Jinwoo stood in the midst of the carnage, the cracked rune stone still humming faintly in his hand as the echoes of battle faded into the silence of the arena. His heart beat steadily, but adrenaline still thrummed through his veins. The air crackled with leftover energy—his own magic and strength swirling in quiet anticipation.
[Skill Acquired: Ruler's Authority]
[Ruler's Authority: A telekinetic skill exclusive to the Rulers and their vessels. Grants dominion over objects and beings within a vast radius.]
A smirk tugged at the corner of Jinwoo's lips. He flexed his fingers, feeling the new power settle under his skin.
"Not bad. But you probably think I'm gonna lose my mind over this, huh?" he muttered, half-amused, knowing exactly who was about to chime in.
[Oh, don't get too excited. It's just another tool in your ever-growing arsenal. Still not enough to save you from the chaos ahead.]
Jinwoo's smirk deepened. "Chaos, huh? We'll see about that," he muttered, stepping forward into the vast, broken expanse of the battlefield.
Ahead, hundreds of armored knights materialized—faceless, mindless warriors marching forward in a tide of steel. Jinwoo barely spared them a glance.
[Quest Activated: Survive the Onslaught]
[Objective: Survive for as long as possible. Points awarded based on time. Class advancement tied to performance.]
He scoffed. "Survive? This isn't even worth stretching for."
[Oh, I know. After your little tango with Igris, I figured I'd at least pretend to make it challenging.]
The air thickened as Jinwoo's energy flared. He moved—fast enough that the world seemed to lag behind—and his leg snapped out in a Tempest Kick, Level 3.
A sonic boom shattered the front lines. Metal crumpled, bodies flew, and broken armor rained down.
[Predictable. Try not to bore me to death. They didn't even last a second.]
The next wave came immediately, an endless spawn of cannon fodder. Jinwoo was already slicing through them, blades flashing like meteors. His strikes were efficient, surgical—almost lazy.
[Really? This is your grand plan? Massacring mobs? Yawn.]
Jinwoo's gaze flicked across the battlefield, then up to the horizon.
"Don't worry," he said, voice low and amused. "I'm sure you've got something desperate lined up. Maybe a dragon? Or is that too cliché for you?"
[Well, well. Someone's feeling cheeky. Fine. Let's spice things up.]
The atmosphere shifted. Jinwoo flicked his wrist, and the world trembled under his will.
Ruler's Authority exploded outward, a telekinetic pulse ripping through the field.
Mages, far at the rear, froze mid-chant. Their bodies lifted helplessly into the air, twitching like puppets as their spells unraveled into dust.
[Interrupting their magic, huh? Bold. Boring, but bold.]
Jinwoo moved before they could react. A black flash. Blades whispering through the air.
One by one, the mages fell, their deaths quick and silent.
[Wow. You're just wiping everything out in seconds. So thrilling.]
Jinwoo lowered his blade, surveying the devastation with a faint hum of boredom. "If you want a real challenge, System, you're going to have to dig deeper."
[Ah, so you think this is a walk in the park?
Fine. Hope you enjoy what's next. Don't get cocky, Jinwooooooo.]
The battlefield fell eerily silent. Then—
[Quest Complete: Survived the Onslaught]
[Points Awarded: Triple Points for Rapid Completion]
[Class Upgraded to Peak Level]
Jinwoo barely blinked at the notifications flashing in his mind.
"Peak Level? Already?" he muttered. "Seriously? That's it?"
[Congratulations. You have completed the Class Change Quest. All knights wiped out in under a minute. Triple points awarded.]
For once, the System hesitated—then continued, almost grudgingly:
[The Player stands amidst a battlefield of their own making. Corpses litter the ground in the wake of their journey, the scent of blood heavy in the air. A master of shadow and swift strikes, they leave nothing behind but death.]
Jinwoo snorted. "Bit dramatic, aren't you?"
Still, he couldn't completely deny it.
Destruction... had always been his domain.
[Your thirst for power is undeniable. You forge your path alone, never relying on anyone.]
"No shit," Jinwoo muttered. Solitude and betrayal had been the cornerstones of his life long before this.
Then came the next line, and something about it made his eyes narrow.
[Your desire for strength commands the dead. The army of the departed shall follow you, paving your way forward.]
Jinwoo stiffened.
"...You're not just lifting lines from Solo Leveling now, are you?" he asked dryly. "Bit on the nose, don't you think?"
But before he could keep mocking—
[Class: Monarch Of Shadows ]
For a heartbeat, time stopped.
Jinwoo's heart kicked hard against his ribs.
