REAPER SCANS
Necromancer Academy's Genius Summoner
[Translator - Ramen]
[Proofreader - Artethrax]
Chapter 507
At last, Simon had arrived at the Gold Mine Dungeon's third basement floor.
Just getting there was difficult enough. He was gasping for air, his heart was pounding in his chest, and sweat poured down his forehead like rain.
Around him, pieces of undead that could no longer regenerate were twitching.
'I tried to conserve my stamina as much as possible…'
But in the end, it was a complete failure.
He had smashed through everything in sight.
If he kept going like this, he worried he might become exhausted before even facing Nirthi, the boss of this place.
[Kuhehe! Immortal undead, huh? These guys have managed to create something pretty useful!]
Pier was observing the fallen undead. As a Marshall, he seemed to be quite interested.
[Looks worthless to me. They call them immortal, but isn't it just a trick of the dungeon?]
Scoffed Herseva. She was the complete opposite, utterly uninterested.
"We don't have time, so let's keep moving."
Simon gripped his greatsword in his right hand and Herseva in his left as he moved forward.
Just then, Pier sensed creatures' thoughts and said,
[Boy, more enemies ahead!]
Simon blinked. In the thick fog and darkness that blanketed the entire floor, it was hard to see anything in the distance.
Still, he trusted Pier to know what he was talking about.
[Immortals. At a glance, at least several hundred.]
'How annoying.'
Nirthi had set up layers upon layers of defenses. Of course, with Pier and the power of a Commander, he could break through, but he would be on the verge of collapse by the time he was done.
[Also, the right path…]
At that, Simon looked to the right. Only then did he see the passage branching off of the central path leading to Nirthi's lab.
[I can sense countless thoughts from over there as well!]
'I wonder if they're planning a pincer attack?'
If they attacked from both the front and back simultaneously, things could get troublesome.
Simon ignored the immortals in front for now and slipped into the side path.
And there…
'…!'
He saw something horrifying.
[Kiiiiii!]
[Gigigigigi!]
There were more of the villagers-turned-immortals, yes, but that was far from all there was. All kinds of undead monsters were mixed together, thrashing wildly in a massive cell.
It seemed like this place was reserved for uncontrollable failures.
Perhaps excited by the presence of something alive, they reached out through the gaps in their prison, eyes bloodshot.
'Are they planning to incinerate them?'
Looking around, Simon saw a cremation pit in the distance with a huge flame flickering intensely.
[I don't like this, kid.]
Herseva, the staff, hopped onto Simon's shoulder.
[Maybe this is just because I'm now a lich, but people experimenting on the undead however they please, then discarding them like trash… It pisses me off.]
"…"
Stroking his chin in thought, a glint suddenly appeared in Simon's eyes.
"I just got a great idea."
Then, he cleared his throat. In a moment of realization, Herseva's wooden face stiffened.
[Are you planning to sing that weird song again?]
* * *
Bzzt! Bzz…
The third basement floor of the dungeon where Simon was in.
Also on the third basement floor, masked men working with The Association were standing on a path, acting as guards alongside the immortals.
Picking up a communication crystal ball, one of them said,
"Lady Nirthi! A necromancer from Kizen has made it down to the third floor."
[Just one?]
"Yes."
[The experiments here are nearly complete. Stop them by any means necessary.]
"Understood."
Bzzzzt!
As the communication with Nirthi was cut off, the man put his communication crystal ball back into his pocket.
Around him stood a dozen or so fellow allies of The Association, all wearing masks.
"Impressive. I thought we could hold out for at least three days with our immortals here."
"Still, breaking through here by oneself is impossible."
"Mm, he rushed in too recklessly."
As they spoke, footsteps echoed off the stone floor.
Someone was approaching.
"He's here."
Soon, emerging from the darkness was a figure wearing massive bone armor, his face hidden behind a skull helm.
He held a white greatsword in one hand and a staff in the other.
The members of The Association also drew their weapons while the immortal undead behind them let out low cries.
"I'll give you credit for your bravery in coming this far, but are you really going to take all of us alone?"
[Alone?]
A low, cold tone of voice crawled out from the armored man's lips.
[Who ever said I was alone?]
