Necromancer Of The Black Bible (86)

Swish-

The cloak he had donned was an artifact called the Carapace of Protection.

When used, it not only renders one invisible but erases all traces, including scent and footprints.

Long ago, it was precisely this Carapace of Protection that allowed him to evade the arrogant demons of the Ethereal Realm and steal artifacts like the Wheel of Eternity.

Yet he had scarcely used the Carapace of Protection for thousands of years since.

There had been no need to hide or flee from wraiths.

Moreover, he could freely turn his body into a wraith form.

Once wraithified, ordinary living beings could not perceive him, so the Carapace of Protection was rarely needed.

But not now.

If he did not use the Carapace of Protection, Damian would surely find him.

‘But am I truly hidden?’

In fact, even the wraiths could not detect his location.

That was why his forces were bewildered, looking around in confusion.

-My Lord!

-Give us your orders!

-Where are you?

The Lord of Wraiths ignored them, slipping out of the ranks and hiding behind a large tree.

Then a knight approached him, riding a skeletal horse.

The skeletal knight Lanford.

This one could see the Lord of Wraiths within the Carapace of Protection, for he was his guardian knight.

Long ago, the Lord of Wraiths had selected the four strongest wraiths as his guardian knights, and they could always know his position.

That was necessary to protect him.

Lanford, riding the skeletal horse with glowing blue eyes, stood beside the Lord of Wraiths and whispered.

-My Lord. Allow me to break through first.

-You?

-I have the weapon you bestowed upon me, My Lord.

Lanford displayed the long spear he held.

A spear with a blackened tip.

It was the artifact Piercer of Dawn, granted when he appointed Lanford as guardian knight.

Though a lower-grade artifact, it exerts absolute power against living beings.

It drains all life force, doubling the power of the next attack.

Seeing this, the Lord of Wraiths’ eyes gleamed.

‘If done well, there may be an opportunity.’

The Lord of Wraiths gazed at Damian approaching from the front.

He was still advancing.

The fortunate part was that his direction had not changed.

This meant one thing.

‘He has not detected that I moved.’

Grinning slyly, the Lord of Wraiths carefully observed Damian approaching and the surrounding terrain.

Then he spoke to Lanford.

-Do not go alone—move with the other guardian knights. Do you see those rocks over there?

-Yes.

-Have Lexira and the remaining guardian knights wait there. If you fail, tell them to charge immediately.

-Understood. I will relay the orders.

Lanford advanced without delay.

Watching his retreating figure, the Lord of Wraiths summoned chains into his hands.

Chains drawn from the Wheel of Eternity.

These chains possess various powers.

Powers to capture or annihilate souls.

All his control over the wraiths had been thanks to these chains.

‘Thanks to the Wheel of Eternity.’

The Wheel of Eternity is enshrined beneath his citadel.

The largest among artifacts, it remotely provides its master with chains and iron collars from there.

Its range is practically infinite.

That is why it is called the Wheel of Eternity.

‘With this, I can face the Soul Harvester.’

Originally, the Wheel of Eternity and the Soul Harvester were created in the same era.

The Wheel of Eternity was a means to guide spirits to the Ethereal Realm, while the Soul Harvester was crafted to collect deviant spirits.

A power that fully captures souls should be able to oppose the soul-absorbing Soul Harvester.

‘That one must have a soul as well.’

The Lord of Wraiths gazed at Damian with a sinister glint.

For now, he was formidable wielding the Soul Harvester, but without it, he was merely an ordinary priest.

A priest of the Theocracy would have no ability to wield high-level powers.

They merely received powers bestowed by Eliastra.

None of Eliastra’s powers posed a threat to him.

‘While he is distracted by the guardian knights, I will seal his Soul Harvester with my chains. After that…’

The Lord of Wraiths clenched his fist tightly.

A frail priest of Eliastra could not withstand his fist.

Then, summoning a few more chains to bind him, he could claim the soul.

‘Shall we begin, then?’

The Lord of Wraiths moved silently.

His gaze alternated between Damian and the guardian knight targeting him.

The moment Lanford was ready, he gave the order.

-Begin.

Lanford, positioned in front of Damian, spurred his mount.

The skeletal horse glowed with blue eyes and charged, while Lanford aimed the Piercer of Dawn at Damian.

Clippity-clop clippity-clop clippity-clop clippity-clop-

Each time the skeletal horse struck the ground, the earth dented and blue flames erupted.

Though ethereal, it wore “Freedom,” allowing it to leave such traces on the ground.

The Lord of Wraiths confirmed Lanford’s advance and hurried his own movement.

‘There is only one chance.’

Considering the Soul Harvester’s power, his guardian knights would struggle to withstand even a single exchange.

Swish-

The Lord of Wraiths calculated the timing of Lanford and the other guardian knights’ charge and moved accordingly.

And then.

Lanford rushed at Damian.

His blackened spear shot toward Damian but was blocked and repelled by an intangible energy.

