Reborn As An Evolving Monster

"I'll need you to explain. Thoroughly."

"What is there to explain? By Reviving them, I can't eat. I guess an Undead Lich wouldn't get that. You don't need to eat, do you? It's a pretty big sacrifice, you know? Staying hungry."

"I see..."

'That's not entirely true. I don't forfeit Devouring them, since I can Devour them later on. No... It started with Abyssal Union or something, once I became an Abyssal Weretiger. That's how I became able to Devour... Or merge myself with my Underlings. But once I got that, the sacrifice becomes null though? Me Devouring my own Underlings... When did it happen? After fusing Kira with that Wyvern. Against Levi... Maybe the fact that it's another Skill that allows that makes it different? The sacrifice is accepted by one Skill, but offset by another...?'

The red light that shone through the Undead Lich's eyes burned a bit more fiercely while the white-scaled Monster thought silently.

'I see... Its internal organs are fascinating. While it might have a butt, it has no orifice. Using the word Devour makes more sense now. It has no need for an orifice, as all it does is intake. There's no output. Its internal organs deal with it all. In other words, anything that it Devours is digested perfectly. There's absolutely no waste. Devour... The need for Materials... Development it said, huh? Since there's no waste, everything is used. Not as sustenance. Development. Whatever it Devours is used to grow? If that's the case then... The sacrifice makes more sense. And also...'

Both raised their gazes towards the other's eyes at the same time.

'I definitely want to hear more from him!'

They stared at one another for a bit, and the Undead Lich lay a hand on the desk by its side. 

Its index finger tapped the wooden desk for a couple of seconds.

"What kind of Ritual would I need to perform to Revive something as strong as I am?"

The Undead Lich stared silently.

"As I said, we can go that route. But..."

"But?"

"Playing with the Dead isn't a simple thing. Bending their Souls and wills to your own... How does it feel?"

Mark definitely did not expect such a question, and it showed.

"Uh... Feels okay, I suppose?"

"The Underlings you had before becoming unable to use the Skill. They're not with you."

The white-scaled Monster's eyes narrowed.

"They're not."

"They're not waiting outside either."

"They're not."

"Then?"

"They're still alive."

"They are?"

"Yes, they are." Mark said dryly.

The Undead Lich could feel irritation inside the white-scaled Monster's voice. The former's uncertainty started to dissipate.

It raised its arm to the side, showcasing the metal bar from which hung...

"These Ghouls. How do you feel about them?"

"No particular way."

"How do you feel about me using them this way?"

"They follow your orders, don't they? And they're different from the Skeletons."

"They do. And they are."

"Then it's vile, and disgusting."

"Do your Underlings follow your orders?"

"They do."

"Were you to ask them to die for you, would they?"

"They would."

"Has that ever happened? An Underling dying for you?"

"It has."

"Did you use it as a shield?"

"I did not."

"Then it died protecting you, of its own volition?"

"You could say that."

The Undead Lich's bony fingers intertwined. It brought its hands closer to its mouth.

"Interesting..."

"Is it?"

"Do you value your Underlings?"

"I do."

"Why is that?"

"They've allowed me to survive many times. They allowed me to win many times. What does this, have to do with that?"

The Undead Lich slowly rose from its seat. Mark remained ready for anything, despite the Contract that they had signed which forbids violence.

It slowly walked towards the metal bar, before standing in front of a whimpering Ghoul.

Too much blood had flown out and down its body, filling the Urn below it. 

The Ghoul didn't have much time left.

The Undead Lich pressed its finger against the Ghoul's ribcage.

Slowly but surely, the finger ended up piercing through the skin.

"What are you doing?"

"A test, I suppose." The Undead Lich answered as it wiggled its finger inside the Ghoul's body.

The Ghoul felt the pain, but it was unable to express it. Its whimpers didn't grow louder. It lacked the energy.

The Undead Lich turned around.

Disgust was painted all over the white-scaled Monster's face.

The Undead Lich nodded internally, and walked back towards its seat.

"The Soul comes before the Body, you say?"

"We're not there yet."

"Do you believe your Underlings to have Souls?"

"They do."

"Is that so..."

The Undead Lich stared for a bit.

It wanted its words to illicit a reaction.

A reaction that would, hopefully, break the Contract that they had signed.

Not because it wanted to take away the white-scaled Monster's use of Mana, but simply to have more leeway later on.

The Undead Lich thought it likely that, instead of enforcing the Punishment that comes with breaking the Contract, the System would agree to increase the number of questions that the Undead Lich could ask to five or, perhaps, even ten.

"You killed your Underlings before Reviving them, right?"

Mark's hand twitched.

The Undead Lich clicked its tongue internally.

"How does it feel, being served by one you killed? How does it feel, twisting their Souls after killing them? If they do have a Soul, then that Soul was altered significantly by you. At the best, it's brainwashing, don't you agree?"

The white-scaled Monster remained silent.

"You care for your Underlings, but you've inflicted incredible pain upon them. You've taken their will and pride. You made them bend. No, you forced them to, without them even realizing it. How did it feel? You wouldn't use them as a shield, would you?"

"I'm... Not sure."

"I get the picture. Did you, at one point, lose sight of it? Did you, at one point, think of yourself as their protector? Their shield? Their Leader? You are none of those things. And had their mind not been altered, they wouldn't side with you. It's the very reason why you killed them after all."

The white-scaled Monster slowly lowered its wide eyes and gaze.

"You've grown used to those you have. But what about the next one? Are you willing to kill it, and then have it take a knee? Are you willing to break their mind and body? Necromancy isn't child's play. Are you willing to play God and give them life? Willing to bring them back and make them in your perverted image? Life and Death. How much respect do you have for both? Do you respect either? Neither? No... It's Life and Death that disturbs you, but their Soul. You don't want to mess with another's Soul, huh? Are you scared of the same thing happening to you? Are you scared of your Soul being Manipulated? Of losing who you are? Of being changed? Of no longer being the same?"

At the white-scaled Monster's heavy silence, the Undead Lich sighed.

"It seems that you have already thought about this, huh? Clearly, not enough though."

The Undead Lich rose from its seat, walked towards the metal bar, and plunged its whole hand through the very same Ghoul's chest.

It swiftly pulled its hand out. Very little blood squirted out. Most had been lost already after all.

The Undead Lich brought its bloody index finger to the unmoving Ghoul's head.

A triangle was drawn.

A purplish Aura appeared at the tip of that index finger. Upon tapping it at the center of that triangle, the Ghoul's eyes opened.

"Until you can answer these questions, that Skill of yours will remain as it is. Yours, but at the same time, not."

The Undead Lich took a seat once more.

"Necromancy is an endless pursuit, and a bottomless abyss. Don't take it so lightly, child."