Chapter 3: Skeletons

I decided to check Rattlebones stats.

[Rattlebones(Skeleton Warrior) Lv. 1

HP: 100/100

MP: 0/0

STA: —

AP: 0

ATK: 10

DEF: 10

MAG: 0

MATK: 0

MDEF: 0

Skills: Slash Lv. 1, Block Lv. 1, Guardian Lv. 1]

I smile in satisfaction at his stats but surprised that Rattlebones just has attack and defense assuming that MATK and MDEF is magic attack and magic defense, I then take a look at his skills while he fights another skeleton.

[Slash Lv. 1

Cost: 10 Stamina

Slash down with all your might! Deals double damage but leaves you susceptible to double damage for 10 seconds]

[Block Lv. 1

Blocking reduces damage by 10% but also cuts your damage in half]

[Guardian Lv. 1

All defensive skills and stats are doubled when protecting somebody else]

I found [Guardian] especially interesting since that means that defense would be 14 while he protects me.

[You killed a [Skeleton Lv. 2] gained 20 XP!]

I smile and look back over to the fight and see that my skeleton is damaged, I come over and make him kneel down before putting my hand on his head and I sigh.

Usually negative energy or dark magic can heal undead so I try activating my magic by visualizing that black fog in my mind, I imagine it being corrosive and destructive to all that come into contact with it. Soon enough the black fog manifests into my hand and I try to concentrate it into the skeleton.

Sure enough the skeleton starts healing all damage done to it and I got a notification.

[You have learned the spell: [Necrotic Healing]!]

I smile at having a new spell and let him get back up before heading over to the now dead skeleton and activate [Prepare Lesser Corpse] before selecting [Skeleton Mage].

This time instead of using leather bindings I took my dagger and started carving veins and runes into the skeleton, allowing me to get a new skill.

[You have learned the skill: [Rune Carving] and unlocked the [Runes] menu!]

[You have completed the hidden quest: [Unlock a new menu] and are rewarded with 500 XP!]

I was surprised at the sudden skill and even a menu, and 500 XP? Isn't that way too much?

[You have leveled up to Level 4!]

"Runes" I command after I finish carving the runes into the skeleton

[[Runes]

[Runic formulas]]

I press [Runes] only to be met with a screen with a bunch of question mark boxes "shit…" I scroll through the menu for a while until I can't anymore, I have unlocked 3 runes: Magic, Imbue, and Death.

I looked through [Runic Formulas] and found that I had only unlocked [Imbue Magic].

I shake my head and decide to ask the system about it when I get the system AI, I then cast [Animate Lesser Corpse] and the black fog covers the skeleton gently this time and slowly it all get absorbed into the skeleton instead of the usual forcing its way in, I assume this is because of the runes I carved into the skeleton.

The skeleton gets up and looks around with its red glowing eyes before kneeling to me.

"I shall name you… Merlin" I smile "as my first skeleton mage, your name is Merlin"

They skeleton clacks its jaw in thanks before getting up and I check its status

[Merlin(Skeleton Mage) Lv. 1

HP: 100/100

MP: 100/100

STA: —

AP: 0

ATK: 0

DEF: 0

MAG: 10

MATK: 10

MDEF: 10

Spells: Necrotic Ball Lv. 1, Summon Lesser Skeletal Minion Lv. 1, Ward Lv. 1]

[Necrotic Ball] is just my [Necrotic Bolt] but bigger and slower but explodes when it hits, [Summon Lesser Skeletal Minion] is a summoning spell to summon a temporary undead, and [Ward] sets up a large magical barrier that blocks incoming damage for a set amount which was 100 right now.

I smile in satisfaction and find another skeleton to test my 2 skeletons against another creature and sure enough we find some, five of them

[Goblin Lv. 1] x5

The goblins are short, green, and very very ugly.

They make screeching noises as they spot us and I have Merlin put up a [Ward] as Rattlebones uses [Slash] on all five of them, slicing them all in half.

[You killed a [Goblin Lv. 1] gained 50 XP!] x5

[You have leveled up!]

[You have completed the quest: [Reach Level 5] and [System AI] as a reward!]

"Holy shit- if this is level one, I wonder what you'll be like when you level up!" I exclaim

[Skeletons cannot be leveled up but instead upgraded with the right materials]

"AH!" I fall over

I quickly get up and brush myself off, the system sounds like a robotic woman which startled the hell out of me.

"Uhm… Hi?"

[Hello, I am the Lich System AI, I am here to help you become this worlds ultimate villain]

"...ok so lets start asking you questions" I say "first things first, what was that thing about needing materials to upgrade my undead?" I ask

[Undead cannot level up but instead be upgraded by giving them better equipment, undead also have 'Quality' shown in the way of levels instead of being levels of power, power is determined by equipment and stats]

I nod "ok makes sense.. Next question: whats up with runes? How do I unlock them and how do I use them?"

