Chapter 6: New Home

Nathan and Sarn arrived at Sarn's home once again. The old wooden house, nestled in the outskirts of town, had an air of warmth despite its rough exterior. The scent of aged wood mixed with the faint aroma of herbs that hung from the ceiling, drying for later use.

Sarn shut the door behind them and stretched. "Get comfortable, kid. You know where your room is."

Nathan nodded, making his way down the short hallway to the small room Sarn had given him. It was simple—just a bed, a wooden dresser, and a small desk with a chair. A single window let in the afternoon sunlight, casting soft golden hues across the floorboards. He tossed his bag onto the bed, taking a moment to breathe.

For the first time in a while, he felt safe.

He returned to the main room, where Sarn was already sitting at the dining table, scratching something onto a parchment. "Take a seat," Sarn gestured, setting the quill down. "We need to go over a few things."

Nathan sat across from him, watching as Sarn folded his hands together. His usual gruffness had faded, replaced by something more patient.

"There's a lot you need to understand about how the system works," Sarn began. "For starters, you can learn new skills either by repeating an action enough times or by meeting specific conditions."

Nathan nodded, already knowing some of this, but he stayed quiet.

Sarn continued, "But here's something a lot of people don't think about—you can learn skills meant for other classes."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Wait… really?"

"Yep," Sarn confirmed with a smirk. "But don't get too excited. Skills learned outside your class are usually significantly worse."

Nathan frowned. "Then what's the point?"

Sarn chuckled. "That's exactly what I expected you to ask. Let me give you an example. Say you learn Charge, a skill normally used by brawlers and physical fighters. It won't be nearly as powerful for you, since you're not built for melee combat. Against a trained warrior, your Charge would barely push them back."

Nathan crossed his arms. "So it's useless then."

Sarn shook his head. "Not at all. A skill's value isn't always in combat. Imagine you're trapped in a burning building, and there's no clear exit. If you had Charge, you could break through the walls and escape."

Nathan's eyes widened. "So even a weak skill can still be useful in the right situation?"

"Exactly," Sarn said, pleased that Nathan was catching on.

A thought sparked in Nathan's mind, something that made his pulse quicken with hope. "Does that mean… I could learn other elements too?"

Sarn's eyes gleamed with amusement, happy to see Nathan so engaged. "That's where things get tricky." He leaned back in his chair. "Unfortunately, no—you can't just pick up another element unless your class allows it."

Nathan's excitement faltered. "So there's no way?"

"There are other ways," Sarn admitted. "But that's something you'll have to discover on your own."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "That sounds suspicious."

Sarn chuckled but didn't elaborate.

Nathan thought for a moment before another question came to him. "Wait… doesn't that mean that a mage class without a set element would be overpowered? They could just learn every element."

Sarn grinned. "Yes and no. A mage without an element can learn a wide range of spells, but they'll never match the strength of a specialized mage. A Fire Mage will always outclass an unelemented mage in fire magic. Same with a Water Mage, a Lightning Mage, and so on."

Nathan nodded slowly. "So it's about depth versus versatility?"

"Exactly." Sarn leaned forward. "Versatile mages are unpredictable, but specialists have raw power. That's why knowing a little of everything isn't always the best path—unless you find ways to use those 'weaker' skills creatively."

Nathan sat back, absorbing everything. There was a lot more to the system than he initially thought.

And, most importantly… there was a chance he could explain his dark magic away. If he could frame it as just another skill he picked up outside his class, he might be able to hide his necromancy even better.

His mind raced with possibilities.

Sarn stood up and stretched. "Alright, lesson's over for now. Tomorrow, we're starting your real training."

Nathan exhaled. He had a feeling things were about to get much harder.

But for the first time in a long while, he wasn't dreading it.

He was looking forward to it.

After Sarn dismissed him, he handed Nathan a few copper coins. "Go buy yourself something," he said, already turning toward the door. "I've got work to do."

Nathan rolled the coins in his palm, feeling their cool weight before slipping them into his pocket. He had no interest in shopping, not now. This was the perfect chance to test his abilities without anyone watching.

