Yong-ho, who put down the item description catalog of the Dungeon Market, saw the black dirge on the decoration table. With the black evil energy blowing out like smoke, it looked like a magic sword. He felt like he would be cursed just by putting his hand on it.
He picked up the second description catalog.
[- Defective product -]
[Category: Undead]
[Detailed Category: Lich]
[It is a Lich created by using the grand wizard from an alien world as the material at the Dungeon Market.]
[In general, it is common to use 'alive' for the production of a Lich. Even those who have become Lich themselves prepare rituals in their lifetime.]
[There was a low chance of success because the grand wizard from the alien world was already dead when he was found. ]
[Thanks to the accumulated know-how of the Dungeon Market, the grand wizard's body was successfully revived as a Lich, even though he had been already dead.]
[But, unfortunately, the Lich, who was born like that, did not have a proper ego.]
[Although he was born with powerful magic and some necromancing magic, it is impossible to operate him properly because he does not have an ego.]
It was not a prototype this time. It was a spirit that Sitri specially saved from a warehouse where defective products were piled up.
A huge skeleton, almost the size of Skull, was hanging next to the black dirge. Like the black dirge, it was blowing out a black evil energy, but it looked emaciated and wobbly. Even when its eyes were supposed to glare, they were just sparkling dimly.
It was a defective product that could not be sold because it had no ego.
However, there was no better material for Yong-ho than this.
"Okay, let's buy this."
Yong-ho did not agonize which of the Lich and black dirge he would merge with Skull, for he had a much more efficient third option.
Synthetic reinforcement.
It was different from general synthetic evolution.
Combining something called an 'item' and something called a spirit, so it could be strengthened through synthetic evolution.
This kind of synthetic reinforcement was possible only once for Yong-ho's subordinate spirits. However, it did not require evolution EXP.
Green light flashed in Yong-ho's eyes and the green flames also arose from his arms.
His subordinate spirits, who were watching inside an empty room in the corner of the 5th floor, gulped while holding their breath. He finally put his hand on the black dirge and Lich's shoulder. Then he activated the power of evolution!
There was a tremendous light created.
No, it was not light, but darkness. The light that emitted momentarily blurred his vision, creating a darkness in which he could see nothing.
He felt his mana was sucked in in an instant. About half of the powerful mana he released from his six horns was consumed at once in the process.
The darkness was cleared again. Yong-ho urgently received the dungeon's reserve mana from Lucia. Slowly stepping back, he looked at the newly born Lich through synthetic reinforcement. The Lich had already changed on the surface. His hazy eyes and drooping posture were still there, but his body itself turned more combative. He looked very sharp perhaps as a result of merging with the sword.
Black evil energy raged. Combined with the Lich's powerful mana, the curse of the black dirge became more powerful.
Yong-ho gulped at the spectacular scene. Instead of stepping back, he turned around and looked at Skull.
"Skull."
The curse of the black dirge was stronger than expected. The Lich, who had no ego at all, was rather free from the curse, but Skull, who had a free will, was not.
What if Skull was defeated by the curse of the black dirge?
"Skull Skull."
Skull spoke. He stepped forward with his purple eyes glaring sharply. Yong-ho could not understand what he was saying, but he understood it. Instead of worrying, he trusted Skull.
Skull stood by the Lich. Yong-ho saw the purple smoke rising up from Skull engulfing the Lich.
Yong-ho caught his breath. He felt his subordinate spirits behind his back were extremely tense, swallowing.
"Skullkull."
Skull laughed. Yong-ho laughed along and soon stepped forward. He put his hand on Skull's sturdy shoulder.
Time for synthetic evolution.
Yong-ho clenched his teeth. He poured out more mana than before. The Lich threw out a black evil spirit, with his mouth wide open, as if he was screaming, and Skull firmed up his determination by bringing out purple flames fiercely.
Once again, the light rose in Yong-ho's eyes, and the light gave birth to darkness.
With his mana being exhausted, Yong-ho felt something different. He sensed a completely different power from it when he combined and reinforced the Lich and the black dirge.
Mammon's Godly Energy.
A purple light, close to black, emitted from the magic field on his left arm. It wasn't what Yong-ho intended. The death sealed inside the magic field or the power of Baphomet arose by itself.
No one explained it. But Yong-ho understood it.
Mammon's 12 Spirits.
They made the zodiacal signs their motif.
It was a succession of 12 signs of the zodiac. Right at this moment, Baphomet's death determined his successor.
A purple light, almost black, filled the room. It became more and more purple than black, and at one point, it emitted an intense light before disappearing.
