Ludwig reached the top floor of the tower, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and the faint metallic tang of magic. Van Dijk was already there, waiting for him, his expression unreadable as he stood by the large window overlooking the lands around the Black Tower academy.
“Come in,” Van Dijk said, his voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of urgency.
Ludwig stepped inside, closing the heavy wooden door behind him. The room was as he remembered it—cluttered with books, scrolls, and strange vials full of the most random organs of strange creatures. Van Dijk turned to face him, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Ludwig.
“Did you happen to see either Sebas or Evan on your way up?” Van Dijk asked, his tone casual but his gaze piercing.
“No, Master,” Ludwig shook his head. He didn’t have access to the ‘inner’ tower, so he never ventured unsupervised inside to check on Van Dijk’s other apprentices. “I haven’t seen them since the tournament.”
Van Dijk leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him as he thought for a moment. Then, with a sudden motion, he stood up. “Follow me,” he said, his voice firm. “It’s strange that they both went missing right now.”
Ludwig frowned, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. “Are they not on a mission for you?” he asked as he followed Van Dijk out of the room and down a narrow staircase.
“Nothing that I asked them to do,” Van Dijk replied, his tone tinged with frustration. “We’re in a delicate period of research, and I can’t have them disappearing on me. Especially not now.”
They descended several flights of stairs, the air growing colder and heavier with each step. Van Dijk stopped at a seemingly ordinary section of the wall and pressed his hand against it. The stone shifted with a low rumble, revealing a hidden passageway that led into the inner sanctum of the tower. Ludwig had only been here once before, and the memory of that visit was still fresh in his mind.
The inner tower was a stark contrast to the rest of the academy. The walls were lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes and jars containing strange, glowing substances. The air was thick with the scent of alchemical reagents and the faint hum of dark magic. In the center of the room stood a large table, its surface covered in intricate diagrams and tools that Ludwig recognized all too well. It was the same table where Van Dijk had performed the operation to implant the Nephilium into his body.
“Doesn’t matter though,” Van Dijk muttered as he walked over to the table. “I thought they’d be pestering me to teach them something, especially after seeing how well you did in the tournament. But I guess I gave them too much credit. They don’t even have the face to show up in front of me anymore.” He shook his head, his expression a mix of disappointment and irritation.
Ludwig remained silent, his eyes scanning the room. The atmosphere was tense, and he could feel the weight of Van Dijk’s expectations pressing down on him.
“Sit up,” Van Dijk said, gesturing to the table. He removed his black coat, revealing a simple black shirt underneath, and pulled on a pair of pristine white gloves. Ludwig hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the table, his mind racing with apprehension.
Van Dijk reached for a small vial on the table, its contents glowing faintly with a golden light. It was far smaller than the vial Ludwig had seen before, but the sight of it still sent a shiver down his spine.
“I received another dose of Nephilium,” Van Dijk said, holding the vial up to the light. “Though this one isn’t as large as the last, it was incredibly difficult to obtain.” He set the vial down and picked up a small book, flipping it open to reveal detailed diagrams of skeletal structures and intricate mana circuits.
“I want you to do the carving yourself this time,” Van Dijk said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I only carved about a third of the circuits on your body. What I want you to do is complete the carve on your arm. I’ve already passed the main pathways, and this amount of Nephilium can only cover the auxiliary pathways of either your left or right arm.”
He handed the book to Ludwig, who took it with both hands. The pages were filled with complex diagrams and notes, each one detailing the precise placement of the mana circuits. Ludwig’s eyes widened as he realized the sheer density of the information.
“This is… pretty dense,” Ludwig said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” Van Dijk replied, his tone matter-of-fact. “It took a lot of time and effort to develop a fully functional mana circuit that can be applied to bones instead of flesh. But this should have the power to push you to the peak of magical ability. My gift to you isn’t the Nephilium itself, but the knowledge to implant it on your own. So, use the knowledge from the book and show me how you can carve the circuits.”
