I Became The Academy Necromancer

Seated at the piano, a beautiful melody greeted the world as his slender fingers danced over the keys.

That was the talent the boy, Owen Valtany, possessed.

It was also one of the reasons I had chosen Owen as my successor.

The boy’s performance was a gift to the world, and not just for the living.

All we could usually offer the deceased was a requiem. Yet Owen Valtany offered them something more than that.

His performance contained a magic that attracted the dead instead of the living.

As the boy’s soft melody began, I activated the magic circle etched into the grand rooftop of the royal palace.

A call to the continent.

It was a gentle approach compared to Luaneth’s method of trying to annihilate all spiritual beings.

After all, it was easier to broadcast a voice across the continent than cast magic to extinguish souls.

I had once used a similar method to request the souls in Graypond to help us stop Romuleus. And now, I had gotten even more skilled. So, I cleared my throat and began to speak.

“The innumerable souls slumbering across the continent.”

My voice did not resound violently like before. Still, even a faint ripple would reach the far edge of the lake.

As such, my voice too would undoubtedly reach the ends of the continent.

“From those who perished just yesterday to those who have slumbered for so long that they have forgotten themselves.”

I had no doubt that it would reach all the departed.

“Awaken, and heed my words.”

A strong wind blew. The clouds of Holy Power seemed to have halted, likely due to Stella and Lucia’s join efforts, and could no longer advance

Thanks to this, I believed the souls would be able to reach me.

“I am Deus Verdi.”

I introduced myself.

“The Soul Whisperer of the Griffin Kingdom.”

The words I offered the departed rarely led to a happy ending.

No matter how much comforted them, how well I tried to understand their hearts, or how many tears I wiped,

In the end, the final words I could offer them was always the same:

Now, you shall enter eternal rest.

“Slumbering souls.”

This time was no different either.

One by one, I awakened souls that lay asleep for thousands of years.

“Now, those of you who once walked on this land.”

And once again, I had no choice but to present them with a cruel truth.

Because ultimately, they were dead, and the people left on this land had to keep living.

“You are leading this continent down the path of destruction.”

Once again, the cruel truth flowed from my lips.

* * *

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

At first, I thought it was hail falling from the clouds. However, these objects were too heavy to be hail and too crude to be called a disaster.

“Holy shit—”

Those that failed to land properly and crashed into the ground instead of the palace rooftop, were utterly mangled and burst apart. And the ones that did manage to land on the palace rooftop looked completely bizarre.

Some had three arms, others six legs.

Those were monsters sewn together like patchwork, like something one might even call a chimera. Yet, at their core, they were all still human.

Realizing that the Cadavermancer Yun was controlling them from above the clouds, Findenai raised her head toward the sky.

“Just corpses?”

The chill flowing from Snow White and the heat emitted by the War Shoes clashed mid-air.

Since her opponents were just corpses, there was no need to activate the Hand of Hemomancy, but gripping Snow White firmly with both hands and Findenai swung it forcefully.

“You really think you can get away with this?”

Whoosh!

Findenai’s strike sliced all the corpses into clean halves. Even those controlled by Yun, not just any Cadavermancer but Dante’s Cadavermancer, were reduced to mere flesh before Findenai.

She wouldn’t let anyone get in her master’s way as they wished.

If they wanted to push forward, they had to get through her.

With that in mind, Findenai slammed Snow White on the ground and looked up at the sky.

“If you plan to keep watching from above, you’ll end up accomplishing nothing, you pests.”

Had Findenai’s voice reached them? Another man fell from above.

However, unlike the corpses with multiple body parts, the man with his missing left arm.

The martial artist who was holding a spear—Zhang Run, the Dark Mage from the Han Empire.

With his remaining hand on the spear, he boldly pointed at Findenai.

“I’m Zhang Run from the Han Empire! What is your name?”

“Are you here for a show or something? If you don’t want your head to be split along with your arm, use your spear, not your mouth.”

