Chapter 1 - Immortal God of the Dead

Synopsis:

He was an illegitimate child, and the prophecy foretold that he would become a once-in-a-century genius magician in the family.

At his birth, the sky displayed an unusual phenomenon: a shooting star streaked across the heavens. He possessed black hair and black eyes unlike anyone else in the world, and the priest who baptized him couldn't help but marvel at his extraordinary spiritual power. In his childhood, he was showered with love and care, and people affectionately called him the Son of the Sky, the Star of Tomorrow. But when the world discovered that his body was unsuitable for cultivating any elemental magic, that he was a once-in-a-century genius who was essentially a useless waste, everything slipped away from him.

The relentless wheel of fate rolled him down without mercy.

His desperate father refused to look at him again, while his mother shed countless tears of sorrow. The world calling him a 'genius' became his most painful and unbearable mockery!

The Temple of Light even considered his blood unclean and blasphemous.

When nightmares loom overhead, what path will Roddy take?

Chapter 1: [Destiny]

The Rhine family was in a great mood that evening, hosting a lavish banquet. Not only were the invited minor nobles and merchants able to enjoy the Rhine Lord's treasured wines, but even the servants were treated to a feast. All night long, magical fireworks illuminated the sky, accompanied by cheers and shouts of joy. People ate and drank to their hearts' content, and then, to lively music, with their heavy bellies, they danced in pairs.

Today is neither Easter nor Harvest Festival, but the birthday of the third young master of the Rhine family.

The birth of this third young master greatly pleased Lord Warren. Two days ago, he specially rushed back from the Oga Fortress, 500 kilometers away, to host a banquet for guests from all directions and receive congratulations from all sides.

The lord certainly had reason to be happy. Although this third young master was an illegitimate child born to a maid, according to the prophecy of the astrologer Wind Whisperer ten years ago, there was a high probability that a once-in-a-century genius magician would emerge among the younger generation of the Rhine family. While the third young master's two older brothers, Gri and Lot, were also considered to have excellent aptitude, they were not the kind of once-in-a-century genius, and their physiques were only suitable for becoming warriors who cultivated battle qi.

Now, all hopes rest on this third young master.

What's even more amazing is that today is not only the first birthday of the King's most beloved seventh princess, but also the 380th birthday of the first ancestor of the Rhine family. This third young master just happened to be born today, so the lord was naturally overjoyed.

Upon hearing the news, King Helsinki not only sent envoys to offer his congratulations but also issued an exciting decree: he would marry his beloved seventh princess to the third son of the Rhine family and grant him a small fief. Therefore, the lord could think of no other way to express his joy than to share his treasured wines with everyone.

When the Third Young Master was born, there were indeed unusual phenomena in the sky.

Although it was daytime, a shooting star streaked across the sky at the moment the third young master was born, clearly visible to everyone in the entire Koro territory. After his birth, the third young master was even more unusual; he neither cried nor fussed, but instead looked around with his large eyes, seemingly very curious about his surroundings, unlike ordinary babies who would sleep soundly. The lord, fearing that the third young master might be mute and wouldn't grow up to be a genius magician, quickly instructed the midwife to gently pat his bottom. Only after hearing him let out a soft "yay!" did he feel relieved.

Besides the strange phenomena in the sky, the Third Young Master also had something that convinced the Lord that he was a genius of the century: he had black hair and black eyes, unlike any other human on the entire continent.

Only in legends does the goddess of night possess such black hair.

The third young master, with his black hair and black eyes, had his spiritual power repeatedly praised by Father Seddo of the temple during his baptism. He said it was like an untapped gem mine, and the fluctuations in the holy water's reaction to him indicated that the third young master's future was limitless.

The Third Young Master is a once-in-a-century genius magician, and no one in the Koro Territory doubts this, except for the Third Young Master's two older brothers.

He could call "Mama" at five months, ask for food on his own at six months, speak in complete sentences and recite simple poems at seven months, skip crawling and stand up to walk at eight months, sing at nine months, and write with a quill pen at ten months... The people of the Koro Territory were already used to the Third Young Master's amazing performances. He was a genius!

Although the lord was busy with war and rarely returned home, whenever he did, he would hold the third young master in his arms and take him horseback riding, spoiling him rotten.

On the contrary, although the three young masters' two older brothers also worked very hard and achieved many excellent results in the Knight Academy, the lord did not value them, believing that only the three young masters could continue and carry forward the glory of the Rhine family.

Corot's reputation as a genius gradually spread throughout the world.

Roddy, the third young master of the Rhine family, was already known as the Son of the Sky or the Star of Tomorrow when he was only three years old.

"Roddy, what do you think of Goode and Ace fighting? Who has a better chance of winning?" Lord Warren asked casually as he watched his retainers practice martial arts, holding his beloved son Roddy as they watched.

According to the ranking of samurai strength, Goode is a veteran five-star greatswordsman with rich combat experience, while Ace is a newly promoted four-star samurai.

If this were a fighting arena, out of ten thousand people, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine would bet on Goodwin; the one who wouldn't bet would either be a fool or a madman. Lord Warren was just worried his precious son was too bored, so he talked to him and played with him.

"Dad, I think Uncle Ace will win!" Roddy's words stunned everyone. If he weren't known as a genius, everyone would have thought he was an idiot.

"Why? Roddy, why do you think that?" Lord Warren was also somewhat surprised.

"Because Uncle Ace doesn't have a shield." Roddy's words were sometimes hard to understand. For example, he said that ships sailing on rivers, lakes, and seas could be made of steel, which would increase the ship's defensive capabilities. Besides being impervious to magical flames, it wouldn't be affected by the impact of enemy ships' rams, and could even reduce the turbulence caused by wind and waves. If people didn't know he was a child prodigy, they would definitely laugh at him as a lunatic. Steel, let alone building something as large as a ship, would sink an iron sword immediately if placed on water.

"My lord, I am willing to prove my bravery to Young Master Roddy!" Goode was secretly angry upon hearing this.

"My lord, I am willing to fight with all my might for young master Roddy!" Ace was not very confident, but he was also a warrior of honor and would never choose to back down and admit defeat before the fight even began.

"Then let's have a match, but be careful and don't hurt each other out of hatred," Lord Warren instructed, before the two began.

At first, Goode, clad in heavy armor and wielding a greatsword and shield, ignored Ace's rapid sword attacks, leaving him in a sorry state. Ace knew he couldn't win by force, but for Lord Roddy's sake, he couldn't admit defeat. He could only use his agile footwork to dodge and weave, avoiding Goode's heavy sword strikes. From the beginning, everyone knew there was no suspense; Goode's victory was inevitable. Everyone just wanted to know why Lord Roddy had predicted Ace's victory, and what was going on in that genius's mind…

Roddy's small body was held in Lord Warren's arms, but his expression remained unchanged; he still had a cheerful look on his face.

Lord Warren asked him if he wanted to change his mind, and he even made a bet with Lord Warren, saying that if he won, he would reward him with the magic key to the study.

"If you really win, then I'll give you the key as a reward!" Lord Warren chuckled. He knew his precious son loved reading all sorts of books, but since flipping through magic books required a lot of mental energy, he worried his son would overexert himself and harm his delicate body. Besides, Roddy's mother always believed that children should play games to grow up happily. Although he was a genius, he was still a child; what he needed most wasn't endless studying, but playing like ordinary children.

"Young Master, can I really win?" Ace's one-handed sword was knocked away by Goode's greatsword. Although he managed to retrieve it in time, he knew he couldn't fight him head-on and was ready to admit defeat.

"I'll teach you a method that guarantees you'll win!" Roddy's words not only caught the eye of Ace but also Lord Warren.

Could his precious son be a genius skilled in both magic and martial arts? A surge of joy welled up in Lord Warren's heart. The opposing generals, seeing Ace's tall frame bend down to listen intently to little Roddy's small mouth, couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The five-star swordsman, Goode, was even more anxious.

He was certain that Ace was no match for him, but if he were to let that genius, Young Master Roddy, give him a piece of his mind, then it was hard to say.

Finally, seeing Ace nodding repeatedly with a confident smile on his face, looking completely transformed with eyes that seemed to have received a divine blessing, Good felt a sudden sense of fear rise in his heart.

In the ensuing fight, Ace used a strange method: he stopped attacking and instead kept running around Good, always trying to get behind Good and attack him.

Clearly, this was Young Master Roddy's method.

Clad in heavy armor and wielding a greatsword, Goode was panting heavily, unable to catch up. He dared not expose his back to Ace's sword, fearing that young master Roddy had taught him some method of winning from behind. Unable to catch him, he could only spin in circles, trying his best to face Ace head-on. After running for a while, Ace suddenly stopped. Goode, still dizzy from spinning, continued to spin in place.

Ace rushed over and tripped Goode, whose massive body crashed to the ground like a mammoth being hunted.

Ace quickly pressed his sword against the back of Goode's neck, forcing him to admit defeat.

The crowd applauded and cheered enthusiastically. Lord Warren was also overjoyed. Although the victory was somewhat opportunistic, it was enough to prove Roddy's accurate vision and strategy. Especially before the battle even began, he knew Goode's weaknesses and Ace's strengths, and was able to use them as the key to victory. Even he, a general who had fought countless battles, could not accurately grasp this. Therefore, Roddy truly deserved to be called a genius that comes along only once in a century.

Just when people were getting used to celebrating the emergence of a rising star in the Rhine family, a nightmare began when Roddy was five years old.

On Roddy's fifth birthday, Lord Warren invited the nation's greatest chief mage, Sage Joan, to teach him magic. Through various tests using a magic crystal ball, Sage Joan was astonished to discover that Roddy's body was not suited for practicing any of the four elemental magics: wind, fire, water, or earth. This was a result that surprised not only him but also the world. Roddy, a genius mage carrying the hopes of his entire family, had no elemental sensitivity.

