“Alright, you go first Dummy D. Dumb Dumb,” Enya said. Honestly, the name was a mouthful, but she really hated this zombie—skeleton? She didn’t hate it as much as the one from the hallway, but that was besides the point.
Dummy D. Dumb Dumb nodded and ventured into the black abyss—a swirling void of complete darkness. Moments later, his head emerged from the mist with a slight comedic rattle. He gave a nod to Enya before retracting back into the obscurity.
“Okay… so… it’s… safe,” Enya said, her voice a bit unsure as she spoke.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the mist, her eyes glowing with a yellow hue as she did. Walnut trailed closely behind, his presence reassuring to her. The plan was for Dummy D. Dumb Dumb to be the one to take on any potential threats first, given his higher power rating. Plus, Enya was more willing to risk Dummy D. Dumb Dumb’s safety compared to Walnut’s.
Her fingers brushed against the mist, which felt like nothing—an illusion that obstructed her senses. As she descended the third step, the hallway gradually revealed itself. It was a narrow corridor, with about 20 to 30 steps leading downward. A faint light glimmered from a room below, providing little light and barely illuminating the path she walked on.
Dummy D. Dumb Dumb was already halfway down the stairs as Enya moved forward. She and Walnut carefully made their way to the bottom. Both of her skeletons brandished their weapons as they moved, ready to form a protective perimeter around Enya in case any danger emerged.
At the bottom of the stairs, Enya entered a room that, while modest compared to the vast dungeon, felt large in its own right. The stone brick walls were a deep black, contrasting with the smooth stone floor, which, though clean of cracks or damage, had gathered a noticeable pile of dust and mold in the corners.
To her left stood a small wooden-planked table, its surface cluttered with dusty black books and an assortment of tools hanging from the wall nearby. Scissors, pliers, a small knife, a hammer, and other miscellaneous implements that were scattered about.
Opposite the table, a large chalkboard dominated the space. It was covered in complex spell circuits and intricate patterns that were beyond Enya’s understanding. The symbols and lines were foreign, hinting at advanced or an even ancient esoteric form of magic. They were also weathered, hardened, and blurred, almost as if they had become permanently etched onto the board itself after someone had tried to erase them.
The room was very similar to the study up above. It seemed like some type of academic research was conducted here, judging by all of the tools and circuit diagrams on the wall. On the side, a rectangular table held a few papers that had been corroded to the point where Enya couldn’t discern if there were any words written on them, or if they were stains.
At the back of the room, an open doorway beckoned. Enya glanced at Dummy D. Dumb Dumb, sending a mental message that he needed to proceed first. He moved towards the opening, with Enya following at a steady distance, prepared for whatever lay beyond.
Inside the connecting room, Enya and her skeletons discovered a grim scene: three zombies, each chained to the walls with shackles binding their limbs. They all lay on a makeshift table or bed of some sort at an angle. A fourth set of chains remained empty, which was most likely where Dummy D. Dumb Dumb had been confined.
Each of their bodies had decayed to the point that their flesh was paper-thin. Over time, their bones had eroded to a stained brown, turning into a mush that had almost corroded away.
Scattered throughout the room were smaller tables, each bearing a nameplate and a catalogue of texts. Enya approached one of the tables and picked up a weathered document, one that didn't seem to be related to the chained zombies. She began to read while Walnut and Dummy D. Dumb Dumb explored the area.
> Test Subject #36 - Barrier Zombie
>
> Test Materials - Mylarite Crystals, Mana-infused Tricate powder, 2X Lesser Reformation Pills.
>
> Results: Subject perished under reverse mana-influx. The Lesser Reformation Pills expanded the body’s vessels, but the decay caused the vessels to split and tear, leading to mana leakage. The Mana-infused Tricate Powder was of too low quality to test its strengthening properties. Mylarite Crystals proved ineffective.
It was evident that these zombies were part of some specialized experiments. The mention of necromancers conducting research on the dead in Sable’s books upstairs now made sense. This chamber seemed to be where Sable had carried out his research.
Enya moved to inspect the other zombies. None of them showed signs of life, having long been deceased—likely well before Pell’s discovery of the dungeon. The zombies included a Nimble Zombie, a Stealth Zombie, and a Hulking Zombie—whose immense size had nearly reached the ceiling. The last one was identified as the Dire Zombie, whom Enya recognized as Dummy D. Dumb Dumb.
