[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-diary-of-a-dead-wizard":3,"chapter-diary-of-a-dead-wizard-diary-of-a-dead-wizard-chapter-496":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Diary of a Dead Wizard",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1380567,1828,"Chapter 496: Devour","diary-of-a-dead-wizard-chapter-496",496,"\u003Cp>The eerie flower retreated swiftly along the outer wall of the tall building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eight spider legs stretched out from An’s back, their tips sharp as blades, stabbing deeply into the vines—only to be dragged downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground, a few members of the security squad remained. When they saw the man-sized flower crawling downward using its vines as limbs, they immediately raised the iron rod-like magical tools in their hands and aimed at the enormous blossom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, before they could unleash the lesser flame orbs embedded in their tools, they noticed a woman clinging to the flower’s stalk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two got closer, they were even more stunned to see that the woman had eight spider legs protruding from her lower body!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the security squad didn’t know whether to point their rods at the grotesque flower or at the strange woman behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant flower didn’t even spare them a glance. From the fourth floor, it suddenly leapt into the air, its vines casually skewering several unfortunate souls. Amidst the cries of panic, it dove into a nearby underground drainage entrance, leaving a trail of blood behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entrance was narrow, blocked by railings. While the slender stem slipped through, the massive flower head couldn’t fit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature instantly abandoned the floral portion of its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An saw the blocked passageway. Though she could use magic to cut through the railings, it was clearly only a pipe inlet, narrow within as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she broke the bars, there was no way to expand the entire tunnel’s diameter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of fierceness lit up her eyes—she directly abandoned her body and entered soul form, slipping in after it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was actually extremely risky. After all, she wasn’t in complete soul form. All of her energy came from Saul’s support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But An could no longer afford to care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long ago, she and Saul were attacked by unknown roots during a trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was nearly dragged underground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as her body was halfway buried, An suddenly sensed a familiar aura from the plant attacking her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That aura was like a trace of mint in salted fish—startling her into clarity, awakening the hazy memories from her fragmented soul fusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Du… Mo!” An gritted her teeth and spat out the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pursued the fleeing vine downward, veering from the sewer halfway and diving into a fissure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know how far she chased. As she tunneled through the soil, An suddenly felt herself pass through a kind of barrier—and everything ahead opened up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Open, yet dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sensed an enormous object, dozens of meters ahead, blocking her path. It was vast and boundless, its ends lost in darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vine she had been tracking leapt up onto the massive obstruction and then drooped powerlessly, as if it had instantly gone from a living creature to a dead thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiar aura she had been chasing vanished as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Floating closer, An still couldn’t discern what the colossal object was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was only at its midsection—both top and bottom lost to the shadows, and its sides extended beyond sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An struck the surface of the object with her hand, only to find it smooth as jade—yet impervious to her entry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does it have some soul-repelling magic on it?” She scrutinized the surface but didn’t sense any magical energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dumo… why are you hiding in a place like this?” The trail gone cold, An grew anxious, knocking once more against the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a dozen pale root-like tendrils sprouted from the object’s surface, wrapping tightly around her arms and yanking her inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the roots’ appearance, the familiar aura returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dumo! Is this all you’re capable of now? Skulking in the dark? Where’s that boldness you had when you fought me for the heir’s position in the family?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spider legs behind An blurred into motion, slashing hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But despite their sharpness, they only managed to cut through the outer layer of the tendrils, failing to break free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She attacked again, this time lacing her strikes with corruption and erosion. After a few blows, she finally severed two tendrils and broke partially free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before she could get away, several tendrils clustered together and formed a hand-like shape, grabbing her face and pulling her violently into the massive object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her upper body vanished instantly, only her lower half still thrashing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eight spider legs hammered against the giant object, trying to pull herself out—but to no avail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a deep, oppressive voice echoed through the dark, chaotic space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re still as foolish as ever. I left only a hint of bait, and you followed it like a rat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smooth surface of the object rippled like water, revealing a male face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the voice spoke, An struggled even more violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her spider legs finally braced against the surface, and with a surge from her waist, she yanked her head out from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dumo!” Her face looked like melting wax, barely intact—but her features were still recognizable, twisted in a sneer. “Hahaha, look at your disgusting face! You sacrificed our entire family to Bayton for some baseless legend, and this is what you became? Not human, not ghost!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s face twisted slightly. “You always knew how to provoke me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s your stupidity that enrages you.” Though An was in soul form, her spirit was clearly damaged—her upper body beginning to dissolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, her facial features slid down her skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in this state, she continued to mock Dumo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bayton sure favored you. Did they raise you as a monster? Did you hand that artifact over to them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumo’s sculpted face trembled slightly, then slowly calmed. “Do you want to know my story? Then merge with me. You’ll understand everything. You’ll see my choice was right… my dearest sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More pale tendrils grew from the smooth surface, dodging the spider legs, wrapping around An’s dissolving torso, digging deep into her soul, and pulling her in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain flickered across An’s face, but her mouth remained sharp. “I’m not your sister. The moment you betrayed the Bloodrose Family, you were excommunicated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excommunicated, so be it. The Bloodrose bloodline is already dead.” The face showed no care. “But you’re still my sister—my soul’s other half. I need you. Only with you can we complete the greatest blood-flesh magic in Bloodrose history: Soul-Flesh Fusion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An continued to struggle, her melting face now dripping to her neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice came from her chest. “Fusion? You just want to devour me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t say it like that. It’s about becoming one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her body was slowly pulled inside, the face smiled in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, if you love the Bloodrose so much, I can rebuild it for you. Just come quietly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face was once again pressed against the giant surface and began to dissolve into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice came now from her abdomen. “You betrayed the Bloodrose for a baseless legend. It doesn’t need your resurrection. Go cling to your stupid hardbound book and rot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of the hardbound book, Dumo’s face twisted again, his voice growing heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How unfortunate. That legend turned out to be false. What let me reach Rank Four was still our family’s blood-flesh magic…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?” The face was stunned. He looked downward—by now, most of An’s body had been pulled in, the remainder too melted to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where had that voice come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought you were the barrier itself. Turns out, you’re just a broken spirit being raised here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumo was horrified to realize—the voice was coming from his own mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… how is that possible?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you really think I’d lost my mind to pollution, or been blinded by hatred?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I let you devour me onpurpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Poor, foolish brother—how could you be so naïve as to believe that once we merged, your consciousness would be the one to prevail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Background:The Blood Rose Family was the original clan of the Bloodthorn Family, destroyed centuries ago. One of Kismet’s victims. TheDead Wizard’s Diarywas accidentally sold to the Wizard Tower by a Bloodthorn descendant. An’s soul is largely sourced from the secret lab of Bloodthorn family head Ralph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1365,"2026-06-05T22:22:08.873Z",1,"novelbin.me","783e2f273be729315489a1e002dcbcd6c05bfa5036bbb7655bb398909d484a2c","diary-of-a-dead-wizard-chapter-497","diary-of-a-dead-wizard-chapter-495",1037,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdiary-of-a-dead-wizard-cover.jpg"]