This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 195

Chapter 195: Howl of the Shattered Bones, Harmonization Achieved!

Matthew stealthily approached the edge of the forest, guided by his innate sense of the Way.

No need to activate the domain.

The oak trees around eagerly reported the location of the field mouse to Matthew.

At this moment, the mouse was hiding in a hole on the slope, its hauntingly small eyes occasionally glancing towards the forest.

Clearly, someone was using this magical pet to spy on the oak forest.

Since it hadn't entered the forest, Matthew remained unaware.

Quietly, he marked the mouse with a "hunting tag" before retreating.

The Way of Nature was indeed a valuable ability.

Apart from Peggy and the field mouse, Matthew gathered extensive information about many characters and other details.

The comprehensive display of information this time was also due to Matthew's familiarity with the area.

In an unfamiliar place, the quality and quantity of information would likely decrease.

Yet, the Way of Nature remained a valuable ability.

Quickly reading through the gathered information, Matthew occasionally jotted down useful details.

As night deepened, the bright marker in his sight began to move.

Matthew immediately left the graveyard, transforming into a crow, and discreetly followed the mouse.

Magical pets, while capable of surveilling for their masters, required regular feeding of magical energy, or else they couldn't sustain prolonged work.

Matthew wasn't sure how long this mouse had been monitoring the oak forest. However, its familiar return route suggested it wasn't its first trip from the oak forest back to Rolling Stone Town.

The mouse entered Rolling Stone Town, swaggering into the commercial area.

Matthew, in his crow form, calmly tracked the mouse.

Before long, as he passed a bustling street, the mouse ceased its movement.

The bright marker indicated it had stopped on the third floor of a conspicuous building.

Matthew landed on the roadside wall.

The signboard on the building's entrance boldly displayed "Rolling Stone Merchants' Guild."

He couldn't witness the interaction between the mouse and its owner, but it was highly probable that Thomas was inside.

"Rolling Stone Merchants' Guild is Rhaegar's establishment. Could it be one of his people?" Matthew silently shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought.

He waited outside for a while. Approximately an hour later, the satisfied mouse emerged from the building and industriously scampered back towards the oak forest.

Even late at night, there were many people coming and going from the main entrance. Matthew couldn't spot the mouse's owner.

After some time, he departed, flying to the Lord's Manor.

As expected, the office hall was still brightly lit under the night sky.

Zeller was still at work.

Matthew knocked on the door and entered.

"Are you here for reimbursements?" Zeller quipped. "Better act quickly, in a few days, Rhaegar's treasury might be empty due to my spending spree."

Seeing Matthew, Zeller's tired demeanor lessened. He rubbed his temples and his eyes brightened a bit.

"Reimbursement is crucial, but I have something more pressing to ask you. Is there a sorcerer named Thomas in the Rolling Stone Merchants' Guild?" Matthew inquired cautiously.

Zeller nodded. "There is such a person. He's the deputy in charge of the western trade routes for the Guild, second only to Andre, the overseer. They jointly manage trade between Rolling Stone Town and several western territories. Andre facilitated the cotton agreement between Rolling Stone Town and Highleaf."

"That Thomas, however, in my memory, was just an ordinary person, not a sorcerer."

Matthew asked, "When was the last time you saw Thomas?"

His primary suspicion was on the Shapeshifter! Zeller, being a senior sorcerer, shouldn't be oblivious to a sorcerer of lower rank like himself. Thus, Matthew suspected that this Thomas had been replaced by the Shapeshifter, inheriting Thomas's previous occupation and abilities.

Zeller responded somewhat surprisingly, "It's been about two to three months, I suppose? I don't meet with the Guild's people often, and Rhaegar probably sees them once a month."

Matthew shared his discoveries with Zeller.

Zeller turned serious. "If he's indeed the Shapeshifter, this is an excellent opportunity."

"We shouldn't startle the snake. Next, I plan to send my best scouts to monitor Thomas and try to unearth more intelligence."

Matthew hesitated, "Are your scouts sure they won't be discovered by him?"

Zeller smirked, "In the vastness of Rolling Stone Town, can you find my scouts?"

That stirred something within Matthew.

Despite Zeller's administrative work, his official position was the head of intelligence. The entire intelligence network in Rolling Stone Town was completely under his control.

Matthew had been curious before about how Zeller built his intelligence network.

However, to Matthew's heightened perception and extensive gathering through the Way of Nature, he couldn't perceive where Zeller's scouts were!

This fact attested to the stealth of Zeller's subordinates. If Matthew couldn't detect them, others would find it even more challenging.

"Okay. If there's a need for my cooperation, just ask. I'm intrigued by the forces behind the Shapeshifter," Matthew decided after a brief consideration.

Zeller showed a grateful smile.

The two conversed for a while. Matthew inquired about the current situation in neighboring territories, and Zeller predominantly mentioned Highleaf.

