The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

The dungeon’s boss chamber lay in ruins. The walls—once eerily silent—were now cracked and scorched, smeared with remnants of an intense battle.

Two unconscious bodies rested against the jagged bone walls, untouched by time but not by the consequences.

Tess and Ilya, still and pale, had been unconscious since the moment the storm had passed.

Ilya’s eyelids fluttered.

A sharp pain lanced through her skull, forcing her into consciousness with a gasp.

Gritting her teeth, she sat up slowly, her body trembling as fragmented memories flooded her mind. The dungeon, the boss fight, Lucas and Raven...

They had defeated it—she remembered that much. The boss had fallen. Then... darkness.

Her gaze swept across the ruined battlefield in confusion. She was lying inside a bone cage—thick, curved walls of skeletal armour surrounding her, crafted from Raven’s magic.

Everything outside was unnaturally quiet. Silent… too silent.

”Tess!” she croaked, crawling toward her motionless friend. ”Wake up!”

After minutes of nudging and whispering frantically, Tess stirred, her eyes blinking open in disorientation.

”Wha... what happened?”

Together, they forced themselves to their feet, leaning on each other for strength as they pushed through the brittle bone structure and emerged into the aftermath of something much, much worse than what they’d faced.

What greeted them was carnage.

The ground was littered with scorched fragments of bone, blades of fire and ice embedded in the walls, deep gashes carved into the stone floor, and trails of blood long dried.

This… this wasn’t the battlefield they remembered.

Their breaths hitched when they spotted Raven’s body, crumpled within a shallow crater, a dark red stain spreading across his torso from a blade embedded in his gut.

”Raven!” they both screamed in unison, sprinting to his side.

Ilya knelt first, hands trembling as she removed the blade and began healing him, her mana flickering in her panic.

Tess stood, scanning the surroundings with wide eyes, panic mounting in her chest. ”Where’s Lucas?!”

She wandered further while Ilya continued healing Raven, following the signs of chaos—until she froze.

A few meters away lay the grotesque corpse of a massive creature.

A humanoid beast—scaly, deformed, and terrifying. Its head had been ripped off, but its form was unlike any dungeon boss she’d ever seen.

No… this wasn’t the dungeon boss. She would’ve remembered this monster.

Her heart pounded. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Returning to the others, she found Raven sitting up, gulping down healing potions, his face pale and strained.

”Raven, what the hell happened here?!” Tess demanded, her voice shaking. ”Where’s Lucas?!”

”I… I’ll explain,” he muttered. ”But brace yourself.”

He pointed behind him—toward the monstrous corpse.

Both girls turned, blinking in disbelief.

”Lucas is… there,” Raven said quietly.

”What?” Ilya asked, frowning. ”Don’t joke around. I looked over there. There’s nothing but that monster’s corpse.”

”No... I’m saying that is Lucas.”

Silence.

Then Ilya laughed fakely.

”Quit messing with us, Raven. That thing isn’t Lucas. Don’t mess around like this. Tess, say something.”

But Tess didn’t answer. She was staring at the beast’s corpse, her face pale and expression unreadable.

”Tess?”

”I… I don’t think he’s lying,” she whispered. ”Raven... start from the beginning. Now.”

Raven’s gaze darkened. He inhaled deeply and began to speak—not just to explain, but to confess the made-up story.

”After we killed the boss and were preparing to leave, something went wrong. Its soul... it didn’t vanish. It came back. A second form—stronger, darker, and angry.”

He clenched his fists. ”It released a cursed soul wave. You two were knocked out instantly. Lucas and I resisted—barely. Then… it did something terrible. It sacrificed its own body to possess one of us. It needed a vessel.”

He paused, his jaw tightening. ”It chose Lucas.”

”No…” Ilya whispered.

”As Tess was too agile, Ilya was the opposite element—light. I’m a necromancer, immune to some mental and soul control. That left Lucas. The boss fought him. Lucas resisted with everything he had… but he was already weakened by the previous attack.”

Raven looked down, eyes full of guilt. ”I didn’t realize it at first. But when he started acting strange… when he attacked me… I knew he wasn’t in control anymore.”

Ilya staggered back. ”No... no. You’re lying. Lucas… he wouldn’t—!”

