At the start of the eighth wave, we must send a small group of people over to the western wall to defeat the monsters that have spawned there. They told us they were focused on coming to the gatehouse after returning.

Since the monsters are going toward the path of least resistance, we needn't worry too much about the different parts of the wall.

It is also nice that we don't struggle to keep these slower mobs at bay.

The ninth wave starts and finishes like the eighth; nothing dramatic happens, just lots of experience.

- Eighth Wave Cleared

Calculating Experience...

Contribution 34 Kills. 68 Experience granted.

Ninth Wave Starting in 1 minute -

There is one change in the notification after the ninth wave has been cleared.

- Ninth Wave Cleared

Calculating Experience...

Contribution 52 Kills. 104 Experience granted.

Your settlement has completed the minimum amount of waves. Would you like to continue? Yes/No -

After everyone had wrapped up their levels, I called the commanders over.

I ask them all, "What do you think? Should we continue with the next wave?"

They looked at everyone. No one person was explicitly exhausted from fighting. Overall, this event lasted two hours. "I think we can keep going," Shadow piped up.

"I think it will be worthwhile to at least get to the tenth wave," Draemish says.

"Ok," I go to the menu and select 'Yes.'

- Are you sure? You cannot opt-out until the 15th wave if you want to continue. Yes/No -

With this new information, I asked my commanders again if we should continue.

"Wave 15, huh?" Draemish says while putting her hand on her chin, "I think we might be able to do it, but I don't know..."

"Drake," I hear from Ritotorous.

"Yes?" I asked.

"The mana in the area is condensing."

"So?" I ask again, a little irritated.

"It's right over Laxreal's tomb. From what I can feel, it is all death mana."

"Ok, so what does that mean?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should go check out what is happening."

With that thought, the link disconnects.

Looking at my commanders, I say, "I need to go to Laxreal's tomb. Something is happening, and mana is condensing."

"What do you mean mana is condensing? What kind of mana? Can I come with?" Shocking all of us, Rhenriqi climbed down the wall to join the group.

"Hold on, Rhen," Draemish grabs onto her hands. "We don't know what is going on yet. We were just about to head over ourselves. I don't see why you can't come with us. And Drake hasn't told us what kind of mana has been condensing."

"It is death mana," I reply to Rhenriqi before nodding to Draemish. And I would appreciate you coming with us." I extend my hand in hopes that she can help answer some of our questions.

Walking over, we stop when we get close. I don't notice anything. "How are you seeing the mana?" I ask Ritotorous.

"I was cycling mana into my eyes."

As he said, I cycle mana into my eyes and look at the building again. There, I can see mana above, but only wisps of death mana are flowing into the tomb. It is prolonged. "What do you think we should do?" I ask the group.

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"I need to see my Lax-Lax," Rhenriqi says before bowling me over and entering the tomb.

I chase after her; it isn't hard, considering the small space. With mana still cycling through my eyes, I follow where the death mana is going. Doing a double-take, I see the mana is going into the empty pots.

"Oh my," I hear from Rhenriqi.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"It can't be; he wasn't ever able to find proof that it would work," she continues.

"What would work? What do you know?" I asked again.

She turns to me, "We have to keep going no matter what." There is a look of fanaticism in her eyes.

"Why? What is happening?" Draemish asks.

"Lax-Lax is trying to turn himself into a lich!" She shouts in glee.

"Wait, isn't he already a lich?" I ask, now fully confused.

"No," Rhenriqi replies. He was just a skeleton that could use death magic; even in life, he tried to become a lich but failed, resulting in his becoming a skeleton."

"Wait, what?"

With an exacerbated sigh, she turns to me, "Drake, I don't know what a lich in your world is like, but let me tell you a bit about what becoming a lich entails in my world. First, you have to give up your mortal coil."

"OK."

"Then, you must have an item that can store your soul, making it a phylactery."

"Right," Not seeing the difference yet.

"Third, you must collect and condense a lot of death mana," She continues, but at this point, she becomes solemn.

"OK, so that sounds pretty normal," I reply.

