Necromancer Survival

Chapter 409

Cr-r-r-r-unch–!

The essence of the [Vengeful Ghost Memory] broke in my hand; the pieces penetrated into my palm sharply. The pain was less than I imagined it to be. However, as the pieces dug into my body, I felt severe dizziness as I began summoning.

[Lack of mana for memory playback.]

[Do you want to substitute the remaining needed mana with your vitality?]

"……" The mana consumption was rather severe because Dawon-ie wasn't assisting me in summoning. I nodded without considering it much further.

[If this ‘Memory Playback' fails, you may suffer permanent damage. Do you still want to continue?]

As if I were signing the terms and conditions to a loan, the system asked me once more for my confirmation.

I looked down at both my hands for a moment. Hot blood bubbled up on the palms of my already numb hands.

I bit my tongue to retain consciousness, even as my drooping eyelids became heavier and I yawned. Passing out in this state would only lead to a repetition of past events.

"Nnngh…." My eyes opened as sharp pain wracked my body and a metallic taste filled my mouth. Despite my condition, I tried to speak as clearly as I could.

"In return, do not allow Servant ‘Seo Dawon' to intervene."

[Refusing your Servant, ‘Seo Dawon's' intervention is impossible at your current level.]

As expected, the [System Message] sneered dryly at me. It subtly snarked at me–calling me a stupid user that was holding a weapon that I could not handle.

However, that mockery only strengthened my resolve. If the [System Message] possessed the concept of ‘self' or ‘ego,' then it meant that it also possessed ‘judgment.'

I glared at the gray [System Message] window and said, "Then I will annul the Vengeful Ghost Contract with my Servant ‘Seo Dawon.' Since ‘Seo Dawon' is the cause of this annulment, a penalty should be imposed on him."

[…You'll annul the contract?]

The [System Message] repeated my sentence, proving that it had an independent sense of ‘self.' Even I could clearly tell that it was flustered.

I stared at the [System Message] and continued, quietly, "The first clause in my Vengeful Ghost Contract was that I should cooperate and do my best to avenge ‘Seo Dawon.' In other words, the purpose of our contract was established for ‘Seo Dawon's' revenge, and he, too, is obligated to adhere to this purpose."

[……]

As soon as I finished speaking, the System's gray screen began to become increasingly filled with noise.

I kept looking at it as I continued, "However, servant ‘Seo Dawon' is locking me up through his own will and power now. He’s interfering with me, keeping me from fulfilling my duty even though I'm needed in his quest for revenge."

[……]

"This is a serious breach of contract. Even though Servant ‘Seo Dawon' cannot complete his revenge without my cooperation…" I teared up a bit in this next segment, but I didn't cry, "…He's giving up on his revenge so that I don't suffer pain."

[……]

"Servant, ‘Seo Dawon,' has the obligation to prioritize his revenge above all else. Even if my life is sacrificed… He cannot refuse."

[……]

"In other words, the servant ‘Seo Dawon' will intervene with the intent to save me, and if that happens, the contract might not be fulfilled. If I fail, his actions will violate the first and foremost clause of the contract, and the penalty should fall on him–the servant ‘Seo Dawon.' Is my interpretation wrong?"

The [System Message] fell silent for over five minutes. Meanwhile, the noise on the screen became even more severe. The window, which had been gray, gradually turned black.

[Threatening ‘me' with a ‘breach of contract,' are we? It seems you've grown, User ‘Choi Lee-kyung.'] 1

As if waiting for this moment, the [System Message] began displaying text with a distinctive tone–as if it had a ‘personality.'

"…Still you…the being behind this system… You want Seo Dawon to resurrect. You know that if he continues to try and cover for me, he will not be able to achieve his revenge." I said, without being intimidated by the change in tone.

[System Message] fell silent for a moment; however, that silence was all the answer I needed.

[Very well, User ‘Choi Lee-kyung.' We will reject… Servant ‘Seo Dawon's' intervention this time.]

In the end, with crooked, printed letters, the [System Message] ruled in my favor.

Simultaneously, black steam-like air rose from beneath my feet, rapping around my body. The airflow was rather black, cold, and ominous, but its touch on my skin was soft.

