Chapter 19

Necromancer academy’s genius summoner

Chapter 19

Simon took out two lanterns from the subspace. He held one and made the skeleton hold the other.

“Let’s go.”

The skeleton took the lead, and Simon followed.

When he entered the ruins, there was only darkness. The chill from the stone floor seemed to work its way through the feet into the legs.

There was no such thing as railings, so he moved carefully, thinking that it’d be instant death if he fell.

‘This is……’

As he went down the stairs, he saw indecipherable characters carved on the wall.

But somehow, the letters were familiar. 

‘Have I seen it recently?’

Simon thoroughly retraced his memory.

‘Right, the ancient rune!’

It was similar to the ancient rune that Eric explained during the Epidemiology of Jet-Black class.

‘Then is this an ancient ruin? Why is a place like this located near Kizen?’

Bringing up the countless unanswered questions, Simon continued to descend.

Tap.

Finally, he went down all the stairs and hit the floor. He must’ve descended quite deep as he couldn’t see the ceiling, even if he held up the lantern.

There was a need to broaden the scope of the search. Simon summoned a second skeleton, gave it a lantern, and ordered it to explore the area.

Simon himself also walked with a lantern, illuminating the surroundings. Ancient runes were engraved all over the floor and walls.

‘If there are this many runes……’

This whole ruin itself was basically a gigantic magical device.

Rattle! Rattle!

The skeleton signaled that it had found something. Simon quickly ran towards it.

‘What’s this?’

There was an altar in the middle of the ruins full of runes, and a skull was placed on it.

Simon put the lantern down on the altar and carefully brushed off the skull. 

‘……’

A strange shiver ran up his arm. 

Simon didn’t know much about the undead, but for this one, he could instinctively understand.

This was the remains of an innumerably old and terribly dangerous undead.

Simon carefully lifted the skull.

Crumble!

“Woah!”

As he lifted the skull, bones fell from the ceiling. Simon quickly backed away and dodged.

“T-That startled me.”

His skeletons approached and lit the floor with their lanterns. Simon, who was staring at the bottom, picked up a bone that had fallen to the floor.

“……No.2?”

Muttered Simon to himself before putting the bone under the skull.

They fit perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle.

“……”

A strange feeling of excitement began to rise from the depths of his chest.

He wanted to assemble that undead. He didn’t know how the undead would act towards him or what harm it’d do when it woke up.

Nevertheless, he felt that, if there was a time in life when he had to boldly bet on something, then now was the time.

Having made up his mind, Simon put the skull down on the altar and placed his hand on the palm mark underneath it. Then, he channeled the jet-black as he did a while ago.

Whirrrrrrrr!

“Kugh!”

He only used a little bit of jet-black, but he felt like the jet-black inside his body was being sucked into the altar too.

The altar emitted a dark blue light, and a blue, thread-like fire appeared in the skull’s eye socket.

‘Hm. So this isn’t complete yet?’

Simon tried putting the No.2 bone close to the skull. 

With a tap, it stuck like a magnet. The unique ‘attraction’ of skeleton-type undead was working.

‘Great.’

Simon put down the skull before knuckling down and starting to work.

He matched the bones together as if possessed, and it was more fun than ever.

Form a spine by connecting the Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacrum, and Coccyx in sequence. Connect the scapula and clavicle in front of it, and lastly, add ribs to form an upper body.

He formed the pelvis on the bottom by picking up gluteal bones and adding them under the caudate vertebrae. The shape of the leg gradually appeared as the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella were connected.

‘It was worth studying Summoning since morning after all!’

He wasn’t 100% sure, but this skeleton had a skeletal structure of a ‘human’. With Simon’s intuition and knowledge of Summoning, he could assemble the bones smoothly.

But this skeleton was too tall.

Simon had to assemble it in different positions, like kneeling, squatting, standing upright, tiptoeing, and climbing onto the altar, struggling.

It would’ve been nice if the skeleton bent its body, but it didn’t move at Simon’s commands. As soon as the legs were completed, he got up on his own accord.

‘I should’ve assembled the arms first instead!’

Simon finished the rest of the arms while whining. He looked at the skeleton from a distance, feeling overwhelmed.

“Woaaah…”

A huge skeleton over 2 meters tall was standing in front of him. It was an astonishing sight, but it still didn’t move.

“What should I do now?”

Whaaaeep!

A dazzling moonlight fell from the ceiling like a curtain of light.

The moment the moonlight shone on the skeleton’s skull, the eye socket started to burn like a torch.

[Fwahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!]

The ruin’s floor and walls made of sand shook from the massive laughter. Soon, the runes on the wall’s surface came off and formed a stream, covering the skeleton’s body like silk.

The runes were being sucked in and were absorbed into the bones of the skeleton.

[Finally! Finally I have returned!]

* * *

* * *

Simon covered his ears at the loud shout. The jet-black radiating from the skeleton’s body reminded him of harsh waves.

