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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 14
1.
After purifying about half of the second mana ring with Equinox’s help—now serving as my guardian spirit—the real training in necromancy finally began.
[Necromancy stands on two pillars—Corpse Manipulation and Spirit Summoning.]
[They are not the same. Corpse Manipulation twists the lingering will embedded in a corpse—the echo of thought clinging to decayed flesh. Spirit summoning, on the other hand, draws forth a complete soul, intact and self-aware, pulled from beyond the veil.]
The explanation was familiar, yet curiously different.
In my previous life, my master never made such a distinction between the two.
I had assumed there was only one method for raising the dead.
[Then, the magic I learned from my former master would fall under Corpse Manipulation, right?]
[Yes, Master.]
That formal tone—it grated on my nerves.
Lately, Equinox has stopped speaking informally.
He’d started speaking more formally lately, calling me 'Master' with a tone that carried reverence, not just habit. It was a subtle shift—but deliberate.
‘Why the shift?’
Come to think of it, when we first met, he was blunt and condescending.
But as time passed—and as he taught me more—his speech grew more respectful.
Exactly in step with each new technique he passed on.
The more he taught me, the more he seemed to “honor” me.
What exactly did that mean?
‘It’s probably not for nothing. He said it himself—he wants me.’
He’s just waiting for me to master necromancy before he tries to claim both my body and my soul.
Until then, he needs to keep me at ease.
‘I need to stay sharp.’
There are too many enemies circling me.
Not just Equinox, who acts like a loyal guardian spirit.
But also the Demon Lord Illinas, who holds my soul as collateral.
And it doesn’t end there.
Even the priests of the Holy Nation of Calios—those who hunted me down and killed me in my past life—are enemies too.
‘Do I even have a single true ally in this world?’
For a moment, I thought of Nocturne.
But I shook my head almost immediately.
There’s no such thing as a permanent ally.
Nocturne is only sticking close to me for his own survival.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Just as I reached that conclusion, Equinox’s voice echoed once more.
[Don’t think too far ahead. That kind of thinking is poison. You need to focus on the moment right in front of you. That’s the only way to survive.]
He was right.
The only thing I can change is the reality in front of me. Even if someone might become an enemy in the future—if they’re helping me now, then for the time being, they’re an ally.
‘Right now, I have two capable allies at my side. That alone gives me a huge advantage compared to my previous life.’
With that thought, my anxiety eased a little.
I stood before the pile of bones I had prepared earlier, reflecting on what Equinox had explained about Corpse Manipulation and Spirit Summoning.
These bones were collected from the orphanage—the remains left behind after I offered sacrifices to the Demon Lord.
As I looked down at them, I asked Equinox.
[What’s the difference between a corpse raised through Spirit Summoning and one raised through Corpse Manipulation?]
[A sharp question, Master.]
Equinox chuckled briefly before answering.
[Corpses raised through Spirit Summoning retain a complete sense of self.]
[A complete self? What exactly does that mean?]
[Just what it sounds like. They possess reason and intellect.]
A corpse… with reason and intellect?
That was a concept I’d never even considered.
In my previous life, corpses raised with Corpse Manipulation were mindless. They moved only as I commanded—incapable of conversation, incapable of thought.
Turning that idea over in my head, I asked again.
[If the raised corpse possesses its own will, that means it can think for itself. So… is it possible it might disobey its summoner?]
[It’s rare, but if we’re speaking in terms of possibility—yes, it could happen.]
[Then wouldn’t that make Spirit Summoning inferior to Corpse Manipulation?]
It seemed like the obvious conclusion.
Necromancers don’t raise the dead for the fun of it. It’s about combat. You need soldiers who’ll fight for you.
And if a summoned skeleton doesn’t follow orders?
‘What’s the point of raising it at all?’
Equinox, clearly catching my line of thought, gave a low, amused laugh.
[Heheheh. I understand your concern. But whether Corpse Manipulation or Spirit Summoning is ‘better’ really depends on the situation.]
[If you need to speak with the dead, extract information, or utilize powers they possessed while alive, then Spirit Summoning is the only way. You need a fully intact soul for that. But if you just want disposable warriors, Corpse Manipulation is the superior option.]
[Then, for the time being, Corpse Manipulation should suffice.]
[It's not that straightforward.]
[Why not?]
[Because spirits summoned through Spirit Summoning can grow stronger over time.]
At that moment, a jolt of realization struck me.
‘They can grow?’
In my previous life, I had witnessed numerous reanimated beings conjured by my master. Most were human, but some were demons or beasts. Among them were formidable entities like nine-headed hydras and dragons, capable of obliterating entire nations.
If such beings could evolve further...
‘They'd become an unparalleled force.’
However, this potential hinged on a critical factor.
[Corpses animated through Corpse Manipulation require a continuous supply of mana to maintain their form. Does Spirit Summoning demand a similar level of mana?]
This was a pivotal consideration.