Faced with this result, people were simply incredulous.

Lord Warren nearly coughed up blood. Roddy's mental strength was close to that of a high-level mage, but his elemental perception was inferior to that of the worst magic apprentice.

Sage Joan lamented with great regret: Roddy's spiritual power is indeed like a rich gem mine, but it is buried deep underground, isolated from the world, and cannot be mined... Considering Roddy's intelligence and spiritual power at the age of five, he is indeed a genius magician who is rare in a century. However, his body is destined to prevent him from even casting a simple fireball.

In his despair, Father Seddo comforted Lord Warren, suggesting that Roddy might be suited for light magic, because during his baptism, the light element of the holy water showed an extraordinary affinity to his body, and Roddy had the potential to become a holy mage in the temple.

Holy magicians cannot practice on their own; they must pray at the temple and receive permission from the God of Light, and be confirmed as absolutely devout, before they can learn light magic.

Upon learning this news, King Helsinki, along with Lord Warren, immediately went to the main temple of the God of Light on the continent to request an audience with the Pope, earnestly pleading for Roddy to become a holy mage. The Pope, having also heard of Roddy's deeds, gladly agreed to pray to the God of Light and promised to allow Roddy to come when he was eight years old to see if the God of Light would bestow divine grace.

If divine grace descends, he will personally accept and teach Roddy to become a future holy magician.

This is the first time in thousands of years that an exception has been made. Apart from the saintess, no man, including the pope, has been pre-ordained as a holy mage at the age of eight. Usually, holy mages on the continent are saints who change their profession after the age of eighteen. If a saint changes their profession at the age of fifteen, they must be an exceptionally talented individual.

For the next three years, Roddy desperately tried to learn all sorts of magic, but setbacks followed one after another, as no type of magic suited him.

He couldn't learn even a fraction of his family's Fiery Battle Qi and Thunder Sword Technique.

Forced training, overexertion in practice, and Lord Warren's eagerness to achieve quick results by infusing his battle qi left Roddy's body riddled with hidden injuries, leaving him extremely weak. He would often cough incessantly when exposed to wind, and would even cough up blood.

Roddy is indeed a genius, but a genius among wastes, a waste among geniuses.

It's unclear when exactly, but rumors started circulating in the Koro Territory.

The Rhine family's last hope rested on the God of Light's approval, on whether light magic was suitable for Roddy's body. If the answer was yes, then Roddy would still be a genius, a genius of light magic, the noblest holy mage in the world. If the answer was no, it would be the most terrible news; Roddy would bear the name of a genius wasting his life, enduring the reality of being a born loser.

Roddy's mother prayed to the God of Light every day, and even Lord Warren, who believed in the God of War, would go to church with Roddy's mother every Sunday whenever he returned home.

As for the large sums of money he donated to the temple each year, it is believed that the total amount exceeded ten thousand gold coins.

All for Roddy, a genius son who was rejected from the Elemental Gate.

On Roddy's eighth birthday, the Pope himself came.

But instead of bringing good news, he delivered the most devastating devastation to Roddy. The God of Light considered his body unclean, his blood blasphemous, and unworthy to become a holy mage. The last vestige of hope—light magic—was also shut out to him.

To compensate Lord Warren for his devout donation, the Pope decided to recruit Roddy's two older brothers as Templar Knights under his command.

Lord Warren's wife, Mary, threw a grand banquet, inviting guests from all directions to celebrate the occasion of her two sons' passing, just as lavishly as eight years ago. The guests were the same as before, but the recipients of their congratulations were now Lord Warren's other two sons, Gerry and Lott. While people cheered, drank heartily, and danced to music, Roddy's mother, cradling Roddy, hid in the darkness, weeping in despair…

Eight-year-old Roddy didn't cry. He clenched his fists tightly, biting his lips until they bled, but not a single tear fell.

The wheel of fate not only rolls, but sometimes it crushes people under its wheels.

Chapter 2: [A Deathbed Confession]

After learning that Roddy could not become a holy mage, Lord Warren aged ten years. The once ambitious man became taciturn.

After that, he never looked at Roddy again.

If they happened to meet by chance, his gaze would skip over his once-beloved son, Roddy, as if he hadn't even seen him. He was heartbroken over this son. Not only Roddy, but he wouldn't even glance at Roddy's mother again. Returning home from Fort Auga after months, he didn't embrace and kiss his beloved woman as before, nor did he dismount to help Roddy's mother, who was kneeling by the roadside to welcome him, and instead, as usual, lift her onto his horse, and they returned to the castle together.

He rode past her coldly on his horse, disappearing into the distance, the thunderous hooves crushing Roddy's mother's heart.

Roddy showed no anger or tears; he simply helped his mother up and led her back to their little cabin. Though only eight years old, his maturity surpassed that of an adult. Several children around him mocked him, calling him "genius," "good-for-nothing," and even throwing pebbles at him from afar, but Roddy didn't react.

Roddy completely ignored the other children his age.

If that adult dared to do such a thing, he would likely end up like the blacksmith Handel in town, suffering a fatal blow to the groin from Roddy's stone chisel, nearly losing his ability to have children. If Father Sarto hadn't mercifully healed the blacksmith, he would probably have been bedridden for months.

Within three months, Roddy was beaten more than ten times without cause, partly by the malice of his servants and partly by the revenge of the blacksmith's relatives and friends.

But for the past three months, it wasn't Roddy who was brought to Father Seddar's Medical Clinic, but rather the people who beat him. As a result, Roddy's mother was forced to pawn all her jewelry except for the family heirloom necklace to pay for the injured man's medical expenses. To keep his mother's most treasured family heirloom necklace, Roddy desperately endured the adults' provocations, while completely ignoring the various actions of other children his age who were instigated by adults.

From the day he and his mother were driven from the castle by Lady Mary and forced to live in the lumberjacks' makeshift hut, he became as strong as a little man. Overnight, he accepted the existence of all the misfortune and suffering, no longer lost or hesitant, but bravely facing everything.

He was no longer the once-in-a-century genius magician in his family, no longer his father's favorite, and no longer the beloved third young master of the people of Koro.

Everything from the past is now far away from him and his mother.

Their former life of luxury has turned into a life of surviving on just a few small pieces of black bread each day, far worse than the food of the lowest servants in the castle.

This was Lady Mary's revenge and humiliation. She was already furious enough about her personal maid's affair with her husband, but she had tolerated it because her husband had shown such affection for Roddy's mother that day, pretending to be tolerant and calling Roddy's mother "sister." But when she discovered that Roddy was no longer a genius but a good-for-nothing, and when she realized that her husband had lost all interest in Roddy, Lady Mary immediately revealed her true colors.

She first accused someone of stealing her jewelry, then ordered the servants to search, and finally found her valuable jewelry in the corner of Roddy's mother's wardrobe.

Roddy's mother did not defend herself, but simply knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

Mrs. Mary was furious, but still 'magnanimously' forgave Roddy's mother. However, after a while, she accused someone of poisoning her food and even tested it on the spot, killing a chicken and two dogs. All suspicion fell on Roddy's mother, because she was cooking in the kitchen that day.

Roddy's mother still did not defend herself, but suggested that she and Roddy move out of the castle and live in the lumberjacks' cabins below the castle.

Lady Mary 'kindly' agreed, and made sure to instruct the servants to send food to Roddy's mother every day.

Her kindness and tolerance were praised by the people of Coro, while the labels of "useless genius" and "ruthless woman" for Roddy and his mother spread like wildfire in Coro, making them objects of contempt.

"Roddy, your head's been broken again! Who did this?" Roddy's mother noticed a small bloodstain on the back of her beloved son's head, the blood and hair clumped together—clearly a fresh injury. She hugged her son, tears streaming down her face, and cried, "What can I do for you? Baby, perhaps you don't need to endure this. I wouldn't mind selling the necklace again to pay for your medical expenses, do you understand? I don't want you to fight, but I also don't want you to suffer such humiliation without fighting back!"

"Mom, I'll be fine. I'm still young and need to be patient. When I grow up, I'll be able to protect myself and you too!" Roddy smiled and wiped away his mother's tears.

"My darling, even if you can't learn magic, you are still the best treasure in the world in my heart. Don't be discouraged. Perhaps you can take another path, like becoming a learned scholar or a great sage. Even if you can't cast a single fireball, people will still respect your knowledge. My son, why don't we abandon magic and live as ordinary people? In fact, that's the kind of life I most desire." Roddy's mother stroked Roddy's injuries, tears streaming down her face again. To fulfill his father's demands and his wish for his son to succeed, Roddy's body had been riddled with hidden injuries from forced training, making him far weaker than his peers.

"Before becoming a great sage, perhaps I should become a qualified hunter. Mom, what do you want to eat tomorrow? Rabbit or venison?" Although Roddy was only eight years old, he had learned to hunt in order to survive. Even though he couldn't draw a regular bow and arrow, he would try his best to set traps to catch small animals.

"I just hope to see you back safely before dinner tomorrow... My darling, please be careful!" Roddy's mother said with heartache.

Four years have passed, and people have begun to forget the seemingly useless but actually brilliant third young master, because the brilliance emanating from his two older brothers has overshadowed everything. On the day Gerry became a full-fledged Templar Knight, the entire Koro territory rejoiced. When Gerry rode the silver griffin bestowed upon him by the temple back to his castle, people even fanatically formed a personal guard, voluntarily dedicating themselves to the righteous Templar Knights forever.

Lotte achieved even greater success than his elder brother Grigory, making him even more worthy of pride.

