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Chapter 99: 007: William’s Undead Castle
High-level apprentice Snow stepped forward: "The apprentice brought back by the teleportation scroll has already awakened. From his description, it’s clear this was a trap targeting Miss. During their mission, they encountered the Black Wizard Organization, Blood Origin Cult..."
Snow succinctly recounted the events on Ghost Island as he had learned from Adam.
Yeager’s expression grew darker and more ominous with each passing moment.
What was supposed to be a simple low-level task had unraveled into such chaos: multiple mid-level apprentices, several low-level apprentices, countless followers, and even the high-level apprentice-class Ausen Giant Python... This was clearly a kill mission!
"That bastard! I should’ve left him to die back then, never should’ve brought him back!" Yeager cursed loudly.
The apprentices exchanged glances, everyone aware of whom Yeager was referring to, but no one dared to interject. A conflict at this level wasn’t a matter to be trifled with—especially now, if Miss couldn’t return...
Then, they’d be left at the mercy of that ’bastard’...
Yeager pressed further, "What’s the current situation?"
Snow replied, "According to reliable sources, not long ago, near the mission’s destination in Gray Town, a war broke out. Several local noble houses mobilized their forces. We suspect it’s related to Miss."
"From the latest investigation, it appears Miss and her team managed to escape. However, only two people made it out."
Yeager asked, "Who else?"
Snow’s expression turned peculiar: "An apprentice named Lynch Valen. I checked his records; he’s listed as a low-level apprentice. But in reality, he appears to be a mid-level apprentice. According to Adam’s description, their escape was mainly thanks to this apprentice. He seems to possess strength that doesn’t match his official rank."
Yeager narrowed his eyes: "Lynch Valen? Why does that name sound familiar?"
Snow added, "He received the Warrior Feather."
Yeager suddenly remembered, "Ah, of course, now I recall!"
He asked, "So now that means he’s the one protecting Miss, correct?"
Snow nodded, "That seems to be the case."
"Alright then," Yeager said. "Take your team out immediately. Whatever resources you need, you’re authorized to use. If necessary... even if it means breaking the rules, we must—no matter the cost—find Miss before they do!"
Snow replied, "Understood."
After a brief pause, he asked, "And about those human nobles..."
Yeager’s eyes turned icy cold, "Fools who dare meddle in the disputes of Transcendents—they’re courting death. If they’re so eager, then we shall grant their wish!"
After a pause, he declared without room for debate: "Kill them all!"
...
Not long after, Shadow Tower, Outer Ring District.
"Move! Clear the way!" A flurry of hurried shouting echoed around.
A swift-moving squad passed through Shadow Square—Black Robe Enforcers, Alchemy Creations, Elemental Lifeforms, Knight Relatives—all marching together. Leading the way were several Netta Apprentices, bearing the crest design typically associated with the Holy Light Cathedral.
Their expressions were solemn, their pace brisk, as if something urgent was afoot.
The apprentices gathered at the square eagerly began discussing the commotion.
"What’s happening? Why such a big mobilization? They deployed so many Black Robe Enforcers, along with Alchemy Creations, Knight Relatives, even Elemental Lifeforms."
"You don’t know? The eldest daughter of the Tavendish Family—she’s gone missing!"
"What? Seriously?"
"Absolutely, the news has been spreading rapidly. Supposedly, she was ambushed by Black Wizards while on a mission in the Human World. Her fate is currently unknown."
"Damn it! That’s a major event. Is the Black Tower Alliance trying to start a war with us?"
"Who knows..."
Listening to the chatter in the square, Subaru and Carl’s faces turned pale.
Lynch had spoken with them before heading off for this mission, so naturally, they were aware of the details.
Subaru frowned and asked, "Did you ask about it? Any news on Lynch?"
Carl’s expression wasn’t any better, "I’ve already spoken to Graham. He said he’d look into it, but there’s no news yet... Wait, there he is!"
At that moment, Graham came sprinting across the square.
Carl and Subaru hurriedly went to intercept him.
Subaru, visibly tense, asked anxiously, "Sooo? Young Master Graham, Lynch..."
"Let... let me... catch my breath..." Graham raised his hand to stop them.
After taking several deep breaths and calming his pace, he finally straightened up.
Carl and Subaru stared at him expectantly.
Without further delays, Graham delivered the most straightforward answer:
"He’s alive!"
...
The Ramos Duchy, Black Rock Town.
"Clop!" A sound echoed.
The skeletal warhorse halted, bringing the undead caravan to a stop.
"We’ve arrived," said a Skeleton Violinist, opening the carriage door.