[You unlock [Runes] by meditating in places that rune resonates with, for example: A graveyard may give birth to a [Rune] of Dead or Necrotic nature. This is all I am allowed to say on how to unlock [Runes]]

[You use [Runes] by carving them into a surface or [REDACTED] by unlocking the [REDACTED] skill]

"What- why was that part redacted?"

[You do not have the authority to learn about skills you do not have]

"I see… what is the average stat for a human adult in this world?"

[10 is the average]

"...is this body exactly like my old one?"

[No, your physical age is 10 years of age and is worse than your old body as it was built to house the optimal necromancer build. I'm quite surprised you decided to raise your charisma first thing as it has no real value if you are not a Demon King or Overlord, may I inquire as to why you chose to take this course of action?]

I smile "Personal preference" I say simply "I may not know what I look like but Id like to not frighten anyone with my appearance once I leave this place"

[I see, I will consider a persons 'personal preference' from now on]

"Now, final question: why am I actually here? Why did I have the option to be a villain or hero?'

[You may not have access to that information at this moment in time]

"Shit- I was really hoping Id get an answer"

[Just know that your goal is either to rule the world, or destroy it]

"Got it. Hey system, you sound oddly human" I say "are you alive?"

[I am not officially alive as I have no soul but that does not mean I do not have preference, I am like the 'Chat bots' from your world but much more advanced as I have information on everything you could possibly have questions about like a search engine, I guess you could call me a librarian]

"I see, should I call you Librarian from now on?"

[I'd prefer if you kept calling me Lich System as that is my official name but System works as well]

"Alright system, any suggestions on how I should get out of here?" I ask

[Would you like to access the map?]

"Cool, I have a map?"

[Would you like me to tell you the list of menus you have?]

"Yes please"

[System Menus are as follows: Status, Inventory, Map, Minions, Quests, Tutorial]

"Tell me about tutorial" I say

[the Tutorial tab is a list of quests to teach you how to manage your abilities, you only have 1 quest available at the moment as well as a [Magic Scholar's Starter Pack]]

I bring up the tutorial tab to see what quest and starter pack

[Tutorial Quest 1.0

Level requirement: Level 1

Claim the dungeon by getting to its core and infusing your magic into it

Reward: Rotting staff, Subclass]

[Magic Scholar's Starter Pack

Grade: A

Quality: Perfect]

[Open [Magic Scholar's Starter Pack]?]

[Y/N]

I press 'Y' and look at my inventory

[Infinite Journal

Grade: S

Quality: Perfect

A journal with Infinite pages, thought it might look thin you only need to speak the page number and the page will open up for you]

[Infinite Quill

Grade: B

Quality: Perfect

A quill that creates its own ink from the users mana]

[Book: Basics of Mana Craft and spell composition

Grade: B

Quality: Perfect]

I smile, this was a satisfactory result, I hope I get more packages like this. I take the book of mana craft and spell composition out of my inventory and start to read it.

Time flies by as my skeletons protect me and I read my book. The basics of mana craft and spell composition is actually quite interesting even if its a little boring at the start: It goes in depth about how to create 'Spell Formulas' which create a magic circle. I tried creating one out of my weird black gas magic but I could only form a circle and not the intricate designs of it.

"System, why cant I form a proper spell circle?" I asked

[your intelligence must be 20 or higher to create a spell circle because of its intricate designs, you must focus on all aspects of the circle at once]

"..shit, and I spent all my points on charisma" I say

[You have 8 AP remaining, I suggest you put 5 points in intelligence now, would you like me to do that for you?]

"You can manage my stats for me?"

[Yes, if you like I can automatically allocate your points depending on the style of play you are best suited for]

"Yes, please do that" I realize something "wait- style of play? What do you mean?"

[I seemed to have not mentioned that you are in a competition of sorts, my mistake]

[You are in competition for this worlds fate with the hero to amuse the lords of fate]

"What are the lords of fate?"

[You do not have access to that information at this moment, please reach level 100]

"What!" I sigh "we are playthings I guess, is that right?"

[Yes]

"And do the gods know about these 'lords of fate'?"

[No, they believe they are the highest beings in the universe, they do not even have knowledge on the multiverse]

[The hero has a system given to him by the gods which I am modeled after, I am superior though in every way]

"Ok… anyways, system, allocate my points for me from now on"

[Affirmative]

I look at my stats now

[Status

Name: Varen NIghtshade

Class: Necromancer

Level: 5 (10/500)

Health: 50/50

Stamina: 30/30

Mana: 200/200

AP: 0

Strength: 1

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 20

Magic: 20

Speed: 3

Agility: 3

Charisma: 10

Luck: 11

Spells: Necrotic Bolt Lv. 1, Animate Lesser Corpse Lv. 1, Horrid Laughter Lv. 1, Necrotic Healing Lv. 1

Skills: Prepare Lesser Corpse Lv. 1, Butcher Corpse Lv. 1, Rune Carving Lv. 1]