Although he has not yet become a true Templar Knight, he has led his squad to defeat the invasion of the Bloodthirsty Orcs three times, and single-handedly slaughtered the monster 'Baruch' that was plaguing the area. He has become one of the most outstanding young heroes in the Templar Academy, and even the most respected Pope in the world has awarded him a medal as a sign of commendation.

For four years, Roddy did nothing but set traps to catch rabbits and shoot birds with a small bow and arrow to earn money. He also went to the Temple of Koro every day to receive free communion and holy water.

People no longer called him a genius, but contemptuously called him 'the bird hunter'.

In the past four years, no fewer than thirty men have been sent to the temple for treatment after Roddy injured their testicles due to provocation. Anyone who dares to provoke the seemingly frail Roddy, no matter who it is, must first have an iron plate in their crotch, or they will have to endure the pain of a broken bird and crushed testicles.

If Roddy wasn't a genius at learning magic, he was definitely a genius at shooting birds.

Despite prior warnings and precautions, no provocateur has yet escaped being hit.

"Child, perhaps this is the last book I will lend you." That day, after giving Roddy communion as usual, Father Sarto handed him a book he wanted to borrow, but surprisingly, he said something strange for the first time.

"Why? Father Sedo, are you being transferred away from the Temple of Koro?" Roddy asked, guessing.

"No." Father Sedo shook his head, sighed softly, and said, "I am leaving, but not leaving Coro, but leaving this world. I am about to be called by the Lord…"

"But you're not old. Aren't you only sixty-four this year?" Roddy was somewhat surprised. Ordinary elderly people in the Koro Territory could usually live to be over eighty, let alone Father Seddo, who possessed the strength of a magic master. Besides, the Holy Communion and Holy Water in the temple were very beneficial to the body. Even the most ordinary servants in the temple could live past one hundred. How could Father Seddo have been called by the Lord so quickly?

"Haha, who says a sixty-four-year-old priest can't die?" Father Sedo was optimistic and didn't take death to heart.

"I will pray for you." Others might not know, but Father Sarto knew very well that Roddy never prayed. Although he came every day to receive communion and holy water, he only went through the motions and never truly prayed.

"Many people will pray for me, child, but that's not what I need most," Father Sarto shook his head and smiled.

"What do you need?" Roddy was about to leave, but when he reached the door, he turned back and asked.

"Although you are only twelve years old, your thoughts are like those of an adult." Father Sarto paused slightly and said, "In my life, I have done countless good deeds and saved countless people, but I have also done one bad thing that I have a guilty conscience. Roddy, are you willing to hear my confession before I die?"

"Father, you know, I'm not actually a believer, and…"

"For my sake, as I am on my deathbed, please listen to what I have tormented my conscience most, what I have suffered the most," Father Seddar said, leading Roddy to the cemetery behind the temple. He sat down before a tombstone that hadn't yet been inscribed with a name, then gestured for Roddy to sit beside him. Watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon, its afterglow painting the sky crimson, Father Seddar suddenly sighed deeply, saying, "If I could do it all over again, I would never have done it this way, but now it's too late for regrets…"

"The God of Light will forgive you, Father Sedor," Roddy could only offer this consolation.

"I don't need God's forgiveness or pardon. On the contrary, going to hell and suffering might make my heart feel better." Father Sedo shook his head sadly and said, "Roddy, I made a mistake. After I did it, I regretted it very much. Unfortunately, it wasn't until today, on my deathbed, that I had the courage to say it."

"Father Seddo, your repentance will atone for your sins," Roddy nodded and said.

"Thank you." Father Sedo was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "One day, I met a beautiful girl from Zelan Mountain Village. The love that had been stored up in my heart for decades surged forth like a spring. This was the beginning of my mistake. But even though violating the church rules and sharing a bed with the woman I loved might send me to hell, I did not regret it. However, when someone threatened to sell my woman and daughter and turn them into prostitutes for everyone, I gave in. This is the mistake I regret most in my life. I was forced to do as they said, and when I baptized a child, I fed him 'Forbidden Magic' instead of holy water."

"What is 'Forbidden Magic and Martial Arts'?" Roddy suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and asked in a trembling voice.

"The Forbidden Magical Arts Elixir is a forbidden drug that, once ingested, renders one, regardless of talent, forever unable to learn magic or martial arts." Father Sedo glanced at Roddy, his eyes filled with regret, his voice somber, and said, "This potion was created by the gods to seal away a wicked sorcerer. It requires the blood sacrifice of six hundred humans, six hundred dwarves, and six hundred fairies, and the blood of black dragons, demons, and fallen elves as catalysts. Even the most powerful sorcerer in the world, once ingested the Forbidden Magical Arts Elixir, will become an ordinary person…"

"Father Seddo, do you want that child to forgive you? Do you want that little child to accept your confession?" Roddy listened, tears streaming down his face. This was the first time in his life that he had ever cried.

He struggled to control his anger, gripping the small dagger tightly in his hand, his tearful eyes blazing with volcanic fury as he stared intently at Father Seido.

Countless times, he wanted to pull out the dagger and stab Father Sarto in the heart, but he always held back his reason.

"I have no such expectations," Father Sedo shook his head. "I just want to tell that little boy that his life is full of intrigue and danger. Perhaps soon, his two brothers, who would betray him for blasphemy, will send him to the stake for greater fame. After that old man who made the mistake dies, no one will protect him anymore. He and his kind mother will face terrible disaster…"

"What are we going to do about that child?" Roddy grabbed Father Sarto's clothes tightly and roared, "Aren't you just going to leave him alone?"

"I have reached the end of my life. The only things I can do, besides repent, are to offer blessings." Father Sarto smiled slightly and said, "That child is very clever. He will surely know what to do, won't he?"

"You bastard!" Roddy raised his fist, wanting to punch Father Sedor hard, but in the end, he lowered it, slowly wiping away the tears on his face, trying his best to regain his composure. His life didn't need tears, but strength, even more strength. Father Sedor also reached out his large hand to gently wipe his tears. Roddy struggled at first, trying to push the other's hand away, but when he saw the kind smile on Father Sedor's face, tears couldn't help but stream down his cheeks again.

"Good child, I will always bless you!" Father Sarto embraced Roddy, gently patted his head, infusing him with a ray of holy light, and smiled again, "There's nothing I can do, but I will always gaze upon you from the sky, with the stars as my eyes. Child, may your journey be safe…"

"I won't let you die!" Roddy howled in anguish, like the mournful cry of a wounded cub.

"Farewell…child, my confession is over, thank you…" Father Sedo slowly closed his eyes, and a beam of light rose from above his head, shooting straight into the sky and disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Chapter 3: [Life Crisis]

A few days after Father Sarto's death, Roddy noticed that everything around him was gradually changing.

Inside the temple, he could no longer receive Holy Communion and Holy Water. Emma, the maid who brought him black bread, had a cold glint in her eyes that sent chills down Roddy's spine, as if an invisible scythe of death were held to his neck. Roddy carefully mashed the black bread with water to feed the rabbits he had hunted, and found that in less than three days, the rabbits became extremely weak and were on the verge of death.

The maid's husband, Marcus, often pretended to be logging, carrying a sharp axe and following Roddy into the forest to investigate.

Roddy could smell the sinister killing intent emanating from it.

They had to escape Koro immediately, or their lives and their mother's would be in danger. They suspected the other party wasn't going to act directly, but was waiting for Lothar's promotion to Templar Knight. They believed that on that day, Lothar would personally send them to the stake, making them Templar Knights a symbol of loyalty to the God of Light and hatred for evil and blasphemy.

If I calculate the time for the job change, there's still a little over a month.

The slow-acting poison in the black bread should have been enough to keep him alive until that day came. Perhaps this poison, which slowly corrodes the internal organs, is the most powerful evidence to accuse him of being evil and blasphemy.

For several days, Roddy pretended to be unwell and stayed in the cabin, refusing to come out.

Surprisingly, the maid Emma brought him a loaf of toast instead of black bread, perhaps because she was worried that the bread was too poisonous and would end Roddy's life prematurely.

However, Roddy dared not eat any kind of bread, nor would he allow his mother to. He dared not tell his mother the truth, fearing it would only make her more worried. While she wasn't looking, Roddy secretly prepared food and luggage, planning to escape from Koro one night when no one was watching. As for his mother, she was too kind and not good at pretending; he could only tell her the truth at the last moment.

Only in this way can we get her to escape safely.

"Son, what are you doing?" Roddy's mother asked in surprise when she saw her precious son setting up animal traps and nets at the door one day.

"Mom, be careful. But if you don't pull this down, there won't be any danger. If I haven't come back by the time it gets dark, then remember to untie this rope so the trap can protect you, okay?" Roddy reminded her again and again, "Mom, you have to be careful. I have no other way to protect you. You must be careful!"

"Honey, Mom will be careful. Be careful when you go hunting, and come home early so Mom won't worry." Roddy's mother repeated this to him a thousand times.

"I have a dagger and a small bow and arrows, so it's alright. If I see a large beast, I'll climb a tree." Roddyton paused, then said, "I wanted to make you a crossbow, but I failed. It can't be made well without good wood. Mother, I've thought of many things, but they've all failed. If I knew magic, you wouldn't have to eat wild vegetable soup and wheat bread every day. Mother, I…"

"Rodi, darling, you'll always be the best in my heart. Baby, your health is the most important thing. Don't worry too much. As long as I see you come home safely every night, I'll be content!" Roddy's mother hugged her son and kissed his forehead; this was the only comfort she could give him.

"Mom, please don't worry about me," Roddy reassured her, then secretly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Roddy dug a small hole in front of the door and destroyed all the failed items he had made, burying them one by one. Although Roddy's mother didn't know why her son had gone to so much trouble to make so many self-defense tools, she had a feeling that her precious son was hiding something from her.

