No! I don't want to be a Super Necromancer!

"To prepare?" Blackie asked.

"To find the entrance and to find a way to get in." he replied.

Rage Monkey grinned. "Boss, you sure you don't want to just wipe them all and take the whole place?"

Damien glanced at him. "That's plan B."

Fluffy nodded solemnly. "Plan B sounds majestic."

"What should we do in the next 24 hours, Master?" Blackie asked in a quiet voice.

Damien looked down at his hand, clenching it slowly. "I need a good weapon."

The group stepped into the most prestigious forge in the territory.

The Black Dragon Armory was more than just a weapons shop.

It was a status symbol. Towering obsidian walls etched with golden sigils surrounded the massive structure, and rows of enchanted weapons glowed faintly behind protective runes. Black-armored attendants moved in perfect formation, tending to weapon racks with reverent precision.

It was the kind of place where only the noblest dragons shopped and where a single blade could cost a minor treasury.

They had just settled in when a loud, ostentatious voice echoed through the inn. "Lady Yuxia? Could it truly be you?"

Blackie visibly stiffened, a rare expression of dismay crossing her elegant features. Damien turned his head sharply, sensing trouble.

Striding confidently toward them was a tall, handsome black dragon noble in refined human form, wearing ornate robes embroidered with silver dragons and dark rubies. His dark hair was tied meticulously, a smug, self-assured grin firmly on his face.

"Zhang Zhenlong," Blackie greeted coolly, voice dripping with undisguised disdain. "What an unpleasant surprise."

Zhenlong laughed, deep and melodic, ignoring her obvious displeasure. "You haven't changed, Yuxia. Still enchanting, still aloof. How fortunate for fate to bring us together once more."

Damien leaned in slightly, his voice low and cold. "Who is this?"

"An arrogant pest," Blackie replied sharply, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "One who thinks his bloodline grants him everything."

Fluffy leaned forward dramatically, chin propped in his palm, eyes gleaming with mockery. "A suitor, Mom? I didn't know you had such poor taste in admirers!"

Rage Monkey snickered openly, earning a dark glare from Zhenlong, who finally turned his attention to Damien, his expression arrogant and disdainful. "And who are you, human? A servant?"

Damien's eyes remained calm, emotionless. "If you value your life, dragon, leave now."

Zhenlong laughed again, clearly unfazed. "Such bravado! You must be another of Yuxia's pets. Amusing."

Blackie stood sharply, her voice dangerously quiet. "Leave, Zhenlong. Now."

"Not until you reconsider my offer, my dear," he smiled cruelly. "The Matriarch is mourning, the Apostles searching for a murderer, and you seem suspiciously present in our territories. It would be wise to accept my protection."

Blackie bristled, icy fury in her voice. "I'd sooner die."

"She requires no protection apart from what she already has." Damien said in a lazy voice. "And who ever heard of a dead dragon walking offering protection anyway?"

Zhenlong chuckled softly, eyes narrowed in challenge. "Careful, human. You threaten a noble of the Black Dragon clan."

Fluffy stood abruptly, loudly cracking his knuckles. "You threaten the majestic Fluffy's mother. Prepare for annihilation, foolish reptile!"

Zhenlong eyed Fluffy skeptically, frowning. "And who might you be?"

"I am Fluffy! Supreme guardian beast of unparalleled glory!" Fluffy boomed, dramatically flourishing his cloak.

Zhenlong stared blankly for a moment, genuinely baffled. Then, suddenly laughing disdainfully, he stepped back with a mocking salute. "Circus clowns."

Damien didn't respond. Not with words, anyway. He simply let his death energy flicker—just enough for Zhenlong to sense the chill creeping across his spine.

But Zhenlong, blinded by ego, quickly brushed it off.

"But fret not, dear Yuxia," he continued confidently. "I'm here to see that you're properly equipped. Only the finest for someone of your standing." He waved to the forge master. "Bring out the Grand Flame Edge. And the Mirrorclaw set. The Lady deserves only the best."

Blackie opened her mouth to refuse—but Damien's voice echoed smoothly in her mind.

"Let him."

She blinked slightly.

"This sort of love-blind fool is perfect. Milk him. Equip the team. Most importantly—get information."

Blackie hesitated. Then, with a slow, practiced grace, she turned to Zhenlong, allowing a single, faint smile to touch her lips.

Zhenlong froze.

It was like time stopped. His pupils dilated. His breath caught. He looked as if that one smile had just rewritten his reason for existing. Somewhere deep in his chest, he let out a strangled noise that sounded like both a sigh and a prayer.

Fluffy raised an eyebrow. "Is… he having a seizure?"

"I think he just fell in love again," Rage Monkey whispered.

"I believe he fell harder this time," Fluffy added solemnly.

Zhenlong straightened, beaming like a dragon who had just discovered immortality. "Yes. Yes! That's the smile I remember. This is fate! You do care."

Blackie tilted her head gracefully. "Of course."

Zhenlong nearly collapsed.

Within minutes, the forge master returned, his arms weighed down by armaments so finely crafted they could each be considered masterpieces. The glowing runes across his apron flared as he activated the display sigils, revealing a dazzling array of weapons and armor, each hovering midair in circles of flickering light.

Zhenlong stood proudly beside the display, chest puffed, one hand tucked behind his back as if he had forged them all. "The finest from the Black Dragon Armory's royal vault," he announced grandly. "Normally reserved for Apostles and heirs. But for Yuxia? Only the best."

He gestured with his seal again. "Choose anything you desire. For you and… your circus clowns."

Rage Monkey had already darted forward, eyes wide with wonder. "Oooh! That one!" He pointed to a massive crimson staff with coiling serpent designs, topped with a gleaming obsidian orb that pulsed with heat.

The forge master bowed slightly. "The Emberfang Rod. Forged in volcanic dragonbone. It channels both fire and shadow. Ideal for someone… spirited."

Rage Monkey grabbed it gleefully, spinning it once before slamming it into the floor with a dramatic flourish. "Perfect!"

Next was Fluffy, who took his time, inspecting each weapon with the airs of a connoisseur. "Hmm. Too crude. Too simple. This one's beneath me. Ah… now this…"