Monarch of Death

With such meager necromantic power that it could be considered insignificant, he continuously casts powerful spells that rival Detzras.

However, the reason Detzras was shocked wasn’t just because of that.

‘…I can understand that.’

He was originally a mage. In fact, it had only been a few years since he began studying necromancy.

Moreover, he was quite timid. Even after becoming a powerful necromancer, he would often send his subordinates as bait first, simply because he didn’t know the strength of his opponent.

Therefore, Detzras assessed himself rather coldly.

There was no doubt that he had become stronger after learning necromancy and acquiring vast necromantic power. However, the level of a necromancer he had reached was not particularly high.

So, if a ‘traditional necromancer’ were to display skills far superior to his, it wouldn’t be something he couldn’t understand.

‘But this, I cannot comprehend!’

The man was undoubtedly a traditional necromancer. There was no doubt about it, considering how efficiently and powerfully he used necromancy.

But to use a 6th Circle spell?

‘How can someone use both necromancy and magic?’

Even Detzras, who used both magic and necromancy, found it astonishing, but this was actually a groundbreaking event that could shake the very foundation of the Dark God’s cult.

‘Wasn’t that only possible with the blessing of Tesranak?’

The ability to wield both magic and necromancy carries a significance far beyond simply becoming stronger.

Aura, divine power, mana, and necromancy do not mix. This is the natural law of the world established by the Seven Goddesses.

But to break that divine law?

This would be clear proof that Tesranak is indeed the true god of death and a transcendent being.

That’s why so many had entrusted themselves to the Dark God’s cult.

It wasn’t merely because they gained more power or acquired new abilities. The fact itself validated the truth of the doctrine, leading people to truly believe that a new world was dawning and to follow the teachings of the religious order.

‘But for someone unrelated to the cult to wield both magic and necromancy…’

It shakes the very foundation of Tesranak’s teachings.

If that were to be acknowledged, the Dark God’s cult would be shaken to its roots.

‘That can’t be.’

Therefore, there was only one conclusion to draw.

‘It’s nothing but a trick.’

One of the two—either the magic or the necromancy—had to be fake. It had to be.

“Hmph, I almost got deceived.”

Calmly, Detzras raised both hands.

Unlike that fake, he was truly blessed by Tesranak.

He was someone who could truly wield both magic and necromancy, breaking the divine law using powers permitted by the god of death.

“Do you think I would fall for that, foolish unbeliever?”

Mana and necromantic power rose simultaneously from his hands.

“I’ll show you the true teachings of the god!”

***

Baros continued to cut down the evil spirits.

“Huh-up! Tah-at! Tah-aaat!”

Even though each evil spirit was as formidable as a first-class adventurer, he didn’t falter at all.

He pierced the gaps precisely, retreated accurately, and struck only as much as necessary without any excess movements.

It was an extreme performance that could only be achieved through physical prowess alone.

Serati, who was watching, looked on with admiration.

“Oh, I want to move like that…”

Baros grumbled as he glared at her.

“That’s my line, you know?”

Serati was also dealing with evil spirits, but her method was vastly different from Baros’s.

If they approach, she stabs. Or she slashes. Or she smashes.

That’s it!

There was no need for any elaborate technique or skill.

As an aura user, her basic physical abilities were so overwhelmingly superior that the evil spirits couldn’t do anything against her.

Moreover, the red aura on her sword was so destructive that just brushing against the evil spirits caused them to burst.

Boom! Boom! Kwoooom!

“Oh, this is so frustrating, I really need to master aura quickly,” he muttered.

It was a matter of compatibility.

If it were a single, powerful enemy, Baros would have the upper hand. However, when faced with a large number of weaker enemies, there was no way he could match Serati, an aura user.

Thanks to this, the number of Detzras’ evil spirit army was rapidly dwindling.

Karnak, observing the situation, muttered to himself.

“At this rate, we’ve drained a lot of his necromantic power…”

It seemed like it was time to deal with the real body.

Just as he was about to prepare the next spell, Detzras suddenly shouted something strange, his face twisting in anger.

