controlling a horse, but mastery comes from experience. All I did was gallop peacefully across the empty road without sweating the small stuff.

Spoiler: Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Necromancer

Oh how I f*cking regret that careless decision I made without thinking!


Why do I have such bad luck? Just when I thought I understood the level of strength Humans can display, the same black-clothed b*stard who left me in the Nether Realm before captured me and forced me out of my vessel!


Calm down, me, regretting won't change how screwed I am right now.


What's going to happen to me?


What is this 'Magician' going to do?


"Testing, testing... one two three testing. If you can hear and comprehend what I'm saying: raise your right hand." I unconsciously did as I was told without thinking much before realising that I could now somehow overcome the language barrier between two alternate worlds.


As I sat in a magical flask that was practically a new room for a proud NEET like myself. The transparent 'head' of my spiritual body looked up.


Above me was a evil-looking giant who seemed to be front experiments on me.


"Huh? You actually understood what I said? Terrific~! Can I ask you a few questions?" The light in the the man's scheming eyes flashed with delight.


I didn't take offence to his mannerisms since I didn't really care either way.


It was the first time I could actually communicate somewhat with a person of this magical world so I cherished the opportunity a lot more than he did.


I nodded my head before laying lazily on the flask's wall with a serene heart.


A strange expression appeared on the man's face as he looked at me in disbelief. It was probably the first time someone in my situation was so calm.


He coughed a few times while altering the Magic Circle in his hand a bit before taking out a sheet of papers.


"Do you have a name?" I nodded my head without saying any unnecessary words while studying the Magic Circle.


The smile on the shrewd man's face widened as the Magic Circle was generously given to me for free.


I looked at the man's eyes for a second but didn't push the Magic Circle away.


"Let me introduce myself. I am the Principle of the Necromancy Academy that is hidden from mortal eyes. We the seekers of truth, the researchers who seek to defy the Gods, those of our profession are known to that ignorant world as... Necromancers!" There was a passionate flame deep within the man's eyes as well as a sincere pride.


I didn't respond to him immediately and instead took my time to casually study the Magic Circle in my hands.


"What is the name of the forest you found me in? I'd like to learn a few things before I disclose my identity." I wasn't moved by this b*stard's words since I already knew that beforehand.


How else could he have caught me so easily without giving me a chance to fight back? I didn't think a Necromancer would show up just after hearing a rumour about me...


In the forest I was lazing around at were a lot of 'Adventurers' who seemed to make a living off hunting. I myself was considered a target after being found but none were able to beat me.


Those guys with 'Magic' of elemental properties weren't even that strong to begin with, making me ignorantly believe that I was powerful. Only when this guy showed up was I instantly captured without being able to escape.


"Insolence! A mere disembodied spirit doesn't have the right to question a great Necromancer such as-"


"Then don't expect an answer." I cut him off half way through his rant before turning my head away from him.


I could hear the man breathing heavily in rage in my head through the telepathic connection of the Magic Circle he was using to communicate.


"It's named the Dark Forest." He was somehow able to regain his composure as he answered my question honestly.


"What were you searching for?" I followed up while turning my head in order to look straight into his eyes.


"What makes you think I was looking for something?" The man's responded calmly with another question but the twitch at the corner of his eyes exposed the shock he felt because of my words.


"Is there another reason a researcher would go into the 'Dark Forest'? I've never heard of a researcher who had enough time to take a walk in such a dangerous forest filled with monstrously strong animals." The memory of the armoured bear that I saw attacking adventurers flashed in my mind as explained with certainty.


"That information is confidential." The man didn't seem like he'd let any information leak out of his mouth.


Though it wasn't as if I was interested in talking to him since I was just secretly testing out if I could lie or not.


To test if my theory was correct, I wanted to ask about something I didn't feel curious about while thinking of the actual question I wanted to ask secretly in my mind. This was a roundabout method of testing the Magic Circle's efficiency was hard to notice but the results exposed his scheme right away.


That was a close one... Who knows what could have happened if I wasn't paying attention and believed him?


The trap I laid down so craftily could have been easily revealed to him.


"I'm satisfied. You can ask anything about my vessel now." I didn't show anything on my mind and altered my way of speaking so it was more sincere.


"Finally...!" The man opened a freezer within this underground laboratory and dragged out my Undead Stallion.


"What is this thing? How in the world did you create such a powerful Undead using such crude methods?" The man pointed at the mushy paste of flesh and the exposed black skeletal body of the Undead Stallion before asking curiously. It was strange seeing how he was treating my vessel like fragile glass.


"Hmmm... so that's considered to be abnormal... Well, I wouldn't know since I practically 'knitted' it together." It was then that I patently explained how I merged about twenty Black Skeletons and thousands of Abyssal Souls to create this precious vessel of mine.


"So wasteful! You actually fused that many Undead Skeletons into the corpse of a Stallion Beast? How wasteful are you? Such prodigality! Ah!" He seemed to be literally feeling the excruciating pain of seeing someone burn money for the sake of lightening their wallet.


To think the guy felt so much grief that he actually repeated 'wasteful' twice...


