Damn Necromancer-Chapter 296
Chapter 296: Upper Ranking Battle (2)
The grassland had disappeared.
Only scorched earth remained where Drakan's breath had swept through. There wasn't a single blade of grass left. The soil had hardened and cracked like glass, and heat was still rising from the crevices.
Massive craters were gouged out here and there. Traces where the Dragonkin’s fists had slammed down. The deepest one was easily twice a person's height.
Kim Minwoo looked around.
“It’s a mess.”
Amidst that wreckage…….
Drakan was lying down.
Golden scales were shattered here and there.
The body of the Dragonkin, once brilliant, was now closer to bloody wreckage.
“Kugh…… Kugh-huh…….”
Rough breaths leaked out. Dark red blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.
However, the vertically slit pupils were still shining.
“It was…… an enjoyable fight.”
Kim Minwoo tilted his head.
“Why didn't you run away?”
“Kuk…….”
Drakan vomited blood. Dark red clots of blood splattered onto the earth.
“Why should I run?”
“What?”
“In front of such…… an enjoyable battle.”
The corners of Drakan’s mouth went up. A strange smile spread over his blood-covered face.
“Hehehe…… And…….”
The golden pupils looked straight at Kim Minwoo.
“Would you have even let me run away?”
Kim Minwoo smirked.
“No, I wouldn't.”
Drakan looked up at the sky with calm eyes.
It was a red sky. The sky of the Demon Realm was always blood-colored. A familiar color he had watched for hundreds of years.
“A monster has popped out…… in the Demon Realm.”
It was a low murmur.
“Don't worry.”
Kim Minwoo raised his sword.
“I'll send plenty of companions to join you on the road.”
“Kuh…….”
Drakan’s eyes curved narrowly.
“That sounds…… quite nice.”
Seogeok―!
Hell Rhapsody severed the Dragonkin’s neck.
The golden head rolled onto the ground.
Blood spurted like a fountain from the neck.
At that moment.
A red soul rose from Drakan’s chest.
Light glowing like lava.
It was an intact soul containing the power of his lifetime.
The Secret Book vibrated inside his coat.
[You have acquired the soul of a High-ranking Being.]
[You can grant Devour authority to a Legion Commander.]
Kim Minwoo’s eyes twinkled.
“Cedric.”
The Skeleton Knight stepped forward.
Blue eye glints stared at the red soul.
“You don't have to stare like that. It’s yours.”
Drakan was obviously a physical type at a glance.
Since he couldn't give it to Vulcan, giving it to Cedric was the right choice.
‘Plus, he is a Dragonkin too.’
Cedric is a Dragon Knight.
It meant they were a match.
Cedric’s eye glint wavered.
―It is a good soul. Filled with a warrior's power.
“Right?”
Certainly.
The proxy of the 3rd ranked Demon Lord was indeed on a different level.
Because he struggled quite a bit in just one battle.
Kim Minwoo snapped his fingers.
The Secret Book opened, and the red soul was sucked towards Cedric.
Kuuung―!
Cedric’s ribcage opened.
The red soul was sucked in between the ribs.
Light glowing like lava flowed along every bone joint.
[Devouring the soul of a High-ranking Being.]
[Legion Commander ‘Cedric’s’ status rises.]
The blue eye glints fluctuated violently.
Bone fragments broke, reassembled, and broke again. A groan, unsure if it was pain or ecstasy, leaked from between the skeleton’s jaws.
Keuhhh―!
A golden pattern bloomed along the spine.
A pattern resembling dragon scales wrapped around the vertebrae and spread out. The shoulder blades thickened. The arm bones became thicker. Dragonkin power was being engraved on every finger joint.
Crack―!
The earth split.
Cracks extended in all directions beneath Cedric’s feet. Just from the pressure emitting from his body.
“This is…….”
Cedric looked down at his own hand.
Golden dragon scale patterns were engraved over the bone armor. He clenched and unclenched his hand. Just that made the sound of air tearing.
[Inheriting a portion of authority.]
[Dragon Scale Reinforcement.]
[Physical and Magic Resistance greatly increased, Strength greatly increased, Dragon Strike automatically activated upon attack.]
Cedric struck his spear down toward a nearby rock cliff.
Kuuung―!
It was an impact that would have just caused cracks before.
However, now it was different.
The rock was gouged out whole. Like a massive dragon clawing with its claws, three deep grooves split the cliff face.
―Master.
A heavy voice rang out.
It was a tone much deeper than before.
―It was a very good soul.
Kim Minwoo smirked.
“It’s too early to be happy with just this. We’ve only caught one now.”
There were still many souls left to devour.
Far away, beyond the horizon, another explosion occurred.
A pillar of red mana pierced the sky.
It was the trace of someone’s large-scale magic exploding.
“I’ll have to turn all those things over there into souls within 3 days.”
Kim Minwoo muttered.
＊ ＊ ＊
The spectator seats stirred.
The upper levels of the Demon Realm. Special seats where only Demon Lords could sit.
Baal’s eyes narrowed as he watched the Upper Ranking Battle.
Kim Minwoo.
The cheeky human who dared to steal his Evil Eye.
That guy’s skill was beyond imagination.
‘To think Drakan would die…….’
Golden Scale Duke Drakan.
He was a core proxy Agares had raised with the utmost care for hundreds of years. A loyal dog who defended the 3rd rank while fighting through nine Ranking Battles together.
Such a guy died less than 30 minutes after the battle began.
If Baal felt slightly bewildered, there was one who felt anger to a terrible degree.
