Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Attacking Stoneford Town

[Death Aura

Passive Skill

The necromancer constantly emits a faint aura of death energy.

All allied undead within range receive minor enhancements to strength, endurance, and regeneration.

Living enemies within the aura will gradually feel weakened, their stamina draining faster and their minds becoming more uneasy.

This aura becomes stronger as the necromancer’s level increases.]

Aiden slowly leaned back in his chair after reading the descriptions.

His eyes reflected the glowing screen.

“Hmm…”

All of them were useful.

But some were clearly more valuable than others.

He folded his arms and stared at the skill list quietly, his mind already calculating how these abilities would work together with his undead army.

Aiden stared at the floating screen for a while longer, carefully thinking about which skills would benefit him the most.

After a few minutes, he finally nodded to himself.

“Alright… these three will do.”

His finger moved through the air and tapped the skill icons.

Grave Calling.

Bone Prison.

Death Aura.

The moment he confirmed the purchase, the icons flashed faintly.

A cold surge of energy flowed through his body. It wasn’t painful, but it felt strange, like icy water running through his veins.

For a moment, Aiden closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he could clearly feel it.

His connection to death had grown stronger.

A faint dark aura now surrounded his body. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but the undead nearby would definitely feel it.

“Death Aura… huh.”

Aiden stretched his arms lazily.

“Not bad.”

The skill screen closed automatically after that.

It had already been a long day.

Between conquering a town, gathering resources, and managing his undead army, even someone like him was starting to feel tired.

“Guess I should sleep.”

Aiden stood up, walked to the bed, and lay down.

Outside the villa, the undead town remained active through the night. Skeleton guards stood at every corner while bronze-grade undead patrolled the streets silently.

But inside the room, everything was quiet.

Within minutes, Aiden fell asleep.

—-

Morning came quickly.

Sunlight slipped through the window of the villa, lighting up the room with a warm golden glow.

He woke up, washed up, and ate a simple breakfast prepared by the wraith maids.

Not long after that, he called someone.

Inside one of the meeting rooms of the villa, a tall armored figure knelt on one knee.

The Carrion Knight.

The undead knight lowered its head respectfully.

“My lord.”

Aiden sat at the head of the table, resting his elbow on the armrest.

He looked at the knight calmly.

“I called you here because I want to test something.”

Carrion remained kneeling.

“I am listening, my lord.”

Aiden leaned back slightly.

“I want to see if you can conquer a town on your own.”

Carrion’s hollow eyes flickered faintly.

“With just you… and my undead army.”

For a moment, the room was quiet.

Then the Carrion Knight lowered its head even further.

“My lord,” it said firmly, “I will not disappoint you.”

Aiden smiled faintly.

“That’s what I like to hear.”

A few hours later…

A carriage rolled along a dusty road leading toward another settlement.

In the distance, wooden walls surrounded a town.

Stoneford Town.

The sun was high in the sky now.

It was around noon.

The carriage stopped several hundred meters away from the town walls.

Aiden stepped out first, stretching slightly as he looked toward the settlement.

Beside him stood the Carrion Knight.

Aiden glanced at the knight.

“I’ll summon the undeads now,” he said casually.

Dark mist immediately began gathering around him.

One by one, his undead appeared.

Skeleton warriors.

Bronze-grade undead.

Former body tempering practitioners.

The ground filled with silent soldiers of bone and death.

Aiden turned his head toward Carrion.

“What happens next is up to you.”

The Carrion Knight bowed slightly.

“Yes, my lord.”

Meanwhile…

On the wall of Stoneford Town.

A guard sat lazily inside the wooden watchtower.

His spear rested beside him while he leaned back against the railing.

The town had been peaceful for days.

No bandits.

No trouble.

Just boring guard duty.

He yawned and stretched his arms.

“Man… nothing ever happens here…”

Another guard nearby chuckled.

“Better that than bandits cutting your head off.”

The first guard shrugged.

“Fair enough.”

But then, he suddenly felt it.

A cold chill ran down his spine.

The air felt… wrong.

He frowned slightly and slowly stood up.

“What the hell…”

He stepped toward the edge of the tower and looked toward the road outside the town.

Then he froze.

His eyes widened.

“…What?”

In the distance, a strange gloomy aura was spreading across the road like a dark fog.

Inside that fog…

Figures were walking.

At first, he thought they were soldiers.

Armored warriors.

But something felt off.

The way they moved was stiff.

Silent.

Then he saw them clearly.

A skeleton.

Holding a sword and shield.

Walking alongside armored warriors.

More skeletons appeared behind them.

Dozens of them.

The guard blinked several times.

“…No.”

His brain refused to accept what he was seeing.

“That… that’s not possible.”

The skeleton army kept marching forward.

The guard stumbled backward inside the watchtower, his face turning pale.

“What the hell are those things…?”

The guard in the watchtower didn’t hesitate anymore.

His hands trembled as he grabbed the thick rope hanging beside the bronze bell.

Then he pulled it with all his strength.

CLANG!

The sound exploded across the entire town.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The alarm bell rang again and again, echoing through every street and alley.

People who were eating lunch froze.

Merchants stopped what they were doing.

Children playing in the streets ran toward their homes.

Inside the barracks, soldiers instantly jumped to their feet.

“Alarm?!”

“Something’s happening!”

“Get to the walls!”

Within seconds, the peaceful town fell into chaos.

Guards rushed toward the walls while others grabbed weapons and shields from the armory.

Stoneford wasn’t owned by any sect or clan.

But it still had its own military force.

Two hundred trained warriors guarded the town.

And above them were nine body tempering practitioners.

At the center of it all was the Town Lord.

A tall, broad-shouldered man wearing iron armor quickly climbed the watchtower stairs.

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