Chapter 143: The SS-Class Necromancer & Future Enemy?

Lyra, spotting her brother descending from the sky, dashed toward him.

"Brother, I have something urgent to ask you. It's important—so you can't say no."

Caius raised an eyebrow at her rushed tone. "We'll talk in a moment. First—are you hurt? Any wounds? Let me have the healer check you just in case."

He began inspecting her armor, looking for blood or damage.

"I'm fine," Lyra said quickly, brushing his concern away. "But he's not. We need to get someone important treated by the priests immediately. If his life is in danger, a great hunter could be lost today."

Caius blinked. "That's some heavy praise. Who's this mysterious person… ah, the kid on that swordsman's back?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes. You'll lose your mind when you find out what he's capable of. But first—we need to bring him to the healer."

"…Alright, alright," Caius muttered. "I've got a few questions of my own anyway."

Just as he was about to levitate the group toward the city, a figure approached from the side.

Caius narrowed his eyes, recognizing the shambling form of an undead creature. His instinct screamed to obliterate it instantly, but Lyra held up a hand, stopping him.

Puzzled but trusting her, Caius stood down and watched.

The undead creature knelt in front of Evan, who lay unconscious, and with a silent gesture, the entire undead horde that had been cleaning up the battlefield disappeared into Evan's shadow—vanishing into his spatial storage like loyal soldiers returning to their barracks.

Finally, the undead itself dissolved into shadow and slipped back into Evan's body.

Caius stood frozen, watching this surreal sight. That... wasn't a summoner party. That was one man's army.

He said nothing more, choosing instead to act. With a wave of his hand, he levitated the entire group and soared toward the city walls.

The outer zone of the city had been turned into a temporary base by the Ashen Guild. Healers rushed between tents, tending to wounded hunters.

Caius descended at the center post, where his presence sent ripples of alarm through the base—until he calmed them with a gesture and explained the situation.

Mike, still carrying Evan, gently laid him on a nearby bed. A Tier 1 healer approached and began scanning Evan's condition.

Externally, the boy seemed fine—but internally was a mess. Broken bones. Shattered shoulders. Missing fragments. Serious damage.

After Ilya explained what happened, the healer called for a Tier 2 specialist to take over.

A man arrived, placing his hands over Evan's body. A light green glow enveloped him, and rapid healing began.

But something was… strange.

"His body is devouring my mana…" the Tier 2 healer muttered.

Still, the healer was strong—his reserves equivalent to 300 Tier 0 healers combined. He pushed more power into Evan, who absorbed it all like a ravenous beast… until finally, his body stabilized.

The healing completed. All he needed now—was rest.

Lyra, Caius, Lucas, and the others stepped into Caius's command tent.

"So," Caius said, arms crossed, eyes scanning the group, "care to explain who that kid is? Lucas—is he part of your team?"

Lucas looked confused. "Sir, I thought Lyra only requested healing. That guy isn't part of our team—more like a temporary addition on the battlefield."

Caius turned to Lyra. "Then why go through all this trouble for him? You know we don't offer high-tier healing to just anyone."

"I want him to join our guild," Lyra said, her gaze calm. "One day… I believe he can stand beside you."

Caius laughed. "He's Tier 0. Wanting to stand beside me? That's a joke."

"It's not," Lyra replied firmly. "He's a monster. You saw it yourself—those undead… that army. His class isn't just S-Rank. It's beyond."

"You placed your bet on a kid with no proof? Father would never approve of bringing a non-Flame element into our guild. Even the two recruits you brought were barely accepted due to rare class traits."

"I'm telling you—he's at least SS-rank. If you don't believe me, check for yourself."

Caius, still doubtful, ordered one of his guild mages to scan Evan's stats.

A moment later, the report arrived.

[Hunter's Information]Name: RavenTier: 0Title: NoneLevel: 58Talent: NoneClass: Necromancer (SS)Skills: Unreadable...

The room went completely silent.

Even Lucas, Ilya, and the rest stared at the report, eyes wide. Caius reacted instantly, snapping an order to bring Evan inside.

They laid him on the couch. His mask still covered his face.

Caius stepped forward, curious, and reached to pull it off—only to find it wouldn't budge.

He frowned and applied more pressure.

Still nothing.

"Brother," Lyra said gently, stopping him, "maybe… we shouldn't invade his privacy. He'll show us when he's ready."

Caius hesitated, then sighed and stepped back.

"…Fine. We'll speak with him when he wakes up."

Turning his attention to Lucas, he asked, "So, what about you? That Flame Orb of yours caught my attention. You considered joining the Ashen Guild?"

Lucas immediately shook his head. "Sir, I'm just an E-rank Battle Mage. That Flame Orb is a personal skill, not a class ability."

"Hmph. That's a shame. Well—if you won't join, go rest with your team. Miss Lilia and I will handle the contributions."