"The physical bodies of the Black Skeleton's mean nothing to me since I could always extract the black bones if needed." I shrugged my shoulders. To me, what I fused the Black Skeleton bones with was not that big of a deal.


"You can extract them as well?" The black-clothed man asked doubtfully.


"What, are you unable to do so? I thought you were a 'great' Necromancer or whatever." I mocked while looking down on the guy.


Some great Necromancer he is. To think he can't so something so simple.


"A powerless spirit like you has no right to look down on the great I!" The man said narcissistically as if stating facts.


Hahahaha! What the hell did this just say?! Don't look down on 'the great I'?


Hahaha! This guys a riot! Too bad he won't be able to live past today...


"One question: How is it you're so different from everyone else? I noticed your strength is miles apart from ordinary Humans who were hunting in the Dark Forest." I asked curiously while ignoring his arrogant tone.


"Hmph! Don't compare me with those wretched mortals. Only extraordinary people who have been enlightened towards their true nature can form an Intrinsic Origin. I am what you should refer to as a 'High Human'." I didn't understand what the guy was talking about but he looked narcissistic again.


"I might feel admiration for your achievement if you'd actually explain what you mean in detail. I have no knowledge regarding Humans and their ways of using 'Magic'." Although the Necromancer seemed a bit too narcissistic in my eyes, it wasn't as if I lied. I'm the kind of person who admires those who achieve greatness without being biased towards foes.


"Then listen up you foolish, wasteful, prodigal swine who had the gall to waste precious pearls that every Necromancer dreams of. There is no Necromancer on Sphera that wouldn't spit out a river of blood upon hearing about what you did." The man's eyes were red as he looked like he was about to cry tears of blood. Hmmm... was what I did really as bad as he said it is?


All I wanted was a good horse... I didn't think my one decision would cause such a grown man to be on the verge of dying from the sheer jealousy he felt.


It seems he was having a hard time moving on from that. The black-clothed Necromancer took his time to calm down as he drank a glass of water.


It was only after a long time did a shrewd light flash in his eyes as he picked up a pen and paper on the desk near the surgical table he had placed my Undead Stallion on to illustrate.


"Whether living or dead, all souls of Sphera are innately able to control Mana. However, only those who are able to see through the nature of their innate Mana are able to undergo a transformation that changes the very essence of their magical power.


A great example of a person 'seeing through the nature of their Mana' is the Sword God. That guy was once an ordinary blacksmith of the Ancient Kingdom who forged swords for a living until he forced to join the kingdoms army to resist the ever growing threat of the Demon Horde.


On the battlefield where he saw the swords he forged being used to protect the kingdom he loved, he experienced enlightenment and transformed his Mana Origin into an inner world. This 'inner world' he created is also known as humanity's Intrinsic Origin." The man's voice was filled with a rare tone of admiration as he talked about this certain kingdom's so-called Sword God.


"Is he really that great?" I couldn't help but ask as I saw him breaking character. Isn't he supposed to be narcissistic? How can a self-centred guy like him know how to praise others people for their achievements? It looks like you can't judge a book by its cover.


"Is the Sword God great? It's pure ignorance to not know that there is no one who has ever been worthy of the title 'God' since the founding of the Ancient Kingdom. I may not have a similar title with similar grandeur but my abilities are near his equal." The Necromancer replied with a laugh.


I see, so all this time he was just setting up the opportunity to compare himself with a legendary figure of humanity.


He then looked at me with eyes that were asking: "What do you think?"


As if I should be bowing down to his greatness right now and begging to be his underling. Hmmm... now that I think about it... could it be that he wants to subdue me as his pawn?


"If you tell me the secret to how you controlled this Undead Stallion of yours. I might let you become one of my followers. What do you think?" He smiled greedily while licking his lips.


"I think you're dreaming too much. I mean, it's already time for you to die anyway." A satanic smile curved onto my lips as I met his evil gaze head on.


"You think you can kill me? I'd like to see you try. I wonder what you can do to kill me inside my Supreme Spirit Suppression Flask. Even a high-level Elemental Spirit would have a hard time affecting escaping my personal Magic Artifact." The Necromancer ridiculed but still frowned as he felt unsettled by my ominous smile.


"Do you know of programming?" I casually asked while sitting down.


"Programming?" The Necromancer didn't seem to recognise the word.


"At college, I was a total game addict before I became an Otaku. So it was only natural I'd learn how to programme simplistic games in my free-time." The Necromancer couldn't understand what I was talking about but he knew I wasn't saying nonsense through the Magic Circle he made.


"Of the games I made, the one I really liked in particular was called dungeon escape. The player had to escape the platform level I made under the time designated or else the monster within the dungeon will awaken and kill the player." I reminisced out loud. The Necromancer couldn't understand one word of what I was talking about but he felt uneasy upon hearing my words...


"Player... Game... Time... Escape..." The Necromancer murmured out loud. It was then that he seemed to be enlightened of something. He looked at a nearby clock and realised that it had been exactly one day since he captured me and trapped me in this flask.


His hair stood on end while his instinct raised alarms upon sensing crisis! He only heard the sound of hooves hitting the floor before feeling turning to see the Undead Stallion in front of him.


Chomp!


His eyes widened in grief and indignation as his neck was bit off.


