Karnak, Monarch of Death

Serati sighed while rubbing her forehead. ”No matter how you spin it, you’re still spreading heresy...”

There were things one could do, and things one absolutely shouldn’t.

”Innocent people are going to get hurt because of this.”

Karnak wiggled his finger. ”I accounted for that.”

Despite everything, he was trying to live in a way that could still be considered somewhat human.

”That’s why we only recruit from the Cult of the Black God.”

They didn’t touch ordinary civilians. Rather, they just funneled Tesranach’s followers straight into the Church of Twilight. Their targets were already zealots. No amount of reasoning or persuasion would ever convince them that their faith was misguided.

”In that case, it’s much easier to just manipulate them into a different direction.”

Sinners would simply commit different sins. As a result, innocent people wouldn’t suffer. That was Karnak’s logic.

”And besides, this isn’t even like how I used to live,” Karnak added.

”Oh, really?”

”Of course!”

He certainly had never gone around creating cults in the past, because he had never needed to. For the Monarch of Death, loyalty was something that simply happened once you killed and resurrected someone.

There had never been a reason to bother with doctrines or organizations. All he needed to do was slaughter, conquer, and advance.

”See? I’m not living like I used to. I didn’t create any innocent victims. I didn’t harm anyone unfairly. I’d say I did a damn good job.”

He said it so confidently that Serati found herself momentarily confused.

I-is he right?

It was the same feeling she always got when dealing with Karnak. It felt like something was fundamentally wrong... but when she actually listened to his reasoning, it sounded weirdly convincing. And yet, when she thought about it again, it still felt wrong.

I should say something, but I can’t figure out what...

For now, she decided to watch and see. After all, stopping the Cult of the Black God was still their primary goal.

”By the way, how are you even keeping in touch with Demphis?” she questioned him.

Demphis wasn’t exactly a normal person. He was a talking skeleton. He couldn’t just walk around in public.

”Don’t tell me you’ve had the archlich sneaking into the capital?”

”Are you insane? That’d be a disaster. Of course I used long-distance communication magic.”

”Oh? That’s a seventh circle spell at minimum. Didn’t know you could use it.”

”I can’t.” Karnak shrugged. ”But Demphis is ninth circle.”

They couldn’t communicate instantly, but by scheduling regular reports, he could receive updates and issue instructions as needed.

”Not that I need to check in too often. Demphis is pretty self-sufficient.”

The Church of Twilight, much like the Cult of the Black God, granted power to its followers, the power of necromancy. Since it gave them tangible benefits, it wasn’t too hard to convert people.

”Still, to expand their influence this much in just two months...” Serati frowned, feeling something was off. ”Isn’t that too fast?”

For results like these, there had to be an additional incentive.

As expected, Karnak grinned and gave a thumbs-up. ”I introduced drugs into the mix.”

It was a classic cult strategy. Drug new recruits, cloud their judgment, then indoctrinate them while they were in a weakened state. But the Cult of the Black God could not use the same tactic. Typical cults existed for greed, and to expand their influence for money and power. But the Cult of the Black God had been founded purely to amass faith for Tesranach.

If they used drugs to grow their numbers, their followers would start worshipping the drugs, not Tesranach. That was something the cult couldn’t allow. But the Church of Twilight? They didn’t care about faith. Their sole focus was about ruining the Cult of the Black God.

”So we can use drugs freely.” Karnak smirked, clearly pleased with himself. ”Once they’re hooked, it’s over. Tesranach? Serakal? Who cares? The one giving them the drugs is their god.”

Serati remained silent.

”Hmm? Serati? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Haah...”

Serati let out a long, deep sigh. It was a sigh that seemed to rise from the depths of her soul.

”Why? What?” Sensing something was off, Karnak quickly tried to justify himself. ”This isn’t like how I used to live, you know?”

It wasn’t a lie. In his past life, he had never resorted to using drugs.

In that instant, Serati grabbed him by the collar with both hands. ”You insane bastard!”

Choking, Karnak’s eyes went wide. “Ug-ugh. Wait, this is bad?”

”Of course, it is!”

As he locked eyes with Serati’s furious glare, a thought crossed Karnak’s mind.

Oh. I guess this is seriously bad.

After dealing with her for so long, he had learned to read her reactions. She usually hesitated when something was morally questionable, things that were technically wrong but situationally acceptable.

If she was uncertain, it meant there was room for argument. But what about when it came to something she genuinely believed was wrong? There was no hesitation, no debate. There would be just pure, unfiltered outrage. And this? This was one of those times.

”Get rid of every single drug. Right now!”

She must have squeezed too hard. Before he knew it, Karnak’s entire body lifted off the ground. Serati was a blue-tier aura user. She could shatter boulders with her bare hands. Karnak wasn’t particularly heavy for an adult male. Lifting him off the ground was basically effortless.

The frail necromancer flailed helplessly in the air like a scrap of paper caught in the wind. ”O-Okay! Okay! I’ll get rid of them! Serati—gah—my neck...!”

“Ah...” Finally snapping out of it, Serati hurriedly let go. Glancing away in embarrassment, she muttered, ”S-Sorry. I got a little carried away.”

Even so, her gaze remained sharp as a blade. Rubbing his neck, Karnak hesitated for a moment. Should I punish her?

But then again, he was the one who had sought her advice in the first place. And she had given an honest answer. Her reaction was completely justified. Punishing someone for doing their job well didn’t seem quite right.

”Fine. I’ll tell Demphis to collect all the drugs during our next report.”

”Yes. That’s the right thing to do.”

