Ch. 661: Chapter 661-670

Chapter 661 What Will You Do If I Get In Your Way?

Lux, who was leading everyone to take the safest route toward the Sacred Dungeon, decided that he'd only summon his Father, Alexander, and Cai's Grandpa, Maximilian, after they'd reached their destination.

That way, the observers outside of the Gate of the Fallen would have no chance to see that two Saints had snuck inside the Domain in order to loot everything, while all the teenagers were challenging the Sacred Dungeon.

For some reason, the High-Ranking Monsters were quite active, so Lux took breaks from time to time in order to let the dangers pass.

Fortunately, after what happened in the Safe Zone, everyone was convinced of his ability and followed him without a doubt.

Even Prince Cyrus and the representatives of the Skystead Alliance behaved themselves as they followed behind the Half-Elf, listening to his orders as they traversed the dangerous forest.

While they were traveling, Lux did his best to try and talk to Keoza, asking him what he knew about the Crystal Palace.

He had a feeling that the Crystal Dragon knew about them, but no matter how much he tried to call Keoza from the Dragon Token, he didn't get any reply.

It was as if the Token and the Dragon inside it had become dormant, becoming an ordinary artifact.

Of course, Lux suspected that the Crystal Dragon was deliberately ignoring him and playing dead.

'I'll just ask later,' Lux thought as he continued to check his Soul Book for any dangers that might be in their surroundings. 'Still, the monsters are very active right now. They weren't this restless when we tried to go to the Sacred Dungeon in the past.'

A few hours later, all of them arrived safely at the entrance of their destination.

The vicinity of the Sacred Dungeon was also a Safe Zone, so no Monsters would try to attack them now that they were inside its protection.

"All of you, wait for me for a bit," Lux said to the people that planned to join his team inside the Gate of Famine. "I need to pee first."

"Sure, take your time," Jasper replied. "We'll rest for a bit too."

Lux nodded and started to walk toward the exit of the cavern.

The Half-Elf could sense several gazes glued on his back, but he ignored all of them. Just to be safe, his Soul Book was still active to check if someone was brazen enough to follow him.

After making sure that no one had followed him, the Half-Elf looked for a secluded place and summoned the Two Saints, who had been waiting patiently outside the Domain of the Fallen.

The space crackled around Lux. It was as if something was preventing him from summoning powerful individuals inside the Domain. This lasted for five minutes before two people, wearing black robes, and silver masks on their faces, appeared in front of him.

"That was terrible," Maximilian complained as he poured some Rejuvenation Potions on the wounds on his shoulders. "I thought I was going to die. Good thing we came prepared."

Alexander, on the other hand, drank a Rejuvenation Potion before opening and closing his hands as if he was testing something.

"A portion of our strength has been sealed away, but overall it's still good," Alexander stated.

"It has been a while since I felt like this," Maximilian took out another Rejuvenation Potion and chugged it. "Right now, I'm only an S-Ranker. How about you, Alex?"

"Same," Alexander replied. "But we're only dealing with Argonauts anyway, so it's not a problem."

Maximilian nodded. With their current strength, they would be able to easily solo an Argonaut-Ranked World Boss without any problem.

Of course, the two had already considered the chance that there might be a Dreadnaught, or worse, an Empyrean-Ranked Monster hiding in the Domain of the Fallen. But, they came prepared and were confident that they would be able to handle any tricky situation that the Domain might throw at them.

"You go back, boy. They might get suspicious if you are gone for a long time," Maximilian said. "Don't worry. We will split it evenly and give you 20%."

Lux nodded, and immediately left the two Rankers who didn't want their identities to be known by anyone. Since they were planning to loot the Domain of the Fallen before any of the other Factions did, they would certainly take everything and not leave any scraps behind.

—--------

Sacred Dungeon…

"Did you take a dump?" Prince Cyrus asked in a contemptuous tone. "What took you so long?"

Lux arched an eyebrow as he gazed at the Second Prince of the Vahan Empire.

"You're still here?" Lux asked back. "Are you perhaps waiting for me to hold your hand before you enter the Sacred Dungeon? Last time I checked, we're not on the same team, so why are you waiting for me?"

"It's not me who's waiting for you, you prick! It's our leader."

"Aur? Is there anything you want from me?"

The Half-Elf shifted his attention to the angelic-looking teenager, whom he believed was a Crystal Dragon in humanoid form.

"Before we enter, I would like to discuss some things with you first," Aur stated. "Since you are affiliated with Karshvar Draconis, that makes me your enemy, but I am willing to turn a blind eye to our differences while conquering the Dungeon. I advise you to not get in my way.

"Although I have a good impression of you, that doesn't mean that I will hesitate in turning you, and your comrades into Crystal Statues if you interfere with my mission. You have been warned."

"And, your mission is?" Lux crossed his arms over his chest. "Spill it, so that we will not accidentally get in your way."

"That is none of your concern."

"Cethus. How about you talk to this person? It seems we're not speaking the same language."

The black-scaled Dragon Born eyed Aur before heaving a sigh.

"We're here to conquer this Dungeon," Cethus replied. "I don't care what the Crystal Palace is here for, but if you get in my way…"

"What will you do if I get in your way?" Aur asked in a challenging tone. His handsome features became sharp as he held the Dragon Born's gaze as if finding his threat very amusing.

"If you get in my way, I'm going to go and tell my Grandmas about it."

"...."

"""...."""

The Dragon Born raised his chin arrogantly as if daring Aur to talk back to him.

Although the handsome Dragonoid (Dragon Humanoid) held a position of power within the Crystal Palace, Cethus wasn't afraid of him.

Why?

Because one of his Grandmas was the Steward of the Crystal Palace, whose authority was only second to the famed Crystal Dragon, Keoza, who had vanished on the day of his coronation ceremony.

 

 

Chapter 662 What’s Meant To Be, Will Always Find Its Way.

Everyone was speechless after hearing Cethus' reply.

It was like watching two kids having a verbal fight, and the loser was threatening the one who had beaten him by saying that they would call their parents in order to take revenge for them.

"Are you a kid?" Cai asked in an amused tone. "You're going to tell your Grandma if someone offends you?"

"You're one to talk," Keane interjected. "When you get bullied, the first thing you do is threaten people using your Grandpa's name. You're no different from Cethus."

"It's different. My Grandpa gave me permission to use his name when I get bullied. Cethus is just being Cethus."

"Well, you do have a point."

Cethus pretended that he didn't hear the two annoying fools that were talking smack behind his back. He simply gazed at Aur as if challenging him if he had the guts to mess with his two Grandmas.

Aur turned his back on the Dragon Born and led his subordinates without even saying another word.

Cethus had twin Grandmothers.

One of them was the current Dragon King's right-hand lady, whose authority was second only to him.

Cethus' other Grandma was the Supreme that guarded the Crystal Palace against all threats. She was also Keoza's Steward and was considered to be the temporary leader that everyone obeyed without fail.

Basically, Cethus could be considered one of the Untouchables in both the Karshvar Draconis and the Crystal Palace.

However, this poor Dragon Born couldn't do anything to the people whom he recognized as his comrades, who liked to talk crap about him anytime they wanted.

Aur pressed his palm on the Gate of Famine, and turned into an orb of light, flying into its center. The rest followed suit, and soon, everyone belonging to his faction was no longer in sight.

"It's time for us to go as well," Lux stated. "Remember. Our goal is to clear the dungeon. Avoid any conflicts with the Crystal Palace and the Skystead Alliance if possible. However, if they take the initiative to attack us, we will definitely beat them up to a pulp. Now, follow me!"

The Half-Elf walked towards the Gate of Famine and pressed his hand over it. Soon, his body turned into an orb of light and flew towards the Gate.

Cai and the others followed because they also wanted to start their conquest as soon as possible.

At that exact moment, the Silver-Haired Devil reached out his hand from the darkness. He ignored the other orbs of light that flew past him because his gaze was locked on a particular person, whom he wanted to take revenge on.

However, as soon as he was about to grasp the Orb of Light that represented Lux, it vanished, which surprised the Devil greatly.

"Someone interfered?" the Silver-Haired Devil looked at his empty hand in disbelief. "But how?"

After his initial shock, he closed his eyes in order to pinpoint Lux's location within the Gate of Famine, but for some reason, he couldn't find any trace of him, which made him wonder what was going on.

—-----------

High above the world of Elysium, the God of Gamblers was looking at the three dice that he had tossed earlier.

Each of them was showing the number 666, which made Macuilxochitl chuckle.

(A/N: Let's just call him Max for short.)

"Nice toss," Eriol commented from the side. "Fortunately, luck is on your side today."

"Mmm." Max hummed as he picked up the three dice in the air. "Lux is still not ready to face the top Dogs of the Void. I won't let this Devil have his way."

Eriol smiled because he, too, felt that it was still too early for Lux to face off against the Abyssal Legion.

