Epic of Caterpillar

[Day 188]

Today in the morning as Nesiphae and Nixephine cuddled with me, I was woken up by a message sent directly into my mind.

My Slime Clone, the one that managed to take over and brainwash the [Heroine of Alchemy] Izumi Yuko in the Azuma Empire was found out by the [Hero of Brilliant Poems], Mihara Hideaki thanks to the man outstanding abilities, which were outside of my expectations.

I should have investigated a little bit more about their true abilities… Even after investigating every library and taking the information of every citizen, the Heroes kept their strongest abilities and trump cards as secrets, no one in the Azuma Empire knew about his Skills other than the Heroes themselves and the Empress and Emperor, which I cannot brainwash due to their powerful senses before my Slime Clone could get close to them, they would immediately sense its presence and destroy it.

Izumi Yuko was not a battle-oriented Heroine, this is why it was easy to take over her mind by using a strong Slime Clone and which assimilated itself with her body and soul thanks to [Parasite], [Soul Parasite], [Symbiosis] and [Synthesis].

It seems that my Slime Clone was being too hasty, however. It tried to take over Mihara by seeing an opportunity of him lowering his guard right beside Izumi. Due to its carelessness, it was found out and persecuted, and when cornered, it obeyed my orders, which were quite easy to follow; "If you are cornered, use all of your power to kill yourself and your host, without leaving any trace, if possible".

Thankfully, it managed to do so as I equipped this Slime Clone with more Skills unlike the other mass-produced ones for reconnaissance. Although Mihara was very close to capturing her, my Slime Clone used [Unseal] to unseal most of the Demon Seal powers and then [Pyrokinesis] to burn itself to ashes.

However, the other Heroes quickly realized that my Slime Clones were pretty much everywhere, and the Empress and Emperor began to move around, capturing the lesser and weaker ones, perhaps by reading their status they already figured out that it was me who made them.

They have been strangely silent since then… I see how it is.

By using my Mental Calculation Skills, I managed to figure out some things. The Heroes and the Empress are lying down and slowly exterminating my Slime Clones, while also happily receiving the supplies I offer. They will perhaps begin to divulge the information about this ability of mine, maybe some Kingdoms will begin to target me.

Phew, thankfully, I've made so many trump cards in my home. There is Guubo, the massive army of Undead, the Giant Slime Wall, the Giant Chimera Guardians, my living army, the dungeon that I can manipulate freely, the flying airships equipped with magic cannons, etc.

For now, I shall also lay low, I don't mind giving them soldiers and resources, but I will stop giving them living soldiers and just send weak skeletons. And about supplies, only familiar meat will be.

The best time to surprise them is when they think that they have an upper hand over me, the more trump cards I have saved, the more opportunities I have to triumph over them. The moment they decide to betray me or attack my domain, it will be the time that I will turn against them and take over their territories.

Let's see how far they can go…

For now, I need to assess the issue with Izumi. Well, this girl is very useful, she was a Heroine of Alchemy and had outstanding talent, she even brought several technological advancements to the Azuma Empire, her lost hit them quite hard. However, even if she is dead, I still can get her for myself.

Thanks to [Soul Parasite], her whole soul was taken by the parasite, and because he parasite, the Slime Clones, are part of me, there is a natural connection with me as well. I can even sense her Soul moving around the Azuma Empire city, it seems that they don't have any necromancer or spiritualist to see Souls? What a pity.

Then, if you don't need her anymore, I will take her for myself! Thank you very much.

My Slime Cones brought me back her ashes as well, which they stupidly buried in Noble's graveyard. If they would have thrown it to the sea, I may have a hard time finding them, but just like this, I managed to retrieve a whole jar filled with her remains, with her Soul and her Remains, I can do something similar than Geraldine, create her a new soul with affinity to her soul, and bring her back to "life".

After having a quick bath and a giant breakfast to appease my child's hunger, I quickly went to visit Redgaria. He was currently with his newest secretary, Sapphira Diamantine, the former Elemental Knight of Ice, who had been resurrected as an Undead by Redgaria and recently evolved into a Zombie Knight.

Redgaria was nourishing his body and soul in the middle of a magic circle engraved on the floor, surrounded by several magical artifacts. The flow of magic was strong and almost intoxicating, if any weak being like a human, troll, or goblin were here, they would probably fall unconscious.

I saw as Redgaria's old body was being slowly brought back to life, the wrinkles and dryness on his skin and his almost non-existent muscles were being revitalized, even his face was regaining the handsomeness of youth.

"Yo, Kireina. I'm in the middle of something… But do you need some of the services?" He asked.

"Ah~! But if it isn't Lady Kireina~ Good morning!" Said Sapphira, breaking the serious tone on Redgaria.

"Can you shut up while I talk?! Remain silent like a good servant!" He yelled.

"Y-Yes! S-Sorry…" Apologized Sapphira, while looking at the floor with a saddened expression.

"Sigh… So, what is it?"

"Well, you see…"

After I explained Redgaria about the entire thing in the Azuma Empire, he began to laugh at me, and I felt the necessity to pulverize him with my fists. But I calmed down and explained to him what I exactly needed from his library.

"More Rituals? Ooh! You're finally understanding the wonderfulness of the Dark Arts, Kireina! So, you want to create another Undead Homunculi with the little Heroine's soul? I see… Well yeah, her abilities are pretty useful. But you need some catalyst for her soul to stay still inside, and so she can regain some of her life abilities" He said.