“Haha! How ridiculous! Your skill must match your sharp tongue.”

Creak!

Something grotesque began to flow from the man’s empty left hand. However, it looked more like a neck extending rather than a hand.

Growl!

And in an instant, a left hand had grown out.

In place of a palm, there was a black wolf snarling ferociously at Findenai.

“A Monstrumancer?”

“I was deeply moved while watching your fight against Dina; it was truly remarkable.”

Having fought against Dante’s Monstrumancer, Dina, in Claren, Findenai knew firsthand how troublesome a Monstrumancer could be.

And when Zhang Run slammed his spear into the ground, the previously bisected Cadavermancer’s corpses behind him reattached like magnets and rose again.

“I’ll ask you again! What is your name?”

“Arrghhh, this bastard talks too damn much.”

Now having to deal with both the Cadavermancer’s corpses and the Monstrumancer, Findenai bit down hard on her cigarette and lit it.

“Huff.”

Thinking of the arduous day that lay ahead, she regretted not having many cigarettes left.

“It’s Findenai Verdi, you bastard.”

* * *

“Keubbbbb!”

As Findenai began her battle with Zhang Run wielding Snow White, Deus projected his voice across the continent with the aid of the Mana Stone.

In the middle of them was Lucia, with her hands raised, letting out a desperate groan.

What would have normally been a posture for praying to God, was the opposite today.

She was blocking the path of the divine presence that had descended upon this land.

Using various techniques she had learned from her predecessor, Stella, Lucia was now holding back the massive Holy Power, handling it so skillfully that she could now be called a Saintess in the truest sense.

However, even someone like her wouldn’t be able to hold back the Holy Power wielded by a god on her own.

High in the sky.

Without the assistance of the former Saintess, Stella, standing before the clouds, Graypond would have already fallen under the Holy Power.

[…]

Stella had a grave look on her face.

This situation was completely different from when Romuleus had appeared. Unlike how she was able to easily wrest control of the Holy Power back then, it was clearly aligned with the gods this time.

[I won’t be able to hold on for long.]

With a bitter smile, Stella sighed. She would try her best, but would she truly be able to hold on until Deus had gathered all the souls?

Though the time ahead seemed perilous, Stella steeled herself.

In fact, it was Stella who was in the greatest danger right now. She was standing directly in front of the Holy Power as a soul, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she were annihilated at any moment.

But…

[I’ve already said my farewell.]

There were no more regrets.

The time she spent had been truly enjoyable.

Ironically, it was only in the afterlife that she made friends and had found someone she loved.

In some ways, it could be seen as a tragedy.

Yet, for someone who had no choice but to live out her life as a Saintess, she considered it a blessing that a time like this had come to her, even in death.

[Velica, I’m sorry.]

She offered an apology to Velica, who was by her side, in advance, but Velica said nothing. Instead, she remained silent with Stella.

Even if the end was bitter, Velica would accompany her.

With that belief, Stella looked at the woman standing above the clouds.

The woman clad in white had come to Graypond with the dark mages of Dante in tow.

However, she was closer to a flame than to light. The brilliance of her flames was so magnificent, that it radiated a white light instead of red.

The longsword she held in her hand was driven into the ground, and white flames flickered at her feet.

Ironically.

[So this is how we meet.]

She was the very being whose name Stella had called upon the most in life.

The goddess of the hearth and fire.

[Goddess Hearthia.]

The goddess whom Stella had served gazed at her and declared coldly.

“Step aside, Stella.”

[…]

It was well-known that those who served the goddess Hearthia would become her angels after death, loved and praised for all eternity.

Yet, here was Stella, the one person who had served Hearthia more than anyone else.

With a bitter tone, Stella asked.

[Why do you insist on obstructing Deus?]

“Stella, the continent has a destined fate.”

