This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Is He Also Your Mount?

...

Pegasus and Nightmare are both extremely rare and advanced mounts.

Looking at their attributes,

The Golden Pegasus is level 15, which is very high for a mount.

Pegasuses are shy creatures, hardly seen by humans and rarely present in civilized society.

Even in the celestial realm, they reside in the deep mountains and lakes far from the divine kingdom.

Pegasuses often fly in flocks through the sky, but only a few creatures can observe their traces due to their passive ability.

"Concealed Light: During the day, when a Pegasus runs or flies in the sky, it emits a strange halo that envelops itself and the rider, possessing excellent stealth abilities. Only those with a perception of 20 points or higher might notice the anomaly in the sky.

Most of the time, people only notice a faint white line in the sky.

But at night, influenced by moonlight, the Concealed Light turns into a dazzling starlight."

Subtle during the day, dazzling at night; this is the ability bestowed upon Pegasus and its master.

Additionally,

Pegasus has strong and steady movements, whether running or flying, with no jolting.

As the pinnacle among Pegasuses,

It possesses two additional traits.

...

"Easy Camouflage: With a basic trick (Disguise Art), you can easily disguise Pegasus as an ordinary foal. The Golden Pegasus understands its master's tricks and will willingly disguise itself as an ordinary foal until it needs to shine."

"Unyielding: The Golden Pegasus grants its rider higher temporary resilience while riding, significantly reducing the chances of the knight falling off when attacked on horseback.

Note: With this trait, you can perform more elaborate maneuvers on horseback without falling off."

...

The attributes of the Golden Pegasus are indeed excellent.

Mainly, it has a good temperament, is communicative, highly cooperative, and offers diverse riding postures.

However,

The Hellfire Nightmare's stats are equally impressive, even slightly superior overall compared to the Pegasus!

...

"Hellfire Nightmare (Infernal Creature/LV16)

Traits—

Flame Immunity: The Hellfire Nightmare grants its rider immunity to various forms of flames, including magical fire, infernal flames, and even celestial fires.

Illumination: The Nightmare constantly emits a bright light in a 3-meter radius, along with faint light within a 3-meter radius.

Abilities—

Gaze of Fear: The Nightmare's eyes release two negative energy beams. Any creature meeting its gaze must resist the fear effect. Once in a state of fear, the Nightmare can bite off the opponent's head and devour their soul.

Ether Leap: The Nightmare can transport itself and up to three willing creatures within 1.5 meters to the ethereal plane, staying for a maximum of 10 minutes."

...

Compared, the Hellfire Nightmare is more suitable as a warhorse.

Both in combat ability and escape capability, it surpasses the Pegasus.

Matthew went to try riding it.

He found the creature restless, always jittery and fidgeting.

Despite having a saddle on its back to cushion the impact, sustained riding would surely strain the waist and hips.

The Nightmare's character is more exuberant and assertive.

He pranced over to the Pegasus carrying Matthew, showing off arrogantly. The latter gave him a disdainful look and then glanced at Matthew before quietly trotting away.

To prevent misunderstandings with the Pegasus,

Matthew promptly ended the test ride.

He actually liked both mounts from the start, so instead of choosing one, he pondered on how to keep them both by his side.

This was difficult.

Pegasus and Nightmare were archenemies.

Their enmity might be even worse than between the celestial realm and the inferno.

Legend has it,

The original Nightmares were captured by a Nine Hells overlord from the Pegasus King in the celestial realm, tearing their wings out and infusing them with infernal power and dark magic to transform them.

This legend is highly credible.

Nightmares fear not the celestial fires as they were once celestial beings.

Yet, the Pegasus clan considers Nightmares' existence a massive disgrace.

When the two meet, the Pegasus usually attacks the Nightmare furiously. However, in terms of overall strength, the Pegasus is indeed inferior. In most fights, it turns into a chase with the Nightmare pursuing the Pegasus.

But Pegasuses can fly while Nightmares can't.

Hence, during the pursuit, the Pegasus always gains an advantage.

Over time,

The Nightmare also grew to despise the Pegasus.

Their relationship was as dire as fire and water.

Matthew knew it was unrealistic to try and persuade them now to serve the same master.

Therefore, he thought for a moment, then went to the Pegasus first, gently patting its head, saying, "Welcome to my forest."

"Mr. Omodochi, please take our new companion for a stroll in the woods," he added.

