This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 39

As he raised his eyes, he gazed upon an endless plain. Countless craters dotted the surface of the earth. The sky was a dull brown, just like the horizon. A massive full moon hung between the heavens and the earth, its glow resembling the flickering flames of the undead.

Silence reigned as the eternal theme of this place. Even the wind was eerily quiet. Endless whirlwinds came from unknown places and swept toward other unknown destinations. Undead creatures caught in the whirlwind either fell or regained vitality. Disappearance and transformation told different stories within the whirlwind of negative energy.

Matthew walked alone in this serene land, quite different from the lively Oak Tree Domain. Here, everything was so quiet, much like its sole ownership—death.

A skeleton approached him. Almost no bones in its body remained intact, and its soulfire was feeble, as if a gust of wind could extinguish the last spark of "life" in this newly reborn skeletal soldier.

Yet it was tenacious. Matthew witnessed it being blown into a deep crater by the negative energy whirlwind. He speculated that this skeleton would surely be shattered into pieces. And it was true. Matthew saw it spend a very long time in that crater, so long that he began to doubt if time had any meaning in this domain.

But then, at a certain moment, he saw it climb out of the crater. The ruthless whirlwind had destroyed its remaining thigh bone, but it made a feeble attempt at repairing itself and struggled to rise from the ground.

Matthew noticed something. The soulfire in its eye sockets burned brighter.

"So, undead creatures can have such a strong will to survive," Matthew mused with a hint of emotion. This skeleton clearly lacked high intelligence, and it didn't even know where it should go. But from the moment it ignited its soulfire, it possessed an instinct to survive. Perhaps in the next moment, another whirlwind might extinguish its soulfire completely. But until then, it would keep moving forward, to an unknown place, to where the flame of life might blossom.

After a brief pause, Matthew continued onward. Along the way, he passed by various undead creatures: zombies, specters, succubi, vampires, ghouls, headless horsemen, death knights, dark warriors, abominations, crypt keepers, mummies...

Some were powerful, while others were weak, but all were headed toward an unknown destination. Here, no undead creature knew what lay ahead, and very few could explain the meaning of their journey. But moving forward was the only tune.

"Death is eternal silence, and the undead are beings persistently moving forward in that eternal silence. They may not be considered true living beings, but like living beings, they tirelessly defy death."

Matthew arrived at the end of the horizon with these thoughts in mind. He stood before the timeless, eternal full moon. A gust of wind blew down from above.

"So, the negative energy winds come from the moon?" Matthew curiously observed the celestial body, so close yet so far away.

In the next moment, the scenery in front of him collapsed like a shattered mirror. His viewpoint shook slightly, and his consciousness returned to his own living room.

...

"Based on multiple summoning of undead creatures and exploration of the negative energy plane, you have successfully entered the sub-domain of death, 'The Undying'! As a reward for entering the domain, you can choose one of the following abilities:

...

1. Undying Body (Your body can instantly transform into a form similar to an undead, granting you immunity and other abilities of undead creatures; in the 'Undying Body' state, you may gain deeper insights into 'The Undying' domain; Duration: 60 seconds, Once per day).
2. Negative Energy Mastery (You will gain the chance to control negative energy; after choosing this ability, you will have the opportunity to learn some negative energy spells).
3. New Summons (You will gain a random undead summon of at least third-tier).

...

This was a challenging decision for Matthew. He furrowed his brow slightly. Unlike the Oak Tree Domain and the Moderation Domain, he wanted all three abilities granted by 'The Undying.'

Undying Body was self-explanatory, a lifesaver with a potential for enhancing his exploration of 'The Undying' domain.

Negative Energy Mastery was the dream ability for a necromancer. With this power, he would significantly improve the effectiveness of his negative energy spells. After all, the two main skills of a necromancer were summoning undead creatures and negative energy spells.

The third option, 'New Summons,' was tempting, albeit a bit less so. Matthew wasn't in desperate need of more minions at the moment, but getting a headless horseman or dark warrior would be perfect, filling the gap in his melee abilities. Although Peggy was fierce, Matthew was reluctant to overuse her.

After much deliberation, Matthew decided to go with 'Undying Body.' It was a well-rounded choice, offering both survival and potential for progress in 'The Undying' domain.

...

"You have completed the initiation of 'The Undying' domain. Your current status is 'Initiate.'

...

You have gained a permanent ability, 'Undying Army.'

Undying Army: Your summoning limit is increased to ten times the current limit!

...

You have gained a temporary ability, 'Pale Hand.'

Pale Hand: Without control, your right hand will continuously infuse and emit negative energy. When it touches any living being, it will result in an instant death judgment!

Duration: 30 days.

...

