046 The Level-Five Tower of White Bones

“What can I do? I can do plenty. Unfortunately, you’ll never live to see it!”

In the Land of the Dead, within Kalen’s territory.

As Kalen’s cold voice rang out, a shadow suddenly appeared beside Airo. The dagger in its hand traced a chilly arc through the air.

In truth, the shadow was only an ordinary fifth-rank being. Though its speed was astonishing and its explosive power formidable, such an attack would have had little chance of succeeding against Airo, an exceptional fifth-rank powerhouse who stood infinitely close to the sixth rank.

Airo had already reacted before the shadow appeared.

A cold, mocking smile even curled across his lips, ridiculing Kalen’s overconfidence. With the Cross One-Handed Sword in his grasp, he could slay even a sixth-rank powerhouse, let alone an undead creature whom he naturally countered.

Yet just as he was preparing to strike the shadow with a backhanded slash, he discovered that he could no longer move at all.

In fact, even before the shadow appeared, the White Bone Tower in Kalen’s territory had already activated.

After Kalen’s territory had been upgraded, a fourth-level White Bone Tower was already capable of unleashing spells of the exceptional sixth rank. Following the latest upgrade, Kalen had used one of the rewards to enhance the White Bone Tower once more.

The White Bone Tower now possessed enough power to contend with, and even crush, seventh-rank opponents.

Airo’s strength, which approached the sixth rank, was utterly insignificant before Kalen. He was restrained with ease, and the hand holding the Cross One-Handed Sword was severed in an instant.

Still, Airo was undeniably tough. Although his arm had been cut off without warning, he clenched his teeth and did not utter a single cry.

Old Jack, on the other hand, was badly startled by the sudden turn of events. After finally recovering his senses, he saw Kalen striding toward Airo as though he intended to kill him, and immediately panicked.

“Kalen, don’t! Don’t act rashly. You can’t kill him! He’s Crane’s trusted subordinate and a senior officer of the kingdom’s military. If you kill him, the consequences will be unimaginable!”

“Oh.” The flames in Kalen’s eyes flickered as he glanced sideways at Airo. “I had no idea you were so important.”

Airo’s head was made of iron. Even now, he showed no fear whatsoever.

“What? Are you afraid? If you have the courage, then kill me! The Marshal will flatten this filthy place and avenge me!”

“When you put it that way, I’m actually a little afraid.” Kalen’s eyes gleamed as he looked at the Cross One-Handed Sword lying on the ground. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ve decided not to kill you after all.”

“Heh. I wondered what this filthy undead creature of yours could accomplish, but it turns out you’re nothing special. You’re afraid of the Marshal and terrified of the Empire’s retaliation.

“Of course. If you weren’t afraid, you wouldn’t have lowered your head in the first place!”

“That’s wonderful, Kalen. If you let him go, there may still be room to resolve this matter!”

Airo, trapped by the White Bone Tower’s seventh-rank Shadow Bind, remained completely unafraid even after losing an arm and being stripped of his greatest reliance, the Cross One-Handed Sword. He continued to provoke Kalen.

On the other side, Old Jack was frantic, even deluding himself that he could somehow smooth things over.

Kalen merely sneered and turned his head, fixing his gaze on the Cross One-Handed Sword lying on the ground. The Eye of Insight activated in his eyes, revealing every detail of the weapon’s properties.

…

Cross One-Handed Sword

Item Category: Light Legacy Weapon, Damaged

Rank: Exceptional

Description: A special Light Legacy weapon. Only those who harbor an extreme hatred of darkness and possess an exceptionally devout faith in the light can wield it.

Skill: Dark Purification, Level One
When unleashed at full power, it can purify dark forces below the first rank within a radius of one hundred meters.

Unknown

…

“A special Light Legacy weapon, an extreme hatred of darkness, and an exceptionally devout faith in the light?

“So you’re someone who despises darkness and undead creatures to this extent. In that case, I’ve suddenly thought of a way to deal with you. How would you like it if I turned you into an undead creature?

“For someone who hates darkness so much, watching himself slowly transform into an undead creature… That sounds like an excellent idea!

“My Undead Mark was just upgraded not long ago. I suppose I should give you a proper welcome today.”

As Kalen spoke, his skeletal hand reached out once more. At the same time, an Undead Mark appeared in his palm.

Hearing Kalen’s words and seeing the Undead Mark suddenly materialize in his hand, Airo finally panicked. Until now, he had remained composed even after losing an arm, being restrained, and having his weapon taken away.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Don’t come any closer!”

“Get away from me, you filthy undead creature!”

As Kalen approached him step by step, Airo stared at the Undead Mark in his hand and completely lost his composure. He began struggling wildly.

The battle aura within him, nearly at the sixth rank, erupted as he desperately attempted to break free of the White Bone Tower’s restraints. But the gulf between the fifth and seventh ranks was bottomless. How could he possibly escape?

The more violently he struggled, the more severe his injuries became.

“Soul Lash!”

His resistance displeased Kalen. With those four words spoken softly, the White Bone Tower erupted once more, sending an invisible whip carefully snapping across Airo’s soul.

Kalen was afraid something might go wrong. The White Bone Tower was simply too powerful, and he feared that one careless strike might kill Airo, ruining all the fun.

Fortunately, Kalen’s control was excellent. The blow stripped Airo of his ability to resist without killing him outright.

Seizing the opportunity, Kalen drove the Undead Mark, which had just reached the second rank, directly into Airo’s soul and detonated it.

This detonation was different from the previous one. The last time, that madman had not been within Kalen’s territory and had been a considerable distance away. Although his strength was slightly inferior to Airo’s, his soul had not been damaged as severely. More importantly, he possessed a special power of despair.

That madman had therefore managed to cling to life until now.

Airo was different. The instant Kalen detonated the mark, five thousand units of territory energy were consumed, and Airo’s transformation into an undead creature began. In the span of only a few minutes, an unimaginable quantity of death energy surged into his body, initiating the process of undeadification.

Airo had not yet completely become an undead creature. His will still remained, but his body was already entirely beyond his control.

“Excellent. This is excellent. I’m very satisfied with the result!”

Kalen smiled with satisfaction. He picked up Airo’s severed arm, along with the Cross One-Handed Sword, and pressed them back against his body. Then he spoke to Airo, who could neither control his own body nor utter a single word:

“You’ve now become the very thing you hate most. How does it feel?

“Don’t rush to answer me. This isn’t over yet. Next, I’ll have you return to the Bourbon Kingdom at the head of a mighty undead army. You’ll go back in a form even more revolting than this one, using the sword that once defended the kingdom to attack and slaughter the kingdom you swore to protect.

“When your hands are drenched in the blood of your own countrymen, if your consciousness still remains, and if you haven’t gone mad, be sure to tell me how you feel!”

With that, Kalen let out a laugh colder than winter itself.

Old Jack, who had watched everything unfold from beginning to end, felt a chill run through his entire body.

Only then did he realize how cruel and utterly deranged Kalen was.

For the first time, he felt that allowing Kalen to grow unchecked had perhaps been a terrible mistake.

At that moment, Kalen turned his head and looked toward him, the flames in his eyes wavering faintly.

“What? Do you think I’m cruel?”

Old Jack nodded instinctively, then his expression changed as he seemed to remember that the Kalen before him was no longer the Kalen he had once known.

Fortunately, Kalen did not seem to care.

“You forced me into this. I don’t want to die a second time, so I had no choice but to become cruel!”

…

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