Wood had left the town near the Red Dragon Mountains, intending to head to the Milis Holy Kingdom to search for clues about his family. However, he was unaware that two years after his supposed death, Zenith and the others were now living near the Red Dragon Mountains.
Due to guilt and a sense of responsibility, the Dragon God had bestowed the "Dragon God's Blessing" upon Wood's family, allowing them to ascend the mountain without being attacked by the flying dragons. This also made it easier for them to visit Wood's grave.
On the day the Red Dragon Mountains experienced an anomaly, Paul and Zenith left Norn and Aisha in the care of Lilia at home while they went up the mountain to investigate.
However, no one could have anticipated that the flying dragons of the Red Dragon Mountains had entered a state of frenzy. Despite the Dragon God's blessing, Paul and Zenith were still attacked by the panicked dragons.
Fortunately, both Paul and Zenith were former members of an S-rank adventurer party, so even against flying dragons, they were not completely defenseless.
After much struggle, when the two finally arrived at the site of Wood's grave, they were met with a scene that filled them with rage.
Their son Wood's grave had been dug up, the tombstone shattered into pieces (accidentally destroyed by Wood during his battle with the dragons). The surrounding area was littered with battle scars and the lifeless bodies of several flying dragons.
Returning home, Zenith and Paul were filled with anger but also felt helpless and at a loss. They had no idea who had stolen Wood's remains.
Moreover, the Greyrat family had no real enemies. The only semi-enemy they could think of was the so-called "Human God" and the Dragon God.
The Dragon God had long known the location of Wood's grave and had even suggested burying him in the Red Dragon Mountains, where the flying dragons would serve as a natural barrier.
If the Dragon God had wanted to dig up Wood's grave, there would have been no need for such elaborate measures, as no one in the Greyrat family could stop him. Additionally, the Dragon God had no reason to wait two years or to bestow blessings upon the family.
Therefore, the only suspect left was the "Human God."
Unfortunately, they knew almost nothing about the "Human God." The only person who might have some knowledge was their other son, Rudeus.
Regardless of whether the "Human God" was responsible, the fact that the perpetrator had the strength to kill several flying dragons indicated that this was no ordinary foe.
Considering all these factors, Zenith and Paul ultimately decided to write to Rudeus, who was at the Ranoa Magic University, asking him to return and help investigate.
Both Zenith and Paul had to admit that their two sons, Wood and Rudeus, had been prodigies from a young age.
Wood aside, Rudeus had crossed the entire Demon Continent at the age of eleven. In terms of combat ability, even if Paul and Zenith teamed up, they would be no match for their thirteen or fourteen-year-old son.
Due to the urgency of the situation, Rudeus used magic to speed up his journey. Whenever his magic power ran low, he hired carriages at great expense.
On the third day, after a long and arduous journey, Rudeus finally arrived at the Greyrat family's current residence.
"Rudy, it's been two years. You've grown so much. Come in quickly."
Paul was genuinely happy to see his son after two years. Compared to Wood, who was a paragon of virtue and chivalry, Paul had always been more fond of Rudeus, who shared his more mischievous tendencies.
Seeing Rudeus after two years, Paul showed his paternal side, reaching out to ruffle Rudeus's hair.
As for Zenith, although she still harbored some resentment over Wood's death, she understood that it wasn't entirely Rudeus's fault. So, she spoke gently, "You haven't had a hard time at the Ranoa Magic University these past two years, have you?"
Hearing his parents' warm words, even though Rudeus's outward appearance was that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old, his inner soul, which had lived nearly fifty years, couldn't help but feel tears welling up in his eyes.
For the past two years, Rudeus had been tormented by guilt, often feeling like he was superfluous.
But this time, returning home and seeing the attitudes of Paul and Zenith, it was clear that his parents still cared for him deeply. The slight estrangement that had existed since Wood's death was still there, but it was faint.
While Paul and Zenith, as adults and Rudeus's parents, were more rational in their approach, the same couldn't be said for Norn and Aisha, who were still children.
Aisha, who took after Lilia, was mature and sensible for her age. Although she wasn't particularly warm toward Rudeus, she didn't show any obvious dislike either.
However, Norn, Rudeus and Wood's younger sister, made her feelings abundantly clear. The moment she saw Rudeus, her face twisted into a visible expression of disgust, and she hurled a wooden cup at him.
"Norn hates you! It's all your fault that Wood died!"
Rudeus, who had been feeling somewhat uplifted by Paul and Zenith's attitudes, felt as if he had been struck by a devastating blow upon hearing Norn's words. The smile he had been wearing froze on his face.
The shock was so great that Rudeus, who could have easily dodged the cup, took the hit squarely on the head. Although the wooden cup wasn't particularly harmful, and Norn's strength was that of a normal little girl, Rudeus's head still turned red from the impact.
"Norn, if you keep acting up, I'll lock you in the dark room!
Rudy is your brother. What you just did was completely disrespectful. Apologize to him right now."
Zenith had always been strict about discipline, so she immediately scolded Norn for her behavior.
Seeing Zenith reprimand Norn, Rudeus quickly interjected, "Mother, please don't be angry with Norn. What she said is true.
If it weren't for me, Wood might not have..."
Before Rudeus could finish, Norn, with tears in her eyes, shouted, "Norn isn't wrong! And Norn only has one brother, and that's Wood!
