Reborn with a Necromancer System - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Equipment: Upgrade, or Downgrade?

Chapter 55: Equipment: Upgrade, or Downgrade?

Three bodies lay lifeless before Kai.

The last of his undead sunk into his shadows.

A gust of wind blew through the ruined city and Kai’s silver hair flicked around in the wind.

He let out a slow breath and knelt, reaching into his reserves of life essence.

It was time to claim his spoils.

“Raise Mass Undead!” Dark tendrils of necrotic energy slithered from his fingertips, sinking into the corpses of Joathan, Kaelred, and Raltia.

Their lifeless forms twitched and convulsed as his magic reanimated them.

Raltia’s body reformed as the charred layer of flesh grew back and knitted itself back together.

The bites, breaks, and gashes all over Kaelred’s and Joathan’s bodies repaired themselves.

Their skin took on a sickly pallor, eyes glazed over with an eerie, pale green light.

When the transformation was complete, they knelt before him in silent obedience.

‘That’s more like it.’ Kai inspected his new servants.

Joathan’s hulking form still radiated strength, but now it was tainted by undeath.

The grace that once defined Kaelred’s movements was lost, replaced by a jerky struggle to recapture his fluidity.

Raltia, the most troublesome of the three, was now merely another tool in his arsenal.

Without her divine magic, she was nothing more than another weapon for him to wield.

‘These three should, if they can still use their skills, benefit me greatly.’ Kai placed them into his shadow space.

Kai trudged back toward the manor.

His body ached from the battle, but as he walked, he felt his wounds slowly mending.

The pain dulled and the cuts sealed faster than they should have.

He flexed his fingers, watching the last of a gash on his palm disappear.

By the time he reached the manor, most of the blood had dried on his skin, leaving dark stains across his arms and clothes.

With a deep sigh, he made his way to a wash basin at the left side of the manor.

He created some ice with magic and then melted it with fire magic before heating the water.

He poured the water over himself in small batches to wash the filth away.

His clothes, in dire need of mending, were hung on a nearby clothesline.

He waited, using Zephyr and Ignis’ magic to dry his clothes while he brought Shade out to play.

“Sorry you didn’t fight in the last battle.

I wanted to be more focused on the fight and test out everyone’s skills.

It sucks about Tecton, but we have another strong ally now.” Kai created a miniature replica of Joathan with a smaller shadow creature before dismissing it.

Once his clothes were dry, he dismissed the two arcane wolves and looked over his body.

All of his new injuries healed neatly.

This wasn’t normal.

Orlin was waiting for him when he emerged from his room.

The old man gave him an approving nod.

“You’ve done well, Kai.

The adventurers were dealt with efficiently.” “Oh, so you knew they were adventurers?” “My disciple…

Have you not learned that this city is as much a part of me as I am a part of it?” Kai tilted his head.

“Well, you don’t seem too concerned about the rest of the undead still lingering in the city.

If you’re both a part of each other, wouldn’t it hurt to know it’s tainted by walking corpses?” Orlin waved a spectral hand dismissively.

“With my constitution, that matters little, and your task can come later.

You’ve already done more than expected, and I believe a reward is in order.

Walk with me.” Kai followed as Orlin guided him through the ruined city.

As they moved through the crumbling streets, Orlin’s tone softened.

He spoke of what the city had once been.

Of artisans who crafted wonders, of warriors who honed their skills in grand arenas, of scholars whose minds shaped the future.

He spoke of friends, of lives lost when the city fell, of a civilization that had once stood as the pinnacle of advancement.

Then, his voice grew heavier as he spoke of the forebearers, the human-like people who had ruled before the cataclysm.

“They were nearly eradicated when a meteor shattered the world,” Orlin explained.

“But from the destruction came power.

The ore that rained from the sky granted them the strength to ascend beyond mere mortals.

They became gods.” Kai absorbed the information in silence.

A civilization rising from the ashes of its near-destruction… there was something poetic about it.

“I had a question.” “Then I probably have an answer for you.

You are my disciple, after all.” “Today, my wounds healed.

It didn’t feel like my life essence was taken, but  “The closer you get to achieving true necromancy, the less normal you will become.

Have you ever noticed your undead healing or recovering?

Especially when they are first reanimated?” “Yes…” “That is nature’s way of trying to build them back up.

It goes against natural law for a dead creature to move around, and so the world tries to correct the mistake.” “So, like a bug or a glitch in the system.” “Indeed.” Kai looked at Orlin.

Either he understood the reference, or just pretended to.

‘There’s no way…’ As they reached what looked like an old storefront, Orlin came to a halt.

With a flick of his hand, the ancient debris piled against the entrance shifted, clearing a path inside.

Kai followed him in, stepping carefully over broken wood and shattered stone.

Orlin made his way to a hidden back room, rummaging through the remnants of the past before finally retrieving a dust-covered chest.

With deliberate movements, Orlin carried the chest outside and placed it atop a stone brick.

He ran his fingers across its surface before lifting the lid.

Inside, nestled among velvet lining, was a dark metal band inscribed with intricate sigils that pulsed faintly with latent magic.

Orlin gestured towards it.

“Ah, I thought it was here.

You craft sigils, correct?

This band should help.” Kai eyed the artifact warily.

“What does it do?” “Try it on.” Reluctantly, Kai reached forward and slid his hand through the band.

The moment it touched his skin, searing pain shot up his arm.

He gritted his teeth as the metal burned into his flesh, merging with him.

He could feel its power settling deep within his bones.

A notification flared in his mind: [The Abyssal Band – A cursed band that amplifies sigil-craft.

The wearer must complete a sigil every day, or the band will tighten until severing the user’s hand from their body.

The band enhances all sigils the wearer carves, allowing their undead to develop unique mutations over time.

The band allows the user to mark enemies with sigils of siphoning, slowly draining their life force to strengthen himself or his undead.] Kai’s eyes widened.

“It’s cursed!” Orlin chuckled, entirely unbothered.

“Of course, it is.

Wolfreid was the best cursed craftsman I had ever met.

And his wares were always the best quality.” Kai exhaled sharply, flexing his fingers as the residual pain faded.

This was dangerous… but also useful.

He could feel the power thrumming beneath his skin, waiting to be unleashed.

He looked back at Orlin.

“What else are you hiding in this city?” Orlin merely smiled.

“You’ll find out in time, little necromancer.

In time.”