There wasn’t much to this chamber itself, besides an overwhelming scent of decay, one that Enya was unfortunately becoming used to inside of the dungeon. The stations next to each zombie were barren, as if Sable had abruptly abandoned the place.
Disheartened, Enya and her skeletons returned to what she was now going to call ‘The Workshop,' given the similarities to what she read inside of her stories. Dummy D. Dumb Dumb took up a vigilant stance and guarded the entrance between rooms, while Walnut continued following closely behind Enya.
Her preparations, from mastering the bone spear spell to nearly confronting the demon rat, had led to this—an empty room with nothing of importance. Enya felt a pang of disappointment. The chance that the passageway might lead deeper into the dungeon, possibly to something more valuable, seemed slim. For now, she was faced with a room of dead zombies and incomprehensible circuit diagrams.
Determined to salvage something from her effort, she turned her attention to a table with a book titled “NOTES.” It wasn’t a book in the traditional sense but rather a journal or scrapbook filled with handwritten notes and diagrams. She flipped through the pages, hoping for something useful.
One entry caught her eye:
> By using some Jerulnak leaves and Blue Lilies, crushed together in a mortar and pestle, the mana efficiency of the Jerulnak powder increased by roughly 27%. The resulting smell was horrendous, especially after the blue lilies were added.
>
> The Jerulnak powder was tested on a Zombified-Ogre and a Bone-Scavenger Wolf. The ogre rejected the powder, causing its mana pool to degrade rapidly. The ogre survived but lost its ability to manipulate mana entirely. Mana detectors showed no trace of mana in it.
>
> Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
>
> The Bone-Scavenger Wolf, however, showed compatibility with the powder. Missing bones began to regenerate with the consumption of mana gained from the powder. The more Jerulnak powder used, the higher the efficiency of regeneration. Further testing needed.
Enya’s heart quickened as she realized the significance of the journal. This was not just a record of mundane experiments but a treasure trove of knowledge about enhancing the undead. The experiments conducted in this room aimed to push the boundaries of necromantic magic, exploring the possibilities beyond conventional spells.
Flipping through more pages, Enya found a range of notes and diagrams—some pages densely packed with text, others filled with intricate spell circuits. One entry stood out and captured her attention:
> Experiment #252 - Additional Theory of the Day
>
> Many spells can be used to buff other living beings—some of which can even be used on objects. Strengthening or reinforcement spells can usually be cast on living creatures, whether they be humans, animals, beastkin, or demons. However, these same spells do not work on the dead, regardless of whether they are resurrected with a soul or not.
>
> I experimented with some strengthening spell circuits today on a lesser zombie. Unfortunately, as expected, the spell did not work, no matter how complex or simple I made it. There has to be some way to activate applicable buffs to the dead. Whether it is a matter of spell circuit compatibility or simply having the correct spell, I do not know. I may pass this onto Leverick at the 32nd Mage Association for further testing.
So… Sable—or whoever it was—was trying to test certain spells on the undead. Among the notes were a few circuits they used for testing. They were ones that Enya was nowhere near worthy of even attempting yet, giving their 8-pattern configurations. This, however, made her curious: could she try to attempt this?
Skill: Sage’s Insight [B] [Passive]
You have an enhanced understanding of all things related to magic, mana, and the arcane. Your understanding of concepts, theory, and memorization of related subjects is increased by 40%.
A surge of thoughts, memories, and questions flooded her mind. Absolute focus had been active the entire time, and was now bolstering her mental capabilities alongside her Sage’s Insight passive skill. Different theories and substitutions came into her mind as she scanned over the passage on the page. Her passive didn’t simply activate like a normal skill, but instead accelerated her reasoning and understanding when she truly focused on a specific subject.
After a couple of minutes of reflection and scanning over the document, a spark of insight lit up in Enya’s mind. She recalled Sable’s musings about the undead. If the undead were more like golems—magical constructs powered by mana rather than living beings—then perhaps they could be treated as inanimate objects for magical enhancement. This could open up the possibility of making her minions stronger than mere skeletons, by using different forms of spells than regular enhancements.
Dummy D. Dumb Dumb, a former ‘Dire Zombie,’ was faster, stronger, and more aggressive than the usual dungeon monsters. Clearly, it had undergone some form of enhancement or experimentation. If Sable—or whoever used this chamber—had succeeded in physically and organically enhancing these undead, then perhaps magical enhancements were indeed possible, with some caveats.
