How a Reincarnated Warlock Lives – Chapter 127

Chapter 127: Desert (3)

Mutual introductions weren’t strictly necessary.

This wasn’t a formal occasion, and everyone already knew each other’s identities.

“……”

The number of enemies was at least twenty.

More than double our number, but considering this was the desert, it wasn’t that many.

They likely discovered our intrusion into the tomb and rushed to stop us as quickly as possible.

Of course, that meant they were skilled individuals. The Sultan’s elite weren’t to be taken lightly.

“……”

A moment of silence.

A strange standoff in the large stone chamber, dividing it in half. The first to speak was the warrior holding a curved sword with a chilling aura.

“Do you know what you’re trying to awaken here?”

A heavy voice.

Warriors and Sand Mages, ready for battle, lined up behind him.

But the Section Chief, seemingly not intimidated at all, scoffed and replied.

“Well, I don’t know. Let’s awaken it and find out.”

“……”

The desert warrior, with a physique twice the size of an ordinary man, made a fierce expression at those words. His bronze muscles twitched momentarily, but he continued speaking calmly.

“Fools, do you think the monster here will be satisfied with the desert?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about. It won’t be able to, anyway.”

The Section Chief responded with an icy smile to the man’s words and continued,

“I was a bit worried because they said we needed to sacrifice more offerings than expected.”

He pointed the tip of his blade at the desert warriors lined up in front of him.

“What a relief.”

The killing intent deepened.

“Further conversation is pointless.”

“You’ve realized that now?”

A moment of silence. And then.

Fwhoosh!

A strong sandstorm began to rage within the large stone chamber.

🔹🔹🔹

One of the most terrifying phenomena in the vast desert is the sandstorm that covers everything and blows fiercely. Fine sand particles obscure even the sun in the sky, and the wind blows sharply in the ensuing darkness.

Hoooong.

One of the phenomena most feared by travelers to the desert was artificially occurring within this large stone chamber.

Starting with the Sand Mages’ preemptive attack, the desert warriors charged fiercely through the unsecured field of vision.

There was nowhere to hide due to the limited space. Neither side had any intention of doing so anyway.

Clang. Soon, the inside of the stone chamber was filled with the sounds of fierce shouts and clashing weapons.

They were Special Task Force agents specializing in various covert operations, assassinations, and concealment rather than direct combat, but they weren’t being pushed back that much by the desert warriors.

Of course, the advantages and disadvantages were clear.

Fighting the desert’s elite soldiers, who were accustomed to the sandstorm raging only towards them, would be a situation anyone would want to avoid.

I raised my hand. Ssst. Soon, the rising powerful demonic energy blew away the two warriors charging towards me.

Thud. As if something invisible had flicked a giant finger, the two warriors, thrown back with a force greater than their charging speed, crashed into the wall of the stone chamber and collapsed.

“Kill them all!”

Crack. A brutal sound of flesh tearing, perhaps indicating the beheading of a Special Task Force agent, was followed by the large warrior’s roar echoing through the stone chamber.

He had a loud voice befitting his size.

But soon, his voice was drowned out by an even louder explosion.

Kwaaang!

An impact that shook the entire massive stone chamber.

Beyond the sandstorm obscuring the view, I saw five or six warriors, splattered with blood, being thrown back.

The pungent smell of gunpowder, even amidst the fiercely swirling sandstorm, was noticeable. The formidable power was created by the black powder, gunpowder, usually used for small performances, combined with the Magic Tower’s Explosion Magic.

“You bastard!”

The large warrior saw the Section Chief and charged towards him. A clear blue light emanated from the massive curved sword in his hand.

The situation wasn’t good. In the sandstorm raging only towards us, even simple breathing was difficult, and I could feel the dry sand gritting in my mouth.

‘Annoying.’

I spat on the floor and raised my hand, slashing horizontally.

Then, space split, and the pre-stored spell, Cormeld’s Rotten Breath, activated.

Fwoosh.

The giant breath of the summoned being disrupted the Sand Mages’ mana, starting to calm the wind.

“Ugh……!”

The Sand Mages staggered, unable to withstand the sudden backlash of mana.

Marchena and Kazan, not missing the opportunity, were already behind them, wielding their respective weapons.

Chaos ensued once again. Everyone was entangled, aiming for each other’s lives.

It was a rather tricky battle situation, not very favorable for a mage, where using wide-range magic was difficult.

Shing. But I didn’t mind and drew my sword. A bright light emanated from the Holy Sword in my hand.

“……”

I turned my head and looked at the center of the stone chamber.

Ssst.

A disturbing energy could be felt.

The ancient hieroglyphs densely inscribed on the floor, walls, and ceiling glowed ominously.

The jars neatly placed throughout the magic circle were all precisely in their places despite the chaos.

Although the stone chamber was quite large, it wouldn’t be impossible for someone to accidentally touch them in this chaotic situation.

Of course, it wasn’t difficult to guess the reason.

