Chapter 203: The war

Chapter 203: The war


"You really don’t know what caused the war between Eboncrypt and Umbracrypt kingdom? Where have you been living all your life if you don’t even know that much?"


Vacuse grimaced and resisted pointing out that she was nothing but an illusion memory of the Great Dungeon. But illusion or not, it was a fact that he could die and be hurt while in it.


In fact, it did not seem like an illusion at all.


It was night and the slaves had returned to their abode. It was a large pit where they were allowed to stay. And there must have been thousands of them, all trying to get close to each other to save warmth.


Cold killed faster than supervisors or illnesses. And nobody really cared if they died.


The slave that Vacuse was talking to was surprisingly healthier than usual. Although she was still thin, her bones were not as obvious as the others. "I can’t believe you survived inside that pod with a head like this!"


Vacuse was wondering if he should or should not kill her when he had the chance. It was surprisingly not an easy decision to make since the other slave had taken a liking to him because of his red eyes when Vacuse was dragged into the dead river area.


She had made it easier for him to adjust.


So Vacuse smiled ruefully at her and shrugged. He did not even know her name. Right, slaves did not really know each other’s names. They recognized each other by face. It was better that way, as you might be washing their faces next in the dead river.


She grunted. "Alright. Listen! It seems you must have lost your memories or at the very least they must have been tampered with inside that dream pod.


"Eboncrypt and Umbracrypt are in the same continent of Cold Barren, and no, it is not because of the climate. This continent is not prone to coldness. The name was given because the name of the first Overlord of this continent was Cold Barren!"


She leaned closer to Vacuse, bringing her stink just a bit nearer to him. Not that Vacuse himself was not a walking stink. "Well, he was the one that single-handedly cleared half of this continent away from the grip of Dark Wilderness."


Vacuse’s eyes widened. "Dark Wilderness?"


"Oh? You know that? Yes, the mysterious forest of monsters and dungeons. I have never seen one before but I have heard lots of stories. Anyway! Cold Barren was searching for something here... guess?"


Vacuse blinked, then shook his head.


She huffed. "He was looking for the legacy of a god of death! Mind you, he was already a necromancer, but when he finally found the legacy, his power grew so strong every necromancer in the world came to bow before him and recognized him as the Lord of the Dead!"


"And that was how Cold Barren turned into a continent known for necromancers. All the powerful Lords here are necromancers! And if you want to live a wonderful life then you better... oh... we are slaves."


She sighed as her gaze turned somber and downcast. "You know, long ago, just a few years ago even, this place was not like this. Cold Barren was a continent of necromancers, yes, but it was also a place where the dead were respected. To be used as a necromancer’s summon after death was considered the greatest of all honors.


"But things have changed now with the war."


Vacuse had gotten interested in the war, so much so that he leaned forward unconsciously. "War?"


After all, it might be the solution to solving the Great Dungeon.


"Yes. Not too long ago... Cold Barren perished."


Vacuse stared at her in shock.


He did not know how strong this Cold Barren was or what he had been capable of. But Vacuse knew about power, and any power capable of ruling an entire continent was not something to look down on. It must have been something extremely strong.


"How? Did someone kill him?" Vacuse asked out loud.


She shook her head. "That is the thing. Nobody knew what happened or how it happened. He just... perished."


"Ah," Vacuse said.


He knew what happened next then. When a giant falls, it leaves a large vacuum that others will want to fill, one way or another.


"When Cold Barren fell, the two strongest necromancers after him accused each other of causing it. And thus, the war began.


"Every necromancer on the continent, weak or strong, was then forced to take a stand. Would it be Pale or Shroud? Now everyone is fighting to put an Overlord on the Cold Barren throne."


Vacuse stared at her and smiled bitterly.


It seemed he now understood his and others’ role in this Great Dungeon.


They must end the war, one way or the other. They must.


"...Thank you, Great Dungeon. I should try and interfere in the battle between powerful necromancers strong enough to rule a continent after you sent me to be a slave...?"


He remembered when Iron Knight told him that the Great Dungeon was semi-aware. Was this some kind of joke on its part?


Vacuse shook his head as he asked, "What about Eboncrypt and Umbracrypt?"


"Oh! Umbracrypt and Eboncrypt are two academies that were created by Cold Barren himself with the aim of training Magus, and over the years, the academies turned into kingdoms. In fact, their kingdoms are so close together that you cannot tell which is which, but the armies of the two are fighting each other."


Vacuse stared at her in shock, and he slowly looked around him. "I... I am in an academy?"


The slave girl gave him a funny look. "Of course. Eboncrypt prided itself on nurturing bright Magus, especially necromancers. Do you not see the pods? They created them!


"It took years of careful research and resources into beastology and monstrology to create them! Their source materials will not fade over time like Artifacts, they just need to keep feeding them dreams!"


Vacuse stared at her blankly.


When she saw his expression, she laughed. "Of course you do not understand what I am saying. Say what, if you give me half of your food I will tell you a secret..."