Lucas hesitated. "Sir, can we bring Raven with us?"

"No. Let him rest here. We'll return him after."

Reluctantly, Lucas left with his team.

Once the door shut, Caius turned to the figure on the couch. "You can get up now, kid. They're gone."

Silence.

Caius raised his hand and formed a flame lance. In an instant, he launched it.

Evan's body moved in a blur, dodging it by inches.

"…What was that for?" Evan said coldly.

"You wouldn't wake up," Caius replied with a shrug. "Had to improvise."

"Improvising by trying to kill someone… that's pretty casual of you."

"Relax. That wouldn't have hurt too much."

Evan scoffed under his mask, but he knew—that attack would've taken at least half his HP.

"Why am I here?" he asked.

Caius smirked. "Simple. I want to recruit you. Someone like you shouldn't waste away in this little city."

"I don't belong in a Flame guild," Evan said. "Besides, once I reach Tier 1, I plan to head to Nexus. I've got no plans to stay. If I ever do join a guild… why not one of the Top 6 you mentioned?"

Caius's smile faded.

In the next instant, a terrifying pressure filled the room. The temperature spiked. Flames flickered along the walls.

"Oii, kid," Caius growled, "I was being respectful. But that ego of yours is dangerous. You think you can walk through life alone with that attitude? You'll die before you even get a taste of true power. Get out. Don't come near me again—next time, I might not hold back."

Evan collapsed to the ground, coughing blood through his mask.

He pushed himself up, hatred flickering in his eyes.

He turned, walking toward the exit without another word.

He clenched his fists, then turned toward the door. Just before stepping out, he stopped and spoke without looking back.

"Sir, maybe I misspoke today… but this humiliation will be etched into my soul forever. I swear—I'll make you pay for it a hundredfold."

With that, he walked through the door and closed it behind him.

Caius scoffed. "Hah… Even if he reaches my level one day, his measly undead army won't pose a threat."

But then, another voice echoed from a hidden doorway in the room.

"You may have just made an enemy who'll leave a lasting mark, Caius. That kid's potential… might even surpass yours."

Caius turned, annoyed. "What are you saying? That his little army of bones can make me surrender? No chance."

"You're right—for now. But think about it. That boy is still developing, while you're already a top-tier hunter. And yet, people are whispering about him. They say he's an army in himself."

The man stepped out of the shadows, his expression grim.

"Some say he can raise hundreds of Tier 0 undead in a single battle. And with the right skills... that number could multiply."

Caius frowned but stayed silent.

"Imagine when he reaches your realm. By then, it won't be hundreds—but hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions. Could you really fight an army of Tier 3 undead alone?"

Caius wanted to scoff again—but this time, he hesitated. The idea was absurd… yet not impossible.

After a moment of silence, he gave an order.

"Go. Track him down. Bring him back—by force or persuasion. I underestimated him. If Father hears about this, I'll be in trouble for sure."

The man sighed, then vanished into the air like a whisper of shadow.

As he left, Caius muttered under his breath, "If I can't make him an ally… then eliminating him might be the only option. A Tier 3 undead legion... no, that can't be allowed."

Meanwhile, just minutes after leaving the guild post, Evan moved swiftly through the streets. He found a quiet, empty alley and immediately deactivated his mask, reverting his status back to that of a lowly D-rank Necromancer.

He couldn't afford to be found—especially if Caius had a change of heart and sent someone after him.

And as expected, he did.

A shadowy assassin swept through the area, using every trick in the book to search for Evan. He even used his appraisal skill—but all he found was a D-rank Necromancer nearby, harmless and unremarkable.

Not worth his time.

He searched the entire five-kilometer radius around the guild, but there was nothing. No trace of the real Evan.

Confused and frustrated, the assassin eventually gave up and returned.

Back at the guild post, Lucas and his team were resting in one of the rooms. The atmosphere had calmed after the raid. After some discussion, they decided to head home and regroup tomorrow.

Everyone left, except for Lucas and Tess—they lived together and walked home side by side, exhausted from the long day.

Evan also chose to head home. His body still ached from Caius's earlier blow, and healing would take time—even with his Death Monarch Physique adapting.

He hailed a taxi and rode back to his apartment. When he arrived, he found the residents of his building moving about with joy—thankful to be alive after the recent catastrophe.

Some recognized him.

"Evan! You're alive!"

"Thank the heavens you came back in one piece!"

Neighbors greeted him warmly, even thanking him for his role in the raid. Evan forced a small smile, exchanging a few words before politely excusing himself.

"I'm just here to rest," he said.

Once inside, he shut the door and leaned against it with a sigh. His body felt like lead, but his mind was even heavier.

He collapsed onto the bed—and within seconds, he was asleep.

But would his sleep be peaceful?

…That was uncertain.

Because fate had more trials prepared.And his next tragedy was just around the corner.

To Be Continued…