The air hung heavy around Kuro as the last shimmer of memory faded from the white pedestal. He stood there, silent, absorbing everything. The echo of the Undying King's final moments reverberated in his mind—a ruler consumed not by greed, but by duty, weighed down by an empire that refused to die.
He looked down at his hand, still resting on the surface. The warmth had faded, but something lingered—an impression, perhaps, or a fragment of will.
Behind him, the silver-armored skeleton remained kneeling. The others had reformed from the shadows, damaged but loyal, quietly standing by.
Kuro exhaled slowly and turned.
"We move."
The hall of coffins did not echo with his steps; the obsidian floor absorbed sound, turning each footfall into a silent vow. As he walked between the ancient tombs, he noticed one coffin after another beginning to glow faintly, as if acknowledging him. Not opening. Not awakening. Just… watching.
He emerged into a narrower corridor, the glowing sigils shifting from pale white to deep crimson. A subtle pressure built around him—an oppressive atmosphere that felt like stepping into a battlefield mid-siege.
Another notification appeared:
[Title Passive Activated: Thronebreaker – Reduced suppression from ancient wards and dominion-based magic. You are no longer recognized as an intruder.]
He smiled slightly. That explained the smooth entry.
After several minutes of silent walking, the corridor opened into what looked like a military war chamber—ruined, but not destroyed. Ghostly banners hung from pillars, their insignia matching the one on Kuro's skeletons: the sigil of the Undying Legion.
In the center, a map carved into obsidian stone flickered with old magic. Ghost-lights floated above various points—markers, perhaps, or sealed locations.
[World Map Fragment Acquired]
[New Zone Unlocked: Border of the Shattered Lands]
Kuro's eyes scanned the map, noting paths that extended far beyond the labyrinth. Some led to mountains. Others to ruined cities. One traced a winding line into a desert marked with the symbol for death.
"So this place… wasn't just a dungeon. It was a stronghold."
As he examined it, a low hum filled the air.
A figure began forming in the shadows—mist gathering and coalescing into the vague silhouette of a man in regal armor. Not quite alive. Not quite dead.
The voice echoed again, this time clearer.
"You have taken up the mantle. Then you must know what awaits. Power is not given—it is earned through suffering."
Kuro stepped forward. "Are you the Undying King?"
"No. Just a shade left behind." The figure raised an arm, pointing at the map. "Beyond the labyrinth lies a kingdom lost to time. Our legacy is buried there… waiting to be claimed."
"And if I claim it?"
"Then you become more than a general. You become the heir."
Kuro clenched his fists.
He didn't come here seeking a throne. He came for strength—to crush those who betrayed him. But strength came in many forms. Soldiers. Skills. Legacies. Even armies of the dead.
He looked at the shade. "What must I do?"
"Restore the seal in the Necrotic Sanctum. Awaken the Legion's hearts. And survive."
Before he could ask more, the figure vanished.
A new objective appeared:
[Main Quest Updated: Inherit the Undying Legacy]
Objective 1: Reach the Necrotic Sanctum. Survive its trials.
Objective 2: Awaken three ancient commanders.
Reward: Army Capacity Increase, Unique Title, Skill Upgrade
---
Back in the passage, Kuro and his skeletons pressed forward. He could feel the strain beginning to build again. Shadow Dominion wasn't just a skill—it was a burden. Each summoned soldier was a tether, and the more he called, the heavier the weight.
He summoned a scout to move ahead, watching through its vision. The hallway twisted into unnatural geometry—walls folding into themselves, corners that looped.
"A spatial warp?"
He reached out with Shadow Pulse, sending a wave of dark energy ahead. The warp shimmered—an illusion. Kuro sliced the air with his blade, dispelling the trap.
His silver skeleton followed with silent precision, the rest in tow.
As the group advanced, they reached a massive chamber lined with broken statues. But these weren't random relics—they were tomb guardians. Their shattered remains told a violent story.
He wasn't the first to pass through here.
A rustling sound caught his ear.
The wall cracked.
Then something emerged.
Not a skeleton.
A humanoid creature clad in rusted armor, face wrapped in cloth, but its hands radiated decay—blackened flesh clinging to bone, eyes glowing red. It wasn't undead.
It was cursed.
[Enemy Identified: Revenant Executioner – Lv. 52]
HP: 145,000 | MP: 20,000
Weak to: Holy, Fire
Resistant to: Shadow, Curse
Kuro drew in a sharp breath. His soldiers braced.
"Formation Omega."
This wasn't a frontal battle. It would require precision.
The Revenant moved fast. Unnaturally fast. In a blink, it was in front of one of the vanguard skeletons, cleaving it in half with a blade wreathed in anti-life energy.
Kuro winced. Deathlink stung sharply this time.
He retaliated with Shadow Burst, but the creature shrugged it off. Resistant. Just as the status had warned.
"Change strategy. Focus fire from behind!"
Two skeleton mages materialized, hurling fireballs while the others swarmed in coordinated waves.
Kuro used his new title ability—Royal March—for the first time.
[Royal March – Activated. All summoned units gain +15% Speed and +10% Defense for 20 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.]
It turned the tide.
Just enough.
The Revenant roared, falling to one knee.
Kuro rushed in, blade glowing again, this time with white light—an enchantment from one of the mage skeletons.
He plunged it into the monster's chest.
[Critical Hit – HP -32,000]
The Revenant howled and disintegrated.
[Boss Defeated: Revenant Executioner]
EXP Gained: 21,000
Item Obtained: Executioner's Binding Chain (Rare)
Title Acquired: Cursed Slayer
---
Minutes passed. Kuro rested, regaining mana, his soldiers forming a defensive circle around him.
The road ahead was filled with trials. But each victory wasn't just experience.
It was evolution.
His skeletons were stronger now. Smarter. The silver-armored vanguard had gained a second ability:
[Ability: Phantom Intercept – Once per battle, intercept a fatal attack directed at the summoner. Damage absorbed by the unit.]
Kuro's heart steadied.
Even in death, they shielded him.
He pressed on.
And beyond the chamber, the temperature dropped. A new kind of atmosphere appeared.