Following Matthew's call,

Centaur Omodochi promptly arrived.

In the Nightmare's hostile gaze, Omodochi looked at the Golden Pegasus for a moment, then led him towards the direction of the World Tree.

The Golden Pegasus snorted triumphantly.

Leaving like a victor.

The Flame Nightmare stomped in displeasure, lowering its proud head, preparing to leave silently.

Suddenly,

Matthew approached and lightly patted its rear, "I have a graveyard. Wouldn't you like to visit? Perhaps you'll meet many new friends."

Saying so,

He led the Nightmare towards the entrance to the graveyard and called out loudly below, "Mr. Agus, a new recruit has arrived. Please take good care of him."

Though Agus had recently joined the graveyard,

He displayed a great sense of ownership.

At Matthew's call, he appeared at the entrance. He warmly welcomed the Nightmare, attempting to hug its head, but the Nightmare shrugged him off.

Agus didn't mind, saying, "Let's go; I'll show you around the graveyard."

"Primarily the dungeons and the workshops; you'll surely be satisfied!" he continued. "Of course, there's also the fountain of negative energy. Although you're an infernal creature, who doesn't love a fountain of negative energy?"

The Nightmare skeptically followed him.

Soon after,

Sounds of chaos echoed from the dungeons.

Simultaneously,

From the direction of the World Tree, came the excited cheers of the Pegasus.

Seeing this, Matthew smiled slightly.

His plan was starting to yield results.

He liked both the Golden Pegasus and the Flame Nightmare.

So, he

didn't choose one but instead opted to bring them into his fold using different approaches.

Now,

It was up to Omodochi and Agus to earn their trust.

It'd take time,

But if successful, he'd have two powerful mounts serving under him.

This was not only for convenience in travel but also to build his strength.

By having these legendary mounts under his command, Matthew could enhance his power significantly in battles and exploration.

And so,

The young mage embarked on this intriguing journey to win over these archenemies, aiming to bind them both to his will.

"Babasha almost never pays attention to followers with these markings," Matthew observed, considering the hatred marks on him probably stood out more than those on Akar.

"If you're worried about the markings of the Dark Queen's followers, I can ask a monk to remove them for you. It's not that difficult," Matthew offered.

Akar grew anxious, "No, it's not about that. I just want to stay here, like Eli."

"But didn't you admit to recruiting a mount just now? I'm good at transformations, I can turn into various animals for you to ride! I've seen the mounts of the Night Elves; they're impressive. Do you want to try?" Akar suggested.

As she spoke, she prostrated on the ground, limbs touching the earth. Strange magic flickered over Akar's skin, and in the blink of an eye, she transformed into a stunning white tiger.

"Is this a Night Elf's mount?" Matthew was momentarily struck by the beauty of the white tiger.

"Come on, give it a try," she urged, anxious as she nudged Matthew's shoulder with her head.

Matthew was about to explain that this wasn't the kind of mount he was seeking when, in his peripheral vision, he saw Eli walking towards them.

"Wait, don't speak," he quickly interjected.

"Hey, Matthew! What a beautiful tiger, is this your new mount?" Eli asked with interest, observing the large white tiger beside Matthew.

He seemed quite intrigued by her.

Matthew coughed lightly, "Indeed, quite beautiful."

Eli agreed, "Not bad, but not as splendid as my ancient tiger transformation. You'd have to agree, right?"

Matthew stayed silent and skillfully diverted the conversation, "Judging by your expression, you seem urgent?"

Eli nodded, "I've come to bid you farewell. The Elder urgently summoned me back. There's been a major incident with the Earth Society; even the Druid Headquarters was breached. It's worrying, leaving for a few days and returning to such chaos!"

"I need to go back quickly. I'm worried about the Elder's safety, and the Earth Society needs more experts to stabilize things."

Matthew considered and then decided to confide in Eli about Jeff and the Sacred Oak Seed. He had no intention of hiding it but cautioned, "As for whether to report this to the Earth Society, it's your call. I just don't want any misunderstandings. I can assure you; the attack on the Druids has nothing to do with me. You know I was in Rolling Stone Town when it happened."

Eli nodded after hearing this, looking serious, "We can't ascertain yet where that merchant got the seed. The situation in the Watcher's Highlands is chaotic; many dubious merchants claim to sell Sacred Oak Seeds, but they're all fake."