If Spirit Summoning consumed as much mana as Corpse Manipulation, its advantages would be negligible. Even if the summoned entity could grow stronger, it would be futile if I couldn't sustain it.
Anticipating my concerns, Equinox responded with a faint smile.
[The fundamental mechanisms of Corpse Manipulation and Spirit Summoning differ. As you know, Corpse Manipulation necessitates the necromancer's constant mana infusion. However, Spirit Summoning operates differently.]
[How so?]
[Rather than explaining, it might be clearer if I demonstrate. Allow me to guide your body momentarily.]
Following Equinox's suggestion, I closed my eyes and focused my mind. He began to move my body—a technique known as "Guardian Spirit Manifestation." This was a new ability he had introduced after becoming my guardian spirit.
Entities like the "White Serpent" lack intellect and thus cannot perform this technique. However, a sentient spirit can manifest and control my body directly.
[Concentrate and observe closely.]
Equinox led my body to a corner of the cave, where the skeletal remains of a large rat lay—its flesh long decayed. Extending my hand toward the carcass, he initiated a spell.
Suddenly, the mana ring within my heart stirred, moving in a manner entirely unfamiliar to me.
‘What is this?’
Normally, when a mage casts a spell, their mana ring begins to spin violently.
This rotation resonates with the natural mana in the environment, drawing it to the caster—usually focusing at a conduit like a staff or their fingertips.
The gathered mana is then shaped by willpower into magic.
So, during spellcasting, it's expected that the mana ring spins intensely.
But right now, my mana ring has stopped spinning.
Instead, something thick and viscous began to be drawn out from it.
‘Don’t tell me… is the mana core that forms the ring leaking out?’
Equinox stayed silent, which probably meant my guess was right.
Not much of the core came out—just about one-sixth of the entire ring, from what I could tell by eye.
That core material gathered in my palm, and then slowly seeped into the skeletal remains of the rat below.
And then…
Squeak—!
The rat rose.
It looked around as if alive, scanning its surroundings before locking eyes with me.
[You… woke me up?]
Was that its soul’s voice?
No. It felt… different.
‘Could that be its thoughts I’m hearing?’
[Correct, Master.]
Equinox had told me before—I could read the thoughts of any being I made eye contact with.
That must be what was happening now—I was hearing the rat’s thoughts.
[With spirits raised through Spirit Summoning, you can communicate via the voice of the soul. If you have questions, go ahead and ask it.]
Before that, I took a moment to examine the rat’s condition.
The greenish mana that had flowed from my hand had seeped into every one of its bones. That mana was now continuously supplying it with vitality.
‘Because it came from the core? It’s absorbing ambient mana on its own.’
Since the core could draw mana independently, there was nothing more the caster—me—needed to do.
The mana ring in my heart had only shrunk slightly; it wasn't reacting to or interfering with the core that had been extracted.
Once I confirmed that, I asked the rat.
[Do you feel any discomfort while moving?]
[Discomfort, huh… I’m not sure.]
The rat moved its body around a little, then tilted its head thoughtfully as it responded.
[Not much. It’s not uncomfortable, actually—it feels like I’m in better shape. My body feels lighter. But...]
[Is there a problem?]
When I asked, the rat sniffed and responded.
[I feel hungry. I keep wanting to eat something.]
Finishing its sentence, the rat crept to a corner of the cave, lowered itself, and then pounced on a living rat emerging from a small hole. It overpowered the rat and bit into its neck.
Squeak—!
The rat could no longer resist, and the skeletal rat began tearing into the dying rat’s body, consuming it.
As the flesh bled out, it soaked into the skeletal rat’s bones, and the greenish glow of the core gradually intensified.
From watching this, I came to understand several things.
‘The core doesn’t just absorb natural mana. It absorbs vitality directly through blood.’
It was similar to how I absorbed the life force of animals I hunted.
[The creatures raised through Spirit Summoning can continue to sustain themselves in this way.]
[Now I get it. So then…]
With everything I had confirmed so far, I asked Equinox the next question that came to mind.
[What happens if I take the core back? Actually, can I take the core back at will?]
Instead of answering, Equinox showed me.
He stretched out his hand, and the core, which had been absorbed into the skeletal rat, was pulled out. The rat, which had been eating the rat’s corpse, collapsed lifelessly.
Equinox stood before the skeletal rat and spoke.
[The core belongs to you, Master. So you can take it back anytime.]
[I see.]
All my questions were answered now.
A being raised through Spirit Summoning moves independently and can think for itself.
While it may not obey my commands, if it ever refuses, I can simply retrieve the core. Since it has reasoning, I can persuade or even threaten it to follow my orders.
[I need to learn Spirit Summoning. Teach me now.]
Equinox chuckled and responded.
[Heh heh heh. Spirit summoning is an advanced magic. First, you need to master Corpse Manipulation. Forget everything you learned before. To master Corpse Manipulation, you need to redefine the basics.]
And so, Equinox’s full necromancy teachings began.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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