Moving swiftly through town, he kept his head low, avoiding the curious and judgmental stares that had followed him since the class test. He could hear their hushed whispers—some filled with awe, others with skepticism.

A healer, huh?

Doesn't seem like the type…

He clenched his fists, ignoring them. The moment he reached the outskirts of the village, he broke into a light jog, his pulse steadying as the thick canopy of the forest surrounded him. Here, away from prying eyes, he could finally breathe.

Nathan made his way to the hollow tree where he had hidden Carl. The large crow's corpse lay still inside, its body stiff and lifeless once again.

"Guess the spell doesn't last forever," Nathan muttered, crouching beside it. He reached out, pressing his hand to its cold feathers. Darkness swirled at his fingertips, sinking into the remains.

This time, the process was smoother. No eerie cracking of bones, no unsettling twitching—just a faint shimmer of violet light spreading through the corpse. Within seconds, Carl's eyes snapped open, glowing dimly with that familiar purple hue.

"Caw!" The crow tilted its head, awaiting a command.

Nathan smirked. "Follow me from above. Keep watch and warn me if you see anyone."

Carl cocked its head again, as if processing the order, then spread its wings and took to the sky. Nathan watched it disappear into the branches, his smirk growing. That's pretty useful.

His mind drifted back to what Sarn had said about skills—how they could be unlocked by repeating certain actions or fulfilling specific conditions. If that were true, then there had to be more he could do with his darkness.

Extending his hand, Nathan focused on his mana, pulling at the shadows around him. The energy coiled, twisting unnaturally before expanding outward in an inky mist.

Darkness poured from his body, consuming the space around him. Within seconds, the forest dimmed, as if night had fallen prematurely. The air felt heavier. This… this is working.

A sharp chime echoed in his mind, followed by a translucent blue window appearing in his vision.

New Skill Acquired!

[Dark Veil] (Novice Rank)

Creates a field of darkness that blinds those within its radius. Starts at 10 feet but can be expanded or condensed for different effects. Condensing the veil increases its potency, making it harder for enemies to see. The caster can see through their own veil, though their vision shifts to black and white—except for sources of mana, which retain their color.

Mana Cost: 1 per second for every 10-foot radius (at lowest density.)

Nathan grinned. So this is what it feels like to get a new skill. It was surreal. He had heard others describe the rush—the way knowledge seemed to imprint itself into their minds. And now, he understood.

He flexed his fingers, watching the shadows pulse and shift. Experimenting further, he compressed the veil, pulling the mist tight around himself. The darkness thickened, turning him into a shadow blending seamlessly with his surroundings.

A thrill ran through him. This… this is incredible.

But he wasn't done yet.

He recalled something else about how his class ability, Darkness Manipulation, allowed him to drain energy. Curious, he extended a tendril of darkness toward a small sapling nearby.

The moment the inky strand touched the plant, its leaves curled inward. The once-vibrant green dulled, its stem sagging as if drained of life. Nathan felt a rush of energy course through him, a strange but invigorating sensation.

Another chime echoed in his mind.

New Skill Acquired!

[Life Drain] (Novice Rank)

Drains vitality from a living target, restoring a small portion of the user's health and stamina. Effects increase with skill level and target size.

Current recovery: 2 HP per second

Mana cost: 5 mana per second

Nathan exhaled, checking his status.

[Status]

Name: Nathan

Race: Human

Class: Necromancer

Level: 1

Title: Orphan of Lamentis (Optional)

Health: 92/100

Mana: 27/100

Skills:

[Raise Lesser Undead]

[Minor Heal Wounds]

[Darkness Manipulation]

[Light Manipulation]

[Dark Veil] (NEW)

[Life Drain] (NEW)

He felt stronger, healthier—though the health gain wasn't as much as he had expected. Still, this is just the beginning.

Nathan flexed his fingers, staring at the dark mist still swirling around him. For the first time in a long while, he felt something close to hope.

He wasn't just surviving anymore.

He was evolving.