"The situation in Highleaf changes by the day. Just yesterday, the Black Dragon Lord officially appeared, promising to protect the people of Highleaf from war's invasion. However, he also threatened them—if they refused to become subjects of a dragon, they might face the wrath of another dragon. 'Only a dragon can combat a dragon,' were his words. In the face of dragon authority, no one dared to argue."

Notably, we previously associated Highleaf's black dragon with the ones from the Darkrealm, either the young black dragon from Frost City or the old black dragon from Black Dragon City. However, only after yesterday did we learn this black dragon isn't either of them; instead, it's a wild young black dragon, "Meionojas."

With that said, Zeller couldn't suppress a cough, taking a couple sips of ginger water to settle himself.

"The battles between the black dragon Meionojas and the red dragon Kusules have been inconclusive, and they're currently in a standoff. But I'm concerned this status won't last long. Once the dragons reach an agreement, they might march on Rolling Stone Town simultaneously."

Worry lined his face.

Matthew also felt the pressure.

With Rolling Stone Town's current condition, it wasn't entirely incapable of dealing with a dragon. However, engaging in combat with such colossal beings would inevitably cost many lives.

One dragon was already troublesome enough, let alone the three surrounding Rolling Stone Town!

"The active years of the dragons… it feels like they're targeting Rolling Stone Town," Matthew expressed his concern, suspecting if Rhaegar's mocking ability was passively affecting events.

"So, sometimes, a preemptive strike becomes necessary," he said. "If an all-out war is imminent, frequently shifting the battle to the borders or even the enemy's territory becomes essential to ensure Rolling Stone Town's safety."

Zeller nodded in agreement but shook his head afterward.

He concurred with Matthew's suggestion but found it too difficult to implement.

"What about Li Weiqi?

Wasn't he loitering around Highleaf? Did he discover anything?" Matthew inquired.

Zeller smiled, "Most of our intel about Highleaf comes from Li Weiqi. He wrote to us yesterday, expressing his frustration—he confirmed that the dragon's traces were a hoax fabricated by a merchant to sell counterfeits. He gained nothing at the High Mountain Reservoir and is currently returning to Rolling Stone Town. But I doubt he'll stay here for long. Li Weiqi is restless, plus he's been inland for too long; he's probably craving sea turtle by now. My guess is he'll head to the East Coast, probably along Gemstone Bay, before winter arrives, moving towards the Northern Lands. That might be his only chance for an epic advancement. He also mentioned something curious. During his time in Highleaf, there was a poet who incessantly flaunted his chest hair, persistently pestering him for an interview to write a novel about his adventures. Li Weiqi wasn't interested, but he couldn't shake off the poet, who claims to be your close friend. Li Weiqi plans to come back and ask you about it. You might want to prepare your answer in advance."

Matthew chuckled quietly.

He knew both Li Weiqi and Lorand were in Highleaf, but he hadn't expected them to stick together all the time.

However, knowing Lorand's behavior...

Matthew seriously suspected what this guy was planning to arrange for Li Weiqi.

However, Li Weiqi didn't fall for it.

"If your friend is around, our chances of slaying the dragon will greatly increase."

"Li Weiqi himself admits that Lolan is much stronger than him."

With crossed hands, Zeller looked at Matthew with some anticipation.

Matthew hesitated, saying, "Lolan's personality is very unpredictable, and his thinking is hard to fathom. I'll try to ask for his help, but I can't be certain if he'll actually assist."

Zeller nodded in acknowledgment.

Soon after, he stood up from his chair. "I'll take you to see something else."

The two left the main hall, passing through a side door of the lord's mansion, arriving at the adjacent barracks.

Zeller led Matthew to an isolated warehouse.

After lighting a candle, Matthew saw something covered by thick canvas at the center of the room.

He lifted a corner of the canvas.

A thick and sharp metal pole came into view.

Beneath the metal pole lay an instrument emitting a strong aura of killing intent!

"A ballista?" Matthew whispered.

"This isn't just any ballista; it's a dragon ballista specifically designed for combating colossal creatures! It was created before the Enlightenment era. In history, many gigantic creatures like dragons, titans, giants, and bimons... have perished under its power," Zeller calmly explained.

"With twenty of these ballistas, even if two giant dragons attacked simultaneously, I'm confident they'd meet their doom."

"Unfortunately, we only have one," he added.

Matthew lightly touched the cold and rough mechanical surface of the ballista, asking, "Is it impossible to replicate?"

Zeller shook his head, "Rolling Stone Town's industrial foundation is weak, insufficient for large-scale replication of dragon ballistas. Moreover, crafting such things must be done discreetly; otherwise, it might attract the attention of colossal creatures, risking disaster before the ballista's completion."

"The dragon ballista was invented by the dwarves beneath the Helen Mountains, but soon after, the dwarven tribe where the inventor belonged was destroyed by dragon fire."