"Shall I take a look?" Matthew offered the small bag to Eli, who, upon sniffing it, immediately confirmed its authenticity.

"Matthew, you better hide this bag of seeds. Even if I explain, it might not clear matters if the Earth Society finds out. Those Druids are real old-fashioned; they firmly believe their world view is the only truth. I dislike many of them, but overall, the Earth Society is good. Let me investigate the details when I return."

Handing back the bag, Eli advised, "The Sacred Oak seeds shouldn't be stored like this; this bag is too amateur. You must find a bark pouch woven by virgin hands, place the seeds inside, and hang it in the Sanctum of Life. It will preserve the seed's vitality and further nourish the Sanctum's power."

Matthew nodded in agreement, and after these words, Eli bid farewell with a hug, transforming into a horse and galloping north.

"So, Eli, is he also your mount?" the white tiger asked as they walked away.

Matthew shook his head, "He's my friend. If you truly wish to stay, I won't object. Just avoid foolishness; both me and my Oak Forest welcome your joining."

The Shapeshifter seemed of a powerful lineage, something Matthew wasn't certain about yet. He'd need to research when he had the time.

"Now I belong to you?" the white tiger asked excitedly.

Before Matthew could answer, she exclaimed, "Does that mean I can rely on you for my meals? Milk, biscuits, sausage, and the mushroom rice Miss Peggy makes... Eli told me about these! When can I have them? I've been hungry for days!"

Her stomach growled as she spoke.

"Is that why you want to be with me?" Matthew was surprised.

"Otherwise?" the white tiger asked in confusion.

Matthew rubbed his right cheek, "Miss Peggy is in the graveyard's kitchen; you can find her yourself!"

The white tiger jumped down eagerly.

Soon, sounds of Peggy's excitement echoed from below.

Looking down, Matthew saw Nightmare and the white tiger Akar circling around Peggy, excitedly.

The Tauren Skeleton looked at Matthew, "Heard you got me two mounts? Can I alternate riding them? Don't look so worried, Matthew; you know I'm generous. I'll ride one, and you can have the other for free!"

...

The next afternoon, Matthew emerged from the constabulary's morgue, looking serious.

"How did it go?" asked Bradley.

"No response from the soul when I called out; it's rare," Matthew replied honestly, "There's no trace of spiritual essence on this body. I can't summon it as an undead: no zombies, skeletons, or ghosts."

"The elements of the deceased have been completely removed by some force. Where did you find this body?" This morning, Bradley had asked Matthew for help examining a body.

Though Matthew had resigned from the constabulary, he had some free time and agreed.

However, he was surprised.

The body was unique; devoid of spiritual essence or any discernible features, save for its gender.

This puzzled him greatly, as such strange deaths hadn't occurred in Rolling Stone Town for a long time.

Bradley responded with a troubled expression, "Discovered by a farm owner downstream from the old woman's river. He was swimming with his family when the body drifted down from upstream."

"In the river?" Matthew thought it highly unusual; the body, aside from surface dampness, showed no signs of submersion. How did it float without signs of prolonged immersion?

This was a case beyond magical explanation, as Matthew found no traces of spells on the body.

They conversed for a while, unable to make sense of it. After a while, Matthew prepared to leave.

At that moment, an unusual visitor arrived at the constabulary.

"Mr. Richard?" Bradley greeted the newcomer.

"I heard you have a peculiar body here?" Richard, bearing a cane and a serious countenance, approached Matthew with a nod of acknowledgment.

Bradley quickly ushered him into the morgue.

After about twenty minutes, the two emerged.

"Do you have any discoveries?" Matthew inquired, considering Richard was a wandering legend and possibly more proficient in this aspect than himself.

Richard contemplated before saying, "Hard to say, but there's a clue. You might need to inform Rhaegar and the Committee. I'll be leaving Rolling Stone Town for a while to confirm something."

"I hope it's not what I'm imagining," he cryptically added before departing.

The man strode out of the security office's gates, a refined cane gripped tightly in his hand, abandoning his usual graceful gait.

Matthew watched Richard's departing figure with a hint of concern.

Commissioned by Brad, Matthew neatly wrapped up the bizarre body in a high-grade body bag.

Three days later-

Inside the Cauldron House's magical classroom.

As Matthew's body gradually recovered, he contacted Margaret, and both delved into the practical aspects of their lesson.

