Becoming the Dark Lord

Several undead roamed the Wild Zone, their guttural cries echoing through the ruined trees. A small horde, maybe ten in total, shambled straight toward the armored woman, Charlie. She didn’t bother fighting seriously. They were weak, far weaker than a Midnight Warden. Charlie sprinted forward, letting a few lazy strikes glance off her armor before raising her hand toward one of them.

[Mark of Doom activated]

Only she could see it: a faint, crimson seal blazing over her chosen target, sapping its strength and leaving it vulnerable. Charlie immediately pulled back, ignoring the creature’s clumsy attempt to claw her.

From the rooftop of a broken structure, Luke steadied his bow. He drew, loosed, and his arrow punched through the marked undead.

[You have slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

The corpse toppled backward, but before it even hit the ground, a soft light flared across its body, then it detonated.

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

Luke’s eyes widened. “Holy hell.”

Charlie’s new class skill, Doom Explosion, was insane. Not only did it sync perfectly with her own Mark of Doom, but with him as well. If she marked a target and Luke finished it with an arrow, the explosion still triggered. The experience from those chain kills… it all flowed into her. It made sense: the detonation only happened because her skill activated on the corpse.

It was twisted, cruel, and terrifyingly effective. Against large crowds, it could become a massacre engine.

One hundred mana per detonation. With her current pool, Charlie could manage nineteen, maybe fifteen safely, considering upkeep for Mark of Doom and other skills. That meant fifteen detonations, each one capable of ripping through surrounding enemies. Fifteen chain reactions in a single fight. The cost was brutal, but the payoff? Catastrophic.

Right now, they were testing it on pathetic level 10 undead. But against hordes of tougher creatures, say Midnight Wardens, the battlefield would become a fireworks show of carnage. It was a fantastic skill, no question. But Luke’s tactical brain immediately flagged the drawbacks. He needed more testing: would the explosions scale with the enemy’s level? Could one powerful enemy’s detonation wipe out another? Did higher-level corpses cost more mana?

“A perfect skill for swarms,” he muttered, imagining the ant hives or the endless waves of Midnight Watchers.

Then the flaw hit him.

“Short-range activation…”

For it to work, Charlie had to be close enough to brand the target with Mark of Doom. Against weak enemies, no issue. But in real fights, she’d have to step right into the maw of danger, surrounded by creatures that could tear her apart before the chain even began.

“That’s still way too risky.”

Skills weren’t just about raw power. You had to weigh them in every scenario: swarms, bosses, ambushes, attrition battles. And this one came with another problem he hadn’t voiced yet. If he wasn’t careful, he might get caught in the blast radius too.

If Charlie had to throw herself into the middle of a dangerous horde just to brand an enemy with Mark of Doom, the risk was obvious. She might not even get the chance to trigger Doom Explosion before being torn apart.

That was the flaw. But the flaw also sparked an idea. Synergy between skills, that was what Luke kept circling back to. Mason had explained it so casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. For nobles, maybe it was. For Luke, it had been a revelation. Skills weren’t just isolated tools. When combined, layered, and fused, their effects could grow into something far more devastating.

“Wait… synergy,” he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Charlie.

An idea began to form.

“Charlie, what do you say we try something?” Luke vaulted down from the ruined structure and strode toward her, already outlining the plan.

Through their bond of master and servant, he could feel it. The spark of excitement rising in her the moment she understood where he was going with this.

***

Charlie sprinted down a ruined street, nearly thirty undead soldiers thundering after her. The horde howled and attacked from range, some hurling stones, others loosing crude arrows. She kept her focus, following Luke’s plan, a combination of skills that, on paper, shouldn’t have worked this well. Her arm shot forward, and a spectral chain burst into existence, lashing out like a serpent. It hooked around a dead soldier and yanked him toward her with violent force. As the creature stumbled close, she branded it.

[Mark of Doom activated]

With a sharp twist, Charlie spun and hurled the undead straight back into the horde. The instant it collided, an arrow streaked down from above, Luke’s shot hitting with perfect precision.