He didn't even have time to fight back or scream before being thrown aside.


The Necromancer's lifeless body hit the wall of the underground laboratory as the Undead Stallion charged towards me and head-butted the flask.


A shattering sound could be heard as I was released from magical cage the Necromancer made. It was then that I returned back to the Stallion's body.

Spoiler: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Augustus Phantluck

'Looks like I win this one.' I thought happily while celebrating inwardly.


Hmmm... How strange... To think I don't feel anything from committing an act of murder, have I grown that apathetic towards life? ...Meh! Who cares?! Everything is good as long as I'm not morally wrong when killing.


Whoa! Did I just think that? Looks like I've somehow turned psychopathic...


I shouldn't be thinking about this right now. I'll have to ponder about it later.


I turned my Undead Stallion's head towards Necromancer's corpse that slowly slid down on to the floor.


I didn't order it to destroy the guy's brain because I wanted information.


'Devour!' I ordered my Undead Stallion. A rotating black dust cloud appeared out of its mouth and swallowed the man's corpse whole.


Everything from flesh to bones were devoured and turned into the Undead Stallion's own as they integrated into it.


Within the Abyssal Soul of the Undead Stallion, many fragmented memories started to appear one by one.


Originally, this is supposed to be the part where I smile delightfully at the turn of events, but memories of the Necromancer caused me distress.


--------------------------------------


Augustus Phantluck was a man on great talents. He wasn't heroic nor noble, and was merely a shrewd crook who would do anything for his goals.


However, this kind of personality really seemed favourable in the environment he grew up in. As a noble of the Mystic Kingdom that was secretly at war with the Ancient Kingdom in the darkness.


The Ancient Kingdom was long lasting and had been known as the original civilisation humanity had formed with the help of the Archangels of Virtue.


Unlike the nobles-in-name within the Mystic Kingdom, the Nobles of the Ancient Kingdom had the prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice in their hearts which set them apart from the ordinary commoners under them.


The Noble Household's of the Ancient Kingdom were untainted. This was the reason why there was a lack of internal struggles within their old kingdom.


However, the Mystic Kingdom on the other hand was a lot more chaotic due to the Royal Family changing every so often due to plots and assassinations.


Augustus grew up with learning many things from his wicked father as he learned just how ruthless and cruel the reality of the kingdom was firsthand.


He himself wasn't able to handle the responsibilities his father would pass on to him as a Noble Family's Head.


So he ran away from home and traveled the world as an Adventurer. It was a hard life where he had to learn the difference between nobility and those who worked beneath that status but he had a very diligent heart that always hungered for more knowledge.


It was too bad this 'diligence' wasn't really a redeeming quality since it only fuelled his already twisted personality.


He learned many skills and techniques along his journey. He stole, killed, and even lead a gang of bandits to plunder.


As if the amount of atrocities Augustus committed before becoming a Necromancer wasn't enough, he went on to experimenting his Death Spells on living, breathing Humans.


A Necromancer's profession is to research the boundaries of life and death no matter what the cost. All 'sins' were merely illusions to them, it didn't matter what they did to research life.


Many years passed until he was finally considered a Senior Necromancer. The Dark Guild paid him generously for killing and slaughtering countless innocents so he can continue researching the oddities of the Nether Realm without actually entering it.


He, along with other Senior Necromancer's, feared the Nether Realm due to the Death Ether that had the ability to corrupt the soul and completely erase the mind of the living.


Augustus wanted to continue his research and devotedly teach the students of the Necromancy Academy he became part of but a secret mission given to him by the school's Headmaster led him on the search for the Skeleton Key of the Nether Realm.


To speak of the Skeleton Key, one would have to know that Humans with Intrinsic Origins were practically a different species from ordinary ones.


The ancestor of Death Magic, the very first Necromancer in existence, was an Intrinsic Origin user who created an inner world using an imitation of Death Mana as the foundation for his magic.


Humans of this world named Sphera were able to imitate the Mana of other races using the Light Mana within their Light Origins. As long as they had an innate affinity towards another element of this world, their Light Mana would be able to imitate it to some extent.


The so-called Sword God that Augustus mentioned to me a few moments ago actually had an affinity with swords in general, allowing him to create an Inner World related to swords. Just thinking about the various Affinities that Humans could have was puzzling.


Getting back to the topic at hand, the Skeleton Key was what that Ancient Necromancer of the past had created using his Death Affinity Inner World.


It was a treasure that was able to open the barrier to the Nether Realm and help Necromancer's summon extremely high-levelled Undead.


Judging from the information Augustus gathered regarding the Nether Realm. It seems the deeper under the wasteland of corpses that had aged to dust were Undead that ranged from Death Knights to Lichs.


The reason I could only find Undead Skeletons was because of this as well.


Judging from this Augustus guy's memories, he was in search of the Skeleton Key so that he could return it to his teacher, the Headmaster of the Necromancy Academy, who had previously lost it in a battle against Holy Knights who sought to kill him.


Augustus seemed to have put a lot of effort in finding the Skeleton Key and didn't even have the slightest evil motives to steal it from his teacher. He was searching every nook and cranny of the Dark Forest until he heard a rumour regarding an Undead Stallion that was walking around by itself.


