The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

The next day, Evan woke up early, feeling completely refreshed after sleeping for an entire day.

After spending three gruelling and unnatural days in the dungeon for an important reason, his body had finally recovered.

He first decided to head out for breakfast, as his home was completely out of ingredients.

Stopping by a convenience store, he stocked up on supplies to sustain himself for the next few days. His breakfast didn’t take long, either—just a quick meal before heading back home.

Once he returned, he indulged in a long, steamy bath, letting the warmth relax his muscles.

Only then did he finally decide to visit the CGA and start levelling up again.

After his rapid ascent in the dungeon, he had hit rock bottom once more—but this time, he was armed with a new class and skills that were eager to prove their worth.

Previously, he had only been assigned a D-rank class by the system, a limitation caused by his damaged soul. But after his soul was healed, he finally received his true class—an SS-rank Necromancer.

In a way, it was a blessing that this class hadn’t awakened earlier. If it had, he would have been dragged into countless recruitment offers from major guilds.

Lucas, for instance, would have undoubtedly tried to rope him into his team, while Lyre—who was likely grinding in dungeons right now—would have pressured him into joining her guild.

That was something Evan wanted to avoid.

So, in hindsight, getting his class late worked out in his favour.

After putting away his groceries, Evan stepped outside, where he happened to run into his neighbour, who was just leaving for work.

”Oh, hey! Evan, right? Haven’t seen you in a while. You look… different,” the man remarked, eyeing him curiously.

Indeed, Evan had changed—dramatically so. In just three days, his physique had transformed. His height had shot up from 5’6” to nearly 5’9” after acquiring his new physique.

”Yes, sir,” Evan replied with a polite nod. ”After awakening my class and grinding day and night in dungeons, my body changed a lot.”

”Oh? You awakened a class? That’s great! Honestly, I didn’t expect that, but it’s good for you. What kind of class is it? Combat or support?”

”I awakened the Necromancer class,” Evan stated simply. ”It’s been really useful to me. A lot of teams are trying to recruit me, and even some guilds have sent offers.”

Of course, while Evan himself hadn’t received any direct offers yet, his Prodigy persona—the reputation he had unknowingly built—certainly had.

”Impressive! Well, I’d love to chat more, but I’m running late for work. Let’s catch up another time.”

With that, the man hurried off.

Evan had always found him to be a straightforward, good-natured person. He was an ordinary, non-awakened individual, while his wife was an E-rank worker, and their children were still in school, hoping to awaken a class of their own someday.

Not dwelling on it for long, Evan made his way downstairs and flagged a taxi.

After a twenty- to thirty-minute ride, he arrived at his destination.

The dungeon zone was finally open again. The once-deserted area was now bustling with hunters eager to dive back in after its three-day closure.

Without wasting time, Evan entered the CGA branch building.

Approaching the front desk, he spoke to an officer and requested a meeting with the branch manager.

The officer, at first, found it laughable. ’Why would a regular hunter get a meeting with the branch manager?,

But then…

The moment Evan’s name was mentioned to the branch manager’s assistant, everything changed.

The assistant instantly agreed.

In fact, he revealed that the branch manager had been eagerly waiting to meet a hunter named Evan.

The stunned officer, realizing the situation, immediately directed Evan to the manager’s office.

Evan was certain that Lilia assumed he had come to join her for the offer she make in the name of association—but was that really the case?

Standing outside her office, he knocked on the door.

”Come in,” came a voice from inside.

Entering, he found Lilia buried under a mountain of documents, with her assistant busily helping her sort through them.

”Oh? So you finally decided to join my personal hunting team?” Lilia asked, looking up at him with a smirk.

Evan shook his head. ”No, Miss Lilia. I’m here to modify my ID—you know what happened to it.”

Lilia blinked in confusion at first, but then realization struck her.

”Oh, right! I completely forgot about that mistake,” she admitted.

Turning to her assistant, she gave the order. ”Go ahead and modify his ID. Change his class grade from D to S and reset his level from Lv.48 to Lv.1.”

The assistant hesitated for a moment.

Normally, an ID’s level couldn’t be artificially reset. Once mana synchronization occurred, the ID would always display the hunter’s true level.

Why was the manager asking him to do something pointless?

Still, without questioning her, the assistant carried out the modification, making sure to reset all data entries to prevent future errors.

Afterward, he handed the ID back to Evan and watched as he synced his mana with it.