Serati loosened her grip around his neck. Her expression softened ever so slightly.

With his mood gradually improving, Karnak continued. ”Well, that settles our approach, but...”

Naturally, the Cult of the Black God wasn’t just going to sit back and let their believers be snatched away.

Karnak muttered in a grumpy tone, ”Now we wait to see how they respond.”

***

Directions held no meaning in this dimension void. There was no up or down, no right or left. In the mortal world, Elezar was the imperial court mage and an archmage, but in this place, she was the Saintess of Destruction, one of the three Saints of Tesranach.

Her face concealed behind a veil, she stepped forward. Then, turning toward the other veiled figures, she spoke. ”You all understand the situation, don’t you?”

Jedex, the Pope of Death nodded. He was the one responsible for leading the followers of Tesranach. Elezar wasn’t the only one troubled by the Church of Twilight.

”Of course. The real problem is how difficult it is to deal with.” Another veiled man addressed Elezar.

He was Dreltein Thelix, known as the Hierophant of Darkness. In the mortal world, he was the Martial King of Kretas.

”What about Hudel’s replacement? Is he ready?”

”He’s being prepared, but it’ll still take some time. Not that Hudel would’ve been enough for this anyway.”

The mission to expand the Cult of the Black God’s influence in the Seven Kingdoms Alliance had never been Hudel’s responsibility in the first place. That role originally belonged to Demphis, a master of the ninth circle and an archlich. However, Demphis had been assigned a far greater task. He was to summon the future martial king, Leven Strauss, into this era. Until that was complete, Hudel had merely been filling in temporarily as Jedex’s lieutenant.

”What about Demphis? Has he still not summoned Sir Leven?” Elezar questioned.

At Elezar’s question, Jedex’s response came in a vague, hesitant tone. ”I was just about to bring that up...”

Demphis was gone. Not only Demphis, the entire Wellad branch had disappeared without a trace. And it hadn’t been wiped out by the Ethriel King’s Order either. They had simply vanished, leaving Maleficus Dungeon one day and never returning.

”He disappeared? Why?”

”We don’t know.”

The only thing they had confirmed was that the summoning ritual had failed due to interference from the King’s Order agents.

”Then... what about this era’s Sir Leven?”

Jedex let out a dry chuckle. ”He suddenly joined the Eustil King’s Order.”

“Wasn’t he part of the Ehtirle King’s Order? Why did he do that?”

”Again, we don’t know.”

He explained that his subordinates were currently investigating the matter, but no additional information had come in yet.

Dreltein asked another question. ”So, does that mean Sir Leven has still not returned to this timeline?”

”That’s not the case.” Shaking his head, Jedex gestured toward the darkness. ”Fortunately, Sir Leven has arrived in this era. He has settled, though temporarily.”

From the depths of the shadows, a faint light emerged. The glow rapidly expanded, forming a large portal, from which a man stepped out.

His face was obscured by a veil, yet Dreltein immediately understood. ”I see... Emil’s body, is it?”

It wasn’t just because he was the elder brother of his former comrade. Emil had been the one who killed Tesranach’s former master, setting in motion the events that ultimately led to Tesranach becoming the God of Death. The turning point of history had begun with Emil’s sword. There was no way Dreltein wouldn’t recognize him.

”Welcome, Sir Leven.” Elezar greeted him.

Leven, or rather, the soul of Leven inhabiting Emil’s body, bowed politely before speaking. ”It’s good to see you all again. Though our faces remain veiled.”

”We cannot remove them. These veils of darkness are the manifestation of Tesranach’s power, allowing us to gather in this realm.”

After offering a respectful nod toward Dreltein as well, Leven scanned the three of them. ”As much as I would love to exchange pleasantries after such a long time...”

His voice suddenly turned cold. ”There is a far more urgent matter at hand.”

The three looked at him curiously as he posed his question. ”Do you know of a man named Karnak?”

It was an unfamiliar name. Elezar and Dreltein both shook their heads.

“Karnak?”

”Who is that?”

”He is the one who disrupted my summoning ritual.”

Despite Leven’s answer, neither of them seemed particularly shocked. A necromantic ritual was not some absolute force. Interruptions were always a risk.

But what he said next left them stunned. ”I had already half-possessed my body. But this man forced me out, using necromancy.”

”You’re saying that someone else prevented you from returning to your own body?”

”A human shouldn’t be able to do that.”

That level of precise necromancy was something no one other than Tesranach was capable of.

”That’s correct. You’re both right.”

And yet, Karnak had done it, with ease.

”This man rescued this era’s me. Thanks to that, I was forced into this body instead.”

Jedex added from the side. ”And he was also the one who took Leven to the Eustil King’s Order. Though we don’t know why.”

Dreltein stroked his chin. ”Karnak... Was there really such a powerful necromancer in this era?”

Even Elezar looked bewildered. ”I’ve never heard of him before.”

Leven’s gaze swept over them. ”None of you know of him? Can we not ask Tesranach directly?”

Elezar shook her head. ”We can receive his will, but we cannot contact him directly.”

Tesranach resided in the far void, in the Sanctuary, an unfathomable space beyond mortal reach. A mortal soul attempting to perceive its vastness would be torn apart instantly.

”The affairs of the living must be resolved among the living.” Jedex stepped forward. ”I will investigate this man.”

Leven nodded. ”I will remain as Emil for the time being. I need to adjust to this era.”

Of course, it wouldn’t take long. The longer he remained in this body, the greater the disconnect between soul and flesh would become.

“But eventually, I will need to reclaim my body.”