The Necromancers
Ch. 1:Collapse Explorer

Along the road in the middle of the forest, a man in casual clothes took the surrounding area seriously.

His gaze around the trees, bushes, and tree branches, all done just in case there are monsters that can harm him.

"Let me remember first, the ruins that the people were referring to. If it's not wrong, the ruins are all around this forest."

Silently for a moment while thinking and contemplating, Regard tried to recall the information he had obtained before arriving in this forest.

A moment ago.

Outside of Farihiora City, a green field with minimal trees and no monsters were in that place, most adventurers were gathering with their comrades to prepare for the mission they were about to undertake.

"Excuse me, may I ask you something?"

"Yes. What do you want to ask, son?"

"Do you know where the Sylvia Ruins are?"

"Sylvia's ruins? I've never heard of it."

"so yeah. Thank you and sorry for interrupting your time."

"It's okay. We don't mind at all."

Not getting a single piece of information from a single group of adventurers, Regard tried to proceed with it by asking the other group of adventurers.

In about a few minutes, he asked them the same thing, they knew absolutely nothing about the Sylvia Ruins.

"Excuse me, can I ask you something?"

"Yes. What do you want to ask us, son?"

"I wonder where the Sylvia Ruins are. Do you know where it is?"

"Sylvia's ruins? Sorry, I don't know."

"I am too."

"I'm the same."

Although there was only one group of adventurers left to ask, the hope of Regard was that he could find the minimum possible information about the existence of the Sylvia Ruins.

Although he already knew based on the information from the paper, he had deliberately asked them just in case he did not trust too much information from the mission he had taken.

The reason Regard doesn't trust the information from his mission is that he's afraid that it's minimal information that can get him stuck in an unknown place, which can be fatal to his life.

That is why additional action is needed because it is useful to be on guard if the information on the mission he took was wrong or wrong in providing information to adventurers who took the mission, Regard can survive the mistake.

"Sylvia's ruins? I think I've heard it."

"really?"

Within the group of adventurers that Regard suspected was hopeless, one of the men wearing iron gloves on both hands, was a man, the helmet on his head said something shocking to him and those around him.

"If it's not wrong, the Sylvia Ruins are in the Milant Forest."

"Milant Forest?"

"I've heard the name of the forest."

"Yes, so am I."

"I'm the same."

Reflecting on the words of his friend who was a man with iron gloves and a helmet on his head, his friends came to think about what the people who had explored the Milant Forest had said before.

"Has anything bad ever happened in the Milant Forest?"

"I don't know, but I heard this from some adventurous rumors that once set foot in the Milant Forest."

"Yes. They told us that the Milant Forest was a sinister forbidden forest when entered by other adventurers."

"Remember me, the Milant Forest is a dangerous monster that's scary and scary."

Hearing carefully without fear on her face and attitude, the people who told her that felt confused and astonished.

"Are you not afraid?"

"That's right. Anyone who hears it should be afraid, but you're not afraid, son."

"That's because I've experienced something scarier than your story."

"Something scary?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Feeling drawn to the words of Regard, the group of adventurers exchanged glances and nodded, they began to approach Regard with a high enthusiastic face that they showed him.

One of the women with a magician-like appearance was holding her right arm, one of the priestesses dressed in priestly clothes was holding both of her shoulders from the front, the rest were two men, one wearing a helmet and gloves that held the back of Regard, and the burly, muscular man who wore all the armor on his body was on the left side of Regard, the four are close to each other.

"May we know of something more sinister than the Milant Forest?"

"Yes. I almost died at that moment. But since I was on the verge of death, I had the chance to think that I would die. But in reality, I have survived and lived thanks to someone who helped me."

"Someone?"

"Is he a strong man?"

"Who dares to kill you, son?"

Raising his hand and smiling stiffly, sweat had flowed down Regard's face as how many questions they had deliberately thrown at him made him confused to answer a barrage of questions from them.

"Stahark, he is the monster that destroyed my village, Elforia Village."

"Stahark?"

"Impossible."

"It's a lie, isn't it?"

Surprised looks on their expressions.

They certainly knew about the name of Stahark, a monster whose existence was equivalent to a top-tier Devil capable of destroying villages and cities overnight without the slightest remnant. Not only that, most of the victims, they will disappear without any remains on earth.

That was the cruelty and fear that Stahark showed to humans.

"How did you survive him, son?"

"Hero. He saved me and drove out Stahark."

"Hero?"

"Yes. I met him for a moment. His silver hair, his gallant body, as well as his handsome face really made me believe he was a cool man capable of saving me from Stahark's rampage."

Hearing carefully from what Regard said, people nodded in understanding at his story.

It was true that Stahark was a high-level demon whose existence was dangerous and frightening to any human. Though terrifying and dangerous, he can still be defeated by a hero who comes to save the world.

"That's all that happened to me."

Finished saying that to them, Regard's face was shocked at the expression they showed him.

The expression they showed was that they were saddened by what had happened to Regard's previous life. The life where he had to survive as much as possible from the rampage of Stahark who had destroyed all the inhabitants in his village, Elphoria Village.

"Son, you've been through some tough times."

"That's right."

"Even us, adults can't bear to see a child like you have to experience something like that."

The sympathy they gave him, Regard certainly understood their sincere feelings towards him so he only displayed a small smile on his face as a thank you for their kindness and concern for him.

According to Regard, people will feel sorry for those who are stricken by the evil that attacks their cities and villages. Moreover, if it took a lot of lives, they would definitely grieve just like him in the past who had lost a lot of things.

