...
Despite being dirt poor in life, the bone mage had still left Lynch a sizable inheritance.
This included the mage itself, as well as a small leather pouch.
The pouch didn't contain much—just three items.
A research journal on Undead Magic, bound in beast hide and filled with scrawled handwriting.
Clearly, these were the bone mage's study notes from its life. They had some use, but couldn't be fully trusted. At best, he could use them as a reference to improve his own theoretical understanding of Undead Magic.
Next was an ancient, incomplete map made of a peculiar material. It was marked with dark pigments, showing many unidentifiable details and ancient script that gave it an air of mystery.
It was undoubtedly a treasure map, but Lynch had no time to study it now. He would look at it later.
Finally, there was a note with messy, rushed handwriting. The ink still looked fresh.
Lynch picked up the note. By the sparse moonlight filtering through the trees, he read what was written on it:
"You idiot! Who told you to go slaughtering villages?! The Holy Light Court is onto you now, and it's extremely dangerous. I found you a hidden tomb. Go hide and don't come out for any reason. If you get caught, don't you dare drag me into it."
Lynch's pupils constricted. He couldn't help but wonder, 'This guy... had an accomplice nearby?'
His heart skipped a beat. He warily scanned the dark forest, his nerves—which had relaxed slightly in victory—tightening once more.
He had dealt with everything he needed to. There was no reason to linger on this battlefield.
Before leaving, his gaze once again fell upon the four from the Holy Light group, still unconscious.
'Kill them?'
The thought came and went in a flash, immediately dismissed.
That was out of the question.
Who knew what kind of mysterious tracking and divination methods the Holy Light Church had at its disposal? If they found out he was the one responsible, there would be no place left for him in the entire Grimsby Empire.
Besides, while grudges and brawls were common among apprentices, it hadn't escalated to the point of killing each other.
Doing so would completely shatter a certain unwritten rule, and the consequences would be dire.
'Besides, I need to erase as much evidence as possible.'
With a plan in mind, Lynch immediately commanded his Skeleton Servants to action.
They further disturbed the already chaotic piles of bones at the scene, covering up the most obvious signs of battle. They also picked up some of the broken weapons left by the enemy Skeletons and mixed them in with their own ranks.
Once that was done, Lynch wasted no more time. He quickly and stealthily led his large troop of Skeletons away from the woods.
To be safe, he stopped after a short distance to carefully cover the footprints and drag marks left by his troops, doing his best to erase any trail.
A good two hours later, Lynch and his forces reached the edge of the Black Swamp, stopping in a hidden, secluded ravine with complex terrain.
At the base of a cliff, he found a small, natural cave concealed by vines. It wasn't large, but it was well-hidden.
"All of you, inside. Enter a dormant state."
Following Lynch's Spiritual Power command, the Skeletons faithfully obeyed. One by one, they squeezed into the depths of the cave, then collapsed to the ground—leaning, lying prone, a disorderly jumble of bones.
In the blink of an eye, they became indistinguishable from a pile of lifeless bones.
In this deep state of dormancy, they emitted almost no energy fluctuations. They wouldn't even move if someone chopped them up for firewood, not unless their master awakened them.
Dealing with the hard-working Bone Jade was much simpler. Lynch chanted an incantation and sent it back to the Netherworld to rest and recover.
With everything taken care of, Lynch didn't linger. He got his bearings and hurried back toward the academy.
He first returned to his dormitory to drop off the mission items, then headed to the faculty housing area for the Undead Major.
It was an area of detached villas on the edge of a mountain behind the Undead Major's grounds, surrounded by tall, somber trees. A faint scent of death perpetually hung in the air.
Following his memory, Lynch went straight to Instructor Annabella's cottage and knocked gently on the door.
A moment later, the door was pulled open.
Instructor Annabella appeared in the doorway. Her delicate, fair face showed hints of exhaustion, but that didn't detract from her stunning figure.
Although surprised by Lynch's late-night visit, Annabella stepped aside to let him pass. "Come in and we'll talk."
After all, she held this student, who had recently shown outstanding performance, in high regard.
Truth be told, Annabella had been incredibly busy lately.
She, along with the few faculty members of the Undead Major and a handful of decently strong upperclassmen, had meticulously searched nearly every suspicious area around Saint Roland City.
But they had come up with nothing, so she was naturally in a foul mood.
After thanking her, Lynch walked cautiously into the living room.