When Augustus first heard this rumour going around in the Adventurer Association he infiltrated, he snorted disdainfully at its contents because he felt the rumour was just empty words.


It was widely known that the Undead within the Nether Realm, the world where all souls returned to before reincarnation, had no will of their own.


Necromancer's could use their Death Affinity Light Mana to preform the Undead Summoning Death Spell but they couldn't use magic to give Undead a will of their own. It was against the very principles of nature for an Undead to have even a shred of consciousness.


Necromancer's used Undead Creatures like puppets. They could modify them and preform Death Magic on them to make them explode or modify their physiques using the Undead Modification Death Spell taught to them by the teachers of their academy.


Unorthodox Necromancer's who studied Death Magic on their own might have a few tricks due to their creative ways of using Death Affinity Light Mana yet it was impossible for them to be stronger than those who have learned orthodox Death Magic.


He didn't believe the rumours regarding my existence at all, but that didn't mean he wasn't a little curious.


He tracked me down using the methods of a Senior Necromancer who has deep experience with fighting Undead and almost died of shock.


Seeing me roam about freely without my Summoner gave him goosebumps.


It was the first time he had ever witnessed a high-level Undead in the form of a horse. Not only had he been completely creeped out by the lack of a Necromancer keeping tabs on me but he felt awkward watching my human-like reactions when walking about.


I didn't eat grass like an Undead Stallion that retained its memories of being formerly a horse-type Animalistic Beast of the Beast Race and instead seemed to be admiring nature like a Noble who left home for experience.


If that wasn't enough, it seemed to actually know about 'fear' since it ran away when an Armoured Beat attacked.


Augustus could only stare blankly in the place he was hiding in while feeling as if his knowledge and research were worth sh*t! How depressed would a person feel once they found that their understanding of the subject they studied for many years was flawed?


That was why he decided to capture me using the various methods at his disposal. He was confident he'd be able to subdue me until he found that his opponent was actually a Supreme Undead. A f*cking Supreme Undead!


The density of the Abyssal Soul I created as a vessel was extremely precious in his eyes since it could only bring out maximum efficiency in the hands of a Necromancer like himself.


The Undead Stallion was practically a goldmine in Augustus's mind. This was especially true when he found that the skeleton of the Undead was pure black.


He subconsciously casted the high-levelled Death Magic known as Connection Break as soon as he appeared in front of me. He was planning to follow up that Spell with a multitude of others, though he didn't expect that I'd lose so easily.


The Connection Break Death Spell severed my ability to control my Undead Stallion, which was the reason I couldn't even fight against him.


The events following that were what I already knew of from experience.


-------------------------------------------


I took my time digesting the memories of this guy named Augustus due to the fact that I didn't want my mind to be corrupted by his demonic mindset.


Although I had lost some of my marbles after experiencing the solitude of not being able to meet anyone in the Nether Realm and world-travel itself, it wasn't as if I had completely thrown away my sense of morality from Earth.


To me, murder was inexcusable unless the opposing party is evil. So gaining the mentality Augustus cultivated over the years as someone who weighed lives on an internal scale was something I would rather not receive.


Though that didn't mean that the mental corruption from Augustus's ideals was my greatest worry.


The thing I was worried about the most was the horcrux-like method Senior Necromancer's had to revive themselves. One of the reasons it was so hard killing Necromancer's was due to the nature of their Death Magic.


Using their Death Magic, a Senior Necromancer could 'resurrect' himself using a piece of their soul they severed and placed in a vessel beforehand.


This means that I'm f*cking screwed now that someone knows of my existence. I could hide myself easily if it was others but those damn Necromancer's are Death Specialists.


The students of that academy would definitely be able to find me if the 'resurrection' of Augustus was to ask for their help regarding the matter.


Looks like I have no choice but to destroy the Necromancy Academy if I want to live a tranquil life of peace...!


First things first though, it seems I need to fix my application of Death Mana. After assimilating the knowledge of a Senior Necromancer who was even the Principal of a magical academy, I was able gain a clear understanding regarding Death Mana.


Humans were the only species on Sphera who were able to emit their Mana into the atmosphere while everyone else had to use other mediums to manifest their abilities.


Even the basic technique innately known by humanity at birth was known as Combat Aura, an ability that allowed the user to manifest their Light Mana for reinforcement, projection, and other properties depending on the user.


Undead on the other hand had the basic technique innately carved into their Abyssal Souls that allowed them to move without flesh and follow orders. This innate technique of theirs was known as Soul Unification, the ability to fuse their mind, soul, heart and physical body all into one entity.


Undead Creatures weren't able to shoot magic or whatever, but the techniques they could come up with using their natural advantages wasn't few. It was only due to my ignorance that I wasn't able to display the Stallion's might!

Spoiler: Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Kindness

Looking at the Necromancer's underground laboratory, I decided stop thinking about useless things like philosophy and whatnot to take what I could before getting out of here.


I've never been the type to waste money, and since this guy left 'a little' change laying around, why not take it?


We're already bitter enemies anyway.


Okay! Less hesitation and more 'picking up another's loose change'!


