The massive skeletal form collapsed, bones clattering to the floor. The crown rolled away, coming to rest at Max's feet.
[DUNGEON COMPLETE: THE WHISPERING CATACOMBS]
[SOLO CLEAR BONUS: +500% EXP]
[LEGENDARY ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: CATACOMBS CONQUEROR]
[MYTHIC ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SOLO KING SLAYER]
[You are now Level 24!]
[You are now Level 25!]
Max collapsed to his knees, his sanity meter slowly recovering now that the boss was dead: 23... 31... 39...
The hallucinations faded. Reality reasserted itself.
He did it. Solo cleared a Rank B dungeon.
A legendary chest materialized in the center of the chamber, glowing with golden light.
Max crawled toward it—literally crawled, his stamina at 8/410—and opened it with trembling hands.
[LEGENDARY LOOT OBTAINED]
[THE WHISPERING CROWN – LEGENDARY ACCESSORY]
Headpiece
Intelligence +45, MP +300, Corruption Resistance +50%
Special Effect: "Voice of the Dead" – Can communicate with undead NPCs and temporarily command weak undead creatures
Special Ability: "Whisper of Madness" – Active: Target enemy loses 50 sanity and suffers hallucinations for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 120 seconds
Level Requirement: 25
Soulbound to: MaxThorne
[15,000 Gold]
[Essence of Madness] x25 – Rare crafting material
[Ancient Rune Tablet] – Quest Item
Max stared at the crown. Another legendary item. This one had an entirely unique mechanic—sanity attacks and the ability to command undead.
He equipped it immediately, the Crypt Lord's helmet returning to his inventory. The crown materialized on his head—blackened gold with runes that pulsed with dark energy. His MP jumped from 750 to 1,050, and his Intelligence increased dramatically.
Max checked his updated stats:
MAX THORNE – Level 25 Soulbinder
HP: 680/680
MP: 1,050/1,050
Stamina: 450/450
Stats:
STR: 46 | AGI: 62 | INT: 113 | VIT: 52 | LUK: 25
Corruption: 22/100
Attack Power: 856
Total Defense: 134
NIGHT – Level 25 Shadowbound Warrior
HP: 980/980
Attack Power: 347
His Intelligence had more than doubled from the combined equipment bonuses. His MP pool was massive now. Night was approaching 1,000 HP and dealing devastating damage.
Max stood slowly, the exhaustion debuffs finally clearing.
His phone—connected to the game through the neural interface—buzzed with notifications. The solo clear had triggered achievements that were automatically posted to his public profile.
The forums would be going insane again.
But right now, Max didn't care about fame or recognition.
He just savored the satisfaction of victory.
Pure, hard-earned victory.
The chamber was silent now—no whispers, no skeletal warriors, just the echo of his own breathing.
Then a notification appeared that made him sit up straight.
[MILESTONE REACHED: Level 25]
[SOULBINDER CLASS ADVANCEMENT]
[CHAINS OF ETERNITY – SYSTEM UPDATE]
New Ability Unlocked:
[SOUL RESURRECTION – RANK A]
Skill Description:
Your mastery over soul contracts has reached a threshold where death itself becomes negotiable. You can now form contracts with deceased NPCs, resurrecting them as permanent companions bound to your will.
Requirements:
Target must be a named NPC (not generic monsters) Target must have died within your presence or their remains must be accessible
Cost: 500 MP + Corruption cost based on NPC's power level Limit: You may have one resurrected contract in addition to your primary shadow contract
WARNING:
Resurrected NPCs retain their personalities and memories. They are not mindless servants. Choose your contracts carefully—betrayal is possible if bonds are not maintained.
Current Available Contracts:
[The Whispering King] – Recently defeated, remains available for 24 hours
Power Level: High | Corruption Cost: +35
Abilities: Necromancy, Dark Magic, Undead Command
Max stared at the notification, his mind racing.
He could resurrect the boss he had just killed. Bring it back as a permanent companion. The Whispering King—a level 29 elite boss—fighting alongside him, alongside Night.
The power potential was staggering.
But the corruption cost was significant. +35 corruption would bring him from 22 to 57—more than halfway to the maximum. And the skill description warned that resurrected NPCs weren't mindless—they retained their personalities.
Could he trust a resurrected undead king to serve him loyally? What if it turned on him later?
Max closed the notification without selecting anything.
Not yet. I need to think about this. Research what high corruption does, understand the risks better.
The Whispering King's remains would be available for 24 hours. He had time to decide.
Max stood, dismissed Night with a thought, and headed for the dungeon exit.
VERIDIAN GATE – NORTHERN DISTRICT
Time: 4:37 PM (Real World)
Max emerged from the catacombs into late afternoon light. The dungeon had taken him nearly six hours to complete—longer than he'd expected, but the rewards were worth it.
He immediately opened his privacy settings:
[Player Tag Display: PUBLIC → HIDDEN]
[Friend Requests: DISABLED]
[Party Invites: DISABLED]
His username vanished from above his head, replaced by [???].
After the Obsidian Depths fame, Max had learned his lesson. Being recognized meant being mobbed, and he wanted to explore without constant interruptions.
He made his way back to Veridian Gate through the zone portals, keeping his head down and avoiding other players. A few people glanced at the tagless avatar but most ignored him—hidden tags were common enough for players who wanted privacy.
Veridian Gate was as bustling as ever when he arrived. Thousands of players filled the streets—trading, forming parties, showing off gear, arguing about builds in zone chat.
Max had spent most of his time in Aetheria either in this city or nearby zones. He usually grinded in the Fractured Abyss, run dungeons close to Veridian Gate, and participated in raids that started from the Phoenix Guild Hall here.
But the game world was massive. Veridian Gate was just one of dozens of major cities, and beyond them lay entire continents to explore.
I've been too focused on leveling and progression, Max thought, walking through the crowded streets. I haven't actually explored what this world has to offer.