Visiting The Dead [1]

Morning came faster than Asher had anticipated.

After staying up all night going through his phone, the documents given to him, and the handbooks the previous Asher had left behind.

He managed to cover half of all the documents in his room, leaving the box labeled Dad untouched, deciding to keep that for when he returned home.

It was just 5:45 a.m., and the sun wasn't up yet, which was a good thing for him since he would be sneaking into the academy.

He had a quick shower and slipped into a simple casual outfit: a black T-shirt with a hoodie on top, plain sweatpants, and sneakers.

Satisfied with the fact that he and the previous Asher had the same dress sense, simple but slightly stylish, he moved on.

Although, the previous Asher had expensive stuff, something he wasn't quite comfortable with.

Asher had gone through past detailed expenses and was disappointed.

A simple hoodie was $50, and not to mention the shoes.

He heaved a sigh, picked up his bag, threw it over his shoulder, and stepped out of his room.

Walking past the other rooms silently, he ensured he didn't make a single noise because he didn't want to be questioned by anyone.

Before he successfully left the apartment, he sent a text to Emma:

Don't come to the apartment. Meet me at the academy.

He grabbed a mochi and exited the building the same way he had yesterday.

He didn't wait for a reply. Whatever she wanted to talk about could wait, because she was typing, and right now, he had his own priorities.

The system had given him more information last night. .

His Necromancer class wasn't just about using black magic; it was also tied to raising the undead from corpses, fresh or old, as long as the soul still existed.

If he had the right skill, he could tap into the long-buried remains of warriors and creatures from centuries past, bringing them back under his command.

That meant there had to be battlefields, graveyards, or places of mass burials that held immense potential. And Velcrest, with its long history, was bound to have plenty of them.

So that was where he was heading so early in the morning.

But he wasn't about to ask the headmaster straight up.

That would be suspicious. Instead, he needed to listen, observe, and figure out the right way to uncover that information himself.

By the time he reached the academy, students were already moving through the halls, some in groups, others rushing to their classes, despite the time.

That alone was irritating. The fact that one would neglect sleep to learn things they would, unfortunately, not use in the future.

He ignored the curious glances and made his way to the main building, where the headmaster's office was located.

The guards at the door barely spared him a glance before letting him in.

Headmaster Ardent sat behind his desk as usual, but he wasn't dressed as perfectly as he usually was. He had just a shirt and shorts on.

"Asher Morgan," Ardent said without looking up from his phone. "You're early. That's unusual."

"Had some things to discuss."

The headmaster finally closed the book and leaned back. "Go on."

This was the tricky part. If he wanted to get information, he had to move the conversation in the right direction.

And that would be hard, since Asher was better off going straight to the point and heading home than wasting time.

"I've been thinking about Velcrest's history," Asher started. "Specifically, the academy's. With how long this place has been standing, it must've seen its fair share of wars, hasn't it?"

Ardent's eyes narrowed. He raised his head to look at Asher over the top of his glasses, then nodded.

"Many times. This city has been a battleground more than once, and this academy has trained warriors for centuries. If you must know, the city also suffered an apocalypse too."

Asher folded his arms. The word apocalypse got to him. He wanted to ask what might have caused it, but that would drag the conversation on longer.

And he did not plan for that. Instead, he nodded in understanding and continued.

"And I'm guessing with wars come a lot of… casualties. Soldiers, beasts, powerful figures. Do you know what happened to all of them? Where they were buried?"

Ardent studied him for a moment before answering. "There are several known sites that are still ruins, cemeteries and mines. Although some have been sealed off due to the nature of what was left behind."

Asher raised a brow. "Sealed off?"

"The dead don't always stay dead, especially those kinds, Morgan," Ardent said simply.

He already knew that, but hearing it confirmed was important. It meant there were places with remnants strong enough to warrant concern.

And he wanted that, just the possibility of being able to wake a soldier as strong as the first Beast Tamer.

Then the thought popped into his mind, What if he could raise General Arkanos himself?

"Where are these places?" Asher asked, careful not to sound too eager, though his excitement was increasing by the second.

Ardent didn't answer immediately. Instead, he drummed his fingers on the desk. "Why the sudden interest?"

Asher shrugged. "Curiosity. Knowledge is power, and I'd rather not be caught off guard if I ever have to face something like that, especially today."

That was a reasonable enough answer. Ardent held his gaze for a few seconds, then exhaled.

"There's a restricted section in the academy's archives," he said.

"It holds records of past wars, including information on where fallen soldiers and creatures were laid to rest. If you truly want to learn about Velcrest's history, that's where you should look."

Bingo.

Asher nodded. "Appreciate it."

Ardent waved a hand dismissively. "Just don't go looking for things better left buried."

Too late for that.

Just telling him there were cemeteries and abandoned sites had already triggered Asher. If the bodies had been burned or fed to beasts, then that would have been a major issue.

Instead, they were kept the way dead people were supposed to be.

He smiled and turned around, ready to leave, only for the headmaster to call him back.

"Yes, sir," Asher forced out as he slowly turned to face Ardent. But instead of a warning Ardent smiled warmly. "It's good to see you're liking it here."

Asher remained silent for a while. He raised a brow, wondering if the man was joking, but the sincerity in his eyes made him feel awkward.

So he replied with the first thing that came to mind. "Well, it's not bad here. Just the fact that I have to be here instead of at home relaxing annoys me."

"Well, I hope you get used to it," Ardent's gaze turned dark. "Because weak classes like you don't get rest."

Asher scoffed loudly. "I'm not one of those students you use as puppets," he paused and chuckled.

"And hopefully, this generation's first years won't be either. If they can't do it on their own, I can."

Ardent's brows curved into a frown and his gaze darkened "I hope you know who you're talking to."

"You? Yes, I do."

"I might as well get you expelled, Morgan."

"With all honesty, please do so. I'm already tired."

"What do you think your mother would say?"

Asher paused, his heart skipped a beat just at the mention of his mother. He had forgotten he even attended the ceremony because of her. Forgotten, for a moment once again, that he wasn't alone again. He had a family.

Annoyed, Asher lowered his head. "Forgive me, sir."

"Do you expect me to find that sincere?"

'Come close, let me show you how sincere I am with my fist,' he thought but then forced a smile.

"I'll show you how sincere I am by doing well on today's raid."