White Night is a Lich.
A Lich refers to a wizard who has achieved immortality by turning themselves into an undead.
These mad wizards, who plunge themselves into the abyss of the dead to avoid death, each have their own reasons for becoming a Lich.
Some do it out of a straightforward fear of death, while others for the perverse reason of gaining more powerful dark magic.
White Night's reason for becoming a Lich was simple: there was still much to research.
Born in the Lake Kingdom, she was a wizard who dedicated her life to magic research, but met her demise before seeing its end.
To see the end of her research, she turned herself into an undead - a Lich.
The problem came afterward.
About a decade after she became a Lich, the entire Lake Kingdom sank beneath the lake.
Not being alive, and thus unable to receive the curse of eternal life, White Night continued her magic research below the Lake Kingdom as a Lich for five hundred years.
However, even the flesh of the undead is not immortal.
Her skeletal body began to disintegrate over time.
So, three hundred years after becoming a Lich, White Night began searching for a new body.
At first, using Eastern sorcery, she transferred her consciousness into the body of a Jiangshi (zombie).
Though this new body was strong enough, White Night realized the physical limitations of a corporeal form.
- 'Even if I transfer to a new body, it will eventually disintegrate... I need a way to preserve my mind without the need to transfer.'
Thus, White Night began researching how to digitize her ego and sustain it within a magical mechanical device.
After a long time, her research succeeded.
White Night managed to digitalize her consciousness and upload it into the machine system of the magic tower.
If a wizard who pursues immortality becomes a Lich, then she, having digitized herself into a machine, was still a Lich.
Hence, White Night still referred to herself as a Lich - and the game players called her a Cyber Lich.
***
After explaining her past in detail.
"The White Night who is acting as a commander of the Nightmare Legion outside... is not me."
White Night continued as she led us to the rooftop garden of the magic tower.
"To be precise, she shares the same ego as me, but she's another me who turned against me."
...What the hell does that mean?
Seeing that we all had the same perplexed expression, White Night grimaced within the magic panel.
I couldn't fathom how a skull could make such an expression.
"I digitized my consciousness and placed it into a machine. Meanwhile, I ordered the physical me, who had been continuing this research, to commit suicide."
When White Night uploaded her consciousness into the machine, two White Nights were created in this world.
The material-world White Night, who remained in the Jiangshi body and continued her research.
The digital-world White Night, who had achieved the immortal mind she desired.
To maintain her uniqueness and as pre-agreed, the digital-world White Night commanded the material-world White Night to commit suicide. But,
"The other me refused to die."
The material-world White Night refused death.
On reflection, it was inevitable.
A Lich is one who flees death to seek immortality.
Even if another 'me' persists in the digital world, there's no reason for 'me' to die in reality.
"At that moment, we became separate entities."
"..."
"That's how the 'other me', who refused suicide, left the magic tower, killed all the ancient wizards revived by the Demon King... and even rose to the head of the Demon King's wizard legion."
I knew all these stories, having read the game setting book.
The rest of my companions still seemed to be having a hard time grasping it, their faces a mix of confusion and understanding. I clapped my hands.
"Simply put, this Lich's mind split in two. One is the good person here, and the other is the bad guy we need to kill. Okay?"
Evangeline's face lit up.
"Wow! That suddenly makes it much easier to understand!"
"Um, it's not that simple..."
White Night sighed softly from within the panel.
"...No. Actually, that pretty much sums it up. That's what I'm about to request of you."
The wheeled mechanical device stopped and turned to face us.
Then, the Lich spoke from the panel.
"Please, kill the 'other me'."
Great Sorceress White Night, ranked third in the Nightmare Legion hierarchy.
She asked us to kill someone who was once the same being as her. This Cyber Lich was making a request to us.
"We couldn't kill each other. We knew each other's moves too well... That's why I need help from someone else."
"..."
"If you do this for me, I'll grant you one wish, whatever it may be. Of course, I will provide whatever assistance I can."
Anyway, naturally, all the commanders of the Nightmare Legion must be defeated.
If we can get help from the skull in this machine along the way, we should gladly accept it.
But, out of pure curiosity, I asked.
"Can I ask why?"
"Hmm?"
"Why do you so desperately want to kill the other you?"
Perhaps because I am also Ash, a duplicated and added entity.
I was curious about her intention to kill another version of herself.
White Night looked intently at me and said,
"If you look into a mirror and the reflection moves differently than you."
She began,
"Wouldn't that be extremely unsettling?"
"..."
"How would you feel if you encountered an entity exactly like yourself while walking down the street?"
There's something called a Doppelgänger.
An old superstition that seeing someone who looks exactly like you brings bad luck.
I wonder if there's an instinctual aversion to another being like oneself in everyone.
"I need to be unique. If there's another me to replace me, there's no need for me to exist, right?"
"..."
"So, I have no choice but to kill the other me who is just like me."
I shrugged and nodded emphatically.
"We'll take the job. But in return, I want a promise of full cooperation."
"Don't worry about that. Just tell me what you need."
"Great. Then, first..."
I pointed to a large chest in the corner of the garden.
"Please open that treasure chest."
Shiny and flashy.
The chest, emitting an 'I'm expensive' aura, looked luxurious at first glance and was locked with several complex mechanisms.
In response to my request, White Night readily agreed.
"Of course. You've cleared this 'Magic Tower,' so you have the right to open that chest."
Click-
Clang!
Almost simultaneously with her words, the chest began to open.
Emitting smoke like dry ice, a dazzling golden light spread from the opened chest.
'Hmm, SSR!'