"Too bad, we can't interfere often," Eriol said as he looked down at the orb of light that was traveling between the border of the Void and Elysium. "We may not be able to save him next time."

"Worry not. Both of us have taken a Gamble," Max replied as he looked at the Dices of Destiny in his hand. "As to whether we will hit it big or not, it will all depend on the roll of the dice. Sometimes, I wish I could cheat in gambling. But, even the God of Gamblers must follow the rules given to him."

Suddenly, the two Gods heard two lively voices behind them, which made them turn around.

"Lily, are you sure this is fine?" a little God, who looked like a two-year-old baby wearing diapers, said while flapping his angelic wings. "The Gods have already abandoned this world. We shouldn't be here."

"Relax, Cupid," the Loli Goddess, Lily, said with a smile. "We're just sightseeing. We're not doing anything illegal, right, Dim Dim?"

The Dimsum God that was perched on top of Lily's head nodded its head while saying the words "Dim Dim!"

"See?" Lily looked at Cupid with a smug smile on her face.

"Um, if you say so."

"Don't worry. We'll somehow wing it like we always do!"

"Dim Dim!"

The three little Gods were so busy talking to each other that they didn't notice Eriol and Max looking at them with weird looks on their faces.

"What are the three of you doing here?" Max asked in a loud voice which startled the three Gods, who were busy chatting with each other.

"Oh my God! It's old pervert Max who watches Hent*i on his PC!" Cupid exclaimed. "Mom, this guy is bad news!"

"D-Don't worry!" Lily spoke up in an encouraging tone. "I got the extremely rare, limited edition, Doki Doki Director's Cut. Maybe we can use this to distract him!"

"T-Toss it, Lily! Hurry before he catches us!"

"Dim Dim!"

Lily no longer hesitated and tossed the Blu-Ray DVD in her hands toward Max before making a run for it.

The God of Gamblers had gained notoriety within the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods for his unique taste and his circle of friends, which were composed of the New Generation Gods, namely the MILF God, Lolicon God, Furry God, 2D God, and BDSM God.

"Wow, they ran like their lives depended on it." Eriol chuckled as he watched Lily's and Cupid's backs disappear into the distance. "Your reputation precedes you."

Max snorted before taking a closer look at the Doki Doki Eroge Game that Lily tossed in his direction.

He then sneakily put it inside his robe before once again looking at his chosen candidate who had arrived at the boundary of Elysium and the Void.

A place where once a powerful and prosperous kingdom thrived before it was destroyed when the Abyssal Creatures first descended upon the world.

"It might take a year, it might take a day," Maximilian said softly. "But what's meant to be, will always find its way."

Eriol nodded because he understood what Max was referring to.

They were the only two Gods who hadn't abandoned Solais and, if possible, they wanted Lux to succeed in saving it.

They were doing this, not for their sake, but for the memory of a very dear friend, who had sacrificed her life to give the world of Solais a second chance at life.

 

 

Chapter 663 An Unreachable Place

Gate of Famine…

"Are you sure this is the Gate of Famine?" Cethus asked. "Why does everything here look so abundant?"

Cethus stared at the wheatfields in front of him that were ready for harvest. In fact, there were already many farmers in the distance, busy cutting the wheat down and tying them in bundles.

In the distance, he also saw a grape orchard, which was also ripe for the picking. He couldn't understand why something so bountiful would be found inside the Gate of Famine.

"Don't judge everything by what you see," Cai commented. "Maybe there is another place here experiencing famine, where we might also find our Quest. Um, what should we do next, Lux?"

The Boar looked behind her, expecting to see the Half-Elf, but what she only saw was Eiko looking around, seemingly confused.

"Pa?" Eiko scanned her surroundings. "Pa!"

The Baby Slime jumped up high and summoned one of her Undead Legion, whom she had created using the Skeleton Generator skill.

Lux and Eiko both had 4 Undead Creatures that had been created using the Skeleton Generator Skill, and all of them had been added to their Undead Army.

The Half-Elf's Skeleton Generated creatures were now serving under Revon, and all of them were a cut above the rest.

Eiko had four Skeleton Summons.

One of them was Boomer, the Crimson Monkey Kong Skeleton Bombardier.

The other three Skeletons under Eiko's command had the names Bomber, Bom Bom, and BAM.

Bomber was a Floating Skeleton Bomb that had eyes similar to that of a beholder. It had no other abilities aside from True Strike and Lock On, which allowed it to fly toward its target at a great speed, never missing its target.

Simply put, Bomber was a "suicide bomber", and its explosive damage was similar to that of a full-powered strike from Lux's and Eiko's Grand Bazooka.

Bom Bom, on the other hand, was a moving Skeleton Cannon. It could walk; it could fly; and it could even swim! It had the ability to fire Blast Bombs [EX] and had a very long range, allowing it to hit targets before they could even hit it.

Last but not the least was BAM.

BAM was an interesting Skeleton because he donned the clothes of a martial artist. His ability was similar to Boomer. This meant that his punches and kicks had an explosive side to them, dealing great damage to anything he hit.

Perhaps, the only difference between them was that BAM didn't have any long-range attacks. He was a pure close combat fighter, whose speed, flexibility, and technique were just as fast and deadly as Lux's Nightstalker, Ishtar,

Right now, Eiko was perched on top of Bomber, who was hovering twenty meters above ground, providing the Baby Slime a wider view of her surroundings as she searched for her Papa.

"Pa!" Eiko shouted. "Pa!"

Cai, Keane, Gerhart, and Cethus immediately understood that something was wrong.

All of them knew that Lux would never leave Eiko behind, and his disappearance was something that none of them had expected.

"Mumumumu!"

After trying to locate her Papa using their shared connection, Eiko confirmed that the Half-Elf was nowhere near them.

Because of this, she decided to use her skill, Family Bond [EX], allowing her to teleport to where Lux was.

However, before doing so, she made sure to tell Fei Fei about what she was planning to do so that the others wouldn't be worried about her.

"Wei!" Fei Fei nodded her head in understanding and translated what Eiko was trying to say to Cai.

When the Golden Slime finished relaying Eiko's message, Cai nodded her head in understanding.

"Eiko said that Lux isn't near our location, so she will go to where Lux is," Cai explained. "She added that there is a possibility that Lux isn't here in the Gate of Famine anymore."

Cai's explanation made everyone who had decided to choose Lux as their Temporary Leader inside the dungeon frown.

"He's not here?" Einar asked. "Then where do you think he is?"

"I have no idea," Cai replied. "Even Eiko doesn't know despite the two of them having a very strong connection with each other."

The Boar then shifted her attention back to the baby Blue Slime and nodded her head.

"Be careful, Eiko," Cai stated. "Tell Lux that he should send us a message and tell us what's going on!"

Eiko nodded. "Kay!"

After getting Cai's approval, the Baby Blue Slime turned into a beam of light that shot toward the heavens. She would go to where her Papa was and make sure that he was safe.

When Eiko was no longer around, Lux's group fell into an awkward silence.

This silence was broken by Prince Cyrus' arrogant laughter, who was standing dozens of meters away from them.

"Looks like your leader ran away," Prince Cyrus gloated. "How about it? Care to join our team? I'm sure that His Excellency, Aur, will permit it."

Einar and Val glanced at each other as if trying to decide if they should go or not. They had always been with Lux on the expeditions in the Sacred Dungeon, and they didn't know whether they could trust the Dragonoid, who might just use them as cannon fodder.

"There's no need for that," Cethus announced. "Since Lux isn't here, I will be this group's temporary leader. I will do my best to help you guys clear this dungeon."

At first, Cai, Keane, and Gerhart were planning to reject Cethus' declaration. However, they held back what they were going to say after seeing the message that he had sent through their Guild Chat.

—-------

Heaven's Gate Guild Chat…

"It is important that we keep this team together for the time being," Cethus stated. "All of you belong to different factions. None of you would recognize a new leader amongst yourselves, so we need someone with enough influence to bind everyone together.

"Everyone saw my exchange with Aur earlier and, because of that, they have a high opinion of me. Regardless of what the three of you think, I am the only one here that has sufficient influence and authority to keep this group together."

—-------

Cai, Keane, and Gerhart weren't fools. Although they made fun of Cethus a lot, they understood that he was right.

Although they didn't mind working with just the four of them, having a bigger group would ensure a higher chance of success.

The Dragon Born then looked at the faces of the teenagers that belonged to the Xynnar War Pact and Six Kingdoms with a confident gaze. Giving them some kind of assurance that everything was under control.

Cethus might lack a lot of things, but he never lacked arrogance and confidence. His sharp features also make people slightly intimidated by him, and his race spoke volumes.

(E/N: You make it sound like it's a good thing.)

Simply put, the Dragon Born had a lot of experience ordering people around because of his position as one of the Royal Guards of the Dragon King.

"If any of you have a problem with me being the leader, then you can leave if you want," Cethus declared. "But know this, when Lux returns, I will tell him that you didn't follow my orders and are not qualified to be part of our team."

