This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 92

In the midst of the chaotic battle, Matthew dared not linger.

Below the fortress, the bone dragon went berserk, tearing the building apart. Matthew took the opportunity to retreat a few steps, directing the bone dragon to remove the higher threat before respectfully bowing its head in his presence.

With skillful ease, Matthew mounted the bone dragon and cleared the path of troublesome fire-spewing creatures, heading towards the main gate.

The situation on the front lines had completely shifted by now. The loss of the high ground advantage left the Rainforest creatures, who excelled in favorable conditions, sensing victory. They abandoned the idea of breaching the walls, opting instead to target the beleaguered cultists behind the fortress, who were suddenly overwhelmed by the onslaught of venomous creatures and fierce beasts.

The formation of the Dragon Keepers side crumbled entirely. A few members of dragon-wings status huddled around the half-elf archer, directing others to attack and retreat.

However, within this process, countless cultists and fire dragons fell prey to the encircling predators of the rainforest. Matthew arrived at the wall's edge.

At that moment, Lumière approached him. "Matthew, I think it's time for my people to join the fight. We are also a part of the Rainforest and share the responsibility of its defense."

As he spoke, numerous figures emerged from the forest behind him. Matthew vaguely recognized the markings of the Black Banyan Tribe and other neighboring hunter tribes. He hadn't refused the Jango people's involvement, and Suya's mobilization had included the Jango as well.

"Make sure they are cautious, charging in behind the creatures. If they encounter a necromancer, they must retreat and report to either you or me," Matthew cautioned.

Lumière nodded excitedly. He turned and spoke to the rainforest natives behind him in their native language.

A few minutes later, led by Lumière, the Jango people swarmed into the Dragon Keepers' facility, brandishing spears and wooden clubs. Under the combined assault of these two forces, the outer buildings quickly fell.

The remaining cultists retreated rapidly to the central, towering structure, where they had one last wall to defend themselves.

Matthew did not participate in the mop-up operation, not because he didn't want to, but because the cultists retreated too quickly, making such pursuit inefficient and risky. He always kept his guard up against Blorken.

So, he leisurely rode in the second wave on his bone dragon. When passing by the Dragon Keepers' building, Matthew made a deliberate inspection.

The space inside was evenly divided into rows and columns, separated by fire pits. Flames blazed in the pits, and some still held unclaimed dragon eggs.

At regular intervals between the pits were small huts, with two large ones at the ends of the building, filled with burnable wood.

"It's undoubtedly a dragon egg hatching place," Matthew thought. However, after examining one of the dragon eggs, he shook his head. These were not real dragons, and the dragon blood in the eggs was unusually diluted. These creatures, even if hatched, would be nothing more than dragon-like beasts, far from true dragons.

Matthew couldn't understand why Blorken would go through all the trouble of breeding these creatures. It was evident that Blorken, as a necromancer, would not lack summoned creatures. So why did he need to cultivate these fire dragons?

Soon, Matthew's confusion was resolved. In the northwest corner of the building, he discovered a massive pit. Inside, some red, deformed creatures resembling small dogs were crawling about aimlessly. These were baby fire dragons born from dragon eggs.

Beneath them lay a pool of pitch-black, foul-smelling water, surrounded by the corpses of numerous baby dragons, their bones corroded and eroded by the caustic liquid. It was evident that most of the baby dragons were discarded in this pit, left to die in the black liquid soon after birth.

Matthew took a branch and poked at the pool of dead water, noticing some black powder sediment at the bottom. "Dragon Mountain Ash?" Matthew's expression grew darker. This was a forbidden magical material typically used in rituals related to dragon witches. It was generally only collected from the carcasses of dead dragons.

Blorken had evidently discovered a more convenient way to obtain it.

"No, this Dragon Mountain Ash, created from a multitude of baby dragon corpses, contains an enormous amount of resentment. These resentful energies are almost forming curses. Even dragon witches might struggle to handle this. Are these new dragon witches being created really so vulnerable... or is Blorken not interested in helping any giant dragon become a true dragon witch? Does he actually want the curse's effect?"

Matthew couldn't help but picture Emma's face as various conspiracy theories raced through his mind, sending shivers down his spine.

Even as he left the factory, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

Riding his bone dragon back to the main force, he found that the front lines had pushed to the central tower. Under the relentless assault of the Rainforest Alliance, the cultists had finally organized a decent defense.

A Dragon Fang member who looked like a dragon tamer led over a hundred fire dragons into the battle. These creatures were resilient and formed an impenetrable wall. While they couldn't retaliate effectively, they managed to stall the Rainforest Alliance's advance.

In other directions, several high-ranking cult members, supported by their followers, fortified the defenses around the perimeter wall.

Matthew observed from a distance and noticed that, aside from half-elf archers and the newly appeared dragon tamers, there were also three necromancers, a burly man who seemed to be the leader of the Dragon Blood Warriors, and a flamboyant-looking descendant of a fairy who appeared to be a sorceress.

These individuals had high levels and likely used the time they had gained during the earlier battle near the factory to set up their defense. When the Rainforest Alliance reached this point, they encountered strong resistance from all sides.