Enya’s gaze shifted to Walnut, her ever-faithful skeleton. He was quite the ordinary skeleton, aside from his notable height.
“Hey, could you hand me a bone? Maybe a finger bone or something?” Enya asked with a hopeful smile.
Walnut tilted his head in confusion for a moment before comprehension dawned. He grabbed one of his ribs and, with a resounding crack, snapped it off. Enya winced at the sound but accepted the broken rib with gratitude. She would have been fine with a finger bone, but she kept her comments to herself. It was the thought that counted, she supposed.
Holding the bone up to the flickering torch, Enya examined it closely. Pale and white, the bone had a grainy texture and felt coarse and brittle to the touch, as if it might snap at any moment. Yet, despite its fragile appearance, it was sturdy and unyielding.
Considering that her minions were akin to golems or objects, as Sable had described, perhaps spells meant for objects might be effective. The altars upstairs had simple circuits for the Create Light spell. Maybe the same spell could work on bone?
Since her little exploration had yielded nothing important like a shortcut to the boss room—she decided it was time for some experimentation. Might as well make some use out of her venture.
Placing the bone on the wooden workbench, Enya focused her attention on it, while Walnut hovered nearby, curiously poking at his chest where his broken rib had once been.
Mana trickled into her palm as she began to cast the Create Light spell. This would be her first time casting it manually, without the convenience of the pre-engraved circuits from the altars above. After extensive practice, the spell came to her effortlessly.
A gentle light began to emanate from her hand, and the spell circuit quickly completed its formation.
System Notification: You have successfully learned the spell: Create Light.
Add the spell “Create Light” to spell list?
[Accept/Decline]
The status screen popped up for a moment, and Enya mentally declined the prompt. She knew adding the spell to her spell list would overload her with information, making the spell feel like one she’d been using for a week rather than just learning. But she decided it wasn’t worth the effort. There was apparently a limit to how many spells could be added to the list, and given that class spells likely didn’t count, adding a simple spell like Create Light seemed unnecessary. She had only found this out when she first added the summon skeleton spell to her spell list.
A flicker of light danced briefly before expanding into a glowing orb. The spell activated, and an ethereal ball of light floated above the table, casting a bright glow that illuminated the dark room. The orb shimmered brightly, reminiscent of the floating lights above the altar. However, its usefulness was limited; when Enya attempted to move the bone from the table, the orb remained stubbornly in place.
Directing the light towards the bone didn’t yield any results. Enya was left with a glowing orb that had no connection to the bone she was examining. Her frustration mounted as she tried to swat the light away, hoping to disperse the blinding ball hovering in her field of vision. It moved slowly, like a wisp of gas, drifting away from her swats.
Determined, Enya focused on the bone again, preparing to cast the spell once more, this time with her hand wrapped around the bone itself. But just as she was about to channel her mana, the ball of light shifted.
She had flicked the light away in her irritation, and it drifted backward, hitting the wall and bouncing upward. Above her head, the orb floated effortlessly, casting a radiant glow.
As she swatted away the light again, Enya suddenly realized something.
If… the undead were like golems, and regular spells couldn’t work—but item enchantment or object enchantments did, then…
Enya’s mind flashed back to the altars in the study. Those altars had been engraved with spell circuits—deep channels carved into them to create a consistent flow of mana. The spell circuits were etched permanently, using the altars as catalysts for the enchantments.
She glanced at the bone, then looked up, her eyes widening with realization. With a determined swipe, she batted the floating ball of light as hard as she could, sending it flying across the room. It streaked through the air before dissipating, having exhausted its mana supply.
Enya set the rib bone back on the table and turned her attention to the wall behind the workbench. Among the tools, one caught her eye—a small, pointed metal knife, almost as small as her hand. It resembled a miniature bone spear, a tiny, circular spike with a pointed tip. It wasn’t clear what it was originally intended for, but it looked sharp enough for what she wanted to do.
It wouldn’t take too long, just a few minutes, and she could easily engrave the spell around the bone. Easy, as, pie. Or cake. Apparently, cake tasted better than pie. Enya had only ever tasted the canned preserved meat rations that Pell had, and she didn’t know what ‘sweet’ tasted like or what ‘desserts’ were.
I wonder if a pie-cake exists, she thought, her hands beginning to move calmly, and carefully.