The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

The Forsaken Crypt Dungeon had gained rapid fame among lower-level hunters within just a few hours of its discovery.

Rumours spread like wildfire—a lone Necromancer was inside, running around and challenging every single skeleton in sight.

But the strangest part?

This Necromancer wasn’t using Dark Magic. Instead, he was wielding weapons—a sight so unusual that it quickly became a hot topic among adventurers.

And the ”Crazy Strength Necromancer” in question? None other than Evan.

At first, Evan assumed only low-rank normal undead were afraid of him. But when he approached elite undead, they also fled the moment they saw him.

Even undead archers, usually relentless in their attacks, refused to shoot a single arrow in his direction.

Hunters watching from the shadows were convinced—this guy must have traumatized the entire dungeon somehow.

But in reality, Evan was growing increasingly frustrated.

”Oh, come on! Just fight me already!” he shouted, but no undead dared to challenge him—not even the elite ones.

Thankfully, his summons were unaffected. His undead army had now grown past 100, tearing through enemies and rapidly boosting his EXP.

Even elite monsters were reduced to bones under the flood of his undead horde.

Eventually, Evan received a system notification detailing his Summon Storage capacity:

[Summon Storage: 144 / 1,150]

Normal Monsters: 1 Summon Space

Elite Monsters: 5 Summon Spaces

Mid Boss Monsters: 8 Summon Spaces

Boss Monsters: 10 Summon Spaces

Recruiting his first Elite Undead Warrior had taken up 5 slots, proving that stronger summons consumed more space.

With his storage filling up, he began replacing weaker summons with elite-tier undead from the second stage of the labyrinth.

However, he kept his original five summons by his side—they were too powerful to discard.

After an entire day of grinding, Evan had reached Level 19, which he deemed sufficient for taking on the third-floor boss—the Undead Mage.

His stats had skyrocketed, with several attributes surpassing the red-tier threshold by 2 to 3 points.

He couldn’t believe his insane leveling speed—from Lv.3 to Lv.19 in just one day.

His army had devastated the second-floor monsters, clearing the field with ruthless efficiency. While he lost many low-level summons, he gained even stronger replacements in return.

As Evan reached Level 10, he unlocked a new skill for his Necromancer class.

But when he accidentally checked his other class menus, his eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

His other classes, which should have remained unchanged, had new skills unlocked—without losing any of the previous ones.

Confused, he asked the system for an explanation.

The response?

”Due to an unknown error, new skills are being unlocked without any reason.

However, he was content with the situation as his status was once again filled with new skills and power boosts from the day’s hunting activities of his army. He found it amusing such glitches or errors always seemed to occur for him.

Although the gains were substantial, the only thing he could not obtain was profit, as there was no shop or person available to purchase the materials, he acquired from the low-level dungeon. Being a Necromancer in such a scenario was a disadvantage.

Nevertheless, he did not mind as long as he completed the dungeon and returned to Beast Grove, where he could earn ample rewards in a few days or even hours. He carefully assessed the gains he made today against the challenges he faced and decided to proceed towards boss area to conclude this endeavor once and for all.

__

◇ Name: Evan Ravencall (Evan Windstone)

◇ Race: Human (100%)

◇ Age: 18

◇ Title:[Limit Breaker], [Holder of Monarch Physique]

◇ Physique:Death Monarch

◇ Rank: Tier 0

◇ Level: 19 [8,495 / 11,750 EXP]

◇ Class:

-Necromancer (SS), -Mage (E), -Weapon Master (F), -Blacksmith (B) [🔒], -Alchemist (S) [🔒], -Rune Enchanter (S!) [🔒]

◇ Talents:

- [Plunder] (?), - [Infinite Evolution & Enchantment] (?), - [Supreme Adaptation] (?), - [Transcendent Body] (?) [🔒], - [Replica of Halo of Luck ########] (?) [🔒]

”Core Stats”

◆ HP: 2,530 (Regen: 12.65/min)

◆ MP: 4,110 (Regen: 20.55/min)

◆ Strength (STR): 39 {+1 Red} (106↑)

◆ Agility (AGL): 46 {+1 Red} (114↑)

◆ Vitality (VIT): 53 {+2 Red} (201↑)

◆ Intelligence (INT): 11 {+4 Red} (337↑)

◆ Endurance (END): 20 {+1 Red} (88↑)