"These two abilities are excellent!" Matthew exclaimed with satisfaction. Undying Army meant that he could now summon up to 120 creatures, a significant advantage over regular necromancers. 'Pale Hand' was equally potent, infusing undead creatures with negative energy, boosting their vitality, and potentially dealing a deadly blow in intense combat.

Even though the chance of instant death was low, a single success could change the outcome of a battle. The cost of trying was worth it. And at any moment, an enemy could lose their life!

Matthew noticed something else. The Taiji symbol had once again become balanced. The green dot on the right side was slightly ahead, but not by much. What was more intriguing was a small brown semicolon just below the Taiji symbol. It was one-tenth the size of the upper semicolon and contained a few, rare dots of light. Matthew knew it represented 'Moderation.' Now, he had entered three domains: Oak Tree, Moderation, and The Undying. Although he had only just begun in each, with time and accumulation, he would gain a higher degree of mastery.

"Ordinary legends only require mastery of a single domain, and those who delve into three domains are already considered elite. And here I am, already an Initiate in three domains with just my second-tier abilities."

Matthew had realized that the system's greatest convenience was offering him the door to the realms of life and death. With abundant domains, he could slowly plant trees, accumulate levels and spells, and eventually soar to great heights.

...

...

Two more days passed.

Unbeknownst to them, it was already the end of March.

Rolling Stone Town was now celebrating its second spring festival of the season – the Spring Delay Festival.

With the assistance of the Silvermoon Zombies, Matthew's tree-planting efficiency had greatly improved in the past few days.

Just before the Spring Delay Festival, he had finally strengthened Alby to level 14!

The highest-level summon in Matthew's arsenal, Little Fei, was just one level away from that.

Aside from the significant level increase, Alby had acquired a series of abilities like "Clone Technique," "Relentless Slaughter," "Vanishing Technique," "Shrinking to an Inch," and "Dry Onion Pulling."

Although the quality of these keyword abilities was only blue and white, they greatly enriched Alby's combat capabilities.

The current Sword Dancer looked more like a mid-tier adventurer's worst nightmare.

Of course, with every strengthening process, there were always some gray keywords. This time, Matthew had encountered two of them.

"Alcoholic (Gray): Your skeleton has developed a drinking problem. Every 72 hours, it needs to consume at least one bottle of wheat beer to alleviate its restlessness."

"Cross-Dressing Fetish (Gray): Your skeleton has awakened a sense of dressing up. It desires to wear colorful clothes or dresses. If it can be dressed like a beautiful woman, it will feel extremely pleased."

Honestly, when Matthew first saw these two keywords, he was utterly baffled.

A skeleton with an alcohol problem? How does it even drink? Doesn't all the liquid just spill out?

As for the cross-dressing fetish, that was relatively easier to accommodate. With the improvement of Alby's Night Cloak, it didn't compromise its stealth, even if Matthew dressed it in pretty dresses. What bothered Matthew was that both cross-dressing and drinking required spending money.

To save costs, Matthew bought the cheapest wheat beer, and Alby seemed to enjoy it. As expected, beer immediately spilled out of Alby's mouth, but Matthew noticed that during this process, some of the alcohol seemed to be absorbed by Alby's soul fire.

This sign was quite intriguing. It blatantly violated the laws of the undead. Anyone capable of breaking such rules couldn't be ordinary. In this regard, Alby seemed to be catching up with Peggy.

This was one of the few things that made Matthew feel satisfied. As for cross-dressing, Matthew picked up a couple of shabby, oversized outfits at the town's second-hand store. Alby didn't seem to mind wearing them, but it was quite hard on Matthew's eyes; it was a bit too much.

Setting aside these minor flaws, Alby's power had substantially increased.

On the day of the Spring Delay Festival, Matthew brought only Alby with him to the Lord's Manor.

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

The festival had already started. As Matthew walked through the town, he could hear the "Spring's Arrival" procession outside the village, with people happily beating gongs and drums.

The Spring Delay Festival was on the third-to-last day of March. Spring in Rolling Stone Town was short; two months prior, it was covered in snow, and now, it was the scorching summer. Thus, March had two major festivals – the "Spring's Knowledge" festival at the beginning of the month and the Spring Delay Festival at the end.

Both of these festivals had a tradition of grand celebrations. They were the most significant events for the residents of Rolling Stone Town in the first half of the year. If they missed the Spring Delay Festival, they would have to wait until the "Harvest Festival" in the fall for an event of the same magnitude.

Today, whether in town or the countryside, people got up early because most of them were enthusiastic about participating in various festival activities.

In contrast to the Spring's Knowledge Festival, which focused on celebrations, performances, and gatherings, the Spring Delay Festival attracted attention with various competitions and activities hosted by different townsfolk. This tradition dated back to the Enlightenment Era when it was believed that the gods held various athletic contests in spring to select champions from among humans.