“You think you can deceive me, foolish unbeliever!”

“Huh?”

“I will show you the true teachings of the god!”

“…What exactly am I deceiving you about?”

Karnak didn’t quite understand what Detzras was saying, but he could sense something ominous in the air.

Intense mana and necromantic power were simultaneously pouring out of Detzras’ body.

‘I better prepare just in case.’

Karnak quickly cast a defensive barrier.

Around ten shadowy figures began circling Karnak and his companions. It was a necromantic spell that used shadows to create a shield of darkness.

At the same time, Detzras activated his magic.

“Rise! Spirit of the earth!”

Kuuuuuung!

The earth and rocks began to gather and rise, eventually forming a two-meter-tall clay golem.

Baros and Serati looked baffled.

“Wait, that’s…”

They had seen this magic just a short while ago.

It was the same spell that Tarman, the mage from the King’s Order, had used when fighting the vampire.

“A golem summoning spell?”

Karnak also seemed puzzled.

‘Why that spell, of all things?’

Golem summoning was certainly one of the most powerful 5th Circle spells. Its strength was nothing to scoff at.

But for Karnak, it wasn’t a particularly difficult opponent.

He had reached the 6th Circle in magic and was also proficient in strong necromantic arts. A single golem wasn’t something he couldn’t handle.

‘Did he summon it to target Baros?’

As expected, Baros’ expression hardened as he stepped back.

“That’s a bit too much for me.”

The clay golem was essentially a moving boulder. Its sheer toughness and strength meant there was no room for finesse in fighting it.

On the other hand, Serati’s face brightened.

“Shall I handle it?”

A solid mass of stone? Then she would simply slice through it with her aura blade, just as one would cut through rock.

It would be tough to break it with a single strike, but golems were slow-moving. She could leisurely chip away at its exterior like peeling an apple.

“A golem? No big deal…”

She readied her aura blade and was about to step forward when Detzras chanted another spell.

“Your master commands you! Descend, Wailing Armor of Darkness!”

Whooooosh!

The air began to swirl as darkness condensed in the sky.

Soon, a massive armor appeared, gripping a greatsword. It was a Death Armor, one of the highest-ranking undead among the self-moving Living Armors.

Serati’s expression hardened.

“Ugh, that’s going to be tricky…”

Death Armor is a dark creature driven by the lingering will of a deceased warrior.

While it might not have the sheer strength of a golem, it could wield a sword with precision.

Moreover, since it had no physical body, it was much more confusing and difficult to deal with.

Swordsmanship, after all, is designed to kill people, not to break armor.

At that moment, Karnak muttered.

“It’s okay, Serati.”

“Yes?”

“I can handle the Death Armor.”

While the Death Armor was indeed a much stronger summon than a golem, it didn’t matter much to Karnak. He knew its weaknesses all too well.

If he left the golem to Serati and took on the Death Armor himself, there wouldn’t be any major issues.

“You’re right, I thought he was doing something grand because of the intense atmosphere, but it turns out it’s nothing special?”

Just as Serati began to feel relieved, she noticed something odd.

Karnak and Baros still had tense expressions.

“Why are you both like that?”

In response to her question, the two men spoke in low voices.

“Something feels… off.”

“Strange, isn’t it, young master?”

Indeed, as Serati pointed out, the atmosphere was definitely unsettling.

There was a determined resolve on Detzras’s face when he cast that spell.

“But…”

Baros muttered, seemingly confused.

“Why would he make that face for something like this?”

***

Detzras was breathing heavily.

“Huff, huff…”

Golem summoning was the best spell he could cast.

And the Death Armor was the strongest undead he could summon through necromancy.

But even with these, he couldn’t defeat the unbelievers before him. They were that strong and proficient in necromancy.

So now, he would use the final method given to him by the cult!

“Guh, guh…”

Mana and necromantic power swirled together throughout his entire body.

If he lost control even a little, the vortex would shatter his soul into countless pieces.

But he didn’t back down.