[You have slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

The body never hit the ground. It detonated mid-air in a scarlet blast of gore and flame.

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Dead Watchman: Lvl 10]

A crimson shockwave tore through the street, ripping the undead apart and flinging the survivors in broken heaps across the cobblestones.

Luke whistled low, dropping from the rooftop to land beside her. “That worked.”

Charlie’s posture straightened, her whole body radiating adrenaline and triumph. They smacked palms together, the high five echoing like a pact. They had just forged a new way to fight.

“Your mana’s running dangerously low,” Luke muttered, checking her system window.

That was when a dark blur swooped from the sky.

“Jerry!” the raven screeched, wings beating furiously as it swooped at them.

“Alright, you stupid bird. I get it. We’re moving,” Luke grumbled.

With a thought, he recalled Charlie back into his soul and fell in step behind the raven, heading toward his real objective.

***

Luke followed Jerry toward the meeting point. Earlier, the raven had already guided Jack to the chosen spot: the old church Luke once used as a hideout. It was one of the few places in the Wild Zone he trusted, quiet, tucked away, and familiar.

He moved cautiously through the ruins, eyes lifting now and then to track Jerry circling above. The bird’s flight patterns were a code of their own. If Jerry spun in tight circles, it meant enemies were near. If he drifted back and forth in long arcs, the area was clear.

Right now, the raven glided lazily across the sky. Safe. Satisfied, Luke pushed forward. Jerry broke away, heading back toward the fortress to keep watch on Bastion. If Bartholomew made any sudden move, they would know.

“Having a flying familiar really is a cheat,” Luke muttered under his breath as he reached the church doors.

The heavy wood creaked open, and inside he found Jack sitting on a chair, fingers twisting nervously in his lap. His face lit up the moment he saw him.

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“By Saint Caelina!” Jack exclaimed. “Luke… it really was you behind that raven trick? For a moment I thought I was about to get kidnapped again.”

Luke leaned against the doorway, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “Technically, I’m here to kidnap you.”

Jack froze. “W-what?”

***

Luke guided Jack through the Wild Zone, a strip of cloth tied around the man’s eyes as they moved. The forest pressed in around them, humid, restless, alive, but Luke kept his focus straight ahead.

“I’ll apologize again,” Luke said quietly. His voice was low, almost swallowed by the rustle of leaves. “I really didn’t want to do this, but it was the safest way. Better I be the one to kidnap you than someone from Haven you don’t even know.”

“It’s fine,” Jack replied, steady as if the blindfold were nothing. “I’ve gotten used to it by now. And honestly… I’m relieved. The Goddess of Kindness really did help me when she put me in your path. This is the closest I’ve felt to going home.”

As they walked, Luke spoke in pieces, about the mechanisms, about Bartholomew, about the danger creeping closer with every step. His words weighed heavier than the blindfold.

“You’ve been locked up this whole time since I escaped the Safe Zone?” Luke finally asked.

Jack nodded beneath the cloth. “Yes. The moment they realized you hadn’t done it alone, they arrested the people you’d been seen with. Many women too…”

Luke cleared his throat, too quickly, as though brushing it off. “But they were released, right?”

“They were. Most of them only answered a few questions. Even Eddie and Layla were arrested, but they let them go after a couple of hours. Everyone realized they’d been deceived, so it wasn’t a crime. But me? I think because I’m a healer, they worried I’d desert.”

Luke’s hand tightened briefly on Jack’s arm before letting go. “At least if a scout sees us, it’ll look like you’re being dragged off against your will.”

Jack gave a short laugh. “Thank you for caring that much.”

“Don’t mention it, my friend. Just… hold your breath for a moment.”

“Hold my—?” Jack barely had time to protest before Luke shoved him.

“Ahhh!” Jack’s scream was cut short by the rush of air and the violent plunge into the river below. The water swallowed him whole, cold and merciless.

Luke leapt right after, cutting through the surface in a clean dive. The current dragged hard, but he seized Jack’s arm and fought toward the bank. When they finally collapsed on the muddy shore, both men were gasping as though the river had stolen half their lungs.

