Kai wonders if he is being too much of a bully for asking the people to do something for him in return for helping them. While deep in contemplation, he doesn't notice Nina waking up from his lap. She wonders if he fell asleep during this time at all. The cars behind him hoot for a break.
Kai just released two drivers who will take over the reigns and reduce the need for so many breaks on the way. "These guys will drive the cars from now on so that you all can rest." Kai told them but they seem to be on the verge of collapse for some unknown reason.
"Mr. Kai, we were wondering if you will make a stop at the next base." The young doctor points at the place in front of them that has a tall wall which shows this is a base.
"No, I must make haste on my way. But this is another base if you guys want to stay here you may do so without my consent." Kai said but Nina pulls him on the side.
"What they are trying to say is that they are hungry and tired." She said since she is also tired and hungry. Wondering if this boy doesn't eat.
"Right." He takes out a bottle of pills. "Take one and pass it over. It will last you for two days." He said.
Nina hesitate but decided to eat one. The hunger disappears immediately after. She gives it to the rest of the party and explains what it does. Their journey continues for 6 more days until they come across a road blocked by a massive army covered in state of the art armor no doubt stolen from the armory that Kai wasn't able to return to in order to empty its stock.
It seems someone beat him to it. Kai got out of the Kai and floated in the air because he is in the foundation establishment realm and he can fly. He is astonished to see the army especially after realizing the numbers.
Looking at this, whoever is leading this army has a goal of invading the central base for sure. This is something that he should probably send news about. He sighed and made a call.
"I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Kai Waters, What can I so for you?" The raspy voice of the Yan base leader sounded just before his virtual image materialized in front of Kai.
"I am coming back but I came across something that might interest you. Take a look down below."
"What in the...Is that an army? Where is this?"
"Kang city which is three cities away from your location." Kai told him. "They are coming straight for the central base."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"What is the estimated number?"
"Approximately 30 thousand, for now."
"Can you delay them?"
"I am not alone so it is not possible." Kai refused sharply.
"I see. Thank you for the information. Be safe." He turned off the call.
Kai took a good look at the soldiers and is surprised by the green light in their eye sockets. It is eerie and demonic. Kai contemplated turning around and using another route but this will mean they have to go through the forest.
The nurses and doctors don't inspire confidence on talents to navigating a forest. He has to fight. But looking at the soldiers he realized they are skeletons covered in what seems to be a death aura.
This type of energy will be very powerful during the night and it is weak in the morning ray of sunlight. But the weather hasn't shown the sun in a few years already, afraid if he waits for it, they will be standing here forever.
Kai went down and looked through the many stones he had processed and found a few that are barriers but non that will fight against the power of darkness. Kai went into his space and processed a light element barrier.
The processing would take a long time but the time inside his space is very slow compared to outside. There are three cars, Kai put a magic barrier onto each car and then put the light elemental barrier on top.
This is to ensure the creatures of darkness are repelled from the three cars. Indeed, as soon as the cars approached the group of skeletons, they recoiled from them as if they have met their natural enemy. Kai is pleased seeing this picture.
The cars move on unimpeded until they reached the middle of the army. A figure appears in front of the car wearing an oversized black robe that has a large hood covering the face of the stranger perfectly. Kai sighed and stepped out of the car.
"I take it you are the Necromancer behind all these?"
"You say it with such a tone, I'm afraid I took offense. How are you controlling my men?" The woman asked Kai who sent a powerful light element towards her in response.
She screamed in pain and jumped back willing her skeletons to cover her so she can create distance but Kai followed her with the same spell. It doesn't hurt her but depletes her aura so she feels vulnerable. The skeletons are burnt as soon as the light beam comes in contact with their exposed bones.
"This is the lowest level of light spells, if you can't handle this much, how can you deal with a higher spell? Make way and we don't have to make things ....unpleasant." Kai said in a low voice.
She has been able to take down many small to large shelters in order to increase her army. This is the first time she has faced an adversary who seems to know her weakness. The lazy tone he uses to speak makes her furious. The army became agitated because of her mood and they attacked the three cars and Kai but their skeleton bones start turning into ashes as soon as they touch the light barrier.
Kai noticed this and assumed the necromancer declined his offer and got ready to attack. The high level light magic spell is not something he could cast on the first try like the basic light spell he had previously studied so he can make a light powered magic stone.
Kai went to confront the skeletons to clear a pathway for the cars. He wanted to electrify them to death but the lethal attack is not effective against the skeletons because they are wearing the helmets. The lightning hurts and slows them down but the attack is not landing directly on their skeletons because of the armor they are wearing.
The skeletons are already dead so if the clashing element of the offensive yang energy in the thunder doesn't come into contact with each skeleton they might be here all day. What can be done at this point?
Kai decided to increase the size of the sword and after he imbued his power on the sword, he sent a powerful attack on the waves of skeletons blocking his way. But the number of the skeletons is overwhelming when it is just him fighting to make a path.
