The Genesis Of A Necromancer

The bonding was still in progress, but Jack still had his consciousness, and after hearing Erebus declare him the next lord of the dead, he wholly accepted this tittle, but with a different mission in mind.

'Yes, I am the new lord of the dead, but it's not just for humans now' he thought, his heart clenching in rage.

[You have absorbed God Essence!]

[All stats +1000]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up.]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up.]

....

[10 new skills acquired!]

[Soul syncing complete!]

....

Several notifications flashed in rapid succession, clogging Jack's vision as they filled his notification screen. It was an overwhelming deluge of information, each message more staggering than the last. The weight of their implications barely had time to register before the next appeared.

Then, as if summoned by the universe itself, a golden aura erupted from Jack's body. It wasn't just light; it was raw power, tangible and awe-inspiring, radiating outward in waves that seemed to warp the air itself. The ground beneath him trembled, and a low hum filled the atmosphere, vibrating through every molecule around them.

'What's happening now? Does he get stronger each time he dies? What's even happening to him?' Alisha's thoughts raced, her gaze fixed on Jack as she struggled to process the spectacle unfolding before her. Her usual sharp demeanor faltered, replaced by visible unease. She wasn't alone in her confusion—everyone present seemed paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of what was happening.

Missy, however, wasn't paralyzed. Her small frame darted forward, her voice ringing with relief and excitement. "Big brother!" she cried, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Jack's body, suspended midair by the golden energy surrounding him, descended slowly. His feet touched the ground with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly. The aura dimmed but did not disappear, lingering around him like a cloak of divine might. He swept a cold, calculating gaze across the group before it landed on Missy, who had stopped just short of throwing herself at him.

"Big brother," she murmured, her steps faltering as his eyes met hers. Those eyes, once warm and filled with a mischievous spark, were now icy and distant. The shift sent a chill down her spine.

For a moment, Missy hesitated, fear creeping into her expression. Then, to her surprise, Jack's cold gaze softened, and his lips curled into a warm smile. It was fleeting, but it was enough to reassure her—or at least it seemed so.

Jack turned his attention to Alisha. His voice, unusually soothing, carried a tone she wasn't used to. "Were you worried?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, his expression almost… tender.

Caught off guard, Alisha's eyes widened before narrowing suspiciously. "Pfft. Why would I be worried about you?" she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest in a defiant gesture. But her voice wavered slightly, betraying her uncertainty.

Jack didn't press her, instead offering a faint smile before turning away. Gale, standing silently to the side, observed him intently. 'He's different,' Gale thought, unease settling deep in his gut. 'That aura… it's almost nonexistent now. How can he conceal it so completely? What has he become?'

Gale's wariness wasn't unfounded. As a bonded servant, he had always kept a close eye on Jack, wary of the young man's potential. The heir of the Lord of the Dead was no small threat, and Jack's recent progressions were both fascinating and terrifying. Concealing his aura to this extent was beyond what any ordinary person could achieve.

Jack raised his hand, and the shattered remains of a giant skeleton's skull began to stir. A bright metallic substance emerged from the debris, flying toward him. It hovered in his palm, glinting ominously in the dim light.

"We don't have time to linger," Jack announced, his voice calm yet commanding. "Guests are waiting for us outside. Let's go welcome them."

Everyone stared, still processing his transformation. Alisha was the first to break the silence. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp. "You're not Asriel."

Jack's expression darkened momentarily, but then he smirked. "Tch. Says the weak girl who wants to defeat me? Go ahead and try. I'd love to see how it goes for you." His tone was mocking, but his gaze bore an edge that sent shivers down Alisha's spine.

'He acts differently,' she thought, her mind racing to make sense of his behavior. 'But somehow, it's still him… right?'

Jack didn't wait for a response. He held the metallic object aloft, and the air in front of him rippled before tearing open, revealing a glowing portal.

"Wait!" Alisha exclaimed, stepping forward. "Aren't we going to search for clues about the Chapters of Time?"

Jack paused at the portal's edge, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk. "What makes you think it's here?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement. "We left the clue in the previous room. But I doubt any of you noticed. Well, it doesn't matter. I'll be heading out. Stay if you like."

Without another word, he stepped into the portal and disappeared.

Gale exchanged a look with Alisha and Missy, their collective confusion palpable. Finally, Gale broke the silence. "Something happened to him, but he's still sane… for now." His tone was reluctant but resolute. As Jack's bonded servant, Gale had no choice but to follow.

