The Lizardman Elite narrowed its golden eyes, spinning its spear.

  Rob, still clutching the pain from his shoulder, felt the weight of the situation press down on him.

  I could use Destruction.

  The thought crossed his mind.

  But then he shook his head.

  If this were a Gate Raid, he would have unleashed hell without a second thought.

  But here?

  There were too many eyes watching.

  He couldn't afford to reveal everything.

  That left only one option.

  Outsmart them.

  He recalled his spirits, pulling them back into the ring.

  Then, like a shadow, he vanished.

  [ Camouflage Activated ]

  The Lizardman Elite Leader let out a low, guttural growl, signaling to its warriors.

  They fanned out, sniffing the air, their forked tongues tasting his scent.

  Rob slipped back, controlling his breathing, buying time as his mind raced.

  Then, a memory surfaced.

  His science professor's voice.

  "Silver is one of the most conductive metals. Electricity flows through it with almost no resistance."

  His lips curled into a wicked smirk.

  The Lizardmen's armor.

  Silver.

  They had just signed their death warrant.

  The Elite Leader, still calm, barked another order.

  More Lizardmen scattered, their sharp claws sinking into the wet ground as they searched.

  But Rob was already five steps ahead.

  He closed his eyes, visualizing a storm.

  Not just any storm.

  A Tempest.

  When he opened his eyes, a notification flashed.

  [ Summon: Tempest Storm ]Summons a rain of lightning, dealing 120 magical damage per lightning strike.Each strike damages targets within a 5-meter radius, dealing 50% damage to nearby enemies.Duration: 30 secondsMana Cost: 120

  The mana cost was high.

  But this was a gamble he'd take anytime.

  Besides—

  If he ran out, he could just harvest more souls.

  He smirked again, remembering a certain necromancer from a famous manhwa.

  Maybe I can be like him, too.

  That thought would have to wait.

  For now—

  It was time to kill.

  Rob cast the spell.

  The skies darkened.

  Thunder rumbled.

  The Elite Leader's eyes widened, realizing the danger.

  It shouted a command.

  But Rob grinned.

  "Too late, bois."

  BOOM.

  The first bolt of lightning crashed down—

  And hell descended upon the Lizardmen.

  The storm had passed, leaving behind scorched remains of the Lizardmen scattered across the swamp. The air was thick with the scent of ozone, the ground still crackling with residual energy from the devastating Tempest Storm. Rob stood in the middle of it all, his ring glowing with a sickly blue light as he activated [Soul Reap].

  The nearby corpses trembled, their spirits forcefully pulled from their lifeless bodies. Some were too damaged to extract anything useful, but those who barely clung to life found their very essence devoured by the ring. It was a gruesome sight—spectral figures writhing in agony as they were absorbed, their forms twisting into wisps of blue energy.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  The Lizardman Leader was still twitching, the electricity lingering in his silver armor. His breath was shallow, eyes flickering with the last remnants of life. Rob walked over, staring down at him with a smirk. The leader had been strong, but even he couldn't escape the basic principle of conductivity—his own armor had sealed his fate.

  For a moment, Rob considered soul-reaping him, but he had a different idea. Raising his hand, he casually conjured a fireball and sent it straight into the Lizardman's face. With a loud explosion, the body finally went still.

  Rob's mind raced with ideas. That famous necromancer from the manhwa he read used shadows, but he had something better. If he could use souls instead of shadows, it would make his Soul Dungeon even more valuable. He grinned at the thought, modifying the mechanics in his mind before willing his system to accept his concept.

  A notification popped up.

  [Summon: Spectral Domination]Extracts the soul from a corpse, transforming it into a Spectral Legionnaire.

  Spectral Legionnaires are physically invincible due to their incorporeal forms, but they can still be damaged by magic.

  If their forms are damaged, they can restore themselves by absorbing another soul.

  Spectral warriors can be stored in the Soul Dungeon for later use.

  Mana Cost: Varies based on the soul's strength.

  Rob's smirk widened. This was perfect.

  Rise, My Warriors

  Activating the new skill, he felt his remaining mana drain rapidly. The previous Tempest Storm had already depleted most of it, and now this was pushing him to his limit.

  "Tch. Gotta refill first."

  Without hesitation, he converted the trapped souls inside the ring into mana. His reserves surged back up, enough to finally cast his new spell.

  Spreading his arms wide, he dramatically declared, "Arise from the dead, my warrior!"

  A chill filled the air as the first specter took form. From the Lizardman Leader's lifeless husk, a spectral figure emerged—towering, wrapped in flickering blue energy, its armor and spear appearing translucent yet solid. Its golden eyes now glowed with eerie blue flames, and its spectral aura shifted like a misty inferno.

  Then, to Rob's surprise, it knelt before him. A telepathic voice echoed in his mind.

