Isn’t this just another clichéd case of ordinary people being oppressed by a corrupt official? Genasar had seen plenty of these.
But that wasn’t an excuse for his misdeeds. One could only imagine how many lives had been stained on his hands, going from an ordinary youth to a level-thirty-something Necromancer.
So Genasar had no intention of meddling further. He still planned to send him on his way after dismantling the corpse-nurturing formation here.
“Let’s not waste any more time. Let’s finish things here first.”
Under Genasar’s constant urging, the Lich stepped into the center of the formation and began reciting the dispelling incantation.
The surrounding mist gradually faded, and the oppressive aura of death slowly disappeared.
After a long absence, sunlight poured down, shining on the Lich. Wherever the rays touched his skin, a searing pain flared—like punishment, yet also like redemption.
He sighed, turning to look at Genasar.
“Come, I’m ready. I can tell you don’t want to keep me around, and I won’t force it. Besides, after all this time, my loathing for this world far outweighs my hatred. Kill me, let me reincarnate, let me leave this cruel world.”
He wasn’t a fool; from Genasar’s words and tone, he already knew what was coming.
He said nothing more, already resigned to his fate. After all this time, while his hatred remained, the urge to escape this world overwhelmed everything else.
“One last question: what year is it now?”
“What year? It’s the New Era, 7629. Why are you suddenly asking that?”
7629… Have I already been dead for eighteen years…
Only now did Genasar get the chance to learn the date. He didn’t say another word, lifting the bead and starting the ritual.
Then, the Lich’s heart-rending scream echoed in the air for a long time.
“AAAAAAHH—!!”
Genasar watched expressionlessly.
Even though it had nothing to do with him and he didn’t want to get involved, since they’d crossed paths, a bit of mourning felt necessary.
“Sigh… Rest easy. Your wife—oh right, you don’t have one. Well, anyway, there’s nothing left to linger for. Go on.”
But after a long while, the Lich kept howling—yet refused to die.
“Eh? This isn’t right. That’s odd.”
Puzzled, Genasar examined the bead, and after all that torment, the Lich finally had the chance to bellow,
“You! What! Are! You! Doing!”
“Ah, sorry, looks like something went wrong. Let me try again. Die!”
“AAAH—! Are you crazy?! Do you have to torture me before you’re satisfied?!”
Genasar, feeling a bit guilty under his rage, shrank his neck.
“Th-this can’t be right. I really tried to let you die, but why aren’t you dead yet?”
The Lich fell silent for a moment…
“How would I know! The Soul-Devouring Bead’s in your hand—why are you asking me?!”
“Hiss… Wait a sec, let me study this some more.”
Genasar waved his claw at him and called Ashika over to check the bead together.
In the midst of their muttered discussion…
The furious Lich stood there, raising his hand as if to lash out, but after a deep breath, he let it fall.
Then he raised it again, but after gritting his teeth, still lowered it.
After a while, Genasar and the others couldn’t find anything wrong with the bead, so they had to try something else.
“Wait up, seems like the bead can’t kill you. Let’s try Golden Dragon Breath. Sis, put him out of his misery.”
“Okay…”
Though she felt a little sorry, Karu still gave it her all and blasted the Lich with a breath of dragonfire.
Golden light exploded, sending the Lich flying several meters before he crashed to the ground, motionless.
“He should be dead now. Better hit him a few more times.”
“Okay.”
Karu opened her mouth and gave him several more bursts of dragonfire.
Thinking that several rounds of Holy-attribute Golden Dragon Breath would definitely do the trick.
They ignored the burning, golden-flamed Lich, not bothering to check, and prepared to leave.
“He’s probably dead for good. Let’s go home.”
With a bit of regret, they glanced once more at the Lich’s body before striding away.
But just then, from behind came a wailing voice, like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell:
“Are you… ever going to let me die?”
Turning around, they saw the Lich with his hollow mouth gaping wide, sticking right up in their faces.
“Ghost!”
Startled, Genasar reflexively slapped him flying and then chased after him with a flurry of kicks and punches.
“Stop it! Stop! Can’t you just let me die in peace?!”
“Eh? No, but why did you have to scare us like that? Seriously.”
Lich: ……
Clenching his fists tightly, he could barely contain the rage burning in his chest.
Damn it! If I could beat you guys, I’d #％￥#@ you!
“I’m begging you, just stop tormenting me! Can’t you just let me die quickly?”
“I’d like to, but it seems we can’t kill you. Hiss… you’re not ordinary, are you?”
Genasar looked him up and down, noticing something important.
After all the ‘Dragon’s Bliss,’ the Red Dragon and Golden Dragon Breaths, and even the ordeal with the Dragon Emperor Bead, he couldn’t see a single sign of injury.
Aside from his tattered cloak, which told the story, his bony body didn’t show a scratch.
That made no sense. Even if his level was higher than Genasar’s, even if he couldn’t be killed, he should at least have some wounds.
Not to mention, they had used the very element he was weak against. That could only mean this guy really was something special.
“Hiss… How about you just stop trying to die and stick around as my follower? I’ve never seen a Necromancer like you before.”
Genasar changed his mind. This guy might really be unusual. Since he couldn’t kill him now, he couldn’t just leave him behind.
He’d have to bring him along and decide what to do later.
But the Lich didn’t like that one bit.
“What? No way! You have to let me die! I’ve had enough of living! After all the torment from you lot—if you don’t let me die, I’ll find a chance to take revenge!”
He grabbed Genasar by the neck and shook him.
Genasar: (艹皿艹)
“Who do you think you’re messing with?! Let’s see if you can die or not! You wanna die?!”
Genasar stomped on his head.
Even after his head was flattened like a pancake, a burst of black smoke later, it was as good as new.
“Hmph, I don’t believe this! Ashi, Sis, let’s do this together!”
“Sounds kind of fun! I’ll see if pulling his head off works—don’t worry, I’m really quick~ It won’t hurt a bit.”
“I’ve got some corrosive potion here. Let’s see what that does.”
Watching them close in, the Lich started to panic.
“Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Hold on, I don’t want to die anymore! Save me!”
BEEP——
After receiving a loving ‘lesson’ from Genasar and the others, they successfully rescued a suicidal Necromancer and earned themselves a hefty sum of merit.
There he was, curled up on the ground hugging his knees.
“Father, Mother, I miss you so much…”
Completely wrecked.
“Uh… Just stay quietly inside the bead for now. We’ll talk about the rest later.”
Having packed away the Lich, who was now doubting his entire existence, they finally set off for home.
On the way, Karu had a question:
“Genasar, why do you think there are always people who bully others?”
“Because, honestly, bullying others feels pretty good.”
“Huh?”
“Ahem! I mean, it’s survival of the fittest. That’s just how this world works. If you don’t want to be bullied, you have to become the bully. Take you, for example: when you uphold justice, from the villain’s perspective, aren’t you bullying them? So don’t think too hard about it. There’s really no point to such questions. Just focus on being happy yourself.”
Karu’s small head was filled with big question marks.
“Really? Well, okay then.”
She didn’t dwell on it, and the group of dragons gradually disappeared in the direction they had come from.
After a few days’ journey, they’d planned to find a way back up the mountain, but before that, they passed by that lizardman tribe once more.
Since they were already there, they figured they might as well give them a heads-up.