Cethus laughed in his heart because he was trying to get back at Lux for everything the Half-Elf had done to him. Now that he could use the red-headed teenager's name and influence without worrying about the repercussions, the Dragon Born was hell-bent to use it all to his advantage.

—--------

Cai: Scum.

Keane: Blackmailer.

Gerhart: Wow! One day, this bastard is going to get stabbed in the back.

—--------

The Dragon Born ignored the comments of the three annoying pricks in the Guild Chat and focused his attention on the people in front of him.

Henrietta, Einar, Val, Enil, Jasper, and the representatives of the Six Kingdoms all glanced at each other before reluctantly nodding their heads.

"We will follow you for now," Henrietta was the first to voice out her opinion. "However, if we don't deem you worthy, we will go our separate ways."

"Fair enough," Cethus replied with his arms crossed over his chest. "Now, let's spread out and start asking for information. We need to understand the goal of clearing this dungeon and to do that, we need to get a better understanding of our location.

"All of you go in groups according to your factions. Whatever happens, do not engage the enemy. We will all meet up in this location in two hours. Remember, prioritize escaping. We don't know what kind of dangers we will be facing here."

The leaders of the temporary alliance all nodded their heads and led their groups in different directions to get a better understanding of the layout of the land.

Cai, Keane, Gerhart, and Cethus also made their move, leaving the members of the Crystal Palace and Skystead Alliance behind.

Aur, who had been feeling that something was off in their surroundings, was currently deep in thought.

He didn't believe that Lux had escaped or had gone somewhere else right after entering the Sacred Dungeon.

Just like the Half-Elf's close friends, he saw that the Baby Slime, Eiko, was left behind. Since Lux had protected the Baby Slime from Prince Cyrus, Aur understood that there was simply no way that the Half-Elf would leave his pet behind.

'Just what is going on here?' Aur thought as he narrowed his eyes to look in the distance. 'Although everything seems calm on the surface, I can vaguely sense someone watching us from somewhere.'

It was not only Aur who felt that they were being observed by someone.

Cai, Keane, Gerhart, Cethus, Einar, Val, Henrietta, Jasper, and Enlil had also sensed this presence and had been subtly trying to discern where the gaze on them was coming from.

However, no matter how they tried to pinpoint that person's location, they couldn't do it.

The reason for it was simple.

The feeling they were getting was that they were being watched by someone in the sky.

A place that none of them, even with wings on their backs, could ever hope to reach.

 

 

Chapter 664 The Boundary Of The Void And The Mortal Plane

Lux's disappearance had caused a stir among the diplomats and Rankers who were waiting outside the Gate of the Fallen.

They had clearly seen that Lux had entered the Gate of Famine, but he disappeared soon afterward.

While the Crystal Palace and the Skystead Alliance weren't the least bit affected by what transpired inside the Sacred Dungeon, the Xynnar War Pact and the Six Kingdoms were currently dealing with a headache.

Although Cethus had forcibly taken control of their temporary alliance, they didn't know him too well to judge whether the Dragon Born was capable of leading the members of their younger generation or not.

However, they also understood that the chance of them being treated as cannon fodder by the Crystal Palace and Skystead Alliance was high. Having known this, they could only hope for the best and see how things were going to turn out.

While all of this was happening, cries of outrage and pain reverberated inside the Domain of the Fallen as Alexander and Maximilian started their looting operation.

"Hahaha! A five-hundred-year-old Spirit Ginger." Maximilian carefully dug out the precious plant that was rarely seen in Solais. "If those snobbish Kings of the Six Kingdoms could only see us now, they'd probably die from anger. I knew that looting this place was the right thing to do."

Not far from Maximilian, an Argonaut-Ranked Golden-Winged Tiger lay on the ground panting for breath.

"Choose between submission or death," Alexander stated. "There is no third option."

"Grrrr!" The Golden-Winged Tiger was filled with indignation as it glared at the Headmaster of Barbatos Academy whose eyes were as calm as a lake.

The Tiger was one of the Apex Beasts inside the Domain of the Fallen, and those that could beat it could only be counted by the fingers on one hand. It didn't expect some illegal trespassers to enter its domain and one-sidedly beat it, taking the prized herb that it had been guarding for so long.

In the end, the Golden-Winged Tiger bowed its head and submitted to Alexander, allowing the Headmaster to bind it with a Beastial Contract.

The moment the Argonaut-Ranked Beast became Alexander's subordinate, the Saint waved his hand and sent the Tiger to his Miniature Domain, where he kept his other pets.

Maximilian, who had just finished digging the herb, also hid the treasure he found inside his own Miniature Domain, which contained various rare and exotic herbs that could be used as ingredients for Elixirs.

All Saints had this ability, allowing them to do many things that ordinary High-Rankers couldn't possibly do.

"My senses tell me that we should continue to head North," Maximilian rubbed his beard. "I sense a very strong life energy coming from that direction. Maybe it's a primordial Panacea that can heal any injuries or some kind of exotic plant that is already extinct in Solais. Either way, we must have it at all costs."

"Okay." Alexander nodded.

A moment later, the two disappeared from where they stood and headed North.

Both of them were unaware of the events that were happening inside the Sacred Dungeon. The only thing on their minds was to get everything as fast as they could and return home with all the treasures that they had found inside the Domain of the Fallen…

—---------------

Boundary between the Void and Elysium…

"Where am I?" Lux thought as he scanned his surroundings. "Where is everyone?"

After he entered the Sacred Dungeon, the Half-Elf found himself in a place, where everything was red in color.

The ground, the sky, the moon—all of them were red.

However, the most notable thing was the broken sky above his head, which looked similar to a cracked mirror that could shatter anytime.

Lux also noticed something else. There was a city, or what remained of a city, in the distance.

The City Walls, which should have protected it from any outside threats, were in shambles, just like everything inside it.

Even the castle that towered in the distance was destroyed and dilapidated, which was a contrast to its once glorious past.

Just as Lux was thinking about what to do next, he suddenly felt a familiar weight on top of his head, making him breathe a sigh of relief.

"Pa!" Eiko crawled down the side of Lux's face and peppered his cheeks with kisses.

"It's good to see you too, Eiko," Lux replied before gently prying off the Baby Slime from his face, giving it a kiss on the cheeks. "I thought I lost you. Good thing you can teleport to my location anytime you want."

"Un!" Eiko happily nodded her head, agreeing with her Papa's words.

After sharing a bit of skinship, the Baby Slime told her Papa about what happened to Cai and the others.

"I'm glad they're fine," Lux sighed in relief. "It seems that I'm the only one who was sent to a different place. I'm sorry, were you scared earlier?"

"Un!"

"Don't worry, we're together now. Everything is going to be fine."

"Pa!"

Lux once again placed Eiko on top of his head before summoning his Soul Book. Now that he was reunited with the Baby Slime, it was time to figure out where he was and find a way to get back to the others.

Fortunately, the Elysium Compendium and his Soul Book had merged together, giving the Half-Elf easy access to almost every piece of information that he needed.

The first thing he did was open his Map to see the name of the place he was in.

"Zangrila?" Lux muttered. "Never heard of this place."

The Half-Elf then searched the compendium for any information about Zangrila, and the data he saw made his eyes widen in shock.

—----------

Zangrila, the boundary of the Void and the Mortal Plane.

– Hundreds of years ago, Zangrila was a prosperous kingdom that thrived in the Western Regions of Elysium. It was located on the very edge of the continent, allowing it to grow uncontested.

However, after hundreds of years, something unexpected happened.

A crack appeared in the sky and, from it, monsters that had never been seen before descended on their peaceful kingdom.

These creatures were quite strong, with some of them standing over hundreds of meters tall. Of course, Zangrila was a powerful Nation, boasting three Saints, who fought bravely against the invaders.

However, even the three of them weren't able to push back the darkness that had come to consume their land. In the end, no one was able to escape—not even the Saints who were the Kingdom's strongest fighters.

Many years passed, and the Kingdom of Zangrila was still in ruins. None dared to move even a single stone from this place, in fear that the ghosts of the departed would haunt them for eternity.

It was said that those that were killed by the Abyssal Creatures couldn't cross over to the Tree of Life, where they would be reborn once again. These countless pitiful spirits of the dead wander around Zangrila, waiting for the day their suffering will finally end.

Note: Since this is the border of the Void and Elysium, Abyssal Creatures often appear here. It is a very dangerous place, and even Saints are weary to tread in this place.

—----------

Lux's face immediately became solemn when he read that Abyssal Creatures often appeared in his location.

Although he could probably fight a Deimos-Ranked Abyssal Creature by himself, that didn't mean that he was comfortable staying in a place where danger could appear at any time.

'I'd better leave this place. I'll just think of a way to get back to the others after I've gained a safe distance from this place,' Lux thought as he gave the cracked-sky one last glance before turning around.