It happened only for a few seconds. However, Yong-ho could never forget those moments.
Catalina opened her mouth before she knew it and flapped her ears and tail.
Kaiwan made a rather silly smile. Eligos and Ophelia blinked again and again, while Tigrius uttered exclamation quietly.
His subordinate spirits felt each other through Yong-ho.
Yong-ho understood the man more directly who was standing right before his eyes.
The growth of his subordinate spirits soon triggered their master—Yong-ho's—growth.
Then it spread to all of the other spirits.
The six horns towering over Yong-ho's head shuddered. Other spirits also quickly erected their horns, keenly realizing that one of them had reached a whole new level.
It wasn't something like the Death Knight.
It couldn't be compared to anything like the Lich.
It was called Brunani No Life King.
King of the Undead.
Violet light was burning from the inside of Skull's empty eyes.
"Skull Skull"
***
The energy of death was raging violently. It was powerful enough to overwhelm mana and cause dread and fear onto the living.
Yong-ho and his subordinate spirits knew this energy of death. They had experienced the real energy of death, which was qualitatively different from the power emitted by the Bone Dragon or other undead.
Capricorn, Baphomet, the demon of slaughter.
He was one of Mammon's 12 Spirits as well as the incarnation of death from another world.
Someone swallowed, so did Yong-ho.
He looked at Skull with a tense expression.
His body got a little bigger. The Lich's sharp look, who was merged with the black dirge, was reflected in him.
The glaring eyes located between the skulls wrapped in purple flames were gentle.
Instead of flashing for a moment, they were flames that seemed to burn forever.
"Skull?"
Yong-ho carefully called him. He was worried a little bit that he might have been swallowed up by the black dirge.
His subordinate spirits also concentrated. Their connection with him was in full swing.
Skull replied, "Skull Skull. Skullkull."
His voice was the same, mixed with laughter this time. There was a very brief silence in the room, and soon, they all smiled.
Yong-ho sighed a breath of relief.
It was Skull. Although he succeeded Baphomet's death and took the power of the Lich and the demon sword to surpass the Death Knight and Lich, his essence remained unchanged.
'He is still the same Skull that I know.'
Yong-ho was glad to confirm it, but he felt a bit sad because he expected Skull would be able to speak properly.
"Wait a minute. Did you say Skull Skull?"
Yong-ho blinked. Catalina, who was in a good mood, flapping her ears and tail, looked at Skull, startled as if she realized something suddenly.
Kaiwan opened her mouth, "Didn't he make a noise that was different from usual? What I mean is… 'Skull Skull.'"
Skull said it again, and Yong-ho's subordinate spirits were surprised again.
Obviously, Skull was saying 'Skull Skull,' but Yong-ho could understand its meaning. Apart from him saying Skull Skull, Yong-ho felt like some sort of its meaning was conveyed directly into his head.
It was as if Skull said something like, 'Why are you so surprised? I am still the same as usual.'
When Yong-ho and his subordinate spirits were embarrassed again, Skull was also embarrassed this time.
Skull tilted his head slightly and spoke again, "Skullkull?"
Was he saying 'Master'?
"Oh my God," Yong-ho uttered admiration.
Tigrius said, with a twinkle in his eyes, "It's a powerful telepathy. As a result of synthetic reinforcement of the Lich, he seems to have realized the sorcery, namely his innate magical power."
"Sorcery?"
"It refers to magic that is emitted by relying on one's will and innate strength without arithmetic calculations. It's similar to a supernatural power or the way you control the flames."
Yong-ho has also studied magic several times since he came to the demon world, so he knew what Tigrius was referring to as "arithmetic" magic.
'Oh, I see.'
He couldn't imagine how Skull used magic while calculating arithmetically. It was much more like him to just use his supernatural power by instinct.
"Skull, do you know what kind of magic you can use?"
At Yong-ho's question, Skull flashed his eyes as if blinking.
After a little pause, he answered, "Skull Skull. Skull."
He seemed to reply, 'I don't know yet... But I think I know what I can do.'
A purple flame arose from Skull's right hand. The flame soon turned into lightning, and Yong-ho realized that it was a lightning bolt with the energy of death.
It was the lightning magic that Skull acquired when he became a Magic Knight.
Skull handled lightning freely just like Yong-ho handled flames. Skull scattered the flames into the air and created a new flame.
Again, the flame had the energy of death this time, but it was different from the one a while ago. The lightning earlier was the power to kill the living, but this one was the power to resurrect the dead.