"At last, the day has arrived."
The young man called Ace inhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the ornate sign marking the entrance to Piltover Academy of Magic.
His existence hadn't exactly been smooth sailing. During his first life on Earth, he'd worked as an archaeologist, gradually building recognition through his dedication. A groundbreaking find had finally placed him on the cusp of professional success.
Just as prosperity and recognition seemed within reach, a fatal collision with a vehicle ended everything.
Following his death, his consciousness transferred across dimensions, granting him rebirth as offspring of Count Duwadon's third-born son.
His biological father—celebrated as the Spear of Duwadon—possessed exceptional knightly prowess and stood as a legitimate candidate for inheriting the County's leadership.
The year Ace reached five, testing revealed his capacity for magical manipulation.
Between his father's reputation and his own arcane potential, Ace's position within the household soared dramatically.
Fortune had smiled upon him from birth.
That fortunate period proved temporary. At age ten, his father perished during combat in a parallel dimension.
His mother succumbed to overwhelming sorrow not long afterward.
Every courtier who'd curried favor due to his father's influence? They vanished the instant that protection disappeared.
Ace's social standing collapsed. Without his magical capabilities providing minimal protection, the adversaries his father had previously dominated would have already orchestrated his removal.
Following his parents' deaths, Ace withdrew further into himself. He abandoned social gatherings entirely, confining himself to the family compound's boundaries as though he'd been erased from the Duwadon lineage itself.
None could say how those eight years had passed for him. Had the magic academy not dispatched enrollment documentation, the Duwadon household would have essentially forgotten his existence.
Having completed registration procedures, Ace navigated toward a structure dedicated to magical affinity assessment and joined the waiting line.
"Necromantic resonance."
The assessment mage observed the magical sphere's luminescence and regarded Ace with unmistakable sympathy.
"Move forward."
He transferred the documentation to Ace before returning to his duties. The fortunes of strangers held no concern for him.
"Prepared to resign and pursue agricultural work, yet they assign me this responsibility. How troublesome."
"Furthermore, young man, your fortune appears remarkably poor. Supreme necromantic resonance, of all possibilities."
Following the provided map, Ace located the designated training sector.
A disheveled elderly individual greeted him—someone completely lacking the characteristic refinement associated with magical practitioners.
Upon learning Ace's purpose, the elder consumed several swallows of alcohol and grumbled briefly before retrieving Ace's assessment documentation.
Examining Ace's affinity measurements caused the old man to involuntarily expel the wine he'd just consumed.
Ace's necromantic resonance registered astronomical levels, completely eclipsing his elemental capabilities.
Had any descriptor besides necromantic preceded that numerical value, Ace would qualify as a prodigious magical talent.
Therein resided the complication—only one specific word, necromantic. While mages occupied elite positions, necromancers represented the singular exception. The profession carried a fundamental curse.
The malediction affecting necromancers originated from a necromantic catastrophe that devastated the realm world a millennium previously.
That calamity was ultimately suppressed by a coalition commanded by the God of Light.
During the concluding confrontation, the God of Light sacrificed himself, though before expiring, he established the Blessing of Final Care.
Throughout territories covered by his blessing, all departed spirits would achieve tranquility and all physical remains would find rest.
The Blessing of Final Care diminished necromantic spell potency to virtual insignificance.
After the God of Light's demise, his daughter assumed his divine authority and ascended as the new Goddess of Light.
The Goddess of Light continued her father's mission, devoting herself to extending the Blessing of Final Care's coverage.
Following the necromantic catastrophe, the coalition dissolved, yet those powerful entities who'd survived it refused to permit recurrence.
Regarding this objective, they unanimously supported the Goddess of Light and vigorously propagated the Blessing of Final Care.
Currently, any dimension containing a Temple of Light possessed the Blessing of Final Care blanketing it comprehensively.
When living entities expired within those dimensions, the Blessing of Final Care would spontaneously activate and sanctify their remains.
For conventional necromancers, attempting to execute necromantic magic using fresh cadavers wasn't merely difficult—it generated holy power backlash.
The Blessing of Final Care had transformed necromancers into lowest-tier practitioners, teetering on expulsion from the Mages' Association entirely.
