The stench of decay grew heavier as Alexander moved deeper into the ruined under-chamber beneath the collapsed shrine. His undead footsteps echoed with unnatural weight—each thud announcing a sovereign presence in a domain that had long been forgotten.
The walls were overrun with necrotic fungi that pulsed like living organs. Veins of dark crimson fluid ran like lifeblood through the cracks, converging around a central node: a massive black cocoon embedded in the root system of a petrified world tree.
Alexander's crimson eyes narrowed.
> [Necromantic Analysis Active...]
Entity Detected: Dormant Chaos Bloom – Mutation Stage: Incubation.
Threat Level: High. Immediate purge advised.
"Just like the merchant warned…" he muttered. "A nest taking root where decay already thrives."
He raised a hand, and the shadows at his back moved. From behind, his legion poured in—Warrior-type undead forming a perimeter, Builder-types analyzing structural weak points, and Scavenger-types crawling along the ceiling, mapping rot-tunnels with eerie efficiency.
Alexander turned toward his newly summoned B-Rank undead, his first of that tier—a Gravebone Reaver. It stood twice the height of a man, its armor plated in necrotic bone and charred silver, carrying a rusted scythe large enough to cleave through stone.
"Destroy the cocoon. And keep an eye out for resistance."
The Gravebone Reaver let out a metallic rasp and charged, scythe raised. But before the weapon landed, the cocoon twitched.
Then it screamed.
A high-pitched, guttural screech echoed through the chamber as veins split open and spewed corrupted vitae. The room shook violently. Fungal growth exploded outward like blooming flowers, revealing pale, fleshy stalks with fanged maws at their ends.
> [Chaos Sporelings Detected – Rank: D]
Count: 37… 42… 58…
The chamber became a war zone.
"Formations! Reaver—frontline! Scythe them down!"
Alexander launched a Tier II Shadow Bullet, striking a leaping Sporeling mid-air. It exploded into a burst of spores, coating the air in a toxic fog.
"Fog cleanse!" he shouted.
Two Scavenger-type undead released a dark pulse, clearing the air with necrotic static. His forces surged, blades cutting through the chaos-born horrors with practiced ease. The Reaver tore through five Sporelings in a single sweep, its body glowing faintly from the ambient Soul Ash leaking from the corrupted veins.
Alexander's mental capacity surged with every kill. He could feel the threads connecting to each unit. The battle was no longer just physical—it was a test of his ability to command the hive of death he now controlled.
But then, the cocoon split open completely.
> [Chaos Broodspawn: Umbra Larva – Rank: C+]
It was a twisted, centipede-like creature the size of a horse, its hide a mix of black crystal and rotting flesh. Eyeless, yet it moved with terrifying precision.
It launched itself at the Reaver, biting into its rib-plated side. The B-rank undead grunted, swinging its scythe in retaliation. Sparks flew as bone clashed with void-forged carapace.
Alexander clenched his hand. "Gravebone Reaver: Overload Protocol. Force breach."
The Reaver's eyes burned blue. Its body flared with dark fire as it entered a berserker state. With a bone-rattling roar, it grabbed the Umbra Larva and slammed it into the cocoon husk repeatedly before beheading it in one final cleave.
> [Chaos Broodspawn Eliminated.]
+4,300 XP
+3 Soul Ash
+1 Chaos Mutation Sample (Umbra Type)
Alexander walked forward, boots crunching over the fragmented shell and shattered fangs. He reached down and claimed the sample, storing it in a dark crystal vial.
Then he turned his gaze upward.
The petrified tree above had absorbed the corruption like a sponge, but it wasn't dead. It pulsed weakly… calling out.
> [Warning: Worldroot Node detected. Sync possible.]
Would you like to attempt Necrotic Override?
A smirk touched Alexander's lips. "Yes."
Dark tendrils slithered from his palm, reaching up and into the broken roots. The tree groaned as if in pain, then… relaxed. A shockwave of energy pulsed out, erasing the lingering spores and sealing the corrupted veins.
> [Worldroot Node Claimed – Necrotic Control Established.]
New Construction Option Unlocked: Necrotic Spire.
"Another anchor… and a perfect staging point," he muttered.
His Builders immediately began mapping the chamber. New infrastructure plans lit up his vision—dark-green pipelines, sacrificial fountains, and a soul-channeling network stretching outward like a spider's web.
But just as the echoes of victory settled, the Reaver knelt before him and growled low.
"What is it?" Alexander asked.
A Scavenger-type undead skittered down the tunnel, dragging with it a shattered metal box—once sealed with Chaos glyphs. Inside was a blackened crystal pulsing with unstable energy.
> [Item: Chaotic Core Fragment]
Used to forge or upgrade chaos-resistant undead or enchantments. Highly volatile.
Alexander frowned. "So they're not just nesting. They're preparing."
His mind drifted to the warnings from the Wandering Merchant of the Dark. Phase One was still looming, but the signs were growing louder by the day.
He tucked the core fragment away and turned to his Reaver.
"Double the patrols. Set watchers at every tunnel exit. And tell the Builders… we begin constructing the Spire tonight."
The Gravebone Reaver gave a low rumble of obedience.
Alexander stared into the darkness, his crimson eyes burning like twin stars.
The Chaos was evolving—but so was he.
And in the rot beneath the roots, the true Necropolis would rise.
---
End of Chapter 19