Into the Dungeon Once More
The stone archway leading into the dungeon was cold beneath Leon's fingertips.
He stood before the entrance alone, the faint murmurs of passing adventurers barely registering in his ears. Groups of fighters, mages, and healers gathered in teams, checking gear and exchanging battle strategies.
Leon didn't have a team.
He didn't need one.
His Zombie Mage floated silently beside him, its blue eyes flickering like dying embers in the dim light.
A guild official glanced at his registration slip, arching an eyebrow. "Solo entry? You sure about this?"
Leon didn't answer. He simply walked forward.
The official hesitated before marking the entry log. "Your grave," he muttered, shaking his head.
Leon ignored him. He had work to do.
A Different Kind of Battlefield
The first thing Leon noticed inside the dungeon was the air.
Unlike the first dungeon's damp underground corridors, this place was open, an ancient temple overgrown with twisting roots and fractured stone pathways. Pillars, once grand and towering, now stood in jagged ruin, their shattered remains scattered across the ground.
Sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling, creating beams of dim gold that cut through the dust-filled air.
This wasn't a suffocating, claustrophobic cave.
This was a wide battleground.
Leon's lips curled slightly. This would suit his fighting style.
His gun was already in his grip, fingers resting against the cool metal. The mana chamber thrummed softly, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Then—a sound.
Low growls. Multiple.
Leon didn't hesitate.
"Move."
His Zombie Mage drifted back, taking position behind a crumbling pillar.
The shadows between the broken ruins shifted.
Then, they attacked.
A New Approach to Combat
Three shadow hounds lunged from the darkness, their eyes glowing like embers, their sleek black bodies moving like liquid smoke.
Leon fired the moment they broke cover.
A mana bullet tore through the air, slamming into the closest hound's shoulder. The impact sent it twisting mid-leap, its body skidding across the stone.
The second and third hound adjusted instantly—they were learning.
The remaining two split up. One went for Leon. The other curved wide, attempting to flank his Zombie Mage.
Leon clicked his tongue.
"Intercept."
His summon moved before he finished the word.
It shifted behind cover, cutting off the second hound's approach before launching a Mana Bolt straight into its skull. The creature collapsed instantly.
The final hound was almost on Leon.
He sidestepped just as it lunged, feeling its hot breath graze past his arm. He fired point-blank.
The shot ripped through its head.
Silence returned.
Leon exhaled, rolling his shoulder.
He was faster now. Smarter.
He adjusted. Adapted.
And so did his summons.
Then, the System Notification appeared.
System Unlock – Tactical AI Mode
[System Notification: Zombie AI Upgrade Unlocked – Tactical Mode Activated.]
Leon's brow furrowed as he read the glowing blue text hovering in his vision.
Tactical Mode?
He turned to his Zombie Mage, studying it carefully.
For the first time, he noticed a shift in its stance—a subtle but distinct change. It was no longer just standing idly, waiting for an order. Its posture was fluid, its gaze sharper, scanning the surroundings with something resembling awareness.
Leon's fingers curled slightly around the grip of his mana gun.
This wasn't the same summon he had awakened with.
It had evolved.
He took a step forward, then stopped abruptly.
His zombie mirrored him, but not in the usual delayed, stiff motion of an undead minion. Instead, it adjusted its position naturally, moving into a better vantage point without instruction.
It wasn't just reacting to him anymore.
It was thinking.
No More Basic Orders
Before now, every movement had required a command.
Fire. Dodge. Move there. Cover me.
Each action had been deliberate, a direct order Leon had to give.
But now?
He raised his gun, pretending to take aim at an imaginary enemy.
His Zombie Mage reacted instantly, drifting to his side, shifting into a better position as if anticipating the battle itself.
Leon slowly lowered the gun, his mind racing.
He had just tested it without speaking.
Without even thinking of an order.
His summon had read the situation on its own.
It could adjust its position, dodge attacks, and strategize independently.
He didn't have to babysit it anymore.
From Fighter to Soldier
Leon exhaled, his grip tightening around the gun as he turned his gaze forward.
This wasn't just a summoning ability anymore.
This wasn't just raising the dead.
This was real-time strategy.
A necromancer's minions were supposed to be disposable tools, mindless creatures that moved in simple patterns.
But his?
His summons weren't just fighters.
They were soldiers.
They weren't waiting for orders.
They were waiting for battle.
The Dungeon Boss –
Leon moved deeper into the ruins, pushing past fallen statues and fractured walls.
Then he felt it.
The air changed.
The usual background sounds—dripping water, distant scurrying creatures—fell silent.
Something was watching him.
Then—a low, rumbling growl.
Leon turned just as it struck.
The Dire Wolf Alpha burst from the shadows, a massive creature twice the size of the shadow hounds. Its fur was streaked with deep scars, its long fangs glinting with fresh saliva.
But what caught Leon's attention was its eyes.
It wasn't charging mindlessly.
It was calculating.
Then—it lunged.
Leon barely avoided the impact, twisting his body as the wolf's claws tore through the stone where he had been standing.
He fired, but the beast was too fast. The mana bullet grazed its side but didn't stop it.
This fight wasn't going to be won with power.
He needed a plan.
Leon's gaze flicked to his Zombie Mage.
Time to test Tactical Mode.
"Split formation."
His Zombie Mage broke left, positioning itself behind a broken wall.
The Dire Wolf didn't react to it.
It was still focused on Leon.
So it prioritized the biggest threat.
Good.
Leon darted back, leading it toward the rubble-filled section of the ruins.
The wolf closed in, fast, relentless.
But Leon wasn't running.
He was herding it.
The moment it leapt—
"Now."
His Zombie Mage stepped from cover and launched a charged Mana Bolt directly into the beast's exposed flank.
The attack landed clean, sending the wolf crashing sideways.
Leon didn't waste the opportunity.
He raised his gun, aimed for the skull—
And fired.
The wolf collapsed.
Blood pooled beneath its massive frame.
System Notification: [Zombie Mage Level Up – Evolution Progress 80%]
Leon lowered his gun, taking a steadying breath.
This was what he was meant to do.
No teammates to slow him down. No liabilities.
Just him and his army.
And he was only getting stronger.