She looked interested, so he went on.

"I can help you get powerful mediums to summon stronger beings. And with your mana pool, you can form multiple contracts easily. Honestly, your talent pairs perfectly with your class."

Lily nodded slowly.

"…Yeah. When you put it like that, it makes sense."

She looked down at the books in her hands, then back at him.

"But that kind of power will attract attention."

Mike shrugged.

"That's unavoidable. Power always does."

She thought for a moment.

"Alright. I'll focus on necromancy and summoning. No half measures."

"Good choice," Mike said. "Then we'll plan your growth properly."

Lily asked, "What should I do first?"

"First," Mike replied, "learn the new skills. Master control before expanding. Skeleton Knight and Skeleton Grand Mage will already put you above most mages at your level."

She nodded seriously.

"And the drake?"

"Let it grow naturally," Mike said. "Train it as your frontline. You stay behind and control the field."

Lily smiled faintly.

"…You really planned this out."

"Of course," Mike said. "If I'm investing, I invest properly."

She rolled her eyes.

"I think you are shameless who is taking advantage of your friend" She said.

"And you are letting me take it" Mike nodded shamelessly.

Lily stared at him for a second, then sighed.

"…I walked right into that, didn't I?"

Mike shrugged.

"You could still refuse."

She shook her head.

"No. I won't. I'm not stupid enough to throw away this chance."

She sat down on the bed, placing the skill books carefully beside her.

"I'll pay you back. Not in money—but in results."

Mike nodded.

"That's enough for me."

"Anyway, just learn those skills. I want to test something," Mike said.

Lily nodded.

She poured a bit of mana into each skill book. One by one, the books dissolved into light and flowed into her body as the knowledge settled in.

"…Done," she said, exhaling slowly. "I've learned them."

"Good," Mike replied.

"Now I just need corpses," Lily added.

Mike nodded.

"Then let's go to a dungeon and test them."

Soon after, the two of them left the house and headed to the nearest dungeon.

It was called Greenwood Plains.

A Rank 1 dungeon, inhabited by dire wolves, goblins, and orcs.

They registered at the entrance, waited for their turn, and then stepped inside.

The moment they entered, their surroundings changed.

The dungeon looked like a normal forest at first—blue sky above, green grass below—but the trees had a strange green sheen along their trunks, as if infused with mana.

That eerie glow was what gave the dungeon its name.

Greenwood Plains.

Mike looked at the map in his hand, which he had bought earlier before entering.

Unlike Rank 0 dungeons, Rank 1 dungeons were massive—closer to entire continents than simple hunting grounds. Without a map, it was easy to get lost.

That was why he had bought one, allowing him to navigate the dungeon properly.

Mike looked around carefully, comparing the scenery with the markings on the map.

"From the looks of it, we're on the west side of the Greenwood Plains," he said.

Lily nodded.

"I can sense a lot of lifeforms nearby," she added, activating her mana sense. "They're spread out, but there are several clusters."

"Dire wolves, most likely," Mike said. "They hunt in packs around this area."

As if on cue, a low growl echoed from between the trees.

Leaves rustled.

Yellow eyes began to appear in the shadows.

Lily stiffened slightly.

"…Found them."

A pack of dire wolves stepped out from the undergrowth. Their bodies were larger than normal wolves, muscles thick, fangs exposed, with green mana faintly flowing through their fur.

Mike calmly drew his sword.

"Good. Start with these."

"I'll kill them all first," Mike said. "Then you can start with your undead."

Before Lily could reply, he dashed forward.

His figure blurred.

Each swing of his sword was clean and precise. Black mana flashed with every strike, and a dire wolf fell each time. No wasted movement. No hesitation.

One by one, the wolves collapsed.

Within seconds, the clearing was silent.

The ground was littered with dire wolf corpses.

Lily stared at the scene, then slowly looked at Mike.

"…You didn't leave a single one alive."

Mike wiped his blade and shrugged.

"Easier for you this way."

She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Alright," Lily said, raising her hand. "Let's try necromancy."

Dark mana spread out from her body like mist, wrapping around the fallen wolves.

"Skeleton Knight Creation."

Dark mana flowed from Lily's hand and seeped into the pile of corpses.

The flesh on the dire wolf bodies rapidly decayed, crumbling into ash as the bones were pulled together by her mana. Instead of multiple undead forming, the bones began to merge—compressing, reshaping, and reinforcing each other.

Crack. Grind.

The skeletons fused into a single form.

Bone plates thickened, overlapping like armor. The structure grew larger and denser, far sturdier than a normal undead. A heavy skeletal frame rose from the ground, standing upright.

Clank.

A Skeleton Knight stepped forward.

Its bones were darkened and reinforced, its eye sockets burning with a cold blue flame. A crude bone blade formed in its hand, and a thick bone shield locked into place on its other arm.

The surrounding area fell silent.

Lily froze.

"…Only one?"

Mike nodded.

"There were thirteen dire wolves. Skeleton Knight Creation doesn't make numbers—it makes quality. All the materials went into one unit."

Lily focused, testing the connection.

The Skeleton Knight responded instantly, lowering its shield and kneeling before her.

"Hm… I feel like it can grow stronger," Lily said.

Mike nodded.

"Skeleton Knights usually need at least twenty bodies to be created properly. That's probably why it feels weaker to you."

"Now, let me try what I wanted," Mike said.

He stepped forward, placed his hand on the Skeleton Knight's head, and activated his talent.

Midas Touch.

A golden glow spread over the Skeleton Knight's body.

"…I can use it on him again," Mike said, grinning.

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