The Genesis Of A Necromancer - Chapter 106

Chapter 106: demon lord joins the fray

The source of the growl was unlike anything Jack had ever seen. The beast was enormous, its form twisted and unnatural, as though born from the chaotic fusion of nature and magic.
Its body shimmered faintly, as though it were partly composed of the same mana crystals embedded in the walls.
Sharp crystalline spikes jutted from its back, reflecting the light in dazzling but deadly patterns.
Its eyes glowed an unearthly blue, and its maw opened to reveal rows of jagged teeth that dripped with a strange, viscous liquid that hissed when it hit the ground.

“What… is that?” Missy whispered, her voice trembling as she instinctively moved closer to Jack.

Alisha’s expression hardened as she stepped forward, her staff raised and her stance unwavering.

“A mana-infused beast,” she said, her tone grim. “It must have absorbed the energy from these crystals. That would explain its size—and its aggression.”

The creature growled again, the sound reverberating through the cavern like a warning bell.

Its hulking frame shifted, claws scraping against the stone floor as it began to advance. Jack’s mind raced as he observed its movements.

Each step was deliberate, calculated, and filled with an unsettling menace. This wasn’t a mindless beast—it was a predator sizing up its prey.

‘Mana-infused… which means it’s likely resistant to conventional attacks,’ Jack thought, his gaze narrowing.

He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar surge of mana flow through his veins. He turned to the others, quickly assessing their positions and readiness.

“We don’t have time to waste,” he said sharply.

“Alisha, focus on creating a barrier to keep it contained. Missy, stay close and prepare to assist with support magic. I’ll take point.”

Alisha nodded, already murmuring an incantation under her breath.

A faint golden glow began to surround her, the telltale sign of a protective spell.

Missy hesitated, her small hands clutching her wand tightly, but the determination in her eyes showed she was ready to follow Jack’s lead.

The beast let out an ear-piercing roar, the sound so powerful it sent small stones tumbling from the cavern walls.

Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged forward, crystalline claws gleaming in the ambient light. Jack reacted instantly, darting to the side and narrowly avoiding the massive swipe.

The ground trembled under the force of the beast’s strike, shards of rock exploding into the air like shrapnel.

“[Dark Blast!]” Jack called out, summoning a surge of shadow magic.

He thrust his hands forward, sending a concentrated burst of dark energy hurtling toward the creature.

The blast collided with its crystalline hide in an eruption of black and blue light.

When the dust cleared, the creature remained unscathed, its crystalline armor glinting mockingly in the light.

“It’s too dense!” Jack called out, dodging another swipe of the beast’s claws. “We need to find a weak point!”

Alisha’s barrier shimmered into existence, forming a translucent dome around the beast.

It roared in frustration, slamming its claws against the magical shield. The force of its blows sent ripples through the barrier, and Alisha’s face twisted in concentration as she struggled to maintain the spell.

“This won’t hold for long!” she warned, her voice strained. Sweat beaded on her brow as the strain of maintaining the spell took its toll.

Jack’s eyes scanned the beast, searching for anything that might give them an edge. His gaze landed on its chest, where a cluster of crystals pulsed with a brighter, more erratic glow. The core.

‘Of course,’ Jack thought. ‘That has to be its weak point.’

“Alisha, drop the barrier on my mark!” he shouted, summoning a fresh surge of mana to his hands. His palms burned with power as he prepared an attack. Alisha’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Are you insane?!” she snapped. But Jack’s determination left no room for argument.

“Now!” he roared.

The barrier flickered and dissolved just as the beast lunged forward. It roared, its crystalline claws raised to strike. But Jack was faster. Summoning a shadow-infused blade, he leaped forward, aiming for the glowing cluster at the beast’s chest.

‘If my dark powers can’t affect you on the outside, let’s see how well you handle them on the inside,’ Jack thought, channeling his mana through the blade.

The dark energy surged into the beast as the blade struck true, piercing the core.

The creature froze, its roar cutting off abruptly as its crystalline body began to tremble.

For a moment, the cavern was silent. Then, with a blinding flash of blue light, the beast shattered into a cascade of crystal shards. The light danced across the walls, casting fleeting patterns before fading into stillness.

The group stood in stunned silence, the remnants of the beast glittering around them like fallen stars. Jack let out a shaky breath, dismissing his blade.

His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“That was… something,” he said, his voice unsteady but tinged with satisfaction.

Alisha walked over, her expression a mix of irritation and begrudging respect. “You’re reckless,” she said flatly. “But I’ll admit, that was impressive.”

Missy beamed up at him, her earlier fear replaced with awe. “Big brother, you were amazing!”

Jack allowed himself a brief moment of pride before his gaze shifted to the far end of the chamber. Among the shards, something glinted—a small, ornate object half-buried in the crystal fragments. It was intricately designed, its surface etched with glowing runes that seemed to pulse faintly in time with the mana in the air.

The map might not have been leading them directly, but their instincts had. This had to be the next clue.

“Let’s keep moving,” Jack said, his voice steady as he stepped forward to claim their prize.

They continued down the tunnel, the air growing heavier with each step. Their path eventually ended at a wall, its surface etched with intricate golden patterns that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light.

“We reached the end of the tunnel, only to find this,” Alisha said, frustration creeping into her voice.

Jack studied the wall intently. “There’s not much we can do now. Giving up isn’t an option. We have to find a way past this wall… maybe a spell would do.”

Summoning tendrils of shadow, Jack raised his hands.

‘Let’s see the true difference between an S-rank mage and those peepsqueaks,’ he thought, a spark of excitement running through him.

The shadow energy coalesced into a dense orb that grew larger with each passing second. Alisha watched warily, her grip tightening on her staff.

“What are you trying to do?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

“What does it look like?” Jack replied, launching the blast of darkness toward the wall. The explosion rocked the tunnel, a cloud of smoke rising violently into the air.

“Idiot! Do you want to lead us all to early graves?” Alisha shouted, coughing as the smoke began to clear.

Jack smirked, brushing off her concern. “Nothing serious happened.”

As the dust settled, the wall remained unscathed, not even a scratch marring its surface.

“Guess that won’t be enough,” Jack admitted, a note of disappointment in his voice.

Missy suddenly stepped forward, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Big brother, Missy thinks she can understand what’s on the wall,” she said confidently.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

Missy nodded firmly. But before she could touch the wall, Jack’s eyes widened as he felt a sudden surge from his bonded servants. Gale appeared before them, his breath ragged and his body bloodied. Behind him loomed the magamon, its massive frame riddled with scars and its shadowy aura flickering like dying embers.

“There’s… trouble,” Gale rasped, clutching the gaping wound in his chest. “Zomaza… he’s on his way.”

His words hit them like a sledgehammer, the weight of impending danger settling heavily in the air.