•••••

"But..."

After walking a few steps in the depths of the forest, his footsteps came to a halt.

From a distance, Regard felt that something was following him. Whether it was a monster, a demon or a human, he was bewildered and astonished over his being far from himself which was hard to know who would dare to follow him.

"Get out!"

There was no sign that he was going to come out so Regard suppressed his voice during the shouting.

"Hurry out or I'll kill you!"

"....."

One of them came out from a place far away from him.

Each of them had the same shape as humans but their bodies looked like walking puppets with thin threads in the air.

Marionette yes.

Taking out the sword and getting ready for unexpected events, his gaze headed around to ascertain where the thin threads connected to their bodies went.

There ain't? Impossible.

Without waiting for long, a group of people started lunging towards him.

Starting from the burly man, he with a strong fist and kick hit the body of Regard which made him retreat a few steps ago bounced when hit by a powerful kick from him. Continuing with the long pointed-eared woman in the black uniform she was wearing, she raised one of her arms and took out Wind Blade from void air to prepare to draw her sword into Regard's body.

At the tip of the sword, a whirlwind could be seen that was ready to make a hole in the body of Regard.

"So it looks like yes. I understand now."

At first glance, Regard began to understand why the Milant Forest was considered dangerous so many people forbade him from entering.

Not because of monsters or demons, but all because of the existence of Marionette who was ready to attack them when they were off guard.

"....."

Just when Wind Blade pierced through Regard's body, a high-powered whirlwind capable of making a hole in his body that could spit out a large amount of his blood, Regard spewed out his blood.

Am I going to die?

His sight was vague. His body felt heavy and his head felt dizzy making Regard close his eyes.

Approaching Regard's body, the two Marionette puppets carefully examined whether he was dead or not.

After confirming that he was dead, they left and disappeared in an instant from where they had been before.

As expected, they are really stupid huh.

Rising from his slumber, Regard held onto his stomach and held him with one of his arms.

Not only did he hold his wound, his hand also had time to flow the darkness element to be able to heal his severely injured body in an instant.

The results can be seen clearly. Starting from the blood that was previously constantly coming out now stopped, the huge hole that was previously created slowly began to fuse and disappear, as well as the scar from the wound had completely disappeared from his body.

Everything seemed like a dream to Regard but it still left a pain that he could feel right now.

"I hope they're gone."

Without lingering any longer, Regard immediately left his place.

•••••

The Regard POV

I hope this is the place.

In the depths of the forest, I found a building that had been partially embedded by the ground and moss, as well as an entrance that led downwards.

I wonder why there are ruins in a place like this?

Was this created based on existing information or was this just created to trap someone?

Let's check first.

Down some stairs, I saw carvings on both sides of the building on the stairs.

Engraving depicting something like rebellion, war, and confinement.

Detention yes.

If not mistakenly remembered, Father and Mother once said that the painting in the ruins interpret the true story behind the cause of this ruin is located.

In other words, these ruins were places where someone was locked up in them?

Attractively.

Tracing every room that had been partially destroyed, I found nothing. Be it treasures, traces, clues, none of them in the room I traced.

"....."

This smell....

Stopping my footsteps, I can vaguely feel the presence of monsters within the ruins approaching towards me.

"Dark Eye."

The entire room that was previously white turned dark.

In the distant room in front, a horde of monsters that I suspected were Traho started to approach in large numbers.

It looks like it will be an interesting fight.

Eliminating the sword on my right arm, I turned the black fog on my right hand into a [Black Sword] that I can be proud of right now.

Before I used the black fog to turn it into a [Black Sword], I activated the [Change Weapon], the ability to manipulate the darkness for me to turn into the weapon I wanted, I turned it into a [Black Sword], I turned it into a [Black Sword], the jet-black sword I have in my hand now.

The clothes I was wearing earlier that casual clothes had turned into a black robe that covered the entire casual attire inside, my head that was not originally covered revealed my hair and face was now covered by a cloak hood and a horned iron mask.

"alright. Let's start the fight."

•••••

The sound of the fight sounded to whichever ear heard it.

The sound of an iron fight between the Black Sword sword and Traho's claws made sparks visible in the minimal darkness of light from the sidelines of the ruins.

"God!"

Without waiting for an opportunity for Traho to successfully hit his body, Regard forcefully kicked Traho's invisible body with his Dark Eye which caused his body to bounce far from where he was.

Turning Black Sword into Dual Knife using Change Weapon, Regard threw his black blade at the Traho herd that was still chasing him.

The black knife that hit Traho's body made their movement slow down and fell on the ground.

According to Regard, it was a natural occurrence that Traho had. Apart from the blade it was just an ordinary black dagger, Regard had also briefly added poison using his ability that he had obtained previously, the Death Poison that caused Traho to die within a matter of a few seconds.

Death Poison, a high level poison coated in every weapon capable of killing anyone hit by a slash from such a weapon, they would be gone in a matter of a few seconds.

Weak-headed.

Throwing another barrage of knives at the remaining Traho, Traho in an instant fell nearby.

His previously transparent body had been fully visible to Regard so he approached Traho and took some of his skin and fangs to give to the Adventurers Guild after he completed his mission later.

Not forgetting to draw his blood, Regard poured Traho's blood into a small glass bottle for him to neutralize the poison he made so that he could drink it without worrying about the poison he consumed later.

Finished doing so, he continued on his way to the next room.

The room dropped again.

Noting the staircase continuing to descend, Regard angrily scratched his hair decided to descend down into the depths of the ruins.