The mouth of the Undead Stallion was like a sticky-fingered thief. It packed the gold coins the Necromancer left in a hidden vault in a practiced manner.


Within a big body bag- I mean giant sack I found beneath a table, there were many vials of potions, chemicals and other materials piling up one by one. As soon as I reached the second bag, I found that one Undead Stallion may not be enough to carry them.


This problem was easy to solve as I split the dust of the black bones I fused into the Undead Stallion into two parts and found another 'vessel' in the corpse collection left behind by the Necromancy Academy's principal.


After infiltrating the room that had the most Death Affinity World Ether surrounding it, I was disappointed to find only a suit of armour which seemed to have somehow been refined from pure bones. However, my mood improved as I found that it was actually the Necromancer's prized possession.


The white suit of skeletal armour was called the Undead Lord. An Artificial Undead created from the bones of numerous Demons, Angels, Humans and every other race on Sphera.


The surface of the armour was covered in mysterious runes that were meant to imitate the circuits of machines.


Judging from the Necromancer's memories, it seems the helmet-less suit of armour was just about to be completed and turned into an Undead after the finishing touches were done.


The helmet of the armour was the most important piece so the Necromancer was very picky towards whose bones the final piece would be made out of.


The man already spent nearly half his life slowly and carefully grinding the bones of many high-level existences before integrating them using various refining methods of Death Attribute.


If it wasn't because of the special attributes of the Death Affinity that allows it to blend with other elements of Sphera, creating a suit of armour like this wouldn't have been possible.


I couldn't help but admire the suit of armour after comprehending the 'common sense' a person from Sphera would have without being taught.


Death Magic was the best at altering the flesh and souls of those of the fallen or those still living but it wasn't easy to learn by any means. In fact, the patience the Necromancer had to create such a work of art is essential for a person who learns Necromancy.


To think the Necromancer I murdered but failed to completely kill was actually a powerhouse that was able to synthetically produce bones with extremely pure and harmonised Mana.


Such an exquisite suit of armour is on the level of a country's National Treasure! Well, a country that isn't the Ancient Kingdom of course, that one is on an entirely different level anyway...


What's important is that it seems the Necromancer wanted to sacrifice an Elf Princess in order to integrate both her bones and soul before casting Undead Creation to turn it into a true Undead.


Now I may be ruthless enough to kill a person who has harmed me before but I'm atrocious enough to kill a girl in order to create a mindless zombie.


Who kills little girls anyway? As someone who greatly admired his sister to the point of putting her on a pedestal in his mind whenever he thought of her, my feminist mentality was hell bent on making sure she survives.


I ignored the armour for a moment so that I could open another room that wasn't hidden as much as the one the Necromancer used to store his money.


I didn't think I could feel any more nauseous after seeing that f*cking demented Necromancer's memories but it seems this sh*t takes the cake.


Who the f*ck does this sh*t? Not only that but to a defenceless young girl...


I really, really want to actively torture this guy now. Especially after seeing the gruesome scene in front of me.


If only life was like a light novel. How great would it be if the hero was always on time and not a minute too late...?


For the first time since I came to this world, I felt a deep sense of pity towards someone other than myself.


The Necromancer's memories had a lot of murders. It was filled with twisted things no man should witness.


However, even as I 'watched' those memories, none of them really felt real to me. They just felt like a horror movie flick that cranked the age limit to 21.


Although no one with a 'normal' mind could have coped seeing such brutal murders in such high definition, it wasn't really that hard to disregard the fact that they all happened in reality.


The young girl who was actually in front of me however was different.


I could turn my vision away from the injustice the Necromancer committed when reading his memories. I could completely ignore the death of a person who I wasn't related to, but how could I ignore the suffering before me?


In the middle of the dark room was a young girl whose body was covered in a white cloth. Her figure was chained to the ceiling by her arms as various restrictions were put on her body.


Her nose was intact, though the same couldn't be said for everything else.


Two screws were drilled into both of her ears while her eyeballs seemed to have been gauged out by knives before being covered. Her mouth was missing all her teeth- no, that wasn't even the point, she was practically missing her entire lower jaw. Many syringes were stabbed into her back while the muscles in her arms and legs were peeled off so she couldn't move.


It wasn't hard to see how her body wasn't properly fed as the white cloth that covered her was quite tight. It even outlined how meatless her arms and legs were right down to the fingers.


Horrifying or gruesome weren't enough to properly explain how inhumane the Necromancer's tortures actually were.


For the first time since my years in primary school, I felt a hatred that threatened to turn me berserk!


I could disregard anyone who doesn't have anything to do with me, while in on the other hand, I couldn't do the same for those right before my eyes.


It's the same difference in feeling one has for orphaned children in charity adverts and poor people you personally meet when going near shopping malls.


In my past life, the young Simon of back then was a man of justice. A boy who'd beat up any bullies he found.


Too bad that the me of back then was too weak and somewhat stupid. I couldn't hold an argument against unreasonable and shameless people plus lost against anyone I fought.


I cried real hard everyday due to the number of times I was beat black and blue by bullies who had the help of the rest of the classmates. Why is it bloody sh*ts like them can live easily in life compared to responsible people?


Isn't justice supposed to win in the end? Then why couldn't I win?


