The forest screamed.
From the cracked earth, skeletal beasts clawed their way free — wolves with bone-blades for teeth, vultures of ghostly flame, and twisted humanoid shapes whose empty eye sockets burned with necrotic light. The air shimmered with power, dense and suffocating. The Necrotic Surge had begun.
Amit stood still at the heart of it, his bow raised, his undead eyes glowing cold blue beneath the crimson moon.
[Objective: Survive for 10 Minutes.]
[Reward: Class Advancement Material.]
He smirked. "Ten minutes, huh? Let's see what the 'Undead Archer' can really do."
The first Bone Wolf lunged at him from the left — faster than a blur. Amit pivoted, spectral energy surging into his weapon.
[Skill: Soul Rend Arrow.]
The shot left the bow with a hiss that cut through the silence. The arrow struck the wolf midair, exploding into tendrils of ghostly flame. The creature disintegrated, leaving behind a wisp of blue essence.
[+1 Soul Fragment acquired.]
That essence flowed into Amit's chest like liquid frost, strengthening the glow in his ribcage. The next moment, three more wolves emerged from the shadows, circling him like predators.
"Good," he murmured, raising his bow. "Come closer."
He fired again and again — spectral arrows weaving arcs of death through the darkness.
Each kill sent fragments of soul energy spiraling into him, and with every absorption, his movements grew faster, sharper, more fluid.
But the surge did not relent.
A roar thundered from deeper within the forest — a sound that shook the ground itself.
A massive creature emerged, its form towering and twisted — a Bonebeast Alpha, ten feet tall, with ribs like serrated blades and a skull mask fused with shards of obsidian.
[Boss Entity Detected: Bonebeast Alpha — Level 8.]
Amit's expression hardened.
"That thing alone could wipe out a city squad back home…"
He drew an arrow of pure spectral essence, concentrating his gathered Soul Energy until the air trembled. His bones creaked under the pressure.
[Skill Fusion Available — Combine Two Known Skills?]
[Fusion Result: Unknown.]
Amit's hollow grin widened. "Now that's interesting."
He accepted without hesitation. A storm of runes surrounded his bow, burning like white fire.
The new ability formed in his mind like instinct.
[New Skill Created: Soul Tempest (Rare — E Rank).]
Effect: Fires multiple Soul Rend Arrows in rapid succession. Damage amplifies for each soul fragment absorbed.
"Perfect."
The Alpha charged, its steps shattering stone, the air warping with its fury. Amit planted his foot and drew the bow to its limit.
Dozens of spectral arrows manifested in the air, each one thrumming with necrotic energy.
He released.
The night erupted in light.
The arrows rained like a storm of spirits, piercing through lesser undead and tearing chunks from the Alpha's body. Its roar turned into a scream as blue flames devoured it. Soul energy cascaded into Amit like a tidal wave.
[Boss Entity Defeated.]
[+250 Soul Energy.]
[+12 Evolution Points.]
[Rare Material Obtained: Core of the Bonebeast Alpha.]
Amit fell to one knee, gasping. His bones steamed with power, his body trembling as his talent activated on its own.
[Talent: Infinite Evolution — Threshold Reached.]
[Body Evolution Initiating.]
Energy swirled around him — his skeletal frame absorbing the blue flames of fallen souls. The world dimmed, the forest falling silent as everything nearby was drawn toward him. The air itself bowed to the energy he exuded.
Cracks appeared across his bones, not from damage — but metamorphosis.
[Evolution Pathway Available.]
Choose Your Evolution:
Soulbound Archer (E Grade): Enhances ranged precision and spiritual detection.
Gravewalker Archer (E Grade): Gains passive regeneration in undead zones.
Revenant Marksman (D Grade — Hidden Path): Risk of instability. Power unknown.
Amit stared at the last option. The words hidden path glowed faintly gold.
"Instability…? Sounds like fun."
He chose without hesitation.
The world exploded.
Ghostly light flared around him, carving sigils into the ground. His body shattered — only to rebuild itself anew. His bones grew darker, etched with glowing blue veins. His eyes burned with spectral flame that refused to fade. The bow in his hands transformed, its shape shifting into a weapon of divine malice — part bone, part spirit, bound by will alone.
[Evolution Complete.]
[Class Upgraded: Revenant Marksman (D Grade).]
[New Passive: Soul Reclamation — Restores energy upon every kill.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Death's Focus.]
Amit rose slowly, his aura spreading like a shadow through the clearing. The forest bent under its pressure.
He raised his new bow, staring at the moonlit sky.
"This world throws monsters at me…"
"Good. Because I plan to become one."
The system chimed one final time.
[Zone Event Completed.]
[Reward Delivered: Class Advancement Core.]
[Warning: Higher Entities have taken notice of your evolution.]
The wind died. The forest grew still again. But above the crimson moon, eyes flickered open — vast and ancient, watching.
Amit looked up, sensing them.
"Let them watch," he said coldly, spectral light blazing from his eyes.
"I'll climb high enough to make them kneel."