The air grew colder the deeper Alexander ventured into the dungeon. Dampness clung to his clothes and skin like invisible leeches. He had descended two full levels, battling F-Rank creatures with growing confidence—zombies, skeletal wolves, bone imps. They were pitifully slow, predictable, and fell quickly to his [Basic Shadow Bullet] or his steadily growing army of undead.
But now… the third floor was different.
The torchlight flickered unnaturally here. Shadows moved where they shouldn't, and the stone underfoot pulsed faintly—like a heart beating beneath the ground. The creatures here were faster, tougher. E-Rank Skeleton Berserkers charged him with rusted greatswords and jagged bone axes, while pale ghouls tried to circle behind.
He'd been forced to think more strategically, adapting his tactics. Every encounter made him smarter, deadlier.
Alexander stood still for a moment, wiping blood—some of it his own—off his cheek with the back of his cloak.
> [Level Up! Level 14 Reached.]
> [Necromancer - Class Level: 14]
[Mana increased by 12. HP increased by 8.]
> [Due to Monarch of the Undead passive, total Mana increased by 18.]
> [Current Mana: 102 / 142]
His mana regeneration was painfully slow in combat, so he paced himself, fighting in bursts and hiding between encounters to recover.
A chilling groan echoed down the corridor.
Alexander turned slowly.
Up ahead, twin iron doors loomed at the end of the hallway. Both were engraved with intricate bone patterns, as if actual skeletons had been melted into the metal itself. The runes were ancient and glowed faintly red.
This was the end.
This was the boss room.
"…I didn't mean to come this far," Alexander muttered to himself. But something in him refused to retreat. This world was brutal. And if he wanted to survive—no, thrive—he needed power.
He rested a few minutes, letting his mana recover, then cast [Raise Undead].
Three skeletons emerged from the ground—one with a broken spear, one with a small buckler and mace, and one unarmed but fast. Not impressive, but they'd buy him time.
Alexander lifted a hand.
> "Let's see what's behind Door #1."
The twin doors groaned open slowly, revealing a dark cathedral-like chamber. Bone pillars lined the sides. Braziers filled with blue fire flared to life, illuminating the horror at the center of the room.
A throne of blackened bone sat at the far end, and seated on it was an enormous skeletal figure draped in rotted priestly robes, bones fused with rusted armor and crowned with a halo of black iron.
The creature stood.
Eight feet tall. Multiple arms, each wielding a different weapon. A greatsword, a staff, a whip made of spines, and a ritual dagger carved from obsidian.
Its skull turned toward Alexander, hollow eyes glowing with crimson malice.
> [Warning! Boss Detected: Bone Tyrant (D Rank Elite)]
> [Dungeon Active Skill Restriction: Monarch of the Undead – Active Loyalty Field Disabled in this Zone]
> "Damn," Alexander whispered.
The Bone Tyrant roared, the very air vibrating with the sound, and charged.
Alexander reacted instantly, flinging a [Basic Shadow Bullet] at the monster's face. It connected—but only staggered the creature slightly.
His skeletons moved in. One was crushed under the Bone Tyrant's greatsword in an instant. The buckler-wielding one tried to parry the whip—it was torn apart. Only the unarmed one managed to dodge and slash at the boss's leg before being backhanded into a pillar.
> "Shadow Fog!"
A thick wave of black mist exploded outward, coating the area. The Bone Tyrant slowed slightly, its attacks less precise. Alexander felt the strength of his summoned skeletons rise even further, just enough to buy him time.
He ducked behind a pillar, breathing hard.
"Not enough," he muttered. "Need something stronger."
He checked his mana. Just enough for another [Raise Undead].
This time, only one skeleton emerged—but it was heavily armored, its eyes burning brighter. A variant.
> [Variant Skeleton: Bone Knight Summoned.]
It charged the Tyrant without hesitation, shield raised.
Alexander emerged from cover and fired two more [Shadow Bullets] at the boss's back while it was distracted. The Bone Tyrant turned again, clearly growing more enraged.
"Come on, come on…" Alexander whispered, circling the room, forcing the boss to split its attention. The Bone Knight held strong—blocking with its shield, stabbing between attacks, even managing to knock the boss off balance once.
Then the whip snapped around the knight's neck.
With a sickening crunch, its skull was torn from its shoulders.
Alexander growled. "Alright. Time to gamble."
He burned nearly all his remaining mana to summon a second set of skeletons—two more Bone Knights and one archer variant. As they moved in, he grabbed a bone spear from the ground, once belonging to a dead enemy, and sprinted forward.
He dodged a downward strike that shattered the floor, rolled to the side, and drove the spear straight through the Bone Tyrant's knee.
The creature staggered.
One of the Bone Knights took advantage, slamming its shield into the Tyrant's chest. The other stabbed into its side, cracking ribs. The archer rained bone-tipped arrows into the boss's skull.
> CRACK!
The Bone Tyrant let out a final screech. Its chest caved in, its limbs spasmed, and then it collapsed—shattering into a pile of bones, ash, and rotted armor.
Silence.
Alexander panted, resting his hands on his knees. His mana was gone. His summons vanished.
> [Boss Defeated: Bone Tyrant – D Rank Elite]
[You have gained massive experience.]
[Level Up! Levels 15 → 17 achieved.]
[Bonus XP: +20% for Dungeon Clear]
A glowing item floated above the remains.
A ring. Simple, made of bone, with runes carved so deep they glowed violet.
> [Loot Acquired: Ring of Hungering Wisdom (Rare)]
[Effect: +35% Experience Gain from Kills]
[Bonus Effect: +5% Undead Spell Proficiency Gain]
Alexander stared at the item, then laughed—actually laughed.
"Now that's more like it."
He slipped the ring on his finger and sat beside the remains of the Bone Tyrant, breathing in the cold air of victory.
He had survived his first real dungeon.
He was stronger.
And this was just the beginning.
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