"It is different, though. The death mana must come from living beings dying in decent quantities and power levels. It must be done after the first two steps have been started in a ritual circle."

Feeling a bit of understanding coming along, I continue, "And you have to have someone willing to kill these beings while you are in the process of combining your soul into the phylactery?"

"Correct. And while you can use monsters, there is such a high threshold for the mana requirements that it is nearly impossible to complete."

"Why do you think he is trying to do so here?" I ask.

"Probably because he found a way to do so with less mana requirements," Rhenriqi guesses.

"You are forgetting one last thing, Rhen," Draemish calls out.

"Oh? What have I forgotten?" She asks.

"The lich becomes bound to the area where they set up the ritual," She says with concern.

"So he can't go anywhere anymore?" I ask.

"He can, but not far, at most a couple hundred meters away. The only way for a lich to gather materials for them is to send out minions. Also, the amount of death mana required to create a lich makes them go insane, so it is taboo for liches to come into being."

I look at Draemish, "So, he will become insane from all the mana flowing into him? This makes me want to-"

Rhenriqi cuts me off and glares, "We will be helping Lax-Lax finish his transformation. I have faith in him that he will not go insane."

"That is very optimistic of you, Rhen." Draemish looks at her friend, sadness oozing from her eyes.

"How far did he get the first time?" I ask.

"He could only shed his mortal coil. The phylactery shattered, trying to contain his soul. What happened after that was his soul went into his body, and to feed the ritual, it dissolved his flesh and made him into a skeleton without any memories of his past." She starts to sob, recalling the incident.

Draemish pats her on the back in an attempt to comfort her.

Glancing between them, I ask, "What must we do to ensure he is successful this time?"

"We need more death energy. Just from what you have told me, we have far from enough."

I ask my commanders, "Do you think we can do it?"

"Are you seriously thinking of trying to bring him back?" Shadow blurts out.

"Yes," I say with resolve flashing through my eyes. "I was the one that caused his death, and if I can bring him back, I will do what I can to do so."

"How many wavesss mussst we clear before we have enough death mana?" Vranjaya asks Rhenriqi.

She turns to me, "You can see the mana, right? How much is entering the phylactery?"

Looking at the jars on the side, one of them takes in all the mana, and I analyze it.

- Phylactery of the Guardian Lich: Progress 46% -

"Has anyone heard of a Guardian Lich?" I ask the group.

They all shake their heads. "Well, it looks like he is going to be special as long as we can finish his phylactery," I sigh.

"How much mana does the phylactery need to complete?" Draemish asks.

"I don't know the exact amount, but it says it is 46% complete. My guess would be at most another ten waves." I shrug, "I don't know of any way to speed up the process. Do you guys?"

Again, a round of shaking heads.

"Alright, looks like we are going to continue with the waves."

"I don't agree with this, but as you have allowed my sister and I relative peace, we will continue with this mad quest," Shadow says.

"You will owe me another favor for thisss," Vranjaya says.

"I will owe everyone a favor after this is over," I acknowledge.

"Do we have to do anything else?" Shadow asks.

"No, we just have to keep killing until he returns," Rhenriqi says. She grabs my hand, "If he does come back, no matter what state he is in, I swear to you I will follow your orders and live my life for this territory."

"And what if he doesn't come back?"

"I will leave and look for a way to revive him; this is a new world; something has to be out there capable of resurrecting him."

"That sounds unfair. If we don't resurrect him this time, I swear I will help you find a way to resurrect him with all the resources at my disposal."

Tears glisten in her eyes, "Do you truly mean that, Drake?"

"Yes, he was my friend, teacher, and confidant. I want to see him back, just as much as you."

Suddenly, a glow escapes from my body, and a quest activates for the settlement.

- Drake has offered the assistance of the settlement to help resurrect a fallen comrade.

Settlement Quest Given: Resurrecting a Friend:

Having promised to help bring Laxreal back from the dead, you have offered the settlement's assistance.

Task:

Look for ways to bring Laxreal back: 1/?

Resurrect Laxreal: 0/1

Rewards: ?? -