He had tried to contact the others through his Guild Chat, but there seemed to be some kind of force preventing him from accessing the features of his Guild.

Lux was about to summon his Mount, Jed, when he suddenly heard a cryptic voice behind him, making his entire body shudder in fright.

"Leaving so soon? Why not stay a while? It has been quite some time since I saw a living person in this Godforsaken place."

The Half-Elf slowly looked behind him to see who the owner of the voice was.

"Hoh~ it has been a while since I've seen a Half-Elf. You seem to be pretty young too. What are you doing here, my boy? Are you lost?"

An old man, leaning on a cane, asked Lux in a teasing tone.

He was just a little over three feet tall, and his gray eyes had an amused glint in them, making him look very harmless.

"Ah, right. Where are my manners?" the old man lightly scratched his head. "My name is Gaap El Nash. Just call me Gaap. How about you, My Boy? What's your name?"

"Lux," Lux replied. "Lux Von Kaizer."

The old man smiled, revealing the three teeth that had managed to survive his long decrepit life.

After staying in Zangrila for many years, he finally found someone who wasn't an Abyssal Creature in the place that was located between the boundary of Damnation and Beyond.

----------

Important Announcement!

I will be publishing two stories this month of May. For now, I have published the first story and its title is "Kingdom Building Done Right".

I have also created a Patreon Page for it, so you guys can read its advance for a very, very, cheap price that will not put a hole on your pockets and wallets.

The Patreon page can be found on the synopsis of the novel, but do take note that no chapters are uploaded in it at the moment. I will work on it after three days, so you guys can read without too much hassle.

The two new stories will also be having a Webtoon Adaptation, so I will be very happy if you guys donate to make it happen. That is all folks. Enjoy the new story.

P.S Don't worry, this announcement will not make you pay additional coins. I made sure that it will not add to the word count to make you pay extra, so don't get mad at me, okay?

 

 

Chapter 665 Why Are You So Salty? [Part 1]

"So, Lux, what brings you here?" Gaap asked after eating the sandwich Lux had given him. "Did you come here to take a look at the ruined kingdom of Zangrila?"

"Actually, I don't know how I managed to get here, Grandpa Gaap," Lux replied. "I entered a Dungeon with my friends, and before I knew it, I was already here."

"A Dungeon?" Gaap rubbed his chin. "Well, the world has a lot of unexplained mysteries. Perhaps your arrival here is just one of them."

Currently, he and Lux were staying in one of the least dilapidated houses inside the destroyed city of Zangrila. Since the place was known to spawn Abyssal Monsters, the Half-Elf decided that it would be best if he stayed somewhere safe to better understand his current situation.

"How about you, Grandpa?" Lux asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Me? Oh, I'm just waiting for someone," Gaap replied with a toothy smile, even though he only had three teeth to display. "You see, I'm looking for a successor because I want to pass my knowledge to them. You see, I'm getting old. It's likely for me to kick the bucket anytime soon."

The old man cackled before taking another sandwich from the basket beside him.

Even though Lux's Rank was only that of a Peak Initiate, it was very easy for him to sense the strength of people who were weaker than him.

He was surprised when he found out that Gaap was only an Initiate Stage, Grade-A Apostle.

When asked how he had been able to survive in the city where Abyssal Creatures appear from time to time, Gaap simply answered that he was very good at hiding.

Of course, there were times when Abyssal Creatures found his hiding place, but since he was just a weak Apostle, none of them cared much about him and left him alone.

"Gramps, why don't you come with me to leave this place?" Lux proposed. "I am confident that we will be able to avoid any confrontation with Monsters as long as you stick with me."

Gaap thought for a while then shook his head. "I can't leave right now, Lux. You see, I've been guarding a special gift for the person that I am waiting for. Only when that person receives my gift will I be able to leave this God-forsaken place."

Just as the old man was about to bite on his sandwich, a rumble sounded not far from their location.

"An Abyssal Creature has appeared," Gaap stated before tearing off a piece of the sandwich and putting it inside his mouth. "This one is a bit strong, so don't leave this place for the time being."

Lux, who had subtly summoned his Soul Book, gazed at the blinking red dot on the map.

For an ordinary Monster, the size of the dot was small like a small bean. However, if the monster was strong, like a Deimos or Argonaut-Ranked Monster, the size of the dot would be four to five times bigger.

And right now, Lux was seeing a big red dot on his map, which meant that the newly spawned Abyssal Creature was a Deimos-Ranked Monster at the minimum.

Suddenly, the blinking red dot on the map moved. At first, Lux didn't mind it. However, he noticed that the Abyssal Creature was slowly heading in their direction which made him frown.

"...It looks like it has discovered us," Gaap said with an eerie calmness that gave Lux goosebumps. "Well then, Lux, we have two choices. Are we going to flee, or are you going to fight that monster? You better think fast because… it is already here."

As if waiting for that cue, the roof of the house they were staying in suddenly crumbled, forcing Lux to grab hold of Gaap and flee as fast as he could.

Since he had reacted right away, the old man was safe and sound, making the Half-Elf breathe a little easier.

"Gramps, I don't know how you managed to survive all these years," Lux said as he stared at the Abyssal Creature in front of him. "This place is not really a good place to retire."

Standing at least ten meters tall, a Black Octopus with a red gem on its forehead looked at the Half-Elf and the Old Man with a sinister gaze.

"Ah… a Deimos-Ranked Octopath." Gaap frowned. "The last time I saw one of those was a year ago. You be careful, Lux. That thing spits corrosive black ink that can melt steel."

Lux nodded and summoned his Named Creatures to his side.

"Asmodeus, look after Grandpa Gaap," Lux ordered. "The rest of you, we will lure the Monster away."

As soon as Lux gave his orders, he immediately summoned the armor Favonius Legacy that bestowed upon him the power to fly.

He didn't want to involve Gaap in the battle, so he decided to lure the Monster as far away as possible.

Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, Orion, Lazarus, Revon, Zagan, and ALL-MITE all followed behind their Master as they prepared to fight against the Deimos-Ranked Monster.

A moment later, Lux's army that numbered in the hundreds appeared on the battlefield, which immediately engaged the Abyssal Creature in a heated battle.

While Gaap watched this battle from a safe distance, he also appraised Lux's current fighting strength. A moment later, he shook his head and breathed out a helpless sigh that made Asmodeus, who was tasked to guard him, smile.

"So, what do you think of my Master's Undead Army?" Asmodeus asked.

"His Undead are too 'clean'. This is not how Necromancers fight," Gaap replied. "It's like someone using flashy swordsmanship. All show

and no substance. If any real Necromancer sees him now, they will probably feel what I'm feeling right now."

Asmodeus chuckled. He knew that Gaap was a Necromancer the moment he was summoned. Because of this, he wanted to ask his opinion about his Master's Undead Legion.

"True, my Master doesn't know a thing about being a Necromancer," Asmodeus replied. "His Undead are too pure. It's like comparing innocent children to greedy adults. They are simply worlds apart."

"Well, not all of them are pure and innocent." Gaap gave Asmodeus a side-long glance. "You should have taught him how to be a proper Necromancer. He needs more rotten individuals like you."

"It is not my place to teach my Master how to become a Necromancer," Asmodeus replied. "Besides. What's wrong with being a good Necromancer? It's a lot better than other Necromancers who raise the dead from cemeteries and use them as part of his Undead Army."

Gaap snorted as he pointed at the Skeleton Gang Bangers whose bodies shattered after being hit by one of the eight tentacles of the Octopath Abyssal Monster. "His Undead Army is very fragile. Just one hit and they break apart. A skeleton summoned by a Necromancer of the same Rank would take at least two hits before shattering completely."

"You're exaggerating," Asmodeus countered. "That is a Deimos-Ranked Creature. An Initiate-Rank Necromancer's skeleton would shatter if hit by an attack from that thing."

"Mine wouldn't," Gaap declared.

"I wasn't born yesterday, you know?" Asmodeus scoffed. "We both know that what you're saying is hogwash. So what if you are a Rank-A Apostle? You're just acting weak so that others won't see you as a threat."

Gaap no longer said anything and simply observed the battle from a distance. His calm gaze, which seemed to have weathered countless storms, locked itself on the Half-Elf, who was attacking the Octopath from the sky.

"Eiko, let's do this!"

"Pa!"

When Lux and Eiko went to the Ancestral Grounds of the Blackrock Clan, they received Pseudo-Transcendent Flames from the Twin Flames that strengthened the power of their Dragon Breaths.

Lux received the "Pseudo-Transcendent Primeval Black Flames" which was very effective against creatures without a physical body like Wraiths, Specters, and Ghosts. It was also very effective against Abyssal Creatures, and the best thing about it was that its effects stacked with Abyss Touch, making it incredibly deadly.

Eiko, on the other hand, received the "Pseudo-Transcendent Purple Primeval Flame" which could not burn anything, except the Mana in anything it hits. The burnt Mana would combust, dealing damage equal to the amount of Mana burned by Eiko's attack.

