The city's neon glow had faded into a cold haze by the time Suho returned to his apartment. Twilight had slipped away, leaving behind a thick mantle of night and silence. The faint hum of distant traffic and the occasional drone overhead were the only sounds in Sector 12.
His wyvern's skeletal form dissolved into swirling dust the moment he crossed the threshold of his rooftop landing, vanishing as if it had never existed. The bones were no longer needed—at least for now.
Inside, the cramped single-room apartment welcomed him like a grave. The stale air was thick with the scent of burnt noodles and mana residue. Against the dull white walls, a lone soul pendant hung by the bedframe—a fragile star of memory and hope.
Suho dropped his coat on a chair and sank onto the edge of the bed, his muscles aching from the fight at the dormitory.
His shoulder throbbed beneath the ragged bandage. The fatigue wasn't just physical—it was bone-deep, gnawing at the edges of his resolve. Yet sleep refused to come.
The Weight of Memory
He stared at the pendant. Areum's pendant. The tiny star charm she'd worn in life, was now a beacon to her fractured soul.
Just you and me, she had said.
But Suho wasn't sure if that was enough anymore.
His thoughts drifted back to the Echo battle—how her spectral form had attacked, twisted by grief and betrayal. How he hadn't fought to kill but to remember. To save what remained.
But in that room, something new had awakened in him.
System Sync
The small screen on the wall blinked to life, casting cold blue light over the room.
[Necrosystem Sync: 48% Complete]
Soul Anchor Fragments Located: 2/7
Class: Soulbound Necromancer (Monarch Variant)
Current Level: 15
Undead Units Active:
- Skeletal Wyvern (Tier-2)
- Phantom Swordsman (Tier-1, Silent)
- Wraith Cat Familiar (Utility, Noncombat)
System Recommendation:
Memory Fortress Construction Requires Minimum Undead Units: 20
Current Capacity: 3
Additional Units Needed: 17
The words blinked at him like a challenge.
Memory Fortress. The phrase echoed in his mind.
What was this fortress? Was it a refuge? A prison? A weapon?
What was clear was the demand: more undead soldiers.
He needed to grow his army.
The Decision
Suho's fingers trembled slightly as he reached for his communication device.
He dialed Yura.
It took two rings before she answered, her face appearing tired but alert.
"Let me guess — you're in trouble again," she said, voice dry.
"Not trouble," he replied. "I need a gate."
Yura raised an eyebrow. "You just survived Sector 3 alone, barely in one piece."
"I need bodies, Yura. More soldiers to bind, more undead to raise."
There was a pause.
"Any preference on rank?"
"D or C," Suho said firmly. "Something manageable. Low risk. I want to be able to handle it alone."
She gave him a look like she was weighing whether to argue, then sighed.
"I know a fixer who can get something. Sector 5 — the Broken Garden. It's a D-rank gate crawling with lesser undead and cursed terrain. Most hunters avoid it, but it's perfect for you."
Suho allowed a dry smile. "Perfect, huh?"
Yura smirked back. "I'll set it up. But you owe me dinner after this."
Preparing for the Hunt
After the call ended, Suho stood by the window and looked out over the city. The faint pulse of mana flickered in the air like fireflies, invisible to most but alive to him.
He knelt beside his small altar—a collection of bones, his system interface glowing faintly beside a photo of Areum.
He whispered, "I won't forget you."
The pendant around his neck throbbed warmly.
His system whispered back, awakening latent power.
[Necrosystem Trait Activated: Whispering Graves]
Ambient Soul Echoes Detected Within 1.2 km Radius
Passive Skill Unlocked: Bind Lesser Remnants (Shadow Infantry Tier-0)
Max Bindable Units at Level 15: 6
Current Active Units: 3
Slots Available: 3
The shadows around the room flickered and lengthened as if responding to the command.
He closed his eyes and focused.
His hands trembled slightly as ethereal skeletal hands slowly began to form from the darkness—fragments of forgotten souls he could bind without risking the system's wrath.
The Price of Shadows
The night dragged on with Suho absorbing the weight of every lingering soul he could find nearby. Each shadowy soldier that rose brought a bittersweet pang—he was building his army one lost fragment at a time, but each soldier was a story, a life extinguished, an echo of pain.
His heart ached with every silent addition.
He whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm not doing this for power. I'm doing this to remember you."
The small wraith cat brushed against his leg, purring softly in the silence.
Preparation Complete
By the time dawn crept over the horizon, Suho had tripled his undead forces.
He now commanded:
Skeletal Wyvern (Tier-2)Phantom Swordsman (Tier-1)Wraith Cat FamiliarThree newly bound Shadow Infantry (Tier-0)
His system interface glowed brighter.
[New Unit Slots Filled]
Shadow Infantry Squad Formed
Total Active Units: 6/6
XP Earned from Soul Binding: 120
Current Level Progress: 25%
Suho stretched his aching limbs and allowed himself a brief moment of calm.
The path ahead was still long.
But the foundation had been laid.
Last Thought Before the Hunt
He looked down at the pendant.
"Areum," he whispered.
"I'm coming back with more than memories this time."