He just didn't say it; he kept it quietly in his heart.

The mother felt both gratified and heartbroken for her sensible child.

If she weren't a maid, if he weren't an illegitimate child, if... Besides silently watching him and silently feeling sorry for him, she had no other way to help him. She knew her precious son worked very hard, harder than anyone else in the world, but fate was also more ruthless to him than to anyone else in the world.

After the harvest festival, the servant Marcus saw that Roddy was able to go out hunting, so he took his axe and followed him at a distance.

His wife, Emma, then sent over black bread.

"Young Master, what game did you catch? Do you need my help?" Marcus followed for a while, gradually getting closer, and suddenly said in a loud voice, "If you give me a rabbit to have with your drinks, I'll be happy to help you carry the game back!"

"I'll give you the whole roe deer, no need for help." Roddy would never let him get close under any pretext. He put down the roe deer he had caught and ran away immediately.

"No, I must help you with this!" Marcus sneered and followed closely behind.

Relying on his familiarity with the forest, Roddy moved swiftly, deviating from his usual route and running towards areas he rarely ventured. Sure enough, Marcus misjudged the direction several times, allowing Roddy to evade his pursuit on a thorny slope. When Roddy saw Marcus wielding an axe and chasing after him along his usual path, a cold sweat broke out on his brow.

Marcus kept calling for the Third Young Master, but when he saw that Roddy didn't respond and couldn't find him anywhere, he went back muttering curses under his breath.

Fearing that the guy might be lying in ambush somewhere, Roddy didn't dare go home right away.

He lay hidden in the thorns until it was nearly dark before daring to straighten up. Before he could even take a step, Roddy suddenly heard a dog barking, sending a chill down his spine. If he didn't find somewhere to hide, it seemed his life was in danger that night. In desperation, Roddy suddenly remembered a stone cave entrance halfway up the mountain, hidden by thorns. The sloping entrance seemed bottomless; if he could use it as temporary cover, he should be able to avoid the noses of the hunting dogs.

Normally, Roddy rarely approached the stone cave because he was worried it was a snake den, but now his life was hanging by a thread, and he had no time to think.

Near the cave entrance, Roddy took off his clothes, wrapped a large rock around it, and let it roll down the hillside. He then threw a piece of cooked meat in the opposite direction of the cave entrance. He then used a small dagger to clear away the thorns, carefully crawled inside, covered himself with the thorns, and then used the dagger to poke a nail into the cave entrance, hanging inside.

Roddy leaned against the cave wall, silently engaging in a battle of endurance with Marcus.

"Ah, so you were hiding here, Third Young Master. Were you playing hide-and-seek with me? My young master, it's getting dark, let's go back!" A moment later, Marcus seemed to have discovered Roddy's hiding place and came with his barking hunting dogs.

"..." Roddy remained silent, holding his breath.

"You beast, damn it, don't run so fast! If I fall down the valley, I'll kill you when I get back! What's this? Is it cooked meat? Has he already come down the mountain? That cunning guy! Damn it, what a ghost! How can this piece of trash be so smart... But you can hide today, but you can't hide tomorrow! You beast, if you drag me into the thorn bushes again, I'll kill you right now!" Marcus cursed as he dragged the hunting dog away.

"Marcus, haven't you found it yet?" It was the voice of the blacksmith Handel, who was clearly still resentful about how Roddy had smashed an egg with a stone back then.

"Let's go back and have a drink first. There will be plenty of opportunities later. There's still more than a month until the deadline…" Marcus's answer made Roddy's heart tighten again. It seemed that his previous estimate was not wrong at all.

Despite his aching, stiff arms and numb body, Roddy persisted in hiding in the cave for over half an hour before daring to relax. After confirming that Marcus and Handel had returned, Roddy carefully climbed, mentally planning how to explain his lateness to his mother when he sneaked home. Suddenly, he lost his grip, and his entire body began to slide downwards. Large chunks of moss peeled away, leaving Roddy with nowhere to hold on. In the struggle, the wooden handle of the small dagger that bore his weight suddenly snapped. Roddy screamed and plunged into the bottomless cave.

The cave walls were winding and long. Roddy slid down, turning several times and sliding for an unknown amount of time, but he hadn't yet fallen to the bottom.

Finally, with a loud 'boom,' he felt a pool of water at the bottom of the cave. Roddy's first sensation upon plunging into the water was that countless drops of water were desperately trying to get into his nose and mouth, and he was constantly drinking water.

Fortunately, I wasn't completely broken and survived...

Roddy struggled instinctively, and with all his might, he managed to float to the surface. He searched and climbed up the rock edge, feeling exhausted and in pain all over. He coughed violently for a while, then collapsed to the ground and fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 4: [The Necromancer]

When Roddy woke up again, he found himself cold, hungry, and soaking wet.

It was pitch black all around, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Fear of darkness and the unknown gripped his heart. Roddy tried to calm himself, got up, and reached out to feel his surroundings until he accidentally touched the cave wall, which brought him a little relief. After feeling along the rocks for a long time and stepping into puddles several times, Roddy began to understand something. This was probably a sealed stone chamber, and the passage he had fallen into was somewhere above his head. The low-lying area on the ground had accumulated a large puddle due to years of rainwater, which was the main reason he had survived the fall.

Is this stone chamber natural? Where did the giant snake live? Or is it man-made?

Roddy nervously picked up pebbles and threw them around for a while, then clutched the broken dagger tightly for self-defense. Finally, he discovered that there wasn't a snake, not even a rat. It seemed that whatever caused the stone chamber to form, it had been abandoned for a long time.

This discovery put his mind at ease.

It wouldn't be fun if there was a giant python waiting for you to become a snack.

Roddy tried many times. He felt he was standing at the bottom of the sloping passage, but even jumping with all his might, he couldn't reach the exit. It seemed getting out wouldn't be easy. Perhaps he could only think of a better way after dawn when the light shone in. Undeterred, Roddy searched the cave again and again, hoping for some good news, preferably finding a hidden exit or something, but he was disappointed.

Exhausted, he could only find a stone wall to sit down and rest, trying to recover his depleted energy.

Roddy's right shoulder was a little sore from the fall, and he only realized it now. He slowly waved his hand and found that it was not serious, just a slight ache in his joint, so he breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he relaxed, he suddenly felt his hand accidentally touch something, which startled him. When he reached out and touched it, he found that it was a skull, which made his scalp tingle and his hair stand on end.

The skeleton was knocked to the ground by Roddy, and eerily, tiny specks of phosphorescent fire, a ghostly green, ignited within it.

Roddy was so frightened he almost choked. After a long while, seeing no movement from the skeleton, he swallowed hard. Although it was eerie phosphorescence, some light was better than none. Seeing the phosphorescent glow on the skeleton surprisingly eased Roddy's fear. Even though it was a skeleton, it was much better than discovering a giant python.

What caught Roddy's eye was not just the skull, but also a strange object at its feet.

Roddy carefully probed it with his dagger and discovered it was a dusty, untouched magic book. It shimmered with phosphorescence, and Roddy couldn't make out what kind of book it was, but seeing that it was indeed a book, his fear of the skeleton suddenly lessened. Because he was also a book lover, and he felt a small fondness for someone who enjoyed reading, even if that person was a skeleton.

The phosphorescent flame quickly went out, but Roddy remembered that he had flint on him.

Although this cheapest fire-starting tool wasn't as good as a magic flint or a magic torch, it still surprised Roddy.

He took off his underwear, which had become half-dry from the heat of his body, and tried again and again to light the fire. After a long while, the loosened seam of the sleeve caught fire. It burned for a while, then went out, and the thick smoke tormented Roddy, but he finally managed to light his underwear and pants. Taking advantage of the brief warmth and light provided by the fire, Roddy quickly flipped through the spellbook left behind by the skeleton to see what was going on.

'My time is running out, but fortunately, my magic is almost complete. As long as my theory is correct, freedom will be mine…'

After reading the tattered magic book, Roddy learned a lot.

First, this is a man-made prison cell, where a necromancer is imprisoned. Because he practices evil necromancy, he is hunted all over the continent and eventually hides in the Rhine family's caravan, escaping to Koro.

That happened over a hundred years ago. Roddy's great-grandfather captured him and was about to send this necromancer named 'Nicholas' to the stake when Nicholas lied and said he knew of a vast treasure. Roddy's great-grandfather, overcome by greed, built this stone chamber, secretly imprisoned him, and then led a group to dig for the treasure himself.

As it turned out, Roddy already knew that the deceived ancestor had entered the dragon's lair, gained no gold coins, and lost his life inside the dragon's belly.

Nicholas was trapped in the stone chamber. He was about to escape as soon as Roddy's ancestors left to dig for treasure, but he had no way to leave with his own strength. Unless one was a warrior of four stars or above with battle aura, it was impossible for a weak mage to escape from the sloping passage.

Seeing this, Roddy couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.

My own body is even worse than a mage's; if I want to get out, I'll probably encounter the same problems as Nicholas.

A mad necromancer devised an extremely absurd and audacious plan: to transform himself into an immortal undead. This would eliminate the need for food, as the undead need neither to eat nor drink, and are tireless. Nicholas's plan was insane; if successful, he would become both his own master and his own slave; he would be both the undead he summoned and the necromancer who summoned him…

Roddy broke out in a cold sweat. Could there be anyone in the world more insane than a bloodthirsty orc who kept fighting even with his stomach ripped open and his intestines stuffed back in?

He used to think there wasn't one, but now he knows there's an even crazier kind of person: the necromancer who transforms himself into his own dark slave.

However, it was clear that Nicholas's magic had failed, despite his confidence.

He died and turned into a skeleton.

