The morning sun peeked through the window, gently warming Suho's face.
He slowly opened his eyes.
For a moment, he lay there, staring at the ceiling. His heart was calm. There was no guilt, no fear—just quiet.
It had been a long time since he felt this way.
Last night, he had told his friends everything—his painful past, the truth about the Necrosystem, and the fragments of his sister's soul.
And… they accepted him.
No one ran away. No one turned their back on him.
They stayed.
Suho got out of bed and walked to the small kitchen. While heating instant ramen, he opened his system window:
[Level: 24]
[Undead: 32/50]
[New Skill Unlocked: Corpse Explosion]
A smile tugged at his lips.
It was time to get stronger.
Team DEATH Begins Training
Later that day, Suho met Mirae, Minho, and Jinho at a private training field on the outskirts of the city.
The field was surrounded by tall walls and hidden from the public. It was a place where hunters could go all out without being seen.
"I've unlocked a new skill," Suho said. "I want to try it."
He summoned one of his weaker undead—a half-rotten goblin with stitched limbs. It walked forward slowly, eyes glowing faintly.
"Let's see what it does."
He focused and spoke clearly.
[Corpse Explosion]
The undead glowed red for a moment… then exploded.
BOOM!
A shockwave of dark energy rippled out, shaking the ground and throwing dust into the air. When it settled, Mirae was coughing.
"That was terrifying," she said, smiling. "But kind of awesome."
"Could use it as a trap," Jinho said, thinking out loud.
Minho gave a thumbs-up. "Let's make it part of our combo moves."
They spent the rest of the day training.
Suho tested his control over the undead. Mirae practiced large-scale magic circles. Minho improved his taunt and defensive moves. Jinho kept refining his silent kills.
They were a team now. And it showed.
Growing the Army
Over the next few days, Suho started going into abandoned gates.
These were old or leftover gates, usually ignored because they had no big rewards. But Suho didn't need gold or loot.
He needed undead.
In one cave, he killed twisted rat monsters and bound three of them.
In a flooded temple, he fought aquatic lizard beasts, raising two more.
By the end of the week, he had added a snake-like scout beast, a ghostly wolf, and even a former hunter's soul named Daewon, who spoke in strange riddles.
[Undead Count: 36/50]
He was getting closer.
Their First Mission as a Team
At the Association board, Mirae pointed at a new request.
"D-rank gate. No one's claimed it yet."
Suho nodded. "Let's take it."
Before submitting, he typed their team name.
TEAM DEATH
Mirae groaned. "Do we have to keep that?"
Minho laughed. "It's perfect."
They entered the gate together—a moss-covered cave filled with slime creatures. The early part was easy. They breezed through enemies and gathered materials.
But when they reached the exit, they weren't alone.
Four B-rank hunters were waiting.
"Well, well," the leader said with a smirk. "The famous C-rank summoner. Heard you've been clearing gates like a big shot."
Suho narrowed his eyes. "We're just doing our job."
"You're stealing gates from us," another growled. "You think you're something special?"
They weren't going to talk.
They attacked.
But Suho didn't move.
He simply said, "Don't hold back."
Mirae stepped forward first, casting ice spikes. Minho charged, shield glowing. Jinho vanished into the shadow.
In under two minutes, it was over.
The B-ranks were defeated, crawling away in shame.
"You should pick easier prey," Mirae said coldly as they left.
Suho watched his team and smiled.
They were strong now. And more importantly, they believed in him.
Sister's Voice
That night, Suho lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling again. But this time, he wasn't alone.
"Oppa."
Areum's soft voice echoed in his mind.
He turned his head and saw her soul floating beside him—faint, but present.
"You've gotten stronger," she said.
"I have," Suho replied. "But I still have a long way to go."
Areum nodded. "You now have three of my soul fragments. That means I can talk to you more clearly from now on."
Suho sat up, hope in his eyes.
"Really?"
"Yes," she smiled. "And I'll stay by your side. Always."
He paused, then asked, "What about Sector 19? You mentioned it before."
Her expression grew serious.
"My fourth soul fragment is there. But the system says you're not ready."
A window appeared in front of Suho:
[Access Locked: Sector 19]
[Requirements: Level 35 and 50 Undead Soldiers]
Suho sighed. "It's going to take time."
"I know," Areum said softly. "But don't rush. Grow at your pace. When the time comes, I'll guide you."
Then she floated closer, her voice more serious.
"But there's something else."
"What is it?"
"You're not the only one looking for the fragments now."
Suho froze.
"What do you mean?"
"There's someone… something… trying to find and use my soul for another purpose. Be careful, Oppa."
Suho's eyes hardened.
"I'll protect you. No matter what."
In the Shadows…
Far away, in a dark underground chamber, a man in black robes stood before a glowing rune circle.
"The Necrosystem has been activated."
Behind him, several failed corpses lay chained—twisted echoes, unstable and broken.
"The boy has three fragments. He's getting too close."
Another figure stepped from the shadows, wearing a white cloak and a strange mask.
"Shall we begin the ritual?"
The man nodded slowly.
"It's time."
End of Chapter 20
Kim Suho: Level 27
Undead: 36/50
New Skill: Corpse Explosion
Team DEATH – First Mission Cleared
Areum's Soul Fragments: 3/7
Next Target: Sector 19 (Locked)
New Threat Detected: Unknown Faction Pursuing Soul Fragments