The air inside the ruined Lazarus facility tasted of ozone and charred flesh, the remnants of Seun's slaughter still smoldering in the predawn gloom. His shadow soldiers—forty-seven strong after the night's carnage—stood at perfect attention amidst the wreckage, their weapons slick with the blood of scientists and guards alike. The scent of burning metal clung to his clothes as he stepped over the shattered remains of containment units, each step sending echoes through the hollowed-out complex.
The System's voice, usually detached and clinical, now resonated with something deeper—something almost *alive*.
**[HOST PARAMETERS EXCEEDED]**
**[SHADOWMANCER CLASS EVOLUTION IMMINENT]**
**[WARNING: INTEGRATION THRESHOLD BREACHED]**
Seun's shadow *erupted* outward, swallowing the ruins in a tidal wave of living darkness.
---
### **THE ASCENSION**
The transformation began in his bones.
A sound like cracking ice filled the air as Seun's skeleton reconfigured itself, his shadow veins spreading like wildfire across his skin—black tendrils pulsing in time with the soldiers kneeling before him. His vision fractured into a thousand overlapping perspectives as the System's interface *rewrote itself* in real time:
**NEW CLASS DESIGNATION: SHADOWMONARCH**
**(Sovereign of the Eternal Dark)**
**CLASS TRAITS:**
**1. LEGION OF THE VOID**
- **Capacity:** No theoretical limit (scales with host's mental fortitude)
- **Recruitment Protocol:** Any creature slain by the Monarch's hand can be resurrected, provided it possesses sufficient shadow affinity
- **Key Distinction:** Unlike lesser shadow classes, these soldiers retain *full* combat intelligence and tactical memory, allowing them to:
- Adapt tactics mid-battle
- Develop new skills through experience
- Execute complex maneuvers without direct orders
**2. VOID STEP**
- **Range:** Anywhere within line of sight
- **Upgraded Functionality:**
- Can now phase through solid matter for 3.7 seconds (Frostgrave adaptation)
- Leaves behind shadow clones that persist for 9 seconds as distractions
- **Cost:** 2% vitality per use
**3. DOMINION OF THE ABYSS**
- **Effect:** Absolute control over all shadow-based abilities within a 1km radius
- Neutralizes enemy shadow users
- Steals 30% of their shadow energy per minute
- Can temporarily weaponize environmental shadows
- **Cost:** 10% of collected shadows per minute of use
**4. SYSTEM OVERRIDE**
- **Unique Capability:** Limited ability to rewrite minor System protocols
- Example: Can increase DP rewards by 15% for specific objectives
- Can mask his true power level from scans
- **Danger:** Each override accelerates Shadowmancer integration (current: 68%)
---
### **THE TRANSFORMATION**
Pain like liquid fire raced through Seun's nervous system as the evolution completed. His shadow soldiers *screamed* in unison—a soundless cry that vibrated through the earth itself—as their connection to him deepened irrevocably.
Before them, the air *rippled*, and a spectral throne materialized from the darkness—a massive construct of fused bones and solidified shadow. Seun didn't hesitate. He sat, and the moment his body made contact:
**[SYSTEM OVERRIDE ACCEPTED]**
**[NEW AUTHORIZATION LEVEL: MONARCH]**
The throne responded, whispering secrets directly into his mind:
- The location of three other Lazarus facilities
- The true purpose of Subject Zero
- The name of the original Shadowmancer who had fractured the System centuries ago
His soldiers bowed as one, their loyalty now etched into the fabric of their shadowborn existence.
---
### **THE AFTERMATH**
Dawn found Seun standing atop the ruined facility, watching the sun struggle to penetrate the shroud of lingering darkness. His shadow veins had receded slightly, but their pattern was now permanent—an intricate lattice of power visible beneath his skin.
The System's final alert pulsed crimson:
**[GLOBAL ALERT DETECTED]**
**[HUNTER ASSOCIATIONS WORLDWIDE HAVE NOTICED THE POWER SURGE]**
**[ESTIMATED RESPONSE TIME: 48 HOURS]**
A smirk tugged at Seun's lips. Let them come.
Behind him, his newest soldier materialized—the former director of this Lazarus facility, now reborn as a shadow with too many teeth and eyes that burned like dying stars. It knelt, awaiting orders.
Seun had many.