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Following behind the man, countless more footsteps echoed from the darkness behind him.
'Don't tell me! Did he have hidden forces?'
Within seconds, over a thousand failed undead experiments burst out from the darkness. They had escaped the prison and cremation pits.
"I-It's our own undead!"
[Der König ist Zurück......!!]
As the man raised his greatsword and gave the order to charge, the failed undead roared and lunged at those who had brought them to this state. Even with the numbers, the man ran in front, his cape fluttering behind him.
"Stop them!"
The members of The Association and the immortals also charged in. The two armies clashed head-on in the center of the path.
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator - Ramen
Proofreader - Artethrax
Join our discord for updates on releases!
* * *
Slaaam!
Thunk!
Kaboooooom!
Loud noises echoed continuously from outside the door, but inside Chief Researcher Nirthi's lab, it was silent.
"It's almost complete."
Before her, a monster was fixed to the dungeon wall like a cocoon.
Nerve-like strands extended from the monster as if drawing nutrients from the entire dungeon.
She was injecting the monster with chemicals and casting dark magic on it.
"Just a little more…"
After checking the numbers displayed on a floating magic circle, she finally smiled in satisfaction.
"Just a little more, and the greatest masterpiece since before I was born will be complete…!"
[Masterpiece?]
Poooooooooooow!
Someone kicked the door open violently and stormed into the laboratory.
The scent of blood filled the air.
The intruder was fully dressed in bone armor, with his face hidden beneath a skull helm.
[You're Nirthi, correct?]
"…Pretty impressive. To make it here in just a few hours…"
Beyond the open door, masked members of The Association and the undead they led lay sprawled across the floor, having failed to stop him.
"Useless bastards."
However, undead continued to swarm, attempting to follow into the lab. Nirthi snapped her fingers, and the door slammed shut with a thud.
"More importantly, what are you? Someone of your skill level wouldn't just be a student. You weren't in any of the profiles I acquired."
Clack.
Simon didn't respond. Instead, he pointed the tip of his greatsword toward her.
[Stop the undead outside.]
"That's a difficult request to grant."
As he spoke, Simon scanned the surroundings.
A huge lab. He could see countless chimera test subjects contained in large glass tubes spread throughout the room.
Altogether, there were at least a hundred—no, closer to a thousand—of them.
If all of them were imbued with the immortality attribute and released… The thought alone was horrifying.
"Wonderful, don't you agree?"
She moved her finger through the air.
"This used to be the chamber of the master of the dungeon. Now though, it's my laboratory."
Smash!
The sound of a glass tube shattering rang through the room.
With a powerful leap, a chimera landed in front of Simon in the blink of an eye.
'It's huge!'
Simons's eyes filled with caution.
It was a medium-sized monster, but it was impossible to tell how many creatures had been combined to create this horrifying chimera.
Human faces were stitched onto its body, each and every one of them in pain.
"I'm a bit busy right now, so that will entertain you in my place."
Without even looking back, Nirthi resumed her experiments.
Simon tried to charge toward her, but a brown arm sprouting from the chimera's back flew at him.
Swiiiiish!
Simon jerked his head back to dodge, but not giving him any time to breathe, a green orc's arm came toward his chest, followed by a scaled reptilian arm.
'I can't see any openings!'
Seeing no other option, he stepped back. Then, at once, ten arms each made a jet-black orb in their palms and hurled them at him.
[Tsk!]
Simon slashed the air countless times with the Greatsword of Destruction, each slash gleaming as they split the jet-black spheres, causing them to explode.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaah!]
[Guuuuuuuuuh!]
The faces attached to the chimera's body screamed in agony.
Forcibly fusing incompatible creatures placed a terrible strain on the undead's body. Tumors and cancer cells swelled and burst repeatedly.
Just then, Simon recalled the voice of Grelion, the professor of Material Studies.
"When I introduced this subject as the 'Design Theory of Chimeras', some of you students were frightened. It's understandable. Chimeras are seen as forbidden research, a subject with a cruel disregard for life. But in actuality, it's quite the opposite."
With explosive force, Simon kicked off the ground and charged forward.
"Learning the Design Theory of Chimeras fosters growth as a human. The more you study it, the more you realize the dignity of life. You all will understand it, too. How intricate every living being is."
