The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

Evan descended to the ground floor, where the association hall buzzed with activity. People were scattered around, collecting their rewards and exchanging stories of their recent achievements. As he walked through the crowd, his eyes scanned the area until he spotted a familiar group in the corner.

It was Lucas’s team, clearly waiting for someone. Some of them were scanning the crowd, as though expecting someone to show up.

Evan made his way toward them.

”Ah, Raven’s here!” Lucas called out, spotting him and waving with a grin.

”Sorry for the delay,” Evan said, offering an apologetic smile. ”I was upstairs picking up some new gear.”

”No worries,” Lucas replied. ”We just got back from lunch, and we were thinking of doing something productive. Maybe raiding a dungeon to test our team coordination.”

Evan nodded, keeping his expression neutral. ”Sounds good to me. I’m ready.”

With the plan set, the group began moving toward the dungeon inspection area.

”Excuse me, miss,” Lucas said, addressing the attendant at the counter. ”Do you have any dungeons suitable for a team of level 60-70? Preferably one that isn’t too large?”

The attendant quickly scanned her records. ”We do have a dungeon available, but it’s a level 50-70 range. It’s free to enter right now, if you’d like.”

Lucas frowned slightly. ”Isn’t there anything closer to level 60? We were hoping for something more specific.”

”I’m afraid not, sir. Most of the higher-level dungeons are currently occupied by guilds for training purposes,” the attendant explained.

Lucas sighed, glancing back at his team. ”What do you guys think? Should we go ahead with this one, or hold off for now?”

”I’ll follow your lead, Lucas. You always make the best decisions,” Tess said with a reassuring smile.

Ilya hesitated, as though about to speak but thought better of it. ”I agree with Tess. You know what’s best for the team.”

Mike, who had been standing off to the side with his usual indifferent expression, shrugged. ”I don’t mind either way, but maybe we should get Raven’s opinion?”

Lucas turned to Evan, his eyes expectant. ”Raven, what do you think? Should we go for it?”

Evan’s eyes sparkled with quiet confidence. ”I think we should go. This dungeon works for what we need—testing our teamwork. No sense in wasting time when we can be making progress.”

”Alright then!” Lucas’s voice brightened. ”It’s settled. We’ll go ahead with this one.” He turned back to the attendant, who handed him a dungeon slip with a smile.

”You’re all set. Just use this slip to enter,” she said.

Lucas nodded, flashing a quick smile as he accepted the slip. He walked back to his team, but the attendant couldn’t help but watch him leave, a light blush coloring her cheeks. His charm had been undeniable, and the soft smile he gave her made her heart flutter.

But when her gaze shifted to Ilya, who was holding Lucas’s hand a little too closely for comfort, the blush faded. Ah, well... she thought, letting out a quiet sigh. ’Another crush, over before it even began.’

Meanwhile, Lucas was unaware of the brief spark of infatuation behind him. ”Alright, team,” Lucas said, catching everyone’s attention. ”We’ve got the slip. But before we head out, check your supplies. If there’s anything you’re missing, now’s the time to grab it. Once we enter, we won’t be stopping.”

Everyone dispersed to gather their things, but Evan and Ilya remained behind.

”Don’t you need anything?” Evan asked, breaking the silence.

Ilya didn’t respond immediately. She simply stared at the path Lucas had taken, her expression distant.

The quiet stretched on, and Evan noticed the tension in the air. He decided to speak up. ”If you’re feeling uncomfortable just standing around, you could always check on what Lucas and the others are doing,” he suggested, his tone casual but edged with curiosity.

At the mention of Lucas, Ilya’s face brightened, and she quickly made her way toward the upper floor.

Evan watched her go, a quiet smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. ’Such a fool...’ he thought, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the path ahead. ’But I shouldn’t let it bother me. I’ve got more important things to focus on—like checking the new gear I just got. Hopefully, it’s been enchanted...’

His thoughts turned darker as he considered the future. Once his plan was set in motion and Lucas was out of the picture, he would need to be prepared. Ilya’s emotional state could may turn volatile, and he’d need to stay one step ahead. But for now, it was best to stay focused and move forward with the plan.

