Arin, Victor, and Raul descended into the chamber together, boots crunching softly against fractured stone and dried blood. The air still carried the weight of the fight; dust hanging, the faint metallic tang of a freshly fallen monster lingering in their throats.
The massive body of the Stoneback Lizard lay sprawled at the center of the chamber.
Even dead, it was overwhelming.
Its armored plates caught the dim light unevenly, ridges and scars etched into its hide like the history of every battle it had survived, until now.
Mina stood before it, rolling her shoulders once, then twice, working the tension out of her body. The fight had been clean, but it had taken focus. Precision. Control. She exhaled slowly, grounding herself.
"Alright," she murmured. "Let's do this."
She raised one hand.
Purple light bled into the air, not erupting but spreading, thin strands of necromantic mana weaving outward like veins. The temperature in the chamber dipped just slightly, enough for Arin to notice goosebumps rise along his arms.
"Raise Undead."
The response was immediate and violent.
The Stonebacks' corpse twitched.
Once.
Twice.
Then its entire body lurched, stone scraping against stone as limbs jerked unnaturally. Cracks raced across its armored hide as necromantic mana forced its way through muscle and bone alike.
Mina's breath hitched.
She felt it instantly, her reserves draining far faster than she'd expected. This wasn't like raising soldier-rank undead. This thing was enormous. Dense. Resistant even in death.
Her knees buckled.
"—Mina!"
Victor was there before she hit the ground, one arm bracing her shoulders, the other steadying her weight. She clutched at his sleeve for half a second, vision swimming, teeth clenched hard enough to hurt.
"I'm….fine," she forced out. "Just, give me a second."
She straightened, shaking slightly, refusing to lean on him longer than necessary. Sweat beaded at her temples. Her chest felt hollow, like she'd burned through something essential.
The Stoneback rose.
Slowly.
Heavily.
Its eyes flared to life, no longer the wild, furious glare of a living beast, but something hollow and deep. A purple glow burned within them, steady and absolute.
The undead giant turned its head toward Mina.
The chamber fell silent.
Then, impossibly, the Stoneback lowered itself.
Its massive head dipped, body bowing in an unmistakably reverent gesture.
Mina swallowed.
She stepped forward, boots crunching softly as she approached the towering undead. Up close, it was even more intimidating, Captain-rank presence pressing down like physical weight. She lifted her hand and placed it against the cool, armored surface of its head.
"I'll name you…" She paused, feeling the steady, obedient hum of necromantic connection thrumming beneath her palm.
"…Castle."
The giant lizard released a low, rumbling sound, not a roar, not a hiss. Something calmer. Acceptance.
Raul let out a low whistle. "Yeah. That fits."
Mina stepped back slowly, legs still weak. "That took… way more than I thought."
Arin glanced at her, concern flickering across his face. "How bad?"
She considered it honestly. "Ninety percent, maybe more."
Victor exhaled through his nose. "Then we're not moving for now, let's rest."
"No argument here," Raul said quickly. "I'm not dragging you out if you pass out mid-tunnel."
They didn't even bother debating it.
With Castle standing guard at the chamber's edge, Rook and Tank positioned near the entrances, and Ghost phasing through the shadows above, they made camp right there. No fire and no unnecessary noise.
They slept deeply, exhaustion finally catching up to them. The tunnels stayed quiet, and nothing came to disturb the hours that followed.
Mina woke to exhaustion, the honest kind. Muscles ached, breath came slow, but there was no panic clinging to it, just the weight of effort finally settling in.
She sat up slowly and opened her status panel.
___________________________
Name: Mina
Core Talent: Necromancy
Rank: Captain (2%)
Talent Skills: Raise Undead, Undead Contract (4/10), Soul Harvest
Regular Skills: Spear Form, Unbroken Guard
----------
Undead Contract (4/10):
1. Rook (Undead Stoneback Lizard) — Soldier +
2. Tank (Undead Stoneback Lizard) — Soldier +
3. Ghost (Undead Ghost Scorpion) — Soldier +
3. Castle (Undead Stoneback Lizard) — Captain
Harvested Souls: +
___________________________
Her eyes lingered on Castle's entry longer than the rest.
Captain Rank Undead.
She opened the Harvested Souls section.
___________________________
Harvested Souls:
1. Soldier Rank: 1
2. Captain Rank: 1
Exchange: 1000 Soldier Rank Souls > 1 Captain Rank Soul
___________________________
"One down," she muttered. "Twenty-nine to go."
She rubbed her face with both hands, then laughed quietly. "That's… ridiculous."
The others were already awake, passing around rations and water. Mina joined them, chewing slowly as she brought up her thoughts.
"I don't think I'll contract more Stonebacks," she said. "I already have three. Castle alone covers the heavy end."
Raul nodded immediately. "Yeah, makes sense. They're good walls, but walls get boring."
Victor snorted. "He's right. Ghost's utility is insane. Scouting, Assassinations, and High Mobility."
Arin listened quietly, then said, "Don't over-plan it. You'll know when something's worth contracting."
Mina smiled at that. "Thanks. I needed to hear that."
When the conversation died down, Arin checked his notifications.
His eyes widened slightly.
Your subordinate killed a Peak Captain Rank Stoneback Lizard, +300 Lord Coins.
He leaned back against the stone wall, letting the number settle.
"…Huh."
Raul glanced over. "Good or bad 'huh'?"
"Very good," Arin said. "I'm at five hundred seventy-two now."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "That fast?"
"At this rate," Arin replied slowly, "I'll hit a thousand again before long."
Mina tilted her head. "You're thinking of upgrading us again?"
Arin shook his head. "Not yet. Raul's right there already. Another stretch like this and he'll break through. Victor's not far off, either."
Raul grinned. "Hear that? Captain Rank speedrun."
"Save the coins," Victor added. "Skills will matter more after this for a while."
"Exactly," Arin said. "This feels… right."
They finished eating, packed up, stretched sore muscles, and got back on their feet.
Castle shifted as Mina stood, massive body turning smoothly to face her, awaiting command.
She looked up at it, still not fully used to the sight.
"…Alright," she said softly. "Let's keep going."
And together, they moved deeper into the mines.