Necromancer Of The Black Bible (15)

[The power of necroturgy is proportional to the strength of the caster’s Mana Rings.]

[At present, you have two Mana Rings. With the White Serpent’s amplification, that becomes four. The total number of skeletons you can raise depends on mana purity, but for now your limit is twelve.]

[To learn necromancy, you must be able to raise at least twenty skeletons. Until then, you must continue training in necroturgy.]

Equinox is an excellent teacher.

His explanations always went straight to the core and never left room for ambiguity. That way, I could train without wandering aimlessly.

As I chanted the runes he taught me, my Mana Rings spun, and mana began to condense in my palm.

I felt a power different from my past life.

I focused my mind, envisioning skeletons rising.

‘Undead Rising.’

As I cast the spell, the green mana gathered in my hand seeped into the ground.

The bones lying there began to move, gradually finding their places and forming the shapes they once had in life.

Clatter, clatter—

Three skeletons slowly rose to their feet.

“Groooan—”

Their condition was no different from those I had raised in my past life.

The only difference was that I felt a stronger sense of connection.

I could distinctly perceive what they saw and felt.

‘Still, they’re not like the rat Equinox raised with necromancy.’

When I locked eyes with the skeletal rat, I immediately heard its thoughts.

But with these skeletons, I felt nothing of the sort.

They only stared blankly around.

[Now, try giving them a command.]

I immediately followed Equinox’s suggestion.

I ordered them to fight each other, and they all clashed at once.

A fierce brawl broke out, but the result was pitiful.

Their fists shattered upon striking skulls, their kicks splintered against spines — it was utter chaos.

Bones rolled across the floor and broke apart repeatedly until none of them could rise again.

I canceled the spell and asked Equinox,

[They’re far too pathetic. Can you make them fight better?]

[First, raise just one. I’ll explain using it as an example.]

I wondered which one to choose, then my gaze fell upon a pile of bones neatly stacked in the corner.

They were none other than Andre’s bones.

‘Andre.’

Andre, the Inquisitor who killed me and my master in my past life.

Now, reduced to a pitiful heap of bones, his form was wretched.

His soul and flesh had been offered as a sacrifice to the Demon King and dragged into the Demon Realm — and now even his remaining bones would become my slave.

I used necroturgy to raise him.

“Ughh…”

Even standing upright, he reached only to my chest, his hollow eyes glowing green as he glanced about like the others.

He looked even duller and more foolish than he had in life.

“Come on then, attack me.”

At my order, the skeletal Andre approached slowly and swung an arm.

After dodging several clumsy strikes, a question arose.

‘Would it even hurt if I let one hit?’

So this time, I took the strike head-on.

And then—

Snap—

His arm bone broke apart.

I stopped his movements and asked Equinox,

[Too weak. He’d lose even against a stray cat. How can I increase their power?]

[What did your master say about this in your past life?]

[He didn’t say much. Only that raising stronger creatures was the best solution.]

[Fundamentally, that is correct.]

Equinox summoned mana as he continued speaking.

[There are three ways to strengthen the undead you raise: summon stronger creatures, refine the purity of your mana, or increase your own power as the caster.]

The mana Equinox raised soon took the shape of a clear club.

When he smashed Andre’s skeleton with it, the bones shattered completely.

Watching this, Equinox continued.

[The bones gathered here are in poor condition, tainted by demonic energy. Undead raised from such remains will be weak. Use them only for training. For now, you must refine your mana and increase your combat ability to achieve what you want.]

[I see.]

Come to think of it, since gaining this new body, I hadn’t trained physically at all.

I had only focused on cleansing and tempering my Mana Rings, neglecting physical training entirely.

‘From now on, I’ll have to train in swordsmanship too.’

In my past life, I had also learned swordsmanship.

Though I was lame, it was necessary for casting dark magic.

Many dark spells require the enemy’s blood or body parts.

That’s why my master taught me swordsmanship, and I had reached at least the level of an expert swordsman.

Of course, my style was a bit different from other swordsmen.

Because of my limp left leg, instead of fast light-sword styles, I had learned the heavy blade, which emphasized stationary defense.

‘I need to regain my former skills first.’

I picked up Nocturne, which had been leaning in the corner.

[Now it’s your turn to work.]

What would you have me do?

[Be my sword.]

The moment I spoke, Nocturne transformed into a wooden sword.

A wooden blade with a red gem embedded in its hilt.

The blade was reddish, as if carved from fragrant cedar, and smelled faintly of wood.

When I swung it once, the balance was excellent.

[Not bad.]

You flatter me. But I have witnessed my share of great swords…

After that, I swung Nocturne every morning.

Just as my master once taught me, I swung it a thousand times in proper stance.

What had changed was my stamina.

In my past life, swinging a wooden sword of this weight a thousand times would leave me vomiting from exhaustion — but not anymore.

