The Ancient Necropolis
Morning arrived quietly over Base 101.
Golden sunlight spilled across the fortress walls, illuminating the bustling streets below. The sounds of hammers striking anvils echoed from the newly constructed Advanced Forge, while soldiers marched across the training grounds in perfect formation.
Life continued as normal.
Yet beneath the routine...
Everyone could feel it.
Another expedition was about to begin.
---
Inside the Command Hall, Sam stood before a massive map spread across the central table.
Several locations had been marked by Leon's scouts.
A ruined village.
A monster nest.
An abandoned mine.
A corrupted swamp.
And one location that glowed with an eerie blue light.
Ancient Necropolis.
Sam stared at the symbol.
Inside his mind, Rex spoke.
Commander...
Estimated travel time: two days.
Threat assessment... Unknown.
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"Unknown?"
"I don't think I've ever heard you say that before."
A brief silence followed.
Then Rex answered.
This location predates the System's management of humanity.
My records are incomplete.
Those words caused Sam's expression to harden.
If even Rex couldn't identify everything inside...
Then this place was unlike any dungeon, battlefield, or monster nest they had encountered before.
---
Ben leaned against the table with his arms crossed.
"So..."
"Who's going?"
Sam looked around the room.
"I'll lead the expedition."
He pointed toward each officer.
"Ben."
"Our infantry needs its captain."
Ben nodded confidently.
"I'm in."
"Leon."
The scout captain straightened immediately.
"I'll lead reconnaissance."
"Zora."
She smiled.
"My magic is ready."
"George."
The large engineer grinned.
"I've been waiting to test the new forge's equipment."
"Doran."
The old master blacksmith simply rested a massive hammer across his shoulder.
"If my weapons fail..."
"I'll simply forge better ones."
A few soldiers laughed.
Finally...
"Kael."
The Frost Spearman rested his newly crafted spear against his shoulder.
Blue frost drifted from its blade like icy mist.
"I've been waiting for a real battle."
Sam nodded approvingly.
"And twenty elite soldiers."
No one questioned the decision.
If this place truly existed before the System...
Only Base 101's strongest warriors would be enough.
---
Outside the fortress...
Nearly the entire population gathered near the gates.
Children waved excitedly.
Parents hugged family members.
Veteran soldiers checked straps and armor one final time.
Everyone understood the risks.
No one complained.
Base 101 had been built because people were willing to face danger together.
Sam looked over the assembled expedition.
Each soldier wore equipment forged inside the new Advanced Forge.
Steel gleamed beneath the morning sun.
Their armor looked stronger.
Sharper.
More refined.
George couldn't hide his smile.
"Now these..."
He admired the polished breastplates.
"...are weapons worthy of Base 101."
---
Just as the gates began opening...
A familiar voice echoed from beyond the walls.
"Commander!"
Everyone turned.
An airship slowly descended from the sky.
Its white sails fluttered gently in the morning breeze.
Dennis stood proudly at the front deck.
Behind him...
Nearly thirty soldiers waited with weapons ready.
Ben blinked.
"I thought you went home."
Dennis laughed as he stepped onto the ground.
"I did."
"Then I realized..."
He shrugged.
"This looked a lot more interesting."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Sam walked forward.
"You don't have to do this."
Dennis smiled.
"I know."
"But allies don't disappear when things get dangerous."
The two Commanders clasped forearms.
Neither needed another word.
---
DING!
Joint Expedition Detected.
Alliance Bonus Activated.
Active Commanders: 2
Combat Experience +10%
Morale +15%
Army Coordination Improved
George let out a whistle.
"Well..."
"I definitely like having allies."
Even Rex sounded mildly impressed.
The System rewards cooperation between trusted Commanders.
This bonus will increase as your alliance deepens.
Sam couldn't help smiling.
"So working together really is the better path."
Correct.
---
By midday...
The expedition departed.
Fifty warriors marched through the massive gates of Base 101.
The people watched until they disappeared into the endless forest.
Then the gates slowly closed behind them.
---
The first several hours passed peacefully.
Almost...
Too peacefully.
No monsters attacked.
No beasts hunted nearby.
Even the birds had vanished.
Only the sound of marching boots disturbed the silence.
Runa frowned.
"Commander..."
"The forest feels wrong."
Zora closed her eyes.
She reached out with her mana.
Several seconds later...
Her face paled.
"...There's almost no mana."
George looked surprised.
"That's impossible."
"There should be mana everywhere."
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex confirmed her discovery.
Commander...
The Ancient Necropolis is absorbing ambient mana across the surrounding region.
Sam frowned.
"So the closer we get..."
"The weaker the land becomes."
Correct.
---
As evening approached...
The forest changed.
Green leaves became gray.
Flowers withered into dust.
The grass beneath their feet turned brittle and lifeless.
Every breath became visible.
A cold wind swept silently through the dead trees.
Kael tightened his grip around his Frost Spear.
"I've got a bad feeling."
Ben scanned the darkness between the trees.
"I feel like..."
He slowly lowered his voice.
"...someone's watching us."
No one laughed.
Because every member of the expedition felt exactly the same.
---
Suddenly...
Leon raised one hand.
"Halt."
The entire column stopped instantly.
Leon crouched near the trail.
His sharp eyes carefully studied the earth.
Sam walked beside him.
"What did you find?"
Leon remained silent for several moments.
Finally...
He answered.
"Footprints."
George blinked.
"Monster tracks?"
Leon slowly shook his head.
"No."
He pointed toward the ground.
"Military boots."
Everyone looked closer.
Hundreds...
No...
Thousands...
Of perfectly preserved footprints stretched across the dead earth.
Every step identical.
Every row perfectly aligned.
Whoever made them...
Had marched together.
Like a disciplined army.
Not wandering monsters.
Not mindless undead.
An organized force.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex's usually calm voice became noticeably more serious.
Commander...
These are not ordinary undead.
Recommend maximum combat readiness.
Before Sam could respond...
A deep horn echoed through the dead forest.
BOOOOOOOM...
The sound rolled across the land like distant thunder.
Then again.
BOOOOOOOM...
And once more.
BOOOOOOOM...
Silence followed.
A silence so complete that no one dared breathe.
Then...
Tiny blue flames slowly appeared between the trees.
One.
Five.
Twenty.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Soul flames.
Watching from the darkness.
Motionless.
Patient.
Waiting.
The expedition had finally reached the edge of the Ancient Necropolis.
And somewhere beyond those lifeless trees...
An unseen army had already noticed their arrival.