Chapter 36: The Kill

As if to prove Wilder’s words, as his troops tore open the outer shell of the mechanical monster, Ryuji noticed a mass of humanoid pulp wrapped in black robes at the location of its heart. It was called humanoid only because the thing inside the robes retained a human shape; it was called pulp because it had been compressed into a shapeless mound. Numerous tentacles extended from the mass, coiling around nearby pipes and beams, while the dangling head would occasionally lift involuntarily before slowly sagging back down. Ryuji suspected that this humanoid pulp was likely the black-robed figure he had attacked earlier, though now the creature seemed to have lost all control over its own existence.

"See? The opponent has lost control of the city. You can tell that he didn't intend for things to end this way. His original concept was quite clear: a fusion of the undead and mechanics. He wanted to forge a new path, but he never had the chance. In the end, he chose the help of the Netherworld of Gloom, but he never considered why, despite the existence of the Artificer profession in the Southern Swamps for so many years, no one had ever successfully combined machines with the undead.

"That is because the Netherworld of Gloom holds a monopoly on that path. Anyone who chooses it is eventually pulled into the Netherworld and becomes a part of them. So, the moment he stepped onto this path, his fate was sealed. Once he lost consciousness or control over his body, the Netherworld of Gloom began to use his physical form as a nucleus to forcibly generate what they call a Gloom Titan—a hybrid of machine and undead."

With that, Wilder extended his hand, and a peculiar weapon appeared in his grip. It resembled a longsword, but Ryuji noticed it was composed of segments of white bone, capable of transforming into a bone chain when not in use.

Holding this weapon, Wilder added, "No matter the circumstances, as a Necromancer, you must always reserve a power capable of a one-hit kill. Look closely: the movement mechanism of this Gloom Titan lies below the waist. See that joint? Beneath the Gloom jellyfish, there is a section resembling octopus tentacles."

Before Wilder had even finished speaking, the bone chain in his hand morphed back into a longsword. With tremendous force, he struck toward the indicated point. The next instant, the sword pierced the lower body of the Gloom Titan. A sound like a bursting bubble echoed, followed by a low, rumbling vibration from beneath the ground. Above, the three-meter-tall patchwork machine seemed to lose the power that held it together, collapsing into a heap on the ground.

"After destroying the enemy, do not rush forward. As a Necromancer, never place yourself in danger. Let your subordinates handle everything. Those remains are good materials; collect them all. Dismantle everything in the city. Most importantly, retrieve the enemy Necromancer’s corpse—that is the key. Ah, it has been found."

As Wilder explained, the troops he had sent to gather the scattered debris dragged out an object: a head-sized eye, trailing a nerve over a meter long that connected perfectly to the left eye socket of the black-robed figure. Wilder reached out, plucked the eye from the socket, and tossed the black-robed head toward Ryuji.

"Since you discovered this, you deserve the credit. You also defeated the enemy at the start, so consider this a complete job. This belongs to you. Be careful, though; this is a pseudo-level 5 entity. Do not let it influence your growth."

Catching the head, Ryuji realized that its upper half was mechanical. Aside from the eyeball in the right socket, there was no sign of flesh. Below the nose, however, the structure twisted and transformed; six slimy octopus tentacles still twitched involuntarily.

"What is this?" After taking it, Ryuji received no system prompt, nor did it feel like player equipment, leaving him uncertain of how to handle it.

"The eyeball can be detached; it is a pair with the large one I took. It represents the essence of that fellow’s power. The one I took mutated to level 5, so I cannot give it to you, lest it disrupt the development of your Ghost City. But the one you hold is usable. Take it into your Ghost City; the city will absorb it automatically. It may reinforce your city or expand the territory you occupy in the Netherworld."

Hearing this explanation, Ryuji realized this was exactly what happened when he had previously fused items into his Nether Palace back in the Golden City. It seemed he had claimed more than just level 1 items before; he had been consuming the remains of demons without even realizing it.

Seeing Ryuji lost in thought, Wilder assumed his advice had struck home. For a newcomer, he was not stingy with his guidance.

"After you remove the eye, don't throw the head away. You are following the path of the Mortician. You will spend much of your time in the Netherworld and will need your own troops, rather than the scattered rabble you’ve been using—that is inefficient. Find a way to mount this head and use it as a banner. Organize a group of soldiers with similar attributes and directions, and have them fight repeatedly.

"It won't be long before you have your own dedicated force. But to train troops, you must be willing to invest; do not give up because of combat casualties. Furthermore, do not change the direction of their development at will. Once a goal is set, you must let them grow toward it; those who change paths midway can never be properly trained."

At this point, Wilder seemed to recall something. "Oh, and in the future, when you encounter enemies in the Netherworld, treat their corpses the same way. Generally, the best material for a banner is the enemy's head—you will understand this as you study further. Also, if you discover Blood-Binding Masters, do not charge in yourself. Notify the Bone Guards; they are responsible for such matters. Our primary mission is to guard the nodes of the Netherworld."