Monstrous arms flew at him, and he launched himself on a slight diagonal to barely run around them.
"How did they evolve to survive in their environment? Which parts evolved into existence, and which parts evolved into nothingness? Why does this organ exist? How does it function?"
More arms started coming, so he jumped up off of them and started using them as stepping stones to run closer.
"Through competition and evolution, life hones itself to its absolute limits! When designing chimeras, you'll be in awe of every single detail! You'll constantly question yourself. Can I truly merge two perfectly designed beings without ruining them?"
Firing jet-black midair to change his direction, Simon then suddenly braked to create an opening.
"Chimeras are the necromancers' response to priests and their so-called Goddess's theory of creation!"
[Nirthi!]
Simon stepped on the floor, soaring toward the chimera.
His eyes widened. He spotted the chimera's most vital stitching called 'central seam.'
"Chimeras aren't crude mixtures forced together to create undead with enhanced abilities. Such creatures are…"
[Everything you've created is…!]
The Greatsword of Destruction moved toward the monster's seam.
"Nothing but a jumbled mess!"
[Nothing but a jumbled mess!]
Slaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!
A single strike. A deep slash opened across the chimera's chest, spilling its organs as it collapsed.
Kuuurgh!
Just one slash was all it took.
Even with the immortal army's enhancements, it was neutralized the moment the central seam was ripped open by the Greatsword of Destruction, unable to regenerate due to the weapon's unique properties.
'Thank you, Professor Grelion!'
Simon adjusted his grip on his greatsword and walked forward. Behind him, the massive chimera thudded on the floor, the remaining flesh left twitching on the ground.
"What? Unit 2109 fell already?"
Injecting a syringe into the restrained monster, Nirthi turned around with a cold face.
"And you, what did you just say? My chimera is a jumbled mess?"
[That's right. What you're making isn't a chimera. It isn't anything.]
Simon's eyes gleamed.
[Tell me, how can you justify the atrocities you committed in Tarados?]
"Justify, huh?"
She flung her research tools aside.
Then, she reached toward the magic circle that bound the unfinished monster fixed on the wall.
Whiiirrr!
The monster opened its eyes.
At the same time, it opened its mouth, and a solid beam of light fired from it.
"!"
Simon threw himself to the side, and the beam scorched the floor where he was just standing.
The searing heat left the floor glowing red before it then erupted in a secondary explosion.
"Did you know?"
Said Nirthi as she released the monster's restraints.
"The truth is, this thing is actually the master of this dungeon, the 'Gold Mine Dungeon'. If you really want to save your friends and the villagers, you'll just have to defeat it."
Even if she didn't tell him, Simon could instinctively tell that this monster was the master of the dungeon.
With each step it took, the dungeon floor trembled as if responding to it.
Another beam burst from its maw, and Simon dodged to the side of it before sending another slash with the Greatsword of Destruction.
The slash cut through the master of the dungeon's shoulder, but…
Gurrrrg!
The flesh regenerated instantly.
"Of course, it possesses the power of immortality as well!"
The boss monster's thigh swelled, veins bulging as it kicked off the floor and charged forward.
"Kill him! Then we can complete the final experiment!"
Just then, Simon opened his mouth.
"Herseva, now!"
Thrown from Simon's hand, Herseva unleashed a massive surge of sand, engulfing the charging master of the dungeon.
Swaaaaaaaaaaaah…
{Herseva Original - World of Sand}
Herseva and the master of the dungeon vanished without a trace.
Nirthi's eyes widened in shock.
"H-How?!"
[A master of a dungeon with immortal power inside its own domain. I wonder what happens to its immortality if it's forcibly relocated?]
A master of a dungeon so dependent on abilities inherent to its dungeon had no chance against Herseva and Akemus.
Simon was certain of it.
Watching Simon send the master of the dungeon somewhere else, Nirthi finally addressed him herself.
"You… Are you the one who destroyed Silage and the Heavenly Blood cult?"
Simon didn't answer. Instead, he unleashed a massive wave of jet-black.
[Let's put an end to this right here, right now, Nirthi.]
——
Join our discord for updates on releases!