This deadly combination was one of their Trump Cards, but since they are fighting against a very powerful opponent, Lux and Eiko summoned their clones and unleashed the strongest attack in their arsenal.

"""Dragon's Breath!"""

Black and Purple Dragon Breaths collided with the Octopath's body, making it scream and howl in pain. It then started to roll on the ground, imitating the death roll of a Crocodile, destroying the structures around it.

Lux's Undead Legion took this opportunity to bombard the Abyssal Creature with long-range attacks, giving it no time to breathe.

The battle lasted for nearly half an hour, with ALL-MITE dealing the final blow, smashing the head of the Octopath with his flaming fists.

But, before the Half-Elf could breathe easy, the dead Abyssal Creature's body suddenly twitched before lashing at ALL-MITE with one of its tentacles, sending the Four-Armed Hero smashing through dozens of houses.

No one had expected this sudden turn of events, especially the Half-Elf, who was looking at the revived Abyssal Monster in disbelief.

Gaap, who was looking at Lux's dumbfounded expression, smiled evilly. He wanted to show the Half-Elf what it was like to fight a real Undead Monster, and for that to happen, he used the body of the dead Abyssal Creature without a second thought.

Asmodeus, who was standing behind the old man, chuckled because he didn't know if he should laugh or cry at his Master's current situation.

Although he found Gaap's action quite distasteful, he was also very curious about what the old Necromancer was capable of doing.

 

Chapter 666 Why Are You So Salty? [Part 2]

"What's going on?" Lux thought as he, and his clones, evaded the corrosive spray that the revived Octopath unleashed in his direction.

A black mist, which reeked of death and decay oozed out from the Octopath's body, making Lux realize something.

'It has been revived as an Undead,' Lux's expression became solemn after he understood the situation. 'Either someone revived it, or it just automatically revived due to the special feature of this territory. Maybe there's another reason, but that's not important right now.'

Lux and Eiko once again unleashed their Dragon Breaths in order to deal with the revived monster, but something unexpected happened.

The Black Mist that was oozing off the Monster's body formed a barrier to protect it, preventing their combined attack from breaking past its defenses.

The red-headed teenager then opened his Soul Book to try to see the monster's information, and what he saw made his face turn grim.

—--------------

< Animated Abyssal Octopath Monster >

– Animated Abyssal Creature

– Unholy Beast of Death

Health: 43,250,030 / 45,500,000

Mana: 4,830,000 / 5,200,000

Strength: 5,000

Intelligence: 2,000

Vitality: 4,000

Agility: 4,000

Dexterity: 4,000

Active Skills: Corrosion Spray, Tentacle Whip, Bind, Infestation.

Passive Skills: Unholy Aura [EX]

—--------------

< Unholy Aura >

– Grants the Unholy Power of the Dead, greatly raising the monster's physical, and magical attacks, as well as its defenses by 300%

– Allows the black mist to automatically block physical and magical attacks at the cost of Mana.

– The Monster can also freely control the barrier if it wishes. Prioritizing attacks that threaten it the most.

—--------------

'What a pain,' Lux cursed internally. 'Wait… isn't this an Undead? Maybe I can tame it!"

Lux hadn't tried taming a strong Undead Monster before, so he decided to give it a try. After giving mental orders to his Undead Army, the Half-Elf flew to the Octopath's blindspot in order to get in range for his Tame Undead [EX] skill.

"Tame Undead!" Lux shouted as he pointed his finger at the back of the revived Octopath Monster.

A moment later, several rows of text appeared in front of him, which confirmed the Half-Elf's earlier suspicion.

—------------

< Tame Undead [EX] has failed! >

< This Monster has been revived by someone stronger than the Host. Overwriting their contract is impossible! >

—------------

"Sh*t!" Lux muttered before flying away in order to gain a safe distance from the monster, who had started to use its long tentacles to lash out at the Skeleton Gangbangers, who had tried to use swarm tactics on its body.

"Pazuzu!" Lux ordered. "Do it!"

The Fortress Defender, as well as the other Elite Shield Protectors, formed a defensive formation, placing their shields in front of them.

"Duel [EX]!" Pazuzu pointed at the rampaging monster, forcing the Animated Octopath to head in their direction.

The Octopath then extended one of its long tentacles to smash the Fortress Defender, who had tried to taunt it from a distance.

"Shield Wall!" Pazuzu roared, and a giant blue tower shield appeared in front of him.

The other Elite Shield Protectors also used their Shield Wall ability, creating a wall of blue Tower Shields in front of them.

Lux's and Eiko's clones had positioned themselves in the Monster's blindspot and once again unleashed their Dragon Breaths in an attempt to catch the monster by surprise.

Zagan, Lazarus, Ishtar, the Skeleton Arcane Hunters, and the Liches had also unleashed their long-ranged attacks, targeting different parts of the monster.

However, to their dismay, the black mist once again covered the monster's body, focusing only on the parts targeted by their Dragon Flames.

This was the first time that Lux had witnessed such an incredible feat, so it caught him by surprise.

The only silver lining was that the mist had focused on his and Eiko's attacks, which allowed every other attack to land on its body.

However, due to its high Health Points, the attacks that hit its body only did minimal damage.

'It knows which attacks threaten it the most,' Lux thought. 'It seems that I have no choice but to fight it in a battle of attrition. This is going to take a while. I just hope that no other Abyssal Creatures spawn at that time.'

While Lux and his army were doing their best to fight against the Animated Abyssal Creature, Gaap and Asmodeus were busy chatting with each other.

"This Unholy Aura is good," Asmodeus commented. "If all of his Undead Monsters were to have it, their survivability would also increase."

"Any decent Necromancer will be able to utilize this if they embrace the true ways of our arts," Gaap stated. "For that to happen, he needs to be a little ruthless and not stick to morality and all that goody-two-shoes mentality. Just looking at his Undead makes me feel as if one of my teeth is about to fall out. You spoiled him too much."

Asmodeus shook his head and argued with the old man, telling him that there should be other ways to develop a similar ability to the Unholy Aura without changing one's principles.

"Are you perhaps living in a rose-colored-dream?" Gaap asked in a teasing tone. "Do you think that this world will allow someone to live happily ever after? Those only happen in fairy tales."

"Are you talking from experience?" Asmodeus asked. "Why are you so salty? Nothing is black and white. Even though I think that my Master is too nice to be a Necromancer, his growth is phenomenal.

"Do you know? He only started going to Elysium a year ago and he is now a Peak Initiate. He even overtook his peers who started earlier than him. My Master is the real deal, you know?"

Gaap scoffed after hearing Asmodeus' words. He didn't believe a single word that the Archlich said.

He had met several Foreigners in the past and understood that it would take them a few years in order to reach the Initiate Rank. Of course, there were other methods like forcefully absorbing Beast Cores in order to raise one's stats.

However, this method was frowned upon by the Power Houses because even if someone brute-forced their way to reach a certain Rank, they would be inherently weaker than those who had achieved it through the proper channels.

Gaap might not feel impressed by Lux's performance, but that didn't mean that he thought that he was bad either.

A blank canvas was a good thing because it meant that it could be used to draw a beautiful painting, and for Gaap, Lux was that blank canvas.

If he were able to teach him how to perform the proper strokes, then without a doubt, the Half-Elf would gain a power that he never thought was possible in the past.

 

Chapter 667 Loot And Dash

Twenty minutes had passed since Lux and Eiko attacked the Animated Abyssal Creature a second time, and both of them were about to run out of steam.

The Monster's Unholy Aura was truly a pain as it prioritized defending against attacks that gave it the highest threat.

The Abyssal Creature was an all-rounder, equipped with both long and short-range attacks that allowed it to annihilate anything it hit.

Orion and Pazuzu had already died more than once in order to save Lux from deadly clashes that could potentially give him a fatal injury.

Even though Lux had the Corpse God to defend him, the two Tankers of his army didn't dare risk it and sacrificed their lives in order to save their Master.

Because of this, the Half-Elf was forced to distance himself and no longer tried to engage the Monster, whose fighting prowess had exceeded its former self.

"Eiko, are you fine?" Lux asked the Baby Slime who was panting on top of his head.

"Pa!"

"Take it easy, okay?"

"Pa!"

Truth be told, Lux and Eiko were both mentally exhausted. Although their Guild buffs regenerated their health, mana, and stamina, the mental stress they dealt with was piling up and taking its toll on their body.

It had only been twenty minutes, however, they managed to bring the Monster's health down by a tenth of its maximum health.

But, there was one other problem. The monster also had a regeneration ability, which slowly but surely allowed it to recover its health, making the battle of attrition move in its favor.

Even though Lux and Eiko had been summoning countless Undead to fight, the Monster was simply too powerful for them to handle right now.

ALL-MITE, whom Lux hoped would be able to turn the tide of battle was also unable to deal a decisive blow and was repeatedly forced to retreat by the Animated Octopath's relentless attacks.

