Necromancer Of The Black Bible (21)

[When raising the dead for the first time with necromancy, you must be cautious. The emotions and memories lingering in the corpse can clash with the spirit’s own. This confusion may spiral into a full split of identity. And the stronger the body and soul, the more destructive that split becomes. So…]

[I’ll have to watch closely.]

If needed, I’d have to retract the mana.

Sure enough, things unfolded exactly as Equinox predicted.

William, revived by necromancy, groaned and screamed in agony.

At the same time, powerful shockwaves burst from his body.

Had Nocturne not raised a barrier, the damage would’ve been severe.

“Uwaaaahhh!”

“No! No!”

“That can never be!”

“I will never allow it!”

Hearing William shout like that felt strange.

As if he were arguing with someone unseen.

And that dialogue was growing firmer with time.

And then.

“Silence!”

With that single word, William’s gaze steadied.

His body moved as though truly alive.

His blazing green eyes now turned to me, and from the jewel set in his greatsword flowed a faint violet glow.

William rose. Only then could I see him fully.

A body towering over two meters, clad in tarnished silver plate armor, draped in a tattered, faded blue cloak.

As he stirred, the killing intent hanging from the ceiling deepened.

[Heh heh heh. The worm will crawl out any moment now.]

At Equinox’s words, the ceiling split—and the Sand Dragon appeared.

A massive horn at its snout, a gigantic body, and glistening scales.

Twice as large as Amur, the male I’d faced before.

The beast burst through the ceiling—and to my shock, spoke in a tongue I understood.

“Well, well, what nonsense is this? You dare touch my collection?!”

The dragon lunged at me. I reached into my satchel for its scales—when suddenly, something stepped in front of me.

CLANG—

A tattered blue cloak flared behind broad shoulders.

It was William.

Easily deflecting the dragon’s strike, William glanced back with gleaming green eyes.

“Please—do not interfere in this fight.”

A polite request—but I had no intention of blindly obeying.

“If you win, then I won’t.”

“Then have no fear.”

William met my eyes briefly, then turned back to the dragon.

Now the dragon revealed itself fully, coiled upon the open ground, glaring down like a monstrous serpent.

But when it planted stout forelimbs and hind legs upon the earth, its presence felt far greater than before.

‘The aura of a predator?’

This was unlike the male, Amur.

Amur had been clumsy at judging foes, lacking battles against the strong.

That’s why he attacked me head-on without thought.

A pattern common in bullies who prey only on the weak.

But this female, Magra, standing before us, was different.

Her glimmering eyes watched carefully. She didn’t rush. Instead she circled, calmly radiating killing intent, studying us.

She looked every bit the seasoned hunter.

[This one is formidable. Her eyes are different.]

Even Equinox sensed her ominous aura.

‘Can William handle her?’

True, in Amur’s memories, William fought her on equal footing.

His blade had torn her scales and left her gravely wounded.

That scar still marked Magra today.

A deep slash angled across her chest, near the heart.

There, the scales had never regrown—still visible, even now.

But…

‘She’s plotting something.’

I retreated slowly, sat upon a boulder, and closed my eyes.

Then colors hidden behind the scene painted my mind.

A spectacle of energies dyeing the cavern.

From Magra poured crimson killing intent; from William, a similar scarlet force.

The lava’s heat glowed yellow; chill from the ceiling shimmered pale blue.

And from William’s greatsword pulsed a heavy violet aura.

‘What is that?’

[I sense another presence. Likely the Demon King’s aura, sealed within. Even a fragment holds considerable power. If he unleashes it, William could easily subdue the dragon.]

Equinox’s analysis rang true.

But what worried me was Magra’s ploy.

Surely she wouldn’t face the foe she once lost to without a plan.

And then—I sensed suspicious energy.

Several pink auras.

Dozens of adult-sized forces closing in from all sides.

All fixed upon William.

From their shapes, movements, and faint link to Magra, I guessed their identity.

I focused, sending my voice to William.

[An ambush. She’s using her young for a diversionary attack.]

[So it is, as I thought.]

William moved deftly, as if already aware—then drove his blade through a hatchling bursting from the ground.

“Kieeehhk—!”

Its shriek heralded dozens more hatchlings erupting around him.

They lunged for his limbs—but William was faster.

He spun in place, greatsword sweeping them down.

His swordsmanship was astounding.

Whish—swish, swish—

Speed unbelievable for a blade so large.

In only a few arcs, he cut them all down.

“Keehhhhh—!”

As the last hatchling split apart screaming, Magra spewed lava with a thunderous roar.

Scalding yellow lava surged toward William, engulfing his form.

‘Was he hit?’

I snapped my eyes open.

The torrent of lava poured—but William raised his greatsword, blocking it.

A powerful shield from the sword held back the molten flood.

When it ended, William’s eyes burned greener than ever.

[Now—I’ll finish this.]

Leaving me those words in soul-speech, William moved like the wind.

He charged Magra, green and violet light streaking behind.

Then—an eerie sound.

Slice—!

William cleaved Magra’s chest clean through, coming to a stop behind her.

Magra turned disbelieving eyes upon his back.

“Y-you dare…”

She couldn’t finish—the old scar William left burst open, blood spilling as her body split in two.

“Ghhrrh…”

With a faint groan, she fell apart.

Thud—crash—

Her sundered halves slammed down.

Her mouth gaped, tongue lolling, foam bubbling around.

Blood cascaded, pooling at her severed core.

William approached, standing before her head.

Her eyes still glimmered with malice, but the light was fading. William leaned close, whispering:

“Only now do I avenge my long-held grudge.”

Magra’s mouth twitched, but William gave no chance—he drove his greatsword into her crown.

A dark violet aura enveloped her corpse.

Then Nocturne spoke.

Master. Are you sure you should let that be?

[Hm?]

He’s absorbing the dragon right now.

It was true.

The violet aura consumed her body until no trace remained.

In return, William’s greatsword shone fiercer than ever.

[Heh heh… The Demon King’s work, no doubt.]

With Equinox’s words, I understood.

‘William just bartered the dragon’s corpse for the Demon King’s power.’

A Demon King sealed in an object can move for relatively little cost.

A dragon’s life was more than enough—but William had little choice.

[For later’s sake, Master, I suggest you learn to control that Demon King. Give too freely, and it may devour William instead.]

[I will.]

I nodded and stood. William turned and began walking toward me.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

His blood-soaked armor groaned as he moved.

The aura he exuded was sharp, his presence heavy.

Reminiscent of a Swordmaster I’d once glimpsed in my past life.

‘No—he’s even heavier than that.’

My sharpened senses analyzed him from all sides.

Strength could be felt through every sense.

Sight, sound, smell, and touch.

And sight especially mirrored them all.

Especially the ability to perceive killing intent directly—it was convenient.

As William approached, I probed for killing intent.

Was he coming to honor our pact—or to kill me?

Thankfully, none was there.

Equinox and Nocturne were silent too—they’d sensed the same.

I stood calmly as William came before me.

Up close, I saw clearly—he stood a head taller than me. He lowered his greatsword, driving it into the ground before me.

Then he knelt upon one knee and spoke.

“Until this life ends—I shall serve you.”