This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 199

Chapter 199: Legendary Flight Spell

Fangtooth Keep, after the dragon calamity...

The atmosphere thickened with the impending war. Although Rhaegar hadn't formally declared readiness, a string of unusual lordly decrees continued pouring out in the following days.

Firstly, the reactivation of the underground fortress to the north of Fangtooth Keep.

Due to the exceptional terrain of the Prospector's Basin, a colossal underground stronghold had been erected in the northwest during Rhaegar's father's rule.

Occupying just 1/6th of its potential area, this fortress could temporarily house the entire population of Fangtooth Keep.

Typically sealed, its activation now necessitated reorganization, allocation of zones, and preparation for future wars to safeguard the residents.

Next on the agenda was the establishment of wartime outpost protocols.

The sudden assault by the black dragon was unexpected, yet Rhaegar and his companions understood the necessity to fortify mobile outposts. Since Matthew had neutralized the Traces of the Dead with his protective umbrella, the frequency of patrols by the guard had significantly declined.

Post-dragon calamity, Bradshaw, leading the guard, not only reinforced the shift rotation but also widened the patrol range, focusing on the western and southern borders. In response, Matthew deployed spirits to surveil the northeast, ensuring Fangtooth Keep wouldn't be caught off guard.

Thirdly, a silent expansion of military forces commenced.

The expansion primarily aimed to recruit more personnel to bolster the guard and its reserve. However, given Fangtooth Keep's population, its war potential was rather limited.

According to Zeller and Rhaegar's estimates, even after this recruitment drive, the permanent army of Fangtooth Keep would barely touch the edge of 1000, with only 200 elite members from the Lord's Guard.

In the "War Directive" of the Seven Saints Alliance, the minimum participation threshold was set at 500 individuals for the lowest-level confrontation, generally not falling below 1000 for a confrontation.

Consequently, a full-scale engagement would necessitate the commitment of all of Fangtooth Keep's forces, posing considerable pressure on Rhaegar's faction. Fortunately, Matthew's undead army could somewhat fill this gap.

These days, Zeller delved into the intricacies of the War Directive. The Alliance's official version was many times larger than the information Matthew acquired from Margaret. It detailed various reasons for applying for a confrontation: territorial friction, disputes, personal grudges, land amalgamation, and even petty issues like someone's dog glaring at another.

Under the present circumstances, instigating a confrontation was relatively easy. However, in principle, it required mutual consent.

During this process, the Alliance dispatched arbitrators to flexibly judge the conflicts. For instance, if Gauss Bottom Prison petitioned for a confrontation with an army of 2000, seeing that Fangtooth Keep only had a force of 1000, the Alliance might reject Gauss's request citing unequal strength or revise it to 1000.

Suppose Gauss accepted a 1000-person confrontation. In that case, Fangtooth Keep would then decide. If both Gauss and the Alliance agreed, but Fangtooth Keep declined, they would need to fulfill a part of Gauss's "Victor's Reward" outlined in the "Confrontation Application."

The terms of the Victor's Reward were negotiated under the Alliance's mediation, involving territorial concessions, war reparations, and land privileges, making refusal akin to voluntary land concessions and compensations.

Moreover, between two territories, there existed a "Confrontation Protection Period." Specifically, after one territory declared war and emerged victorious, they had to wait half a year before initiating another confrontation application, somewhat slowing down the pace of weaker territories being annexed.

However, this didn't imply that the Alliance discouraged territorial acquisition among themselves. In the "Territorial Negotiations," the Alliance allowed territorial mergers without resorting to warfare under their mediation.

Given Aendu's enthusiasm for negotiations, this might become the predominant trend. Nonetheless, war was still inevitable.

The Alliance's rules, despite their intricacies, had many loopholes. For instance, the "Confrontation Protection Period" only applied to the two major territories that recently concluded a confrontation. It didn't restrain other territories.

This meant that Fangtooth Keep could declare war on all its neighboring territories simultaneously, while those territories might reciprocate, setting the stage for a possible war of attrition!

Undoubtedly, this raised the bar for the political and diplomatic acumen of independent territories.

How to maneuver alliances became one of the significant challenges faced by many small territories in this new era post the lock of civilization. The Three Pillars of Fangtooth Keep discussed this extensively, believing that the rules outlined in the "War Directive" would determine the fate of the territories.

