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Chapter 37: Undead Banner Rises
The wind over Mana Hill grew colder.
Under the blackened sky, Ray stood tall, his Frost Wolves and the newly enslaved Bloodfang Leopard forming a semi-circle behind him.
The black flag of his domain fluttered, a symbol of defiance.
But distant dust clouds signaled what Seventeen had already warned:
> "Host, incoming enemy force detected."
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Enemy Composition
A quick scan revealed:
3 Teams
Total: 18 students
Leaders:
Karl (B-Rank Body Temperer, Axe User)
Mina (C-Rank Elementalist, Fire Magic)
Jace (C-Rank Beast Tamer, controlling Razor Crows)
Each team had beasts, summoned creatures, and plenty of arrogance.
They were here to steal Ray's Mana Hill.
And they had no idea what they were walking into.
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Seventeen's Battle Plan
Seventeen's voice echoed, calm and cold:
> "Phase One: Demoralize.
Phase Two: Inflict heavy casualties.
Phase Three: Crush and enslave survivors."
Ray's lips curled into a vicious grin.
Today —
the world would taste the wrath of a Necromancer.
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Battle Begins
Karl shouted, voice booming:
> "That's OUR hill, weakling! Surrender or we'll break you!"
Ray raised a single hand, fingers curled.
The Black Banner of the Dead behind him pulsed —
a surge of dark mist exploding from the hill.
From behind Ray, a wall of undead rose:
10 Frost Wolves (current army)
5 Poison Hounds (revived from corpses)
8 Mutated Insects (resurrected)
1 Bloodfang Leopard (living lieutenant)
The enemy teams hesitated.
Mina whispered, terrified:
> "T-This is... a Necromancer King?"
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Ray's answer:
He attacked first.
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War Cry
> "All units — SLAUGHTER!"
The Frost Wolves exploded forward like silver meteors.
Poison Hounds spread out, leaving poisonous trails.
Mutated insects dived from trees and rocks, ambushing unsuspecting students.
Bloodfang Leopard blurred into the frontlines — a living missile of death.
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Chaos Unleashed
Karl roared and swung his giant axe — but two wolves latched onto his arms, freezing his muscles.
Mina threw fireballs desperately — but they were smothered by the mist of undeath.
Jace unleashed Razor Crows — but Ray personally targeted them, firing Bone Arrows enchanted with Soul Poison, corrupting the beasts mid-flight.
The battlefield was a mess.
Screams echoed.
Spells exploded.
Blood soaked into cursed ground.
Ray moved like a god of death, weaving through spells, killing, reviving fallen enemies into new undead soldiers.
Every kill made his army stronger.
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Mini-Boss Fight: Karl
Karl broke free, swinging his axe in a furious rage.
He charged Ray directly.
> "DIE, YOU CURSED FREAK!"
Ray responded with pure disdain.
He summoned a Bone Shield with one hand —
And fired Chain Lance with the other.
Karl's axe slammed the shield, cracking it.
But Chain Lance struck Karl's chest, ripping his armor open and binding him.
Karl roared and tried to break free.
Too late.
> "Rise Undead: Bone Puppeteer!"
Chains shot from the ground, skewering Karl's legs and arms.
He fell to his knees, struggling helplessly.
Ray walked forward, grabbed Karl's chin, and spoke coldly:
> "Submit or die in eternal torment."
Karl, bloodied and broken, lowered his head.
A system message appeared:
> [Karl has been enslaved under Soul Chain. Loyalty: 40% (Low, will increase over time.)]
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Victory
Within 15 minutes, the battlefield was his.
10 students surrendered.
5 students died and were converted to elite undead.
3 students escaped, barely clinging to life.
Ray now had:
1 Bloodfang Leopard (Lieutenant)
10 Frost Wolves
5 Poison Hound undead
8 Insect undead
5 Human Elite undead
1 B-rank Karl (Slave Soldier)
Mana Hill officially became an Undead Fortress.
And Ray?
Ray was now recognized as a true "Undead King Candidate" by the system.