The words burned themselves into his mind, searing through every layer of his soul.
A slow, dangerous smile curled his lips.
Finally.
A low, rumbling laugh escaped him, echoing across the empty battlefield.
[Your Class has been upgraded to Peak Level: Monarch of Shadows.]
[Remaining Additional Points Converted to Maximum Skill Upgrade Cards x2.]
Darkness swirled at his feet, rising like smoke. The ground trembled in quiet reverence.
[Monarch of Shadows : Master of Shadows, Commander of the Dead, King of the Unseen. The Player's strength is drawn from the abyss, where death is no longer an end, but a beginning.]
Jinwoo stood tall, shadows wrapping around him like a living crown.
Standing alone amidst the shattered remains of his enemies, he smiled—a slow, inevitable smile.
The world had no idea what it had just awakened.
The Shadow Monarch had risen—and this was only the beginning.
--------
The battlefield lay silent, the remnants of Jinwoo's onslaught scattered across the arena. The System's voice broke the stillness:
[Class Change Complete: Monarch of Shadows]
[Congratulations, Jinwoo. You've embraced the darkness. No turning back now.]
A surge of power coursed through Jinwoo, his senses sharpening, his aura intensifying.
[Stat Boost: +10% to all core attributes.]
[New Class Skills Unlocked:]
[Skill: Shadow Extraction (Lv.1)]
Allows the extraction of a shadow from a recently deceased target. The extracted shadow becomes a loyal soldier under the Monarch's command. Extraction success depends on the target's strength, time od death and the Player's magical power. The skill can be attempted up to three times per target.
[Skill: Shadow Preservation (Lv.1)]
Enables the storage of extracted shadows within the Monarch's shadow. Stored shadows can be summoned at will. The number of shadows that can be preserved is limited and increases with the skill's level.
Jinwoo felt the shadows around him stir, awaiting his command.
[Due to the Player's exceptional stats, additional skills have been unlocked:]
[Skill: Monarch's Domain (Lv.1)]
Creates a domain that enhances the abilities of all shadow soldiers within its range, increasing their stats and regeneration speed.
[Skill: Shadow Manipulation (Lv.1)]
Grants the ability to control and shape shadows, allowing for offensive and defensive maneuvers.
The System's tone shifted, a hint of amusement in its voice.
[Impressive. You've unlocked these skills earlier than anticipated. Try not to let it get to your head.]
Jinwoo smirked, unfazed.
[Monarch Of Shadows Class upgraded to Ultimate]
[ Hidden Quest Complete]
[Objective: Fully awaken the potential of the Monarch of Shadows.]
[Rewards:]
[5x Gacha Tickets]
[Artifact: Dark Star (Mythical)]
A sleek, black bracelet materialized on Jinwoo's wrist, its surface smooth and unadorned.
[Dark Star (Lv.1): A mythical artifact capable of transforming into any weapon the user imagines. The weapon's effectiveness depends on the user's imagination and the artifact's level.]
[Current Level: Basic. Try not to get too creative just yet.]
Jinwoo accessed his inventory, noting the spoils of battle:
[Gold Acquired: 20,000]
[Various Equipment and Materials from Defeated Enemies]
A familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Level Up! Level Up! Level Up!]
His level increased, settling at Level 38.
[Store Unlocked!]
[Warning: Items may cause severe wallet depletion. Proceed with caution.]
Jinwoo chuckled, the weight of his new power settling comfortably on his shoulders. The path ahead was clear, and he was ready to walk it.
--------
The battlefield lay silent—too silent.
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed as tendrils of black smoke began to curl up from the shattered remains of the knights and mages he had obliterated. The smoke didn't disperse. It lingered, coiling and writhing, almost... alive.
He knew this sight. He remembered it—how it had gone in the original timeline. His chest tightened, the memory crystal-clear.
Slowly, almost reverently, he approached one of the fallen knights. His boots crunched over shattered armor and scorched earth.
Then—
[Shadow Extraction Possible.]
A notification pinged into his mind like a spark to dry tinder.
A slow, dangerous smile curled his lips.
Finally.
He didn't need prompting. He didn't hesitate.
[Please state the Command Phrase to bind the soul.]
The System's voice was almost hopeful—like maybe, maybe this chaotic lunatic would pick something normal like "Serve" or "Submit."
Jinwoo exhaled, steady and certain, a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth.
He knew exactly what to say.
He'd always wanted to do this.
In a low, resonant voice that carried across the bloodied field, Jinwoo spoke:
"—Arise."
