Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Mine Secured

In the game, he had fought countless times, cleared raids, faced bosses stronger than this. Back then, it was just mechanics, timing, and numbers on a screen.

Here, it was real. Every hit carried weight, and every mistake could have ended him, and that made it better.

Aiden let out a quiet laugh.

“…Yeah… this is better.”

Footsteps echoed behind him.

Graveknit approached slowly, its stitched body still, but its gaze fixed on the fallen beast.

“Congratulations, my lord.”

Aiden glanced at it, still catching his breath.

“Ha… thank you.”

His eyes returned to the corpse.

For a moment, he just stared at it, as if measuring something.

Then his expression shifted slightly.

“…Now.”

A faint glint appeared in his eyes.

“Let’s see if this works.”

Aiden stepped closer to the beast’s body, stopping just beside its massive head.

’Beasts gave me experience,’ he thought. ’So it should be possible.’

He raised his hand.

Cold energy gathered around his fingers, faint at first, then growing denser.

“Lord of the Dead.”

The moment he activated the skill, a chilling presence spread through the clearing.

The air dropped in temperature.

A dark, necrotic energy seeped out from Aiden’s hand and flowed into the beast’s corpse, sinking into its flesh, its bones, its very core.

For a moment, nothing happened.

The body remained still.

Lifeless.

Aiden narrowed his eyes slightly.

“…Come on.”

He used it again.

The corpse twitched.

Just once.

Then again, stronger this time.

A low, distorted sound escaped from the beast’s throat, something between a growl and a broken breath.

Graveknit watched closely.

“My lord… it is reacting.”

Aiden didn’t look away.

He focused harder, forcing the energy deeper, binding it, reshaping it, pulling the dead flesh back into motion.

The beast’s limbs jerked.

Its claws scraped weakly against the ground.

Then suddenly, its body arched slightly, as if something inside it had snapped into place.

Aiden’s eyes sharpened.

“…There.”

The energy surged one final time.

Then everything stilled.

For a brief moment, it looked like it had failed.

Then, the beast moved.

Slowly, heavily, its massive body pushed itself up from the ground.

Its eyes opened again. But this time, there was no life in them.

Only a faint, cold glow.

The presence it gave off had changed completely.

No longer wild.

No longer uncontrolled.

Aiden lowered his hand slowly, watching it stand.

Then he smiled.

“…It worked.”

Graveknit bowed its head slightly.

“Congratulations, my lord.”

Aiden looked at the newly risen undead beast, his eyes calm but satisfied.

“Thank you.”

He let out a quiet breath.

—-

By the time Aiden returned to the town, the sky had already begun to dim.

The carriage rolled through the gates without delay, its wooden frame creaking softly as the bone horse slowed to a stop. The guards did not question him. They simply lowered their heads as he passed, their hollow eyes following his every movement.

Behind the carriage, the newly risen beast walked in silence.

Its massive form drew attention immediately. Even the undead paused for a brief moment, their empty gazes settling on it before lowering again in silent acknowledgment.

Aiden stepped down first.

His body still carried the marks of the fight. Dried blood stained parts of his clothes, and his movements were a little heavier than usual, but his expression remained calm.

Graveknit followed behind him.

“My lord, your injuries.”

“I’ll deal with them later,” Aiden replied without looking back.

His eyes moved across the town instead.

Everything was quiet.

Orderly.

The undead moved without rest, without complaint, continuing their tasks as if time meant nothing to them.

Aiden gave a small nod.

“…Good.”

He turned slightly.

“Graveknit.”

The stitched undead straightened.

“Yes, my lord.”

Aiden’s gaze lingered on the town for a moment longer before he spoke again.

“I need miners.”

Graveknit did not hesitate.

“I will gather them immediately.”

Aiden nodded once.

“Not just anyone. Find those who worked in mining before.”

Graveknit’s stitched face did not change, but it understood.

“Yes, my lord.”

It turned and left at once, its movements quick and precise as it disappeared into the deeper parts of the town.

Aiden remained where he was.

The town moved around him in silence.

Undead carried materials, repaired damaged structures, and stood guard along the walls without a single complaint or sign of fatigue. No one stopped. No one slowed down.

They did not need to eat, they did not need to rest, and they did not tire.

Aiden watched them for a while, his eyes calm.

“Having an undead people, is very efficient.”

Behind him, the undead beast he had just created stood still like a statue, waiting for orders. Its massive frame cast a long shadow across the ground as the light faded further.

A few of the lesser undead kept their distance from it, instinctively giving way despite having no true fear.

After some time, Graveknit returned.

It was not alone.

Behind it were several undead, their bodies thinner, their movements slightly different from the others. Their hands were rough, their posture slightly hunched, as if shaped by years of labor even in death.

They stopped a few steps away and lowered their heads.

Graveknit spoke.

“My lord. Former miners. Stone workers. Some from before the town fell, others gathered from nearby remains.”

Aiden studied them carefully.

Aiden looked over them for a moment before speaking.

“You will return to the mine we found,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “Clear the tunnels. Extract anything of value. Ores and anything that can be used.”

One of them, an undead who still had a miner’s helmet hanging loosely from his head, stepped forward slightly.

“My lord… the mine is occupied, is it not?”

“It was,” Aiden replied.

He glanced back slightly.

The massive undead beast behind him shifted, letting out a low, hollow sound.

“That was the strongest one inside.”

The meaning was clear.

The others would not be a problem.

The miner gave a slow nod.

“I understand.”

Another undead spoke up, a woman with dirt still clinging to her sleeves.

“How many should go, my lord?”

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