The dim necrotic glow from the Forest of Echoes pulsed like a heartbeat as Alexander stood alone in the heart of the ruins, a wide summoning circle carved in bone-dust and blood etched into the ancient stone beneath his feet. The Death Altar behind him throbbed with power, reacting to the ambient essence of the Soul Ash he clutched in his left hand. Three dark shards hovered above his palm, each one humming with power stolen from the corrupted bear he'd slain in Chapter 10.
A hush had fallen over the ruins. Even his undead legions, now numbering nearly a hundred, stood eerily still at the edge of the platform. They could feel it—something ancient was about to be torn into the world.
Alexander's red eyes glowed brighter as he began to chant.
"By blackened bone, shattered soul, and the pact of the Monarch—I summon thee. From ruin, rise. From death, obey. Let the Grave remember its name!"
The ritual flared to life. Purple-black flame erupted along the edges of the circle, coiling upward like spectral chains. The Soul Ash burned into nothing in his hand, fueling the spell. His mana drained rapidly—over 400 points ripped from his core like a tidal wave. And worse yet, his mind screamed as the mental pressure surged. This was no skeleton, no mindless ghoul. This was a B-Rank entity. Intelligent. Powerful. A commander.
The bones began to rise from the center of the circle, forming a massive humanoid frame. Armor of rusted black iron materialized over it, etched with sigils from a forgotten language. A helmet slid into place with curved horns, and within it, two pinpricks of violet fire ignited.
Then it spoke.
"Who dares command Vorthar the Gravebound?" The voice was layered—both ethereal and booming, like the echoes of a hundred dead knights.
Alexander stepped forward, his will unshaken. "I am Alexander Noir. Monarch of the Undead. Your master."
The towering knight took a knee.
"Then I serve."
[New Summon Acquired]
Name: Gravemind Vorthar
Rank: B
Type: Death Knight Commander
Mental Load: 25
Abilities:
Commanding Presence: Buffs nearby undead with +15% damage and loyalty.
Grave Cleave: Sweeping strike with necrotic damage.
Shield of Bone: Absorbs 300 damage from magic or physical attacks.
Passive: Resistant to light magic. Immune to fear.
Alexander's knees buckled slightly as the pressure settled in. He clenched his fists, breathing hard. The Death Knight's loyalty was secured through his subclass—had he not possessed the Monarch of the Undead, he might have died during the ritual.
He could feel the strain on his mind. The total mental load from his current army was near its limit. Vorthar alone consumed a quarter of his capacity. Yet, it was worth it. This was power—refined and raw.
His interface updated.
---
[Updated Character Sheet - Post Vorthar Summon]
Name: Alexander Noir
Race: Human (Reincarnated)
Class: Necromancer
Subclass: Monarch of the Undead
Level: 21 (E Rank)
Experience: 5,220 / 10,000 XP
Attributes:
Strength: 48
Agility: 50
Intelligence: 96
Endurance: 62
Vitality: 61
Wisdom: 72
Willpower: 74
Mana: 2,880 (+50% from Monarch Subclass)
Mental Control Pool: 100
Current Load: 92
Undead Controlled:
60 Skeleton Soldiers (1 Mental Load each)
8 Bone Archers (2 Mental Load each)
5 Ghoul Ravagers (4 Mental Load each)
2 Bone Spinners (Builder Class – 3 Mental Load each)
1 Gravehound (4 Mental Load)
1 Death Knight Commander – Gravemind Vorthar (25 Mental Load)
Skills:
Raise Undead III
Shadow Fog (Enhanced)
Basic Shadow Bullet
Undead Harvest
Merging Undead (Passive Active)
Summon: Gravehound
Titles: Monarch of the Undead, Slayer of the Corrupted Beast
Vorthar rose to his full height—nearly seven feet tall—and surveyed the area like a general assessing a battlefield. He didn't speak again, but instead marched to stand beside Alexander like a silent warden.
Alexander's lips curled into a smirk. This was what it meant to evolve.
He staggered slightly, then sat down on a slab of broken stone. His temples throbbed. Controlling so many undead was like keeping dozens of mental strings taut at once, each vibrating with hunger and ancient resentment.
Soon, he would need a system—command chains, relays, lieutenants. Vorthar could serve as the first.
A nearby Bone Spinner clattered up to him, clicking as it waited for instruction. He waved it away, still reeling.
Dark clouds gathered above the Forest of Echoes. Not storm clouds—something worse. The energy of the world was beginning to shift again. Distant howls echoed from the edges of the forest. Chaos corruption was spreading again, faster now, more insidious.
But Alexander wasn't the same man who'd woken in this cursed forest. He was no longer prey.
He was death. And death was growing stronger.
[End of Chapter 17]