The gate was dark, but something was calling him from inside.
The inside of the ruin felt old—older than anything Suho had entered before. The air was cold and thick with dust. Cracked stone pillars stood like tired guardians around the chamber, and broken murals covered the walls. The ground had strange red lines drawn in a circle, pulsing faintly with dark light.
In the center of the room stood a monster.
It was huge—easily over three meters tall—with a body made from stitched-up corpses, old armor, and rusted weapons. Where its head should have been was a stone mask, half-broken, carved with unreadable symbols.
The monster turned its head slowly toward them as if it could see without eyes.
A message flashed before Suho's eyes.
[Gate Guardian: Gravekin Sentinel – Mutated]
Danger Rating: C+]
"Everyone," Suho said calmly, "stay sharp."
The Battle Begins
The Gravekin Sentinel let out a deep, low roar. Then, suddenly, it charged.
BOOM.
Its heavy steps shook the floor. It raised four weapons—two swords, a hammer, and something that looked like a large iron bone—and brought them crashing down.
"Minho, take the front!" Suho shouted.
Minho raised his shield just in time. "I got it!"
But the force of the blow pushed him back several meters.
Caldran, Suho's undead knight, blocked the second hit with his sword. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal. The Chimera undead leaped onto the beast's side, biting into its shoulder.
"Mirae!" Suho called.
"I'm ready—[Flame Javelin]!"
A flaming spear shot from Mirae's hands and struck the Gravekin's mask. The mask cracked, and a small piece fell off. The creature screamed in rage.
It swung again.
This time, Caldran dodged and slashed across its thigh. The Chimera tore off one of the beast's extra arms.
"Hojin, now!" Suho said.
The tracker darted behind the creature and threw two knives, hitting the glowing red runes on the floor. As the symbols broke, the monster stumbled and became slower.
Suho took his chance.
He stepped forward, eyes glowing with the system's power.
[Bind]
Chains of ghostly bones rose from the ground and wrapped around the Gravekin's legs and arms.
"Caldran," Suho said.
The knight nodded and delivered a final, clean strike through the monster's chest.
The Gravekin fell.
The 20th
Everything became still.
The red runes faded. The black mist began to swirl around Suho.
The Necrosystem opened up inside his mind again.
Do you wish to bind this soul?
Entity: Gravekin Sentinel – Mutated
Stability: Mid.
Memory Link: None.
This will complete your Undead Limit for Soul Fragment Phase 3.
"Yes," Suho whispered.
The black mist entered his chest. The Gravekin's body shuddered… and then rose again, silent and loyal.
Suho had done it.
He now had 20 undead.
The next phase had begun.
Outside the Gate
The gate shimmered as they walked out, slowly fading behind them.
The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath.
"That thing was… something else," Minho said, leaning on his shield.
"Creepier than any mimic," Hojin added.
Mirae wiped the sweat from her brow. "Good teamwork, everyone."
Suho didn't say anything at first. He was focused on the system window in front of him.
[Undead Units: 20/20]
[Quest Progress: Soul Fragment – Phase 3 Complete]
New Location Unlocked: Sector 12 – Memory Tomb
Warning: High-Risk Zone. Memory Zone Detected.
Next Goal: Locate the Tomb Core and stabilize the soul fragment.
He smiled faintly.
Areum… I'm getting closer.
That Night – Suho's Room
Suho sat alone in the dark. His room was quiet. Only the small candlelight flickered beside him. On the table was a worn-out notebook—Areum's diary. The system projected pieces of her memories again.
"If you're seeing this, Suho... I'm probably gone."
Her voice was soft. Familiar. Warm.
"But you're still here. That means you're strong now."
Suho didn't cry. Not anymore. He had cried too many times.
He just listened.
"Don't forget me. Don't forget yourself either."
He closed the diary.
"I'm coming for you, Areum. Just wait."
The Next Morning – Preparing for Sector 12
Suho met his team near the train station that led to Sector 12.
Everyone was wearing new gear now.
Minho had a better shield and thicker armor. Hojin had faster boots and curved daggers. Mirae had a new spell orb that glowed with bright red light.
"You think we're ready for Sector 12?" Mirae asked. "The guilds say it's unstable."
"I know," Suho said. "But it's the next step."
"Then let's go," Minho said.
"Yeah," Hojin added with a grin. "Let's show the world what Team DEATH can do."
They boarded the train together.
The sun was rising.
And ahead of them…
was The Memory Tomb.
To Be Continued...