Before the Alliance lost control of the war situation, legendary mages, ever ready to intervene and overturn regimes, served as the guarantee of rule enforcement. Effectively utilizing the rules and their loopholes became Zeller's imminent focus for study.

Consequently, the nocturnal coughing fits at the Lord's Manor grew more frequent. Matthew inquired about Zeller's health, but the latter's spirits were high. He explained that his coughs were somewhat related to his sorcerer bloodline, not a physiological ailment, thus dismissing excessive concern from Matthew.

While Rhaegar and Zeller were occupied, Matthew busied himself not only by corresponding but also by selecting two crucial fourth-tier spells for advancement.

These spells held significant importance for the impending war: "Isabelle's Flight" and "Dragon Paralysis" from the "Monster Immobilization" spell.

The regular flight spell was accessible at the third tier, yet its effectiveness was limited. The casting and landing motions were sluggish, and its lateral movement was barely faster than sprinting.

Therefore, Matthew waited until the fourth tier to delve into Isabelle's enhanced flight. After a night of thorough study, he grasped its essence: deception.

Conventionally, flight spells were transmutation magic, simulating features of flying creatures by transforming a part of the caster's body.

Consequently, despite using the flight spell, the caster sometimes felt restricted. In the case of Isabelle's flight, she proposed deceiving the transmutation field, convincing it that a human was a unique flying entity.

Once accepted, a human could soar freely like a bird in the sky. Learning this spell required no costs, only understanding Isabelle's deception and mastering the corresponding incantation.

However, this complexity was also its challenge. Despite going through Isabel's flight theory multiple times, Matthew hadn't comprehended how to achieve the deception within the transmutation field.

Yet, he had accrued some deceptive elements. Upon breaking through this barrier, he might swiftly grasp Isabelle's enhanced flight, far more potent than the regular flight spell.

The most crucial thing is its ability to move swiftly and directly like a hummingbird, its speed exceeding that of ordinary flight spells by more than three times.

The only drawback might be the need for heightened focus to sustain it.

After all, maintaining a continuous deceitful aura is quite demanding.

But upon reaching higher levels, Matthew began to truly understand the importance of focus in practical application.

Many high-level spells indeed require an immensely concentrated mind.

There's a stark contrast between spells.

For instance, the Claw of Azdor is a spell demanding lower focus.

Using this spell allows Matthew to reserve more mental energy to prepare several other spells simultaneously.

However, the Curse of Doom requires a much higher level of focus.

Through Matthew's experiments, it was discovered that while using the Curse of Doom, he could only manage to cast an additional spell of slightly higher level.

Any further strain, and his mental faculties faced the risk of collapse.

Amongst the various spells, some have more flexible focus requirements.

The Summon Undead spell serves as an example.

You can maintain it with high focus, allowing precise control over each undead unit; or with lower focus, introducing randomness in their movements.

You can only issue them a general command.

Their final actions then become a matter of chance.

Isabelle's Flight Spell demands even more focus than the Curse of Doom.

This means Matthew finds it extremely challenging to cast spells while flying at high speeds.

However, Matthew is quite clear about this aspect.

Flight spells are for swift evasions and reaching higher grounds.

Casting spells while in flight is a privilege reserved for legendary mages or spenders like Margaret.

He can't rely on that at the moment.

Matthew's mental strength and focus actually rank higher among mages of the same level.

Yet, these high-focus spells seem unreasonably demanding, as if tailored for true geniuses.

In this situation, he can only envy Lorand's Book of Plentiful Concentration.

Just a brief read could boost concentration by two points, enabling Matthew to maintain a Curse of Doom while casting Isabelle's Flight Spell - a rather desirable effect.

"Hoping Lorand might show up."

"If not, maybe I can ask for the little yellow book to be sent over for borrowing."

Matthew decided to write another letter to Lorand about it later.

Apart from learning the Flight Spell, Matthew made significant progress in the Monster Paralysis spell.

In just half a day, he mastered all aspects of the Dragon Paralysis spell, a surprise even to him.

After all, Monster Paralysis spells belong to the field of enchantment, which is Suerel's domain.

