Dave waved away the level UP notification, he leveled up twice reaching level 357 and was 20% EXP away from level 358. Usually, the EXP gain would have been much less because the monster Dave slew was only level 450. But because it was a Raid Boss, the EXP gain was multiplied several times.

Dave continued speaking to the guild leader Demetri afterward and told Mercy to be careful of the Black Dragon. Mainly, because of the information, he read in the library about the Forbidden Chapters.

The forbidden chapter is quite powerful, but it is limited in its use, it can hardly affect ethereal tier monsters. And the dragon is at that rank.

Dave walked to the Puppet King's corpse and touched it for loot.

***

Ultimate Skill Book: Demonic Ascension

***

Dave frowned, there was only one item, but the book's name was interesting, to say the least. Dave took the book and inspected it.

***

Ultimate Skill Book: Demonic Ascension.

Skill Book Tier: SSS

Cannot be leveled up!

{Player's Appearance will temporarily change}

Enters an Ascendant State where the user continuously absorbs 0.5% HP/ second of all targets around him for 60 seconds. If the user's HP is full, the surplus absorbed HP will transform into a temporary shield of the same absorbed HP value that will last for 60 seconds or until it has been destroyed.

[Demon Within] all fire-related abilities will have a [Demonic] attribute added to them while in Demonic Ascension.

[Demonic] attribute has a 20% chance to burn all of the player or monster mana and reduces mana regeneration by 100%.

Do you wish to learn this skill book?

Yes/No?

***

"Why not?" Dave pressed yes and the infernal book flared into black flames that funneled into Dave.

Dave felt a strange heat coursing through his veins for a few seconds then they dissipated.

Dave looked at his undead. More than two-quarters of them were dead. The boss was ridiculously powerful, if not for the lucky proc of the Horror effect, he would have most certainly bitten the dust.

"Tiny put everyone inside," Dave asked the Grave lord.

"Me, eat first?" the giant Grave Lord asked Dave.

Dave thought about using [Rise Undead] on the puppet king but thought it was best not to. The creature was demonic and he didn't know if it could revive as a loyal undead or a rebellious demon. It was better not to tamper with the corpses of hostile forces.

"Yeah, go ahead," Dave said to Tiny. It was better to use the corpse for another use.

Just as the words left Dave's mouth, the Grave Lord lunged on the corpse of the puppet king and assimilated it. He took in both the large and the smaller body of the puppet king that bore out from its giant form.

Tiny's shape changed, from carapaces all over his body to a bone armor. Tiny's antler-like horns changed to demonic horns and his torso became more like that of a human torso made of bones than a blob of fused flesh and slime.

When Tiny finished eating, he released hundreds of sarcophagi from his hands that absorbed all the undead and creatures in the domed area. Leaving only Dave, Tiny and Grumpy.

Tiny changed to his slime form and hopped on Dave's shoulder.

Dave turned to the gate, now he had to somehow repair it, so he could leave the domed area. When he approached the gate, the rune on it lit up and the suspended gate went back online. Two Doom Knights emerged from the gate. They were Gale and Orn.

"How did you get in here?" Dave asked he was thankful that someone repaired the gate.

"Lord Dagla is here, he is asking for your presence," Gale said.

"Alright, I'm on my way."

"Lord Kis'Shtiengbrah," Gale added

"What is it, Gale?"

"His majesty the king is also there."

"Oh, thanks for the heads up." Dave nodded and left the pyramid riding grumpy.

Tens of thousands of undead were organized in single file all around the streets. The whole city looked no different than the Undead City with the sheer number of undead moving about. Suddenly a small cindered child dropped a ball he was playing with and it rolled until it touched Grumpy.

An undead knight grabbed the kid by the neck, with his sword withdrawn. A female cindered came running toward the Death Knight that was probably grabbing her child and urged him to release the kid.

Dave understood that this cliché situation was probably part of a quest.

Dave hopped down and grabbed the ball, "Release the kid," Dave said.

The death knight recognized Dave and dropped the child. Dave went on his knee and faced the kid while handing him the ball. "Don't worry, no one's going to hurt you."

The kid took the ball, half afraid and half grateful to the undead that saved him from the other much scarier undead.

Suddenly, Dave heard a very familiar voice behind him.

"Who gave you the right to give this promise?"

Dave turned, it was the Undead King.

All other undead went on their knees when facing the undead King, leaving only Dave standing up and looking at him eye to eye.

"These people did nothing wrong, it was the one who ruled them."

"I know such, but who permitted you to promise them safety?" the king asked.