'Maybe I should retreat for now,' Lux thought after seeing the hopeless situation he was in.

At that exact moment, a loud shriek spread in the surroundings, which came from behind the Half-Elf, who was busy fighting against the revived Octopath Monster.

"Sh*t!" Lux cursed as a black Four-Winged Giant Eagle with red eyes descended from the sky and unleashed countless black feathers in his direction.

The Half-Elf immediately flew to the side in order to evade the attacks. However, by doing so, he found himself sandwiched between the Octopath Monster, and the Four-Winged Giant Eagle, whose fierce gazes were locked onto his body.

With a deafening shriek, the Black Eagle dove down with the intention of crushing the Half-Elf with its beak.

Behind Lux, the Octopatah extended four of its tentacles towards him, forcing the Half-Elf and the Baby Slime to work together in order to survive the attacks that were coming from the front and the back.

"Corpse God!" Lux roared.

"Corpse!" Eiko shouted.

With Eiko's mimicry ability, she copied her Papa's skill, summoning her own Corpse God.

Lux's and Eiko's skills fused together, creating a two-headed Corpse God with twelve arms, which immediately took a defensive position to protect their Masters.

However, just as Lux and Eiko were bracing for an attack, the four giant tentacles passed them, and wrapped around the body of the Four-Winged Black Eagle, pulling it down from the sky.

The Octopath then propelled itself to its prey, who was unable to break free due to the Animated Creature's firm grip on its body.

Lux watched with surprise as the Octopath's beak bit on the Giant Eagle's neck, holding it in place, and making the Eagle shriek in pain.

The Octopath's other tentacles bound the Eagle's body tightly, preventing it from escaping its death grip.

One of its tentacles was wrapped around the eagle's beak, clamping it shut and preventing the bird from pecking its body.

Both of the monsters were Deimos-Ranked Beasts, but the Octopath had the upper hand in the battle. Little by little, it was using its corrosion ability to fully incapacitate its prey, giving it no chance for a comeback.

Lux, who was watching all of this, was faced with two choices.

Continue to fight or flee.

His Named Creatures, who were standing not far from him, were also waiting for his orders. They would follow whatever their Master asked of them, even if it was to fight till the bitter end.

Lux took deep and steady breaths before summoning his Soul Book to pay attention to the Health Points of both monsters.

The Black Abyssal Four-Winged Giant Eagle's health was decreasing at a rapid pace as its very life was being squeezed out of its body by the Octopath, who had suddenly changed its target from Lux to the Giant Eagle that targeted the Half-Elf.

Lux then gave out his orders, which his subordinates obeyed, executing the plan he had asked them to follow.

As the Giant Eagle was about to breathe its last, Diablo appeared in front of it and stabbed its sword into the monster's forehead, dealing the final blow.

This attack was carried out in great timing and precision, which was something that Diablo had only been able to pull off due to the experiences he gained in the many battles that he had fought.

A second later, the body of the Giant Eagle disappeared as Diablo stored its body inside his Bounty Ring, preventing the Necromancer who revived the Octopath from gaining a second minion.

With his mission done, Lux summoned Diablo back to his side as he and his other Named Creatures made a hasty retreat, carrying Gaap with them.

The old Halfling had the expression of someone who just got robbed, while Asmodeus chuckled beside him.

Clearly, the old man didn't expect Lux to loot and dash, taking the Giant Eagle's body and leaving the Octopath behind.

Of course, not all of Lux's subordinates had escaped.

Orion, alongside the surviving Liches and Skeleton Arcane Hunters, engaged the Abyssal Creature in order to buy time for their Master to escape.

The Capital City of the Kingdom of Zangrila was very big, so there were plenty of places to hide.

His fight against the Octopath took place near the outskirts of the city, close to its walls, so the Half-Elf took his subordinates toward the city's center in order to find a suitable place to hide.

A few minutes later, Lux and Gaap sat facing each other in the living room of one of the houses near the city's center.

"Seriously, Gramps, how are you able to survive in this place?" Lux asked as he and Eiko drank some water. "Are you not afraid to die?"

"When you reach my age, death can be considered a gift," Gaap replied. "Although I don't actively seek death, I'm not afraid of it either. If it's my time to go then it's time to go. That is what I have believed for the past few years of my life."

Lux sighed after hearing Gaap's reply. There was a firmness in the old man's tone, so he decided to let the matter drop.

The Half-Elf then waved his hand, and Orion appeared beside him.

"How many times?" Lux asked

"Six," Orion replied.

"You want to continue?"

"Yes, Master."

"Okay, go," Lux ordered.

Orion then gave the Half-Elf a brief bow before leaving the house to fight the Octopath again.

Gaap frowned when he heard their exchange. He didn't understand why Lux kept on summoning the Jade Golem to fight the Octopath repeatedly despite the fact that the Jade Golem was outmatched by his opponent.

"A foolish act," Gaap stated. "Why are you doing such a wasteful thing?"

"Wasteful?" Lux tilted his head in confusion. "What wasteful?"

"You keep on summoning that Jade Golem and have him fight repeatedly with the Octopath. You and I both know that he has no chance of beating it, but you still send him to his death. How heartless can you be?"

"This is what Orion wants," Lux replied. "I'm just respecting his wishes."

Gaap shook his head in disappointment after hearing Lux's reply. He thought that the Half-Elf had learned a little from his fight against the Octopath that he had revived. However, it seemed that he had overestimated Lux's ability.

Twenty minutes later, Lux once summoned Orion, who had died in fighting the Octopath, once again.

Gaap no longer concerned himself with Lux's shenanigans and decided to ask the Half-Elf how he discovered Necromancy.

"You learned Necromancy from a Grimoire?" Gaap rubbed his chin. "Well, that is indeed one way of learning the Necromantic Arts. In the old days, Necromancers awakened their powers when they encountered a tragedy in their life that forced them to take the path of vengeance.

"Although rare, there are some exceptions like you who happen to stumble upon the artifacts or legacies left behind by the Necromancers of the past. That explains why you are inexperienced when it comes to handling your Undead Legion. You lack the knowledge of how to be a true Necromancer."

Lux wasn't able to refute Gaap's statement because he had never really seen a true Necromancer in action, with the exception of the black-robed man in the Wolfpine Barony.

On that day, he witnessed how the black-robed man showed a ruthlessness that Lux was unable to mimic. He ordered the Calamity Beast to annihilate the entire town before raising the residents to become his undead subordinates.

It was a chilling display of power.

It was also the day when Lux decided to not have any kind of relationship with the members of the Necromancer Guild that went by the name Memento Mori.

"Gramps, can I ask you something?" Lux eyed the old man with a solemn gaze.

"Hmm? Sure," Gaap replied. "What do you want to ask?"

Lux then rested his head on top of his intertwined hands as he held the old man's gaze.

"Are you the one that revived the Octopath earlier?" Lux asked. "Are you a Necromancer?"

Gaap laughed out loud. He had a very smug look on his face as he eyed the Half-Elf who was looking at him with a serious expression on his face.

"What if I am?" Gaap replied. "Do you want to become my Disciple?"

Instead of answering Gaap's question, Lux asked another question.

"Do you know Memento Mori?" Lux asked. "Are you one of their members?"

Gaap, who received Lux's question, stopped smiling. His face then became distorted as he looked at the Half-Elf with bloodshot eyes.

"What do you know about them?" Gaap asked in a cold tone filled with killing intent. "Are you perhaps one of their Disciples?"

Suddenly, Lux sensed someone standing behind his back. However, his body seemed to be frozen in place, unable to even turn his head.

"Answer my question, boy," Gaap's voice that reeked of death resounded inside the room. "Are you affiliated with Memento Mori?"

For some reason, something was telling Lux that if he gave the wrong answer, the old man who had been laughing a while ago would not hesitate to tear his head from his body, killing him then and there.

 

 

Chapter 668 Lux’s And Gaap’s Hidden Agendas

"Are you affiliated with Memento Mori?"

Lux held Gaap's gaze before giving his reply.

"No," Lux answered. "But I had seen one of their members destroy an entire city without a shred of remorse and revive the dead as if he was just out to buy cabbages in the market."

Gaap narrowed his eyes as if trying to discern whether Lux was lying to him or not. The tension lasted for half a minute before Lux was finally able to move again.

The first thing that the Half-Elf did was summon Orion.

Gaap thought that Lux had summoned the Jade Golem to attack him, but after being summoned, Orion left the residence to fight against the Octopath Monster, whom the old man had stationed at the outskirts of the Capital City of Zangrila, once more.

"... You're still at it?" Gaap didn't know whether he should applaud Lux for his tenacity or slap him for his stupidity.

The Half-Elf only shrugged before taking out a basket filled with sandwiches in order to feed Eiko, who had become hungry after all the fighting.