At the same moment, a sharp energy burst from him, cleaving Lanford vertically.

Shhhwaaaak-

That energy instantly absorbed Lanford.

‘Damn it!’

He had anticipated it, but it was utterly powerless.

He had hoped for at least one more exchange, but it was insufficient.

The Lord of Wraiths began moving faster.

At this rate, the guardian knights would collapse much sooner than planned.

He had to reach Damian before that.

‘Please work!’

Contrary to his wish, the other three guardian knights also collapsed helplessly.

Without even a single clash, all were absorbed by the energy emitted from the Soul Harvester.

Yet the Lord of Wraiths had now reached close proximity to Damian.

Damian’s gaze was still fixed forward and seemed not to have seen him.

The Lord of Wraiths summoned chains in both hands and hurled them at Damian.

Chyararararak-

With heavy metallic clanging, the chains flew toward Damian.

Not satisfied with that alone, the Lord of Wraiths gathered energy and manipulated the Wheel of Eternity.

Then hundreds of chains erupted from the ground in unison, pouring onto Damian.

Truly a decisive strike.

The Lord of Wraiths stared wide-eyed at Damian.

This attack seemed effective.

At least he had not repelled the chains.

Instead, countless chains tangled and completely enveloped Damian’s body.

Confirming this, the Lord of Wraiths revealed himself and shouted loudly.

“Khahahaha! Did you see that! How dare you oppose the Lord of Wraiths! I will bind your soul and make you my eternal slave!”

With that shout, all the surrounding wraiths finally understood the situation.

-The Lord of Wraiths has appeared!

-As expected! He used his secret technique to finish that one!

-It’s over now.

-The sacrifices were great, but we have won!

All the wraiths cheered.

Just moments ago, they had feared their own complete annihilation.

They had even suspected that the Lord of Wraiths himself had abandoned them and fled by disappearing.

Yet the Lord of Wraiths had ensnared the enemy with hundreds of chains, and it appeared the outcome was decided.

No matter how powerful the foe, he could not break chains sprung from the Wheel of Eternity.

For they were none other than artifacts of the Ethereal Realm.

Yet there was one spirit viewing the situation quite differently.

It was Verdin.

Verdin had observed from behind the Lord of Wraiths, then moved his position himself after the lord vanished to survey the battlefield.

‘Can that attack truly harm Lord Damian?’

Verdin was still connected to Damian.

Thus, his presence was vividly felt.

His power had not diminished at all from before.

‘Far from diminishing, it is growing stronger. Could he be gathering power?’

As he thought this, Damian’s voice reached him.

[Move toward the city. You will encounter kin on the way—protect that child.]

-Who exactly… am I to protect?

[You will know immediately upon seeing. And…]

The instruction was quite vague.

Yet somehow, he felt he would understand upon arriving.

He also sensed that something would soon happen.

Verdin continued moving, taking advantage of the wraiths cheering for their lord.

Soon, a woman in peculiar attire caught his eye.

A woman wearing a tattered apron, gathering something into a basket.

Her black hair, tightly tied with a cord, fell to her shoulders.

Her appearance reminded him of someone he had known in the past.

-Princess Lillian?

But the moment the woman raised her head.

He realized it was a mistake.

The black glasses she wore, the long scar visible beyond them, and her eyes imbued with green light were completely different from Princess Lillian’s.

Then the woman spoke to Verdin.

“Who are you?”

At the same time, spirits gathered around the woman.

There were quite a few.

‘Five hundred? No… a thousand?’

Though not comparable to the remaining wraiths in number, judging the power of each spirit, they could hold their own against them.

Was that why he gave such an order?

Recalling Damian’s words from moments ago, Verdin spoke.

-I am Verdin, subordinate to Lord Damian. He instructed me to defend this place.

Then a silver spirit stepped forward.

A woman of elegant beauty with flowing, long silver hair.

She asked Verdin.

-I am Ceres. Verdin, why does our master not give orders directly?

-That is…

Verdin glanced behind him before speaking to Ceres again.

-Because he is currently facing the Lord of Wraiths.

-Has something happened to him?

To Ceres’s question, Verdin shook his head.

-Our master will win that fight. His concern is for you all. He sent me so that you would not suffer harm before he claims victory.

At Verdin’s answer, all the spirits looked around.

Yet Ceres, radiating deep silver light, spoke.

-We came prepared for annihilation today. This battle is against thieves who stole treasures from the Ethereal Realm. Their forces are considerable—how could there be no losses? We cannot fight if we fear that.

At that moment.

A tremendous roar came from behind.

Verdin turned back and picked up a stick from the ground.

Ahead, the wraith army was charging.

Though uncertain, it seemed the Lord of Wraiths had ordered a charge.

‘It seems he anticipated this.’

Verdin infused energy into the stick in his hand.

Huuung-

Red energy enveloped the stick, and an unfamiliar power was felt in his grip.

He stood in front of the woman wearing black glasses and said.

-Stay by my side. I will protect you.