The rain swallowed sound.
Soft footsteps approached from behind—slow, deliberate, patient.
Kael Draven didn't turn.
He stood beneath the archway, one hand loosely at his side, the other still damp from the rain. His expression remained calm, almost indifferent.
But his mind was razor-sharp.
Not a servant.
Not a guard.
Too quiet.
Too precise.
An assassin.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"So," Kael murmured under his breath, "he couldn't wait."
The footsteps stopped.
For a heartbeat, there was nothing but rain.
Then—
A flicker of cold steel.
Kael moved.
Not fast. Not desperate.
Just enough.
The dagger sliced through the air where his throat had been an instant earlier.
Close.
Too close.
Kael turned, meeting the assassin face-to-face.
A shadow cloaked the man's features, but his eyes were clear—empty, focused, professional.
No hesitation.
The dagger came again.
Straight for the heart.
Clang!
Kael raised the wine bottle.
Glass shattered against steel, deflecting the blade just enough.
Fragments scattered across the stone floor.
For a brief moment, neither moved.
Rain fell between them like a curtain.
Then Kael chuckled softly.
"You people really lack creativity," he said. "Poison wasn't enough?"
No response.
Of course not.
The assassin shifted his stance—lower, tighter.
This strike would be faster.
Deadlier.
Kael exhaled slowly.
I can't win head-on.
No training. No strength.
Against a professional killer, he was outmatched in every way.
So he didn't fight fair.
The assassin lunged.
Kael stepped forward.
Not back.
Forward.
The dagger thrust toward his chest—
And Kael slipped to the side, his hand snapping out to grab the assassin's wrist.
Not strength.
Timing.
Perfect timing.
For the first time, the assassin faltered.
Just a fraction.
Enough.
Kael twisted sharply.
The blade veered—
Thud.
It sank into flesh.
But not his.
The assassin stiffened.
His own dagger buried shallowly in his side.
Not fatal.
But enough.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He closed the distance instantly, gripping the man's cloak and slamming him against the stone wall.
Crack!
The impact echoed even through the storm.
The assassin staggered, balance broken.
Control lost.
Kael leaned close, voice calm, almost conversational.
"You chose the wrong target."
Then he struck.
Shk.
The jagged neck of the broken bottle plunged into the assassin's throat.
Hot blood spilled out, mixing with the cold rain.
The assassin's hands jerked, trying to push him away.
Too late.
Too slow.
Kael held him there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Until the struggle faded.
Until the body went limp.
"…Next time," Kael whispered, "bring a better plan."
He let go.
The corpse collapsed at his feet.
Silence.
Only rain.
Kael stared down at the body, breathing steady.
No panic.
No shaking hands.
Only clarity.
Cold. Precise clarity.
"They would have killed me tonight," he said quietly.
"So this is fair."
A faint chime echoed in his mind.
[Condition Met]
[First Kill Achieved]
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"…There's more?"
[Hidden Function Unlocked]
[Necromancy Module Activated]
The air felt heavier.
Darker.
As if something unseen had begun to stir.
[You may convert a corpse into an Undead Servant]
[Success Rate: 100%]
[Proceed?]
Kael looked down at the assassin's body.
Fresh.
Warm.
Useful.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Of course."
He crouched, placing his hand on the corpse.
The rain soaked through his sleeves, but he didn't care.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then the body twitched.
Once.
Twice.
Violently.
Dark energy seeped from Kael's hand, spreading like ink through veins that no longer carried life.
The corpse convulsed.
Its back arched.
Its mouth opened in a silent scream.
Then—
Stillness.
A notification appeared.
[Undead Created: Shadow Corpse – Lv.1]
[Type: Assassin]
[Loyalty: Absolute]
The assassin's eyes snapped open.
Empty.
Dark.
Unnatural.
Slowly, it rose to its feet.
Movements stiff, yet obedient.
Then it knelt.
"Master."
Kael stared at it.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then—
He laughed.
Low. Quiet.
Excited.
"…Now this changes everything."
He turned toward the manor.
The place where they had tried to kill him.
Where more enemies waited.
More schemes.
More betrayal.
But now—
He wasn't alone.
"Come," Kael said.
The undead assassin stood and followed.
Silent.
Faithful.
Dead.
Kael stepped forward into the darkness.
No longer prey.
No longer weak.
Now—
He was something far worse.
[End of Chapter 2]