ch13

Jeremy exhaled.

His heart was still pounding from the teleportation, his senses struggling to process the impossible city before him.

Then—

A cold gust of wind carried a familiar clinking sound from behind him.

Jeremy spun around, fists clenched—

Only to see Mordis walking casually through the portal, his bones clinking softly with every step.

Jeremy blinked. "Wait—how the hell did you—"

Mordis simply pointed at the now-fading portal.

Jeremy sighed. "Of course. You just walked through it."

Mordis gave a small, mocking bow and raised a hand—his skeletal fingers forming a thumbs-up.

Jeremy scoffed. "Glad to see you're having fun."

The portal vanished behind them.

There was no way back.

Jeremy turned his attention back to the city.

"Well," he muttered. "Might as well see what the hell we just walked into."

---

The Beasts That Fear the City

They had barely taken ten steps forward when the first monsters appeared.

Massive, twisted abominations, each one a fusion of rotting flesh, bone, and shadow, crawling over the ruins surrounding the Necropolis.

Their eyes burned with hunger.

Their jaws snapped at the air, drooling some thick, black ichor.

But they did not enter the city.

Jeremy frowned. "Why are they just—"

Before he could finish, the creatures attacked.

---

Jeremy dodged left, activating Necrotic Infusion. Strength surged through his limbs.

Mordis moved like a shadow, his new speed overwhelming the nearest beast.

Jeremy slashed—his blade sank deep, but the wound rotted instantly, thanks to his Decay effect.

Mordis disappeared, only to reappear behind another enemy, driving his shadow-covered dagger through its skull.

The creatures shrieked in agony, their bodies breaking down too quickly—as if something in this realm was rejecting them.

Within minutes, the battle was over.

Jeremy exhaled, looking at the still quivering remains.

They were strong—but not strong enough.

Then he noticed something.

Despite their hunger, their instinct was to avoid the city.

They were afraid.

Something inside the Necropolis terrified them.

Jeremy and Mordis shared a glance.

Then, wordlessly, they walked forward.

---

The city swallowed them in silence.

The buildings were massive, yet eerily empty.

No bodies. No skeletons. Not even dust.

Jeremy felt a cold weight settle in his gut.

Then, he saw them.

The statues.

Hundreds of massive, hooded figures, lining the streets, carved from obsidian-black stone.

Each one faced the center of the city.

Their faces were featureless.

Jeremy's pulse quickened. "The hell is this place?"

Then—

Something whispered.

A faint, ghostly voice.

Jeremy whirled around—but saw nothing.

Then his system notification flashed.

---

[You have entered the Forbidden Archive.]

[You have discovered a Unique Relic.]

---

Jeremy froze.

"A relic?"

Then he saw it.

Sitting on a pedestal at the very center of the city.

A massive, black book.

Covered in intricate silver runes.

It pulsed with faint, eerie energy.

Jeremy stepped forward.

Mordis tensed beside him.

Jeremy reached out—

The moment his fingers touched the cover—

The book twitched.

Then—

It moved.

The book sprouted legs.

Eight.

Its cover split apart, revealing dozens of tiny, blinking eyes.

Jeremy stumbled back, stunned.

The book rose into the air, shifting into something else entirely.

A massive, undead spider now stood before him—its exoskeleton made of ancient, withered paper, its legs covered in ink-like veins.

Its many eyes glowed faintly—not with hunger, but with intelligence.

Jeremy's system updated instantly.

---

[You have acquired a Unique Summon – The Archivist]

Classification: Undead Relic

Level: 1

Abilities:

[Endless Knowledge] – The Archivist stores and reveals hidden truths.

[Living Spellbook] – Grants Jeremy access to spells that he could never learn normally.

[Eldritch Webs] – Can weave magical webs that trap even spirits.

[???] – ???

---

Jeremy stared.

A summon? A sentient, undead book?

Mordis tilted his head, then raised a skeletal thumb.

Jeremy blinked. Then grinned.

"Okay. This is actually sick."

The Archivist twitched, its many eyes blinking in unison.

Then, for the first time, it spoke.

Its voice was a whisper, layered with thousands of voices.

"…I have waited… a long time…"

Jeremy felt a chill crawl up his spine.

This wasn't just a summon.

This thing knew things.

And it had been waiting for him.

Jeremy exhaled. "Alright. Let's talk."