Kuro felt the surge of energy ripple through him as the Necromancer skill activated. A sharp, agonizing pain coursed through every part of his body, as if his very being was being ripped apart and remade. He could feel the skill working its dark magic on him, pulling at the very fabric of his soul, forcing him into a new, unnatural state. His body felt like it was on fire, the flames of transformation consuming him from the inside out.
Suddenly, the air around him began to shift. A deep, otherworldly chill filled the space. Kuro could see the shadows around him moving, coiling together, forming a shape—something that resembled a human figure. As the shadow solidified, a skeletal form appeared in front of him, clad in black armor. The red glow from its hollow eye sockets pierced the darkness as it looked down at Kuro with eerie stillness.
Kuro could barely register the sight before the pain became too much. His vision blurred, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, struggling to stay conscious. The skeletal figure before him—his first shadow soldier—stood tall and unmoving, its bony hands gripping a rusted sword. It was silent, waiting for him to issue a command.
But the pain was too much. Kuro's senses were overwhelmed, and the world faded to black.
---
Hours Later
Kuro's eyes flickered open. The first thing he noticed was the strange silence. There were no monsters around, no sounds of battle. His surroundings were eerily still, save for the figure of the skeleton that stood before him, still as stone. The skeletal warrior remained motionless, its red eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.
Kuro groaned, his body protesting as he slowly sat up. Every movement felt like a struggle, as if his bones were stiff and aching. His entire body felt bruised, broken, as if the pain hadn't gone away, despite the fact that his health was now fully restored.
Looking down at his hands, Kuro noticed something different about his skin. It was a little paler than before, and his veins seemed to be slightly darker, as though his body had undergone some sort of transformation. His muscles, while still aching, felt stronger. But his exhaustion still lingered, and his thoughts were foggy.
He checked his status screen, hoping for some explanation of what had happened.
---
Status Screen
Name: Kuro
Level: 3
Health: 300/300
Mana: 1,500/50,000
Strength: 25 → 30
Agility: 22 → 27
Intelligence: 18 → 23
Endurance: 23 → 28
Luck: 5 → 6
---
His stats had increased significantly. Kuro's strength, agility, and endurance had all risen, though not by as much as he had hoped. He still had a long way to go before he could call himself truly strong.
But something else stood out. His mana was still low—barely enough to summon even a second skeleton. He would need to find a way to replenish it if he hoped to continue using the Necromancer skill.
He turned his attention back to the skeleton standing before him. It was an E-rank shadow skeleton, its form rough and unrefined. He could feel a sense of power emanating from it, but it was still weak compared to what he could potentially command in the future. This was only the beginning.
He opened the skill details to understand the mechanics better.
---
Skill: Necromancer
Effect: Grants the ability to summon shadow skeletons to fight on your behalf.
Ranks: All shadow skeletons start at E-rank and can be ranked up through battle experience and leveling.
Elemental Variants: Shadow skeletons can gain elemental properties (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind) as they level up.
Summoning Cost: 1,000–3,000 mana per skeleton.
Summoning Space: Summoned skeletons are stored in a special Summoning Space. You can summon them from this space without consuming additional mana.
Growth: Shadow skeletons level up and rank up after gaining enough experience. Their strength increases as they level up.
Command: You can issue commands to your shadow skeletons, and they will obey without question.
Summoning Limit: The number of skeletons you can summon at any given time is limited by your mana and the Summoning Space capacity.
---
Kuro's eyes scanned the description, absorbing the information. He couldn't choose the rank of his shadow skeletons—each one started as E-rank and had to earn its way up through combat and experience. It was a slow process, but with enough battles, his skeletons could grow stronger.
The idea of leveling up his army excited him, though it also meant he would need to be strategic. He couldn't waste his mana on too many summons, especially not with his current limited capacity.
But there was a silver lining. The Summoning Space feature meant he didn't have to use mana to summon his skeletons once they were stored, but he was limited to the number of skeletons he could store at once. Currently, he could only store one skeleton.
---
Kuro stood up with great effort, wincing from the pain as his muscles groaned in protest. He couldn't stay here for long. His hunger gnawed at him, and his only option was to eat the monster he had slain. It was a risk—eating monster meat could poison him, but he was too weak to care. His body needed sustenance if he hoped to recover and gain strength.
He limped over to the fallen monster, his legs still shaky. The beast's corpse lay in a puddle of its own blood, its body massive and twisted. The meat looked tough and unappetizing, but it was all he had. His stomach growled in desperation.
Kuro hesitated, knowing the risks. But hunger and necessity pushed him forward. He took a deep breath and began to carve the meat from the creature's body, forcing it into his mouth.
At first, the taste was horrific, but his hunger was too overwhelming. His body was desperate for anything it could get. He swallowed the tough, rubbery meat, trying to ignore the taste and the fear that clung to the back of his mind.
---
The Transformation
The moment the monster meat settled in his stomach, Kuro felt something shift inside him. The pain returned, but it wasn't the same as before. This time, it felt like something inside his body was being altered, twisted by the strange energy within the meat. His stomach churned violently, and he gasped, clutching his abdomen as the pain grew worse.
His skin began to tingle, his muscles spasming as if they were being torn apart and rebuilt. His bones cracked, and he screamed in agony as his body seemed to reshape itself. His muscles swelled with newfound strength, and his frame grew taller and more imposing. His bones healed at an accelerated rate, and his body felt as though it was becoming something... more.
The pain reached a fever pitch, but Kuro held on, hoping that whatever transformation was taking place would be worth it. He could feel his body changing, the monster's energy fusing with his own, making him stronger, more resilient.
Finally, the pain subsided. Kuro's body stopped shaking, and he gasped for air, wiping the sweat from his brow. He could feel the power coursing through him now. His body had changed—he was taller, stronger, more muscular. His abs were more defined, and he could feel the raw energy inside him.
It was a miracle. Somehow, despite the risk, he hadn't been poisoned. Instead, the monster's flesh had healed his broken bones and given him a significant boost in strength.
---
Kuro stood up slowly, testing his newfound strength. He felt powerful—stronger than before. His muscles were solid, his body had grown taller, and he felt like he could take on anything. His mana, however, was still low, and he knew he had to be cautious.
There were more monsters to defeat, more strength to gain, and more challenges ahead. But Kuro was determined. He wasn't going to let anything stop him now.
"I will get stronger. No matter what," he said, his voice filled with determination.
With that, Kuro summoned his shadow skeleton again, feeling the strain on his mana. This time, he would be more prepared. He wasn't going to waste any time. He was going to grow stronger, step by step.
And one day, he would return to his world.