======

Weapon: Arclash (Tier 0, Erith Rank) [+3]

Type: One-Handed Sword

Durability: 1,250/1,250

Weight: Light

Attack Power: 142

Description:

Forged with the storm-tempered monster of the Hollowcloud Peaks, Arclash bears the mark of tempestuous craftsmanship. The blade shimmers faintly with dormant arcs, its surface etched with pale violet runes that spark when struck. Though not an elemental weapon by nature, it occasionally calls down the wrath of a passing storm, discharging raw lightning energy upon impact. The enchantments woven into its core have elevated it beyond ordinary blades, allowing it to briefly channel the fury of the skies.

Effects:

Arc Spark Resonance+ → Basic attacks have a 5% chance to discharge a short-range bolt of lightning, dealing minor splash lightning damage. Cannot activate more than once every 3 seconds.

Edge of Focus+ → Increases accuracy and strike precision. Grants a passive +7% critical hit rate and enhances the wielder’s weapon control under pressure.

Pulsebound Core+ → Activating any sword-related skill temporarily overloads the blade with unstable lightning for 6 seconds, adding +10 lightning damage to all hits during that time.Cooldown: 30 seconds | Mana Cost: 60

Voltage Echo (Passive) → Every 10th successful hit surges with latent electricity, causing the next strike to chain lightning to up to 3 nearby enemies, dealing bonus shock damage.

__

Weapon: Twinfang (Tier 0, Erith Rank) [+3]

Type: Twin Blades (Short & Tall)

Durability: 1,240/1,240

Weight: Medium

Attack Power:

Tall Fang: 135

Short Fang: 110

Description:

Crafted beneath the pale moons and forged from glow-iron alloy blended with lunar beast, Twinfang carries the essence of a forgotten Lunar Eclipse. The blades—Tall Fang, a sleek, crescent-edged longsaber, and Short Fang, a quick, curved dagger—pulse faintly under moonlight. While lacking a full-time elemental nature, they shimmer with unstable lunar energy, occasionally releasing radiant arcs of moon-charged force with a successful hit.

Effects:

Splitflow Style+ → Fluidly alternating between the twin blades enhances strike speed and momentum. Each combo increases the chance for a lunar burst.

Moonlit Surge+ → Every 6th strike has a 10% chance to release a lunar wave, dealing AoE radiant damage and briefly illuminating enemies (lowering their evasion for 3 seconds).

Synchronized Laceration+ → Striking with both blades within 1.5 seconds increases crit rate by 25% and restores 2% of max stamina instantly.

Lunar Pulse (New) → When the Short Fang strikes first, the next hit by the Tall Fang within 4 seconds may trigger a Lunar Pulse, dealing bonus lunar damage and reducing enemy energy regeneration briefly.

======

”Good, just as I expected. You really are a charm for my talent,” Evan muttered to himself, nearly forgetting the purpose of his visit. He’d been too caught up in examining the items he’d just received. When he checked the cost, he was taken aback—1,060 Evoenchant points.

Curious, he asked the system for an explanation. The reply was almost comical: Extra points detected to bring elemental energy forms into the weapon bodies. Estimated cost: 300–400 points.

Evan’s expression soured. ”You really are a scammer talent,” he thought, his view of the enchantment process shifting dramatically. Still, he had nothing to worry about—he still had 11,000 Evoenchant points left, though that number was now reduced to 10,000.

With a sigh, he tucked his newly enchanted items away and waited for his team to return, one by one.

First, Mike arrived, followed by Tess. Ilya came next, and finally, Lucas, the last to make his appearance.

”Is everyone ready? We won’t be waiting any longer,” Lucas announced, his voice carrying authority. Evan gave a quick nod, not needing anything more, and not wanting to give the impression of holding up the group.

”Alright, let’s clear this dungeon and then head out for a party to celebrate our teamwork,” Lucas said, already leading the way. The rest of the team nodded, but Evan found himself confused. Why do they always want to party after something so minor?

He shrugged and followed closely behind, the group making their way to the dungeon area. Hundreds of dungeon portals were lined up in a massive enclosure.

Lucas guided them to a specific portal, where an official checked their slips before directing them to their dungeon. The name of the dungeon was —a swampland that housed a tribe of Lizardmen deep within.

Everyone geared up, but Evan was already prepared, his armor tightly fastened and his dual fangs secured behind his back. His team was curious, wondering why he preferred weapons over a wand, but they didn’t press the issue. Everyone had their secrets.

