[Current Location: The Grand Mana Library]
[Time: 02:00 AM (Stealth Mode)]
The National Hunter Academy Library was a cathedral of knowledge. Floating candles lit up millions of books that spiraled up into a ceiling painted like the galaxy.
Normal students (Class A-E) came here to study Fireballs or Healing magic.
Ryan came here for something else.
He stood in the shadows of the "History Section," wearing his [Shadow Cloak] (Rank: Rare). The cloak blended him perfectly into the darkness, making him invisible to the naked eye and low-level magical sensors.
In his hand, he held the [Expired ID Card] he found on the dead girl's body in the dungeon.
Name: Alice Ironwood.
Father: Headmaster Ironwood.
"Ironwood..." Ryan muttered. "Wait. The guy who tested me at the entrance... Professor Ironwood? Is he the father?"
If the Headmaster/Professor fed his own daughter to a dungeon monster... this Academy was sicker than he thought.
Ryan needed proof. And proof was usually hidden in the Restricted Section.
He walked past the sleeping Librarian (an old elf who was drooling on the desk) and approached the massive iron door at the back of the library.
A glowing red sign read: [DANGER: FORBIDDEN ARTS. NO ENTRY.]
The door was sealed with a Level 5 Magical Lock. Even a tank couldn't break it.
"System," Ryan whispered. "Can we hack it?"
[System Analysis: This is a Mana Lock. Host has 0 Mana.]
[Solution: Use the 'Rusty Crowbar'. It has the property 'Break Spirit Barriers'.]
Ryan grinned. "I love this crowbar."
He pulled out the trusty, bloodstained tool. He jammed the sharp end into the magical seal.
FIZZZZT!
The red magic sparked angrily.
"INTRUDER!" a magical mouth formed on the door screamed. "YOU DARE—"
WHACK!
Ryan smashed the crowbar against the mouth.
"Shhh. People are sleeping."
CRACK.
The magical seal shattered like glass. The door creaked open.
[System Notification: You have broken into a Restricted Area.]
[Fear Points: +200 (The door is afraid of you).]
Ryan slipped inside.
Inside the Restricted Section.
The air here was cold and smelled of old paper and blood. The books here weren't floating happily. They were chained to the shelves. Some books were growling. Some were bleeding ink.
Ryan walked down the aisle labeled "Dark Arts".
He was looking for a specific type of magic.
He had no Mana. So he couldn't learn Fire, Ice, or Lightning.
But his System used Fear. And Fear was the fuel for Necromancy.
Suddenly, a black book on the top shelf began to shake.
Clank. Clank.
It pulled against its chains. Dark smoke poured out of it.
"COME CLOSER..." a voice whispered in Ryan's head. "I WILL GIVE YOU POWER... JUST OPEN ME..."
Ryan looked at the book.
[System Scan]
[Item: Grimoire of the Shadow King]
[Grade: A-Rank (Cursed)]
[Effect: Contains powerful Necromancy spells. Warning: Will try to eat the user's soul.]
Ryan reached up and grabbed the book.
The book's cover (made of human skin) formed a mouth and bit Ryan's hand.
CHOMP!
"Ow!" Ryan frowned. "Bad book!"
He activated his [Ghost Touch] skill and slapped the book.
SMACK!
The book yelped. "UNHAND ME, MORTAL! I AM THE SHADOW KING! I WILL CONSUME—"
SMACK!
"Quiet."
SMACK!
"Sit."
Ryan held the book down on a table. The book trembled. It had consumed hundreds of weak mages over the centuries, but this guy... this guy was treating it like a misbehaving puppy.
[System Notification: The Grimoire is terrified. +500 Fear Points.]
[The Grimoire has submitted.]
Ryan opened the pages.
Instead of trying to steal his soul, the text rearranged itself instantly to be easy to read.
Chapter 1: How to Raise the Dead for Dummies.
Ryan read fast. His System scanned the pages, downloading the knowledge directly into his brain.
[Ding! Learning Skill...]
[Skill Acquired: 'Shadow Extraction' (Level 1)]
Description: You can pull the shadow of a recently deceased being and turn it into a loyal soldier. Shadows require 0 Mana but consume 'Fear Points' to exist.