[…]

“The souls that have entered rest must ultimately bring about one of two outcomes: they will either saturate and bring forth the continent’s destruction, or they will perish.”

[Aren’t your children also among the sleeping souls?]

“Even so, this is fate. Stella, the time we gods have longed for is approaching. Deus… no, this outsider should not plunge this land into chaos.”

The urgency in Hearthia’s voice revealed her deep concern and fear regarding the current situation.

[Please trust him. And if that’s not possible, then at least, trust me, your daughter.]

“Stella.”

[…]

“I cannot entrust one of the continent’s greatest fates in the hands of an outsider.”

Ultimately, the gods were beings bound by fate (the main story), and it was impossible to come to a compromise with them.

[So, your choice is to annihilate all souls? You even wished to stop him at the cost of killing people by allowing God Romulus to fall.]

“Huff.”

Realizing that dialogue was no longer effective, Hearthia extended her sword toward Stella. The white flames blazing from the blade were the fire of Holy Power.

Just brushing against the sword would cause Stella to perish.

“You dare reproach me while carrying a Demon Lord within you?”

[…]

“Has it come to this because I took away your Holy Power?”

[Sigh.]

“I feel sorry for you, but that was the predestined fate. I had to bestow the Holy Power upon Lucia.”

Stella did not make an appearance in the original story; the only Saintess was Lucia.

She had no ill will when taking Stella’s Holy Power; it was simply the course of fate.

[I’ve shared many conversations with the man you call an outsider.]

Though she couldn’t say she never resented losing her Holy Power, that wasn’t the reason Stella was currently opposing Hearthia.

[While I was resting within him, I got curious. As you mentioned, Goddess Hearthia, Kim Shinwoo is indeed an outsider.]

While asleep within him, Stella continued to ask questions.

Why?

Why in the world?

For what reason?

[Why was he so dedicated to this continent?]

He was undeniably an outsider—neither born, raised, nor had lived on this continent.

He was a man who had suddenly appeared here from another world.

Though he was now living in Deus Verdi’s borrowed body, that didn’t mean he was obligated to live for the sake of the continent.

“…”

It was something even the goddess Hearthia didn’t know—the brief conversation shared between Stella and Kim Shinwoo.

As a brief silence lingered, Deus’ voice echoed throughout the continent.

- Awaken and look around you. There is no more room on the continent.

Countless souls began to rise from the ground and soon, the entire city was filled to the point where even the buildings were no longer visible.

One look at this scene was enough to make anyone realize why there was no more room for the deceased to rest in this land.

Returning to the conversation.

The reason Kim Shinwoo had dedicated himself to this land was not because of Deus Verdi.

Stella whispered calmly what she had heard that day.

[It is because he is grateful.]

“…Grateful?”

[Yes, this world became a brief refuge from his otherwise harsh life. And for this continent that accepted him…]

“…”

[He now lives for us. That is the reason he seeks to save it.]

For a future unknown to the gods.

For the other happy ending he envisioned.

To Goddess Hearthia, it was but a pitiful life—ultimately one of sacrifice.

That was the only word that came to mind.

But Stella, smiling gently, corrected her thoughts.

[He doesn’t want to call it a sacrifice.]

In fact, when she first heard about his plan, Stella had also referred to it as a sacrifice, but Kim Shinwoo corrected her.

This was not a sacrifice.

[A gift.]

- O Departed, will you bring about the destruction of the continent, or will you save it?

Hearing Deus’ voice resound once more, Stella let out a small laugh.

[Can you hear it? The thing he is doing now? The gift this outsider you spoke of wishes to give us?]

Unable to sort through her confused thoughts, Hearthia shut her lips tight.

- Ultimately, it all depends on your choice.

[Ah.]

- As the Soul Whisperer of Deus Verdi, I beseech you. Please come to me for the salvation of the continent.

[How.]

- I will become your new sanctuary.

In the end, Stella couldn’t hold back her bright smile.

[How could I not love that man?]

***

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