"……"

As expected, I was right. Though the [System Message] was a bit of a detestable being, it wanted the Red Lotus's revival. I sighed when I realized I had barely snatched victory from this almost doomed match.

"Haah…"

[However, this ‘Vengeful Ghost Memory' will not be easy to conquer without support from Servant, ‘Seo Dawon.']

However, the [System Message] seemed to be solely focused on Seo Dawon's revival, treating me with a cold indifference. As I stared blankly at the text, I posed a question.

"What… Are you?" It's something I had always wanted to ask.

If the [System Message] wasn't some objective device created by the Hub and was instead a being with its own ego… I wondered why it was so obsessed with Dawon's death…enough to raise its hand to help in his revival.

And, contrary to my expectations, the [System Message] answered me quite obediently.

[‘We' are the lost stars.]

"The lost stars?"

[We who had names once upon a time, but those names had disappeared or scattered; we who were worshiped, but had our temples destroyed.]

"……"

[The old gods who lost their names; the kings of kingdoms that sank under the sea… Priests of abandoned altars that have become overgrown with greenery…]

"……"

[We who are ridiculed as losers by fate; those that have no living records left behind. That's who we are.]

I couldn't exactly comprehend what it was saying, but, as soon as it said ‘we,' the name, ‘Red Lotus' began to circle around my brain.

"…Then your goal… What on earth is it?"

The [System Message] responded immediately, as if it had been waiting for me to ask that question.

[‘We' only have one purpose.]

[And that is to bring about the downfall of the tragedy collectors.]

"Tragedy Collectors…?" My mouth stumbled around that unfamiliar term.

[Do you want to listen? User, ‘Choi Lee-kyung'?]

Here, the [System Message] asked for my opinion. The words that filled the chat window were in a different font from before.

[In the final chapter of the scenario, you can collect information about a world plunged in anguish.]

[After viewing some information about the ‘World plunged in anguish,' you cannot disclose key information ‘************' about this scenario.]

[If key information ‘**********' is revealed, User, ‘Choi Lee-kyung's' memories may be sealed.]

[Even the word, ‘***********' will remain unpronounceable.]

I nodded after reading the warning message. Then the [System Message] began its explanation without asking twice.

[The ‘Tragedy Collectors' were entities that imposed trials on the outstanding souls and heroes of all worlds. Initially, their purpose was to conduct trials of fate to create ‘Transcendents.']

"Transcendents?"

[The closest concept in your lexicon would be ‘Demigod (半神)'.]

I was bewildered by its words. It was so out of the blue–Entities that could create demigods? However, the [System Message] continued unfazed.

[However, at some point, they stopped imposing trials to create ‘demigods' and began creating ‘dungeons' merely to savor the suffering caused by the degeneration of the hero's soul.]

"The Tragedy Collectors… created the Dungeons?"

[Every scenario dungeon is a fallen hero's grave. Or rather, a cursed space that insults and mocks the heroes' corpses.]

"…Insult?"

[To help you understand, imagine Servant ‘Seo Dawon' failing to resurrect and becoming a mere undead boss monster in a dungeon.]

"……"

[For your reference, the ‘Tower of Command,' which was conquered by the User ‘Bae Jaemin,' is the tomb of the dark wizard ‘Adaar,' a demon king from a lost world. ‘Adaar' lost his wife, went insane, turned his kingdom–the very one he himself built–into a desert, and became an ‘Archlich.' He's a failure who couldn't overcome his trials.]

"……"

[Tragedy collectors collect tragedies in ‘that way.']

"……"

[However, if ‘Adaar' had overcome his trials, he would have become the god of his world and lived happily ever after with his wife as the ‘Wise King Adaar.']

—-

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TL: HOLY META. Where are we going?

Also, does this mean that there are multiple entities that are ‘systems?' Since there's obviously a system trying to entice Dawon into becoming a demon king. Also, you go Choi Lee-kyung~ Become a contract lawyer~

1. The exact phrase the system used (literally translated, your head has grown thicker) is usually used to tell children that they've matured or grown up. It's meant to be condescending in this context.