It was at that time I had grown more cool-headed after realising that stories were merely just that: stories. Being on the side of justice wasn't that easy.


I had always thought that justice was a prize for the winners. That if you fought others while being weak or dumb, losing was your own fault.


Sometimes it's better to just lower your head and accept reality for what it is.


Courage is unless you are able to put a hundred times more effort than others!


I remember... I finally remembered my ideals... The reason I wanted to surpass my two siblings in the first place. How I wanted to improve myself. How brave I was before I'd given up on everything...


However, what's the point of remembering all that now?


Damn! Damn! F*ck the lot of you! I'll slaughter those so-called Necromancers and send them to hell!


Necromancer's should all die! Who does such things to a little girl?


The Undead Stallion I possessed unconsciously under my fiery rage.


After regaining enough clarity, I moved the Stallion towards the girl and broke the restraints that weren't letting her feet touch the floor. I know the Necromancer who tortured her didn't enjoy treating her like this but I couldn't forgive this either way.


I caught the young girl using the Stallion's mouth and took all the syringes out of her back in one fell swoop. She didn't react in any way as her body was moved yet I knew from the fact that she still carried a soul that she was still 'alive' physically.


It was easier for the Necromancer to control the souls of living vessels with broken minds than those with clarity.


I don't know if I could heal her body and rehabilitate her mind. Though that doesn't mean I won't even try.


This decision wasn't out of a strong belief nor out of arrogance.


It was out of kindness.


Pure and untainted kindness.


It sounds pretentious when I point it out myself, but I'm a person who's clearly aware of his own flaws and strengths without sugarcoating them.


For example: Right not I'm going to recklessly challenge the entire Necromancy Academy out of anger. It is a stupid move. A stupid move I will never regret even if I was to die!


Sometimes you can't act on logic. To truly live your life. Sometimes you must act according to your heart.


I'm not certain I can defeat them but I will do my best to kill them either way.


Death Mana can knit the flesh and stitch the soul. This is its strengths as well as its weakness all in one sentence.


I can't use Death Mana to heal her. It would be irresponsible of me to ruin her life further by turning her into an abomination with knitted flesh.


So lay her body facing up towards the ceiling and gestured from within the Abyssal Soul of the Undead Stallion.


After gaining the comprehension of the Necromancer's studies towards Death Mana, it was easy to transmit the Undead Stallion's Death Mana into the young elf through touch instead of having to 'jump' back and forth.


Many 'threads' connecting the Abyssal Soul of my Stallion and the young girls soul that was filled with pure Life Mana intertwined into a very, very thick rope.


The Abyssal Soul, as if reacting to the Life Mana that was now being converted to Death Mana within it, had started to undergo a sudden change.


The young elf girl was the same a white radiance arose from her body and dispelled all the injuries and restraints on her body. This included the screws that were stabbed deeply into her ears.


The white cloth that covered the entirety of her small figure, even her little face, remained. The lower jaw of her face and the muscles on both her arms seemed to regenerate slowly compared her 'superficial' wounds.


I shifted my attention to the Abyssal Soul of the Undead Stallion and decided that now was a good time to take over that skeletal suit of armour.


What was it called again? The 'Undead Sovereign Slaying Armour', was it?


It's too much of a long-winded name, I will call it Slaying Armour from now on. Hah... it should be a good enough name for my new 'permanent' vessel.


The black bone dust within the Undead Stallion all split from it and condensed into a skull that shot into the armour.


The white exterior of the Slaying Armour was corrupted by the black bones as my Stallion fell lifelessly.


The sounds of metal being crunched and bones being broken could be heard as the 'armour' became something else.


There was no longer a hollow interior that would need to have someone fitted within. Instead the 'Slaying Armour' turned into a 'Slaying Physique'!


The flesh of this new 'living dead' was as unique as the soul within it.


It seems my original soul and the Abyssal Soul within the once empty Slaying Armour also fused into one.


Soul Unification now works at full power as the armour became my 'body'.


I finally felt the sensation of touch as a metamorphosis turned the armour into some 'organism' that was between a Skeleton Undead and... a... human?


I'm not quite sure what a resurrected Undead actually is but it looks Human.


Well, it looks Human anyway, that's all that matters. I walked casually walked up to the Necromancer's drawer in his personal drawer at the side and put on some casual clothes from this world.


The Necromancer had a lot of disguises so it was easy to find what I wanted.


A white T-shirt, black pants and a black jacket to over it. I even put on some shoes for once as well before looking to see if the young girls situation changed.


Seeing that her body had regenerated but her eyes through the mask made by the white cloth was still empty made the wrath in my heart seethe painfully.


I won't be able to let go of this grudge...


I laid the body of the girl in the chair of the laboratory before heading out.


I didn't have the heart to look at her for too long so I decided to take these guilty feelings out on the enemies.


Once I got outside, I saw the same scenery of the Dark Forest as usual but now it didn't seem as bright as before.


How could I see the world in the same way after seeing such a tragedy? It will probably take some time to revert back to the 'normal' way of thinking I built after an eternity in the Nether Realm.


I sat there in front of the entrance to the underground laboratory with a bloodthirsty glow in my eyes. It didn't need to be said what I would do now.