One might declare Ace's fortune utterly abysmal. Had his necromantic resonance registered even marginally lower while possessing alternative elemental affinity, he'd have maintained possibilities for transitioning toward different magical specializations.
"Proceed with preliminary training. Return once you've internalized the meditation methodology."
After confirming thrice that Ace remained absolutely committed to pursuing this futile path toward becoming a necromancer, the old man ceased discouragement attempts. He simply imparted the mental meditation methodology.
"Instructor, I've achieved mastery of the mental meditation methodology."
Several days later, Ace returned to the old man seeking subsequent training stages.
The old man had never revealed his name—evidently, he held no expectations for Ace's potential.
"Very well, let us commence spell instruction then."
The old man reluctantly retrieved two purified cadavers required for magical instruction.
For necromancer apprentices, executing necromantic magic on remains bearing the Blessing of Final Care constituted fundamental suicide.
Cadavers utilized for instruction required purified specimens without the Blessing of Final Care.
Such remains proved increasingly scarce in contemporary times, each commanding substantial expense.
"Observe carefully."
After explaining the casting fundamentals to Ace repeatedly, the old man decelerated his casting demonstration to illustrate how magical configurations were assembled.
Once Ace had memorized the casting principles, the old man performed Bone Resurrection upon one purified cadaver.
Skeletal structures pierced through deteriorating tissue, and shortly a skeletal undead entity rose from the putrid biological matter.
Having concluded the instructional demonstration, the old man indicated the remaining purified cadaver and observed Ace, directing him to attempt the procedure.
Ace reviewed the casting principles mentally, then constructed the magical configurations according to established methodology.
A filament of obsidian luminescence concentrated at his fingertip, transporting him into a distinctive casting perception.
The instant he released that obsidian filament, he'd complete the Bone Resurrection casting.
However, when Ace focused upon the cadaver, something anomalous manifested in his vision—a form of spiritual sight.
He could perceive when the cadaver had expired, and without any instruction, he'd somehow acquired a distinctive variant of Bone Resurrection.
[Ding! System Integration Complete]
[Archaeomancer System Activated]
[Host: Ace]
[Profession: Necromancer Apprentice]
[Special Ability Unlocked: Temporal Bone Reading]
[Description: Perceive the death timeline of any remains and resurrect entities based on their historical state]
Ace remained composed by temperament. Rather than demonstrating that distinctive Bone Resurrection before the old man, he adhered to the old man's instruction and proceeded with standard spell execution.
When the obsidian luminescence from his fingertip descended, the cadaver suddenly emanated faint alabaster radiance attempting to obstruct his casting.
Fortunately, the alabaster radiance possessed insufficient strength. Ultimately, the obsidian luminescence penetrated and contacted the cadaver.
Following a gruesome metamorphosis, a diminutive skeletal undead appearing afflicted with bone deterioration stood upright.
"Excellent work, you genuinely possess necromancer aptitude!"
The old man expressed satisfaction that Ace had successfully performed the spell.
His satisfaction stemmed purely from no longer requiring continuous expenditure on magical instruction materials.
This would preserve him considerable resources.
Instructing a necromancer apprentice while actually generating profit? That represented unprecedented experience for him.
Ace refrained from inquiring about the earlier anomaly. He intended to investigate it privately.
[System Alert: Would you like to examine system functions?]
[Yes] [No]
Ace mentally selected "Yes" while maintaining external composure.
[Archaeomancer System Functions:]
[1. Temporal Bone Reading: Perceive death timeline and original form]
[2. Historical Resurrection: Resurrect entities based on their peak historical state]
[3. Legend Archive: Collect and catalog information about legendary figures]
[Current Level: Apprentice]
[Experience: 0/100]
[Note: Each successful historical resurrection grants experience]
"Ace, you've completed your training."
Before Ace could inquire about subsequent training phases, the old man presented him with an authenticated scroll.
"Instructor?"
Ace appeared bewildered. This conclusion seemed excessively abrupt, correct?
"Precisely. The curriculum for necromancer apprentices encompasses solely learning the mental meditation methodology and Bone Resurrection."
The old man produced the academy's instructional framework and transferred it to Ace.