> [Title Unlocked: Young Undead King (Temporary)]
[Effect: +20% Undead Growth Speed within 1 km]
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Seventeen's Remark
Seventeen whispered, satisfied:
> "Excellent. Host has completed first mass army conquest.
Next objective: Expand influence.
Build a kingdom of death."
Ray chuckled, wiping blood from his face.
> "King, huh...?
Not bad for a 'weakling.'"
---
Ch
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Chapter 38: Fortress of the Dead
The blood mist had not yet faded when Ray raised his hand.
> "Seventeen. Start fortress construction.
Use corpses and bones.
I want this hill to become a nightmare."
Seventeen's calm voice replied:
> "Acknowledged, Host. Deploying Necro-Architecture protocols."
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Transformation Begins
Bones twisted.
Dead trees were reshaped into black wood spikes.
The corpses of fallen beasts and humans merged into Bone Walls, Spike Pits, and Hidden Traps.
The Frost Wolves dragged heavy pieces of broken armor and shields, reinforcing the entrance.
The Bloodfang Leopard, with quiet understanding, marked hunting zones and patrol routes.
In just two hours, Mana Hill changed.
It became a dead zone —
No normal student would dare step near it.
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Fortress Features
Seventeen listed them out proudly:
Bone Walls (Strong Defense; regenerates slowly over time)
Spike Pits (Hidden beneath grass)
Undead Watchers (Reanimated crows perched as surveillance)
Mist of Undeath (Confuses and weakens enemies inside 300m radius)
> "Phase One Complete. Fortress rating: Basic.
Potential upgrades available."
Ray grinned.
His castle had begun.
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Academy Response
Meanwhile, back at the Academy HQ...
Elder Malcolm, an old, sharp-eyed administrator, frowned deeply.
A report hovered in front of him:
> [Subject: Ray Nightshade — suspected Necromancer Domain Expansion]
[Danger Level: Unknown]
[Recommendation: Send Scouting Party for evaluation.]
He tapped his fingers.
> "One student changing the land itself?
Interesting.
Very interesting."
He dispatched two elite third-year students to investigate.
They were strong —
But they had no idea what awaited them.
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Seventeen's Secret Notification
As Ray rested atop the hill, Seventeen gave a hidden update:
> "Host has earned enough Blood Points.
Summon slot unlocked: Rare Undead."
Ray sat up, interest sparking.
> "Rare Undead?"
Seventeen explained:
> "Special undeads beyond normal categories.
They possess unique powers, intelligence, and can lead armies independently.
Current options available:"
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Rare Undead Choices
A screen floated in front of Ray:
(1) Wight Commander
Class: Rare Undead General
Skills: Aura of Fear, Bone Manipulation
Role: Commander of lesser undead
(2) Death Knight Initiate
Class: Semi-Living Undead
Skills: Swordmastery, Shadow Step
Role: Elite Duelist and Bodyguard
(3) Rotbone Treant
Class: Monster Undead
Skills: Nature Corruption, Root Bind
Role: Area Defense specialist
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> "Host, choose wisely.
Your first Rare Undead will shape your army's early evolution."
Ray stared at the options.
Each one was powerful in different ways.
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Ray's Decision
After thinking, Ray finally muttered:
> "I want someone who can lead when I'm busy fighting.
I choose... Wight Commander."
Seventeen confirmed:
> "Excellent choice.
Initiating Summoning..."
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Wight Commander Arrival
The sky rumbled faintly.
From the black flag at the center of the fortress, shadowy chains shot into the ground.
The earth cracked.
From the abyss crawled a tall armored skeleton, wrapped in black metal plates, wielding a long dark halberd.
Its empty eye sockets burned with icy blue flames.
The Wight Commander knelt before Ray:
> "My King.
My blade... is yours."
System Message:
> [Rare Undead Summoned: Wight Commander — Rank: F+ (Growable)]
[Loyalty: 100% (Absolute Loyalty to Summoner)]
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Ray's Current Army Status
And now with a real Commander under him,
Ray's dream of
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Chapter 39: King of the Hill
The setting sun bathed Mana Hill in crimson light.
