Chapter 431: The Death of Malcolm

Helag’s current level was too low to access higher-tier information.

The upper echelons of the Wizard Alliance likely knew more, but as a first-level wizard, Helag had no access to that realm.

As Helag continued using Death Withering to absorb life force, the flesh ground turned gray, losing its vitality like stone.

Gradually, the entire flesh ground became gray.

Helag noticed the life force absorbed was diminishing, but he persisted, determined to drain every last bit.

Malcolm, meanwhile, was too weakened to counter Helag. He tried various methods to stop Helag’s absorption, all failing.

In this form, many of Malcolm’s techniques were unusable, trapping him.

Seeing Helag’s terrifying power and speed, Malcolm had chosen this spell to counter him.

He had believed the flesh ground would perfectly restrain Helag.

Unexpectedly, Helag could infinitely absorb life force.

Had Malcolm known, he wouldn’t have chosen this approach.

Now, regret was futile.

As life force dwindled, Malcolm grew weaker, unable to maintain the flesh ground form.

The red ground turned gray, hardening into stone, reverting to its original state.

After Helag drained all life force, the ground slowly petrified.

Observing the slow process, Helag understood why Malcolm couldn’t revert forms quickly.

It wasn’t unwillingness but inability.

Malcolm was a true genius, developing many spells independently.

But even geniuses’ spells had flaws, as real-world conditions varied.

Widely used spells might not be the strongest but were highly adaptable.

This was Malcolm’s first real-world use of the spell, unprepared for life force absorption.

When the ground fully grayed, Helag saw a skeletal figure in the clearing.

Approaching, he found not a skeleton but an emaciated figure, flesh entirely shriveled.

Helag studied it, struggling to recognize Malcolm.

Yet, the aura confirmed it was him.

Helag noted Malcolm wasn’t dead, retaining faint life force.

Malcolm’s heart was shriveled, motionless, yet he clung to life.

Given time, he might recover.

Helag wouldn’t allow it; he intended to annihilate him completely.

Taking a deep breath, Helag’s form expanded, muscles tensing.

Boom!

His punch echoed through the space.

Malcolm’s fragile body shattered, bones reduced to fragments.

Helag surveyed the scattered remains, gathering every fragment with magic.

Then, he pulverized them further.

Not finished, Helag conjured fireballs, incinerating the fragments.

After repeated incineration, he collected the ashes in a flask.

He planned to seal them in a suitable magical array later.

Though excessive, Helag deemed it necessary, leaving Malcolm no chance.

Caution was essential, a minor inconvenience to prevent future threats.

With the ashes secured, Helag’s task wasn’t over.

The body was gone, but the soul remained.

As a necromancy specialist, Malcolm’s soul needed obliteration to prevent future trouble.

“Necromantic Perception.”

Using necromantic perception, Helag located Malcolm’s soul, standing dazedly.

After death, souls typically detached, entering a bewildered state, inactive.

Over time, souls gradually awakened, regaining some memory.

Without means to extend its existence, a soul would dissipate, vanishing.

Helag expected Malcolm, a necromancer, to have methods for rapid soul awakening.

Yet, Malcolm’s soul remained dazed, not yet awakening.

“Necromantic Sword.”

Helag quickly conjured a necromantic sword, a spell learned from Lady Moran in Moonlight Forest, effective against spirits.

Wielding the silver sword, Helag pierced Malcolm’s soul’s forehead.

The sword penetrated, cracking the forehead, white light spilling from the fissure.

Malcolm’s soul seemed to regain awareness, glaring at Helag with anger and fear, mouth agape in a silent scream.

Then, cracks spread from the forehead, and Malcolm’s soul shattered, vanishing.

With Malcolm’s soul destroyed, Helag finally relaxed.

He retrieved a silver ring from the ground, Malcolm’s spatial ring.

Examining it, Helag felt he’d done the wizard plane a service by eliminating Malcolm.

The ring contained many valuable items.

Yet, anyone viewing its contents would likely feel instinctive revulsion.

The ring resembled a slaughterhouse, but the victims were humans, not animals.

Holding the ring felt perilous; if the Wizard Alliance discovered it, they’d likely execute Helag, assuming his guilt.