'Necromancy isn't as evil as people imagine. In fact, I prefer to call it mental magic… I think much of necromancy doesn't rely on dark elements, but rather on a mysterious element that people haven't discovered yet—perhaps I should call it mental elements. Well, if others knew I said this, they'd think I was crazy…'

Roddy kept flipping through the magic book; to be precise, it should be called a magic notebook.

He discovered that the mad necromancer Nicholas wasn't actually a necromancer at all, but rather a useless genius much like himself. Nicholas couldn't learn the four elemental magics; he was intelligent and wealthy, and aspired to be an alchemist. By sheer chance, he obtained a necromancy book and was astonished to discover that he was actually suited to practicing necromancy.

In other words, his body does not have an affinity for the four elements of wind, fire, water, and earth, but it can sense the dark element and is very adept at it.

However, necromancy was considered evil by the temple, and all who practiced it were seen as blasphemers and devils. Once discovered, they would be burned alive. Despite his caution, Nicholas was eventually discovered. He tried to hide, but ultimately met his end in a stone chamber where he was trapped and died.

'I was wrong… When I was able to cast four-star necromancy, I thought I was something special, but in reality, I didn't expect an ordinary Templar Knight to defeat me. His blessed holy shield and holy sword are the bane of necromancy. Damn it, I shouldn't have provoked him. Although he would be a good death knight, I don't have the power to make him my slave… Especially since it was daytime, my abilities were minimized. Heavens, I believe no necromancer would make such a mistake. I'm such a fool!'

In Nicholas's notes, Roddy discovers that the necromancer's failure lay in revealing his true identity too early.

On the skull's left middle finger, there is a small ring.

That was a storage ring that Nicholas had implanted inside his flesh to hide it from outsiders, but his flesh had long since disappeared, so Roddy found the ring easily. He had no way of using or knowing what was inside the ring, but he believed it couldn't possibly contain food or tools to escape this place; otherwise, Nicholas wouldn't have bothered to turn himself into his own summoned undead.

Am I going to be trapped and die here too?

As Roddy's clothes began to burn out, a sudden terror gripped him. If this stone chamber was as difficult to escape as Nicholas had said, then he believed his chances of starving to death here were extremely high...

Chapter 5: Are You My Slave?

Learn necromancy, summon this skeleton of Nicholas after his death as your 'dark slave,' and have it send you away.

However, if he were to learn necromancy and it were discovered, he and his mother would surely be burned alive at the stake. Necromancers are the mortal enemies of the temple, like demons, and are heretics that cannot be tolerated. If he were to learn necromancy now, it would undoubtedly be a slow suicide.

More importantly, is it possible for me to learn necromancy?

His body was afflicted by the most vicious and terrifying 'magical martial arts restriction' in the world, completely isolating and restricting his elemental and battle aura. Could he really learn necromancy? However, rather than being trapped in this damned stone chamber and starving to death, he might as well give it a try. At worst, he would never use necromancy again... Escaping and surviving were what he needed most...

Roddy was struggling with his decision; he knew it was crucial and would affect his entire life.

Will he be burned at the stake, or starve to death in this stone chamber? Will he become a necromancer feared by everyone on the continent, or continue to be a useless genius who starves to death in a stone chamber and remains unknown?

Since we're all going to die anyway, we might as well live one day at a time!

Roddy's trembling hands picked up the magic notebook containing necromancy, and he took a deep breath to calm the tension in his heart.

Following the unique meditation method in the magic notebook, Roddy began to try the dark elemental meditation, which was considered by the world to be the source of evil. He tried his best to remain calm, but his heart was churning with turmoil. Since childhood, Roddy had never been able to sense any elemental fluctuations. He had always mistakenly believed that the method of sensing elements in meditation was something he had learned through some secret technique taught by his mentor. Little did he know that this was not the case; elemental fluctuations depended entirely on one's own perception.

Having drunk the forbidden magic potion, will I be able to sense the dark element?

Inside the cabin, Roddy's mother was secretly weeping. It was late at night, but her beloved son still hadn't returned. It was far past his usual return time… Perhaps he had encountered some danger. She desperately wanted to go find him, but she firmly remembered his instructions: no matter what happened, he mustn't leave the cabin easily, especially at night.

He had set traps, snares, and nets at the door and windows to protect himself.

If she were to open the door now and go out into the forest to look for him, it might only bring him more pain and trouble. Besides tearful prayers, Roddy's mother could only choose to believe in her precious son… "My son possesses unparalleled wisdom; he will surely be alright! Merciful God of Light, please bless my son Roddy; for the sake of his devout mother, please grant him a safe return!"

"Damn you, Sedor! You're the one who ruined my life!" Roddy meditated for a long time, but in the end, he was still disappointed.

He was unable to sense the dark, silent elements, and as usual, his meditation yielded no results.

Roddy's pent-up resentment erupted. He slammed the spellbook to the ground and stomped on it furiously, venting his despair. In this isolated underground chamber, he could no longer suppress the emotions that had been building up for years. He could appear incredibly strong to the world, but that didn't mean he was without inner pain; on the contrary, pain gnawed at his heart like worms.

Becoming a necromancer who could be burned at the stake at any moment was not Roddy's wish.

But he didn't want to starve to death in this underground stone chamber.

"I hate you! Father Sedor, why did you do this? And now you're telling me the truth?" Roddy roared angrily, kicking Nicholas's skeleton away again. "Nicholas, you damned necromancer, why did you bring me hope? If it weren't for your insane ideas, I wouldn't have rekindled my hope, and I wouldn't be so disappointed!"

Overcome by anger and frustration, Roddy's body, already riddled with internal injuries from the forced infusion of fighting spirit, could no longer hold on, and he coughed painfully.

Finally, with a "whoosh," he vomited blood.

Roddy felt a burning and tightness in his chest, his head felt heavy and his legs felt light, and the world spun around him. He couldn't help but fall to the ground.

When he awoke again, Roddy found himself unusually weak, with a splitting headache and aching all over his body; even moving a finger would be difficult. Fortunately, he saw a faint light on one side of the cave ceiling, as if it was dawn outside and the light was seeping in, leading him to the exit of the passage.

The exit wasn't large, and it was four or five meters high. The semi-dome-shaped stone ceiling made Roddy feel hopeless.

No wonder only warriors with four-star or higher battle aura can escape. With an exit designed like this, let alone yourself, even a strong man without any tools to help him escape would not be able to.

Even if you stood Nicholas's skull upright to support yourself, it would still be a long way off...

Roddy turned around and was nearly scared out of his wits by what he saw. Nicholas's skeleton had somehow stood up and was staring at him with empty eye sockets. The necromancer wasn't dead, that was Roddy's first thought. He rolled on the ground, quickly drawing his broken-handled dagger to defend himself. As he watched Nicholas's skeleton clumsily and slowly approach him, Roddy's hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Damn Nicholas, get the hell out of here! You want to kill me? Not so easy!" Roddy was suddenly filled with boundless fighting spirit. Even in the face of adversity, no matter how heavy or terrible the blow in his life, he would not give up.

Despite his frail health, Roddy's will was stronger than anyone else's.

Even when facing death, at the final moment, he would have enough courage and a soaring fighting spirit.

Just as Roddy was preparing to fight Nicholas's skeleton to the death, he was suddenly surprised to find that Nicholas's skeleton was bowing its head and bending over, retreating step by step until it reached the end of the stone wall.

"Huh?" This move was completely unexpected by Roddy.

How did Nicholas's skeleton come back to life? It doesn't seem hostile towards me? And it listens to me... Could it be that I unintentionally cast the necromancy of 'Dark Slave' on it? Roddy was both surprised and delighted, but he couldn't remember when he had recited the Dark Slave incantation at all, and his body couldn't sense any dark elements.

What exactly happened?

"Nicholas, are you my slave? Are you my slave to darkness? Come, kneel down, kneel before me!" Roddy tried to issue a command, and sure enough, to his almost fainting with happiness, Nicholas's skeleton slowly knelt down.

On its forehead was a blood-red 'S', which... was the unique mark of the Dark Slave.

As Roddy calmed down, he realized that his ability to see in the dark wasn't due to his own eyes. Even with his eyes closed, he could see everything inside the stone chamber, including the faint light above the passageway. Clearly, this was the vision granted to him by Nicholas, his slave to darkness, not by his own eyes. Amidst his surprise and astonishment, a question arose in Roddy's mind: When had Nicholas become his slave to darkness?

Chapter 6: [The Gate of Hope]

After confirming that Nicholas was indeed the Dark Slave he had unintentionally summoned, Roddy flipped through his magic notebook, intending to find the answer.

After a long pause, Roddy guessed that the whole incredible thing might be a coincidence, a fluke.

Nicholas cast the spell of the Dark Slave upon his body. Although his intentions were good, he unfortunately failed. His body accepted the Dark Slave's magic, but simultaneously lost its own consciousness, becoming the world's first 'masterless' Dark Slave. Nicholas's skeleton, devoid of any consciousness, remained quietly in the stone chamber. However, he unintentionally spat out a mouthful of blood onto the skeleton, and thus, more than a hundred years later, his insane necromancy caused the master-slave contract to take effect, and the skeleton acknowledged itself as its master, accepting Nicholas's mental control.

Although it's unknown whether this is the whole truth, Roddy guesses it's probably close.

"Fine, I've become a necromancer who can't use necromancy in this world! I hope there's another masterless slave of darkness in this world that I can command, otherwise, I'll only be able to summon you, my dark slave, for the rest of my life." Roddy tried for a long time and found that Nicholas's skeleton was very clumsy, and it would only do what he asked it to do, otherwise it would just instinctively follow behind him.

After giving Nicholas a commemorative name, 'Skull 1,' Roddy began to devise a plan to escape the stone chamber.

