Necromancer Of The Black Bible (133)

I returned to the Ethereal Gate and watched the situation.

To be honest, I had no expectations about Verdin and Natasha’s recent actions.

I only hoped it would be a journey where they could get what they wanted.

But things had become strangely tangled.

Something located in the pine forest near the southern border of the Empire seemed to have orchestrated this event.

At that moment, Ceres, who had been gauging my mood, approached and spoke.

“It seems Cirrhnua Matter is behind it.”

“Who is that?”

“A Spirit. A being born when ancient, accumulated consciousness became self-aware.”

“A Spirit could cause something like this?”

It’s amazing.

Until now, my belief had been that Spirits were not powerful enough to significantly affect this world.

In fact, countless books I’d read up until now described Spirits like this.

<An assemblage of dreamy illusions.>

<A fanciful, insubstantial mirage.>

<There are two kinds who invoke Spirits: those lost in their own illusions, or those enslaved by superstition.>

<Spiritcraft is more finicky than demoncraft. Demoncraft is based on contracts, whereas Spiritcraft rests on the vague concept of affinity.>

There are countless writings skeptical of Spirit-based magic and Spirit mages.

So I had continued to regard Spiritcraft as superstition.

But Ceres corrected my thinking.

“Spirits exist. And Spirit handlers exist as well. From ancient times, the kings of Spirits possessed such immense power that even the Demon Kings did not meddle with them. Spirits are absent from human chronicles because they have not intervened in their history.”

“I see.”

It was an explanation that could be immediately accepted.

Humans naturally only record matters in which they were involved.

And beings that only observe from afar tend to be belittled.

Especially wizards and necromancers take great pride in the magic they wield.

Such people would never easily acknowledge Spiritcraft.

Assuming Ceres spoke the truth, I began to piece together the events unfolding in the southern Empire.

“So Ceres, you’re saying this war broke out because an ancient Spirit called Cirrhnua intervened here?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then what does Cirrhnua Matter hope to gain from this war?”

“It’s simple. Peace.”

“Peace?”

When I asked back, Ceres gently nodded and answered.

“The power of Spirits accumulates slowly within the tranquility of nature. For that, there must be no other beings around with disruptive energies.”

“I roughly understand.”

I nodded slowly.

Hearing this, I could conjecture Cirrhnua’s intent.

‘So it seeks its peace under the pretext of my children passing through, huh?’

In times like this, one must calculate carefully.

No matter how you look at it, my children are suffering.

If it seeks benefit amid this, it must pay a fair price.

Having read my thoughts, Ceres spoke.

“For now, you should focus on the immediate objective. The Imperial Army is by no means an easy opponent.”

“That’s true.”

In the past, I would have followed Ceres’ advice.

But now I had realized something.

The true might of the power I possessed.

And with the Towermaster, the 7th Circle Archmage Leopold gone, there is no one to stop my army.

‘Come to think of it, there’s nothing over there.’

Having either gathered or wiped out the entire Eckhart clan, there are hardly any talents left to defend the Empire.

‘Even if there are, could they stand against Verdin?’

During that time Verdin received martial transmission from William.

It might take time to match William, but Verdin’s current level is more than enough to contend with the Empire.

I was curious how far Verdin and Natasha could go.

‘I’ll watch a little longer.’

They say the most entertaining thing in the world is watching a fight.

What’s most entertaining is watching the fighter I bet on win.

That’s exactly where I stood.

A patron watching a winning fight.

If this fight is won, the entire Empire will fall into my hands.

‘First the Theocracy, then the Empire.’

The thought of taking the two nations tied to past grudges thrills me.

It’s not too late to decide what to demand from Cirrhnua after this battle is over.

“Is there anything else you wish instructed…?”

Ceres watched my expression and spoke, and I shook my head lightly.

“No. This is good as it is for now.”

“Understood.”

Ceres bowed deeply and withdrew.

Leaning back against my throne, I began to watch the grand epic unfolding in the crystal orb with care.

Then I gave an order.

Natasha waited beneath the bridge that spanned the river.

She had met with Verdin at dawn to discuss tactics and then received instructions from Damian.

-They will retreat along this bridge. If you ambush here, you can repel the enemy effectively.

Natasha prepared exactly as Damian had said.

She did not doubt him. To her, Damian was truly an absolute authority.

And now that dawn had come, everything was unfolding as Damian had predicted.

Not only had Verdin alone blocked the forest entrance, but he had also correctly predicted that the fleeing enemies would choose this route in their panic.

Natasha closed her eyes and watched the enemy movements.

‘The enemies are approaching quickly. Their numbers… about five thousand. And their formation is very disordered.’