Without further ado, they stepped inside.

Meanwhile, at a distance, someone watched them with malicious intent, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment. He melted into the crowd of hunters as soon as the team entered the dungeon, vanishing without a trace.

Inside the dungeon, Evan and the rest of the team emerged one by one from the portal, stepping onto the soggy ground of a swampy terrain, dotted with scattered trees.

Alert, Lucas activated his talent to sense any monsters nearby. Almost immediately, he detected something—a group of Lizardmen attempting to sneak up on them.

”Get ready, everyone,” Lucas called out, and the team tensed, weapons at the ready.

From the murky waters, four Lizardmen emerged, their bodies rippling with speed and agility. Tess, quick to react, fired arrows imbued with wind energy, piercing through some of them. However, the Lizardmen’s agile movements allowed them to dodge most of the attacks, and they closed the distance with crude daggers in hand.

Lucas and Mike rushed forward, while Tess and Ilya took cover, firing from a distance. Evan, however, knew that facing off against them in a group could cause more trouble than it was worth. He didn’t back down, though. Instead, he summoned his Undead Mage and a few basic troops to lend a hand.

As his mage cast spells, his summoned troops engaged with the Lizardmen, distracting them long enough for the rest of the team to make their move.

Before long, Lucas and Mike had taken down their opponents, but they turned to find that the Lizardmen had already been dealt with by Evan and his summoned forces.

”Good work,” Lucas said, but just as he was about to speak up, he saw Evan approaching the fallen bodies of the Lizardmen.

Without hesitation, Evan extended his hand and activated his skill.

”{Undead Raise}”

The corpses of the Lizardmen began to stir, their bones cracking and flesh peeling away as they rose as undead. The eerie green flames in their eyes matched the swampy surroundings, adding a chilling atmosphere to the scene.

”Great. Now go, find more of your kind, bring them back here. Lure them, or do whatever it takes—just bring them,” Evan commanded as his undead warriors disappeared into the water, vanishing from sight.

The rest of the team stood in confusion, unsure of what had just happened.

”Raven, what did you just do?” Lucas asked, his tone laced with curiosity. He’d tried to sense Evan’s undead but failed. They were nowhere to be found.

”Don’t worry about it,” Evan replied coolly. ”It’s a quick way to clear dungeons. Get ready—more will be coming soon.”

Lucas, though still uncertain, sensed something brewing. ”Maybe we should prepare, guys. It seems like Raven might be onto something here.”

The team readied their weapons, tension building in the air. Moments later, the undead returned, swimming back toward Evan.

”Did your summon fail?” Ilya asked skeptically, thinking perhaps Evan’s undead had simply failed to find more Lizardmen.

But just as she spoke, ripples appeared in the water, followed by a massive surge. More than fifty Lizardmen emerged, their scales glinting under the dim light.

The team stood frozen for a moment, shocked by the overwhelming number of enemies. Even Lucas felt the pressure. How am I going to protect everyone from this many?

Before he could ask Evan why he’d lured out so many, as next second ago, the undead army surged forward, rising from the swamp like a wave of death.

”Let’s start the real fun now,” Evan muttered, as his undead warriors charged forward, cutting down the Lizardmen with brutal efficiency.

The team watched, dumbfounded, as the battle unfolded before them. The undead fought with precision, slicing through the Lizardmen warriors, scouts, and even shamans. Some Lizardmen showed unexpected strength, using nature-based magic to manipulate the environment and create obstacles for Evan’s undead, but they were quickly overpowered.

”Guys, snap out of it!” Lucas shouted, shaking off his surprise. ”Let’s help Raven’s undead finish them off!”

With that, Lucas, Mike, Tess, and Ilya charged into the fray, joining the undead in cutting down the Lizardmen.

Lucas’s combat skills had improved dramatically, his close-combat mastery and elemental abilities a clear advantage in the chaos of battle. Mike, too, showed his growing prowess, manipulating gravity around him to affect the undead and his enemies, shifting the weight of their bodies to throw them off balance.

It was clear now—Lucas had seen something in Mike that made him an integral part of the team. Together, they fought side by side with Evan’s undead army, laying waste to the Lizardmen in a spectacular display of power.

Just as everyone was still watching the brutal clash unfold, a silent ripple broke the nearby waters—an unseen threat creeping close.