Even though the Jango people were fearless in battle, when they couldn't break through the enemy's defenses after sacrificing several lives, Lumière had no choice but to order a temporary retreat.

The beasts encircled the central tower and the wall, but the Rainforest Alliance hesitated, unsure of the enemy's exact location.

Matthew had anticipated this scenario and remained unfazed. After all, his primary objective was not just to destroy the Dragon Keepers' facility but to confront Blorken himself.

If Blorken truly cared for his subordinates, he would soon make an appearance.

The standoff continued, allowing Matthew to take a closer look at his newly created domain.

Given the choice between two options, he would definitely lean towards the latter. Choosing the "Plunder" domain would grant him one or two permanent abilities, possibly an additional temporary power, and the effects of the domain itself. While this sounded appealing, it paled in comparison to the potential of creating his own domain.

Matthew's path to legend was destined to be different. He would begin in life and transcend life and death. This could be gleaned from the concept of the ecosystem.

Thus, he did not want to miss any opportunity to create his own domain or concept. Each of these opportunities laid the foundation for a more magnificent future.

However, there were still many aspects of the new domain he hadn't figured out, such as how to name it.

"The domain I'm creating is similar to 'Plunder,' but it's not just about plunder. It includes elements of corruption, manipulation, betrayal, conversion, and seduction."

"Essentially, it originates from the rare ability 'Subversion,' so it will also be associated with the undead."

"The former is a bit like minotaurs from the disreputable literature of the previous world, and the latter involves the undead. Minotaur and undead... doesn't that sound like Peggy?"

Matthew mused, his thoughts taking a humorous turn. Of course, naming it "Minotaur" wasn't out of the question. In Eondor, concepts were something that the powerful dictated. If you were strong enough, turning falsehoods into reality was not a rare occurrence.

Considering that Peggy's tribe was nearly extinct on the Eondor continent, it was entirely feasible. If necessary, he could appoint Peggy as the head of the domain and make it official.

With these thoughts in mind, Matthew couldn't help but smile.

Matthew, who had never been particularly good at naming things, had settled on this plan in his mind. Unfortunately, he couldn't officially name the "Minotaur" domain at the moment because he didn't have a "Domain License."

The Domain License was a representation of a person's extensive experience within a domain, somewhat like a driver's license for someone who had been on the road for years. However, Domain Licenses could accumulate over time. The more licenses one had, the deeper they had ventured into a domain and explored its territory.

Typically, one or two explorations within the same domain were enough to earn a Domain License. Matthew, as a beginner, had only explored each domain once, so he hadn't received his licenses yet.

But he believed he would soon obtain a Domain License, whether for the Undead or the Oak Tree domains. If needed, he could also exchange 20 essences in any domain for a Domain License. However, he considered this option unwise.

...

"Hint: You've chosen to create a unique domain! This domain is provisionally named 'Minotaur,' and there are no conflicts with existing names.

Since you don't have a Domain License, you won't gain permanent abilities or enhancements from the 'Minotaur' domain at the moment.

This domain will be reserved for you for 120 days. If you don't provide a Domain License by then, the Minotaur domain will automatically disappear."

...

"I wonder what permanent abilities the Minotaur domain offers?" Matthew was eagerly looking forward to obtaining his Domain License. He glanced at the domain diagram in his taskbar. Unbeknownst to him, the Undead had already reached about 90%. It was likely he would be able to explore it again soon.

With this in mind, Matthew remained focused as he quietly patrolled outside the central tower. He also communicated with Suya.

The Rainforest Army had transitioned to a strategy of besieging rather than attacking. They had trapped the remaining Dragon Keepers inside, applying continuous pressure to fray their nerves.

Unbeknownst to them, a night had passed, and as the first rays of dawn from the east illuminated the treetops in the eastern rainforest, Blorken had still not appeared.

Matthew sighed softly, "I'm afraid he won't show up."

Li Weiqi appeared by Matthew's side, "With the abilities of a Fifth-Rank Magician, if he had received word of the base being attacked, he should have arrived hours ago. We've given him enough time for reinforcements."

Matthew nodded, unsure of what kind of game Blorken was playing. Nevertheless, the next step was to completely destroy the Dragon Keepers' facility.

...

Earlier, within the central tower, an inevitable argument had erupted. After Jennings' death, only four high-ranking members of the Dragon Keepers remained: the advanced necromancer Port, the half-elf archer Eirasema, the Dragon Blood Warrior leader Kumbototra, and the elven sorceress White.

The four had strong differences of opinion concerning their current situation.

"Where is Lord Blorken?" Eirasema questioned, "The enemy is unbelievably strong, and in terms of numbers, we are fighting against the entire rainforest. Without the help of an advanced necromancer, we won't be able to hold this place."

Port replied disapprovingly, "Mind your words, young lady. I am an advanced necromancer too! Don't forget, the western wall was held together thanks to my Death Veil. By now, it has already converted many into the Undead inside. If we keep stalling, our chances of success will increase."

Eirasema gave him a sidelong glance, "I don't mean to offend, Mr. Port, but in all honesty, your necromantic skills are far inferior to Lord Blorken's."

