The Betrayed Necromancer - Chapter 4

 Birth of the Death King

"Crow-sama, preparations are complete."

"Yeah."

Prompted by Alicia, I begin walking down the corridor leading into the grand hall.

I am currently clad in the black garments prepared by Alicia. Despite not having been measured, the size is an absolute fit. It seems to be made of quite high-grade material, feeling as light as a feather.

Stepping into the grand hall, countless gazes wash over me.

An immense number of undead. Several thousand... no, nearly ten thousand undead were present. While it appears this city once held citizens other than heroes, it seems those individuals lost even their souls to the miasma.

That means everyone here is a hero possessing a soul strong enough to conquer the miasma.

Each one of them is a powerhouse capable of standing against a thousand. To think such individuals would become my allies... it sends a thrill through me.

I move to a slightly elevated vantage point at the very back of the grand hall, looking down over the gathered undead.

Among the undead are not only humans, but also beasts and dragons. Were they, too, originally heroes of elite caliber? Having them as allies will be immensely reassuring.

Bathed in a gaze mixed with expectation and envy, I open my mouth to speak.

"You have gathered well, my fellow heroes. Until now, you must have suffered greatly, endured much pain, and above all... felt deep regret."

A conversation with Alicia just moments ago revealed that this city perished a full 1,000 years ago.

That means for a thousand years, they have continued to suffer without even being able to die.

"You must hold immense hatred; I understand that feeling all too well. I, too, was betrayed by trusted allies and cast down to this place. From that moment on, I have continued to hate them. Unless I subject them to the same fate, inflict agony upon them, and then put them to death, I will never be able to live with a smile again."

Even now, closing my eyes brings their faces to the forefront of my mind.

The vivid faces of those who mocked me while tormenting me.

"Revenge. It is necessary to exact revenge. Together, we will have our vengeance upon the gods, and upon those who worship them."

Revenge.

The moment I spoke those words, the eyes of the undead heroes flared with a sharp light.

Some say that revenge yields nothing, but that is nothing more than a platitude.

In the first place, revenge isn't something done to produce something new. It is the settlement of the past. Without revenge, we cannot move forward. It is a necessary ritual, one without which we cannot truly live on.

"If any of you do not wish for revenge—if you would rather pass on peacefully right now or live in peace somewhere—please step forward. I will not force you to partake in my vengeance."

I call out to them... but not a single person takes up the offer.

Good. Only my true comrades remain here.

"Thank you, my comrades. Lend me your strength."

I raise my left hand toward the thousand-plus comrades spread out before me, activating necromancy.

"All Targets • Complete Resurrection (Resurrection)"

A Complete Resurrection targeting over a thousand individuals.

Naturally, the magic power consumed is colossal, and energy rapidly drains from my body. However, the lost magic power is replenished instantaneously, ensuring it never fully depletes.

By absorbing the miasma and being reborn, I acquired complete immunity to miasma. Furthermore, I gained the ability not only to absorb miasma, but to convert it into my own fuel/strength.

Thanks to that, I can heal wounds and restore magic power by absorbing miasma.

In other words, as long as I remain within this miasma-filled space, my wounds heal instantly and my magic power continuously regenerates. Simultaneous mass resurrection of this scale is therefore entirely possible.

"My body...!"

"To think we would truly come back to life...!"

Past heroes are resurrected one after another.

A lance-wielding knight clad in jet-black armor, a veteran mage draped in robes, a colossal dragon bearing platinum scales, and a giant of towering proportions.

Every single one of them possesses power enough to face down an entire nation on their own.

I have obtained a military force that even the gods feared.

"Vengeance."

I murmur quietly.

In response, the resurrected heroes listen in silence to my words.

"Vengeance. We must have our revenge. Enrage, harbor hatred—that will become our power."

That's right, that above all else will serve as our greatest driving force.

"I will surely accomplish my revenge and strike down the gods you despise. So lend me your strength."

At my words, the heroes raise a unified war cry in agreement.

The volume is enough to shake the entire hall. That voice felt imbued with intense resolve and deep fury.

"My thanks. Let us begin immediately, and let us accomplish it. Our revenge."

With those words, I immediately set out with Alicia to begin preparations for vengeance.

Wait for me—my former comrades who betrayed me, and the gods cowering in the shadows.

I will—no, we will—most assuredly drive our blades straight into your throats.

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