Monarch of Death

There are many strange aspects to his actions.

He wields the Darkness of Doom like Karnak, controls those Karnak once ruled, and commits the same kinds of atrocities Karnak would have done.

At this point, even a fool would suspect that there’s some close connection between him and Karnak.

“Yeah, if we’re talking about closeness, there is certainly a closeness, but…”

Karnak looked at his servant with a dazed expression.

“I didn’t expect it to be this close?”

Baros shook his head.

“Me, Tesranak? Instead of you, young master? That makes no sense…”

Demphis, speaking politely, continued the conversation.

“It’s only based on what that woman explained. From my perspective, however…”

The Arch Lich’s gaze turned toward Karnak.

“I feel the presence of my former master, Tesranak, within you, Lord Karnak.”

Even if the brand of domination changes, loyalty doesn’t flip in an instant like turning your palm over.

Memories remain, and one should suffer from contradictions for a while.

Normally, a psychological suppression is applied to change loyalty gradually.

But Demphis was different.

As soon as the brand’s master changed, his loyalty shifted instantly.

Though the memories of his loyalty to Tesranak remained intact, they all felt like illusions.

“In fact, it feels like I’ve returned to my rightful place.”

And yet, he identified Baros, not Karnak, as Tesranak.

Why?

“First, let’s confirm this before anything else.”

With a serious expression, Karnak asked:

“Just who was Tesranak anyway?”

Demphis understood Karnak’s question perfectly.

Not ‘who is he,’ but ‘who was he’? The question asked for an explanation from the past, in order.

“I don’t know much either, but…”

The Arch Lich bowed deeply.

“I will explain everything I know.”

***

Tesranak wasn’t always the God of Death.

Before he gained his authority and power, he was born as the lowly son of a mere human.

“There’s little known about Tesranak’s childhood.”

It’s said he was born the son of a peasant somewhere in the Western part of the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, and became an orphan at a young age, living as a servant to the young lord of a noble family.

“Tesranak’s life changed because of the master he served.”

Tesranak’s master was an illegitimate child of a noble family.

Having grown up oppressed by his parents and siblings, his resentment festered until he stumbled upon necromancy and devised a plan to take revenge on his family.

People often think necromancy requires no talent.

And that’s true. Unlike aura or magic, where one can’t even begin without talent, necromancy can be easily started by anyone and quickly mastered.

But, saying it requires no talent doesn’t mean talent is useless.

Of course, having talent gives one an advantage.

And the talent for necromancy is completely different from that for magic, divine power, or aura.

What society considers a “lacking in humanity” is actually considered talent in necromancy.

Tesranak’s master was a born necromancer and soon became a monster. With his newfound power, he bared his fangs at the family that had oppressed him.

“Tesranak faithfully served his master, assisting him with the utmost sincerity.”

Finally, his master seized control of the family.

But the glory didn’t last long.

Tesranak’s master, intoxicated by the power of necromancy, didn’t realize how severe its side effects were.

Isn’t there a saying that if the tail grows too long, it will be stepped on?

Eventually, his identity was exposed to the Seven Goddesses’ Church. Forced to abandon the family he’d barely taken over, he had to flee from the Church.

Tesranak, too, followed his master, wandering the world without a home.

***

“This…”

Karnak tilted his head repeatedly.

“This is exactly like our story.”

Baros was no different.

“It really is our story.”

“But why are you the one in Tesranak’s position?”

“According to this story, Tesranak hadn’t even mastered necromancy yet, right?”

“That part comes later in the story.”

Demphis grumbled in his flat tone, clearly displeased about being interrupted mid-explanation.

With a chuckle, Karnak urged him to continue.

“Go on.”

***

After that, Tesranak and his master wandered the continent, hiding their identities.

The Church of the Seven Goddesses pursued them relentlessly, and much blood was shed in the process.

During this time, Tesranak’s master grew stronger.

His evil deeds grew more heinous.

Finally, the two faced an adversary they couldn’t handle.

Gallard, the Martial King of Delphiad, and his eldest son and heir, the next Martial King and genius of the era, Emile Strauss, targeted them.

After an intense pursuit, Emile tracked them down.

A brutal battle ensued, and the outcome was decided.

Tesranak’s master was indeed a powerful necromancer.

Emile, Gallard’s son, couldn’t surpass the great power of darkness and met his death.

But the cost was steep.

Tesranak’s master was also mortally wounded in his fight with Emile Strauss.

Although he won, he could no longer live.

***

Karnak and Baros both jumped up in surprise.

“What?! I die?”

“Looks like it.”

Demphis, once again interrupted, gave Karnak a sidelong glare.

Though, of course, only metaphorically—he was an Arch Lich without eyes.

“Shall I just submit this in writing?”

Baros looked at Demphis anew.

Even though he was bound by the brand of domination to be loyal to Karnak, he still stubbornly argued.

It was a familiar sight in the Necropia Empire.

‘That really is the Governor Demphis I know.’

Karnak waved his hand.

“Sorry, go on.”

