The vast hall lay shrouded in gloom, ghostly flames flickering in the darkness.
Gold and silver treasures, priceless jewelry, and glittering diamonds were scattered across every corner, their surfaces catching and reflecting faint glimmers of light.
The third mural.
A skeleton draped in a black robe stood within it, gripping a bone staff. Its hollow eye sockets slowly lit up with an eerie crimson glow.
It stood in a pitch-black forest, leaves shriveled and fallen, a bitter wind lifting the edge of its robe to reveal stark white bones beneath.
"Looks like the last one couldn't sit still either," Lucian said calmly, his expression indifferent.
"Oh man... my watch is still charging..." Ben muttered helplessly, staring at the Omnitrix stuck on a red screen.
"He's coming out! Everyone, back up!" Grandpa Max shouted suddenly.
They immediately retreated, putting distance between themselves and the mural.
Inside the painting, the skeletal figure slowly raised its staff and pointed outward.
Boom!
A black hexagram formation burst into existence across the mural, spinning nonstop and radiating a suffocating aura of dark magic.
"Kehehe…"
The skeleton opened its mouth, letting out a strange, grating sound, like a low, mocking laugh.
"Trying to scare us." Lucian pressed the Omnitrix, switching heroes.
The skeletal figure stretched out its pale claws. Wrapped in its black magic robe, it stepped out of the formation like a reaper from the underworld, a chilling aura clinging to it.
"Who dares disturb my slumber?"
A mass of dark energy gathered at the skeleton's throat, vibrating as though it were speaking in place of vocal cords.
"Uh... we were just passing through." Grandpa Max forced a laugh, though even he didn't believe that excuse.
Gwen took a steadying breath and stepped forward, meeting the skeleton's gaze.
"You're not a Beast God. There's no skeletal god in Mayan mythology. Who are you?"
"Me?" The skeleton let out a cold chuckle. "My name... Necromancer!"
It glanced at the other two murals.
"Seems you've already wiped out their remnant souls."
"That's right. If you don't want your soul wiped out by our Cuz too, you'd better get lost," Ben shot back, puffing himself up as he tried to sound intimidating.
Necromancer laughed, his body slowly lifting into the air as his black robes billowed around him.
"But... I am no remnant soul."
"What?!" Everyone froze in shock.
"Five thousand years ago, my starship crash-landed on Earth. The hull was badly damaged, and I couldn't return to Death Spirit Star." The red glow in Necromancer's eyes burned brighter. "Later, that stinking monkey found me—along with that flying serpent. They called me a wicked heretic and attacked without hesitation."
"At the time, both of them were at their peak. I was no match for them. After a fierce battle, they sealed me in this place."
"They left behind two remnant souls. Not only to guard this hall, but to maintain the seal on me. Now that the stinking monkey and the Feathered Serpent's remnant souls have both been destroyed by you, the seal has broken on its own."
"I… am free."
His gaze gradually turned wild and bloodthirsty.
"But your mural looks brand new," Gwen said, frowning in confusion. "The colors are much brighter than the other two Beast Gods. It looks like it was added later."
"Of course. My true body is inside that mural, constantly nourished by my magic. Even after ten thousand years, it would still look the same." Necromancer let out a cold laugh.
"So you're planning to stop us?" Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Heh heh heh…" Necromancer's blood-red eyes gleamed with greed. "I've just broken free from my seal. I need a great deal of blood essence to recover. You humans becoming my nourishment is your honor."
"Hey, can't we just talk this out? Why jump straight to eating people?" Ben's face turned pale.
Necromancer hovered in the air, crimson runes lighting up across his bone staff.
"Then there's nothing left to say."
Lucian slammed the Omnitrix. A surge of emerald light burst outward.
"Chromastone!"
A humanoid figure of purple crystal, studded with pink spikes, materialized in front of them.
[Alien Hacker Mission Triggered]
[Eliminate Necromancer]
[Successfully completing this mission grants a random enhancement effect]
"You guys get to the side. I'll deal with this dead freak," Chromastone said with a wave of his hand.
The others hurried behind a stone table for cover.
A flicker of surprise crossed Necromancer's eyes. "I didn't expect you to appear here."
"What, you know me?" Chromastone asked with a grin.
"Know you… yet not quite." Necromancer shook his head slightly.
"Talking in riddles? You're asking for it."
Chromastone bent his knees and shot forward like a cannonball.
Necromancer lifted his bone staff, and a black hexagram array appeared beneath him.
"Wood!"
Dozens of green energy chains burst from the formation, instantly wrapping around Chromastone and locking him in midair.
"Fire!"
As the word fell, a ferocious fire dragon roared out of the hexagram, baring its fangs as it lunged at Chromastone.
Boom!
Blazing flames mixed with swirling green energy, engulfing Chromastone completely.
"Cuz!" Ben shouted.
"Hahahaha! Too weak! You're no match for me!" Necromancer laughed wildly.
Grandpa Max clenched his fists, sweat seeping from his palms. "Lucian… you'll be fine…"
Even as he said it, tension filled his face. After all, Lucian was up against a monster that had lived for thousands of years.
"I'm going to kill that bastard!"
Gwen gritted her teeth and rushed forward.
Water Magic gathered in her palm as she called out, "Water Dragon Soul!"
"Oh?" Necromancer paused, clearly intrigued. "A human who can use magic…"
"No… there's Anodite blood in you as well." His eyes lit up, greed intensifying. "If I devour you, how much will my power grow?"
With a casual flick of his staff, he shattered the Water Dragon Soul effortlessly.
Hovering in midair, Necromancer's blood-red eyes burned with hunger and madness.
"Hahaha! Today, I will definitely eat you!"
Gwen's face turned pale as she stumbled back.
But Necromancer was faster. His skeletal claws shot forward, about to seize her—
Whoosh!
A streak of seven-colored light slashed in from the side, striking Necromancer squarely and forcing him back.
Chromastone emerged slowly from the storm of energy, his entire body glowing with dazzling brilliance.
"The taste of elemental energy… not bad at all," Chromastone said with a grin.
"Cuz… you're okay! Thank goodness!" Gwen exclaimed in relief.
"You… you actually took 'Wood' and 'Fire' head-on without a scratch?" Disbelief filled Necromancer's crimson eyes.
Chromastone let out a cold snort, his green eyes flashing with killing intent.
"Who did you just say you were going to eat?"
"That woman. What are you going to do about it?" Necromancer shot back stubbornly.
"Good. Then you can die."
A streak of violet light burst from Chromastone's horn…