ch 56,57,58
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Chapter 56 – Rising Storms: The Top 10 Notice Him
Academy Capital – Beast & Skill Shop
After the brutal squad battle, Ray didn't waste time celebrating.
While others partied and shouted, he headed straight to the Academy's underground market—hidden beneath the Capital's central tower.
Massive pillars, glowing with mana, lit up a sprawling hall.
Hundreds of stalls, holographic displays, rare beast corpses hanging in stasis fields...
The scent of blood, iron, and pure power filled the air.
A giant floating board flickered above:
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Academy Exchange System:
[F-Rank Beast Corpse] — 150 Academy Points
[E-Rank Beast Corpse] — 300 Academy Points
[Skill Scroll – Bone Spike] — 500 Points
[Skill Scroll – Undead Howl] — 800 Points
[Skill Scroll – Soul Harvest] — 1200 Points
[Equipment: Bone Plated Armor] — 600 Points
[Beast Egg – Shadow Warg (E Rank)] — 1100 Points
[Beast Egg – Ghost Claw Rabbit (F Rank)] — 500 Points
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Ray's total: 800 Academy Points
(500 squad victory + 300 MVP bonus)
Seventeen whispered:
> "Choose wisely, Master. These corpses and skills can fuel your army's next evolution."
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Ray's Choices
He scanned quickly and decided:
1 E-Rank Beast Corpse – 300 Points
1 Skill Scroll: Bone Spike – 500 Points
Points Remaining: 0
Ray reached out, and two items floated into his hands.
The E-Rank Beast corpse was a "Steelmaw Lizard" — a reptile with metallic scales and crushing jaws.
The skill scroll glowed faintly with black runes.
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Back at His Domain
Ray sat cross-legged inside his hidden Domain.
The Beast Trees swayed gently.
The Weapon Trees grew fresh bone arrows, swords, and daggers.
Seventeen's voice chimed:
> [Beast Absorption in Progress...]
[E-Rank Steelmaw Lizard + Bone Mutation]
Suddenly — a roar!
A new beast formed:
[Name: Steelbone Lizard – E Rank]
Type: Heavy Frontliner
Skill: Ironhide Charge (smash through enemy ranks)
Bonus: Bone Armor Plates (50% physical resistance)
A brutal-looking lizard, covered in dark bone armor, snapped its jaws and bowed its head to Ray.
Ray smiled slightly.
Another weapon for the future.
> [Skill Learned: Bone Spike] — Fire sharp bone spikes from the ground to skewer enemies within 10 meters.
— Can be used 3 times per day.
New undead army status:
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Meanwhile – Academy Elders' Meeting
Inside a hidden chamber, the Top 10 Rankers, senior instructors, and academy elders watched a replay of Ray's squad battle.
Silence.
Then one elder said:
> "That boy... controls undead with precision. Like a seasoned general."
Another murmured:
> "His domain power... it's not natural. It's growing too fast."
The Top 5 students smirked.
One of them, a silver-haired boy named Lucius, leaned forward.
> "Let's test him. Fresh meat needs to know its place."
Another girl, cold-eyed and wrapped in crimson robes, smiled cruelly.
> "The next internal duel rankings are coming. Invite him. See if he can survive."
They all agreed.
Ray had unknowingly stepped into the spotlight of the Academy's deadliest students.
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Announcement: Special Duel
The next day, a public message blinked on every student's bracelet.
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> Academy Duel Challenge: Ray Nightshade – Accepted into Internal Ranking Bouts
Opponent: Lucius Ravencrest – 7th Rank (Silver Wing Division)
Date: 3 Days Later
Location: Crimson Thunder Arena
Spectators Allowed
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Chapter 57 – Forging the Undead Army
3 Days Before the Duel – Ray's Domain
Inside the hidden Domain, Ray stood silent.
The Steelbone Lizard trained, smashing bone dummies.
The Thunderbone Serpent coiled and struck lightning arcs at shadow beasts.
The Ember Falcon flew drills, burning phantom targets midair.
Even the small Dustfang Rabbits were evolving, their claws sharper.
Seventeen's voice echoed softly:
> "Master, before the duel... shall I open the advanced options?"
Ray narrowed his eyes.
"Do it."
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[God Shop – Level 2 Unlocked]
Available Items:
Beast Evolution Potion (F to E Rank) – 400 God Points
Beast Summoning Seed (F Rank) – 300 God Points
Soulforged Weapon Blueprint – 700 God Points
Dark Binding Collar (Slave Item) – 500 God Points
Mini Domain Expansion: Graveyard Mist – 1000 God Points
> Current God Points: 1500
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Ray's Purchases:
1 Beast Evolution Potion → 400 Points
1 Soulforged Weapon Blueprint → 700 Points
1 Beast Summoning Seed → 300 Points
Remaining Points: 100
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Forging His Blade
Using the blueprint, Ray sat by the Weapon Tree, placing bone fragments and beast cores into its hollow trunk.
[Weapon Crafting Initiated…]
A day passed.
Finally, the Weapon Tree produced:
> [Forged Item: Gravefang Dagger]
— Soul Bound to Ray
— Stats: +30% Critical Damage, +20% Stealth Effectiveness
— Special Skill: "Bone Eruption" (Detonate corpses nearby to cause area damage)
A wicked, curved dagger formed from black bone and bloodsteel.
It felt light, deadly — perfect for a necromancer assassin.
Ray grinned darkly.
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Beast Evolution
He poured the Evolution Potion onto his Shadow Panther.
The beast growled, its form trembling.
Black smoke wrapped around it.