“Y-you nearly killed me with that stunt!” Jack sputtered, coughing river water.

Luke pulled off the blindfold, his hair plastered wet to his face. “We’re here. Just a trek through the forest and we’ll reach the fortress.”

Jack exhaled long, the tension loosening from his body like chains slipping free.

“You weren’t tortured in prison, were you?” Luke asked.

“You can’t really torture a healer. We just fix ourselves,” Jack said. His smile was crooked, but there was nothing light in it.

“You say that like someone who’s speaking from experience.” Luke said with a short laugh.

The silence between them stretched, thick as the forest air. Luke walked on, chewing on words that didn’t want to be spoken.

Finally, he asked, “What did you mean earlier, when you said they discovered I had help?”

Jack turned to him, expression tightening. “I see. You never heard about Eleanor.”

Luke stopped. “What happened to her?”

Eleanor had been…

***

Luke guided Jack through the forest toward the fortress. The rule at night was clear: torches only inside the houses or within the fortress walls. No stray light. No one risked walking through the ruined city after dark—not with the Midnight Wardens prowling. And no one wandered too close to the orc territory either. The real danger came during the day, but even then Bartholomew had people strong enough to cross the Wild Zone alone. Whether day or night, they both knew it was only a matter of time before someone came to investigate the movements near the fortress.

“How long has it been since you last heard from her?” Luke asked.

The news about Eleanor wasn’t good. She’d been discovered the same day she helped him escape the Safe Zone.

“I don’t know when she helped you,” Jack said, voice low, “but I do know she was captured by Kruger that very day, during the chaos you caused. They dragged her back into Bastion and…” He trailed off, guilt weighing his tone. Kruger and the other shadow killers weren’t the type to show mercy. They never hesitated.

“Do you know… anything more? Is she alive?” Luke asked, his words catching.

“I was thrown in a prison outside Bastion, the same place we were taken after Conrad vanished. Most of the guys locked up there were people I’d treated before in Bastion, so they didn’t give me too much trouble. I asked around about her.” Jack hesitated. “You sure you want to hear this?”

Luke swallowed hard. “It’s my fault. I dragged her into it. I should’ve asked her to run with me.”

Jack paused, then sighed. “Well… maybe the news will be good for you after all.”

“What do you mean?”

Jack gave a small cough. “Word is… she wants you dead.”

“What?” Luke froze, stunned.

“According to the guys who were guarding me, she was captured by Kruger and swore she wanted you dead. Said you were a scumbag, a manipulative womanizer, and that she missed you and hit Kruger by accident,”

Luke’s voice cracked. “But… she helped me escape.”

“Did anyone see her do it?” Jack asked.

Luke blinked. “…No.”

“Then as far as they know, all she did was shoot Kruger. By mistake. That’s the story. And apparently, she cooperated after that. She even gave them information.”

Jack leaned closer as he continued. “You know all those women soldiers who were arrested just for talking to you? That was Eleanor. She gave them a ‘report,’ said you were seducing Bastion’s female soldiers and handing out necklaces. She claimed she was tracking you herself, right before the chaos broke loose. And from what I heard, she swore she’d kill you.”

Luke let out a dry laugh, though his stomach twisted. “I don’t know if I should be impressed by how convincing she made it sound, or terrified.”

“It probably helped that she was part of the ambush when you left that section of the tutorial,” Jack added. “And don’t forget, she was already on Bastion’s main team for hunting down renegades. Her story lined up.”

“So she’s alive, then. That’s… good, right?”

Jack made a conflicted face. “She’s still inside Bastion. Not free. From what I heard, they stripped her rank and gave her something like house arrest. She’s detained, not executed. But you know what the guards used to say in prison?”

Luke tilted his head. “What?”

“They’d laugh and say, ‘That guy’s screwed. He pissed off a sniper, he’ll never know peace again.’ Honestly, she sounded pretty damn convincing when she promised to kill you in every way imaginable.”

Luke rubbed his chin, oddly relieved. “All right then. I’m just glad she’s still alive.”

