The sun had barely risen when the village erupted into chaos. A pack of feral beasts, larger and more vicious than any he had faced in his previous life, descended upon the outskirts. Panic-stricken villagers ran, screaming for help, their desperation echoing through the morning air.
He stepped out of the small room, the sunlight glinting off his glowing purple eyes. A calmness settled over him—a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding the village.
"First trial," he muttered. "Let's see how far I've come."
He raised a hand, and the Necromancer System interface appeared before him. The familiar list of abilities shimmered:
Summon Skeleton Warrior – Level 1 → Level 2
Shadow Manipulation – Level 1 → Level 2
Soul Absorption – Level 1 → Level 2
A flicker of the Growth System pulsed. A notification appeared:
"Skill evolution detected. Necromancer System skills amplified by 35%. New ability unlocked: Bone Lance – summon a piercing skeletal weapon from shadows."
He smirked. "Not bad for a first morning."
With a gesture, shadows seeped from his body, coalescing into skeletal warriors. They were faster, sharper, more responsive than ever. He extended a hand, and one skeletal soldier shot forward, impaling the nearest beast with a bone lance that erupted from the ground.
The other beasts hesitated, sensing the unnatural presence. But instinct drove them onward.
The Growth System glowed brighter, humming with energy. He felt power surge through his veins, each strike of his summoned undead amplifying his own magical energy. He could feel his soul absorbing battle data, evolving, growing.
One beast lunged directly at him. He didn't flinch. Shadows danced from his fingertips, forming a whip-like skeletal tail that lashed out, knocking the beast aside with effortless precision.
"Each move strengthens me," he thought. "Every strike, every summon… I'm not just surviving—I'm evolving."
The villagers watched from a safe distance, awe and fear mixing in their eyes. They had never seen magic like this.
Within minutes, the battle was over. The beasts lay defeated, some turned to ash by the necromancer's energy, others shattered by skeletal strikes. He stood amidst the carnage, hands glowing with purple light, a silent army of shadows at his command.
The Growth System chimed again:
"Experience acquired: 150 XP. Level up available: Necromancer System → Level 3."
He smiled. His first trial was complete. But this was only the beginning. Far greater threats awaited—enemies who had betrayed him, powerful foes who had lurked in the shadows of his past life, and a world that had no idea the Dual System Necromancer had returned.
He looked at the villagers, their fear slowly turning to admiration.
"Do not worry," he said, voice calm yet commanding. "I am here now. And I will protect this world… and conquer it, one system, one battle at a time."
A cold wind blew through the village, carrying with it a faint whisper: "The necromancer has returned…"
And somewhere, far in the shadows, eyes glimmered with recognition—and a plan to stop him was already forming.