[Who woke me up?!]

The skeleton’s head moved while creaking. Then, he saw Simon standing nearby, holding onto the wall.

Step. Step.

The huge being approached Simon. Then, he stuck his head out right in front of Simon and observed him.

Simon had to try his best not to scream.

[Name yourself, Human.]

“I-It’s Simon Polentia.”

The skeleton’s skull tilted to the side.

[You’re Polentia……?]

Kuhahahaahahahahaha!

A burst of loud laughter echoed throughout the ruins. Simon broke into a cold sweat.

[I see! Don’t tell me you’re Richard’s grandson?!]

“No.”

Simon spoke while calming down his pounding heart.

“I’m his son.”

[Hahahahaha! I see! I see! So that’s how it is! No wonder why the jet-black seemed familiar! It’d be impossible to wake me up unless it’s Richard!]

The skeleton turned his back. You could see the shadowless cloak fluttering around him.

“…Who are you?”

This time, it was Simon who asked a question. The skeleton stopped walking, turned his head, and smiled.

It was strange that a skeleton had a facial expression, but he certainly had one.

He could open his mouth, he could flare his nostrils, and his glaring eyes were filled with strong curiosity. He was like a living human being.

[I’m Pier. Marshall of the Legion.]

Pier spoke.

[I once tore up the continent with Richard, your father!]

The light in Simon’s eyes changed.

‘That’s my father’s undead!!’

Pier, who was laughing broadly, stuck his head out and continued to speak. 

[But let me ask you first. Who led you here?]

His voice somehow felt sharp.

Due to the sensation of being tested, Simon gulped and answered,

“Nefthis Archbold.”

[Ahh.]

A smile lifted his mouth. 

[Uhehe. So that’s how it happened! I guess it’s possible if it was that woman! Good!]

Whiiiiiiiiish!

A strong wind blew like a storm inside. Light flooded the ruins, and the air screamed.

[Make a contract with me, Simon Polentia! And lead the ‘Legion’!]

Shouted his father’s undead with open arms. 

[The Legion will be your will, trampling down everything that stands in your way! The whole world will kneel at your feet and bow their heads!]

A voice filled with excitement echoed throughout the ruins.

[But you’ll inevitably walk the road filled with the smell of blood! That’s also fate! Son of Richard, are you ready to lead the Legion?!]

Simon bit his lip, concerned. Pier laughed as he walked around Simon.

[Are you afraid? Are you frightened? What are you considering in front of strength, Boy?!]

It was still an unknown ability, even if it was once said to be his father’s power.

Simon didn’t know what the Legion was, what the road filled with blood meant, the terms of the contract, or what kind of handicap he’d carry.

However,

“I want to ask you something.”

A question came back instead of an answer. Pier’s face wrinkled in displeasure.

[Speak.]

“I don’t know what kind of use you’ll be. Is that thing called the Legion strong?

Halt.

Pier’s steps stopped.

[P… Puhuhuhuhuhu! Puhuh! Buhuhu! Bwahahahahahahaha!]

Blare!

The air reverberated and dirt was falling from the ceiling.

Usefulness! A usefulness!

This boy wasn’t lost because of doubts and fears. How dare he ‘evaluate’ the Legion?!

[That’s a great question, Human! Strong? Shall I destroy the Kizen if you wish?]

Grooooooooow!

The mournful cries of the dead resounded everywhere. It was a terrible sight, but Simon’s expression didn’t change an inch.

[Alright! I’ll answer your question!]

Pier withdrew his strength and said,

[Your father has already disbanded the Legion once! And I was sealed here! And by waking me, the keeper, up again, the Legion experienced the ‘first moment’.

“First moment?”

[That’s right! But if we gather the forces of the scattered Legion and restore the former forces again,]

The corner of Pier’s lips rose.

[No one on this continent would be able to stop you.]

“Alright.”

Simon nodded his head.

“I’ll make a contract with you.”

[Kuhehehehehe!]

Pier wrapped his arm around Simon’s waist and jumped up to the top of the altar.

[Put your hands on my ‘core’!]

Pier’s ribs opened and a mass of jet-black mana appeared from within, beating like a heart.

Simon obediently placed his hands on it.

[When this contract is made, your life will completely be changed! Are you not afraid?!]

“There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Simon spoke calmly.

“If you people really are the Legion of my father, then it’s natural for me to retrieve you.”

[Kuhahahahahahaha! Great! That’s the spirit!]

On the surface, he was an ordinary boy who seemed calm and humble, but the qualities of an overlord were shown at times.

‘You raised a son well, Richard! This guy is different from you!’

His dark magic proficiency at the moment seemed low, but he had tremendous potential. And, unlike Richard, his consciousness and emotion were established well. A completed being in the mental aspect.

Pier was quite satisfied with this boy.

[I’ll proceed with the contract now! Don’t die, Simon Polentia!]

——