As expected, the ID displayed the correct level despite the reset—further confusing the assistant—but he wisely chose not to say anything. ’If the manager knew what she was doing, then there was no need to interfere.’

Evan turned to leave, but before he could step out, Lilia spoke again.

”You still don’t want to take my offer? You could have everything—money, power, fame.”

Evan chuckled. ”No, Miss Lilia. I have no intention of tying myself down for things I can earn on my own.”

Lilia sighed. ”Oh, come on, you really want to start this debate again?”

”That’s why I’m leaving before it does.” He smirked, swiftly closing the door behind him.

Now free, he made his way toward the dungeon desk to request an assignment.

But before he could reach it, he noticed a peculiar duo conversing in a quiet corner.

One of them was Lucas’s new team member, the one wielding the big Great Sword, while the other was the same wealthy hunter who had once tried to recruit Tess and Ilya.

Their discussion seemed serious, making Evan curious—but he wasn’t interested in getting involved in their affairs. Not yet.

However, he did manage to glean some useful information, something he could potentially use to his advantage later.

For now, he focused back on his goal and walked up to the desk.

He needed to grind to Lv.20 as soon as possible so he could return to Beast Grove Dungeon and take on all the mini-bosses and the final boss.

At the desk, he requested a solo dungeon.

The moment the receptionist saw his S-rank class, multiple teams immediately tried to recruit him.

He rejected them all.

For now, he wasn’t willing to share his EXP with a party.

The receptionist then spoke up.

”Sir, we have a public dungeon that recently opened for beginner hunters. It was discovered on the outskirts of the city and recently just added to the dungeon area. Would you like to enter?”

”Is it crowded yet?” Evan asked.

”No, not at all. It was only discovered two days ago, right after the big incident. Most hunters don’t even know about it yet, and those who do aren’t interested—it’s considered too easy for anyone above Lv.20.”

Evan’s interest was piqued. ”Perfect. Can you share the details?”

”Yes, sir. Since the dungeon is still new, we don’t have complete data yet, but here’s what we’ve gathered so far…”

Dungeon Name: The Forsaken Crypt

Level Range: 1-25

Theme: Undead/Death

Description: The Forsaken Crypt lies hidden beneath the earth, its entrance lost to time and forgotten by most. Ancient tombstones line the outer edges of the dungeon, and a heavy, oppressive silence fills the air. Inside, the labyrinthine tunnels are filled with the restless spirits of the past, bound to an eternal existence as skeletal warriors and archers. Only the brave dare enter to face the horrors within, seeking the treasures and forgotten relics buried beneath centuries of dust.

Monsters:

Skeleton Warriors (Common) {Lv.1 to 10}– The basic foot soldiers of the crypt, armed with rusty swords or broken shields. They are slow but relentless in their pursuit of adventure.

Skeleton Archers (Elite) {Lv.11 to 20}– Skilled ranged attackers with longbows, these elite skeletons have enhanced accuracy and can deal significant damage from a distance.

High Skeleton Warriors (Elite) {Lv.15 to 24}– These undead warriors are stronger and larger than the common skeletons, often carrying more powerful weapons like greatswords and axes.

Undead Mage (Boss) {Lv.25}– The final guardian of the crypt, this mage was once a powerful necromancer who now controls the dark energies of the crypt. The Undead Mage attacks with dark magic and summons additional skeletons to fight alongside it.

__

”That’s all the information we have so far. A Lv.20 team cleared it in one day and provided us with these details. If you discover anything new, please report it to us—we offer rewards for valuable information,” the attendant explained.

Evan found it quite a coincidence that an undead-themed dungeon had suddenly appeared right after he obtained the Death Monarch Physique.

”Alright, I’ll report any new findings if I come across them. But for now, can you give me the dungeon’s location? I don’t think I can stay here much longer.”

He could already feel the gazes of multiple teams eyeing him, trying to recruit him.

The attendant understood his predicament and quickly updated his ID, allowing him to leave for the dungeon area without further delay.

Evan exited the building and entered the dungeon district.

He briefly glanced at The Ember Caverns, noting that it was still under surveillance, though not as heavily as before.

’The association must still be investigating the stone pearl I reported to Lilia.’

If they were hoping to farm it, they were in for a rude awakening. Such treasures weren’t easily obtainable—the drop rate was abysmally low, and only Tier 4 or higher bosses had a chance of carrying them.

But that wasn’t his problem.

