Serve Your Master

Ares stared at his holographic status screen. After defeating Goruk, his stats had increased significantly, and he still had unassigned points. As he puzzled over the screen, another skill suddenly appeared, leaving him stunned.

— Status —

Level: 30 [20%]

Class: Assassin

HP: 100

MP: 100/100

Strength: 35

Agility: 12

Sense: 11

Intelligence: 10

Fatigue: —

Skill(s): [VOID MANIPULATION]

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Unassigned Points: 15

[You've acquired the Phantom skill.]

Description -> Allows the user to move at extreme speed, distorting the air around him and making it appear as if he has briefly teleported to his desired location. After activation, the movement leaves behind a fading afterimage, confusing enemies.

Another skill appeared: his summoning skill, now enhanced to bring a corpse into his shadow.

[You've acquired the Eclipse Manifest skill.]

Description → With Eclipse Manifest, the user gains full control over shadows, allowing them to summon and manipulate them at will. The user can merge with shadows seamlessly, enhancing their versatility in battle. Shadow summons grow stronger as they level up, but at a steep cost—each summon requires 50 mana to control and sustain.

Skill(s): [VOID MANIPULATION] [PHANTOM] [ECLIPSE MANIFEST]

Exhausted both physically and mentally, Ares had received a huge reward. It seemed his effort to kill Goruk had paid off. Now that he had gained another skill, he had become even stronger after the battle.

As he was lost in thought, dazzled by his newfound power, another notification suddenly appeared on his screen.

Ping! Pong!

You have been granted an opportunity to advance your class. Do you wish to proceed?]

[Assassin -> Shadow Master]

[Yes/No]

After receiving the summoning class that could turn a corpse into a shadow, the system recognized it and initiated the ability. It acknowledged Ares' great power and granted him the chance to upgrade to Shadow Master—a title reserved for those who command the very essence of shadow itself.

This upgrade would enhance his abilities and grant him dominion over the shadow realm.

He quickly accepted it—only a fool would decline such an opportunity. After receiving his new class, his body floated in the air.

The surroundings darkened, and black energy began circling him, spreading throughout his body.

As his body trembled with the influx of power, it absorbed the energy. After a few minutes, his body became lighter, and a powerful surge of magic coursed through him.

He had become the master of the shadows. His eyes darkened, and he felt a void of emotion, the weight of his new power settling within him.

You have successfully upgraded your class. The system will now change it to a title and add Shadow Master to your status.]

[Shadow Master]

He had successfully upgraded to the Shadow Master class. A powerful energy circulated through his body, making him feel invincible, like a god. He couldn't help but laugh, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his newfound power.

Afterward, Ares stood in front of Goruk, eager to test his new skill. Goruk's body lay there, and Ares saw this as his chance to summon a powerful army. With his Eclipse Manifest, he gazed at the body on the ground and murmured, "Wake up." His first try seemed to fail, and the system gave him two remaining attempts.

[Extraction Failed. Two remaining attempts.]

Frustrated, he shouted louder, "Wake up!" But still, it failed. Only one attempt remained. This was his last chance.

His annoyance only grew as he realized this was his last chance. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head, focusing on what was needed to make the orc his own.

After a moment of contemplation, he raised his hand, an overwhelming presence surrounding the orc's body.

"Stand and serve your master."

The corpse began to tremble, dark magic surging through the orc's body. After a moment, Goruk kneeled before Ares, showing respect to his master.

A notification appeared:

[System Alert: A shadow requires a name.]

Ares stared at the screen, stunned. "Required a name?" he mumbled to himself. Crossing his arms, he pondered for a minute, trying to think of a name that would suit his new shadow.

"Since you're an arrogant bastard who barely managed to kill me, I'll call you Greedy!" Ares exclaimed.

A moment later, the system confirmed the name:

[Shadow Named: Greedy]

His new shadow, now officially named, nodded and lowered his head in acknowledgment.

Without wasting time, Ares turned to the remaining orcs, channeling his overwhelming aura. The dark energy surged, wrapping around their lifeless bodies. One by one, the fallen orcs transformed into shadows, rising from the cold floor as loyal soldiers.

In the end, a hundred shadows stood before him, now part of his growing army, ready to follow his every command. With a confident stride, Ares walked toward Darius's team, leaving them completely speechless at the sight.

As Ares grew stronger, Darius and his team saw him as an entirely different person—one they could no longer mock or speak to without his approval. Their bodies trembled, their skin cold with fear. What kind of monster had he become?

"Y-Yo, you're amazing, brother, isn't it?" Darius muttered, trying to sound friendly.

As Ares approached them, Elena sensed that something hidden within him had finally been unleashed. Instead of fear, she simply grinned in response.

They all felt it—Ares was now far stronger than before. The overwhelming presence of his power filled the air, making them uneasy.

"All of you, I wish for this scene not to spread outside. I don't want to attract attention from the government or the citizens," Ares muttered before adding, "This is not an order, but I hope you can understand."

His voice was weak, but it was enough for them to hear.

Since Ares had helped them—and without him, their bodies might have ended up as experiments for the orcs—they nodded wholeheartedly. They understood that Ares must have his reasons for not wanting to expose his power.

"Of course, if that's what you want!"

"Got it, brother! Count me in!" Darius said with a thumbs-up, smiling.

Ares sighed, feeling a little relieved. After that, they left the dungeon and went their separate ways.

Since Ares had gotten what he wanted and obtained a new skill, he decided to leave all the mana crystals to Darius's party. At first, they hesitated to accept them, but Ares insisted, saying it was his way of repaying them for bringing him on the raid. After hearing his reasoning, they were finally convinced, though their expressions remained uncertain.

"I want to become even stronger and gain the authority to clear and experience high-rank dungeons," Ares thought as he lay on his soft bed.