Spoiler: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Headmaster

I sorted out what weapons I had and what strengths I could take advantage of against the many Necromancers that are about to arrive to this location.


Using that Augustus guy's memories as a reference, I created my own simple magical ability, though it due to it being put together in a hurry it's actually pretty embarrassing to use.


My new body is comparable to a next generation smart phone in my eyes since there are a lot of applications on it I'm just not that familiar with.


When upgrading from a flip phone to a smart phone, wouldn't a person feel awkwardness towards using it?


Not only can I only use less than a tenth of my Slaying Physique's true power, but the new ability I have at my disposal is practically 'barfing' Mana.


First gathering Death Mana into my chest before barfing it out... How embarrassing is that? Well, if it can kill them, then it doesn't matter what I do.


I couldn't be bothered doing something as useless as letting the little girl in the underground laboratory escape first since she would surely die in the Dark Forest without my protection.


And that's not even mentioning the fact that those damn Necromancer's could easily track her using Death Magic.


Although I could read the memories within the brain of the Necromancer's corpse, it wasn't that perfect since some memories were either too vague or too fragmented to actually 'read'.


What I know about the Death Magic used to track the young elf is the that it's a type of curse that couldn't be removed by anyone other than the caster. Trying to break the curse-type tracking spell would only hurt her.


Who knows what kind of intrinsic transformation she's undergoing right now? Interrupting her healing process doesn't sound like a good idea anyway.


'Oh?' As I was searching through the various items I stole from the Necromancer's laboratory, I found a vial of concentrated Death Mana.


Hah... how envious it is that only Humans of a magician-type profession could make something like this...


I walked back into the laboratory and poured the vial onto the corpse of the Stallion I had possessed previously.


The Death Affinity Light Mana within the vial was like a liquid as it merged with the corpse and turned into a Magic Circle through my manual manipulation of Death Mana by touching the bones of the corpse.


I didn't even care about the horrible stench Undead Stallion's flesh.


A small portal seemed to have opened up within it for a short amount of time and spat out a soul from the Nether Realm, a black Abyssal Soul that integrated with the Stallion's corpse.


Through using an altered Death Spell that was once known as Undead Creation along with the vial of liquified Death Affinity Light Mana, I awakened the Stallion as an Artificial Undead.


Its head lifted from the ground as it stood up by reflex, then awaited orders through the new Abyssal Soul within it.


A smile formed on my face as I found myself liking this Stallion a lot more.


No matter what anyone says, the only time I'll abandon this Stallion is when it's completely and utterly destroyed.


I gathered the weapons Augustus wanted to equip to his Artificial Undead and the Defensive Talismans he wasn't able to use before his death.


A laugh escaped my lips as I remembered the face he made as the Undead Stallion took one of his lives.


If I was that Senior Necromancer, there is no way I'd forgive the 'person' that suddenly mugged him out of nowhere.


In fact, it was easy to guess through referencing the guy's memories that his next course of action would be to kill me using everything at his disposal.


I jumped onto the Undead Stallion's bank and rode it out of the laboratory.


I didn't even need horse-riding skills since both me and Stallion were as one.


Our bones were connected by intricate connection that came from the very essence of Soul Unification. The innate ability of Undead wasn't inflexible as it allowed many possibilities for only myself in this world. As an anomaly that fused its unique and original Viral Soul with an Abyssal Soul of the Nether Realm, there wasn't anyone remotely like myself anywhere on Sphera.


The transformation... or more like 'evolution' I went through to obtain this 'half-living' physical body wasn't something even a Senior Necromancer like Augustus had even heard about.


The Necromancer was aware that forming contracts could lead to a multitude transformations depending on the identities of the two parties.


For example: Elves who have made contracts with Beasts would turn into Dark Elves while the traitorous Elves that form contracts with Greater Demons would turn into Fallen Elves.


I myself forcefully formed a 'contract' with that young elf using those 'threads' created by the connection of two souls. As a living deadman who is neither a Human nor Undead, the transformation I provoked within both of us hasn't been studied before.


I could feel that the Soul Unification innate ability was only one of two abilities I had after fusing with the Abyssal Soul. The name I came up for this cheat-like innate ability I once had in my Viral Soul is Synthetic Overhaul!


The ability to take apart anything my soul itself has touched and reconstruct it according to my thoughts and will.


If I use this unique ability properly, the table in-between the two sides will flip.


My eyes narrowed shrewdly as I started to plot against the oncoming storm!


------------------------------------------


Meanwhile, in the hidden evil academy of necromancy, the Senior Necromancer Augustus Phantluck suddenly revived out of a Grimoire.


The ability to create an 'extra life' out of a Grimoire was not something a virtues men wouldn't even seek in their lives.


What is a Grimoire? It's a practically a twin born at the same time as a every Human being on Sphera. A spiritual entity that occupies its fellow Human counterpart while growing steadily in various forms depending on their counterpart's actions and personality.


Swordsmen would be like the Sword God and hold their Grimoires which had shape themselves as swords in their hands. On the other hand, those who pursue the research of magic would have Grimoires as magical staffs.