Lynch stepped out and glanced to the side.
Before his eyes stood a castle that exuded an eerie presence. Its towering spires resembled bony, gnarled fingers reaching for the sky. Cracked walls were covered with thick moss and tangled vines. Webs hung everywhere in the corners, while bats dangled under the eaves.
Pale moonlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating the castle with an icy glow. A chilling wind blew through its crevices, producing a haunting wail, as if the cries of vengeful spirits echoed within.
"Welcome to William’s Undead Castle. My master has prepared a lavish dinner for you two in the dining hall. Please, this way," the Skeleton Man invited.
Crossing the drawbridge, the group entered the castle.
The first thing Lynch noticed was a massive pool—a dried Blood Pool to be exact. Its edges were inscribed with runes, and the bottom featured a huge magic array encompassing the entire structure.
At the center stood an altar constructed from human bones, atop which young girls were bound, stripped bare. Lynch took note—they seemed to be the female slaves from the town earlier?
"I’ve brought the virgins as requested. Now, when will I receive the promised power?"
A man’s voice suddenly interrupted. Lynch glanced in his direction—it was, indeed, the man carrying the giant sword from the square earlier.
A Skeleton Man was negotiating with him.
The Skeleton Man assured, "Of course, virgins in exchange for power—Undead Castle never reneges on its promises. The Count is ready. This way, sir."
"Ha-ha-ha! Excellent! Excellent!"
The man laughed heartily as he followed the Skeleton Man up the staircase.
Virgins in exchange for power?
Lynch turned back to scrutinize the Blood Pool, and suddenly it all made sense. Richard’s notebook had explicitly described this.
Maiden Sacrifice.
This was a sacrificial-type undead magic that used the flesh and blood of maidens, converting it into pure death energy that could then be absorbed via the energy pool to enhance the wizard’s own strength. The purer the maiden, the greater the effect. Unviolated virgins were the most effective.
Clearly, those helpless girls bound atop the altar were meant for sacrifice.
"This is utterly vile!"
While Lynch still retained a modern perspective on morality, even by the standards of White Wizards—who upheld humanity’s shared heritage and bloodline—such magic that involves harming one’s own kind for personal gain was strictly outlawed as evil.
"Since trouble is brewing anyway, might as well tear this place down," Lynch suddenly thought impulsively.
It didn’t stem from heroism; he simply found the scene displeasing—like discovering a cockroach crawling near him—and felt an innate urge to squash it.
"Let’s go, see what’s upstairs first," Avery interjected at that moment.
Taking a spiraling staircase built tightly against the wall, and continuing through a shadowy corridor infested with rats and spiders, Lynch and Avery arrived at a dining hall.
At its center was a dining table crafted from the skeletal remains of some enormous beast. Chairs made of rib bones lined its sides, while the candelabra atop the table was fashioned out of upright finger bones. Even the candles burned with a peculiar smell, likely rendered from human fat?
"Ah! Damn you, you’ve deceived me!"
"You despicable wizard!"
Not long after they were seated, piercing screams erupted from the corridor outside.
Through the cross-shaped windows, Lynch quickly spotted the man from earlier bursting out of one of the rooms. He was drenched in blood, covered with densely packed runes, his chest split open, revealing a pulsating heart, while half of the flesh from his face had been stripped away, exposing bare bone beneath.
The man’s bulging eyes brimmed with terror as he desperately fled. Skeletons in his path crumbled under his impact.
Seeing the exit ahead, the man appeared on the verge of escape. But in that moment—
"Whoosh!!!" A sharp sound cut through the air suddenly.
A pale Bone Spear flew out from the end of the corridor, accompanied by a piercing shriek. It struck the man squarely in the back near his shoulder blade, lifting him entirely off the ground and pinning him against the stone wall ahead.
"Ahhh!!!"
Following this, the man screamed in agony as the runes on his body began to glow. His form contorted violently, shrinking rapidly—as if gripped by some invisible, crushing hand—until—
"Boom!" His body exploded like a crushed bird chick.
Fragments of flesh and blood sprayed across the surroundings. A lone eyeball flew out of its socket, bounded on the floor a few times, then rolled toward the shadow at the far end of the corridor, stopping just short of the darkness.
"Heh-heh-heh." From the darkness came a sinister laugh. "Isn’t it natural to pay a price on the path of pursuing power? To die for power is a meaningful end—how could that be called deceit?"
As they spoke, a leg with exposed muscle, entirely devoid of skin, stepped out of the dark.
The foot stomped down on the eyeball, crushing it.
