Chapter 160: Awakening (2)
For now, they had managed to stop the ritual, though barely. They had also protected Leven’s soul. Whether becoming the servant of a depraved necromancer could truly be considered saving his soul was up for debate, but at the very least, Leven's sense of self remained intact. The problem was that, in exchange, they had freed the monstrous Demphis.
From across the chamber, Serati glanced at the sealed stone doors and sent a mental message.
—What do we do? We haven't rescued the others yet...
Varos wiped the cold sweat from his forehead before responding.
—Now's not the time to worry about them. We're about to die right here.
The archlich stepped forward, his golden staff tapping against the ground. Each step sent ripples of necromantic energy surging through the floor. Despite having his ritual disrupted, he showed no signs of anger. After all, Karnak's interference was only a temporary setback.
As long as he reclaimed Leven's body, he could perform the descent ritual again with just a few days of preparation. For now, it was far more important to eliminate these intruders once and for all.
Demphis fixed his cold gaze on Karnak and spoke in a quiet, deliberate voice. "I will not make the same mistake twice."
This one—Karnak—was no ordinary opponent. Even as a ninth circle master, Demphis had never encountered such an unorthodox set of abilities. Karnak was not someone to be underestimated. But once Demphis acknowledged this, the solution became obvious.
If an enemy was frail but possessed exceptional skill, the answer was simple: overwhelm them with raw power. And Karnak's lack of magical reserves was a fixed weakness.
"The first step is ensuring you cannot escape."
Demphis lifted his golden staff and struck the ground. "The earth shall rise as an unyielding barrier. Stone Wall."