A King's Agony

That's how he came to possess a tier-six ghost essence. Yet, he was reluctant to part with it. More than a memory from this powerful friend, he wanted to use it to pierce the secret of revival to repay him.

Despite the lacking tier of the essence, it was his best shot. After all, the last tier-seven ghost mysteriously disappeared more than five thousand years ago, according to records.

Gritting his teeth, Ossian suggested, "Can you ask for something else? I need this essence."

"No. I need one, too," the man replied, his tone firm. Then, he added, smirking, "I'll build you circuits in the seventh tier. You'll only have to gather mana and create circles for a few years to break through."

'I can't refuse!' he thought, his hands trembling. With tier-seven circuits, he would be guaranteed to reach that rank. After becoming a ghost emperor and archmage, he would have many more options to accomplish his goal.