He headed toward the designated area and soon arrived at the newly discovered dungeon.

The dungeon’s entrance gave off a creepy, ominous aura, yet very few hunters were present.

Maybe it’s just because it was discovered recently. Give it time, and it’ll end up like Beast Grove.

Evan checked his equipment one last time before stepping toward the dungeon official managing the entrance.

The official scanned his ID, checked his details, and gave a nod of approval—but he couldn’t hide his shock upon seeing an S-rank Necromancer entering an undead dungeon.

Normally, Necromancers avoided fighting the undead since they lacked effective means to counter them.

’But this guy… might be different.’

Evan, ignoring the stares, stepped into the dungeon.

Inside the Dungeon

The moment he entered, he found himself standing before a massive labyrinth gate, surrounded by a dimly lit, eerie atmosphere.

According to reports, the dungeon had three stages:

First Floor: Regular undead monsters spawned frequently, but elite spawns were rare.

Second Floor: Only elite monsters roamed.

Third Floor: Home to the Labyrinth Keeper, the Undead Mage, who acted as the dungeon boss.

Evan cracked his neck and stretched his arms.

”Well then… let’s get started.”

With a wave of his hand, five summons appeared before him.

”Go and hunt down any skeletons you find. Let’s fill up the summon storage first. I’ll be attacking as well,” he ordered.

The five undead scattered, moving individually rather than in a group.

Given their strength, they could easily handle themselves in this low-level dungeon.

As for their level, it wouldn’t increase unless Evan himself surpassed them.

Evan summoned his spear from his inventory, preparing for combat.

Yet, strangely enough—

No enemies came toward him.

Even when undead monsters appeared before him, they immediately fled the moment they sensed his presence.

And it wasn’t just the low-level ones.

Even Lv.8 and Lv.10 undead ran away in fear.

Evan raised an eyebrow. That’s… unusual.

He wasn’t shameless enough to chase them down just to hunt.

Besides, even though the dungeon was relatively empty, there were still a few other hunters around.

’Wouldn’t be a good look if I started sprinting after fleeing skeletons like a madman.’

His own attempts at hunting weren’t successful, but his summons were cleaning up quite well, boosting his EXP steadily.

Still, the high EXP requirement meant he had a long way to go before reaching his next level.

[Your Skeletons have slain 11 × Lv.3, 8 × Lv.5, 5 × Lv.7, and 3 × Lv.9 undead warriors.]

[EXP Gained: +4,310][4,310 / 500]

[Level Up! → Lv.3 (3^)][1,310 / 2,000]

[Stat Gains:]- SPT: +3- INT: +45- VIT: +21- Unassigned Stat Points: +60- All Stats: +15

[]

”Excuse me, where are my six thousand EEP in talent? I am certain that I must have accumulated that amount.”

[]

”I am unsure of what you mean. Please return my points, or I will have to take further action.”

[]

”Wait, let me talk to you. I wish to know the correct reason here... Wait...” Evan said, but no answer was given to him. He shut down, as a few newbie hunters thought of him as some crazy psychopath, and he did not want such a title now.

So, he decided to call back all his summons and the bodies they collected to see if he could resummon them and increase his summon storage space, which should be around thirty. When he opened his status to check stats and some points, his face was kind to see.

”Core Stats”

◆ HP: 510 (Regen: 2.55/min)

◆ MP: 700 (Regen: 3.50/min)

◆ Strength (STR): 30 (15↑)

◆ Agility (AGL): 30 (15↑)

◆ Vitality (VIT): 51 (36↑)

◆ Intelligence (INT): 70 (60↑)

◆ Endurance (END): 30 (15↑)

◆ Stamina (STA): 30 (15↑)

◆ Spirit (SPT): 19 (18↑) 

◆ Unassigned Stats: 60 (60↑)

◆ Attack Power:72 (Physical, {STR+AGL}*1.2) | 105 (Elemental, INT*1.5)

◆ Defense:60+160 ({END+STA} 1)

◆ Storage Summon:5/190

__

”Huh? Wait… can someone explain to me what’s happening right now?”

Evan’s eyes widened as he stared at his status screen.

”My stats are evolving into some kind of massive cheat code, aren’t they?”

From what he knew, the SPT stat couldn’t be upgraded through normal means.

Yet now…?

”I was clearly told that SPT can’t be increased normally. So how is it changing now? No—wait, it’s not… but my physique stats can be added, right?”

Evan grinned.