I slowly walked up to the chest and took out its contents.
They were... a pair of silver bracelets and a pair of anklets.
Holding them, I approached Evangeline and gave her a sly smile.
"These are yours, Evangeline."
"Eh? Oh, does that mean this is..."
Evangeline hesitantly accepted the bracelets and anklets.
"Armor... you say?"
I nodded at Evangeline's puzzled expression.
Then, Evangeline, looking intrigued yet hesitant, quickly stripped off her existing armor and slipped on the bracelets and anklets on her wrists and ankles.
"How can this possibly serve as armor... Whoa?!"
Before Evangeline could finish her sentence, it happened.
Swish swish swish!
Starting from the bracelets and anklets, scales sprouted, forming a white armor that began to cover her entire body.
Clank! Clang, click-!
In an instant, a full-body silver-white armor tailored to Evangeline's physique was completed.
The cape, starting from the shoulder armor and draped behind, was as white as snow.
The helmet had a sleek shape like a bike helmet, but the front was a transparent visor made of a magical panel.
Evangeline's astonished face was clearly visible through it.
The rapid armor deployment, which could be called a transformation, ended in just a few seconds, and the final armor [Snow White] revealed its dazzling form.
"Wow, wow, wow..."
Evangeline, sensing that this was something incredibly special, gaped in awe at her own reflection.
"The culmination of Lake Kingdom's magic engineering - the magical armor Snow White."
White Night explained nonchalantly.
"It's the strongest armor with the highest defensive capability, originally worn by me. Before I completed my research, I couldn't die, so I consolidated all the techniques I could use to protect myself."
Now that I've lost my physical body, I don't need it anymore, so take it - White Night added.
"Amazing...!"
Evangeline muttered in awe, examining the gauntlets that meticulously covered even her fingertips.
I nodded approvingly, looking at Evangeline who had finally completed her item setup.
[Snow White] is an armor that performs excellently regardless of who wears it, but it particularly resonates well with Evangeline.
Its various additional features synergize perfectly with Evangeline's skills...
Well, we'll have to test it out in real combat to see.
Anyway, as I watched Evangeline, thrilled with her new armor, Lucas suddenly appeared behind me and murmured ominously.
"Master, aren't you favoring Evangeline a bit too much...?"
"Whoa, you scared me!"
Startled, I turned around to find the other heroes glaring at me with dark expressions... These rascals?
"No, no, it's not like that. I'll take care of all of you too."
And you all got an item each from conquering this Magic Tower! If anything, I'm the only one who didn't get anything!
But since everyone else got items of only SR grade, and Evangeline got an SSR grade (of the highest class) equipment, they seemed envious.
"I'm fine with it!"
Damien smiled broadly, proudly holding up the [Venom Fang] he acquired earlier. Well, yours is also an SSR grade item...!
After reassuring everyone that they too would receive great items.
Verdandi cautiously approached me.
"...Ash."
"Yeah. It's your turn now."
I turned to White Night and asked,
"White Night. Is there an item here called the Holy Grail?"
"Huh? The Holy Grail...?"
"We need it to defeat the other you. I was hoping you could provide it."
After a moment of contemplation, White Night exclaimed in realization and moved the mechanical device towards the interior of the garden.
"That's what you're talking about. It's over there, inside. Come, follow me."
At the very back of the garden, there was another glass door.
Following White Night's lead, we entered it.
As soon as we stepped into the inner chamber of the garden, Verdandi stopped abruptly.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong, Verdandi?"
I asked, and Verdandi murmured hesitantly,
"...It can't be, but I smell the scent of my homeland."
"Your homeland?"
"Yes. And it's..."
Verdandi frowned.
"The scent of the World Tree..."
Verdandi was spot on.
Inside the inner chamber of the botanical garden, there were trees that are rarely seen in the outside world.
"These aren't just any trees."
Verdandi, examining a tree's trunk, murmured tentatively.
After looking closely at the leaves and even smelling them, Verdandi let out a bewildered groan.
"This is a tree of the same species as the World Tree of our elves...!"
However, the tree was withered and dead, twisted and dry.
It seemed as if it had been preserved in its dead state by magic, all life activities having ceased... it was petrified.
"I'd rather not remember."
Kuilan growled, glaring at the red leaves of a maple tree beside it.
"This, this is the same species as the cursed maple tree of our Leaf Clan tribe."
The maple tree was also dried up, as if mummified.
Beside it stood a metallic tree, its golden branches stretching out in all directions. Dusk Bringar murmured softly.
"These golden branches belong to the Dwarves' Guardian Tree, the Golden Tree."
Looking at the blue coral in a tank that filled one wall, I muttered quietly.
"And this, the Merfolk's Blue Coral."
The Golden Tree and the Blue Coral, both in the same withered and preserved state.
Although dead, the guardian trees of the four major races were all gathered here in this Magic Tower.
Why?
In front of our astonished group, White Night, who had stopped, pointed to each tree and spoke slowly.
"The Elves' Guardian Tree, the Tree of Life... Evergreen."
"The Beastmen's Guardian Tree, the Tree of Struggle... Everred."
"The Dwarves' Guardian Tree, the Tree of Wealth... Evergold."
"The Merfolk's Guardian Tree, the Tree of Circulation... Everblue."
Finally,
She pulled out a black tree branch.
"And this is the result of artificial magical grafting, combining these four trees."
The dried, withered thorn tree was unmistakably.
"...Humanity's Guardian Tree, the Tree of Darkness... Everblack."
In the Imperial Palace of the Imperial Capital.
And the same tree I had seen in the spirit realm.