According to Verdin’s report, there were only Verdin and three corpse knights on that side.

Even so, it was strange they were charging like fleeing people.

But the matter had already started, and Natasha intended to seize this opportunity.

At that moment, Damian’s voice reached her mind.

-Now.

Natasha obeyed Damian’s command.

[Understood.]

When she nodded, the corpses that had been lying on the ground all rose at once.

Natasha climbed up the riverbank with them and blocked the bridge.

The vanguard of the enemy, riding horses, came into clear view.

Dark storm clouds hung over them, and torrential rain poured from those clouds.

Strangely, those clouds followed in their wake.

‘It’s Laerin’s craft.’

Laerin had introduced herself as an Air Spirit, but Natasha noted the earlier-mentioned term ‘Sylphrai.’

‘I read it in a book before. Sylphrai is an old word. It refers to those who command the Sylph Spirits that handle wind and mist.’

That meant Laerin could use Spiritcraft of mist and wind.

‘Mist is moisture. Then….’

Natasha recalled the magic she remembered.

Among spells using water and wind, the one that deals the most effective damage to those wearing armor.

Imagining that spell, Natasha gathered mana into both hands.

Mana of water and wind, already abundant due to the storm clouds and rain, gathered around her.

Natasha traced memories of her past life and shaped this mana into her image.

Then blue flames began to flare from both her hands.

Crackle, crackle, crackle-

Blue flames laced with savage lightning.

Natasha drew in every bit of mana she could summon.

At the same time, the Mana Rings at her core began to spin fiercely.

‘Now it’s ready.’

Natasha thrust her hands toward the incoming vanguard, and intense blue lightning surged forth.

Kraaaaackle-!!

A heavy bolt of lightning struck the vanguard directly.

The metal-armored soldier riding at the front was instantly blackened by the blaze, but the lightning did not stop.

It transferred through nearby metal armors, rapidly increasing casualties at tremendous speed.

Krak! Krak! Kraaaackle!

After only about three flashes, a thousand or so soldiers were charred black, and those riding further back stopped dead upon seeing them.

It was instinctive fear.

“W-wait!”

“There’s a witch over there!”

“If we go, we’ll all die!!”

“Please halt!”

Natasha could clearly see them even from afar.

The scene was varied.

Soldiers spreading their arms to hold back their comrades and halt the advance.

And commanders behind them ordering them forward.

When they refused to listen, a scene of someone being speared through the chest followed.

Natasha watched the spectacle without emotion, but when a soldier blocking the advance fell bleeding, a small feeling stirred within her.

‘He only stood to block them for the others.’

He merely warned of danger for everyone, yet the commander killed him.

The reason was simple.

He did not follow orders.

Even if it meant everyone would die, a soldier’s duty is to obey orders.

Until now, Natasha had never thought deeply about soldiers.

She had always been the one issuing orders and had usually been on the winning side.

But now it seemed there was no one as wronged as a soldier.

Those who followed orders died because they followed orders, and those who did not follow orders died because they did not.

“Today I will avenge all your injustices.”

Natasha looked up at the sky.

Heavy rain lashed her face, but beyond that she felt Damian watching over her.

‘Master. Give me strength.’

Had that voice reached Damian?

Damian’s voice echoed in her heart.

-Do as you wish. I will lend you strength.

At that moment, with a buzzing vibration, her heart filled thickly with mana.

Natasha immediately understood what that feeling meant.

‘Thank you.’

Natasha looked forward again.

She saw the roughly thousand corpses charred black by the earlier lightning.

In the downpour, those corpses cooled, emitting white steam.

Natasha checked each of them and drew the dagger at her waist.

Gladius Animae.

Thick green mana concentrated along the blade of the mana-infused dagger.

Natasha focused the fluttering power in her heart into the dagger and drove it into the ground.

Wuuungg-

A light vibration swept across the area.

At the same time, green mana spread like a web and enveloped the corpses one by one.

About a thousand corpses wrapped in dense green mana.

They creaked as they began to move and soon started to rise on their own.

Fussssss-

It wasn’t only human corpses that stood.

The charred horse corpses rose as well.

They mounted the horses just as they had in life.

Natasha gave them orders.

“Advance-”

At that moment, the corpses began to move in the opposite direction from before.

At first their joints creaked, but gradually their joints loosened,

and with that, the speed at which the corpses moved increased.

That was not all.

The hundred or so corpse soldiers ambushed and waiting also rose from their positions and began to move forward.

Now Grovebern’s troops faced the enemy both ahead and behind.

In front: about eleven hundred corpse soldiers and an unknown witch.

Behind: the phantom knight and the corpse knights he had raised.

The rain’s sound across the battlefield grew even fiercer.