Special Uses of the Necromancer Mushroom

The moonlight, passing through the withered branches, became fragmented and slanted as it fell upon the ground.

Bark peeled away.

Trunks twisted.

The wizard world, tainted by the underworld, was filled with such grotesque sights—gray patches of mold scattered everywhere, accompanied by the lingering caws of crows.

At times, the sky would pulse like a living thing.

As if something colossal writhed within.

Slithering.

Striding slowly.

The stench of death enveloped every living being.

"The plan is progressing smoothly."

"Currently, I am steadily advancing toward becoming a Second-Circle Wizard."

"With normal progression, I can continue to rise in rank, though the effects of the Soul Gatherer are ultimately limited."

"In the later stages of the wizard system, aside from focusing on soul strength, one must also pay special attention to their own truth."

The voice blurred into the moonlight.

Xu Xi stood by the window, gazing at the withered forest outside and the eerie crimson scenery, contemplating his future plans.

The plan was not complicated.

Prioritize increasing his strength to ensure survival in the wizard world.

Then, proceed with his subsequent goals—studying death, studying souls, and studying truth.

As for the legendary realm of the Seventh-Circle Wizard...

Xu Xi held little confidence.

He felt that if this simulation allowed him to become a Fifth-Circle Wizard, it would already be an excellent outcome.

"The waters of this world... run deep."

Xu Xi looked out the window as the oppressive miasma of death surged violently, accompanied by piercing shrieks that echoed across the world, twisting everything into something grotesque.

Flowers remained flowers.

Grass remained grass.

And people were still people.

Yet, the ceaseless erosion from the underworld, the unending breath of death, was causing all things to mutate.

"Wizards, the underworld, summoning, rituals..."

"If I’m not mistaken, that wizard who called upon the underworld a thousand years ago must have been seeking a breakthrough."

"Sixth-Circle? Or perhaps Seventh-Circle?"

"There’s no evidence to confirm where that wizard is now. It’s entirely possible he still exists within the wizard world."

His fingers tapped lightly against the bedside.

Lifted, then tapped again.

Xu Xi stared at the crisscrossing branches of the withered forest, lost in deep thought.

Without a doubt, that wizard was powerful. Though the chances of encountering him were slim, it never hurt to remain cautious.

Moreover.

Even setting aside that nameless, formidable wizard.

This world still harbored countless other threats—undead plagues, resurrected liches, skeletal dragons, and more.

"Things are getting more interesting..."

"I wonder just how far I’ll be able to go in the end."

Under the blood moon, Xu Xi clicked his tongue.

Compared to the orderly magic world governed by the gods.

This lawless wizard world held a far more bizarre and fantastical strangeness, making its future impossible to predict.

Creak—

Creak, creak—

A sound interrupted Xu Xi’s thoughts.

Intermittent, repetitive—the faint shifting of the manor’s front door.

Whoever was pushing it seemed afraid of disturbing Xu Xi, moving it slowly, cautiously, as they entered from outside.

"Just push it open, Servia. I’m not asleep yet."

Xu Xi spoke.

His voice, amplified by spellcraft, carried all the way to the manor’s entrance.

With that, the hesitant creaking ceased, and the door swung open normally.

"Apologies, Wizard. I didn’t mean to disturb your rest."

The clank of iron boots.

A familiar voice echoed from the hallway.

It was Servia, returning from another hunt for the undead—her daily routine, her unwavering conviction.

In truth.

Lately, with Xu Xi needing soul flames, he had slain countless undead himself, leaving little need for the girl’s patrols.

But Servia’s heart remained tied to the powerless.

Whenever she had time.

She would visit the villages, keeping watch over the movements of the undead.

"Don’t worry about it, Servia. It’s nothing," Xu Xi stepped away from the windowsill, gesturing for her to sit.

Her armor was heavy, encasing her skeletal frame completely.

To bear its weight.

Xu Xi had crafted a special chair with wizardry, sturdy enough to support Servia.

The two sat across from each other, discussing research findings and the shifting patterns of nearby undead.

"Wizard... are you leaving soon?"

"Yes, soon enough."

"I see..."

Servia removed her helmet, revealing a pale skull and bright emerald eyes that glowed vividly in the dark.

Her fingers interlaced.

Fidgeting unconsciously, restless, uneasy.

Finally, all that unease melted into resignation. "A month... really does pass quickly."

Her head lowered, her emerald eyes dimming in a way Xu Xi couldn’t see.

She was reluctant.

Like a greedy character from a story.

Longing for more companionship.

Yearning for normal conversation.

But that wasn’t possible. The wizard had his own path. That he had stayed for a month was already a stroke of luck.

Besides, she had her own duties.

Patrolling the former lands of the Clawphire Family, protecting the helpless, ensuring the dead did not disturb the living.

Paths that would never cross, not even parallel.

Parting was inevitable.

Servia sat quietly, accepting this truth, and offered Xu Xi her blessings. "May your journey be safe, Wizard."

She wanted to smile.

But her fleshless face couldn’t form expressions like a living person’s.

So instead, Xu Xi saw the flicker of her soulfire—a different kind of smile.

"Thank you, Servia."

Xu Xi smiled back, returning the undead girl’s kindness.

With a flick of his wrist.

He produced a necroshroom.

And set it aflame.

This mushroom, when stir-fried, released a rich aroma—a delicacy from the necrotic realms.

When fully cooked, necroshrooms could be eaten by the living. But when burned raw, they emitted a scent soothing to the dead.

"So fragrant..."

Servia, clad in armor, seemed delighted.

As she inhaled.

Her eyes instinctively narrowed.

Reminding Xu Xi of a cat indulging in catnip.

"Wizard, do you have any plans? Like where you’ll go next?" Servia asked in the quiet of the bedroom.

"Nothing concrete. Just continuing to cultivate and grow stronger."

Xu Xi spoke slowly.

Choosing simple words, he painted a picture of the wizard’s world for the undead girl before him.

From here.

Xu Xi would delve deeper.

Growing stronger, seeking truth, until the flame of his life burned out.

"Wow..." The fantastical future drew an awed murmur from Servia.

"Then... if you become truly powerful, what will you do?"

Xu Xi didn’t answer immediately.

He tilted his head, gazing at the twisted branches swaying outside the window. "Perhaps... I’ll try to save this terminally ill world."

Ill?

The world?

Servia, raised with noble education and believing herself well-learned, froze at those words.

In the silent night, a rotting scent lingered—the final remnants of decaying, crumbling souls.

Belonging to the living.

And to the world itself.