He hadn't achieved much in the field of enchantment, so mastering this spell came as a surprise.

Perhaps it's related to his earlier grasp of the Human Paralysis spell.

"It's also possible that I have some innate talent in spells related to immobilization."

Matthew pondered.

However, spells like these belong to the rare category that can grow on their own.

Initial use might not be highly successful, and the duration of paralysis might be short.

To extend his capability in this area, Matthew planned to seek resources from the alliance.

He aimed to find a way to practice the Dragon Paralysis spell.

In Matthew's plan, this spell was crucial.

Even a momentary immobilization of an enemy could bring them to near-death status, once the surrounding setup was completed.

And besides studying spells and devising the Dragon-slaying plan, Matthew was also organizing the undead in the cemetery, practicing to micro-manage and command in wartime conditions.

Since the number of undead he could control had increased, some of the recently buried dead had been transformed into skeletons and zombies.

Consequently, the total count of skeletons and zombies in the cemetery reached three hundred and sixty, presenting a chilling sight with their dense, endless formation.

At this point, Matthew truly grasped the concept of numbers.

A few hundred undead already exerted an overwhelming pressure like an ocean; thousands would likely be even more daunting.

Yet, in controlling the undead, Matthew encountered some obstacles.

Primarily, the sheer quantity posed a challenge.

He wasn't a professional commander.

Managing small-scale skirmishes was one thing, but large-scale battles might leave Matthew with simple instructions like charging, holding ground, or rapid retreat.

Detailed maneuvers were a bit beyond his capacity.

He was a mage after all.

He couldn't just rush to study military tactics now.

Even if it was necessary, time seemed to be running short.

What frustrated Matthew more was that none of the contracted undead under him possessed leadership qualities.

Aebing was purely a lone wolf, adept only at solo battles and spreading morale-damaging jokes.

Lolan had some leadership skills, but she couldn't handle more than twenty units; exceeding that, she tended to space out.

Blorken did have the qualities of a great general, but in the event of a battle, he'd likely be by Matthew's side as a bodyguard or a mount.

As for Peggy...

She cooked excellent dishes.

Among the advanced units in the cemetery,

Black Knight Agus was truly a competent leader.

But his inability to venture too far from the cemetery was a severe limitation.

Elite Wraith Ali was also competent, yet he could only command his own kind.

As for the newly arrived Mother of Labor...

She was solely adept at internal affairs, managing zombie construction teams decently, but her combat skills were a joke.

Consequently, Matthew found himself in the dilemma of having more troops but lacking commanders.

After contemplating for most of the day, he suddenly remembered someone: the Centaur Obeest!

As a Tree Shepherd, Obeest actually possessed considerable command abilities.

However, his usual command involved creatures of the natural realm, like tree spirits and such.

"Is it appropriate to have a centaur, who loves nature, command an army of undead?"

Matthew hesitated before finding Obeest.

He laid out his thoughts and concerns.

As expected, Mr. Centaur was taken aback, "You want me to command those... undead?"

He started to gulp nervously.

Matthew smiled gently, "I'm here to discuss this matter. No need to be overly concerned."

Obeest hesitated, eventually shaking his head, "I apologize, Matthew, I know I don't have the right to refuse you, but I can't convince myself to mingle among a group of zombies or skeletons, even if they don't appear as grotesque as they used to in my eyes. I'm sorry."

Matthew received the anticipated response, not particularly dismayed.

He patted Obeest's shoulder and then departed.

Interestingly, it was Obeest who watched Matthew leave, his expression turning complex—displaying dissatisfaction, discomfort, and a hint of shame.

Right at that moment, a flash of white light beside him.

A lively and adorable little light spirit popped out.

"Ta-da!"

"Little Pineapple is here!"

"Dear Mr. Obeest, Little Pineapple and the Multiverse Tree Sea folks send their regards!"

The little light spirit flew onto Obeest's shoulder, "We're quite concerned about the relocation progress. How are things here?"

Obeest's expression tensed, then he sighed, "Hello, Little Pineapple. Unfortunately, this isn't a suitable place for resettlement. I've communicated with the local lord; there was a recent dragon attack near the forest town. This place will soon be embroiled in war, and if you come here now, you'll likely get caught up in it."

Surprised, Little Pineapple widened its eyes, "There's a war here too?"