"I'm showing you this to inquire through the Seven Saints Alliance channels if there are any dragon ballistas available for purchase in the market. Apart from this, preparations for other war materials need to be carried out urgently. I also intend to rebuild Rolling Stone Town's walls—"

"Ah, in the face of war, even draining Rhaegar's treasury dry seems insufficient."

At this point, Zeller sighed with regret.

Matthew asked quietly, "So, will you blame Rhaegar—meaning his decision not to cooperate with the Blood Flag Kingdom?"

Zeller blinked, "No, of course not."

"Our situation wouldn't change drastically due to Rhaegar's decision. If he indeed decides to involve demonic forces to counter the dragons, undoubtedly, what we should be researching now are items specifically aimed at demons."

"If demons can kill dragons, then they're definitely something more dreadful. That's an obvious truth."

Matthew nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll leave the matter of the dragon ballista to you."

"If there's any news from Thomas's side, I'll inform you," Zeller said.

Matthew promptly left the barracks, while Zeller returned to the main hall as usual.

Soon after, sporadic coughs echoed through the hallway.

In the following days, Matthew remained secluded in the graveyard, seemingly oblivious to the surveilling eyes outside the Oak Forest.

Under Matthew's focused efforts, many tasks on his agenda were completed or updated.

Firstly, the "Dark Life Covenant."

Using the graveyard's negative energy fountain, Matthew stacked this spell up to the 19th layer, increasing the life force of all his undead minions by 19%.

This was a significant boost. A 20% increase not only enhanced their tankiness but indirectly improved their ability to withstand damage and deal damage.

After all, staying alive a bit longer meant dealing a few more strikes.

This principle applied even to the most basic skeletons.

The reason he didn't craft the 20th layer of the Dark Life Covenant was because every 20 layers of this spell would attract retaliation from the negative energy plane.

Matthew was quite occupied lately and didn't want to stir up additional trouble.

The matter of breaking through levels could wait for a more relaxed time!

The second was the "Skull of Augustus," the exclusive weapon for necromancers.

After mastering the field of "Necromancy," Matthew qualified for synchronizing with this specialized weapon.

With Matthew's persistent efforts over the past few days, he quickly completed the initial synchronization.

After that, he only needed to spend three to five minutes each day nurturing this weapon.

Within a maximum of three months, Matthew would become the true owner of the Skull of Augustus, thereby enjoying its powerful attributes and effects.

This anticipation made him look forward to autumn.

The third achievement was Matthew successfully mastering the "Howl of Shattered Bones" from the learning list.

This spell had been recommended by Margaret.

Both the "Howl of Shattered Bones" and the prerequisites for the Skull of Augustus were at the fourth level. However, with support from the "Domain: Necromancy," Matthew could learn it earlier.

Matthew always learned necromantic spells quickly, especially those related to death magic.

In particular, during the process of learning this spell, his "Suerel Chanting Technique" made significant progress.

The standard chanting time for the Howl of Shattered Bones was nine seconds.

Matthew had already compressed it to six seconds.

Once the synchronization with the Skull of Augustus was completed, with a 100% increase in chanting speed, this figure could potentially be compressed further to three seconds.

Aside from being faster, Matthew's "Howl of Shattered Bones" was far more powerful than the average person's.

He speculated that once he finished chanting, undead creatures below the fourth level would essentially fall instantly.

Those above the fifth level might struggle briefly, but their demise would be inevitable.

This spell was undoubtedly a bone dragon's bane.

With it, Matthew's tactical options expanded.

"When encountering bone dragons in the future, the first step will be attempting to persuade them."

"If persuasion fails, I'll activate the Covenant Domain and attempt the Overlord Contract."

"The last step will be using the Howl of Shattered Bones to reclaim their bones."

Matthew stroked his chin, finding the process quite flawless.

Now, he only needed more bone dragons to present themselves!

The fourth achievement, also related to synchronization, was finally successful after long effort.

Matthew had successfully synchronized the "Half-God Position (Domain: Moonlight/Undead)!"

The current Half-God Position gained new effects.

Synchronizing the Half-God Position was essentially infusing it with the power of the domain.

The longer the infusion, the stronger the feedback effect on oneself.

The most formidable aspect of this was its ability to accommodate various domains.

However, the more domains it accommodated, the slower the synchronization.

"I wonder if I could use the Balance Domain to solve the slow synchronization issue later?" Matthew pondered.

Once the synchronization with the undead was complete, the Oak Domain would be next on the agenda.

Considering Matthew still had over a dozen domains waiting to be nurtured, this divinity was fated to be infused relentlessly by Matthew every day.

Days passed with a sense of accomplishment in these small, mundane tasks.

Soon enough, it

was July 17th.

This day marked the "Potato Dog Fighting Competition."

It was also the day Matthew would step onto the stage to receive recognition as an outstanding citizen.

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