◆ Stamina (STA): 10 {+1 Red} (80↑)

◆ Spirit (SPT): 15 {+1 Red} (97↑) 

◆ Unassigned Stats: 380 (320↑)

◆ Attack Power:342 (Physical, {STR+AGL} *1.2) | 616.5(Elemental, INT*1.5)

◆ Defense:230 +160 ({END+STA} 1)

◆ Storage Summon:365/1150

  --> 105 × Normal Summons

 --> 52 × Elite Summons

”Abilities”

➤ [Elemental Manipulation] (SSS)

- Fire (E) [36.12%]

- Earth (E) [9.01%]

- Lightning (F) [65.09%]

- Ice (F) [0%]

”Skills”

Passive: Low-Grade Poison Resistance (Lv.2), Blade of the Tempest (Lv.3), Heat Rampage (Lv.1)

Active: Shadow Leap (Lv.6), Phantom Bond – Zephoros (Lv.?), Leap (Lv.16), Mighty Roar (Lv.8), Meteor Dash (Lv.4), Seismic Rupture (Lv.2), Camouflage (Lv.4), Blaze Heal (Lv.1)

➤ [Class Skills]

Necromancer (SS):

Raise Undead (Lv.13), Necro Heal (Lv.11), Undead Storage (Lv.Max), Death Bolt (Lv.2), Bone Armor (Lv.1)

Mage (E):

Arcane Bolt (Lv.2), Mana Shield (Lv.3), Magical Focus (Passive) (Lv.10), Spark (Lv.5), Elemental Affinity (Passive) (Lv.1)

Weapon Master (F):

Weapon Mastery (Passive) (Lv.9), Power Slash (Lv.6), Quick Swap (Lv.4), Basic Battle Instinct (Lv.10, Max), Dual Wielding (Passive) (Lv.1)

__

The most he was in his intelligence, while his new skills were mostly passive, aside from his Bone Armor, which he obviously knew how to use in battle. Such a signature skill entering his arsenal was inevitable as he was likely on the path of the Original Necromancer.

=======

Bone Armor (Lv.1)

Type: Active / Defensive (75%) | Passive (25%)

Grade: Tier 0

Mana Cost: Moderate (scales with activation strength) | Cooldown: None

Proficiency: 0%

Description:

The Necromancer envelops their body in layers of hardened, necrotic bone, forming a natural armor that absorbs and disperses damage. The armor passively enhances durability, but when activated, it reinforces itself further, creating an almost unbreakable skeletal shell.

Effects:

Passive Protection: Constantly increases Physical Defense by 10% (+2% per level).

Reinforced Shell: When activated, gains +50% Damage Reduction against physical attacks for 10 seconds (+1s per level).

Bone Regeneration: The armor passively restores itself using surrounding death energy. Lost portions regenerate over time (faster when near undead).

Thorned Retaliation: When struck, reflects 5% of the received damage back to the attacker (+1% per level).

_

Dual Wielding (Lv.1)

Type: Passive | Weapon Mastery

Grade: Tier 0

Mana Cost: None | Cooldown: None

Proficiency: 0%

Description:

Grants the ability to effectively wield two weapons simultaneously, improving balance, reaction speed, and coordination. This skill refines the user’s control, allowing seamless attacks and parries without sacrificing efficiency.

Effects:

Enhanced Coordination: Reduces the attack penalty of dual-wielding by 30% (+5% per level).

Balanced Strikes: Increases attack speed by 10% (+2% per level) when wielding two weapons.

Instinctive Defense: Allows partial blocking with the off-hand weapon, reducing incoming damage by 5% (+1% per level).

_

Elemental Affinity (Lv.1)

Type: Passive | Elemental Mastery

Grade: Tier 0

Mana Cost: None | Cooldown: None

Proficiency: 0%

Description:

A natural attunement to elemental forces, allowing for increased affinity with various elements. This skill subtly enhances the power and efficiency of elemental spells and abilities.

Effects:

Elemental Synergy: Increases damage and effectiveness of spells related to an attuned element by 5% (+1% per level).

Mana Efficiency: Reduces the mana consumption of elemental spells by 5% (+1% per level).

Enhanced Resistance: Grants 5% resistance (+1% per level) to an attuned element’s opposing force.