Gaap didn't know that Lux was letting Orion fight against the Octopath over and over again due to his Avenger's special ability. Every time Orion died, his stats would gain a boost each time he fought against the same creature that killed him.

According to the Elysium Compendium, Octopaths were very common in the Abyssal World, a place that could be found within the Void.

Although Lux had no intention of crossing over to that side, he wanted his Jade Golem to gain enough stat boosts against all Octopaths.

This way, if he ever had to face off against an Octopath in the future, Orion would be able to easily subdue his opponent due to the bonuses that he got from this opportunity that was presented to him.

"Gramps, you still haven't answered my question," Lux said as he fed Eiko a sandwich. "Are you a member of Memento Mori?"

Gaap snorted. "Who would want to become one of their members? That bunch of baboons can all go to hell for all I care."

The old Halfling then subconsciously held the necklace hanging on his neck.

After closer inspection, Lux noticed that it wasn't exactly a necklace. It was a silver chain that held a ring in place.

"Now I understand why you have been able to survive here, Gramps," Lux stated as he gave Eiko another sandwich to eat. "But what I don't understand is why you are here?"

"I already told you earlier that I am waiting for someone to give them a gift," Gaap replied. "Only when he receives my gift will I be able to leave this place."

"I hope you find that person soon." Lux picked up a sandwich and began to eat. "This place isn't exactly a good place to wait for someone."

Suddenly, loud rumbling sounds reverberated in the city. But, this time, Lux ignored it and continued eating.

He was sharing his senses with Orion, and he saw another Abyssal Creature appear in the city. However, this time, it was only a Rank 5 Abyssal Creature, which was instantly killed by the Octopath.

Naturally, Lux ordered Orion to get the remains of the Monster, especially its Beast Core. Even though it was a Rank 5 Monster, any kind of ingredient that could be used for his Animate Undead and Skeleton Generator Skills was precious material.

For some reason, Lux realized that Zangrila was a good place to grind for Abyssal Monster Parts because they respawned here on a regular basis.

'Maybe staying here for a bit is a good idea,' Lux thought. 'I can gather many resources and I can animate Abyssal Creatures as well. Maybe I will have my own Abyssal Legion within a few days.'

Abyssal Creatures were quite powerful because of their skills, giving them an advantage over normal Monsters in Elysium.

While the Half-Elf was considering building up his Abyssal Army, the old Halfling was having an internal battle in his mind. Finally, after a few minutes, Gaap decided to break the ice and talk to the Half-Elf who had also finished eating.

"Say, Lux, the way you fought earlier wasn't bad," Gaap said. "But, it wasn't good either. You lack knowledge about being a Necromancer. So, I was thinking that I would teach you a few things while you're here. What do you think?"

"Teach me about Necromancy?" Lux was quite interested in learning a thing or two about Necromancy, especially the Unholy Aura that shielded the Octopath from his most powerful attacks.

The Half-Elf believed that if all of his Named Creatures could gain that kind of Ability, their effectiveness in battle, especially his tanks, Pazuzu and Orion, would reach a breakthrough.

"What's the catch, Gramps?" Lux asked. "There's no free lunch in this world."

"I guess you're not stupid after all," Gaap smirked. "Indeed. There is no free lunch in this world. I want something in return for teaching you the ways of Necromancy."

"And that is?"

"A promise."

Gaap once again held the ring that hung on his neck as he held Lux's gaze.

"A promise that no matter what happens, you will not associate yourself with Memento Mori or become one of their members, even if they threaten your life," Gaap stated. "This is my condition. In return, I promise you this. I will train you to be one of the most powerful Necromancers in the world. Not a bad deal, right?"

Lux didn't have to think about whether he should accept or reject Gaap's offer. The answer was already decided the moment he confirmed that the old Halfling wasn't a member of Memento Mori.

"Deal," Lux replied. "However, if we are going to do this, I don't want to do this half-heartedly."

The Half-Elf stood up and pressed his right fist over his chest before giving Gaap a respectful bow.

"From now onwards, I will call you, Master," Lux declared. "Please teach me the proper way to become a Necromancer."

Gaap nodded with a smile. Although Lux was rough around the edges, he thought that he was a very good seedling that he could pass his wisdom to.

'It took a few years, Master, but I finally have a Disciple of my own.' Gaap closed his eyes as he firmly held the ring hanging around his neck. 'Don't worry. I will make sure that both of us carry on the legacy that you have left behind.'

While Gaap was reminiscing about his past, the Half-Elf thought of a brilliant idea.

If he could add his Master to his Guild, wouldn't that give him another strong fighter who could contend with Rankers, and possibly High-Rankers?

Although Gaap's rank was only at the initial stages of the Apostle Rank, Lux believed that there was a story behind it.

There was simply no way that an Apostle would be able to revive a Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monster without degrading its Rank. Instead, Gaap had even made it more powerful, giving Lux a hard time while he was fighting against it.

If the Half-Elf were to fight against a Deimos-Ranked World Boss, that monster would die after being attacked by his Undead Army after some time.

However, a single Octopath, who was only a Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monster, nearly made him give up due to how troublesome an opponent it had become.

The Old Man and the Half-Elf both had hidden agendas in their hearts, not knowing what the other was thinking.

However, regardless of their goals, their meeting had been made possible by a series of events and a stroke of luck that even the Gods didn't expect.

Many years from now, Lux would remember this meeting fondly as the day when he understood which type of Necromancer he wished to become.

 

Chapter 669 Hundred Arm Abomination [Part 1]

Above the skies of Zangrila, Lux's Plague Wing Gargoyles rained Stone Bullets on the Rank 5 Abyssal Bats that had appeared, while the Half-Elf was fighting against an Abyssal Deer-like Monster.

Three days had passed since Lux accepted Gaap's offer for discipleship, and he was now being trained on how to effectively use his Undead Army in battle.

"A Necromancer's advantage in battles is the number of minions that he can summon on the battlefield," Gaap stated. "However, numbers aren't always the basis for victory. When you find yourself at a great disadvantage, you are given two choices—run or fight.

"Running away isn't shameful. It saves your life, allowing you to fight another day. This is true not only for Necromancers but for anyone who values their lives. Even lowlives who only know how to bully the weak and fear the strong understand this principle."

Gaap was currently sitting on top of a Bone Wyvern, advising Lux as he battled against the Deimos-Ranked Abyssal Deer that had spawned half an hour ago.

"But, since these monsters are something that you can handle, then you should stand your ground and fight," Gaap stated. "Your Skeleton Soldiers should flank the enemy, while the range attackers provide support. This is the basics of the basics.

"Um, I noticed that your Skeleton Gangbangers have a bad habit of attacking the rear of the enemy. This is a good thing. Always strike where it hurts the most, but pay close attention to the type of enemy you're fighting against.

"That is a deer. Aside from gouging its enemies with its horns, it also uses its hindlegs to kick. Your Skeleton Gangbangers are unable to mount their special attack because their opponent's attack pattern prevents them from screwing it from behind. When this happens, order them to attack from the sides."

Immediately, the Skeleton Gangbangers changed their tactics and attacked the Abyssal Deer on its left and right sides, forcing it to continuously move around.

"You've been so used to having your Named Creatures fight for you that you have completely forgotten that your army doesn't only revolve around them. Now that they are not around, you are forced to only use the army under your disposal."

Currently, Lux was only fighting with his Skeleton Gangbangers, Skeleton Arcane Archers, Liches, Steel Golems, Plague Wing Gargoyles, and Elite Spirit Protectors.

Eiko was also not allowed to fight the Abyssal Creature, which made the little battle junkie very upset.

Fortunately, the Abyssal Bats appeared, so she immediately hopped on top of Bomber and joined the Plague Wing Gargoyles in the dogfight high in the sky.

Revon and his Animated Undead Army were just watching from the side as spectators.

Gaap didn't allow them to join Lux in his battle and assigned them to only protect the Half-Elf if another Abyssal Creature suddenly appeared on the battlefield, just like the Rank 5 Abyssal Bats.

Gaap didn't need to teach Revon anything because he had felt that the Fallen Wargod was already an expert when it came to large-scale battles.

Lux may have fought large-scale battles before, but all he did was summon Monsters and let them duke it out with the enemy. Of course, there was nothing wrong with this, but Gaap wanted the Half-Elf to gain the ability to move his Undead Army as if they were part of his body.

Once the Half-Elf mastered this technique, it wouldn't matter whether he joined the battle in close quarters or not. A single thought was enough for his entire army to move as one.

In short, the old Halfling was teaching Lux how to properly multitask.

"Shield Bash!" Lux ordered his Elite Spirit Protectors to charge at the Abyssal Deer and bash their shields on its legs, breaking its momentum.

Lux's Undead Army may not have the Abyssal Touch passive skill, but they had the Decaying Touch [EX] skill.

This passive skill gave them a chance to inflict decay, disease, and weakness on their enemies, dealing damage over time.