"But at the Multiverse Tree Sea, we've already been drawn into a conflict—"

"We've been flooded with numerous distorted astral beings into our ancient basin. Many have been injured. Those astral beings are incredibly powerful. Is this place more dangerous than the ancient basin?"

Obeest grew even more anxious.

He hurriedly asked, "How is everyone? Why are astral beings invading the Tree Sea?"

Little Pineapple sighed, "Little Pineapple doesn't know. Our situation worsens by the day. Everyone wants to leave the ancient basin. Currently, Obeest is the only one holding on to the idea of continuing the fight."

"If it's just a few dragons, relying on everyone's strength should be enough to drive them away, better than dealing with hordes of twisted astral beings, don't you think, Mr. Obeest?"

Obeest clenched his teeth.

His four hooves paced back and forth on the ground.

After a moment, resolutely, he told Little Pineapple, "Get some people ready. I'll come for you soon!"

Little Pineapple looked at Obeest skeptically, "Is it true?"

"Are you not just trying to appease me, Mr. Obeest?"

The centaur firmly stated, "My word is a promise!"

With that, he paid no further attention to the jubilant Little Pineapple and instead hastened to catch up to Matthew's figure.

"Mr. Matthew."

"I'm willing to become the commander of the undead army, as long as you grant me the authority to lead them. I assure you a completely revitalized army!"

Obeest said with a serious expression.

Matthew looked at him in surprise, "Why the change of heart?"

Obeest honestly replied, "My people have been harmed. I hope to find a place for them in your Oak Forest—specifically on the outskirts where the descendants of the World Tree reside. To do this, we need to establish a stable teleportation gate to the Tree Sea, and this might require a considerable amount of gold."

The more he spoke, the quieter his voice became.

Matthew didn't catch the word "gold" at all; it was purely a guess.

"How many of your people are there?"

Matthew felt pleased inwardly but kept a rather indifferent demeanor.

Obeest thought for a moment and said, "Initially, around a hundred... no, fifty people will suffice!"

Curiously, Matthew asked, "Are they all centaur treekeepers like you?"

Obeest explained, "They are centaurs, but not all are treekeepers; we also have spearmen, archers, and mages."

"We centaurs excel in ranged combat."

Matthew nearly drooled inwardly.

Centaur archers?

They were the top-tier ranged unit across the multiverse!

Rolling Stone Town was particularly lacking archers.

What was there left to hesitate about?

Matthew waved his hand decisively, "I'll take in everyone from your tribe!"

Obeest was astonished, "Is this true?"

"Are you truly willing to accept all of us? My people can eat quite a lot..."

"And establishing a stable teleportation gate to the Tree Sea will require a substantial amount of gold."

Matthew waved his hand, "It's a trivial matter."

After all, this expense could be reimbursed by Rhaegar.

Recruiting archers would also benefit Rolling Stone Town, right?

Obeest was almost moved to tears on the spot.

He deeply bowed to Matthew, "Thank you for your generosity and kindness!"

On the data panel—

"Prompt: Your follower Obeest's loyalty has increased to 85.

Obeest has shared his ability, 'Hawkeye Technique' with you;

Hawkeye Technique: You can clearly see distant images;

Your long-range aiming ability has increased by 100%."

Followers could also share abilities?

Matthew was greatly surprised.

In reality, Obeest was under the domain of the Sanctuary of Life ritual site.

He did count as one of Matthew's followers.

Perhaps the Sanctuary of Life acted similarly to a necromantic pact.

Matthew found this incredibly intriguing.

"If I recruit more followers through the Sanctuary of Life in the future and ensure their loyalty, wouldn't that mean a constant supply of abilities for free?"

"Perhaps this sort of freebie could be directed..."

Immediately, Matthew discussed some details about the Tree Sea teleportation gate with Obeest.

Afterward, Obeest eagerly dashed into the cemetery.

This was his first time entering the graveyard since settling in the Oak Forest.

In that moment, Matthew could sense the elements between the two ritual sites further intertwining.

Three days later, while intensely studying the secrets of flight magic, Matthew received a message from Isabelle!

As the crystal ball illuminated that exquisite face, Matthew almost thought he was hallucinating.