For a heartbeat, the world froze.
Then the ground itself seemed to shudder.
The corpse jerked—and then, impossibly, the black smoke slammed into it, twisting, molding, rebirthing.
The knight's body twitched, then knelt in perfect, eerie synchronization, its once-lifeless eyes now glowing with faint amethyst light.
[Shadow Extraction Successful.]
Jinwoo's skin prickled. Goosebumps rippled up his arms.
The feeling was perfect.
The System, less impressed, chimed in with acid:
[Congratulations. You've officially crossed the line into "necromancer drama queen." Hope you're proud.]
Jinwoo just grinned wider. "Oh, I'm beyond proud."
Black smoke rose in thicker, heavier waves now—dozens, hundreds of bodies—all calling to him.
Jinwoo's eyes gleamed dangerously.
"Alright," he muttered, flexing his fingers, "time to really kick this off."
He opened his hand—and the two [Maximum Skill Upgrade Cards] floated into existence, shimmering with a radiant glow.
[Warning: You are about to consume both Skill Upgrade Cards. Confirm?]
"Confirm," Jinwoo said without hesitation.
The cards flared—and imploded into his core.
The world… shifted.
Reality itself seemed to buckle for a moment.
[Skill: Shadow Extraction (Lv.Max) Acquired.] [Skill: Shadow Preservation (Lv.Max) Acquired.]
[Shadow Extraction and Preservation Limits: REMOVED.] [New Ability Gained: Shadow Dimension.]
A violent surge of mana rippled outward like a shockwave, flattening the few standing ruins and rattling the very air. Everywhere on Earth, dogs howled, birds fled the sky, and every magical creature within miles whimpered instinctively in terror.
The System's voice rang out, dry as a desert:
[Fantastic. Absolutely phenomenal. You've just triggered a major mana quake. Hope you're happy, you walking natural disaster.]
Jinwoo could only laugh, the sound low and unstoppable.
It wasn't just power. It was freedom.
A black portal yawned open at his feet—a swirling vortex of endless night.
[Shadow Dimension Created.] [A separate, self-contained reality where your shadow army can be stored, nurtured, and evolved. Warning: May cause existential dread in your enemies.]
Jinwoo peered into the shadow portal, grinning like a kid staring into a candy store.
"Perfect," he murmured.
The System, still not done roasting him:
[Look at you. Big man with your edgy pocket dimension. Next thing you know, you'll be brooding on a throne and monologuing about darkness.]
Jinwoo chuckled, not denying it.
He turned back to the field—and then?
He raised his hand high over his head, black mana crackling like lightning around his fingertips.
"All of you," he called out to the smoking corpses scattered across the field, his voice steady, undeniable.
"Arise."
A thunderclap ripped through the battlefield as hundreds of corpses responded.
One by one, they stirred, rising like an unstoppable tide.
Knights clad in spectral armor.
Mages cloaked in flickering shadow.
The battlefield darkened under the sheer weight of it.
The System's voice, absolutely done:
[New Achievement Unlocked: "Congratulations, You're a One-Man Apocalypse."]
Jinwoo couldn't help it—he laughed. A rich, full-bodied laugh that rolled across the field like another storm.
The shadows gathered behind him, kneeling in reverence, waiting for his command.
This was the army he had always dreamed of.
This was the power no one would ever take from him again.
The world would tremble before the Monarch of Shadows.
And this time?
He wouldn't just survive it.
He would own it.
---------
Author's Note:
—
You feel a shiver run down your spine... the Author has appeared.
Hey legends,
sniff sniff
Can you smell it?
That's the scent of power fantasy hitting critical mass. Jinwoo out here kicking reality in the shins and making necromancy look like a luxury brand.
Honestly though, writing this chapter had me doing mental backflips. Every time I thought "okay maybe this is enough hype," my brain went, "No, no, MORE." And thus, we arrived at the Peak Peak Peak level of flexing on poor mobs who probably just wanted dental insurance.
Question for you all:
Do you prefer Jinwoo as this cold, smiling monarch of death... or would you like to see him get even more unhinged and playful with his powers later?
Like—
Do we go brooding king, or chaotic death gremlin who weaponizes sarcasm and style?
Also... be honest...
When he said "Arise," did you get goosebumps too?
Because I definitely did while typing it.
Drop your thoughts, theories, wild ideas, and your own Arise moment quotes below!
Maybe I'll use the best ones as Easter eggs in future chapters.
(Yes, I'm that shameless.)
Catch you on the next chapter, my fellow shadow lords.
Author has vanished into the black mist.
—