Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 617: Necromancy

”Instead of super rookie, I think it’s time I start calling you mega rookie…” Ignis muttered while glancing around. The sight of the resistance bunker where I spent the night welcomed those who passed across my [Warp Gate].

”Arghh! Catherine!” Ryker fell to his knees in grief, tearing up over the teammate he lost.

”It’s okay…” The remaining two women put their hands on his shoulder supporting him. Their expressions were grim as well, they clearly cherished the woman who fell to her death.

Beyond those two, no one paid attention to Ryker. Instead, the beastkin began grieving their lost allies while the humans were eyeing me with bewilderment. The remainder of the beastkin resistance’s forces did not amount to much, there were only about two dozen of them. We suffered immense losses.

Once Ignis ceased observing the surroundings and accepted the fact that we were truly back in the base, he turned toward me and a big grin marked his amazement. He was the one I was most worried about because he had many connections and wasn’t allied with Black Fang. Hell, Ignis was even backed by Broker back when he was a Vesper Phenom ranked upstart. Allegedly, he now has nothing to do with the leader of the finance department as he completely refrained from partaking in the inner politics of the Consortium, but I couldn’t tell for certain.

Raika and Vex, meanwhile eyed me with two distinct auras. The former, fitting for her wild nature, was measuring me up as a combatant. Back when Raika delivered Volt, Alastair Greenvale’s Electromancer-classed subordinate to me as Black Fang’s ’sign-up bonus,’ she treated me as a nobody, not worth an iota of her time. Things were different now.

The latter, meanwhile, sported her trademark sly grin while examining my arm wrapped around her waist. She seemed a bit too absorbed in watching the result of my giant wave conjuration and its devastating results, so as the gentleman I was, I guided her into my [Wrap Gate].

It was always difficult to tell what this woman was thinking. She was always so cheery, so accommodating until she wasn’t. From one moment to the next, her attitude could do a complete 180. Though, thus far, she was always playful when interacting with me.

For now, she evidently decided to ignore my hand placement as she giggled, ”Lady Black Fang was right, hehe! I’m amazed my recluse of a master saw you for who you truly were, future hubby.”

”I’m truly curious how you people got to know so much about me, I must’ve made a big blunder somewhere along the line. But first, we have to finish our necromancer business,” I said while reaching into my pocket ring and summoning Aurora’s mana potion. Health and mana potions worked in a curious way.

Each time someone drank one, the body would build resistance against the substance, reducing the effects of the next potion. A high-tier potion could restore 80% of maximum mana over a minute, but a second dose barely gave back 30%—and that small amount would be generation over a 10-minute duration. The diminishing returns grew worse with every single use. It took roughly twenty-four hours for the body to reset, allowing potions to work at full potency again.

”Finish the necromancer business?” It was none other than Ayame who asked. ”Wanting to kill such a vile person is more than warranted, but she has an overwhelming number of undead on her side.”

”I agree. You shouldn’t have to risk your life to solve the problems plaguing the beastkin lands,” Sera said, clearly worried for my safety. ”It was fine when we were surrounded by our bearkin damage sponges- I mean stalwart allies, but going back now represents a situation you yourself would call ’high risk, low reward’ if you ask me.”

”You two would be right normally, but we have some handy tools to make use of this time around. My plan doesn’t involve risking my life.” After my response, I turned toward Vex. ”What would happen to the undead if they lost their master?”

”Necromancy works in a rather unique way. Creating undead costs mana, but keeping them active afterward doesn’t drain the reserves of the necromancer. Their existence therefore no longer depends on their master sustaining them. Instead, the master transitions into something akin to a slave master, who orders their minions to do their bidding.

There’s a widespread belief that claims ’undead hate life,’ which is true in a sense. In abandoned, unkept cemeteries and old battlefields where many soldiers lay dead, rogue undead can be born. Their sole purpose is to erase life, it’s in their nature to do so.”

Vex didn’t need to complete her statement for me to understand. ”Since the undead don’t depend on their master’s mana to live, if the necromancer were to die, they would become rogue undead, despising life itself.”

After receiving a bow of her head, I turned toward Raika. ”Can you kill the necromancer?”

No matter how badly I wanted to be the main character who dealt the final blow, I didn’t harbor misconceptions about my power level. I was a brutal AoE fighter to face, but my single target damage was lacking, especially when compared to this woman whose sole schtick was punching her enemies undead until they died. ȑÅNổ฿Ε𝐬

”I can kill any mage.”

Raika did not display a single shred of a doubt regarding her capabilities. ”Alright, let’s work together, the three of us. I have a simple but effective plan.”

”Future hubby, you did not just refer to me and my little sis as the ’handy tools to make use of this time around,’ would you?”

”What? Of course not, I wouldn’t dare.” My response earned me a short burst of giggling erupting from her delicate lips.

”What about me, mega rookie?” Ignis inquired. It seemed I somehow managed to grab onto the mantle of leadership.

Instead of replying, I turned to Vex and asked, ”Can Ignis be trusted?”