The Genesis Of A Necromancer - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: lessons
A deadly aura exploded from Alogra, far more intense than anything Jack had felt back at the hut. This wasn’t a simple surge of power; it was the lethal intent to kill.

‘What the—’

Before Jack could finish his thought, he sensed a massive force rushing toward him. Instinctively, he raised his arm in defense, but he was far too slow. Alogra’s hand cracked against Jack’s cheek, a bone-jarring slap that tasted like blood and sent his head reeling. The sheer force left him barely able to cling to consciousness, almost tearing him from his footing.

“The hell—I just finished dealing with one fight, and now this?” Jack cursed inwardly as he staggered, his hands digging into the earth for support. He managed to steady himself, but only for a moment.

“You still lack power,” Alogra’s voice echoed, calm and cold from behind him.

‘When did he…?’ Jack’s thought was cut short as a brutal kick landed between his shoulder blades. The blow felt like a sledgehammer, shattering his composure as his spine screamed in protest. He spat blood onto the ground, disoriented.

“If you fight just to survive, you’re nothing but a coward. Cowards are easy prey—I’ve killed enough to know,” Alogra’s voice taunted, tinged with something darker. He wore a smile, but not the gentle, familiar one Jack knew. This smile was vicious, unsettling. Predatory.

A surge of fear shot through Jack as he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a punch that smashed into the earth where he’d just been lying. The ground splintered, chunks of dirt and stone flying in every direction. ‘The Magomon was fast, but this…he’s beyond that,’ Jack thought, his body already screaming in pain as he struggled to evade Alogra’s relentless assault.

Another brutal kick found its way to Jack’s stomach, knocking the wind from him. He doubled over, gasping, his vision blurring from the impact. His stomach churned, and he swallowed down the bitter taste of bile. ‘This…this can’t be happening. If he wanted to teach me something, couldn’t he have just *said* it? What’s with all this brutality?!’ Frustration and rage boiled inside him.

[Tiredness: 70]

The system flashed a reminder of his limitations, warning him that his endurance was waning. He could barely move, his body battered and bloodied, yet he stayed defiant. A spark of understanding began to kindle in his mind. Through his haze of pain, he realized Alogra’s lesson.

‘I get it now… fighting to survive, fighting to win—it’s not enough. No, that alone won’t cut it. Only a drive stronger than self-preservation will let me survive.’ His whole body trembled with pent-up anger and adrenaline.

Slowly, shakily, Jack rose to his feet. His vision focused, locking onto Alogra as he approached, radiating an energy so lethal it felt as though Jack’s skin might peel from the intensity alone. Alogra’s footsteps were slow, measured, and entirely void of mercy.

“You failed, Asriel,” Alogra declared, his tone a cold blade. “You hesitated. You gave your opponent another chance, and it nearly cost you. Here, it’s kill or be killed. There’s no room for mercy.”

Jack’s head throbbed with the words, but the fear they had inspired only fueled him further. Dark energy flared from within him, swirling in fierce tendrils around his body. His eyes glowed a wild, white-hot intensity as a quiet voice escaped his lips. “Then let’s play by your rules.”

[Lord’s Aura Activated!]

Alogra paused, his eyes narrowing. For a split second, a glimmer of something unexpected crossed his face—a hesitation, perhaps even fear. Jack’s energy was no longer his own; it was wild, ancient, and commanding. The darkness roared within him as if it had been waiting for this very moment to take control.

Without warning, a shadow shifted beside them. Alogra turned, catching sight of flickering blue flames in the hollow eye sockets of a monstrous figure emerging from the shadows.

‘Magomon?!’ Alogra’s mind reeled. He was sure he had killed the beast—its corpse had been lifeless moments ago. But here it was, reborn and standing at Jack’s command, its sharp claws glinting with deadly intent.

Alogra braced himself, crossing his arms in front of his chest just in time to block the creature’s claws. The impact was immense, driving him back several meters and leaving trails of dust and debris in the air. He observed the beast, feeling its new power.

‘It’s stronger than before. But this power… it’s familiar,’ Alogra thought, intrigued. For the first time in a long while, he found himself genuinely curious.

From above, Jack appeared, eyes ablaze and hands outstretched. A golden flame flickered between his palms, morphing into a seething, malevolent darkness that pulsed like a living thing.

[Flame Ball!]

[Corruption Activated!]

[New Skill: Dark Flame Balls Created!]

Golden flames twisted, then turned inky black, dark tendrils lacing the fire as it crackled with otherworldly heat. Alogra’s lips curved into a slight grin. ‘So, he’s finally taking this seriously. Good. Questions can wait; lessons, however…’ Alogra launched himself forward, his fist aimed directly at Jack.

Seeing the fist hurtling toward him, Jack felt a pang of fear rippling through his resolve. He could sense it—this time, Alogra wasn’t holding back. Every instinct told him to dodge, to avoid the blow at all costs. But his training was finally sinking in. He held his ground, his heart pounding. If he was to prove himself, this was the moment.

‘This is it. Fight with everything on the line—even if it’s my life!’ The intensity within him surged. He focused, pouring every ounce of his will into the dark flame he held.

As Alogra’s fist made contact, so did Jack’s flame, engulfing the two of them in a fiery clash. The black flames wrapped around Alogra like a serpent, crackling and spitting as they roared to life. Heat blasted outward, making the air sizzle, and for the first time, Alogra was forced to take a step back.

“Yes, Asriel,” Alogra’s voice sounded, almost approving as the flames licked at his arms. “This is the only way to win—even when you’re weaker. Fight with everything, fight as if there’s nothing else, because only those willing to kill truly stand a chance to survive.”

Jack stood, chest heaving, feeling the power and intensity of his own hatred and fury ebb away as the flames dissipated. His whole body was burning with exhaustion, every muscle screaming in pain, but he didn’t back down. He understood now.