Dave frowned, he didn't know what the king was trying to say. But when he saw Dagla and Samael behind the king, the both of them smiling gently at Dave, Dave understood that he had to give a convincing and favorable answer.

"Your majesty, we are the undead. But that doesn't mean we are evil. We loath the living, but we do not kill unjustly. These people, they are better kept alive, not only will it piss off the Ash King, but it will also give the people a favorable impression on us. And if we are lucky, we might even be able to discover the secrets of the Forbidden Chapter."

The king snorted at Dave's reply, "Very well. Draugr. You have shown great valor, that which We cannot look away from. You have proven for Us that you are of worthy valor, that which we cannot deny. You have gained audience with Us, whenever you wish to speak to Us, you are welcome."

The undead king turned and walked away.

Both Dagla and Samael came over toward Dave, Dagla was most glad of the two as he spoke, "Well done Kis'Shtiengbrah. I never thought you had it in you. You exceeded my expectations, Childe, you took the city in less than a day. No wonder the king came all the way over just to see your contribution."

Just as Dagla finished his words, Dave received a notification.

***

Your efforts have been approved.

For conquering the Third Raid Zone: The Pharaoh's Crypt. You have been awarded

5,000,000 CP

+500,000,000 EXP

1 random forbidden chapter every 30 days in-game.

***

Dave leveled up instantly afterward, his level increased from 357 to 373.

He was surprised by the generous amount of EXP, but thinking about it. The difficulty of the raid was a notch beyond the Red Fortress. Not only he didn't have Dagla's 100,000,000 Undead army. He was limited in recourses, undead, and means to conquer the Third Zone. But his 'luck' served a great help in this raid.

Samael spoke after Dagla saying, "The king might not have his memory back right now, but you gained his trust Kis'Shtiengbrah. Keep this up and he might rename you his Childe again."

"Yeah right, by the rate our 'relationship' is improving, I'd probably need to conquer the whole underworld and the overworld for him to recognize me again," Dave sighed.

Dagla laughed and said, "Don't worry, the king's sealed memories will start unlocking soon. Keep doing good deeds to the legion and you shall earn the respect owed to you, Kis'Shtiengbrah."

"So, what's going to happen to the cindered?" Dave asked, he seemed worried about the people of the Pharaoh's Crypt.

"Nothing really, think about this raid as a change of management. The Pharaoh's Crypt will now be under the Undead's command instead of the Ash King. We suspect that the Ash King will retaliate soon, that's why I will be the one to stay in this area to fend off against any attacks," Dagla said.

"Well, best of luck, Dagla. I'll go grind a bit," Dave said

"Grind?" Dagla asked.

"Uh, I mean I will go and train. I need to become stronger," Dave said. He currently had two objectives. The first is to reach level 400 and take The Doom Knight ascension and the second was to reach level 450 to equip the sword and shield kit that he obtained from the Exiled Abyssal Knight Deadra.

He had a feeling that those two items were of incredible value. Dave could only inspect them when he has all the required condition. He already fulfilled two. Being and undead and have at least the Death Knight class. The last condition was level 450. He was still far from it though.

"Before you go, remember this. If you ever become able to use [Overdrive], come to me, and I will teach you more about necromancy and death magic." Dagla said.

A notification appeared in front of Dave.

***

Abyssal Knight Dagla had promised to teach you Lich-Related skills under the condition that you learn [Overdrive]

[Overdrive] is a passive ability gained by reaching 1,000 INT.

You can now request skill upgrades and learn new skills from your new magic instructor:

Arch-Lich Dagla

When you have 1,000 INT, the ability [Overdrive] will be unlocked.

***

"Thank you," Dave thanked Dagla and left the city. He planned on wandering the third Raid Zone and probably visit the fourth. But he had no intention on fighting anything there. Not only was it close to the Ash King's domain. He was sure that the monsters there were much more frightening than the ones he just fought.

Soon after Dave left the Pharaoh's City, Ralph called him and informed him about the situation with the eastern raid. Ralph informed Dave all about the eastern invasion and the direction they were taking. He didn't forget to mention that they were right going to station in the Tomb of Ashkar the dungeon that caused Dave many troubles.

When Dave finished and hung up, he pulled out a teleportation scroll and tore it.

Dave and grumpy both appeared in front of the teleportation gate of Urburg.

"Grumps, I have a good friend that I need to revive. His name is Spike and he saved my life several times. Let's go get him back."

Grumpy growled in accord and moved out of Urburg heading toward the Tomb of Ashkar.

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