Beginning- 'Grave Lord in Grave Danger'

Arin had lost track of how many hours he had spent in this library. The castle seemed designed to keep sunlight from entering directly, making it difficult for him to gauge the passage of time. Or maybe he was simply so engrossed in browsing the vast library—surprisingly intact within this crumbling ruin of a castle—that he did not notice time slipping away.

As soon as a Specter discovered the library, it rushed to Arin and guided him there. He was astonished to see the vast room, filled with towering racks, each packed with large books. Arin, like a kid in a comic store, eagerly began sifting through the volumes.

He found various books on Advanced Destruction, Creation, and Light magic, but to his frustration, most were unreadable to him. Still, he was determined to absorb as much knowledge as possible.

Before diving into his studies, he ordered his revenants to clear the rubble in the castle, helping it regain its original condition. He also instructed the specters to patrol the castle's vicinity for security, commanding them to alert him immediately of any signs of invasion or intrusion. With roles and responsibilities delegated to his minions, Arin dedicated himself to acquiring as much knowledge as he could.

Arin did not realize that three days had passed since he began reading. As an undead, he had no need for hunger, sleep, or rest. An avid reader, he continued reading nonstop until he finally felt mental fatigue. Overloaded with information, he decided to take a breather and process what he had learned.

He discovered that every skill and spell in this world was categorized into ten tiers, based on their level of mastery: Novice being the Basic and Supreme being the Highest tier. Each successive tier was harder to reach, making the Highest tier nearly impossible for most beings.

Additionally, there were numerous spells, but all belonged to four schools of magic: Destruction, Creation, Light, and Dark. Each school operated on different principles and required different types of mana cores to access and process.

To cast Destruction spells, one needed a turbulent mana core spinning from North to South or downward. This school of magic harnessed abundant natural energy and manipulated it to unleash massive destruction—the scale and precision of which depended on the mastery of each spell and the overall Destruction Skill.

Creation Skill, on the other hand, required a fast mana core spinning from South to North or upward. This skillset focused on manifesting nature's abundance and summoning various creatures or otherworldly entities. These spells suited a more defensive battle strategy, wearing down the enemy slowly rather than directly obliterating them, as with Destruction Spells. The magnitude depended on the expertise of each individual spell and the overall Creation Skill.

The Light Skill could be harnessed with a calm mana core spinning from East to West. It involved blessing allies to enhance both offensive and defensive capabilities. Contrary to popular belief, Arin learned from a Basic Book on Light Magic that some Light Skill spells had destructive capabilities rivaling Destruction Spells.

The Dark Skill, however, required a slow mana core spinning from West to East. This school focused on placing various curses on enemies to weaken them, potentially fatally if applied strategically by an expert Dark Magic Caster.

Arin realized that mastering all four skills naturally was nearly impossible, especially for skills whose mana cores spun in opposite directions. Without multiple mana cores, one could not wield different schools of spells. For example, a mana core for Dark Magic could not cast Light Magic, as both required the core to spin in completely opposite directions. The same applied to Destruction and Creation Magic.

Although theoretically possible to cast Dark and Destruction or Creation and Light magic with the same mana core, the disturbed spin would reduce the effectiveness of both spells. Therefore, Arin decided to develop his original mana core for Dark magic only, unless he could find a way to develop another mana core or bypass this limitation.

It wasn't just spells and skills that he gained knowledge about. He also acquired rudimentary ideas about this world he was now a part of. To his disappointment, he found few books about the geography or history of the world. However, he remained hopeful for the vast, unexplored part of the library.

From the few books he found, he learned that this world was called Nyxoria. Various Gods, Divine Beings, and some questionable godly figures populated this world. In Arin's old world, these beings might be considered more devilish than divine.

Arin felt tired but decided to finish the book in hand before taking a break. It discussed a cyclical cataclysm in this world and intrigued him. However, his pursuit of knowledge was interrupted when a Specter attracted his attention with a sharp shriek.

Arin felt sorry for them and wondered if there was a way for his minions to gain the ability to speak. Better communication would certainly help. In the current scenario, he knew there must have been some intrusion, or the Specter wouldn't have drawn his attention. But he had no way of knowing the nature of the invasion.

Proceeding cautiously, Arin gathered the four Revenants and followed the Specter. As he passed through the hall, he noticed the Revenants had done a great job cleaning. However, he had no time to appreciate their handiwork. It was time to use these Revenants for their real purpose—to fight for him, the Necromancer who had raised them.

Arriving in the courtyard, Arin saw the sky for the first time. It was similar to the sky in his previous world. There was only one moon, though it was larger than he was used to, and the constellations were unfamiliar. But this was no time for stargazing. He followed the Specter until they reached the forest.

He didn't need to follow the Specter anymore, as he could hear human voices nearby. He decided to proceed slowly.

Arin commanded the Revenants to wait for his signal and sneaked ahead alone to better understand the situation. He got closer to the noise and hid in a bush. There were four people and two kids. The four had surrounded the kids, who were trapped like little mice in a corner.

"Stop running, you urchins! You have made us run too much," said one burly man, huffing. "We had rescued you from certain death, treated you, and this is how you repay us?" said another.

Suddenly, under the torchlight held by one of the pursuers, Arin noticed all four men wore uniforms.

"What the hell…" Arin exclaimed, drawing the attention of all six people.

The one with the torch walked towards Arin's hiding spot. His three companions switched to alert mode, ready to jump at him at a moment's notice. The kids, baffled and scared, hugged each other tightly.

"I will not ask twice!" shouted the one with the torch. "Vireon, shoot at the bush if the rat does not surrender himself on the count of three." "Right, Miliean," the fat guy with a crossbow in hand acknowledged the command and aimed at Arin's hiding spot.

Arin realized his cover had been blown. He wondered if there was a way to know more about his enemies before engaging. "I wish I could know their levels," Arin thought. As if in response, his 'Scrying' skill activated, revealing floating texts with the enemies' levels.

Miliean, likely the leader, was level 8. Vireon, with the crossbow, was level 6. The other two, one with a greatsword and the other with a sword and shield, were both level 7.

Arin received a notification: ['Scrying' skill progression 5/50]

Arin didn't yet understand how the progression worked, but he had no time to worry about that now. He suddenly recalled that he was still level 1. He gulped. The level difference was too great. He feared this might be his last moment in this world.