When the smoke cleared:
[Beast: Shadow Reaper Panther – E+]
Speed +30%
Attack Power +25%
New Skill: "Phantom Step" (Brief teleportation within 20 meters)
The panther bowed low, its blood-red eyes glowing with loyalty.
> [Shadow Reaper Panther now eligible to lead Beast Packs.]
Ray's army was evolving.
Faster than anyone could imagine.
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Late Night — Mira's Visit
As Ray polished the Gravefang Dagger under the stars, Mira approached, holding a basket of fruits.
She sat beside him without speaking for a while.
Finally, she said:
> "You're changing, Ray. You don't smile much anymore."
Ray chuckled hollowly.
"I don't have time to smile."
Mira threw a fruit at him lightly.
"You'll lose yourself if you don't stop once in a while."
Ray caught it, staring at the stars.
"...Maybe after I win."
For a moment, there was peace —
A quiet bond growing stronger in the darkness.
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Meanwhile – Lucius Prepares
Across the Academy, inside a grand hall…
Lucius Ravencrest, the 7th Rank Duelist, stood amid silver-feathered warriors, training relentlessly.
His specialty:
Light-Speed Sword Arts and Silver Feather Assaults.
A senior instructor whispered:
> "Be serious. The boy has a hidden domain. If you underestimate him, you'll regret it."
Lucius smiled coldly.
> "I'll crush him. Then I'll pluck his army apart... bone by bone."
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Academy Rumors Spread
Students across divisions were whispering:
> "Ray Nightshade — the Dark Summoner — is entering the rankings?!"
> "Betting booths are open! 20:1 odds against him surviving even 5 minutes!"
> "But did you hear? He forged a soul weapon already..."
The Academy buzzed like a hornet's nest.
Everyone waited.
Everyone watched.
Ray was about to face his first real storm.
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End of Chapter 57
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Chapter 58 – Crimson Moon Rising
The Academy buzzed with excitement.
Today wasn't an ordinary day — it was the Battle Festival, where students earned Academy Points, ranking, prestige, and access to the real elite resources.
At the center of the courtyard, an arena of stone and magic had been erected. Spectators filled the seats. Teachers, elders, even a few cloaked masters from the Main Council were watching.
Ray stood quietly, hands folded behind him, eyes half-closed. Around him, his beasts waited.
Bone Wolves (now enhanced with Fury Cores) growled lowly.
Ember Falcon circled high, flames dripping from its wings.
Shadow Reaper Panther crouched behind him, black mist curling off its fur.
Wind Raven, quick and restless, perched on a stone.
Each beast had grown stronger, faster, deadlier — evolved through constant fighting and feeding on cores.
Meanwhile, inside his ring, the undead army stirred. Skeleton Knights, Spider-Hound Hybrids, Bone Archers — silent, loyal, lethal.
> [Domain Message: 3 New Undead Created from Harvested Cores] [Skeleton Captain (Rank E), 2 Bone Lurkers (Speed Type, Rank F)]
Seventeen's voice chimed.
> "Master, your army is ready. Shall we give them a proper demonstration?"
Ray smiled faintly.
Today, he wouldn't hide anymore.
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The First Battle – Against the Iron Fangs
His opponent strode out — a massive boy covered in metallic armor, leading three summoned Iron-Scaled Wolves.
"Ray!" the announcer shouted. "Necromancer class versus Beast Tamer! BEGIN!"
The crowd expected a normal clash — two beast tamers locking in a brawl of summons.
They were wrong.
Ray raised his hand. His beasts surged forward like a wave.
The Shadow Panther disappeared into mist, reappearing behind one wolf — snap — its spine cracked.
Bone Wolves flanked and shredded the second.
The Iron Fang student panicked, trying to shield the third beast—but the Ember Falcon swooped down, its talons burning white-hot, searing through armor.
In less than a minute, it was over.
Gasps echoed across the stands.
Even the instructors leaned forward, murmuring.
> [Victory: +500 Academy Points] [Bonus for Undead Army Showcase: +200 Points]
Ray exhaled slowly, brushing dust off his sleeves.
His beasts returned to his side, growling lowly like storm clouds gathering.
First match: Absolute victory.
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A New God Shop Access
After the battle, as Ray sat in the rest area, Seventeen whispered gleefully:
> [Special Shop Unlock: Bloodline Cores Available] [New Items:] – Dreadbone Seeds: Create undead plants that entangle enemies. (200 points) – Blood Contract Stones: Bind beasts forcibly. (300 points) – Undying Sapling (Rare!): Grows into a Life-Recovery Tree inside Domain. (1200 points) – Corpse Enhancement Fluid: Boost undead stats by 10% temporarily. (500 points)
Ray's eyes gleamed.
Now he had a reason to win even more.
He wasn't fighting just for fame.
He was fighting to grow an unstoppable army.
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Introduction of Stronger Beasts
Later, while walking to his next battle, Ray noticed the stronger students summoning beasts he hadn't seen before:
Flame-Tailed Tigers (Rank E)
Rockhide Basilisks (Rank E+)
Wind Serpents (Speed Type, Rank D)
Some elite teams even had dual-type beasts — monsters capable of using two elements at once.
Ray's mind raced.
He could use cores from these beasts to evolve his army further.
His Bone Wolves could someday turn into Bone Wargs.
His Skeleton Knights could evolve into Death Sentinels.
He needed more power — faster.
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Nightfall – Academy Dormitory
That night, Ray lay on his bed in the male dormitory.
Moonlight poured through the windows.
In the dark, he whispered to Seventeen:
"Tomorrow... we hunt."
Seventeen giggled softly in his mind.
> "Yes, Master. We will harvest everything."
In the Domain, his beasts howled — the sound swallowed by endless night.
The Academy had no idea what monster was growing right under their noses.
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