=======

That was everything Evan had gained from this dungeon. While the skills were great, he expected even more terrifying abilities from the upcoming ones. Without thinking much, he decided to head toward the boss’s room and end the undead chase scene once and for all before making his way to the Beast Grove dungeon.

The third stage wasn’t a vast hall or an open area like the previous two but a long, stretched corridor. At the end of it stood a small, spherical room where the Undead Mage resided.

Evan walked straight toward it, encountering no monsters along the way. The eerie silence was unsettling, but he didn’t let it distract him. After a few minutes, he reached the end of the corridor and stood before the massive door.

Pushing it open, he was met with the sight of a grand room. Unlike the previous floors, it held only a single throne at the far end. Evan didn’t understand the significance of it, but he still stepped inside to locate the boss.

The moment he entered, the large doors behind him shut with a resounding thud, sealing him inside. The air grew still, save for the rhythmic sound of footsteps echoing through the chamber.

From the shadows at the room’s edge, a humanoid figure emerged. It clutched a black glass pearl, roughly the size of a human fist, and walked toward the center of the throne room. Evan assumed this was the one meant to sit on the throne, but instead, the figure stopped beside it—like a loyal servant awaiting orders from its master.

Evan was puzzled but didn’t dwell on it. He stepped forward, prepared to engage, when suddenly, dark energy bullets materialized above the figure’s head and shot toward him at blinding speed. Remaining on high alert, Evan immediately activated his defensive skills.

A mana barrier formed around him, reinforced by jagged bone fragments. His crude yet sturdy bone armor took shape, offering a glimpse of the potential enhancements it would gain as he leveled up. But before he could even examine the armor, he found himself locked in a relentless exchange with the Undead Mage’s attacks.

The barrage of dark bullets was unceasing. It was as if the boss had an infinite supply of mana. Each impact chipped away at his defenses, forcing Evan to rely on evasive maneuvers. He dodged skillfully, but the sheer volume of attacks meant he was still taking damage. If this kept up, the accumulated injuries will become a serious problem.

Deciding to shift tactics, he called forth his undead army to overwhelm the mage through sheer numbers—just as a Necromancer should. However, he had no idea what true fear awaited him.

The moment his massive horde of normal summons charged, the Undead Mage paused its rapid-fire assault. Evan thought, for a fleeting second, that his opponent had hesitated. But before his army could even get close, the robed figure silently conjured an enormous fireball above its head.

The flame descended in an instant, engulfing everything in its path.

In mere seconds, his entire army—over a hundred summons—was reduced to ashes.

Evan stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened. The undead forces he had painstakingly built up throughout the dungeon were annihilated in a single strike. His overconfidence shattered, and he realized that this boss was on an entirely different level.

Snapping out of his daze, Evan quickly used Necro Heal to restore his two remaining skeletons—his strongest summons that had been carrying his items. He pulled them back and reassessed the situation.

This wasn’t going to be a simple fight. He needed a strategy.

Summoning his elite undead from storage, Evan blocked off all possible escape routes for the boss using his Earth element. The Undead Mage, undeterred, began attacking the barriers with ruthless efficiency. But before it could break free, Evan had already positioned his undead in formation.

Elite Undead Warriors stood at the front, archers lined up behind them, and the spacing was meticulously arranged to prevent the mage’s area-of-effect attacks from wiping them out all at once.

”Charge!” Evan commanded, and his undead surged forward.

Like a lone soldier defending his fallen kingdom, the Undead Mage stood his ground, firing relentless volleys of dark bullets at the incoming horde. But Evan had accounted for this. With every injury sustained, he immediately healed his units, ensuring they could withstand the mage’s onslaught.

Minutes passed, and the boss’s condition deteriorated. Arrows pierced its body from all angles, and it staggered, barely holding itself together. Even in its final moments, it struggled, determined to take one last foe down with it.

Evan stepped forward to land the finishing blow.

But just before he could strike, the boss spoke.

Its voice, chilling and filled with sorrow, echoed through the chamber:

”Oh, my King… why did you betray us? May my soul still be of service in your endless battle. I hope this worthless body of mine can aid you even in death. The unworthy servant offers his body to your command… All hail the Dea—”

Before it could finish, the light in its eyes faded, and its soul energy dissipated into nothingness.

