Song Woo-Ji stood amidst the battlefield, the last remnants of his Draconic Graveyard domain still flickering in the air.

The bone spear in his hand slowly crumbled, falling into dust as his body returned to its normal state.

He exhaled, a long, weary sigh escaping his lips.

“H-a-a-a-a-a-a…”

The battle had drained him—more than he was willing to admit.

His eyes flicked to the fallen body of orc, now lying motionless on the blood-soaked ground.

The Orc leader was a formidable opponent, far stronger than any he had faced before. But it wasn’t just the battle that weighed heavily on him—it was the transformation.

The Death Knight form.

Song Woo-Ji raised a trembling hand, touching his chest where the bone armor had once clung.

He could still feel the residual energy, dark and corrosive, gnawing at the edges of his soul. It was power, yes. But it came at a price.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself before calling out, “System. Report.”

The air around him shimmered, and a soft, metallic voice filled his mind.

[[ Yes, Master Song Woo-Ji.

[[ Executor Mode: Drill Breaker has been successfully executed. However, your current soul integrity has been compromised by 20%.

[[ Continued use of the Death Knight form in this state may result in irreversible damage. ]]

Song Woo-Ji grimaced.

He knew it had been dangerous.

The power of the Death Knight was immense, but every time he used it, he felt a piece of himself slipping away. It was like inviting a part of death itself to live within him.

“Fortunately, I managed to use it one last time…” His voice trailed off, his eyes narrowing. “But I can’t keep relying on it. Not like this. If I use that form too often, it’ll corrupt my soul.”

The system hummed in agreement.

[[ Affirmative.

[[ Sustained use will accelerate soul degradation. It is advised to minimize usage, Master. ]]

Song Woo-Ji’s jaw tightened.

He had no choice today—The Orc horde Leader would have killed him without the Death Knight form. But it left him vulnerable now, with barely enough energy to maintain his grip on his necromantic powers.

“What’s happening outside?” he asked, turning his gaze toward the edges of the domain where reality began to distort and fray. “How long until the Draconic Domain collapses?”

The system responded promptly.

[[ The Draconic Domain will dissipate in approximately a few minutes.

[[ External factors indicate ongoing conflict between human forces and the remaining Orc horde.

[[ Orc reinforcements have been delayed due to the incapacitation of their leader. ]]

Suddenly, from behind Song Woo-Ji, a small skeleton emerged.

It hopped onto his shoulder, a bony creature no bigger than a child’s hand.

Its hollow eyes gleamed with mischief as it tilted its head and spoke in a raspy voice.

“No, Master, the situation outside is still terrible. The humans and the Orc horde are locked in a fierce battle. But luckily for you, taking the Orc leader hostage has kept things from getting worse.”

The little skeleton chuckled. “They’re panicking without their leader. But don’t worry. Reinforcements should arrive soon. By the time they get here, you can slip out and get some rest.”

Song Woo-Ji frowned, rubbing his temples. “Tch. And here I was hoping to avoid any more of this mess.” His exhaustion weighed heavily, and the mention of reinforcements meant he had little time left.

Just as Song Woo-Ji was about to speak, a faint twitch caught his eye. His gaze shot to Volk’s corpse lying at his feet.

The massive orc’s body shuddered, muscles rippling beneath the torn flesh.

A faint movement—the slightest flicker of life.

Song Woo-Ji’s heart skipped a beat.

Volk’s eyelids fluttered, just for a moment, but then they snapped shut again, as if he had decided to play dead.

The Orc leader was far from finished.

The little skeleton on his shoulder leaned forward, peering at Volk. “Hey, master,” it said with a low hiss, “want me to reanimate this one? He’s strong. Could be useful as another undead pawn.”

Song Woo-Ji shook his head, feeling the last dredge of his energy slipping away. “No. I don’t have enough much mana left. Not after using the Death Knight form.”

The skeleton let out a disappointed sigh. “Shame. This Orc’s got some real power. Stronger than the others we’ve faced.”

Song Woo-Ji’s brow furrowed. “Other Orcs…” He cast his mind back to the dungeons he had raided before this one. There had been many. One Orc after another, each stronger than the last, each a deadly threat in their own right.

There was Krul, the Bone Crusher, from the Frostbone Peaks.

Song Woo-Ji had battled him in a frozen wasteland, every step a struggle against both the Orc and the biting cold.

Krul had wielded a massive hammer, each swing capable of shattering the frozen ground beneath their feet.

It had taken every ounce of Song Woo-Ji’s cunning to bring him down, using the ice itself to trap and break the monster.

Then there was Durk, the Flame Warden, from the Ember Crag.

That dungeon had been a furnace of heat and fire, with lava flowing like rivers through the narrow paths.

Durk had commanded the flames themselves, wielding them like weapons. Song Woo-Ji had barely escaped with his life, using his undead to shield him from the burning onslaught.

And who could forget Magra, the Shadow Skulker?

She had been a cunning adversary, lurking in the dark recesses of the Black Hollow.

Magra had moved like a phantom, slipping between the shadows, striking when least expected.

Song Woo-Ji had nearly been overwhelmed in that labyrinthine dungeon, but his necromancy had saved him, turning the very shadows she controlled against her.

The fourth, Thrag, the Ironclad, was the toughest of them all.

Deep within the Ironstone Depths, Thrag had stood like a living fortress, his body covered in thick, impenetrable armor.

No weapon had been able to pierce his defenses.

It was only through careful strategy—using his own environment against him—that Song Woo-Ji had managed to exploit a weakness, bringing the massive Orc crashing down.

As Song Woo-Ji recalled each of these battles, his eyes fell once more on Volk.

“This one’s different,” he muttered.

“Stronger than the others. Maybe because he’s a C-class Orc horde leader. The meanest, the strongest of them all.”

He glanced at the little skeleton.

“We’ll have to expect stronger monsters like this in the future. The gates are only going to get worse.”

The little skeleton tapped its bony fingers together thoughtfully. “Maybe. But for now, you’re alive. That counts for something, right?”

Song Woo-Ji grunted, his body heavy with fatigue. “For now.”

He could feel the strain pulling at him, the edge of exhaustion too sharp to ignore.

The battles were getting tougher.

The gates were opening more frequently. And the enemies coming through them… well, if Volk was any indication, they were only going to get worse.

After a few moments of silence, Song Woo-Ji exhaled deeply. “System, turn off.”

The air grew still for a moment, but before Song Woo-Ji could relax, something stirred beneath him.

His instincts flared, eyes darting to the ground where Volk lay. But was missing.

Thud.

Suddenly, a massive green hand shot up from the corpse was supposed to be, gripping Song Woo-Ji’s ankle with terrifying force.

His eyes widened in shock as the ground seemed to quake beneath him.

The grip tightened, the rough, calloused skin of the Orc’s hand digging into his flesh like iron shackles.

The little skeleton let out a high-pitched yelp, scrambling to stay perched on Song Woo-Ji’s shoulder. “Master, look out!”

But before Song Woo-Ji could react, his vision blurred as the massive hand yanked him downward.

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