Rein stood silently on the scorched battlefield, the wind carrying the scent of ash and death. His eyes scanned the aftermath. The undead forces had been eradicated and his army stood victorious. The Undead General had been vanquished by his own hand, a hard-earned victory. But his thoughts were already consumed by the greater threat, the Undead Lich. That entity was no ordinary foe. It was a calamity given form.
He could not afford to half-heartedly respond to any move it made. Every decision now had the potential to become fatal if mishandled. One wrong command, one miscalculation, and all could fall to ruin.
Rein clenched his fists. Two new ultimate skills had awakened within him. They pulsed with raw power, each brimming with potential, yet incomplete. Ultimate skills needed vast amounts of mana molecules to evolve into their true forms. And he had just burned through every last bit of his stockpile.
He had poured the soul essence and mana of the Undead General into [Summon Evolved Monsters] and [Summon Undead Grandmasters]. Now, he was running on fumes.
He turned his gaze back toward the battlefield and spotted the Undead Lich floating just beyond the rising mist of death. The Lich's eyes glowed with unholy fury. To see such a powerful enemy angered and dismayed, unable to reverse the tide of battle, filled Rein with grim satisfaction. The Lich was cornered and knew it. Yet he was not defeated.
With a roar of fury, the Lich began weaving his next spell. A surge of thick, corrupted mana blanketed the battlefield, crackling through the air like an oncoming storm. The very land groaned beneath its weight. Everyone on the field felt it. Even Rein flinched at its intensity.
"This isn't just a spell… he's going to unleash hell," Rein muttered, eyes narrowing.
He raised his hand and gave a single, sharp command.
"All summons.... now!"
In a single moment, the monsters and Undead Grandmasters charged forward. The earth trembled under their synchronized march, their auras blazing as they surged with one singular goal, to destroy the Undead Lich.
The monstrous vanguard led the assault.
The Basilisk lunged first, jaws wide to tear into the Lich, but the enemy moved with inhuman speed. Several summoned beasts followed, striking together in coordinated waves, forcing the Lich to dodge at full capacity. He refused to waste his barriers on what he deemed "minor threats," yet his movements betrayed how pressured he truly was.
He raised his arm and cast [Hellfire]. A black inferno erupted and consumed the front line. Several monsters were scorched, their forms disintegrating in flame.
Then, the skies darkened again not from clouds, but from the arrival of a swarm of giant ravenous bats. They encircled the Lich, fluttering and screeching as they unleashed [Leech Life] in unison. A single bat was annoying; a hundred was devastating. Their draining aura began to chip away at the Lich's defenses.
The enemy snarled, then unleashed [Lesser Disintegration]. A violent wave of dark energy burst outwards. The bats popped like illusions, erased from existence as if they had never been there at all. Rein bit his lip in frustration.
The spiders moved next. Large, armored arachnids hurled glowing metal webbing at the Lich, binding his limbs with surprising speed. The moment they ensnared him, they pulled with synchronized force, attempting to restrain the caster fully.
"Hm? Is that all?" the Lich sneered. The coordination had been impressive, but he remained unimpressed. With a flick of his hand, more [Hellfire] roared to life, reducing the webs and their casters to ash.
The wolves charged. Snarling, feral beasts leapt toward the Lich in a relentless wave. The enemy responded with [Fireball] after [Fireball], pelting them mid-air. Bodies flew in all directions. As a cruel finale, he exhaled [Corroding Breath]. The acidic fumes melted the wolves where they lay, their whimpers drowned in the hiss of decay.
Next came the snakes. They hissed and sprayed [Paralyzing Breath], hoping to lock the Lich in place but he remained unaffected. Undead were immune to most afflictions. Even so, the snakes struck with fangs bared. They moved as one, weaving and striking, but the Lich danced through them. He summoned [Shock Pulse], blasting them away in arcs of Shockwaves.
Then came the elemental monsters: the Salamander, Tortoise, Turtle, Eel, Mantis. All were attacking with fire, water, electricity, earth, and wind. Their elements fused mid-air in a chaotic swirl of destruction aimed at the Lich. But once again, he responded with a powerful [Shock Pulse], interrupting the spell fusion. The attacks burst like shattered glass midair, neutralized. Then came the inferno. A fresh [Hellfire] engulfed the group, forcing Rein to unsummon them before they could be destroyed.
But the Lich wasn't done.
He raised one skeletal hand, and the world seemed to go silent.
"[Soul Destruction]," he hissed.
The spell detonated in black radiance, striking multiple summons. Those it hit dropped instantly, lifeless, and, empty husks. It wasn't just death. Their souls were obliterated.
Rein's eyes widened. "He's attacking their very souls..."
He called back the injured spirits, dragging them into his Soul Realm. With precision, he duplicated their soul patterns and reapplied the originals. But it took precious time. Some returned to battle. Others were nearly gone forever.
Despite their efforts, the summons were falling.
Then, the Undead Grandmasters advanced.
As dark-elemental undead themselves, they had not just a resistance but an affinity for such power. They attacked relentlessly. Summoned Wraiths, cursed spells and dark skills swarmed the Lich. For a moment, Rein thought they had turned the tide.
But then....
"[Dispel Undead Summon]," the Lich chanted coldly.
One by one, the Grandmasters flickered and vanished, forcibly ejected back into Rein's Soul Realm.
"Tch. What a killjoy," Rein muttered, stepping forward. His jaw clenched. "That wasn't even enough to make him sweat."
Plans A and B had failed. He hated to admit it, but he had no choice now.
"Looks like I'll have to use Plan C…" he whispered.
With a deep breath, he activated the final set of skills.
"Create skill: [Summon Mimic] + [Shapeshift Human] + [Class Mimicry]."
The system answered.
[Skill: Summon Job-Classed Clones Created]
[Summon Mage Clones]
1 Elementalist
2 Conjurers
2 Priests
3 Telekinetics
1 Telepath
3 Enchanters
3 Supports
1 Teleporter
[Summon Warrior Clones]
1 Swordsman
2 Berserkers
3 Lifestealers
2 Brawlers
1 Offensive Knight
2 Staff Masters
2 Spearmen
1 Duelist
Rein exhaled. The clones shimmered into view, each one bearing the full might of their respective classes.
"This is the final hand I'll play." he muttered.
"Enjoy..." He took a deep breath and the battle resumed.