A stealthy Lizardman was swimming low beneath the surface, completely unnoticed. Neither Ilya nor Tess had sensed its approach. It lunged—water erupting around it as it burst forth with a crude dagger in hand.

The girls flinched back instinctively.

But before the creature’s blade could even descend, a skeletal hand burst through its chest from behind.

Crack!

A bony figure stood where the Lizardman had once been, hollow eyes burning with eerie green fire. Two more undead emerged beside the stunned girls like shadows rising from the swamp.

Evan gave a silent nod to them, as his hands glowed faintly with dark energy. His Necro Heal skill was active, mending his summons’ wounds while also sapping vitality from nearby Lizardmen.

But he wasn’t stopping there.

He cycled through his skillset quickly, enhancing his undead, boosting their strength and resistance. He couldn’t afford to rely on just one ability—not when the tide of battle could shift in an instant.

Time passed, and the swarm of enemies had thinned drastically. Only a handful of stubborn Lizardmen remained, their scaled bodies cut and bruised, but still fighting with primal fury.

One of them—a warrior drenched in the blood of its comrades—let out a guttural roar and charged forward. But instead of going after Lucas or Mike, it aimed straight for the group in the back—Tess, Ilya… and Evan.

Tess lifted her bow, ready to loose a shot, but—

”Let it come,” Evan said calmly, stepping forward.

He gripped the hilts of his dual daggers.

The beast swung its crude blade in a frenzy—but it was far too slow. Two fangs of metal clashed with it in a flash of silver light. One shattered its weapon, the other tore into its hide.

Evan moved like a phantom—each strike clean, deadly, and efficient. His enchanted daggers sliced through the Lizardman’s flesh like butter under a hot blade.

It collapsed.

Everyone was left in stunned silence.

Mike blinked. ”Damn, didn’t know you were that good with daggers.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow as he washed blood off his hands in the murky water. ”Did you train for that? Or is it a skill-based proficiency?”

Evan sheathed his blades with a soft click.

”Situations teach you fast,” he said, voice low and cold. ”Back then, daggers were all I had. If there’d been a different weapon nearby, maybe I’d be good with that instead. In life-or-death moments, you learn… or you die. Simple as that.”

His voice carried the weight of old scars. A touch of sympathy sparked in the eyes of the others. Some suspicion faded.

The team pressed deeper into the swamp, but Evan’s focus shifted—he had notifications waiting.

[You’ve gained 19,460 EXP.]

[78,606 / 65,750]

[Level Up!]

[+1 SPT, +15 INT, +7 VIT, +5 ALL STATS, +20 Unassigned Points]

[12,856 / 67,500]

[You’ve reached the level requirement. Insight gained: Class skill awakening triggered.]

[New Skill Acquired: Dark Art Mastery (Lv. Max)]

[EE Points Gained: 412 | Total: 10,722]

”Oh? Looks like my EE Points are getting chunky again,” Evan muttered under his breath. ”Might need to spend these before they go to waste.”

He opened his status menu and adjusted a few things, even adding two new elite Naga Shamans to his army—just in case.

Just as he was about to check out Dark Art Mastery, Lucas called out to the team.

”All right, let’s store all the loot and bodies before we move deeper. Everyone good with that?”

They nodded and moved to help, but Evan raised a hand.

”No need. Let me handle it.”

With a casual wave, several basic-rank undead crawled out of his shadow and began gathering loot and bodies like diligent workers.

The others looked at each other and laughed quietly.

’Probably thinking that having someone else do the grunt work is a blessing.’

Evan smirked inwardly as his summons finished their task and returned to his shadow.

Lucas turned toward him. ”You good to keep going, or need a mana break?”

”I’m fine. Stamina and mana are both regenerating fast— as they all are still above and nowhere near half. But if anyone else needs rest, I’ve got no objections.”

Lucas gave him a firm nod. ”We’re good too. Let’s move.”

With that, the team pressed deeper into the Mistmarsh Basin, unaware that something far more dangerous awaited them ahead.

Meanwhile, Evan finally tapped into his new skill.

[Skill Unlocked: Dark Art Mastery (Lv. Max)]

And what he saw in that skill window… made him pause.