”He was possessed,” Raven said flatly. ”Red eyes, twisted smile. The boss said Lucas’s soul was fading… and he claimed his body completely.”

”No!” Ilya shouted, grabbing Raven by the collar, her eyes burning with grief. ”Tell me this is a sick joke! Say it! SAY IT!”

”I’m not lying,” he whispered.

Tess put a hand on Ilya’s shoulder. ”Let him finish.”

Taking another deep breath, Raven continued, his voice low and haunted.

”The boss… he said Lucas had a dormant dragon bloodline. That’s what he wanted. With that, he transformed… became that monster.”

Raven’s voice cracked slightly. ”He destroyed my summons. One by one. I tried everything to snap him out of it. Nothing worked. I even tried hitting him directly—one final attempt.”

He looked down at the ground, eyes hollow. ”That’s when the boss laughed when mostly defeated. Said Lucas’s soul was completely consumed. That it was too late.”

Ilya’s knees buckled.

”He attacked me again,” Raven said. ”Threw me into the wall. Told me Lucas was gone. And then… he changed. Scales. Fangs. That thing—what you saw—that’s what he became.”

Silence fell. Neither girl could speak.

Tess stepped forward, trembling. ”Lucas told me once... about a bloodline. I saw a glimpse. I thought it was just some dormant power. I never thought... never imagined...”

Raven turned his gaze to the monster’s corpse, jaw clenched as he continued.

Having found no other way to bring Lucas back, Raven made the painful choice—better to end it than risk being killed and letting him escape.

This time, he went all in.

Raven activated his exclusive skill, summoning his new undead army. He infused their weapons with dark corruption, unleashing a coordinated assault meant to overwhelm the demonic boss. The battle dragged on, brutal and relentless, but eventually, Raven prevailed.

Yet even in defeat, the cunning boss had one last trick.

In his final moments, he whispered deceit—a lie that Lucas could still be saved. That his soul lingered. In his desperation to save his friend, Raven let his guard down.

And that’s when the boss drove a sword straight through his gut.

But Raven didn’t die quietly.

Fueled by rage and betrayal, he drove a dagger into the demon’s throat, severing it in one savage motion. The act was brutal, vengeful—a final punishment for what had been done to Lucas.

And the girls saw it all.

Ilya stood frozen, her expression shattering as she burst into tears. Tess remained silent. Wordless. Her body trembled as she stepped forward, her steps shaky, drawn to the broken body ahead.

Lucas lay there, his head severed and placed beside him. His lifeless eyes stared up as if still longing for something.

Tess knelt beside him, gently cradling his hideous, bloodied head. She pressed it softly to his body as if trying to bring him back to life.

”Lucas… wake up. You promised me… You said you’d never leave me alone. So wake up… or I’ll never talk to you again. Please… no… don’t do this to me...”

Her voice cracked as she screamed, then collapsed in uncontrollable sobs.

While Tess grieved, Ilya’s sorrow twisted into rage.

She marched up to Raven, clutching his collar and screaming.

”Why did you do it?! You should’ve let him kill us! I would’ve died happy by his hands. But you… You killed him to save your pathetic life! I curse you—may your loved ones suffer worse than we are now! May your life rot in misery!”

She punched him over and over again, trying to break his mask, to rip it off. But nothing worked.

Before she could strike again, her gaze shifted—Tess had walked toward the portal, still holding Lucas’s head.

Burning with anger, Ilya gave Raven one last venomous glance, then followed Tess through the dungeon exit.

Raven stood up slowly, brushing dust from his clothes. He was just about to leave when a voice echoed in his mind, Arven.

”Kid, where do you think you’re going, leaving behind such a precious treasure?”

”Huh? Treasure? Wait... is there a hidden item here?” Raven asked, glancing around.

”Not an item. The body of Lucas—killed by your hands. I must say, your performance was impressive. Your deception held up... but you’re still lacking in many ways.”

”Yeah, yeah. Spare me the lecture.”

He walked over and stored Lucas’s body in his inventory. The dragon scales could be used later, perhaps for a Tier 1 armour set. Using them on Tier 0 would be a waste.

With one final look around, Raven stepped through the portal.

Outside the dungeon gate, the atmosphere had changed drastically.

