The Genesis Of A Necromancer - Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Octagram Crystal!
As Alisha slipped the obsidian ring onto her finger, she felt its power envelop her immediately. A cold, numbing sensation spread through her hand, followed by a sense of eerie lightness. Her aura vanished, as if the world had forgotten she existed. She glanced down at the ring, its surface gleaming faintly in the dim cave light, and a flicker of unease crossed her face.

“Here,” she said, handing the second ring to Nephris.

The tiny demoness examined the ring, her golden eyes narrowing. “How do I wear this? I’m too small,” Nephris said, her voice tinged with indignation. She placed her hands on her hips, pouting as her tiny wings fluttered in frustration.

Jack glanced over, a look of disdain crossing his face. “Why are you so small, anyway?” he asked, his tone devoid of sympathy.

Before Nephris could retort, Alisha shot him a cold glare. “Keep quiet,” she snapped, silencing him.

Jack shrugged and turned away, his attention drifting elsewhere. He had more pressing matters to attend to. ‘The Octagram Crystal should be around here somewhere,’ he thought, his mind already racing as he ventured deeper into the cave.

“Where are you going?” Alisha called after him, her voice laced with suspicion. The unsettling versatility of Jack’s powers gnawed at her. She had seen him raise the dead and wield spells with ease, feats that marked him as a formidable—and dangerous—ally. ‘We’ll have to kill him soon,’ she thought grimly. ‘After the war, we can’t risk the return of the Lord of the Dead.’

“I’m just checking around,” Jack replied without looking back. He tossed the Elemental Fog Crystal in her direction. “Here, you can have this.”

“I don’t need it,” Alisha said curtly, catching the crystal with a frown. Her mind wandered to her own plans, her gaze narrowing. Jack, however, had already disappeared into the shadows of the cave, leaving her no chance to argue further.

Gale watched the exchange silently, his expression unreadable. ‘A weakling, yet he wields power even I cannot comprehend,’ he mused. ‘This ability to raise the dead… should it be considered a curse or a gift?’

Jack’s voice echoed faintly from the depths of the cave. “It’s too dark in here.”

Even with his enhanced vision, the oppressive darkness of the cave pressed against him. Shadows seemed to writhe along the walls, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. Jack muttered a curse under his breath.

‘At least I’ve recovered some mana,’ he thought, summoning a spell.

[Flame Ball]

A crimson orb of fire flared to life in Jack’s palm, casting flickering light across the cavern. The sight that met his eyes was both grotesque and fascinating.

The ground was littered with the remains of long-forgotten beings—bones so ancient they crumbled at the slightest touch. Some had been reduced to little more than dust, while others retained jagged fragments of their former shape. Among the decay lay a white garment, miraculously untouched by time, its pristine fabric emblazoned with the markings of the Church. Beside it rested a peculiar staff, its twin heads designed to cradle crystals that were now conspicuously absent.

Jack crouched low, the putrid stench of rot invading his senses. He grimaced but pressed on, lifting the garment to reveal what lay beneath. His eyes gleamed with triumph as he uncovered his prize.

A crystal the color of midnight lay beneath the fabric, its surface swirling with faint purple light. Tiny specks of white flickered within, resembling stars trapped in an endless void. The crystal seemed alive, its glow pulsating softly in the darkness.

“Just what I was looking for,” Jack murmured, a grin spreading across his face. He reached out and touched the crystal.

[You have discovered the Octagram Crystal!]

[+120,000 EXP]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

[Level 17]

A surge of energy coursed through Jack’s body, invigorating him. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened, and his vision seemed to pierce the shadows more clearly than ever before. Even the oppressive darkness of the cave felt like daylight.

[Within the bright starry skies lies a boundless depth of darkness. The souls drift in this darkness, and now they can be called to order.]

[The Octagram Crystal cannot be used.]

[Mandatory Quest: Find the missing piece of the Octagram Crystal.]

Jack scowled at the system message. ‘Of course, it’s incomplete,’ he thought, his frustration mounting. With a flick of his wrist, the crystal vanished into his inventory, swallowed by a swirl of dark energy.

He glanced at the shattered remains of the skeletons around him, his gaze cold. With deliberate force, he crushed a skull beneath his boot, the brittle bones disintegrating into powder. ‘These relics of the past are worthless now,’ he thought, turning back toward the others.

When he returned, Gurat was awake, his eyes wide and wary. Sweat beaded on the demon’s forehead as he sat stiffly, his gaze darting nervously between Jack and the others.

“Did you find anything?” Gale asked, his tone calm but probing.

“I did,” Jack replied curtly, his expression guarded. “But it’s nothing important.” The hint of disappointment in his voice discouraged further questions, and Gale simply nodded.

Jack’s gaze settled on Gurat, who flinched under his scrutiny. “We’re heading back to the town,” Jack announced. “I have something to take care of. Once we’re there, we’ll part ways.”

Relief washed over Gurat’s face, though he tried to hide it. ‘Finally, I’ll be free from these monsters,’ he thought. ‘One moment I faint, and the next, I wake to find an angel turned into a demon. This is sorcery—no, it’s worse than that. Lord Zhurak, thank you for answering my prayers.’

But before Gurat could fully rejoice, Jack’s voice cut through his thoughts like a blade.

“However,” Jack said, his tone dropping, “you won’t breathe a word about us to anyone. And you’ll return to find us within an hour after we separate. If I have to find you instead…” He let the threat hang in the air, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

The weight of Jack’s words sent a chill down Gurat’s spine. “Yes, sir! I understand completely!” he stammered, bowing low in submission. “Thank you for your kindness!”

Jack smirked, satisfied. ‘He’ll be a useful soul essence reserve when the time comes,’ he thought. ‘For now, I can farm what I need elsewhere.’

He turned to the group, his expression unreadable. “Let’s move.”

The cave swallowed their footsteps as they began their trek back toward the surface. But the unease lingered, hanging heavy in the air. Each step felt like a prelude to the chaos that awaited them beyond the shadows.