Two silhouettes moved through the broken trees and twisted remains — both wearing the dark blue cloaks of third-year elite students.
One carried a spear.
The other wielded twin curved daggers.
> "Target: Ray Nightshade.
Objective: Observe. If hostile, eliminate."
They were arrogant.
They didn't realize…
They had already entered Ray's domain.
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Fortress Awakens
As soon as their boots touched the blackened earth,
the Fortress responded like a living creature.
Caw!
Undead crows launched into the sky, circling overhead.
Spike pits hidden under soft dirt shivered slightly.
Bone Walls emitted a low, vibrating hum.
The Mist of Undeath thickened, blurring the land into a ghostly labyrinth.
One of the third-years, a girl named Claire, shivered slightly.
> "Something's wrong here.
The mana... it's rotten."
But her companion, Kyle, smirked.
> "What? Scared of a kid?
Watch me drag him out by his hair."
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Ray's Command
Atop the highest rock, Ray stood silently, black cloak fluttering.
Beside him, the newly summoned Wight Commander knelt like a loyal knight.
Ray spoke one simple word:
> "Go.
Make them understand."
The Wight Commander bowed.
Then he moved.
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First Clash: Wight Commander vs Elite Students
The ground exploded under the Wight Commander's charge.
Kyle blinked.
An instant later, a black blur appeared before him —
and a massive halberd swept out in a brutal arc!
> CRASH!
Kyle barely raised his spear in time.
The force threw him back ten meters, smashing him into a tree.
Claire reacted faster.
She unleashed a flurry of dagger strikes, aiming for weak points.
The Wight Commander twisted unnaturally, dodging every attack with mechanical precision.
Then he unleashed his skill:
> [Aura of Fear] activated.
A pulse of dark energy erupted.
Claire's legs buckled as terror washed over her soul.
Her daggers slipped from her trembling hands.
> "W-What is this thing?!"
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Ray's Calm Observation
Watching from afar, Ray crossed his arms.
Seventeen's voice echoed beside him:
> "Wight Commander's current evaluation:
Strength: F+ (early)
Growth Potential: C-Class General Level with proper resources."
Ray smiled slightly.
His army was already superior to normal students.
And it would only grow stronger.
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Battle Turns Brutal
The Wight Commander showed no mercy.
He smashed Kyle's spear with a single overhead swing, snapping it like a twig.
Then, without hesitation, he kicked Kyle's chest —
breaking several ribs with a sickening CRACK.
Claire tried to run.
But the Undead Crows swarmed her from above, pecking and tearing at her limbs, blinding her escape.
She screamed.
It was over in minutes.
Both elite students lay defeated on the cold, blackened ground.
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Ray's Decision
Ray slowly approached them.
His black boots crunched over the dead grass.
The beaten students stared up at him with terrified eyes.
Kyle coughed blood.
> "M-Monster... you're... you're not human..."
Ray knelt before him, smiling faintly.
> "Thank you for visiting my kingdom.
As a gift… you'll serve me forever."
Seventeen prompted:
> "Host can use Minor Necromancy: Convert them into Loyal Undead Soldiers (low intelligence but full strength).
Or, you can spare them.
Or… collar them.
New Option: Temporary Slave Contracts available."
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Ray Chooses
Ray thought for a moment.
He didn't want to kill them.
They weren't true enemies yet.
> "Seventeen,
prepare Temporary Slave Collars.
Make them… loyal 'messengers'."
System Message:
> [Temporary Slave Contract established with Claire and Kyle. Duration: 6 Months. Loyalty: 70% (rising with service).]
Thin black collars appeared around their necks.
Their expressions dulled.
They knelt automatically.
> "Master..."
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Ray's Growing Army
Updated Army Status:
Seventeen's voice sounded pleased:
> "Host's army slowly taking shape.
Recommendation: Expand Mana Hill to absorb nearby forest areas.
Establish hunting grounds and bone resource fields."
Ray's black eyes gleamed with excitement.
He wasn't just building a domain anymore.
He was creating an Empire of the Dead.
And soon, the world would know it.
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