Of course, this wasn't his only problem.

Once outside, Nicholas, this dark slave known as 'Skull Number One,' would follow him relentlessly. Roddy believed that if anyone saw him, he would be burned at the stake immediately. Perhaps leaving it in the stone chamber forever was the best solution. Roddy looked at the mindless skeleton and suddenly felt a pang of pity for it. Not only had it become his dark slave for no reason, but it was also destined to be abandoned.

Nicholas's fate was much more tragic than his own...

Roddy tried countless times to stand on the bones of Skull 1, but he could never reach the passageway on the dome. It seemed that even with a Dark Slave, getting out was not an easy task.

"Nicholas, don't you have any other ideas?" Roddy had no choice but to flip through his magic notebook again to see if he could find another way.

If Nicholas, the four-star necromancer, had a better way, he wouldn't have had to become a slave to darkness. The magic notebook contained over a dozen necromancy spells, but Roddy dismissed almost all of them. The notebook included the most basic offensive necromancy spell: "Ghost Fang." Ghost Fang could be launched by the necromancer and manipulated to bite enemies, ignoring ordinary physical defenses, but it was extremely weak against magical defenses, even ineffective against them.

This spell was useless, and the other 'Dark Slave' spell was also ineffective.

Roddy had no skeletons or corpses around him, and even if he did, he didn't have the dark magic to summon them. Other spells like 'Undead Domination' (which manipulates dark minions); offensive spells like 'Corpse Explosion' and 'Corpse Poison'; curse spells like 'Weaken', 'Damage', and 'Blind'; and defensive spells like 'Bone Armor' and 'Pain Transfer' were all useless. No wonder Nicholas, a four-star necromancer, was at a loss.

Nicholas also recorded several seemingly useful necromancy spells, but unfortunately, he was unable to cast them due to his limited abilities.

Summoning a 'bone spear' requires a five-star necromancer, while creating a 'bone wall' requires a six-star mage or a seven-star archmage to cast successfully. Summoning 'puppet stone golems' from the earth to control is a good idea, but that's a five-star high-level necromancer spell. Not to mention Roddy, who can't use any necromancer spells, even Nicholas, a four-star intermediate necromancer, can only sigh in despair.

Just as Roddy was about to despair, he suddenly remembered the ring on his slave's finger bone.

The magic ring can only be opened by its true owner. Even an eighth-tier mage king, whose strength far surpasses that of a seven-star mage and who uses a lunar halo as a marker, cannot forcibly break open the storage ring of even a three-star beginner mage. This is the law of the gods.

Strangely enough, very smoothly, when Roddy picked up the magic ring, everything inside, including its functions, instantly appeared in his mind.

As Nicholas's consciousness faded and his body became Roddy's slave, everything about him acknowledged Roddy as his new master.

The magic ring has a storage function, but the space is very small and it's already full.

There were several bottles of various magical potions, along with many ingredients and powerful catalysts for magical potions. There was a necromancer's bone staff, three magic crystals, a small bag of gold coins, dozens of silver coins, and a large quantity of copper coins. There were several alchemy books and several sets of various clothes, including an alchemist's robe; clearly, Nicholas had been disguised as an alchemist all along.

Finally, there was a small skull made of crystal, but it contained strange magic. Roddy's heart skipped a beat; he seemed to sense something.

For the first time in his life, he could sense the presence of something magical...

The feeling was incredibly wonderful and comforting. It was as if he were seeing a long-lost relative; there was an innate sense of familiarity and warmth. That magical power instantly connected with Roddy's spirit, creating a harmonious unity. In that instant, Roddy felt as if an invisible door had silently opened towards him.

There really are 'spiritual elements' in the world!

Unlike the six elements of wind, fire, water, earth, light, and darkness, this element, which has not yet been discovered or publicly studied by the world, did not resist Roddy at all, but instead opened its arms to him.

Roddy grasped the crystal skull, and suddenly understood many things.

There are not only six known elements in the world, but also spiritual and life elements, and perhaps a ninth or tenth element. However, Roddy can currently sense only the two elements he possesses within his body: spiritual and life. The life element is very active; although weak, it burns insatiably within him like a flame, providing the necessary energy to all parts of his body.

The spiritual element is extremely inert and not active at all; it only creates a slight ripple when the mind touches the magic of the crystal ball.

But Roddy discovered that his spiritual element was immense, beyond measure; Father Sarto was right, it truly resembled a rich gemstone mine. Years of persistent meditation and agonizing willpower seemed to be methods for increasing his spiritual element. For the first time in his life, Roddy discovered that he was truly a genius, not a good-for-nothing.

If he could fully utilize that enormous amount of spiritual energy, he could practically look down upon all living beings.

Unfortunately, through the crystal skull's display, Roddy discovered that the spiritual elements he could utilize, when compared to physical form, were barely thicker than a thin line, while the actual reserves were like a small mountain.

What if he could utilize his spiritual elements? He had already consumed the forbidden magical potion, making it impossible to meditate on the six elements of wind, fire, water, earth, light, and darkness. But spiritual magic was unheard of in this world. Should he create his own? Or seek guidance from a powerful being? Regardless, Roddy felt he had to survive and get out of there first. If he were trapped and died in the stone chamber, even the greatest genius would be wasted!

Using the magic emanating from the crystal skull, Roddy could sense places several meters away with his mental power.

He discovered that the exit passage above him was winding and several tens of meters long. It was constantly leaking rainwater, covered with moss, and extremely slippery. Getting out of this passage would be harder than climbing to heaven.

Roddy was almost in despair, but suddenly his senses startled him.

The telepathic connection penetrated the stone wall, spreading further afield. Beyond one of the walls lay only a few meters of soil, beyond which lay the vast expanse of sky. Roddy was overjoyed, believing it was the result of landslides or mudslides that had occurred over the past century. While there was no way to escape upwards, perhaps he could drill a hole into the impossible and find his way to safety.

The door of hope is just around the corner.

"Nicholas, the time has come for you to pledge your loyalty!" Roddy quickly ordered his tireless and uncomplaining dark servant, handing it the broken-handled dagger and pointing it excitedly at the stone wall, "Dig! Dig now!"

Chapter 7: [Kill]

Despite the availability of repair and fortification potions, as well as enchanted potions that increase fire damage, a broken-handled dagger was clearly insufficient against the solid stone wall. Fortunately, Nicholas, this slave of darkness, was tireless and incapable of complaining, otherwise he would have given up long ago.

Roddy used up all his potions and even used a magical ring imbued with alchemy to create a small explosive potion before he could pry open the stone wall that held together the large stones. By the time he had created a small opening in the crack, the broken-handled dagger was almost worn smooth. Poor Nicholas the skeleton worked tirelessly day and night, using his bone hands to scoop out handfuls of dirt.

Its hand bones were also badly worn, yet it worked tirelessly. Roddy, on the other hand, who controlled it with his mind, would fall into a deep sleep every now and then from exhaustion.

When Roddy emerged from the small cave covered in mud and saw the starry sky, he couldn't help but shed tears.

This is what it feels like to be reborn, to be brought back to life.

Although Nicholas, the Skull Number 1, only had one arm left, Roddy did not abandon it. He threw away many materials and catalysts for magical reagents, burned two sets of alchemist's clothes, and put his hardworking Dark Slave into the magic ring.

"Mom, Mom, open the door!" Roddy returned home covered in mud and was shocked to find the animal trap at the door destroyed and smelling blood.

"My darling Roddy, where have you been these past few days? You scared your mother to death!" A joyful sob came from inside. Before Roddy could react, the wooden door opened, and Roddy's mother rushed out, hugging him tightly, hot tears streaming down his face. Roddy wanted to cry out loud, but he didn't. He just patted his mother's cheek casually, smiled slightly at her, and said, "I accidentally fell into a mud puddle, and I just climbed out."

"My darling, if something happens to you, then your mother won't be able to live either…" Roddy's mother kissed him desperately, ignoring the mud all over his face.

Two days later, Roddy's mother finally believed that her son had returned alive.

She would often get up in the middle of the night to secretly check on Roddy, making sure he was alright before going back to sleep. For two days, she wouldn't allow Roddy to leave the house. Besides worrying about his safety, she also sensed that something was amiss around them.

Someone had come to spy at the door, but escaped after injuring their foot in a trap. Although she didn't know who it was, she was sure it wasn't a good person.

Roddy's mother guessed that it might be related to her beloved son falling into the trap, but she didn't dare tell Roddy, for fear that he would know her worries.

Roddy, who had narrowly escaped death and emerged from the stone chamber, was also mentally exhausted and slept for a day.

He had a strange dream in which he became a powerful necromancer, commanding an army of thousands of skeletons that surrounded those who had bullied him before: the Pope, Lady Mary and her two brothers, the blacksmith Handel, and the couple Markul and Emma. All of them were trembling with fear, kneeling and begging for mercy, while he laughed triumphantly...

It seemed that Roddy also saw his father and wanted to kill him, but then he saw his mother, with tears streaming down her face, pulling at his hand and begging him to have mercy.

Roddy woke up with a start and saw his mother sitting by the bed, holding his hand with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, don't cry. When I grow up, I promise I won't let you be bullied anymore! Mom, don't cry!" Although Roddy knew that necromancers were not tolerated by the world, he was determined to practice necromancy in order to become stronger. Of all magic, necromancy was most connected to the spiritual element, and Roddy felt that it would be the easiest for him to learn. Although his body couldn't meditate or sense dark elements, Roddy had already devised a plan in the stone chamber: to use Nicholas's body to meditate, gradually making it stronger to protect him and cast spells in his place.

"Roddy, Mom knows you're a good boy, but you're still a child. Don't push yourself too hard." Roddy's mother didn't know what her son was thinking, but when she heard him say he wanted to protect her, her heart warmed. She wiped away her tears and happily got up to prepare dinner for her precious son.