At Annabella's gesture, he sat on a worn leather sofa.
While his instructor went to pour tea, Lynch took a moment to look around.
The walls were adorned with skeletal specimens of unknown creatures. What caught Lynch's eye was the mounted head of a Shadow Leopard hanging above the fireplace.
The head was so lifelike that even in death, it radiated a faint, oppressive aura. It had clearly been a powerful High Tier Magical Beast in life.
Soon, Annabella returned with a teacup made of bone. The liquid inside was a deep, inky green, with a few tea leaves floating on the surface, emitting a faint, ghostly glow.
"Thank you, Instructor." Lynch accepted it with both hands, a chill spreading from his fingers.
He took a careful sip.
Instantly, a soul-piercing chill flowed through his body, invigorating his weary mind.
To his delight, his Spiritual Power seemed to have grown by a sliver.
"This is Ghost Moss Tea," Annabella explained casually as she sat down on the sofa beside him. "I concocted it while studying abroad in the Undead Realm. The main ingredient is Ghost Moss, which grows on the banks of a tributary of the Nether River. Drinking it in moderation over time can slowly nourish the soul and purify one's Mana. It's quite beneficial for us Necromancers."
Lynch's eyes lit up at her words. Forgetting all about savoring it, he tilted his head back and, GULP GULP, downed the entire cup of tea in one go, not even leaving the dregs at the bottom.
After he finished, he smacked his lips, still not satisfied, and looked hopefully at Annabella.
Annabella shot him an exasperated glare. "This tea has a cold, yin nature. Drinking too much is bad for you. The energy in that one cup is enough for you to absorb for several days. We can talk about more later."
She paused, her tone softening slightly. "If you perform well in the academy's final exams, I might consider giving you some more, or even some of the raw ingredients to brew it yourself."
Lynch was secretly delighted. He puffed out his chest and declared, "Don't worry, Instructor. I'll give it my all and won't let you down."
"Don't make empty promises. I want to see results," Annabella said, giving him a sinister glare and a threatening hum. "If you bomb the exam... hmph."
With a soft humph, she changed the subject. "Alright, out with it. Why are you looking for me in the middle of the night? Did you run into a problem with your training?"
"Ah! Right!" Lynch slapped his forehead as if just remembering his purpose. "Instructor, you reminded me—I almost forgot. I have something important to report."
He quickly recounted his encounter in the forest, heavily editing and embellishing the story.
He naturally omitted key details, like his possession of the Bone Jade and the true size of his force. He stressed that he had been dragged into the fight, that his opponent seemed to be in poor condition, and that he had only managed a difficult counter-kill through a lucky ambush, thanks to the terrain and a bit of good fortune. And in the process, he had "inherited" a few of the other party's belongings.
He knew that with Instructor Annabella's status and experience, she wouldn't give a second thought to the paltry belongings of some down-on-his-luck Necromancer.
"What?!"
After hearing Lynch's story, Annabella shot up from the sofa, all traces of weariness vanishing from her face. "Something this important, and you're only telling me now?!" she snapped. "Why did you wait so long to report it?"
Lynch shrank back. "Well, Instructor, your Ghost Moss Tea is just too effective. I... I was so caught up in the feeling of my soul being cleansed that I nearly forgot what I came for..."
Annabella shot him a death glare, looking as if she wanted to strangle the little brat, but now was clearly not the time.
She made an instant decision. "Let's go. Take me to the scene now!"
"Of course!" Lynch immediately agreed.
The two of them hurried out the door.
Outside the villa, Annabella frowned at Lynch's slow pace. She took out her ornate Magic Staff and quickly cast a spell, opening a swirling portal to the Netherworld.
HSSS...
A tall, majestic Undead Warhorse leaped from the void. Its body was formed entirely of pale bone, and Nether Soul Fire burned within its eye sockets.
"Get on."
Annabella swung herself nimbly onto the Undead Horse. Then, without a word, she grabbed the still-dazed Lynch by the back of his collar and hauled him up behind her as if lifting a chick.
"Hold on."
Before the words were even out of her mouth, the Undead Horse kicked off, shooting forward like a bolt of black lightning and leaving only a faint trail of black smoke in its wake.
'Holy shit! So fast! So bumpy!'
Lynch had never ridden anything like this. He nearly flew off backward and instinctively wrapped his arms around his instructor's slender but powerful waist.
'So slender... so soft...'
...