***

As he lay dying, Tesranak’s master spoke to him:

My loyal servant, take my body and soul.

And continue my vengeance upon this world!

Rule over all death and darkness, and bring pain and terror to every living thing!

Tearfully, Tesranak vowed:

“I shall, my lord!”

Thus, his master died, and Tesranak consumed his master’s flesh and blood.

Death embraced him, and darkness settled within him.

His master’s soul lived on within Tesranak.

His master’s knowledge lived on within Tesranak.

His master’s power lived on within Tesranak.

Thus, Tesranak became a new necromancer and dark swordsman, stepping alone into the world…

***

Karnak declared definitively:

“Nope, that’s not me.”

Baros had the same reaction.

“Yeah, that’s not you, young master.”

Asking someone to continue vengeance on their behalf? What nonsense! If anything, he would have demanded to be revived by any means necessary.

“No way I’d say something like that. I’d rather tell them to find a way to bring me back.”

Serati, who had been listening nearby, chimed in.

“Maybe that’s what really happened? And Tesranak just took the power and washed his hands of the promise.”

“Now that sounds more plausible.”

Karnak glared at Baros.

“You villain.”

Baros, feeling wronged, protested.

“I’m not Tesranak! Besides, why would I eat you, young master?”

“True.”

“There are plenty of better things in the world to eat than someone as filthy as you, young master.”

“That was the reason?”

Though they joked about it, the situation wasn’t entirely without basis.

“If it was a matter of life and death, and there was no other way, then…”

Baros shrugged.

“I might just close my eyes and do it.”

“Good thing I’m still alive, then.”

Meanwhile, Demphis, once again interrupted, simply stared at Karnak in silence.

“…”

Feeling awkward, Karnak said:

“Sorry, I’ll keep quiet now.”

But Demphis wasn’t looking at him because of the interruptions.

“Interesting.”

“What is?”

“You’re nothing like Tesranak, Lord Karnak.”

Though their deeds might seem similar, their personalities and way of speaking bore no resemblance.

“Really?”

“Sir Baros doesn’t resemble him either.”

Karnak and Baros exchanged glances.

“He is a mix of the two of us. Maybe that’s why.”

“Does that even make sense?”

“When necromancy is involved, a lot of things that don’t make sense start making sense.”

“Well, I suppose that’s true…”

Clicking his tongue, Baros turned to Demphis.

“So, what happened next?”

***

The Church of the Seven Goddesses continued to pursue Tesranak. And each time, they suffered great losses.

Tesranak had become a powerful necromancer and dark swordsman, a monster too formidable for the Church to handle alone.

But life wasn’t easy for Tesranak either.

With increasing pressure from the world, he realized the necessity of expanding his forces.

He gathered followers wherever he could.

He wielded the power of darkness to raise the dead, enlisted high-level undead as his subordinates, and drew hidden monsters to his side.

It was during this time that he found the remains of the former court mage Dallas in the Barakant Mountains and resurrected him as an Arch Lich.

“It was then that I was given the name Demphis.”

At the same time, Tesranak never forgot his master’s revenge.

Countless humans died painfully. Then, they were resurrected to spread even more suffering.

He even unleashed a special plague.

It was so devastating that it affected not only humans but also crops, with the disease infecting everything.

Countless people died from illness, starvation, or fought and killed each other over the few remaining scraps of food.

Eventually, the Seven Kingdoms Alliance crumbled.

The last bastion, Delphiad, fell when its Martial King, Laven Strauss, was defeated and became Tesranak’s servant.

With the situation spiraling out of control, even the Lacaenia Empire couldn’t stand idly by any longer.

The strong among humanity rose up to confront Tesranak.

But the result was the same.

The once-mighty imperial army was crushed by the army of the dead, and the imperial court mage Elezar submitted to Tesranak’s control. The survivors fled to the east, barely clinging to life.

With most of the continent under his control, Tesranak became known as the Death King, the ruler of the dead.

The only remaining force of humanity—the only force of the living—was the Verus Federation, a coalition of dragonkind and fairy race.

The survivors and those who fled joined forces.

The dragons, the fairies, and humans, along with the two remaining Archmages and the three Martial Kings, united to fight Tesranak’s empire.

It was truly a battle between light and darkness.

No matter how powerful Tesranak, the Death King, was, he couldn’t withstand the collective force of the world.

Finally, he abandoned the last shred of his humanity.

He performed the ultimate forbidden art and became the Ultimate Transcendent Being, Astra Spiritus.

***

“Wait, he became Astra Spiritus because of the joint attack of the Archmages and Martial Kings?”

Karnak interrupted Demphis’s story with a question.

“Then what about the Dragon Emperor?”

“Huh?”

“You know, Dragon Emperor Grateria. The world’s guardian.”

This situation seemed different from Karnak’s own experience.

Karnak had only become Astra Spiritus due to the intervention of Grateria, not because of the Archmages and Martial Kings.

“Grateria…?”

Demphis asked in a confused tone.

“Who is that?”