Chapter 23: Join Me, Igris
Narrator's POV
[Notification]
[Class change completed. Depending on the points obtained, you may now access an advanced class.]
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A dark aura rose from the ground, slowly wrapping around Akira.
He didn't move—he simply stood there as the darkness swirled around him, gradually seeping into his body. With a faint crackling sound, the aura dispersed, leaving Akira standing tall, his body faintly cloaked in a dim black glow… which faded away after a few seconds.
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[Notification]
[Class Change: Necromancer >>> Shadow Monarch]
[Unique Class Skills Unlocked. +10 Skill Points]
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"What… was that?" he murmured, frowning as he swore he could hear faint cries coming from the corpses of the fallen knights. "This is getting kinda creepy…" he added with a nervous grin. Hearing wailing souls wasn't exactly on his list of favorite experiences.
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[Notification]
[Set a Command Phrase for the Skill: Shadow Extraction — "__________"]
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"A command word, huh? If I remember correctly, Jin-Woo used 'arise'… so what should mine be?" he wondered aloud, staring idly at his fingers for a moment. Then his face lit up. "I got it! My command word will be… '¡Get up!'"
The moment Akira spoke that word, "Get up," dark shadows began to seep out of the shattered armors scattered across the floor.
Slowly, they took form—those of the fallen knights. Their appearances had changed; they now looked spectral, ghostly, their black armor glowing faintly with a blue light.
Akira smiled, eyes closed, as a single—and very manly—tear rolled down his cheek. He clenched his fist, trembling with emotion.
"This is… so damn cool. I can't even describe what I'm feeling," he said, voice thick with excitement.
Joy, pride, awe—they all clashed inside him in a storm of emotion. He couldn't put it into words, but he knew this moment would stay with him forever.
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[Notification]
[Exclusive Class Skills Unlocked:]
Shadow Extraction — Lv. 1 — MP Cost: 0
Available Shadow Slots: 30/30
Shadow Storage — Lv. 1 — MP Cost: 0
Stored Shadows: 0/20
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Akira looked over his new soldiers—dark knights and shadow mages, now bound to his will. For now, their strength was limited. They weren't yet capable of challenging truly powerful enemies… at least, not yet.
Then his gaze shifted toward Igris's body, slumped lifelessly against the wall. The last Black Flash had destroyed him completely.
"I'll release eleven of the knights…" he said as he walked toward Igris. "After all, I can only store twenty shadows, and there are thirty of you."
As soon as he spoke, eleven of the shadow knights silently faded into dark smoke.
Akira stopped in front of Igris's remains. He knew this wasn't just another fallen warrior—
Igris had displayed unwavering loyalty toward the long-dead king who once sat on that empty throne.
Convincing him wouldn't be easy.
"Igris the Crimson… your skills are incredible," Akira said firmly, extending his hand toward him.
"That's why I ask you to follow me. Not as a slave… but as my knight." He paused, locking eyes with the still body before him. "You guarded an empty throne, not even knowing if the one who sat upon it would ever return. But if you need someone worthy to serve… then follow me, Igris. Let's not let your strength rust away or be forgotten here."
Akira took a deep breath, closing his eyes.
"…So get up."
At that single word, black shadows began to seep slowly from Igris's armor. At first, they resisted—vibrating as if torn between refusal and obedience— but then, they gave in.
Gradually, Igris's body was engulfed by the shadows, and from within them, his form emerged once again.
He was still the same imposing, towering knight… but his presence now carried far greater weight.
His armor was pitch-black, lined with a faint, shimmering blue glow.
A tattered black cape flowed behind him, and from the back of his helmet spilled a long crimson crest—like a mane of dying fire.
Igris had risen.
Akira smiled faintly as he realized Igris had accepted his call—that with just a single "Rise," he had succeeded in extracting his shadow.
It was more than a triumph of strength; it was a moment of mutual respect.
Igris stepped forward with calm, steady movements, stopping just a few paces behind Akira. Then, he turned… and knelt before his new master, head bowed in loyalty.
One by one, the rest of the knights and mages followed his example. Inspired by Igris's choice, they all knelt before Akira. There were no words—only silent devotion, a vow unspoken:
they would follow him, serve him, be his shadows, no matter what lay ahead.
"Awesome," Akira said with a broad grin, feeling something deep inside him shift forever.
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End of Chapter