'If worst comes to worst,' Gale thought, 'I've already instructed Nephria to activate her weapon. There's a contingency in place.' With that, he stepped into the portal.

Missy's voice trembled as she tugged on Alisha's sleeve. "Big sister, what happened to Big Brother? Why is he so scary now?" Tears brimmed in her wide eyes, her fear evident.

Alisha's gaze softened. She didn't know Missy well, but in the short time they'd spent together, she had come to see the young girl's vulnerability. Missy clung to Jack because he was all she had.

"Don't worry," Alisha said gently, crouching to Missy's level. "Big Brother hasn't changed. And if he has, Big Sister will knock some sense into him, okay?"

Missy sniffled but nodded, her trust in Alisha unwavering.

Taking the girl's hand, Alisha led her toward the portal. Her resolve hardened as they stepped through, prepared for whatever awaited them on the other side.

Their sight was momentarily blocked by the deep darkness within the space, but as soon as they emerged, the flickering pale green torches illuminated the scene. They had returned to the area where the ancient altar once stood, its remnants scattered across the stone floor.

To her side, Alisha noticed Jack kneeling, scooping up the sand-like particles from the destroyed altar with a precision that betrayed a deeper purpose.

Gale and the other bonded Servants were nowhere in sight, leaving Alisha to assume Jack had ordered them back into the inner space. The emptiness made the vast chamber feel even more oppressive, the air heavy with residual energy from their earlier battles.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her boots echoing softly on the stone floor as she approached him.

Jack didn't look up. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he replied curtly, his hands carefully gathering the particles into a small container.

Alisha frowned, crossing her arms. "Shouldn't we be trying to find a clue to the map, since you said it wasn't down there?"

Jack finally glanced up at her, his expression tinged with mild annoyance. "I have the Never Map with me. That should answer your question."

His cryptic answer made Alisha's eyes widen. "The Never Map?!" she echoed, realization dawning on her.

Of course. The Never Map used sand as a medium to reveal directions, guiding its user to the next destination. Jack collecting the remnants of the shattered altar meant he intended to use them as the map's key.

But Alisha wasn't about to let him have the last word. Her skepticism flared. "That still doesn't make sense. How did you know it's the broken altar that's useful? There's sand everywhere here. Why that sand specifically—"

Jack's gaze sharpened, and the slight tug of a smirk at his lips silenced her mid-sentence. Something about his expression made her words catch in her throat. His confidence was unnervingly disarming.@@novelbin@@

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"If you're so curious about what happened to your Asriel," Jack said, standing and brushing his hands off, "why don't you just ask outright instead of fishing for answers with all this indirect nonsense? It's annoying." He clicked his tongue and turned away from her.

Alisha felt heat rush to her cheeks, a flush of embarrassment she couldn't control. She quickly looked away, her pride stinging. Yet she refused to back down completely.

"I wasn't worried. I could never be worried about a demon," she retorted, scoffing for good measure.

Jack didn't bother to argue. Instead, his expression shifted to something more serious. "Well, if you say so. But our guests have already arrived."

Before Alisha could question him, a powerful aura descended upon the chamber, pressing against them like an invisible tidal wave. The torches lining the walls flickered violently before extinguishing, plunging the room into near darkness. The ground trembled as the walls of the tunnel began to crack and crumble, chunks of stone falling with deafening crashes.

"What's happening?!" Alisha shouted, her voice tinged with panic as the structure threatened to collapse around them.

She instinctively raised her hands to shield herself, but her mana reserves were completely depleted. She was too weak to erect a barrier, and fear gripped her as debris rained down.

The impact she braced for never came. Instead, she felt a strange, cool sensation wash over her. When she dared to look up, she saw a thin, shimmering barrier of azure light surrounding her. It was delicate yet impenetrable, shielding her from the falling rubble.

'Is this an aura wall?' she thought, astonished. Aura walls were incredibly rare, a manifestation of power so precise it bordered on the divine. Her shock deepened when she realized who had created it.

'How did he…?' The thought trailed off as the dust began to settle, revealing the scene before her.

Standing amidst the destruction, Jack's figure loomed, calm and unyielding. Beyond him, shadowy figures began to emerge from the darkness, their outlines flickering like distorted reflections in a broken mirror.

Alisha's breath caught as she took in the sight. "They've caught us," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jack turned to her, a crooked smile playing on his lips. "Oh, don't worry," he said, his tone unnervingly casual. "These are my boys."

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[A/N: Chapter dedication~Shadowcoop. You've made it to Top 5 fans! Thanks so much for your support!]