Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone

The Soul Struggle Battlefield was a world of idealism. All rules were written by the participants themselves.

Vladimir chose the power of the Undead. Naturally, Fang Zhou had to choose a form of soul manifestation that he was familiar with and could effectively counter it: Light and Order.

Fang Zhou closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As his will gradually coalesced, the environment around him began to change. At first, only stones rose slowly around him. Then, as if granted life, they rapidly assembled and stacked themselves, eventually forming a magnificent castle.

The castle was not just visually majestic; it also exuded a sacred, inviolable aura. The walls, like indestructible ramparts, extended ever upward until they met the sky. The walls gradually turned a pure white, as if cleansed by sunlight, and began to radiate a soft, warm glow.

As Fang Zhou poured more of his Soul Power into the construct, the castle’s defensive structures began to appear. Atop the walls, defense towers shot up like mushrooms after a spring rain. Their size far exceeded that of ordinary watchtowers, making for an imposing and spectacular sight. Manning these towers were not ordinary Archers, but numerous powerful ballistae.

***

Just as Fang Zhou’s castle was taking shape, dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. Unlike natural clouds, these did not bring rain or Thunder. Instead, they carried a suffocating, oppressive feeling—an omen of Death.

At the center of the dark clouds, a Skeleton Giant Dragon slowly spread its wings. Its body, stretching over a hundred meters, was skillfully pieced together from the Dragon Bones of various types of Giant Dragons. Its massive maw was particularly striking, lined with two rows of specially enhanced, bone-white fangs. Whenever it opened its mouth, it looked as if it could devour the very air, sending a chill down the spine of any who looked upon it.

Atop the Skeleton Giant Dragon’s head, Vladimir stood motionless. A ghostly green flame burned in his eye sockets, its flickering light reflecting his complex emotions.

He gently stroked his jawbone, his gaze sweeping over this Soul World as he couldn’t help but sigh. "What a strange Soul World! For a Black Iron Tier being to create such a vivid scene... If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought it the masterpiece of some Legendary Mage."

Stroking his jawbone thoughtfully, he continued, "But this is fine, too. After I defeat this young Undead Mage, this perfect Soul World will surely grant me even greater power. By inheriting his identity and Talent, it might not be impossible for me to live again in this new era."

Vladimir never considered the possibility of failure. Although the passage of time had greatly weakened his soul and memory, the Magic of Soul Struggle was still one of his greatest strengths. Even in the most desperate situations, he was confident he would win this contest.

At this point, Vladimir could already use his Soul Power to create numerous Undead Creatures to fight for him. Of course, these Undead Creatures were merely phantoms in the Soul World; they were not physical entities. With this Undead Army composed of souls, he was confident he could deal with any opponent whose Tier did not exceed Bronze on the Soul Struggle Battlefield. To say nothing of the young brat before him, who, despite being in this strange place, couldn’t possibly possess strength beyond the Lower Black Iron level.

A cold, ruthless light glinted in Vladimir’s Soul Fire. His fingers tapped lightly against his teeth as he became lost in pleasant fantasies of the future.

Why is this Soul World so perfect? Once I take it, there will be plenty of time to study it. Perhaps this is my chance at reincarnation.

This possibility stirred an uncontrollable excitement within him.

At Vladimir’s command, the Skeleton Giant Dragon rode the howling winds, flying swiftly toward the center of the Soul World. Undead mists roiled about it, like black ribbons twisting around the Giant Beast’s body. As a powerhouse with extensive experience in battles between souls, Vladimir knew full well that the key to becoming master of this Soul World was to find its core at the center and utterly destroy it. Conquering territory was merely a secondary concern.

Although the Skeleton Giant Dragon’s flight speed couldn’t compare to that of a true Giant Dragon, it was still astonishing. Every flap of its wings unleashed a storm, with thick black smoke engulfing the sky wherever it passed.

Through his Perception, Vladimir captured the signature of an intense life presence not far ahead. Found it! The soul’s core is just ahead!

The ghostly green flames in his eye sockets suddenly flared.

Stamping his foot, Vladimir signaled the Skeleton Giant Dragon to slow down and issued a low command. A hoarse, grating draconic roar echoed through the sky. The black smoke around the Skeleton Giant Dragon billowed as its massive body shifted from a high-speed charge into a glide. It penetrated the clouds, diving toward the source of the life signature.

Vladimir’s Soul Fire leaped in surprise. Wait, what is this?

For something to startle a Pseudo-Corpse Witch with such vast experience in soul combat, it had to be extraordinary.