Karnak, Monarch of Death

As Karnak had anticipated, Hudel eventually grasped the situation.

The bastard’s watching the entire battlefield from the rooftops!

In hindsight, it seemed so obvious that he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t thought of it sooner. But it couldn’t be helped. Hudel had little experience with actual combat. While he’d performed countless secretive operations as a necromancer, this was his first time engaging in a real battle.

”I command you by the power of the abyss! Arise, De-Phatl!”

From beneath his feet, dark crimson tendrils emerged, writhing ominously. Hudel climbed atop the tendrils and propelled himself to the rooftop of a nearby building. Once he rose above the mist, he finally spotted Karnak’s figure.

So that’s where he is.

Through the dense haze, he could sense the flow of mana emanating from the man. He didn’t feel particularly powerful. At best, he was at the sixth circle. Hudel found it surprising. Of course, a mage of the sixth circle was still powerful, but underwhelming considering what he had achieved.

I thought he’d be a much stronger mage.

Still, it was undeniable that this man was commanding the temple’s entire force. In other words, if Hudel could eliminate him, the tide of the battle would surely turn. Death energy began to spill from Hudel’s shoulders, spreading like an ominous fog.

”Come forth, powers of the abyss...”

He raised his necromantic energy to its peak before unleashing it in waves across the battlefield.

A chilling darkness blanketed the night sky, sending shivers through the air. ”The Void shall open its maw and spew forth calamity!”

Dozens of dimensional rifts appeared across the night sky, their obsidian-black depths pulsating ominously. From these rifts emerged winged demons, hol imps. They were intermediate-ranked monsters of hell. Their flaming eyes blazed, and tongues of fire flickered menacingly beneath them. With a cacophony of flapping wings and guttural screeches, the imps surged toward Karnak.

”Kyakya! Sacrifice!”

”A sacrifice!”

Karnak’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. ”Oh, impressive. He’s pulling out all the stops, isn’t he?”

The necromantic technique was refined, not merely a blunt show of brute force.

Perfect for stirring up some chaos.

Lifting his magic staff, Karnak calmly began chanting. ”I shall become the atoner for the sins of darkness!”

He activated the chaos magic, Redeemer of Necromancy. Chains of light materialized in the air and wrapped around the necks of the oncoming hol imps, constricting them. Hudel’s eyes widened in disbelief.

What?

He could feel it. His control was slipping away, like sand falling through his fingers.

Impossible!

The hol imps, who had been charging toward Karnak, abruptly halted mid-air. A moment later, they all turned around to face Hudel. Their mouths opened wide, spewing fire at him.

Fwoooosh!

Hudel hastily crossed his arms, summoning a barrier of darkness.

”Ugh!”

The flames struck the shadowy shield, triggering a series of fiery explosions.

Boom! Boom!

Amid the billowing smoke and ash, Hudel reappeared, gasping for breath.

”Hah... hah...”

Thanks to his quick reaction, he was unharmed, but his expression betrayed the mental shock he had suffered.

What kind of magic was that?

It wasn’t the existence of such a spell that surprised him. Rather, he was surprised because he knew it was possible.

How does that bastard know Lord Elezar’s magic?

***

Through the dense mist, flocks of hol imps soared freely, spreading chaos as they unleashed demonic fire on the streets below.

Boom! Boom!

The searing heat scorched the air, stinging the skin of those caught in its wake. The necromancers were pale with terror.

“Aaaah!”

”Why are they attacking us?!”

The priests of Saisha didn’t look much better.

”Th-they’re on our side, right?”

”They’re supposed to be... I think.”

Logically, they understood that the hol imps had been turned to their side, but seeing demons hovering so close made their instincts scream to unleash exorcism spells.

”This is... deeply unsettling.”

Meanwhile, the hol imps continued their rampage, relentlessly assaulting the cultists. Camiros, the mage of the county, anxiously surveyed the battlefield. The number of cultists falling to the imps was steadily increasing.

I have to do something about this.