[Skill Acquired: 'Spirit Talker' (Passive)]
Description: You can understand the language of the dead.
Ryan closed the book.
"Perfect."
Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped to absolute zero.
The shadows in the corner of the room elongated.
A figure stepped out of the darkness.
It wasn't a teacher. It wasn't a guard.
It was a student.
He wore the uniform of the Student Council. He had silver hair and glasses that reflected the moonlight. He held a rapier (thin sword) that glowed with holy light.
"Ryan," the student said calmly. "Class F. The anomaly."
Ryan turned around slowly, hiding the Grimoire behind his back.
"Library is closed, buddy. Do you have a pass?"
The silver-haired student pushed his glasses up.
"I am Liam. Vice President of the Student Council. And the Keeper of the Restricted Section."
Liam pointed his rapier at Ryan.
"You broke the seal. You touched a Forbidden Book. According to Academy Rule #45, I am authorized to execute you on sight."
[System Warning: Enemy Detected.]
[Target: Liam (A-Rank Hunter)]
[Class: Paladin (Holy Element).]
[Danger Level: High. Holy Magic deals 200% damage to you because you carry Dark Items.]
Ryan gulped.
A Paladin. The natural enemy of a Necromancer.
And Ryan had no army. Grog was sleeping in the dorm.
Liam charged. He was fast. Much faster than the Headless Butcher.
SWISH!
The rapier aimed for Ryan's heart.
Ryan dodged barely, the blade cutting his cheek.
"Whoa! Let's talk about this!"
"No talk," Liam said coldly. "Die, traitor."
He swung again. Ryan backed into a shelf. He was cornered.
The Holy Light from Liam's sword burned Ryan's skin.
"Think, Ryan, think!"
He had the Desert Eagle, but Liam was too fast.
He had the Crowbar, but he couldn't get close.
Then, he remembered the [Expired ID Card] in his pocket.
"WAIT!" Ryan shouted, holding up the ID card like a shield. "If you kill me, you'll never know what happened to Alice!"
Liam froze.
The tip of his glowing sword stopped one millimeter from Ryan's eyeball.
Liam's calm expression shattered. His eyes widened with shock and pain.
"Alice?" Liam's voice cracked. "Where... where did you get that name?"
Ryan lowered the card slowly, seeing the reaction.
Jackpot.
Liam wasn't just a guard. He knew Alice. Maybe he was her boyfriend? Her brother?
"I found her," Ryan said, his voice turning serious. "Deep in the Shadow Dungeon. She's dead, Liam. Murdered."
Liam's hand trembled. The holy light on his sword flickered and died.
"Dead? No... the Headmaster said she transferred to another school... he said she was safe..."
"He lied," Ryan said ruthlessly. "He fed her to the dungeon. I saw her corpse. I have her card."
Ryan tossed the ID card to Liam.
Liam caught it. He looked at the photo. Tears welled up in his eyes.
[System Notification: You have inflicted 'Emotional Damage' on an A-Rank Hunter.]
[Fear Points: +1000]
But Ryan didn't attack.
He saw an opportunity.
An A-Rank Paladin who hated the Headmaster? That was better than a dead enemy. That was a potential ally.
"Liam," Ryan said softly. "The Academy is rotten. The Headmaster is a monster. I'm going to burn this place down and expose the truth."
Ryan extended his hand.
"You can kill me. Or... you can help me kill him."
Liam stared at the ID card. Then at Ryan.
The sadness in his eyes turned into a burning rage. A rage so deep it felt colder than death.
He sheathed his sword.
"If you are lying," Liam whispered, "I will kill you slowly."
"I never lie about loot," Ryan shrugged.
Liam adjusted his glasses. The light reflected off them, hiding his eyes.
"Fine. I will cover for you tonight. But tomorrow... you show me the body."
[System Notification: New Ally Unlocked?]
[Liam (The Vengeful Paladin) is now Neutral.]
Ryan grinned.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Vice President."
He walked out of the Restricted Section with a Forbidden Book in his bag and the strongest student in the Academy as a potential weapon.
The Wolf wasn't just in the sheep pen anymore.
The Wolf was starting to build a pack.