======

Skill: Dark Art Mastery

Type: Active-Passive | Dark Magic

Tier: 0

Mana Cost: Varies (based on the chosen spell) | Cooldown: N/A

Proficiency: 100%

Description:

An exclusive foundational skill for SS-Rank Necromancers, Dark Art Mastery serves as a living grimoire of dark magic within the user—allowing the user to access and cast a wide range of fundamental dark spells without needing to learn them individually. While the user’s proficiency is already maxed, mana cost remains depending on the spell’s complexity.

This mastery combines instinctual casting with condensed spell structure, enabling fluent deployment of necrotic arts, shadow magic, curses, and minor dark enchantments.

Effects:

Spell Library: Grants access to a repertoire of basic dark magic spells (Tier 0).

Quick Cast: Casting time for these spells is reduced by 40%, making it nearly instant for fluent combat.

Dark Affinity Sync: Spells cast through this skill gain +10% dark damage amplification and ignore 5% of enemy resistance to darkness.

Flexible Invocation: Spells can be modified on the fly—extend range, reduce area, or chain multiple effects (limited by INT and SPT).

======

He found the skill surprisingly useful. A wide-range ability that didn’t require leveling up—those were rare gems in anyone’s arsenal. But what stood out the most was its uniqueness. Skills like this weren’t common in the awakened world. According to the final description, the skill utilized the SPT stat—something only accessible to high-ranking classes like SS or SSS. That alone told him this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill ability.

As the group pushed forward, they encountered more of the same Lizardmen variants—Scouts, Warriors, Shamans, even the venomscaled beast and Totem Keepers. Most of them wielded poison-type abilities, making Ilya’s presence invaluable. Her detoxification skills, paired with her expert healing, allowed the team to move through the poisonous swamp without worry.

She truly was the best healer in the entire city—bar none.

Eventually, they reached the boss zone—the area where the final enemy was said to reside.

They carved their way through hordes of Lizardmen, pushing deeper into the swamp until they reached a forest clearing. In its center stood a crude tribal structure—built from sticks, mud, and leaves. Most of the trees in the area had been cut down, likely by the Lizardmen to make this place their stronghold.

Just as everyone prepared for the final battle, Lucas raised a hand to stop them.

”Wait,” he said. ”Let me handle this one.”

He glanced briefly at Raven, his eyes full of meaning. He wanted to show him that his new team wasn’t just full of freeloaders—they could hold their own too.

Lucas walked forward alone, standing calmly in front of the primitive hut. He raised his hand, and a glowing circle began to form in his palm. It slowly expanded outward, pulsing with cold energy.

The temperature in the swamp dropped drastically.

Sensing the danger, the boss burst out from the hut, its scaled body glistening with venomous oils. A name tag appeared above its head:

But before it could even roar, Lucas whispered coldly:

”{Frost Bind}.”

The glowing structure in his hand exploded forward, unleashing a massive cone of icy death that swept across several kilometers. The entire zone turned white, and everything within it—including the boss—was frozen solid. Hss’karth stood there, trapped mid-roar, now nothing more than an ice statue.

Everyone stood frozen in place—not from the cold, but from shock.

They had never seen Lucas use a skill like that before.

His entire right arm was now coated in shimmering frost. With a casual shake, he shrugged off the icy particles and walked up to the frozen boss. Without a word, he lightly punched it—shattering the creature into a pile of glittering shards.

Battle over. Boss defeated.

His team erupted in cheers, celebrating both the victory and Lucas’s jaw-dropping display of power.

But Evan stood still, his eyes locked on the place where the boss had just been.

’That power… there’s no way I could take that head-on.’

Even with all his tricks and luck, a direct hit from that spell would mean death even for a Tier 1 simple hunter or beast. ’If this is what he is capable of… then what chance does a mere Tier 0 like me have?’

But he quickly pushed the thoughts away. There was no time to flatter or fear. He needed to focus. Maybe, just maybe, if Lucas wasn’t ready, he could exploit a window—just enough to survive or retaliate.

Unbeknownst to the rest, another person was just as shaken by what he’d seen.

Mike.

He had witnessed everything.The power.The sheer destructive scale.The ease with which the boss was obliterated.

A chill ran down his spine.

’Even if I have ten thousand clones like me, I wouldn’t be able to stop that skill.’

His mind was in complete turmoil.

But why does it bother him this much...?

– To Be Continued –