The woods were darker the second time.
Kael returned to Syric Woods with a Bronze token, his scythe, and a shallow breath of confidence. The guild had posted a follow-up quest: "Investigate the corrupted tree grove." Only five Bronze adventurers were brave—or foolish—enough to accept. Kael, and four strangers.
Their boots crunched over dead leaves as they entered. Fog hugged the ground like a second skin, and even the birds stayed silent. The other adventurers barely acknowledged him. They carried proper weapons, shields, and confidence. He carried silence.
Thirty minutes in, they reached the grove.
Then the ground trembled.
A corrupted bladebeak three times the size of the ones Kael fought last time emerged, dragging a twisted, root-covered leg. Veins of black pulsed beneath its feathers, and a cluster of glowing red eyes blinked across its skull.
One of the other adventurers screamed.
The group attacked. Steel rang out, spells cracked, and the beast roared with deafening fury. Kael ducked and weaved, using every ounce of focus just to avoid being torn apart.
The scythe wasn't enough.
Not yet.
But Kael didn't retreat. He waited, watching its movements. When it turned to maul a swordsman, Kael rushed in and drove the scythe into its exposed spine. The beast screamed, staggered, and fell onto its side—just long enough for a mage to burn out its eye cluster.
Kael collapsed to one knee, blood dripping from his arm.
The system rang in his head, barely above a whisper.
<< Corrupted Beast Slain >>
+120 Soul Fragments
New Skill Unlocked: [Withering Pulse]
Kael coughed and leaned against a tree, pulling up his interface with shaking hands.
Skill: Withering Pulse
Type: Active
Cost: 10 Soul Fragments
Effect: Releases a burst of necrotic energy in a 5-meter radius. Slows enemies by 30% and weakens their defense for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 20 seconds
"Decay touches all who stand too close."
He stared at the screen, breathing hard. "So this is how necromancers fight… not with strength, but with rot," he muttered.
It wasn't elegant. It wasn't glorious. It was survival—ugly, terrifying, and effective.
CHARACTER SHEETS (Expanded Cast)
🪓 Kael Ardyn
Age: 16
Class: Reaper (Lv. 4)
Weapon: Shadowforged Scythe "Nyx"
Notable Skills: Soul Sense, Soul Rend, Necrotic Pull, Deathmarked, Withering Pulse
Personality: Quiet, calculating, emotionally guarded.
Goal: Master the system and uncover the truth behind his bloodline.
Seris Valen
Age: 17
Rank: Silver
Class: Dual Blade Fighter
Background: Noble daughter of House Valen, trained in royal combat academies.
Relationship: Curious about Kael, admires his courage but suspects he's hiding something. Possible romantic tension building.
Lyon Raithe
Age: 18
Rank: Silver
Class: Greatsword Duelist
Background: Heir to House Raithe, noble rival to Seris. Strong, proud, arrogant.
Relationship: Sees Kael as beneath him. Possible future enemy or foil.
WORLD MAP OVERVIEW (Text Description)
Elaria – The Known Realms
Kingdom of Loria (Main human realm, knights, guilds, holy church)
Elven Forests of Syl'lanor (Home of the elves, sacred magic, highly secluded)
The Veillands (Demon-corrupted lands, origin of necromancer myths)
Cindral Basin (Adventurer's homeland, full of ruins, monsters, rogue factions)
Tarnspire (Floating mage city that outlawed necromancy centuries ago)
The Hollow Keep (Abandoned necromancer citadel rumored to still breathe)
🌒 REAPER CLASS TREE (Tier Preview)
Tier 1: Reaper (Current)
Soul Sense (Passive)
Soul Rend (Active)
Necrotic Pull (Active)
Deathmarked (Buff)
Withering Pulse (AoE Debuff)
Tier 2 Options (Available at Level 5):
1. Shadow Reaper – High mobility, stealth, shadow clones
Shadowstep
Cloak of Woe
Deathblossom
2. Bone Warden – Summons bone guardians, defensive buffs
Bone Wall
Graveborn Sentinel
Spine Barrier
3. Fated Harvester – Sacrifices HP/souls for massive burst damage
Soul Detonate
Scythe Reave
Final Toll
SYSTEM UI UPDATE (as of end of Chapter 4)
SOULBOUND REAPER UI
Name: Kael Ardyn
Level: 4
Soul Fragments: 190/200
Next Tier Unlock: Lv. 5
Current Skill Loadout:
• Soul Sense
• Soul Rend
• Necrotic Pull
• Deathmarked
• Withering Pulse