It gradually evolved into semi-official entertainment. Anyone with a presence could apply for projects, and once approved by the town, they would receive municipal subsidies. Participants for these projects were registered on-site, emphasizing spontaneity and excitement.

Matthew noticed preparations for events like the "Grass-Eating Competition" and the "Ring Toss Competition" taking place in front of the Lord's Manor. Near the Seven Saints Square, the most popular "Martin's Sprint" project was also setting up.

There were also "One-Hand, One-Foot Wrestling" and "Chubby Bumper Cars" in the works.

The whole of Rolling Stone Town was bustling with life.

Matthew found himself in a moment of nostalgia. In past years, his obsession with tree planting had prevented him from participating in or even watching any festival activities.

Today, he was finally tempted to join a few of the events and have some fun. But he had other tasks at hand.

"Today, I am Ronan the Great Mage!"

With this thought in mind, Matthew, led by a guard, arrived at the side hall of the Lord's Manor.

Even though it was early, the Lord's Manor was already bustling with activity. Servants were busy with festival decorations, and the nobles were awake and active.

While passing through a corridor, Matthew heard Sophia's voice.

"Oh, Daddy, I'm not a fifteen-year-old little girl anymore. Today, I don't want to dress like a princess from a fairy tale!"

This was Sophia's complaint.

"But even after the day after tomorrow, you'll still be a sixteen-year-old girl."

Reiga's voice was gentle:

"And is it really that bad to look like a little princess? The ones in fairy tales are always happy."

Sophia grumbled:

"I don't like those clothes. They make me look too childish. Even if it's a fairy tale, I want to dress like a female knight!"

Reiga fell silent for a few seconds before saying:

"When you grow up, you'll have plenty of time to wear mature clothes. But today, promise me, wear the clothes appropriate for your age. These clothes are beautiful and a little pitiful. You probably won't wear them again for a long time. Just think of it as keeping them company."

Reiga's voice contained a faint trace of reluctance.

Sophia paused for a moment, then cheerfully agreed:

"Alright, I'll listen to you. I'll pick a little dress. This one, I love you, Dad."

Reiga's affectionate voice came through:

"I love you more, my little princess. Now, go to the next room, and let Hia help you get dressed."

...

"What a perceptive child."

Matthew could almost picture the change in Sophia's expression when she heard Reiga's somewhat unusual words. Although she had a strong personality, her true nature was sensitive and gentle. At the very least, she didn't disappoint Reiga's love.

Matthew didn't linger in the corridor for long. After passing through three more hallways, he finally reached his destination for this visit – a circular arched building on the west side of the Lord's Manor.

"You're right on time. I've just finished getting ready."

Dressed in fashionable attire with handsome features, Zeller greeted him.

His gaze lingered near Alby, who was wearing the Night Cloak, for a few seconds, and then he led Matthew inside.

"I've already set up the Mirror Technique. I tested it twice yesterday, and the results were perfect. Oh, have you eaten?"

Zeller asked.

"I have, spring rolls and a glass of yogurt."

Matthew replied.

"Peggy is an enviable partner."

Zeller said with a smile:

"I've heard from Sophia that she's a culinary genius."

Matthew nodded with a smile.

"Then I'll take you to the makeup room."

Zeller led Matthew to the innermost room.

Inside were many mirrors and a pile of bottles and jars, most of which contained materials unfamiliar to Matthew.

"While charm is a gift from the heavens, as a man, you must know how to take care of yourself and cherish it."

Zeller explained with a smile. Then, like a barber, he had Matthew sit in front of one of the mirrors.

Afterward, he snapped his fingers.

In the mirror right in front of Matthew, suddenly, a blonde, blue-eyed, and explosively voluptuous young woman appeared!

"Good morning, Zeller."

The woman, looking rather languid, rubbed her sleepy eyes as she walked out of the mirror.

An incredible fragrance wafted over, and a force known as desire began to tease Matthew's nerves.

"Layisna, don't use your charm on my guest. He won't fall for it."

Zeller commanded sternly.

The woman playfully stuck out her tongue.

In the next moment, she sat down in front of the mirror's platform and lifted her two long legs, crossing them together. Her short skirt silently rose, revealing large swaths of snowy white. From underneath, a long, slender, heart-tipped tail extended, swaying unconsciously.

This scene was enough to make most men parched and tongue-tied.

But Matthew looked calmly at Zeller, who was standing nearby.

"Is this the makeup artist you found for me?"

Zeller, relieved, said:

"This is Lysanna, my contract partner. In most cases, she's like family to me."

...

"Hint: Your ability 'Mind Like Calm Waters' is active. You have successfully resisted the charm of 'Enchantress Lysanna.' Your willpower +1."

Chapter 40 >>

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