  "All hail the Great One."

  Rob let out a slow, satisfied breath. Oh, this was better than he imagined.

  He wasn't done. Not even close.

  For the next several minutes, Rob continued his grim work, resurrecting the fallen Lizardmen one by one. Each time, the process was the same—a pale blue glow, a ghostly form taking shape, and then unwavering loyalty as they swore allegiance to him.

  By the time he finished, thirty-seven spectral warriors stood before him, their ethereal forms flickering with ghostly energy. Among them were the elites, their former weapons now ghostly echoes of the past, yet no less deadly.

  They stood motionless, awaiting his command. Rob couldn't help but grin, feeling a sense of overwhelming satisfaction.

  This was his army.

  He threw his head back and let out a victorious laugh. "This is insane. I actually did it."

  Then, looking at his new army, another idea struck him. If I'm going to roleplay a necromancer, I should at least dress the part.

  But before he could entertain that thought, the Lizardman Elite Leader stepped forward and knelt once more. His voice echoed in Rob's mind.

  "We await your commands, O Great One."

  Rob smiled. "Wait in the ring for now."

  The Spectral Legion saluted, pressing their spectral hands to their chests. Then, one by one, they dissolved into mist and vanished into the Soul Dungeon within the ring.

  Rob dusted off his hands, feeling immensely pleased with himself.

  "Now then… let's check the shop."

  Rob opened the shop menu, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he saw the number of coins he had—3,876. And that wasn't even counting the potential loot from the Lizard Chief's upcoming raid. He was making bank.

  Grinning, he scrolled through his inventory and decided to sell some of the gear he no longer needed. The Magic Rifle, which had turned out to be more of a curiosity than a practical weapon, and the Shadowweave Robe, which he had already outgrown, were both sold for an additional 425 coins.

  "So, items sell for 50% of their original value, huh?" he muttered, making a mental note for future sales.

  Now armed with a total of 4,301 coins, Rob headed straight to the armor section, filtering for Mage-class items and Unique rank to see if he could afford something truly game-changing. However, most of the items in that category were way over 3,000 coins, and while he could afford one, he needed to be mindful of his resources—especially after burning through so much mana resurrecting his Spectral Legion.

  Sighing, he switched the filter to Epic rank, hoping to find a good deal. He scrolled past numerous expensive robes until his eyes landed on something that looked out of place—a shoddy-looking, tattered robe that barely seemed worth its price.

  Curious, he tapped it.

  [Robes of the Lich Aythela]

  Rank: Epic

  MAG ATK: +215

  Mana Pool: +156

  Enchantments:

  Dark Resistance: User gains 40% resistance against Dark-element attacks.

  Undead Affinity: User gains 100% affinity with Undead, causing neutral hostility. Darkness Encroaching: Undead summons gain +40% increase in stats.

  Cost: 2,015 Coins ]

  The moment he read the stats, a devious grin spread across his face.

  "A perfect robe for a necromancer... no, for a LICH."

  Without hesitation, he pressed BUY, and in an instant, the robe shimmered into existence on his body. A cold, eerie aura oozed from the fabric, wrapping around him like a cursed presence. He could feel the dark power radiating from it—this wasn't just gear, it was a statement.

  "Now… for the most crucial item."

  Rob wasted no time and switched to the Weapons section, filtering through Mage-class staves. He scrolled down, scanning the list until something caught his eye—a short, eerie staff, pulsing with a faint, sinister glow.

  He tapped on it.

  [Aythela's Short Staff]

  Rank: Epic

  MAG ATK: +145

  Mana Pool: +220

  Mana Regen: +11.5/sec

  Enchantments:

  Hatred: User gains +30% spell damage against the Human race.

  Vengeance: Undead summons gain the passive skill Berserk, which activates when facing Humans.

  Lich Form: Transforms the user into Lich Form, granting +100% Mana Regeneration and Mana Pool. Undead summons receive the Lich Presence buff, increasing +20% damage (both Magical & Physical). Duration: 30 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours.

  Cost: 1,900 Coins

  Rob's eyes widened in shock.

  "Holy shit… This is an actual transformation ability."

  And the buffs to his undead army? Absolutely insane.

  Grinning like a madman, he immediately hit BUY, and as the staff materialized in his hand, a new notification appeared.

  [Count Aythela's Set 2/3]

  Rob's smirk deepened.

  "That means there's one more piece… either a ring or a necklace."

  If he could complete the set, who knew what kind of hidden effects it would unlock? The stats alone on just two pieces were already monstrous. If he could find the third piece, he could potentially ascend to an entirely different level of power.

  But for now, he was more than satisfied. His Spectral Legion had been reborn, and now, with his new gear, he was one step closer to truly embracing the role of a Lich.

  Gripping his new staff, he chuckled darkly to himself.

  "Time to see just how far I can push this."