Evan frowned. ”What a weirdo… Devoted to a king who betrayed him, and even in death, he offers his soul? Well, a loyal mage of an unworthy king still has its uses.”

Raising his hand, he activated his Necromantic Summoning skill.

”Oh, fallen knight—” he paused, smirking, ”I mean, fallen mage—serve me instead of waiting for your unworthy king.”

A deep tremor shook the room as dark energy surged into the mage’s lifeless body. His skeletal frame convulsed, and his soul energy reignited.

Notifications popped up before Evan’s eyes. Expecting an elite-tier summon, he prepared himself—but what he received was far beyond anything he anticipated.

[Your Summon has risen: Undead Mage (Mid-Boss).][Summon Storage: 270 / 1,150]

[Your party has defeated the Boss of Forsaken Crypt: The Undead Mage (Lv.25).][EXP Gained: +4,130] [12,625 / 11,750]

[Level Up! → Lv.20 (1^)] [875 / 12,500]

[Stat Gains:

SPT: +1

INT: +15

VIT: +7

Unassigned Stat Points: +20

All Stats: +5

[][]

”Huh, the previous skill,” Evan asked as he looked at the new skill which may look the same but had a fundamentally different base.

This skill was also of the summoning type, but only difference it held was that unlike before, his Undead summon could only summon one type of creature throughout the entire skill upgrade. However, this skill has various types of summons like as Warrior, Mage Archer, Wraiths, Zombies many others which will be unlocked as the skill levels.

This made him realize that even though skill appears the same, the effects different.

======

Ice Spike (Lv.1)

Type: Active | Offensive

Grade: Tier 0

Mana Cost: 12 MP | Cooldown: 3 seconds

Proficiency: 0%

Description:Condenses mana into a sharp, ice-forged spike and launches it at a target, piercing through defenses with chilling force. The spell has a chance to slow the target upon impact.

Effects:

Frost Piercer: Ice Spike deals base magic damage + 10% INT, with a 5% chance to pierce through weaker defenses.

Chilling Impact: On hit, slows enemy movement speed by 10% for 3 seconds (+2% per skill level).

Elemental Affinity: Damage increases by 5% against fire-aligned enemies.

_

Undead Summoning (Lv.1)

Type: Active | Summoning

Grade: Tier 0

Mana Cost: Varies per summon | Cooldown: 10 seconds

Proficiency: 0%

Description:

Calls forth undead creatures bound to the necromancer’s will. The summoned undead persist until destroyed or dismissed. As the skill level increases, stronger undead can be summoned.

Summonable Undead:

--> Undead Warrior – A skeletal soldier wielding a rusted sword and shield. (Mana Cost: 50 MP per summon)

--> More to unlock at higher levels...

Effects:

Eternal Servants: Summoned undead do not decay and remain active until destroyed or dismissed.

Soulbound Command: Can issue commands mentally within a 200m range (+20m per level).

Hardened Bones: All summoned undead gain 5% physical resistance (+3% per level).

Fading Presence: Slightly reduces detection by enemies outside combat (-2% aggro per level).

======

Evan checked the skills of his newly acquired summon and nodded in satisfaction. However, before he could review his evolving status, something unexpected happened.

The Undead Mage he had just raised—silent until now—suddenly knelt before him, as if pleading for forgiveness or swearing fealty.

Evan raised an eyebrow. Was this a remnant of the boss’s loyalty from its past life?

Unfortunately, after being degraded to a mid-boss rank, the Undead Mage had lost its ability to speak. If it could still communicate, Evan would have bombarded it with questions—about the dungeon’s origins, the circumstances of his awakening, and why this creature had been trapped here.

But now, those answers would have to wait.

With a sigh, Evan stored the Undead Mage in his summon space. He had no intention of staying in this eerie place any longer. It was time to head home.

Yet, just as he made his way out of the dungeon, completely unaware—trouble was already brewing.

An unexpected visitor had arrived at the CGA, seeking both him and Lucas at the same time.

The CGA’s atmosphere was tense. Every preparation had been made to ensure that the guest’s mood remained undisturbed—hospitality and protocol were being handled with utmost care. Even the Branch Manager and Vice Manager were present to personally welcome them.

Who was this visitor, and why were they commanding such overwhelming attention?

One thing was certain—whoever they were, they were about to put immense pressure on Lucas.

And perhaps, on Evan as well.

—To Be Continued.