But ordinary magic or necromancy wouldn’t cut it here. He would have to risk his life and resort to his most powerful techniques.

Camiros planted his staff firmly into the ground. ”Rise, spirit of the earth!”

The ground of the village square rumbled as the earth surged upward, taking the form of a massive giant.

He immediately followed with a necromantic incantation. ”By the command of your master, descend upon this world, armor of the wailing darkness!”

A colossal floating suit of armor appeared, radiating an oppressive aura. The armor quickly merged seamlessly with the earthen golem, unleashing a deafening roar as it took shape.

Gwooooh!

It was the Golem Knight, a fusion spell Detzras had previously wielded. This was the pinnacle of power for a fifth circle mage and necromancer, a perfect fusion of magic and necromancy. A few hol imps spotted the Golem Knight and swooped down, spewing fire at it.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions rippled across the armor’s surface, but the damage was negligible. The Golem Knight took a step forward, extending its massive hands. Its shovel-like fingers closed around two of the attacking hol imps with ease.

“Kek?”

”Kyaaaak!”

Before the imps could react, the Golem Knight squeezed its hands tightly.

Crunch!

Like overripe fruit, the demons were crushed, their remains splattering in all directions. Though hol imps were considered powerful demons, they were no match for the Golem Knight’s overwhelming strength. However, the toll of the spell on Camiros was immense.

”Ugh... urgh...”

His mana and necromantic energy were being drained rapidly. An unbearable exhaustion gripped his body, threatening to make him collapse on the spot.

Not yet! I can’t fall yet!

He hadn’t summoned the Golem Knight just to collapse now. He had to take down the enemy key fighters, at the very least. He fixed his gaze on Varos and Serati, who were wreaking havoc across the battlefield.

Camiros bellowed with all his remaining strength. ”Target them first!”

The Golem Knight thundered forward, each step shaking the ground, and swung its massive arms in wide arcs.

Boom! Boom!

The devastating blows sent blood spraying into the air like fountains.

“Aaargh!”

”Ughhh!”

But the ones crushed weren’t Varos or Serati. Rather, the screamed belonged to the knights of the county. The knights had assumed reinforcements had arrived and let their guard down, only to be ruthlessly obliterated.

Camiros let out a dazed groan as he stared at the scene. ”What?”

***

Observing the battlefield beyond the mist, Karnak smiled faintly. ”Sorry about that. I’ve seen that one before.”

Detzras’s Golem Knight was undoubtedly a powerful spell. But Karnak had long since analyzed and fully understood its mechanisms. He swung his magical rod, delicately marking points of light in the air.

”Here, here, and here. Lastly, right here!”

Tap, tap, tap... thunk!

From the final point, a ripple of energy shot out, striking the Golem Knight. A ring of light encircled the rocky giant’s head, signaling that full control had passed into Karnak’s hands.

Gwooooh!

The massive construct charged into the throngs of cultists. The Golem Knight was a monster even knights imbued with dark aura struggled to withstand. Ordinary cultists, of course, stood no chance.

“Aaaargh!”

”Help!”

Under a sky filled with screams, a river of blood surged forth. Camiros trembled violently as he witnessed the horrifying spectacle.

”Wh-what is this...?”

The Golem Knight had completely slipped from his control, yet his mana and necromantic energy continued to drain away. His comrades were being slaughtered by the very creation born of his power. Was there even a point in him maintaining his focus?

”D-damn it...”

With no reason to maintain his concentration, his resolve shattered. Moments later, Camiros’s consciousness failed him. At the same time, the Golem Knight vanished, its summoning undone.

”Already? That guy lacks stamina,” Karnak muttered, clicking his tongue as he shifted his gaze.

By then, Varos was sprinting toward the fallen Camiros. The distance between the rooftop and the street was considerable. It was too far for a subtle telepathic message.

So Karnak simply shouted. ”Take him alive, Varos!”

Had it been just Karnak’s party, they would have killed Camiros and extracted information through necromancy. But given the presence of the priests, a more civilized approach was required.