This passive ability was similar to inflicting poison on their enemies, dealing True Damage every three seconds.

Lux's exclusive title, Lord of Death's Army, also gave his Undead Legion a buff in physical and magical attacks. It also increased their defense, making them more sturdy.

However, that was not enough to fight against the Deimos-Ranked Monster, who easily overpowered his Undead Soldiers.

Lux's Undead Army was only made up of Rank 4 Monsters. If he weren't using his clones, he could only summon up to 390 fighters at once.

Of course, those 390 fighters didn't include the zombies that the Liches could summon during times of war. Each Lich could revive up to 50 Undead Creatures, giving Lux an additional 2,500 fighters.

All in all, the number of fighters that Lux could command without his clones numbered nearly three thousand strong.

However, since all of the zombies under the Liches' commands had been destroyed in the Haca Dynasty, they could not bring out their overwhelming superiority in numbers, forcing Lux to only command the remaining 390 soldiers.

'This is like challenging a Raid Boss Monster,' Lux thought. 'I have forgotten this feeling.'

Usually, when dealing with Boss Monsters, especially Dungeon Boss Monsters, an entire guild would have to be mobilized in order to fight it.

Aina's Guild, Eternal, would usually tackle a Boss Monster with hundreds of their members. This greatly increased the survival rate of her members, preventing them from being killed by their opponents.

Lux didn't have this mindset because, for him, he could summon the Undead whenever they died.

Although he didn't want to admit it, he only thought of his minions as cannon fodder. Gaap was teaching him to change this mindset. There was nothing wrong with using the Undead as cannon fodders. But even if they had to become cannon fodders, they should be the type of cannon fodders who could make their enemies tremble in fear when they appeared on the battlefield.

At that exact moment, the Abyssal Deer raised its front legs and stomped them on the ground, creating a shockwave that obliterated all of Lux's Skeleton Gangbangers, leaving only the Elite Spirit Protectors and Steel Golems to contain it.

 

Chapter 670 Hundred Arm Abomination [Part 2]

"Rise!" Lux roared as he summoned all of his Skeleton Gangbangers en masse, all of which hurriedly re-engaged the enemy.

Unfortunately, the Abyssal Deer had learned its lesson, so it once again raised its front legs and stomped on the ground.

This time, not only were the Skeleton Gangbangers killed, but the Steel Golems and the Elite Shield Protectors also turned into particles of light.

With one angry bleat, the Abyssal Deer charged toward Lux's direction with the intention of killing the Half-Elf, who had put it through so much trouble.

Lux didn't stand idle and equipped his "Dragon Regalia," which bestowed upon him the power of lightning.

Using Lightning Steps, the Half-Elf distanced himself from the Deer as his mind shifted into overdrive, thinking about how he would be able to overcome the disparity in rank.

'If only the Skeleton Gangbangers and Steel Golems had more hands…' Lux thought.

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration appeared inside his head, which made Lux wonder if it was possible.

He had been too focused on commanding only his army that he had completely forgotten that he still had one more skill that he could freely experiment with.

It was none other than the skill, Skeleton Make [EX].

"Rise!" Lux then raised his hand to summon his Skeleton Gang Bangers, as well as his Steel Golems.

After summoning his forces once again, he smacked his fists together and placed his hands on the ground in front of him.

"Skeleton Make…" Lux declared as he materialized the thought inside his head.

"Hecatoncheires!"

Suddenly a notification sounded inside his head, confirming that the thing he envisioned was successfully created.

—-------------------

< Congratulations! You have unlocked a Transcendent Necromancer Skill called Summon Hecatoncheires! >

< The Skill Summon Hecatoncheires will automatically be upgraded to Summon Hecatoncheires [EX] >

—-------------------

< Hecatoncheires >

– Hundred Arm Abomination

– Fusion Monster

– Deimos Ranked Monster

Health: 35,980,060 / 36,000,000

Mana: 600,000 / 600,000

Strength: 6,000

Intelligence: 500

Vitality: 10,000

Agility: 500

Dexterity: 3,000

Active Skills: Hundred Arm Barrage, Grapple, Vice Grip, Berserk.

Passive Skills: Steel Body

Unique Ability: Unholy Fervor

—------

< Steel Body >

– The Hecatoncheires' body is as hard as steel.

—-----------

< Unholy Fervor >

– Each successful strike of this monster to its target regenerates its Maximum Health Points by 0.05%.

– The Hecatoncheires gain immunity to Petrification, Charm, Weakness, Blind, Paralysis, Poison, and Slow.

– Increases the Hecatoncheires Physical Damage by 20%

– Increases the Hecatoncheires Physical and Magical defense by 50%

—-------------------

A Giant Skeleton with hundreds of arms and dozens of heads and towering thirty meters tall stood in front of the Half-Elf.

Lux couldn't help but notice that some of the Monster's hands were made up of bones, while a few of them were made of steel.

The Skeleton Gangbangers, and the Steel Golems, merged with Lux's Skeleton Make [EX] ability, creating a Behemoth whose strength had reached the Deimos-Rank.

The heads of the Hecatoncheires then all roared in unison as the Giant Abomination charged at the Abyssal Deer with the intention of smacking it to oblivion.

ALL-MITE, who was spectating this battle, looked at his four arms before shifting his gaze at the Hundred-Armed Giant, who had thrown itself at his enemy with fearless abandon.

He was the strongest among Lux's Necromancer Covenant, and yet, he thought that the Hecatoncheires looked so cool with its countless arms, ready to smash its foe to oblivion.

"Not bad, but… he still lacks proper control," Gaap muttered as he looked at the Hecatoncheires, which was in a berserk state.

All of the Hecatoncheires eyes were glowing crimson red, making even Lux who summoned it, back away in fear of being attacked by his own creation.

With a hundred arms at its disposal, the Giant Abomination grappled the Abyssal Deer and pinned it on the ground.

The Hecatoncheires then began to pound the Abyssal Creature's body with its free hands, turning it into a one-sided beating.

The dozens of heads weren't being idle either, fiercely biting the Deer's body like a pack of Lions hunting its prey.

It was a very gruesome sight, and Lux wondered if summoning the Hecatonchires would be effective in large-scale battles.

It was so big, and its movements were not that fast, which meant it could be targeted easily by long-ranged fighters

However, if it only had to fight against one opponent, its fighting ability was second to none.

Although its movement speed was slow, its attack rate was fast, allowing it to punch, slap, smash, and bite its opponent, using everything in its arsenal to the fullest.

Lux couldn't help but feel pity for the Abyssal Deer, who was now being bitten by dozens of heads and had its flesh torn from its body, dying the ground black with its blood.

He had seen how beasts devour each other, but the Hecatoncheires was in a league of its own.

Minutes passed, and only the Abyssal Deer's muffled cries and the Hecatoncheires' mad laughter could be heard in all of Zangrila as the battle neared its end.

After what seemed like forever, the Abyssal Monster finally took its last breath, as its Unholy Foe continued to feast on its body.

Not being able to stand the gruesome sight any longer, Lux canceled the summoning, disintegrating the Giant Monster into particles of light.

"You have a very interesting skill, Lux," Gaap said as his Bone Wyvern landed beside the Half-Elf.

"Thank you, Master," Lux replied as he continued to salvage whatever he could from the remains of the Abyssal Monster.

Fortunately, its Beast Core was still intact, allowing Lux to use it in the future.

Although the Deer's body was badly damaged, it could still be revived using the Animate Undead Skill.

The only downside was that it would become weaker, compared to its former glory. Even so, Lux was fine with that.

Due to Asmodeus' proposal, the Half-Elf decided to create an Abyssal Undead Legion that would devastate his enemies if they were to ever make their appearance on the battlefield.

Revon would be in charge of commanding the Animated Undead Soldiers, while Asmodeus would be in charge of the Animated Abyssal Legion.

Even the Liches that were under the Archlich's command had been ordered to prioritize the revival of the Undead Abyssal Monsters.

Their first minions were the Abyssal Bats that Eiko and the Plague Wing Gargoyles had just defeated.

Lux was even considering building a teleportation gate in Zangrila, allowing him to return there anytime, so he could replenish his Abyssal Legion.

"Let's stop for now," Gaap said after seeing the exhaustion on Lux's face. "We will start again in three hours. Your next goal is to fully control the Hecatoncheires and ensure that it won't go berserk.

"Although it is stronger in its Berserk State, a mindless Monster is still a mindless Monster. Its effectiveness in battle will be reduced because it will not be able to follow orders, nor can it differentiate between friend and foe. If you are unable to master your control over your new subordinate, it will just become a liability in the future."

Lux nodded his head in understanding before taking a deep breath. He didn't know how long he would be staying in Zangrila, but he hoped that Cai and the others were safe.

He didn't know what was going on in the Gate of Famine, and he also had no idea how his friends were faring.

The only thing he could do right now was finish his training as fast as possible so that he could reunite with his companions again and finish the messy business that he had started.