The Black Necromancer

By the time Leon discovered that there was something wrong, it was already too late. He looked around, perplexed, wondering if Izeal had transported him to another part of the universe. However, in the next moment, he paused as he sensed a lifeform rapidly approaching him from a distance. He turned in that direction and focused his senses to find out who the unfamiliar party was.

In the distance, a purple haired being that was around four meters in height rapidly closed the distance between the two sides, intending to approach Leon. The 'giant' was clad in black armor and had grey skin and two pairs of pitch black eyes. Two swords of identical make hung from his waist, fastened tightly in their sheaths.

In the next few seconds, the 'giant' stopped before Leon.

"Who are you?" The pale skinned 'giant' asked.

"Who am I? I should be asking you that." Leon sized up the 'giant'. He had never seen someone of such a race before, but he had heard that they existed among the many worlds that bore life in the universe.

"Ahem, forgive me. It has been a while since anyone ended up here, and not to mention managing to come here sane, that I have forgotten my manners." The 'giant' coughed. "I am Mammon, one of the victims of Izeal, the Paragon of Undeath."

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On the battlefield...

Vesper gawked as he witnessed Leon be swallowed up by the malevolence that was released by Izeal. One moment, the Obsidian Skeleton was there, and in the next, he was gone.

Bang!

Using his tail like a whip, he smacked away the injured True God that was trying to keep him occupied and rushed to stop Izeal or at least reverse his actions. He spread out his wings and a myriad of mystical runes that had been etched onto the underside of his wings glowed in power as they unveiled the Truth of what Izeal had done.

A scene unfolded in Vesper's eyes as he realized that Izeal had basically swallowed Leon into his 'true' Divine Kingdom!

"Urgh..." Vesper winced and closed his eyes. While what he had 'seen' looked simple, it had revealed a glaring hole that they had not previously thought of!

What if Izeal was not a True God?

What if his level was already above that of an actual True God. If not completely, then why not just in part?

Izeal's Divine Kingdom was not merely a small world like that of other Gods. It was already on the verge of becoming an actual Universe like that which they resided in!

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Leon stared at this giant with a strange look. A victim of Izeal? Then how was he alive? He could not resist voicing his question.

"I am still alive, sane and coherent because I have yet to be completely absorbed by the vile being that is the Paragon of Undeath. While my assimilation with him has already begun, it is far from complete, which allows me to still have some agency. I am quite lucky, truth be told. Many others have long since become one with him." Mammon shook his head and turned to take in Leon's looks once again.

Leon regarded Mammon with increased weariness, fearful that this was an illusion created by Izeal to let him lower his defenses and let down his guard, allowing Izeal to easily swoop in and deal a devastating blow. He tried to reach out to the Nexus Being but was unable to, met with interference each time.

"I see you do not trust me, but that it not a problem. That is good. Do not trust me, after all, I might be assimilated by Izeal at any moment. At that time, I would turn on you with no remorse." Mammon hummed.

"Is there a way to get out?" Leon tried his luck.

"As a matter of fact, yes, there is. However, no one has gotten out before. It isn't possible." Mammon explained and shook his head.

"Take me to it." Leon responded in a flat tone, causing Mammon to look at him curiously.

"...Very well." Mammon nodded and turned to a direction. Before he could take off, Leon placed a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

"Just tell me where it is, I can teleport us there instantly." Leon said. Flying there would take too long and he did not trust Mammon to teleport them.

Mammon nodded and relayed the coordinates of the so-called exit to Leon. In the next moment, the two of them found themselves in a completely different location, courtesy of Leon.

Before them, a black hole swirled, consuming everything that was nearby. It was by their sheer power that the two of them were able to resist its pull.

Leon was about to ask what about the black hole was an exit when he spotted a silver crack near the center of the black hole. It was so faint that he had almost missed it.

"Exit from this place is not easy. Most of the people that have fallen victim to the Paragon of Undeath do not possess the strength to traverse the Void, not to mention find this exit. However, for those who have found the exit, leaving is another trial on its own." Mammon shared his views.

Leon examined Mammon once more. The Giant was a Minor God, someone of negligible strength before Izeal. But he was like Leon, a bearer of one of the many fragments of the Paragon of Undeath that had been scattered throughout the universe.

Most of Izeal's victims who bore the fragments were captured and assimilated early, before ascending to Godhood. It made it easier for him to subdue them and assimilate them, saving him a lot of trouble.

Cases like Mammon, where they reached Godhood were rare, and Leon's case was the first of its kind. Multiple forces had interfered, preventing Izeal from claiming Leon while Leon was still weak and unable to resist.