The spiritual entities known as Grimoires were sentient, living beings that were shaped out of their counterparts. It's not like they wouldn't decide their personality and abilities but more that they 'couldn't' do that.


Back to the main point, treating Grimoires as disposable lives that could take a hit for them is the most inhumane act a Human of Sphera could do. Though it wasn't like the Necromancers of the academy felt any guilt at all due to their cold mindsets.


Most if not all Necromancers were the type who'd weigh benefits than morality. It wasn't like Necromancy was an honest profession anyway...


Augustus may have felt significantly immense the loss in his heart due to his Grimoires death but he recovered fast.


He was actually glad in his heart that there was someone who died for him.


'That inferior bug actually dared to kill me! I'll destroy him thoroughly this time! No need to study him. The only thing I need to do is erase him. That Abyssal Soul in his possession should be enough to cover my losses.' The Principal of the Necromancy Academy roared in his mind as he headed towards the Headmaster's office.


In contrast to the black-clothes he wore when he explored the Dark Forest in search for the Skeleton Key, the clothes he had on now was a pure white priest uniform with black skull on the shoulder that signified necromancy.


Those of the Necromancy Academy believed in the laws equivalent exchange to the point of worship. This wasn't just a metaphor, it was the pure and unbiased truth of the matter.


The Headmaster of the Necromancy Academy was practically the Pope if his position in the academy was to be measured by the Holy Church.


The frail-looking man with wrinkles all over his face was surprised by his most valued student's sudden arrival.


He thought about the meaning of Augustus' visit and realised that things weren't look good. Who in the world could actually 'kill' his student?


Augustus didn't hide anything as he told the old man what had transpired.


How he met a strange spirit that could possess other spirits and captured it to study its origins. How an Abyssal Soul of the supreme grade was refined into the bones of an ordinary Beast Stallion.


There were many things he told the ancestor as he recalled the whole incident. He then ended his story at the point where he was killed in an attack from the Undead Stallion that wasn't being manipulated by Death Magic.


"It's unfortunate. To think that disembodied soul was able to leave behind a command before he was ejected from the Supreme Grade Abyssal Soul using a high-levelled Connection Break Death Spell. Your death wasn't unjust since you became careless after underestimating that strange soul." The Headmaster scolded his student jokingly but Augustus knew his teacher wasn't the type to joke.


"Shouldn't we be sending all our forces to take back the Undead Sovereign Slaying Armour? That one suit of armour costed us too much to just leave in the hands of an outsider. Not only that but the Elf Princess of the Yggdrasil Tree will point fingers at us if she survives this ordeal and returns to the core region of the Dark Forest." The Principal of the Necromancy Academy wasn't to be underestimated as he quickly listed down everything that could prove to be detrimental to the Necromancy Academy in due time.


"Calm down my dear student. I may agree with your thoughts but your method of handling the matter isn't good enough. What have I been teaching you all these years?" The Headmaster's question caused a blush to appear on Augustus' cheeks as he lowered his head shamefully.


He knew the procedures used to take on unknown enemies. However, the indignation he felt from having died so vainly caused him to be emotional.


The Headmaster gave Augustus a moment for regain himself and instead racked his brain to remember which underground laboratory his student was using to complete the Undead Sovereign Slaying Armour.


After remembering the location, a bright light appeared in his eyes as he used Death Mana to draw on the desk.


A Magic Circle appeared on the Headmaster's desk and shifted magical symbols into the form of a cube.


The old man played with the exterior of the cube for a bit before using his Ominous Fate Death Spell to lock down on the location of the young elf girl.


His eyes widened in surprise as he saw a pale-skinned young man near the entrance of the underground laboratory. He could instantly recognise that the young man riding on an Undead Stallion was his target.


"He actually 'evolved' after I 'died' by using Soul Unification on the Undead Sovereign Slaying Armour?!" Augustus couldn't believe what he was seeing.


He knew his teacher had many Undead Ravens used to scout unknown territories. If it wasn't for the fact that they decay at an extreme speed compared to other Undead with more powerful bodies, his teacher would have used them to scout the forest for the Skeleton Key without wasting time.


The two of them weren't ordinary Senior Necromancer's, they could easily put together the pieces with just the clues they had. Augustus' mouth opened wide as he realised that I must have somehow forced a contract onto the young elf in order to 'evolve',


"Interesting... Interesting...! Let's see his power!" The Headmaster seemed to be filled with fighting intent as he pointed at the youth on the screen and used the Undead Summoning Death Spell to send his Undead to fight.


From the Undead Graveyard that was not only the Necromancy Academy's world-renowned guardian but also storage unit for Artificial Undead, a rusted coffin flew out of it before suddenly disappearing into the sky above the Necromancy Academy.


It was then that the rusty, old coffin from the Graveyard appeared in the air above the underground laboratory in a larger size while slowly opening itself.


The amount of Mana the Headmaster used to do such a thing was enormous!


The old man quickly started panting in exhaustion as the coffin opened...


More than a hundred zombies started to escape the coffin as they headed towards my clueless self swiftly!

 

Use this.
[ spoiler]
[ /spoiler]
Remove space between [ and s and /s.

 

The first thing I normally do is checking the reviews

 

I'll have to do that tomorrow, sleepy~

 

This was very good