If I want to live like a proper person, I’ve got to keep up appearances.

Varos understood perfectly. After reaching Camiros, he swung his aura blade lightly.

Slice!

Both of the mage’s wrists were severed in one clean motion. The wounds were immediately cauterized, leaving blackened stumps where his hands had been. It was impossible to form seals without one’s hands, whether they were a mage or necromancer. It severely limited their abilities. In other words, it was a simple and efficient way to neutralize a threat. Of course, to Camiros’s allies, the sight was utterly gruesome.

”Camiros!” Sir Ancent cried out, his voice trembling with rage as he charged forward.

A crimson aura blade extended from his weapon, slashing toward Varos’s back. The vivid red aura cut through the air with deadly precision, only to be effortlessly deflected.

”Ugh!”

Blocking his attack was the red-haired female swordsman who had been dueling him earlier.

”Damn it! Where did these monsters come from?”

The blonde knight was impressive enough, but even this young woman was no ordinary foe. She looked barely out of girlhood, yet she was standing on even ground with him, the strongest knight in the county. As Ancent seethed with frustration, Serati regarded him with bemusement.

Monster? Me?

On reflection, though, she supposed his reaction wasn’t entirely unwarranted. Facing him hadn’t been particularly challenging. A fight that would have been grueling in the past now felt almost effortless.

When did I become this strong?

Serati marveled at herself but didn’t hesitate. She parried his aura blade and slashed diagonally in a clean arc.

”Urgh!”

Ancent, already utterly exhausted, could no longer hold his ground. His sword slipped from his hand as he fell to his knees.

”Ugh... damn it...”

***

Hudel gazed down at the battlefield with a somber expression.

Ancent, Camiros...

To be honest, he didn’t feel much attachment to the other necromancers. Being a high-ranking member of the Church of the Black God didn’t mean he particularly cared for fanatics. In fact, it was their fanaticism that had caused this entire debacle in the first place.

But those two were different. They were valuable retainers of the county and had shown unwavering loyalty to him. Despite being outnumbered and overpowered, Ancent and Camiros had fought valiantly, holding the line and delaying the enemy’s advance.

Now, with both of them defeated, the collapse of his forces had accelerated. From the skies, hol imps rained fire. On the ground, sacred light and crimson aura slashed through his troops. With every strike, his allies fell one after another. At this rate, the outcome was inevitable. Hudel hardened his resolve.

There’s no other choice left.

If he hesitated any longer, even the slim chance of turning the tide would vanish.

I have no choice but to abandon the path of humanity!

Hudel clasped his hands over his chest, drawing out an immense reserve of dark energy.

”By the binding of this contract, I compel their existence to serve a greater purpose...”

Darkness spread, swallowing the mist and creeping across the battlefield. Every cultist within its reach fell under its influence.

“Huh?”

“Your Eminence?”

Black sigils appeared on the foreheads of the necromancers. The same marks spread to the cultists and the knights of the count’s household. From the sigils, streams of dark energy began to flow.

”My lord!”

“Don’t tell me?!”

Screams erupted from all directions. Massive amounts of energy, along with the souls of his followers, were being forcibly drawn from their bodies.

”I will not forget your sacrifice,” Hudel intoned solemnly, as though offering a benediction. ”When a better world dawns, we shall meet again.”

The fanatical cultists, devoted to their core, cried out in ecstasy.

”For Tesranach!”

”We gladly offer our bodies and souls!”

Those who retained a shred of sanity screamed in terror and fury.

”You damned bastard!”

”I don’t want to die!”

Regardless of their acceptance or resistance, the result was the same. The extracted souls and energy converged upon Hudel, enveloping his body in an impenetrable blackness. His form swelled, growing larger and more monstrous.

”O Abyss, pierce the moon’s eye and drape the world in a bloody night!”

The night sky turned a deep crimson-black as a massive form emerged from the shadows. It was a colossal creature born of darkness, having consumed every necromancer and cultist present.