Port's face turned red, but he didn't respond.

Kumbototra, the Dragon Blood Warrior leader, said, "I received orders to hold this place. Unless Lord Blorken personally changes those orders, I won't go anywhere."

"I don't know where Lord Blorken is, but I believe he won't abandon us. Everyone here owes Lord Blorken at least one life. To put it bluntly, even if he asked us to pay with our lives right now, could any of you refuse?"

This statement silenced the room, even Eirasema, who had been the first to suggest a retreat.

She didn't like anyone associated with the Dragon Keepers or their actions, but she had a deep respect for Blorken. He had saved her life, and she had joined the Dragon Keepers after that incident. Throughout her career with them, he had never disappointed her. In times of crisis, he always arrived on time and effortlessly resolved the situation.

However, it seemed that this time the situation was different. The bloodline from her elven heritage within her kept warning her of the impending danger.

If it weren't for the tiny bit of trust she still had in Blorken, she would have left without looking back.

"But Jennings is dead. This is the first time we've had a Dragon Fang member's death. As in the past, Lord Blorken should have arrived by now," Eirasema muttered. She appeared torn.

"You have to have confidence in yourself, your companions, and most importantly, Lord Blorken," Port said firmly, "Maybe all we need to do is stall a bit longer, and Lord Blorken will appear."

With that, he looked at White, the elven sorceress, and said, "White, why are you so quiet? You and Eirasema used to quarrel all the time. Don't you usually back her up?"

White stretched lazily, revealing her nearly bare and alluring body to everyone. However, the others quickly averted their gazes, including Eirasema, who was also a woman.

"You all know I enjoy arguing with her. So when I don't say anything, it's because I agree with what she's saying."

White said lazily, "To be honest, I've already planned my escape route. Blorken saved my life, but that doesn't mean I'm selling my life to him. Fairies are practical creatures, and I used to think half-elves were nobler. Now it seems we're not so different after all."

She provocatively glanced at Eirasema, who remained unfazed.

Kumbototra asked Eirasema, "So what's your final decision?"

"Retreat. If you all don't retreat, I'll leave on my own, and I'll apologize to Lord Blorken later," Eirasema responded, her voice filled with anguish.

"But..." Kumbototra was about to continue persuading her, but Port, the necromancer, interrupted, saying, "Look at this, women are the fastest to flee when faced with danger. In the past, Blorken was nicer to them than anyone, but now, only this old man and you, the loyal dog, are left to sacrifice yourselves for him."

"Let's go, Aken. Let them go if they want. We should do our duty. Staying here indefinitely serves no purpose. If we want to hold out longer, we should take the initiative and show those bastards outside some color!" Port stood up and patted Kumbototra's shoulder. The two left the room.

"Just like that, you're leaving. Won't you feel guilty?" White asked Eirasema.

Eirasema responded candidly, "I will."

"But I can't act as calmly in the face of death as they can. I have many obsessions and desires unfulfilled in my life, and repaying Lord Blorken is just one part of it. In his current whereabouts, I don't want to die without knowing the truth."

White sneered, "You're really hypocritical, half-elf. I'm different. I just want to live happily and experience the pleasures of a few men. I've grown tired of the Dragon Keepers, especially the revolting Dragonkin. What's even more frustrating is that I couldn't climb into Blorken's bed after three months! Joining the Dragon Keepers has been a nauseating experience!"

"Farewell, hellhole, and fake companions," she said. With these words, she got up and walked toward the door. However, her body underwent a tremendous transformation while walking.

She grew slightly taller, her facial muscles stiffened, and her chest flattened like it was melting. A black cloak fell over her.

"Lord Blorken?" Eirasema exclaimed in surprise.

"Don't be silly, big-breasted half-elf. Do you think Lord Blorken has taken my appearance to test you?" White taunted. "I just wanted to help those two idiots before I left. After all, a bit of bravado is my specialty."

"Goodbye, this place, and hypocritical comrades," she added. With that, the figure of "Blorken" disappeared instantly.

...

At dawn, the turbulent undercurrents within and outside the walls were uncontrollable. At the western part of the central tower, the Bone Dragon ruthlessly burst through the wall. Behind the wall, the sparse Undead gathered towards this direction. A massive dark cloud, shrouded in a lot of mist, surged along with them.

Matthew was riding on the Bone Dragon, holding a long whip and calmly observing the situation ahead. In the next moment, he decisively activated the "Domain: Undead!"

"Hint: You have encountered the 'Death Veil' from necromancer Port! By activating 'Domain: Undead,' you'll be exempt from approximately 50% of the effects of the 'Death Veil.' Your weapon, 'Ussur's Rebuke,' is reacting with 'Domain: Undead!' You've gained a temporary state: 'Majestic Bearing (Undead)'!"

...

The story of the Dragon Keepers was coming to a close. I initially planned to finish it all in one super-sized chapter, but my health and time didn't allow for that. I think it's better to wrap it up slowly. Thank you for your support. You can encourage more, but don't push too hard. As everyone knows, I'm practically half-disabled now, and my current updates are the result of working all day long except for eating and sleeping.

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