One of the cars opened and Nina walked out holding her spear, she didn't say anything but made a powerful attack that blew the skeletons away making a path for the cars to pass through.
Kai used his sword to cut the skeletons to half their size and Nina blew them away. When the cars were only left with a small distance before leaving the horde of skeletons behind, the woman from before appeared again. This time she seems to radiate the dark aura with abundance.
"Sir, what is going on?" Philip showed up in the middle of an intense fight between Kai's party and the skeletons. The woman seems to be struggling against herself.
The woman seems to have completely changed from the one before. Since Kai hadn't seen her face he thinks this is someone else entirely.
"This is a Necromancer Sir. They can take the aura they use to control the dead back into their own bodies to strengthen themselves. Fighting them when they are in this state is a huge gamble. I recomend fleeing." This statement surprised Kai.
"Knowing my ability you are still not confident I can win against her?" Kai asked incredulously.
"The chances are slim. It would be better if she hasn't trained to use her enhanced physical body yet." Phillip said.
"Nina take everyone back and do not look or come back. I have a way to escape but having to keep everyone safe will prevent me from using it." Kai instructed.
He knows she is not one of his subordinates and has no obligation to listen and follow his command but he hopes she will not let him down at this crucial time. Nina in response took everyone away with a few more blasts of her wind attacks. Kai released a sigh of relief.
Now that the person has called back the aura she was using to control the skeletons, they are no longer hard to deal with for Nina. Kai watched the woman radiating a sinister dark aura waiting for her first attack.
"She seems unstable." Kai noted when he saw the person shaking under the robe.
"The power is a dark energy that will corrode ones mind if they are not careful. A simple dislike of something or someone will turn into a full blown hatred. It feeds on negative feelings and the more a person has these strong feelings the stronger they will become."
Kai swallowed harshly. "On the scale of 1 to 5 how angry do you think she is that I cut down her soldiers earlier?" Kai aske Phil who gave him a bored look.
"The most problematic thing is the effect of the Necromancer's aura to the living. If you get agitated during the fight with her, you will be taken over and become her slave." Kai frowned hearing this and quickly made a decision.
He pulled out Master Zhai who is good with a sword and is a charming robot. Phil quickly caught on to his train of thoughts. "I doubt her aura can enslave artificial people."
"Master Zhai. Fight that woman for me." Kai issues an order and the robot didn't waste time attacking the Necromancer. Kai took to the skies and watched the fight.
"She doesn't seem like a fighter." Phil said when she saw her crude striskes which are a stark contrast to Zhai's defined swordsmanship.
"She must have tried several times to control Zhai by now." Kai smirked.
On the ground,the woman used a strong looking sword and deflected the strikes from Zhai. The action is first like that of a clumsy beginner but as time went by her moves mirrored those of Zhai even making him double his efforts.
"What is going on?" Kai frowned seeing this.
"Whatever talent one initially had before will be multiplied when they awaken that aura. That woman used to be a genius and a natural student. She is absorbing and learning from Zhai as they fight. It's incredible." Phil commented.
"Arg...just my luck. I come across a genius evil lord with an army of tens of thousands at her disposal." Kai whined.
"This is not your problem though." Phil reminded.
"What do you mean?" Kai asked the spirit.
"You have already warned them of the upcoming danger. Not to mention all the central base families ever tried to do is impose themselves on you and attack you unprovoked. When you were under attacked, they did not land you a hand. Why should you make their problems your own?" Phil gave a passionate speech.
Kai just looked at him unconvinced. If these skeletons make it to his territory they will destroy a large portion of it. "Just say it." He frowned.
"Whatever do you mean?" Phil faint ignorance.
"Say the real reason you don't want me to fight her." He pointed at the robed figure.
"I was thinking we could now make your slaves into powerful cultivators. I have already crafted a manual for each of them including Paige and I want us to work on a powerful teleportation technology that can teleport living things." Phil said in excitement.
"None of these plans involve us fighting a Necromancer with a genius disposition. You are a genius yourself so just imagine how annoying she will be to deal with. Stall for time so that the party makes it out of this place safely and then you and I can distribute these manuals to each slave." Phil said dispassionately.
"I keep pushing their cultivation back because 11 of them are without spirit root." Kai confessed.
"There is a fruit that can grant people a spirit root that will be even more powerful than the ones born with a person. The tree is very special and since you haven't looked at the library territory you may have overlooked it."
"It was planted out of curiosity just to see whether it could grow but it is growing, however it is taking very long to bud. I do have the fruiits from the previous tree in the alchemy warehouse." Phil explained.
Kai is shocked, there is such a thing?
"I want to see it." Kai sent the instructions for Zhai to wait for him somewhere close after stalling the Necromancer. This is not something he can ignore.
.....