Sweat poured like rain, but after a short rest I could move again.

After three days of training strikes, Nocturne quietly suggested,

Master, you now have the basics. It is time to progress further.

[And how exactly do I advance from here?]

I asked, feigning ignorance.

I could have relearned swordsmanship as before, but I felt Nocturne might know something better.

As expected, Nocturne glowed red and continued.

I have stolen glances at over 300 swordsmanship manuals. Among them, I recommend the swordsmanship of Sword Saint Lucius, who dominated the continent for a hundred years.

‘Sword Saint Lucius?’

A name I had heard before.

For his renown as a swordsman was unmatched.

He was famed as the strongest swordsman of the Deadlands, in the continent’s northwest.

The Deadlands were so desolate that no kingdom had ever formed there.

There, countless factions thrived under the law of survival of the strongest.

And Lucius had reigned supreme by swordsmanship alone for a full century.

Though he had lived 200 years ago, no one since had displayed such skill, and his name endured as legend.

[And you’re certain about Lucius’s swordsmanship?]

Absolutely. He was close with my creator. I had the chance to study his swordsmanship manual myself.

Nocturne gave a faint laugh and continued.

He recited the maxims of the manual.

From how to hold the initial stance, to how to grip and swing the sword — the fundamental principles.

Mulling over his words, I rose and assumed a stance.

Moving as Nocturne instructed, my posture settled firmly.

Strength flowed into the blade, yet my stance did not waver.

Nocturne taught me further in line with my progress, and by the time two weeks had passed, Equinox joined in.

[It is better to train with an opponent than alone. A skeleton I have strengthened should suffice for your basic training.]

Equinox independently raised a skeleton for me.

It was clearly different from the ones I raised.

For Equinox still lent me no aid when I raised skeletons.

A skeleton raised with his fully amplified mana exuded a different aura altogether.

More sinister, more lethal.

Having practiced only forms, I could hardly parry its strikes.

But I soon grew accustomed.

After another two weeks, my swordsmanship was far sharper, and I could dispatch a skeleton raised by Equinox with ease.

Time passed steadily, and my skills grew by stages.

My second Mana Ring was notably purified, and even skeletons raised by necroturgy had become much stronger.

Then one day, Equinox said,

[We are nearly there. Raise just three skeletons and send them to hunt.]

[This mountain is rough. Will three be enough to hunt?]

[If not, then you must continue training.]

In the end, I did as Equinox said.

I raised three skeletons and ordered them to hunt.

They looked at me once with glowing green eyes, then stepped outside the cave.

[Now open your inner sight and observe your minions.]

[Inner sight?]

[By focusing your mind, you can see anything. It is the same principle as when you observed your heart’s Mana Rings.]

Hearing his explanation, I immediately understood what inner sight was.

I closed my eyes, as when I watched my Mana Rings, and envisioned the skeletons I had sent.

Then my vision opened from the perspective of one of them.

They were walking along a mountain path.

They were tracking boar prints, but their footsteps were so loud I could hear nearby animals fleeing.

‘This won’t do.’

As I thought this, Equinox’s voice came.

[You can give commands in this state. All beings raised by necroturgy can be directed this way.]

I immediately gave the skeletons an order.

[Quiet your steps as you walk. The boar isn’t far. At my signal, hide yourselves.]

Their response was immediate.

Their footsteps grew faint, and soon the forest fell silent.

Then Equinox’s voice spoke again.

[Undead senses are concentrated in sight. All other senses, including smell, are translated into vision. You must grow accustomed to this perspective, for in the future you will perceive the world through the eyes of all undead you raise.]

Following Equinox’s advice, I focused more deeply through their vision.

And indeed, he was right.

The warmth of boar tracks, along with faint haze-like traces above them, lingered like smoke.

‘Is this it?’

I guided a skeleton near the haze and pressed its face close, but smelled nothing.

But the traces stretched on alongside the tracks.

I ordered the skeletons to follow them.

Soon they found a boar, its back turned as it dug into roots.

It was a good opportunity.

If caught off guard, it could be killed in an instant.

‘But… could they really hunt this thing?’

I wasn’t sure yet.

I couldn’t gauge how much stronger they’d become through training.

Moreover, the boar was huge. From the genitals swinging beneath its tail, it was clearly a male.

‘A male of this size is likely the leader of a herd.’

Looking around, I saw smoke-like traces of the same color rising everywhere.

They were signs of territory marking.

In this place, the beast would never flee.

For this was its dominion.

‘Then let’s test their mettle.’

I issued my command at once.

[Two of you, hide to the sides. The one in the middle, be the bait. When the boar charges, the hidden two will pounce together.]

Sure enough, the skeletons moved as commanded.

The ones on the sides hid in the brush, while the one in the center stepped forward.

Srrrk—

At the sound of its step, the boar turned its head.