Van Dijk pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Ludwig, his expression calm but his eyes sharp and observant. Ludwig nodded, his resolve hardening. He knew this wouldn’t be easy, but he also knew that this was a crucial step in his growth.
The moment Ludwig dipped the pen-sized carving tool into the vial of holy water and began tracing the pathways across the bone of his arm, his whole body shuddered from the untold amounts of pain. It was as if his very soul was being scorched, the holy energy searing through his undead bones. He instinctively pulled away, the tool slipping from his grasp as he gasped for breath.
He turned to look at Van Dijk, who remained expressionless, his gaze unwavering. There was no sympathy in his eyes, only expectation.
‘There is no escaping this…’ Ludwig thought, steeling himself for the task ahead.
[You’re Suffering critical damage to the integrity of your skeletal body!]
[You are being afflicted with Holy Damage!]
[-1 Strength]
[-1 Strength]
[You have resisted integral structure damage!]
[You have resisted integral structure damage!]
The notifications flashed before Ludwig’s eyes, each one a reminder of the toll this process was taking on his body. But he couldn’t stop now. He picked up the tool again, his hands trembling as he resumed the carving. The pain was excruciating, but he forced himself to push through, his determination overriding the agony.
Minutes felt like hours as Ludwig worked, his focus entirely on the task at hand. The pain was relentless, but he refused to give up. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he was almost done.
“You seem to be almost finished,” Van Dijk said, his voice breaking the silence. “Why stop here?”
Ludwig looked up, his breathing ragged. “I wanted to ask you something…” he said, his voice strained.
“What is it?” Van Dijk asked, his tone calm but curious.
“Wouldn’t this be easier if I removed my arm…?” Ludwig asked, his voice trembling. “I mean, this hurts… like a lot…”
Van Dijk’s expression remained impassive. “That would have been a good idea if not for the fact that carving on an attached limb stops you from dying. What’s keeping your body functioning and moving is your soul. Severing your arm is the same as severing the soul. If you were to carve on your severed arm and then reattach it, your soul would receive an instant shock from all the holy matter in it. It would either kill you or destroy your entire body.”
Ludwig nodded, understanding the gravity of Van Dijk’s words. He took a deep breath and resumed the carving, his hands steadier this time. The pain was still unbearable, but he pushed through, determined to complete the task.
This time, he didn’t lose as much strength as he had the first time, only losing about eight points in total. When he finally finished, Van Dijk stood up and handed him the vial of Nephilium.
“Good job,” Van Dijk said, his tone approving. “Use this yourself.”
Ludwig took the vial and poured the glowing liquid slowly over the newly carved pathways. The Nephilium immediately seeped into the grooves, fusing with his bones and completing the circuit. A new notification appeared before him.
[Your {Blessed Body} has leveled up!]
[You have obtained {Minor Holy Resistance}]
Ludwig’s eyes widened as he read the description.
-{Passive Minor Holy Resistance} Small resistance against the Holy element. Resistance against holy damage increased by 10%.
He flexed his arm, feeling the new power coursing through it. “Thank you, Master,” Ludwig said, his voice filled with gratitude.
“No problem,” Van Dijk replied, his expression softening slightly. “Now, I want to give you a couple of—”
Before Van Dijk could finish, his eyes widened in alarm. Ludwig felt it too—a sudden, overwhelming sense of danger. A notification flashed before his eyes.
[You are in a hostile environment!]
[Death Point has been saved! Bastos Van Dijk’s Secret Laboratory.]
[Sudden Quest! Survive the Holy Order’s Assault!]
[Urgent Quest Update!]
Your Quest, Eternal Quest, Academic Life as a Skeleton has been Modified and Updated!
[Escape the Black Tower Academy!]
Before Ludwig could even utter a word, the entire tower shook violently, as if struck by a massive force. The sound of crumbling stone and shattering glass filled the air, and Ludwig’s instincts screamed at him to move. The Holy Order had arrived, and they were not here for a friendly visit.