Alex smirked as he swung his dual blades, releasing a crimson and azure energy slash that tore through the guards like a storm of destruction.
The aftermath was gruesome, with body parts scattered across the floor. "Ugh, that was gross," Alex muttered, wincing as he took in the carnage.
Suddenly, a series of system notifications appeared before him:
[ Killed: Soldier. ]
[ Gained: 100 XP. ]
[ Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked the leveling sub-function of the system. ]
[ Host can now kill and level up. ]
[ Each level-up will increase all attributes by 1 point, grant 1 skill point, and provide 10 free points for distribution. ]
[ Keep hunting, Host! ]
Alex grinned. "Leveling up, huh? This just got interesting."
He opened the Beginner Undead Magic skill section to examine it further.
[ Beginner Undead Magic - Level 1 (0/1) ]
A foundational magic allowing the summoning and control of basic undead.
Leveling it up requires skill points.
Maximum level: 5.
After reaching max level, Intermediate Undead Magic will be unlocked, granting access to more powerful undead types.
"Hmm, I'll need skill points to upgrade it," Alex murmured. "Looks like I need to start farming kills."
He turned to the lifeless bodies on the ground and pointed at them. "Well, you guys are going to be useful." Raising his hand, Alex chanted, "Raise Undead."
A black mist swirled around the corpses as their flesh melted away, leaving only bare skeletons behind. Their empty eye sockets glowed with eerie green flames as they stood up, their bones rattling. The skeletal warriors retained the guns the guards once held, gripping them tightly in bony hands.
"Modern skeleton warriors with guns? That's awesome!" Alex chuckled. Inspired, he decided to push further.
He summoned more undead, using the same technique. But then an idea struck him. "What if I use Black Mana instead?"
Focusing, Alex channeled the unique mana of his Anti-Venom suit. The black mist this time was darker and denser, enveloping the bodies. When the skeletons emerged, they were different. Their bones were black, their glowing eyes emitted a crimson hue, and their stats were significantly enhanced.
[ Black Skeleton Warrior ]
Strength: 200% higher than a regular skeleton warrior.
Abilities: Enhanced durability, faster reflexes, and resistance to magical attacks.
"Now this is what I'm talking about," Alex muttered, grinning at his new creations. He repeated the process, alternating between his own mana and Black Mana. After ten minutes, he had amassed a small army: nine white skeleton warriors and eleven black skeleton warriors, all armed with rifles.
Surveying his new undead army, Alex crossed his arms. "Alright, troops. Let's raise some hell."
Alex continued his march through the building, his undead army wreaking havoc as they opened fire on anything that moved. He occasionally had to pause and rein them in when their firepower nearly hit workers scrambling to escape. "Easy, easy," Alex muttered, gesturing for the skeletal warriors to hold fire. "No shooting the innocent."
Though he didn't want to assume everyone working for Fisk was complicit in his criminal empire, Alex had no qualms about taking down those who actively tried to kill him. Those who fled or surrendered were spared, while anyone foolish enough to confront him met a grim fate at the hands of his undead soldiers. By the time he reached the lower levels of the building, his army had swelled to over 300 undead.
Alex surveyed his growing force, particularly the black skeleton warriors. Their crimson eyes glinted with menacing light, and they carried themselves with eerie precision. "Maybe these guys really are the bad ones," he muttered, watching them methodically dispatch Fisk's armed guards.
As he advanced, Alex also took the time to loot anything of value, stashing it into the seemingly infinite space of his inventory. "Might as well make the most of this raid," he said to himself, tossing piles of cash, gold, and other valuables into the inventory with a swipe of his hand. He even commandeered Fisk's weapons cache, arming his undead army with rifles, grenades, and other advanced weaponry.
At one point, Alex stumbled upon a heavily guarded room that housed a small, remote-controlled tank. He smirked. "Oh, now this is a find." He quickly had his black skeleton warriors clear out the guards and added the tank to his inventory. "Who says skeletons can't have some heavy artillery?"
With every step, Alex grew bolder. His undead force now resembled a rogue military unit, armed to the teeth and wreaking havoc throughout the building. Yet, despite the chaos, Alex made sure to leave a path for the innocent to escape, ensuring the focus remained on Fisk's criminal operatives.
"Alright," Alex said, looking at his army. "Let's see how Fisk likes losing everything in one night."
Alex laughed as he prepared a way to send a message back to the underground prison he'd escaped from. He selected a skeleton from his army and scribbled a note to attach to its head.
YOU ALL CAN RUN AWAY
P.S. Don't mind the skeleton.
He chuckled at his handiwork and sent the armed skeleton back to the prison with a command to deliver the note. To ensure the guards couldn't retaliate or use the weapons against him, Alex retracted the ammo and disabled the firing mechanisms of all the weapons in the skeleton's possession before dispatching it.
With the first floor of the building cleared and the exit secured, Alex allowed time for the innocent workers to flee.
Now, at level 3, Alex felt a surge of power coursing through him. The system informed him of his two newly earned skill points, which he immediately invested in Beginner Undead Magic. The skill advanced to level 2, increasing the efficiency and control of his undead army. He noticed he'd need one more skill points to push it to level 3.
as it currently shows
[ Beginner Undead Magic level 2 (1/2) ]
and level 2 effects were adding 20 more undead to his control.
"Well, guess I'll find more trouble upstairs," Alex muttered, glancing at his skeletal force as it regrouped behind him. The black skeleton warriors were especially impressive, their combat efficiency far surpassing the standard white skeletons.
As he ascended to the second floor, Alex reflected on the oddity of his situation. His current body was a mystery to him—it felt familiar yet alien. Aside from the system's designation of his name as Alexander King, he had no memory of who he'd been before waking in this new form.
"No point dwelling on it now," he said to himself as he reached the second floor. "If Fisk is here, I'll either get answers or bring this whole place crashing down."
He drew his twin blades—Blade of Despair and Blade of Hope—their black and white glows contrasting sharply as he pushed open the doors to the next level.