You're all mean! Only Wood loved Norn."
Norn, now about seven years old, shouted at everyone before running out of the house. Rudeus wanted to chase after her, but Paul held him back.
Meanwhile, Zenith gave Lilia a look, and she, along with her daughter Aisha, quickly followed Norn.
Almost as soon as Norn ran out of the house, a large shadow darted out from the forest. However, Lilia and Aisha showed no alarm, as if this were a common occurrence.
Two years ago, after Wood's death, the Demon Wolf King, which had been contracted to him, did not leave. Instead, it stayed nearby, silently guarding the Greyrat family.
Whenever Norn and Aisha went out, the Demon Wolf King would follow them with its pack, secretly protecting them.
Initially, the Demon Wolf King had submitted to Wood out of fear for its life. But after Wood led it out of the endless labyrinth and saved its life multiple times in battles, the wolf had genuinely come to respect and serve Wood.
After Wood's death, the Demon Wolf King believed its duty was to protect Wood's most important family members, especially Norn and Aisha, whom Wood had cherished deeply.
"Don't worry about Norn. Aisha and Lilia will comfort her. If you go now, it'll only make things worse."
"As for the safety concerns, there's no need to worry. Even if the Fenrir King faces multiple wyverns, it has the strength to protect Norn and Aisha," Paul said, patting Rudeus on the shoulder to comfort him as he noticed the lingering concern on his face.
The Fenrir King wasn't something that could be commanded at will. This powerful beast generally only obeyed the two little girls in the family.
"Do you have any clues about who might have desecrated Wood's grave? Or do you know who could have done it?"
Paul and Zenith had been wracking their brains over this. They didn't think they had ever offended anyone in the past, especially someone powerful enough to pull off such an act. They'd already shared the details in their letter to Rudeus, so they got straight to the point to avoid wasting time.
"I want to visit the Crimson Dragon Mountains first. If magic was used, I might be able to track the culprit through the residual mana in the air.
I don't think this was done by the Human God. According to Dragon God Orsted, the Human God should currently be limited to manipulating others through persuasion and cannot manifest physically to act on his own."
Following Rudeus's suggestion, Paul and Zenith once again led him to the Crimson Dragon Mountains and the Crimson Dragon's Jaw. This time, with Rudeus's formidable abilities, the journey was much easier than before.
Several days passed, and the previously panicked wyverns had calmed down, returning to their original nesting grounds.
When they arrived at the site of Wood's grave, Rudeus began analyzing the residual mana in the air. The results made him frown deeply.
"How is it? Is it possible that too much time has passed, leaving no residual mana? Or did the perpetrator avoid using magic during the confrontation?" Paul and Zenith, noticing Rudeus's furrowed brow, asked anxiously.
But Rudeus's expression turned strange as he replied, "It's not that there's no residual mana. In fact, the mana left behind feels... like Wood's."
Paul and Zenith froze for a moment, stunned by his words, before exchanging glances of shock. "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake? Or could it be that something went wrong with your magic?" they asked.
"Wood has been dead for two years. How could there still be traces of his mana here?" Zenith added, her tone a mix of disbelief and hope.
Rudeus, after a moment of thought, shook his head. "If it were someone else, I might have made a mistake. But Wood and I are twins—our mana attributes are extremely similar. There's no way I could be wrong about this."
"There are three possibilities for this situation. The first is that, due to the high concentration of mana in the area, Wood's body may have transformed into some kind of undead creature over time.
The second possibility is that a mage used dark magic or forbidden techniques to turn Wood's body into a puppet or similar construct.
The third possibility, though the least likely, is that Wood somehow revived under unknown circumstances and left this place on his own."
Paul and Zenith's expressions shifted dramatically as they listened to Rudeus's analysis, cycling through anger, shock, and finally, a glimmer of hope.
Even though the likelihood of Wood being resurrected was slim, even a one-percent chance was enough to bring them immense joy.
However, the idea that Wood's body might have been used by someone for nefarious purposes angered Zenith deeply. She clenched her fists, her face filled with fury.
"Based on what we've seen, the possibility of someone using Wood's body as a tool is quite low. If dark magic or forbidden techniques had been used, there would surely be traces of mana left behind.
But aside from Wood's mana, I haven't detected any other residual mana here.
So, I think it's more likely that Wood has turned into some kind of undead creature. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that the culprit might have erased their own mana traces," Rudeus said thoughtfully.
His sharp intellect and expertise were on full display. Paul and Zenith, despite visiting the site before, hadn't noticed anything. Yet Rudeus, within moments, had pieced together several plausible theories. They were reassured that bringing him back was the right decision.
"If Wood really became an undead creature, would he still remember us?" Zenith asked, her voice trembling with emotion as she posed the most pressing question in her heart.
As a devout follower of Millis, Zenith had always viewed the undead as symbols of evil—creatures she despised most. But if the undead in question was her beloved son, it would change everything.
A mother's love is one of the most powerful forces in the world, capable of surpassing almost anything, even a lifelong faith.
In Zenith's eyes, as long as Wood retained his consciousness, being undead didn't matter. It was far better than lying eternally in a grave, separated from his loved ones.
Even if Wood had truly become undead, he was still her child. If anyone dared harm him, they would become Zenith's sworn enemy.
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