The Genesis Of A Necromancer

As the pitch-black gates rolled up, Jack was left utterly astonished by the sight before him.

It was amazing…

No, beautiful.

He never thought he would ever see such definite and intricate structures in the demon realm.

"This…" he muttered, at a loss for words, shocked beyond belief.

The sight in front of him—it was eerily similar to the architecture from his world.

Skyscrapers! Towering spires adorned with golden designs!

This was an ultramodern design, something that wasn't meant to be here.

The demon realm was supposed to be an unforgiving wasteland of archaic castles and primitive strongholds, not a place that mirrored the technological advancements of his previous life.

'H-how is this possible?'

Beside him, Missy was equally shaken.

Her wide eyes gleamed with tears as memories flooded her mind.

Jack was drawn out of his own shock when he heard a soft whimper beside him. He turned his head and found Missy, her tiny frame trembling as large droplets of tears rolled down her cheeks.

'I almost forgot… she's still just a child. But why does she still cry like this, even after everything we've been through?'

Jack instinctively reached out to comfort her but hesitated midway, realization washing over him like a cold tide.

'I'm… changing.'

A small, unexpected smile crossed his lips.

He wasn't the same person he had been before coming here.

He had grown, adapted, learned. And despite himself, he had begun to care.

'Why?... Why did I change... Especially to these people'

He could tell, what he felt.... It wasn't just for Missy alone, it was the same for the others too.

They felt like his responsibility.

The only relationship he had at first was just proving a stupid future to her, and then suddenly, he felt closer to her.

He felt the need to protect her.

'Is it only to prove it to her. Or to avoid that future that awaits this stupid vessel?'

Shaking his head at the thought, he gently rested his palm atop Missy's head, ruffling her soft locks.

Missy's ruby-green eyes met his, shimmering with a longing he couldn't fully understand.

"Don't cry," he said softly. "It's not our world… do you want to go back?"

Missy sniffled, wiping her tears with her small hands.

"Missy… misses Mama and Papa!" she whimpered.

Jack felt a pang of sorrow at her words.

'She still clings to her past… and me? Do I even have a past worth missing?'

Jack had no answer.

Family was something precious, something he had lost long ago.

The world had taken a cruel turn the moment his father had died, and from then on, he had stopped believing in sentimental attachments.

He lightly shook his head, dismissing the bitter thoughts.

"I think we can go back home," Jack said, shifting his gaze toward the grand structures around them.

"Big brother is serious?!"

Her beady eyes widened in shock, glimmering with a newfound hope.

Jack nodded, a somewhat nervous smile playing on his lips.

"Yes."

Missy's tear-streaked face brightened instantly, her usual exuberance returning as she hurriedly wiped her cheeks clean.

'It can't be a coincidence…' Jack mused, his gaze sweeping over the cityscape again.

'That tower… it resembles the Gleam Dome back in my world. And now this? There has to be a connection somewhere.'

A silent resolution formed within him.

'I'll find out what's going on soon.'

His fists clenched tightly at the thought.

He had an unshakable feeling that the gods were hiding something from him.

He didn't know what it was yet, but he would get his answers—no matter what it took.

He felt his hunch was on point, since even Erebus only kept quiet whenever he noticed these strange things.

Erebus was able to tell his thoughts since they were both one, but he never reacted.

'What are you hiding from me?'

Silence reigned, even when he asked directly, the other refused to give an answer.

Erebus who was buried deep withing Jack's consciousness, let out a saddened smile.

'The hero...who has nothing more to lose'

Erebus muttered these words, Jack couldn't hear them since he hid them away.

Jack didn't bother much as he didn't receive any reply.

'I'll still find out...' he told himself.

Alisha and Jena observed the interaction between Jack and Missy in silence.

Alisha had always known there was some kind of link between the little girl and Jack, but she could never quite understand the nature of their relationship.

'How are they related?'

The question nagged at her, but as curious as she was, she didn't want to pry too much.

Jena, on the other hand, had no interest in their dynamic.

She pondered it for a fleeting moment before dismissing it entirely.

"We should discuss our next move," Jack suddenly said, snapping them out of their thoughts.

"Yes… that's the best course of action. We need to determine how we'll retrieve the item you're searching for," Alisha added.

Jack nodded curtly as they finally stepped into the bustling town of demons.

From the shadowy depths beside the gates, an ominous presence emerged. A burly figure, draped in a black cloak, watched them with gleaming eyes filled with malice.

Jack's instincts screamed at him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He turned sharply but saw nothing.

'Who was that? Have we already been discovered?'

His perception had reached terrifying heights since merging with Erebus. Very few could tail him without his notice. And yet… whoever that was had disappeared without a trace.

Jack frowned but chose not to dwell on it for now. He resumed leading the group into the heart of the city.

Alisha was in awe. She had never seen a demon settlement as developed as this.

"How… did they build all this?" she murmured in disbelief.

"I guess demons are more talented than you scrawny humans," Jack teased, smirking.

"That's not true!" Alisha snapped, but as soon as she saw the amusement in his eyes, she realized he was only messing with her.

Her cheeks burned in embarrassment.

Her outburst, however, had drawn unwanted attention. Demons nearby turned their heads toward them, their glowing eyes filled with curiosity.

Alisha stiffened, her face flushing deeper. She glared daggers at Jack. "See what you did?" she hissed.

Before she could berate him further, a comment from one of the demons made her freeze in place.

"I think they're a couple. They look cute together."

Alisha's entire body went rigid. Her face turned scarlet.

She wanted to disappear.

"Y-you—" she stammered, pointing an accusing finger at Jack.

"I can't imagine my life with you either, tch," Jack scoffed, walking ahead as if she didn't exist.

Alisha was left standing there, her hand still awkwardly raised, feeling the weight of countless eyes on her.

Another comment followed. "Yep, I was right. Definitely a couple."

Alisha's ears burned.

Missy giggled, skipping ahead. "Big sister and big brother, hehehe."

Jena chuckled softly, clearly amused.

'They're all misunderstanding! Ugh, this is his fault! That filthy demon-human hybrid—I'll get him for this!'

With renewed determination, Alisha hurriedly caught up with the group. They had stopped in front of a restaurant—one that, like the rest of the city, boasted an ultramodern design.

Jack observed the entrance curiously. The glass walls seemed seamless, appearing to have no doors. But as they neared, an opening formed automatically, the structure shifting as if responding to their presence.

Jack's admiration was short-lived. He pushed aside his curiosity and focused on their mission.

"This is the perfect place to discuss our next steps."

They entered and took a secluded seat by the edge of the wall.

A demon waitress approached with a bright smile. "Travelers, what would you love to eat? Here's our menu."

She handed Jack a long list of meals.

His expression twisted in horror. Memories of the vile soup from Zhurak City resurfaced—the taste of gutter waste burned into his mind. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire

Jack nearly gagged.

Alisha chuckled. "What, you're not hungry anymore?"

"We won't be ordering anything," Jack said flatly.

The waitress pouted. "Are you sure? If you're here for the Maugrin Annual Tournament, you should keep your strength up."

Jack's brow furrowed. "Maugrin Tournament?"

The waitress gasped. "You don't know? It's hosted by the Queen of the Planes herself!"

Jack's interest piqued.

'So, she's coming here?'

Before he could process the implications, a voice sneered from across the room.

"Tch… I knew it. The Zhurak race would never send a representative. Always cowards."

Jack's gaze darkened as he turned toward the cloaked demon.

Trouble had just arrived.

{John Jackson... Sorry for the late recognition. Your support has been a major motivation for my writing... I'm glad to have you read my book. Thanks}