From then on, every day, Roddy would hide deep in the forest, take out the Crystal Skull, and summon Nicholas, his eternally loyal servant of darkness. He would use Nicholas's body to sense the dark elements, even if the amount was extremely small and the progress was incredibly slow. But for Roddy, it was all great news. Five days later, Nicholas's body was filled with dark elements, and his broken bones and worn-out arms had greatly improved, not far from full recovery.

If Roddy has time, he will wait until Nicholas grows back his arms and even learns to use his body to perform simple magic before moving away with his mother, because that way their lives will be more secure.

But he didn't have that much time. Marcus was always watching him closely, and the date for Lotte to become a Templar Knight was getting closer and closer.

It's been less than a month now. If Roddy doesn't leave soon, his brother, who would have been willing to sacrifice his own family for the greater good, will probably send him to the stake as a testament to his loyalty to the God of Light.

Before leaving, Roddy had to kill someone: Marcus.

If Marcus, who was in charge of monitoring him, doesn't die, Roddy and his mother will never be able to escape from Coro.

Marcus, seemingly losing patience, sharpened his axe and spent his days in the forest dismantling Roddy's traps. Roddy pretended to go to the general store to buy things and learned that Marcus had bought new ropes and ordered two new wooden frames from the carpenter; it seemed Marcus was preparing to kill him. A feeling of being hunted arose in Roddy's heart, but it also ignited his anger and murderous intent .

He wants to tie himself and his mother to a wooden frame and burn them alive? He's dreaming... He'll be the one who dies!

Roddy bought two daggers and a lot of other necessities at the general store. The female shopkeeper was so pleased that she subtly reminded Roddy to be careful and not to wander around the town, lest the blacksmith and his gang seek revenge.

Although Roddy smiled outwardly, a chill ran through him.

"My third young master, are you finally cured? Is there anything I can do for you?" Marcus saw Roddy leave and followed him from a distance.

"Marcus, I've hunted a pretty big wild boar. If you help me carry it down to the butcher, I can give you two rabbit skins! Or I can give you a live hawk." Roddy seemed to hesitate for a moment, then added, "Put down your axe. You don't need an axe to carry things!"

"Why not? Marcus will obey the young master's orders, but two rabbit skins are a must, and I also want five pounds of wild boar meat!" Marcus actually put down his axe and chased after Roddy with his bare hands, heading deeper into the forest. His actions made Roddy lower his guard slightly, leading the way while keeping an eye on Marcus's movements.

Marcus followed casually, letting the mountain breeze blow, and even unbuttoned his clothes, exposing his hairy chest.

He was indeed unarmed, which reassured Roddy considerably.

There weren't many wild boars. One of them got caught in a small trap, which Roddy then lassoed. It struggled for a long time before Roddy finally killed it by stabbing it in the anus with a short spear from behind. Marcus went forward and dragged the boar away, while Roddy watched from a distance.

"My lord, are you just going to watch Marcus work all by himself? Come and help me, I'm exhausted!" Marcus said angrily, his face flushed red.

"Marcus, I'm still a child, I don't have the strength," Roddy refused outright.

"Come here and untie the rope. I only have two hands. Damn it, this boar is so heavy, heavier than my fat wife!" Marcus cursed as he slowly dragged the boar's carcass. Roddy saw that the rope was indeed in the way and carefully went over to loosen it. Marcus felt the rope loosen and fell to the ground, awkwardly pushing the boar aside and cursing as he got up.

Roddy had just untied the rope and hadn't even had a chance to put it away when Marcus suddenly appeared behind him and tackled him to the ground.

His massive, steel-like hand gripped Roddy's neck tightly as he sneered, "Young Master, I don't care about rabbit skins, because there's a ten-gold-coin bounty for capturing you. Do you know how many rabbit skins and wild boar meats ten gold coins can buy? Ten gold coins can buy a small mountain of rabbit skins and wild boar meat! My dear young master! Do you know how long I've waited for this day? Do you think I need an axe to deal with you? I only need one finger to deal with you, understand? You're just a useless piece of trash!"

Chapter 8: [Two People Killed]

A dull thud echoed from Marcus's crotch.

"Hahahaha..." Marcus's face remained unchanged, he just laughed maniacally, then glared at Roddy, whose face was flushed and who was almost suffocating, and roared, "The bird hunter of Coro, the bird hunting genius, do you think I'm deaf? Do you think I've never heard the rumors about you liking to kick people in the groin? You idiot, do you think I'll get my testicles crushed like the blacksmith Handel? I already made an iron groin protector, do you want to see me curled up on the ground howling in pain? You're dreaming! You're just an idiot, an idiot who doesn't even understand what's going on when he dies! Hahahaha!"

Roddy struggled desperately, but Marcus's large hand gripped his throat like an iron clamp.

Marcus's face was contorted with rage, a flush of excitement emanating from his cheeks. His eyes were filled with a distorted desire to strangle life, and his nostrils flared as he panted heavily. He wasn't in a hurry to kill Roddy, but rather tormented him relentlessly. Just as Roddy was about to suffocate, he would loosen his grip slightly, letting him take a breath, before choking him again. This thrill of controlling another's life made him howl with ecstatic satisfaction.

Soon, Roddy's eyes rolled back, his limbs stretched out, and he fainted.

"Hahaha, my little lamb, you can't die so soon. If you die, where am I going to get ten gold coins? If you die, wouldn't the two wooden frames I ordered be wasted? They were made for you to be burned at the stake..." Marcus let go of Roddy's hand, slapped him twice, checked his breathing, and saw that he was still barely breathing. Seeing that Roddy was not dead for the time being and had not woken up, he was about to find a rope to tie him up.

A dagger pierced Marcus's vest, causing him to shrink in height.

Turning his head, Marcus saw a strange skeleton standing behind him, brandishing a bloodstained dagger. Confused, Marcus felt another dagger strike his side. Turning back again, he saw Roddy standing behind him, his face contorted with murderous intent, also holding a bloodstained dagger.

There was no dagger just now, so where did he get his dagger from?

Marcus was even more confused as to why a skeleton would ambush him, but the stinging pain in his vest and the dull ache in his ribs rendered him speechless. He could only slowly crouch down, collapsing to the ground and convulsing in agony. He felt all his strength drain away at once; he had no idea that being stabbed in the ribs would hurt so much.

He tried to scream, but when he opened his mouth wide, he found that he couldn't make a sound at all.

Before he died, he saw Roddy's eyes, and Marcus suddenly realized that they were the cold eyes of a hunter watching his prey struggle for its last breath.

Only after Marcus was completely dead did Roddy vomit, emptying his stomach completely. It took him a long time to straighten up. He wasn't a killer who treated human life like dirt, nor was he a necromancer who wanted to turn all life into his own. He was just a young man struggling to survive under the wheel of fate.

Roddy had Nicholas, the slave of darkness, drag Marcus's body into the jungle and wait for nightfall.

Marcus is dead, and another person is going to die.

If his wife Emma hadn't died, she would have searched for Marcus if he hadn't returned home in a day, and might have even run into the castle to report him to the guards. He wouldn't have been able to escape far before being arrested, and would have certainly met his end.

Emma deserved to die too. Not only did she humiliate my mother under false pretenses, but she also poisoned me with poisoned bread. This wicked woman had done countless evil deeds behind my back; she deserved no mercy. Although Roddy harbored murderous intent, killing Marcus was easy, but killing another woman like Emma made his hand tremble slightly. Was this the beginning of his downfall? It seemed he would kill more and more people, ultimately implicating his mother and burning them both at the stake.

But now that Marcus has been killed, to spare Emma would be nothing short of foolish and womanly compassion.

Roddy gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down, grasped the crystal skull, and began meditating using Nicholas's body. Once he felt ready, he would then use Nicholas's body to attempt to cast necromancy on Marcus: Dark Slave.

A black orb of light condensed in Nicholas's skeletal hand, transforming into a black skull that shot towards Marcus's body. As it swiftly entered and vanished, Marcus's corpse slowly rose to its upright. On his forehead, a blood-red 'S' symbol also appeared; the necromancy contract was successful, and Marcus had become Roddy's dark slave.

Roddy was both surprised and delighted; this was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to attempt necromancy and succeeded.

Although I felt extremely mentally exhausted, the joy of success was surprisingly satisfying.

Marcus, the fierce servant who had just threatened to kill him, had now become his undead slave, whom he could command and order at will. There was absolutely no betrayal or complaint, only eternal loyalty and obedience. This exhilarating feeling of success made Roddy increasingly fond of necromancy.

"Marcus, you'll be called Zombie Number 2!" Roddy noticed that Marcus's body was extremely stiff. This wasn't rigor mortis, but rather a sluggish response to his mental control. Clearly, controlling a corpse with flesh and blood was far more difficult than controlling just a skeleton. No wonder necromancers preferred summoning skeletons rather than zombies.

Marcus's body was too large, and Roddy's magic ring was too small to hold such a large corpse.

Roddy had no choice but to wait until nightfall before using his mental power to guide Marcus step by step out of the forest and towards his cabin. Roddy didn't want to get too close, fearing that someone might accidentally see him and become suspicious. However, the range of his mental power was only a dozen meters, which made him extremely worried, fearing that he would fail at the last minute.

"Why are you so late? Did you kill that little bastard? Didn't I tell you to catch him? How come you're covered in blood? Is this that bastard's blood? Now we're doomed, all ten gold coins are gone!" Emma saw her husband Marcus return and quickly opened the door to let him in, complaining all the while.

Marcus remained silent and slowly entered the room, his movements stiff.