I opened my Item Box and showed him a jug filled with Izumi's ashes, he immediately knew that those were her remains.

"Oh?! I suppose I shouldn't have to worry, you're more prepared than I thought… But for the young lady soul to come to you, you need to use a special Soul Calling Ritual… The one I'm most expert on, I used it a lot in the past to call on the souls of the citizens of Ollathir, but as much as I tried, my sister's soul never showed up…"

"I see! Teach it to me then"

"…You really don't get the atmosphere, huh? But alright"

Redgaira showed me a book explaining the entire Ritual, and as I was about to eat it, he stopped me.

"Stop! Don't eat my precious book! Just read it, you uncultured vampire!" He yelled.

"Don't be disrespectful, a pile of bones…"

Zap!

A sudden pain-filled Redgaria's body.

"Uagh! The damned Slave Contract… Okay, okay… But don't eat it!"

"Fine, I will just fast read it and show you that I'm not uncultured as you think"

I used all of my Mental and Eye Skills as I browsed through every page of the book at an incredible speed, by incrementing my senses ten times, I was able to store all of the information inside of my brain, creating an instant copy of the whole book, and made my Split Minds, who were using different skills that even let them have their own parallel thinking, analyze it completely while sharing its information with me.

In ten minutes, I had a slight headache, but I knew everything.

"I'm done," I said, leaving the book in a night table near Redgaria's big bed.

"Huh? That fast?!" He asked, baffled by my words.

"Yes, thanks to the [Increased Ritual Magic Affinity] Skill that I obtained after eating a Human Summoner long ago, I can easily memorize rituals"

"A-Ah?! Sigh… Okay, now leave… Unless you want my help in creating the homunculi?"

"Well, I am a mere apprentice in the field, your help would be gladly appreciated, Necromancer. Now that you can walk by yourself"

"It's been so long since I've made a homunculus! Alright! Sapphira, bring me my necrotic clothes!"

"Y-Yes my beloved Master~!" Said Sapphira, the Zombie Knight, as she moved around the room and brought new, freshly washed edgy mage clothes for Redgaria.

"I hope that you have some nice materials to use!"

"Of course, I was prepared, Necromancer"

After Redgaria had his new fancy necromancer clothes on, we quickly moved towards a closed and unoccupied room, which I had arranged specifically for Ritual Magic, it has several magic artifacts and other useful items.

"First, we must call her soul. If you wait for her to move here, she will take so long that she will most likely end up dissipating in the middle of her travels"

Having done the Soul Calling Ritual Circle on the floor with my own blood, I put a small sprinkle of Izumi's ashes in the middle.

"With her ashes as a catalyst, you will have an almost one hundred percent chance to summon her," He said, talking as if this were some kind of gacha game.

As I chanted the ritual demonic-sounding chant, the bright yellow light absorbed the ashes as its summoned Izumi's soul, which instantly appeared without any issues.

"You really did memorize it all… Something that it took me half a year… And I thought that I was talented…"

Redgaria's rituals are really useful… I have to admit that.

I glanced at Izumi's soul, which was waving around with confusion in her faceless face.

"What a pity that you had to die, but your soul seems rather intact, and thanks to the connection that my parasite did with [Soul Parasite], I was able to call you to my side with the Soul Calling Ritual… What a relief, anyway, are you interested in a new body?"

Izumi's soul moved around in confusion, but after hearing my words for some seconds, she calmed around and approached my side, nodding.

"I've never seen a summoned soul being this obedient… What kind of Skills or Titles you have?" Asked Redgaria.

"The Titles [Soul Vampire Empress] and [Soul Manipulator] grants me a charming effect with souls, while also giving me the ability to convey my words into their minds, making them understand me, no matter how lost they are"

"I do have [Soul Manipulator] as a Title, but [Soul Vampire Empress]? That must be a Unique Title of your previous species, right?"

"Yeah, it's funny that it just recently becoming useful. Well, in battlefields, I was able to use it to call on the souls of the fallen as they let themselves be eaten by me willingly"

"That's… scary, even for a necromancer like me… A-Anyways, let's create the Homunculi Ritual Circle, if we use both of our blood, it will result in a greater magical power" He said, beginning to drain his blood from his right-hand finger.

A large circle was formed in the floor, depicting different demonic-like letters and figures, harmoniously gathered together.

Izumi's soul, who remained at my side, admired our work as if we were painting a piece of art.

Well, they are called "Dark Arts", so there is indeed something artistic about doing these rituals.

Afterward, I opened my Item Box and took out countless materials, flesh, skin, blood, bones, and monster limbs, arms, wings, tails, stingers, and even some beautiful human women, who were deceased soldiers from the last Athetosea war.

"Uoooh! You really got plenty of materials! But using all of them will most likely create a terrible chimera… We must choose wisely…" Said Redgaria, as he browsed through the different materials.

I decided to ask Izumi what she would prefer to have, wings, tail, stinger, several arms, or slime physique. She was rather lost…

"Uaah… I-I don't know… It feels weird…" She said, communicating what she was thinking into my mind.

"Hmm, I suppose we will leave it at our criteria then…"

"W-Wait! If possible, m-make me closer to my human appearance…"

"So, a humanoid young lady body? Got it, that still leaves a lot of things to play around with…"

"Huh…?"

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