Officials swarmed the area, documenting everything, whispering urgently among themselves. Something big was unfolding.

Eyes turned toward him.

Raven scanned the crowd until a familiar figure approached—Darian, now a high-ranking official, walked over with measured steps. He looked like he’d expected Raven to succeed.

But before Darian could even speak—

”Ilya?!” one of the officers shouted. ”What is she doing—”

Ilya’s voice cut through the air like a dagger.

”Catch him! He’s the one who killed my Lucas! He’s a murderer! Lock him up and give him the worst punishment imaginable!”

Raven sighed beneath his mask. ”This girl... such a headache.”

Before he could respond, Darian stepped in, commanding the crowd.

”What’s going on here?”

”Sir,” a senior agent reported, ”a strange incident occurred in . One of the team members was apparently possessed by a Demonic Spirit and killed by this man, Raven. But... there’s no proof of anything, so we’re at a loss.”

Darian’s lips curled into a subtle smile. The obstacle—Lucas—was gone.

”I’ll take care of the matter. Everyone else, return to your duties. Too many officials lingering here disrupt time management.”

”Yes, sir!”

The field agents scattered.

Darian turned to Tess, who stood silently, her face stained with tears, her eyes lifeless.

”I’m sorry for your loss. Nothing I say can bring him back... but the Association will do everything possible to support you in the days ahead.”

His voice was soft, but Raven—Evan—knew it was all an act.

”What a sly fox.”

”So please, return home. Staying here will only deepen your pain.”

”NO!” Ilya shrieked. ”Not until this murderer is locked up! He killed Lucas—I won’t rest until he pays!”

Her voice cracked, but her eyes burned with conviction.

”Miss Ilya,” Raven said, his tone steady, ”I told you the truth. Accusing me won’t bring him back. And if you really loved Lucas, you’d honour his memory, not taint it with hatred.”

”Yes, Miss Ilya,” Darian added, stepping in. ”Please take Tess home. Making decisions in a state like this will only lead to more regret.”

”No!” she snapped. ”I demand a full investigation. I want to know the truth. Maybe Raven killed him for a bounty. Maybe he lied. I’ll find out everything.”

”Enough,” Raven snapped. His composure finally cracked. ”You think I wanted to kill him? Do you think I enjoyed it?! I had no choice. It was my duty to protect you both, even if it meant bearing the weight of his death!”

”Oh, now you play the hero?” Ilya hissed. ”What arrogance! Maybe you’re the one possessed! A necromancer like you is the perfect vessel for demonic influence!”

Gone was the gentle, saintly girl. In her place stood a woman burning with grief and fury.

Raven let out a long breath. ”You’re a mess right now, Ilya. Go rest. Maybe then you’ll figure out what’s true and what’s not.”

”And I don’t need your advice!” she shot back. ”Mr. Darian, I request a complete investigation. This case stinks of lies.”

”Very well,” Darian replied. ”But no more arguing. All three of you are to return home. If Raven is found guilty... I will personally ensure he receives a punishment worse than death.”

He stepped forward, placing his hand over Lucas’s head.

A strange formation began to glow—activating something deep within.

A faint blue glow shimmered within Lucas’s lifeless eyes as the formation ended. Darian slowly lowered his hand, exhaling deeply while wiping the sweat from his brow.

”What happened?” Evan asked sharply. ”What did you just do?”

Darian turned to them, his voice low and weighted. ”I used a Tier 2 mental dive formation on his brain. It allowed me to access his memories for the last twenty-four hours before death... and the results are... well, shocking.”

Tess and Ilya froze as Darian continued.

”The truth is, what Raven told you all was correct. Lucas was indeed possessed by a powerful boss-level spirit. In the memories, I saw everything—up until the moment his fight with Raven began. After that, there was nothing. It was like someone else took over. That’s all the confirmation I need.”

He paused, his eyes darkening. ”So yes, Raven told the truth. Still, for protocol’s sake, we’ll conduct a secondary safety verification. But for now, you’re all free to leave.”

Darian didn’t share what truly shook him—the other secrets buried in Lucas’s memories. A C- grade Class with an SSS-Grade talent? Techniques hidden even from CGA records? The boy had more to him than anyone realized. But the truth was locked away with the dead—and Darian wasn’t about to reveal anything beyond the necessary.