He hastily went to the Starry Sky Cottage in the Cauldron House to meet Isabelle.

Today, she wore a silvery dress, her eyes slightly puffy, and seemed groggy, as if she had just woken up from a long sleep.

"Are you planning to slay a dragon?"

Isabelle straightforwardly asked.

Her tone remained domineering and direct, leaving no room for doubt.

As Matthew began to explain, "As I wrote in the letter to you, the dragons are threatening our survival..."

Isabelle rudely interrupted, "You can handle it alone."

"I can't," Matthew pursed his lips.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow, a hint of disdain in her expression, "Do you have that capability?"

At that moment, Matthew felt immense pressure.

It seems like countless voices are mocking him in his ears.

Amidst the overwhelming insults and ridicule.

It's as if speaking itself has become an immense struggle.

"I'm trying..."

"But I'll give it my all!"

Matthew said, drenched in sweat.

The pressure instantly dissipated.

Isabelle commented blandly, "Foolish."

"But somewhat presentable."

She stared at Matthew for a moment, humming softly, "Finally, fourth-tier... You're learning flight magic?"

Matthew nodded, "Yes, precisely the flight magic you created."

Isabelle cut in decisively, "Don't bother. That's a second-rate version for mediocrities."

Matthew was taken aback.

Soon, a bitter smile crept upon him.

Struggling to learn the second-rate version meant for mediocrities. How much tougher would it be for the first-rate version meant for geniuses?

But what he needed now was time!

Before Matthew could respond.

Isabelle gazed intensely at him, saying, "I can teach you this flight magic directly, but it comes with a condition."

"How about it? Are you willing to make this deal?"

A tremor coursed through Matthew.

He didn't doubt Isabelle's ability to teach him flight magic directly.

After all, Suerel possessed such capabilities.

Isabelle, an equally potent sorceress, had every reason to do the same.

But the issue lay in...

"What's that condition...?" Matthew cautiously asked.

Isabelle coolly replied, "I'll only tell you once you agree to the deal."

Matthew sighed, "Isn't that gambling?"

Isabelle raised an eyebrow, "The question is whether you have the courage. Opportunities like this are rare. Even as my apprentice, you may not always catch me in a good mood."

Matthew gritted his teeth.

Isabelle's rhetoric echoed what Suerel once said.

He quickly realized this might not be the time to consider cost-effectiveness but a test of his loyalty by Isabelle.

And so, he made his decision:

"I'm in!"

"Good!"

Isabelle wasted no time.

Her body traversed through the pitch-black starry sky and an immense expanse of space, instantly arriving beside Matthew.

In an instant.

Matthew felt an unprecedented lightness in his body!

Isabelle held onto his shoulder.

Swiftly, they soared toward the dome of the starry cabin!

Before Matthew could react.

It was as though he had traversed through time and space.

Roaming across countless galaxies and dimensions.

As he came back to his senses.

He remained standing on the floor of the starry cabin.

Isabelle's lazy voice lingered in his ears:

"I've made some minor accomplishments in the field of transmutation, so sharing a bit of magic with you is simple."

On the data panel...

"Notification: You've received the bestowment of 'Legendary Flight Magic' from the Archmage Isabelle!"

Legendary Flight Magic: You've mastered flight magic at a legendary level, but the mental and magical energy consumption is five times that of normal flight magic; you can use the ability to downgrade the spell to perform legendary flight magic, in which case, you'll experience the effects and consumption of a fifth-tier spell."

Legendary Flight Magic!

Matthew could hardly believe his eyes.

He was only at the fourth tier.

Yet, he managed to learn legendary-level flight magic?

Was this the power of an Archmage?

He looked at Isabelle in shock.

The latter calmly stated, "Now I can reveal the content of that promise."

"That is, once you achieve legendary status, you must assist me in killing Eckmonde."

Those words echoed in Matthew's ears.

It was as if thunder struck!

Matthew scanned his surroundings, only to realize that Eckmonde, who had always been by Isabelle's side, was nowhere to be seen.

His heart pounded rapidly.

And Isabelle before him...

Was swiftly shedding the infinite glory and splendor of an Archmage.

Transforming visibly into a decaying corpse!

"What's wrong?"

"Changed your mind?"

The corpse of Isabelle asked softly...

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