They kept walking in silence, the weight of her name still lingering between them.

“Luke, I probably shouldn’t say this, but… the fact that you were a scumbag might have actually saved her life,” Jack muttered. “May the Goddess of Kindness forgive me for even thinking that.”

“Yeah, let’s drop the whole ‘scumbag’ thing,” Luke replied. “Don’t ever bring it up again. That’s a dark chapter we’re just going to pretend never happened, all right? Especially… not in front of a certain someone.”

“Fair enough. Regret is one of the Goddess’s weapons, after all. It’s the first step toward—”

Luke shoved a gag into his mouth before he could finish. “Don’t start preaching about the Goddess of Kindness.”

They walked the rest of the trail in silence, the forest swallowing their footsteps.

***

When Jack finally reached the fortress grounds, his eyes widened at the sight of people already hard at work. The steady rhythm of hammers striking wood echoed across the ruins. Men and women hauled logs across the yard, others carried chunks of stone, likely for the forge. Most of the repairs focused on shoring up the fortress’s crumbling structure.

As they walked through the bustle, heads turned to watch them pass. Jack leaned closer, lowering his voice. “They don’t seem very friendly…”

“That’s because most of them want me dead,” Luke replied without hesitation.

“That’s… not the kind of joke you should be making,” Jack muttered.

“It wasn’t a joke.”

Inside, Jack stared in disbelief at the interior halls. “It’s almost identical to Bastion,” he whispered.

“I’ll need your help with something,” Luke told him. “I want you to expand our map. Some of the people here lived in Bastion, but none of them had full access. You’ve seen places they never could.”

They entered the central wing. The old dining hall had been converted into a war room that doubled as an infirmary, with dimensional storage chests lined against the walls to keep supplies flowing. Guards stood posted at the doors, treating the place like the heart of the fortress.

“So this is the healer who’s supposed to fix my arm?” Evangeline rose from a chair, her gaze locking on Jack.

“That’s him,” Luke confirmed.

She hadn’t taken Luke’s potion earlier, insisting it would be a waste since the healer was already on his way. The rest of the leadership gathered as Jack stepped forward, Allison among them.

“This is the healer?” she asked.

Jack nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”

“You know who I am?” Allison’s voice carried a sharper edge.

Jack swallowed hard. “Allison Rhiannon… of the Rhiannon family. One of the ruling clans of the World Government.”

“And also someone who just wants out of this place,” she said, extending her hand. “Don’t worry. My family has no quarrel with your goddess.”

Luke caught the flicker of relief in Jack’s face. For a man bound to a faith, doors could either slam shut or swing wide depending on which names were involved. Allies and enemies alike could be dictated by divine allegiance. His unease was real.

“So, Jack,” Allison went on, “you came here to help us, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I want to get out of this tutorial as badly as anyone.”

Evangeline clapped him hard on the back, nearly making him stumble. “Then start by fixing my arm, and you’re hired.”

Mason recognized Jack and exchanged a brief greeting, before everyone drifted back to their tasks. Luke watched as Jack got to work, channeling healing energy into Evangeline’s injury.

It was the first night in the fortress, and already there was much to decide: watch rotations, resource gathering, repairs. The beginning of a new order.

Luke leaned against the wall, half-listening to the discussion, and quietly opened a system window. Not his own, but Charlie’s.

A small grin tugged at his lips. There it was, the skill he had chosen for her when her Death Knight class reached level 45. A power he’d been itching to test, one that stirred all kinds of theories in his head. But the experiment would need the right place and time.

[Spectral Soldier (Ultra-Rare)]: Allows the Death Knight to create a permanent spectral copy of an enemy he has defeated in combat, provided the creature’s power is lower than his own. Once chosen, that enemy permanently occupies the Spectral Soldier slot. Each time the skill is activated, the same copy is summoned, taking on a corrupted form and fighting at the Death Knight’s side with only a fraction of the strength and skills it possessed in life.

His mind circled the question that wouldn’t leave him: out of all the monsters Charlie had slain, which one would return as her Spectral Soldier?