Emma glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then quickly closed the door and whispered to Marcus, "Go and grab that little bastard's mother, don't let her get away! No, I'll go. I see you staring at her tits and ass all day. If I let you go, why don't you take the opportunity to fuck that bitch? Last time you spied on her while she was bathing and hurt your foot, do you really think I didn't know? Eat something first, and when I bring that bitch back, you take her to get money right away. She's worth five gold coins. Once we have the money, we'll leave immediately... Is that little bastard really dead?"

Just as she was about to open the door and leave, Marcus suddenly hugged her from behind.

"You son of a bitch, you get all horny when you talk about that bitch. You never even glance at me when I spread my legs. You bastard, now you want it? I'm not giving it to you!" Emma was furious and tried to brush Marcus's big hand away, but suddenly she felt him gripping her neck tightly. The immense force suffocated her, and the shadow of death instantly filled her heart.

She struggled desperately, but the clamps around her neck tightened more and more. In the end, she urinated uncontrollably, her eyes rolled back, her tongue lolled out, and she died in agonizing suffocation.

It's unclear how much time passed before Marcus finally threw her to the ground.

Then, clumsily opening the door, Roddy rushed in, suppressing his gasps and nausea. His hands trembled uncontrollably as he saw Emma's gruesome death, his stomach churning and he vomited bile repeatedly. Releasing Nicholas and holding the crystal skull, Roddy tried his best not to look at Emma's horrific death. He suppressed his fear and continuously gathered dark magic, preparing to cast the Dark Slave.

After numerous failures, Roddy, enduring a headache from mental exhaustion, finally succeeded in turning Emma into a slave to darkness as well.

His mental energy was severely depleted and he could no longer control himself. He had no choice but to forcefully shove Emma's long tongue back in with a stick, then forcefully close her unseeing eyes, put away Nicholas, closed the wooden door, and ran all the way back to his cabin.

"What's wrong? My darling, is someone pursuing you?" Roddy's mother was startled by Roddy's pale face.

"No, no... No, I'm fine! Mom, Mom..." Roddy trembled as he recalled Emma's unseeing eyes and long tongue. He hugged his mother tightly, hoping to find some comfort from her. To save his own life, he had killed two people. Although both were dead, the disgust and horror he felt after killing were something he had never experienced before.

"Don't be afraid, my baby, Mommy's here, don't be afraid!" Roddy's mother didn't understand what was going on, but seeing Roddy so frightened, she felt very sorry for him. She hugged him tightly and kept kissing his forehead, hoping to soothe his pain.

Chapter 9: [Deception]

The next day, Roddy woke up from a nightmare to find his mother sitting by the bed, fast asleep, tears still on her cheeks. He couldn't help but curse himself for lacking the courage of a man. What did killing two people matter? Besides, Marcus and Emma were not good people at all. People like them, a hundred dead wouldn't be worth as much as an ant.

He carefully covered his mother with the blanket, then quietly got out of bed and went out.

Upon arriving at Marcus's house, once Roddy's mental energy returned, Marcus and Emma stood up and followed behind him. Seeing their gruesome deaths, Roddy quickly ordered them to sit still. He searched the house and discovered that the poisoned black bread was made by Emma, containing a black powder. A little mixed with water had a slightly corrosive effect, which enraged Roddy.

Killing Marcus and Emma was a wise move, and now Roddy feels much less guilty.

"Hey, Marcus, Emma, are you two home?" Suddenly, Roddy heard someone calling softly from outside the door.

"Ahem! Shh!" Roddy couldn't let Marcus and Emma answer, and he was also afraid that the people outside the door would become suspicious, so he coughed and gestured for them to be quiet. He recognized the voice as that of Lady Mary's personal maid, Grace. His previous suspicions were correct; the mastermind behind it all was indeed the 'kind and good' Lady Mary.

"Distinguished guests will be arriving in the next couple of days, and they have some connection to that little bastard. You'd better wait a few days before making your move! Keep a close eye on that little bastard and that harlot. If you can successfully hand them over a week before the Second Young Master's promotion, you'll get an extra five gold coins. Be careful! Also, Emma, don't use too much medicine. Don't poison the little bastard and the harlot too quickly, or it might backfire!" The maid at the door gave a few arrogant instructions and then fell silent, probably having gone far away.

Roddy wanted to jump out and strangle the maid, but reason told him that he shouldn't do anything now; escaping with his mother was the priority.

Marcus and Emma couldn't stay behind, because the corpse would be discovered quickly, and a magician or a priest from the temple might come, immediately exposing his identity as a necromancer. Besides, having Marcus and Emma with him would provide some protection should they encounter wolves or other wild beasts on the road.

Now, the biggest problem is how to fool the world.

If the body is not dealt with, it will start to rot and stink within a few days. At that point, it will be impossible to fool not only the mother, but also passersby.

"Boss Spike, how much is a bottle of 'Preservation Potion'?" Roddy thought of something that might be able to prevent spoilage: the 'Preservation Potion' developed three hundred years ago by the 'Commoner's Sage Christian' so that ordinary people could also eat fresh meat year-round. This preservation potion not only used inexpensive ingredients but also had a simple refining process, and could be successfully developed by intermediate-level or higher mages. It was hundreds of times cheaper than other potions of the same level, making it very suitable for ordinary people.

"Thank you for the wild boar meat, young man. Two silver coins a bottle, how many do you want? What? You want three bottles? Hehe, looks like you've hunted quite a lot of prey! Thank you, is there anything else you'd like?" Spike was a chubby intermediate mage who had lost his left leg on the battlefield. After retiring, he specialized in manufacturing and selling various potions. Apart from his love of alcohol, he had no other vices. He was one of the very few people in town who would sympathize with Roddy.

"Another bottle of 'Heal Weakness' and 'Restore Life', please! I feel like I'm sick! Cough cough!" Roddy coughed a few times, pretending to be in pain.

"Young man, you need to take care of your health, especially since you're not nearly as strong as other children your age. Two bottles of potion cost one gold coin and five silver coins, and it's expensive and doesn't taste good... I'll take two gold coins and give you nine silver coins back. Young man, although this is the countryside, my silver coins are purer and heavier, so one gold coin can only be exchanged for twenty silver coins. Or, how about I give you a small potion with added holy water? It will slightly restore your strength." Spike smiled broadly when he saw Roddy accept his suggestion, quickly wrapped the potion for him, and then saw Roddy out.

Roddy took the potion, went out, went into the darkness, and came out empty-handed.

He hunched over and walked slowly in the shadows.

The blacksmith, Handel, and several others waited at a distance, drinking and staring at Roddy with bloodshot eyes, like wolves. They had seen Roddy come down the mountain into town and deliberately waited for him at the town entrance.

Just as they were about to surround him, a person walked out from not far behind Roddy.

That was Marcus, the one responsible for monitoring Roddy. Wearing a cloak, he awkwardly waved to the blacksmith Handel, signaling them to disperse. Then, in front of everyone, he took out a money pouch, quietly tossed it into a corner, and slowly followed Roddy, one in front of the other, into the darkness. The blacksmith Handel didn't quite understand what Marcus meant, but they had also caught wind of something, so they made way for Roddy, muttering a few curses under their breath.

A man picked up the money bag and found nearly ten silver coins and one gold coin, enough for everyone to drink and feast for several days, so he cheered.

"Looks like Marcus's up to something big. We'll squeeze him dry later, and once he gets his bounty, we'll make him treat us!" Blacksmith Handel, seeing Marcus slowly following behind Roddy, said with a hint of smugness in his drunken eyes, "What do you all think? With a big shot like Marcus treating us to drinks, why should we be polite?"

"We'll beat that little bastard up sooner or later, but no rush! Let's have some fun first!" Afraid of falling behind, everyone crowded around the blacksmith and hurried towards the tavern.

While beating Roddy was satisfying, it almost certainly put someone in danger of having their testicles crushed; Coro's reputation as a bird-hunting genius wasn't for nothing. In the past few years, no one here had escaped the fate of a bird wound and broken testicles. The blacksmith Handel had specially made iron groin protectors, but not everyone had them, and nobody wanted to be the one lying on the ground howling in pain. Letting him go for now and flirting with the tavern girls would obviously be much safer.

If you have a few coins in hand, what are you waiting for? The hottest busty woman in the tavern is so gentle she could melt your heart.

Everyone scattered, and no one saw Roddy, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Hey, who do I see? The third young master of the Rhine family!" Just as Roddy was about to turn the corner, the sound of hooves thundered behind him, and several riders galloped up from another road. Roddy looked up and quickly tried to retreat into the darkness, but it was too late. One of the sharp-eyed warriors spotted Roddy and immediately began to mock him.

"Don't go! We haven't paid our respects to the Third Young Master yet!" The others burst into laughter.

"What happened?" A powerful shout rang out from afar, followed by a troop of riders galloping in. The leader, clad in gleaming silver armor, had a crimson cloak billowing in the wind, contrasting sharply with his white horse, making him appear even more imposing. Behind him followed a dozen or so well-trained guards in gleaming armor and brightly colored banners, their movements perfectly synchronized.

When Roddy saw that it was his second brother, Lotte, who had returned, his heart tightened.

When Lott saw Roddy, his eyes flashed, then turned cold, but his voice remained unchanged, still displaying the unique arrogance and politeness of a nobleman, as he said, "It's you? My brother, it's been a long time. It's a pleasure to see you here!"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Roddy tried to speak, but suddenly started coughing loudly.

His face was contorted in pain, his body contorted like a shrimp, and he finally collapsed to the ground. The fingers covering his mouth showed faint red marks.

Lotte watched coldly, as if observing a stranger struggling in his death throes, ignoring Roddy's reaction. The numerous guards, too, wore impassive smiles, their faces unchanged, but their eyes filled with schadenfreude.