”Alright, if you want to mess with me, System, let me mess with you back. If you wish to see an army—then let me show you one!”

He attempted to manually allocate stat points into SPT, but as expected, the system refused to let him. No matter what he tried, it wouldn’t budge.

”Tch. So the system really is playing with me, huh?”

Since his stats were already increasing on their own, there was no need to use his points yet. He decided to save them until a more critical moment.

For now, he simply waited for his summons to return.

A Few Minutes Later…

Evan’s summons came back, but something seemed… off.

One of his skeleton warriors, the one wielding the Ignis Sword, had an arrow lodged in its ribcage.

The damage was minimal, but it was clear someone had attacked them.

Then, he saw the culprits—a group of newbie hunters rushing toward him.

The moment they noticed the group of skeletons surrounding Evan, they froze.

Their eyes widened in panic, and they instinctively prepared to attack, assuming the skeletons were enemies.

One of them—a young archer—was already drawing his bow, ready to fire another arrow.

”Bro, wait—stop!” Evan shouted, raising a hand.

”They’re my summons! They’re hunting for me, so don’t attack them. Just go back to your own hunt!”

The archer halted mid-draw, his face turning slightly red in embarrassment.

After realizing their mistake, the group quickly apologized and moved to another area.

Evan let out a sigh.

”Huff… this is getting annoying. Even here, in Stage 1 of the labyrinth, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

At this point, Lv.1 monsters weren’t worth his time—he needed something stronger.

”Maybe I should just head to Stage 2. Elite monsters would be a much better match for me than these weaklings.”

But before leaving, he decided to plunder the remains of the monsters his summons had gathered.

However—

”The hell is this garbage…?”

What he found was even bigger trash than he expected.

[]

[Stats Absorbed]➤ +3 STR | +2 AGL | +4 INT | +1 VIT | +2 END

”What? No skills? Not even a decent boost in stats?!”

Evan scowled as he stared at the disappointing results.

”What kind of rubbish loot is this? And what permission are you suddenly talking about now?”

His frustration grew.

”I already lost everything and got reset to zero, and you still think I won’t use Plunder on low-level monsters? Hell nah!”

Shaking his head, he decided to move on and head downstairs to Stage 2—but not before testing something out.

While using or what you call testing his Necro Heal.

First, he cast Necro Heal on his summons, restoring them to peak condition.

Then, out of curiosity, he used it on some fallen, undead corpses nearby.

To his surprise, the bodies themselves started to heal, but the mana within them remained absent—meaning they wouldn’t revive on their own.

Even so, this experiment confirmed something important:

”Huh… so I can still affect dead bodies. Interesting.”

He also noticed that, despite only using Necro Heal a few times, the skill had already reached Level 4.

”Damn, leveling skills is so much easier now. Guess that’s the difference between a D-rank class and an SS-rank class.”

However, there was a catch—this boosted skill progression only applied to Necromancer-related skills.

If he wanted to level up other types of abilities, he’d still have to train them manually.

Attempting Raise Undead

With that in mind, Evan turned to the twenty-seven fallen skeletons before him.

He activated Raise Undead, channeling his mana into their lifeless forms.

But—

Nothing happened.

Not a single skeleton responded.

He frowned.

”Tch. Just my luck.”

Disappointed, he was about to leave for the next floor—

When suddenly—

Ding!

A system notification popped up.

[Your physique effects have been successfully applied to your skill effects.]

[Congratulations, Host! You’ve raised 11 × Lv.3, 8 × Lv.5, 5 × Lv.7, and 3 × Lv.9 Undead Warriors.]

[Summon Storage has been equipped as a default effect for your summons. If you wish to unequip this effect, you can do so manually. Additionally, individual summons can be removed from storage at will.]

[T.P.: 32 / 190 Summons]

”Oh yeah, now this is just too OP.”

Evan smirked as he looked back to find his newly summoned twenty-seven undead kneeling before him.

But he wasn’t ready to reveal this newfound power to anyone just yet. Quickly, he stored the summons away, hiding them in his storage space. He was curious to see if they could level up later—though he was sure that only those below his current level could progress. Anything above his level would stay stagnant until he surpassed them.

”Let’s farm some more summons and then head for the next stage,” he muttered to himself.

With that, he sent his higher-level summons out to hunt down more enemies.

- To be Continued. -

Is Evan walking the path to becoming an Undead Overlord? Want to see how the real fun unfolds? Stay tuned and find out.