The silence among the trio was heavy.

Tess broke into tears once again, her body trembling. Evan stood still, unsure whether Darian was genuinely siding with him or simply following procedure. Meanwhile, Ilya’s face was unreadable—shocked and seething all at once.

”No... I don’t believe it!” Ilya suddenly snapped. ”You’re covering for him! You’re aligned with him, I know it! I’m taking this to the Branch Manager—she’ll see the truth!”

”Ilya, stop,” Tess whispered hoarsely, grabbing her sister’s arm. Her eyes were swollen, her voice hollow. ”If Sir Darian says Raven told the truth… then maybe he did. Don’t make things worse.”

”But sis—”

”No! We’ve got nothing to prove otherwise. Just your hunch. I can’t stand here any longer—I’ll lose it.” Tess’s voice broke again. She clutched her chest, barely keeping herself together. ”Let’s go.”

”...Fine,” Ilya said reluctantly, shooting one last glare at Darian.

But just as they were about to leave, Ilya turned back—and what she saw shattered the last sliver of her trust.

Raven and Darian stood by the door, shaking hands with casual smiles.

It was like a punch to the gut.

Her instincts had been right all along.

As they reached the taxi, Ilya stopped suddenly.

”Sis Tess, go home without me. I’ll be back within the hour,” she said firmly. ”Please... just rest. And whatever happens, don’t do anything reckless while I’m gone. I promise I’ll take care of this.”

”But wait—” Tess started, but the door slammed shut.

Ilya was already gone, marching back with grim determination.

”This girl… what is she planning?” Tess murmured as the taxi pulled away.

Inside CGA Headquarters

Darian and Evan stood alone in a restricted corridor.

”So... you really did it.” Darian exhaled. ”I don’t know how you pulled it off, but thanks to you, this burden is finally lifted from my shoulders.”

”It was my job,” Evan replied calmly. ”Now... is my request ready?”

”Don’t worry. You can send him here tomorrow. But be cautious. That girl—Ilya—she’s not going to let this go. I can sense it.”

Evan chuckled lightly. ”I expected as much. I’ll vanish for a while.”

”Good. And remember, this stays between us. If word gets out—”

”My lips are sealed,” Evan interrupted. ”This is the last you’ll see of me, anyway.”

Darian paused. ”You really went this far... for someone else? You didn’t ask for payment. You requested a favour for a third party. Why?”

”Call it repaying a debt,” Evan replied with a distant look in his eyes. ”You wouldn’t understand.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Darian stared after him, puzzled. There was something about this Raven. Something deeper.

The last image from Lucas’s memory lingered in Darian’s mind—Lucas, peeking at Raven’s status window, eyes wide with disbelief.

This boy was hiding something.

But Darian wasn’t foolish enough to meddle with people backed by artifacts and skills of that caliber.

The Lucas matter… was closed. At least for now.

Outside the CGA

Evan stepped out into the fading light, the CGA building behind him. As he walked, a faint pressure brushed against his senses.

A killing intent. Weak, but distinct.

He didn’t react, didn’t even glance around.

Whoever it was—they were following him. And he would lead them.

Turning down a different path, Evan took a slow detour, deliberately avoiding the direction of his home. He walked toward a quiet alley not far from the CGA, stepping inside until the sounds of the street disappeared.

He stopped.

”...You can come out now,” he called softly. ”There’s no point hiding. That level of killing intent is easy to sense.”

Silence.

Evan narrowed his eyes, then raised his hand.

One of his undead summons appeared in a flash of necrotic energy.

”Attack,” he ordered.

The summon leaped forward—only for a sharp crystal shard, glowing with a mix of pale green and white, to pierce through its chest.

The summon shattered instantly, fading into black mist.

Evan’s eyes turned sharp. ”So my intuition was right... it’s you.”

From the shadows, a figure stepped into view.

Ilya.

Her wand trembled slightly in her grip, her face twisted with fury and heartbreak.

”I knew it,” she hissed. ”I knew you were hiding something…”

—To Be Continued

What will happen now?

Will Ilya strike? Or is she here with something else in mind?

The tension is thick, and the night is just beginning.

Stay tuned to find out what unfolds next…