He had to show those unbelievers the true glory of the god. That was the duty of one who served the truth.

“Oh great Tesranak…”

Ignoring the risk to his life, Detzras brought his hands together in front of him.

“Grant your blessing to your faithful servant!”

Mana began to glow from the entire body of the golem.

Darkness spread thickly from the Death Armor.

‘What now?’

Karnak frowned as he watched cautiously.

The two-meter-tall stone giant suddenly spread its arms wide toward the sky. Simultaneously, the Death Armor shattered into pieces in midair.

The scattered pieces of the dark armor flew toward the golem and began attaching themselves to its various parts!

Clang! Clang! Clang clang!

With loud metallic sounds, the two-meter-tall stone giant donned the heavy Death Armor.

The darkness from the living armor seeped into the golem, strengthening its entire body as it grew even larger.

What now stood there was no longer a golem, nor was it a Death Armor. It was a new entity born from the fusion of magic and necromancy—the Golem Knight.

Raising its jet-black sword, the Golem Knight let out a thunderous roar.

Roooaaar!

A massive shockwave of malevolent energy and mana radiated outward, shaking Karnak’s defensive barrier.

“Ugh!”

“What is that?”

Baros and Serati turned to Karnak in alarm.

“Hahaha!”

Detzras laughed maniacally, as if elated.

“Behold! This is the true might of the god!”

***

Baros stared at the massive 2.3-meter-tall figure that filled his vision, his expression conflicted.

‘He put Death Armor on a golem?’

But golems don’t really need armor, do they?

A golem’s strength lies in its toughness and brute force.

Adding armor to an already solid body would only make it heavier and slower, wouldn’t it?

But this wasn’t just any armor; it was Death Armor, a armor that moved on its own.

“What does that mean for it, young master?”

“What does it mean, you ask…”

A golem’s strengths are its immense defense and power, but it’s too slow and its movements are simple.

Living Armor is known for its incredible speed, as it only has the armor to move. Moreover, it can use powerful swordsmanship depending on the spirit within the armor.

However, its durability is inevitably lower.

Which is more likely to get crushed: a solid stone or an empty can?

‘But if the two were combined…’

A golem with immense defense and power moving swiftly like a Death Armor and wielding powerful swordsmanship? And it could even use the power of darkness?

“Uh, that’s not going to be easy.”

Before Karnak could finish speaking, the Golem Knight began to move.

Roooooar!

With a terrifying speed, it trampled the ground and charged, swinging its jet-black sword!

‘What the—?’

‘It’s fast!’

Serati and Baros, startled, hurriedly moved to shield Karnak.

Baros pushed Karnak to safety while Serati counterattacked with her aura blade.

“Take this!”

The power of darkness clashed with her red aura.

The sound of the impact echoed as the shockwave sent her flying.

“Ugh!”

Barely managing to regain her balance, Serati landed on the ground, grimacing in pain.

‘This thing is stronger than most high-ranking demons!’

Individually, they could have been dealt with, but when combined, they had become a monster even surpassing Maz-nun, whom Shutraff had summoned.

“Scorching Magic Bullets!”

Karnak’s magic projectiles flew toward the Golem Knight.

But they had little effect.

The Death Armor’s magic resistance was so high that even a 6th Circle spell was deflected.

And trying to break through the Death Armor wasn’t an option either, as the mana and necromantic power were intertwined, preventing interference.

Baros turned to Karnak with a tense expression.

“What do we do now, young master?”

At least with Maz-nun, they knew how to handle it. The problem was that it was just exceptionally strong.

But this Golem Knight was a bizarre combination of magic and necromancy, making all conventional strategies useless.

“Looks like the only option is to brute-force it.”

Karnak responded nonchalantly.

“I didn’t expect this.”

“Again?”

Baros’s face twisted in frustration.

How many times is he going to say he didn’t expect something?

But then something unusual happened.

‘Huh?’

Karnak’s expression was different from usual.

There were no signs of the typical reactions—panic or fear—that one might expect when faced with an unforeseen situation.

‘What’s going on? Why is he so calm this time?’