"To be honest, your timing in reaching out to me is a bit inconvenient."

"Recently, it seems there's no particularly suitable place for you to practice. Let me see…"

Margaret's attire today was exceptionally casual.

A cropped top baring her midriff paired with a white skirt, and even the color of her glasses frame had changed to a pastel blue.

At that moment, she was intensely focused on a crystal ball:

"Purgatory? Too dangerous."

"Inter-purgatories? Why's there a ceasefire there recently? Weren't the Blood Flag Kingdom and the Bru Tribe supposed to fight to the death?"

"Shallow Abyss? Not challenging at all. The demons there rely solely on physical prowess to crush their enemies, suitable only for warm-ups."

"Dark Territories? Forget it, the Dark Ancient Gods have been quite active lately, the Dark Queen is restless, and there's Galan and the Midnight Fairies. Hmm, none of them are good, it seems prudent for the Cataclysmic Mage to reserve the Dark Territories as a dumpster for the gods…"

She seemed to be temporarily searching for a location for their practical lesson.

This inevitably made Matthew worry about the quality of their class.

But just at that moment-

A unstable rift in space appeared before him! Before anything inside that rift could emerge, Matthew swung his maul!

With a thud, the rift disappeared.

Margaret glanced over, and Matthew promptly stowed away the maul, revealing a gentle, harmless smile.

Unperturbed, she continued observing the crystal ball.

But not long after the calmness settled-

Another rift in space appeared.

Without a second thought, Matthew swung his maul again, sealing the rift once more.

Margaret couldn't help but ask, "Who's looking for you?"

Matthew wryly replied, "I don't know, a few days ago, I attempted to summon a mount, and ever since then, creatures from unknown origins have been actively seeking me out."

"Though not frequent, it's quite troublesome. I'm considering buying a charm that hides my location, but the one in the Alliance Shop is too expensive."

Compared to trying to attack creatures emerging from the rift with his maul and succeeding, Matthew had grown fond of using this weapon to solve problems.

Margaret was surprised, "Did you summon it using your real name?"

Matthew innocently nodded.

Margaret marveled, "Who summons using their real name? It should be anonymous."

Matthew frowned, "I've studied numerous guides on 'Summoning Mounts,' and none mentioned the necessity of summoning anonymously."

Margaret fell silent, "Because that's common sense."

Matthew helplessly scratched his head.

That was the sorrow of being a wild mage.

Despite his efforts to catch up on his studies, there were things that others considered common knowledge that he was completely unaware of.

"Summoning leaves a spatial rift in the astral plane. These creatures might be following that rift to find you."

"There's a delay in the summoning ritual. They might mistakenly think you're still recruiting mounts. Of course, some of them might also be minions of the dark gods in disguise. You must handle this with caution."

Margaret cautioned.

Wielding his maul, Matthew asked, "Is there any other way to deal with this harassment?"

Margaret said, "If you have money left, you could seek Lord Roderick. He's a master in the realm of prophecy and can easily solve your spatial rift issues."

"But I guess you've just returned from my mentor's place, and you probably don't have a penny on you."

Matthew rubbed his nose in agreement.

"In that case, hone your maul skills; consider it part of your practical lessons."

Margaret encouraged.

She didn't seem surprised at all that Matthew was wielding such an unconventional weapon.

Amidst their casual conversation-

Another rift in space formed.

This time, Matthew raised his hand a bit slower, and the shadow of a little fellow emerged from the rift, yelling as it crawled out, "Master's master! I'm Bone Pigeon!"

"Bone Pigeon! Bone Pigeon!"

"Master's about to be beaten to death!"

"If you had come a bit later, I could've switched masters!"

"Or how about becoming my new master?"

As the voice trailed off, Matthew hurriedly moved the maul aside.

He glanced at the data panel, relevant information arriving belatedly.

"Warning: The Undead King 'Dark Pharaoh' in league with the 'Elder Bone Dragon' has launched an attack on your summoned creature Philorius!"

"The Dark Pharaoh is using the artifact 'Earthbound Jar' to block your undead contract."

"Your summoned creature Philorius is on the brink of death!"

Matthew instantly rose from his seat.

Holding the maul, he politely asked Margaret, "May I suggest a location for our practical lesson?"

"How about the Negative Energy Plane?"

Margaret glanced at the bone pigeon and pushed her glasses up, "Sure."

"By the way, are you selling this pigeon?"

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