Earlier, the Special Task Force agent who had lightly touched the mouth of a jar with his hand became a sacrifice and was sucked into it.

Similar phenomena must have occurred in various places. Perhaps, preoccupied with the battle, some had unknowingly touched the jars with their hands or feet.

I simply concentrated. At the same time, an ominous glint appeared above my head.

Vision Field, flashing with crimson light, began to emit an ominous green light.

Within the stone chamber, the mana created by the Sand Mages, elite warriors, and Special Task Force agents swirled chaotically.

But what I wanted to see now was something different.

Swoosh.

Vision Field began to pierce through the spell circuits and the flow of force hidden within this cursed tomb.

And I immediately knew.

Enough sacrifices had already been made to awaken the master of this place.

Rumble.

At the same time, the stone chamber began to vibrate. The red-stained jars slowly melted and flowed into the central black pool along the magic circle.

Bubble, bubble. The black water began to churn as if boiling.

“Well then.”

I muttered softly as I watched.

“Let’s see your face, Necromancer.”

🔹🔹🔹

The sound wasn’t very loud. No, it was so quiet that no one could hear it.

The explosions caused by the Special Task Force agents throughout the stone chamber, the fierce wind created by the Sand Mages,

And even the loud shouts of the Sultan’s elite soldiers, the metallic sounds of curved swords and longswords clashing.

In this place filled with deafening noise, few could hear the bubbling sound from the black pool in the center.

But.

“What……?”

“……!”

As if on cue, everyone in the stone chamber stopped fighting and looked in one direction.

Those with souls. The instinctive discomfort and fear felt as living beings sent chills down everyone’s spines.

─!

There was still no sound.

But everyone’s gaze was fixed on the bubbling black pool.

Clank. With an incredibly quiet sound, an old coffin rose from the depths of the unfathomable pool.

The sarcophagus, seemingly ancient beyond measure, wasn’t lying down as usual but stood upright.

Splash. As the coffin emerged from the pool, the black water rippled due to inertia.

“……!”

A warrior, positioned near the pool, who had been wielding his curved sword valiantly without regard for his life, quickly retreated. He was terrified, as if afraid the black water would touch his feet.

“The, the seal is……!”

“Damn it. He actually!”

The large warrior, muttering through gritted teeth, pulled his shoulders back.

Huff. He inhaled and then threw something forcefully. It was a round Huan with sharp blades attached, imbued with a blue light.

The blue light embedded in the weapon was the greatest proof that the warrior’s skill had reached a certain level.

Whoosh. The Huan, possessing the power to cleave even steel, flew precisely towards the head of the coffin that had risen above the pool.

An attack made by overcoming the instinctive fear that bound the hands and feet of everyone except me. But the coffin, engraved with strange patterns, remained unscathed.

Thud. The Huan, blocked futilely, sank into the black pool.

Rumble. And a moment later. As the door of the coffin creaked open.

-How delightful this is.

A man with a pale complexion, adorned with splendid ornaments and untouched by the passage of time, slowly walked out of the coffin.

🔹🔹🔹

The first to act was, of course, the large desert warrior.

He grasped his glowing blue curved sword and charged towards the Necromancer with fierce momentum.

And then.

Crackle!

His body, frozen in mid-air, began to wither.

He struggled fiercely, as if caught by something. But soon, the life in the warrior’s eyes began to fade.

“……!”

Horror filled everyone’s faces. But I saw it clearly. The mana emanating from the skeletal hand he raised enveloped the warrior’s body, sucking out his soul.

“The objective has been achieved. Everyone, withdraw from this place─”

The Section Chief, sensing something amiss after witnessing the scene, quickly turned around and tried to escape the stone chamber.

Thump!

His body, too, was suddenly caught by something and began to wither.

-I have not granted you leave.

A voice echoed simultaneously. Horror filled everyone’s faces.

-Truly impure souls you are. The passage of time must be the cause.

The man muttered calmly and slowly walked out.

His emaciated appearance, pale from lack of sunlight, was unimpressive, but the aura emanating from him instinctively provoked revulsion in the living.

In the distant past. The Necromancer who ruled this vast desert had returned and was gazing upon his kingdom once more.

As everyone was frozen in place under his chilling gaze.

“It’s not a spell I particularly like. The conditions are too demanding.”

I slowly walked forward and muttered calmly.

“With this, you wouldn’t have been able to awaken forever without the help of others, would you?”

His gaze shifted towards me, the one who had spoken while resisting his pressure.

He observed me for a moment, then looked at the Vision Field floating above my head.

-Oh.

A slight admiration. He smiled with satisfaction and said,

-It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered a true mage. Your soul will make a most satisfying meal.

The Necromancer’s words.

I chuckled. My soul, huh?

Something that even the Great Demon and the Archangel couldn’t ultimately obtain.

“You’re hoping for too much, Necromancer.”

At my reply, delivered with a light laugh, his eyes narrowed coldly.

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