―Damn it!
Agares ground his teeth.
The entire spectator area vibrated with his anger.
His golden pupils were bloodshot.
‘Imbecilic bastard!’
Drakan’s last moments came to mind.
There clearly was a chance to run away. Even if he had to give up a limb, with the Dragonkin's hardness, he could have created an opportunity. If he was at a disadvantage, he should have retreated and joined the other proxies.
But that stupid guy faced him head-on and got his head chopped off.
‘Thanks to that, the situation has gone to shit!’
Of course, he had deployed other proxies.
But none were as strong as Drakan.
At this rate, his rank would plummet.
―That’s too bad, Agares.
Sarcasm flew from the seat next to him.
It was Gamigin, Rank 2.
The corners of his mouth were twisted upwards.
―Still, you held onto 3rd place for a long time. Isn’t it time you took a break?
―Shut up.
Agares growled.
He could feel the gazes of the other Lords. Eyes enjoying the spectacle as if watching a fire across the river. A pack of hyenas watching the fall of the weak.
The Demon Realm was originally such a place.
―More importantly…….
Vassago spoke up.
There was no emotion on his pale face.
―That human. Shouldn't we deal with him quickly?
Silence flowed.
Kim Minwoo.
Vulcan’s contractor. Despite backing a mere Low-rank Lord, he slaughtered Drakan in a single breath. Would another’s proxy be any different?
No.
―I agree.
Marbas nodded.
―Setting aside the treasure map, with that level of combat power, he is a bigger threat than expected. Only two have managed to regroup so far…….
―The map being wider than we thought is a problem.
They had already coordinated beforehand.
Of course, not all proxies could be fully controlled, but cooperation in the big picture was possible.
Upper Ranking Battle.
It wasn't a simple individual fight.
It was the Lords' power game.
They had long decided to eliminate Kim Minwoo first.
Because a mere Balrog intervening in the upper ranks, and the variable called Kim Minwoo running wild—neither were the picture they wanted.
Fortunately, their respective proxies were gathering one by one. The point where a group started to form.
No matter how strong he is, death cannot be avoided.
All the Demon Lords' eyes gleamed in unison.
＊ ＊ ＊
Got one.
Four guys left.
Who will I meet first?
Since the Sky Island map was extremely vast, they wouldn't have all regrouped yet.
Whatever happens, I had to reduce their numbers by even one more.
Kim Minwoo scanned the horizon.
Mana explosions burst consecutively in the distance. Traces of someone's wide-area skill exploding.
It seemed the proxies started to bunch up.
“Merhen, that way.”
Silver hair fluttered in the wind.
Merhen’s blue eyes pierced beyond the horizon.
―Fifteen. No, sixteen.
“They gathered.”
―Yeah. But Minwoo.
Merhen’s voice lowered.
―One in the middle is strange.
“Strange?”
―It shines. A disgusting light.
Kim Minwoo’s eyes narrowed.
A disgusting light.
It was the first time Merhen used such an expression.
“Let’s go.”
Cedric took the lead.
The bone armor engraved with golden dragon scale patterns flashed in the sunlight. After absorbing Drakan’s soul, his every step shook the earth.
How long had they flown?
Beyond the hill, a group came into view.
Fifteen proxies were moving in formation. Among them, one existence stood out in particular.
Six wings.
Pure white feathers fluttered in the wind.
However, black corrosion spread between them. Corrupted divinity.
A grotesque beauty where holiness and wickedness twisted and coexisted.
‘Apostate Rafaela.’
Marbas’s proxy.
Rank 5.
‘I’m lucky.’
Kim Minwoo landed.
“Hello?”
He waved his hand lightly.
Instantly, fifteen pairs of eyes turned toward him in unison. Killing intent surged like a wave. Several proxies ground their teeth, looking ready to pounce at any moment.
However, Rafaela raised her hand.
Everyone’s movements stopped.
“I smell Drakan.”
It was a low and clear voice.
It sounded like heavenly bells, yet mixed with a dissonance as if cracked somewhere.
“Your sense of smell is quite good, huh?”
“Angels tend to have excellent senses. Seeing how the scent of death rises so thickly…… that Dragonkin must be dead already.”
“And if so?”
“Agares will be sad.”
Rafaela slowly walked forward.
Her six wings folded and unfolded.
At that moment, her form was covered in pure white.
Holding a pure white wand before anyone noticed.
Revealing the appearance of an angel more holy than anything, she scanned Kim Minwoo coldly.
As a high-ranking Fallen Angel, she could change her form at will.
“Necromancer.”
Her eyes scanned Kim Minwoo.
A cold gaze.
The eyes of a judge devoid of emotion.
“I shall execute you.”
Light spread from the tip of the wand.
Instantly, the air changed.
A massive amount of holy power spread out.
It was akin to a storm of light.
“Kugh!”
Kim Minwoo, the Legion Commanders, and the Dragon Tooth Soldiers stumbled.
Bone joints creaked.
A powerful force of light suppressing the very essence of the undead.
Holy Barrier.
“Can you feel it?”
Rafaela smiled brightly.
Even though fallen, it was still a beautiful smile.
“Under this light, all your corpse dolls will be burned…….”
At that moment.
Kim Minwoo and all the undead charged toward Rafaela, perfectly unharmed.
“……!”
Rafaela’s eyes widened in shock.
‘What the…….’
How, inside this barrier of light……?
Before the thought could even finish.
Seogeok―!
By the blade that struck her neck in an instant, her head soared high into the sky.
