Chapter 15: Death Affinity

Before setting out to explore the surrounding wilderness, Cassian decided to make full use of the rewards he had obtained.

There was no point letting valuable equipment gather dust in his Vault, strength only mattered when it was put to use.

​The first thing he did was equip the Refined ★★★ Gravekeeper’s Armor.

​He removed the standard Common ★ ★ robe, chest plate, and protective gear that had come with his beginner Lord set, setting them aside to be sold later alongside other items to generate revenue.

​The moment the new armor settled onto his body, his appearance changed completely.

​The armor was forged from blackened metal that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. A sinister skull was engraved into the center of the chest plate, its hollow eye sockets glowing faintly with traces of necrotic energy.

Matching black bracers protected his forearms, while reinforced greaves covered his legs.

​Hanging from beneath the armor were strips of dark, tattered cloth that swayed with every movement, giving the impression of funeral shrouds trailing behind him.

​The overall design was both practical and imposing. Rather than resembling a standard noble Lord, Cassian now looked like a true commander of the dead.

​Satisfied, he turned his attention to the weapon: the Refined ★★★ Bone Blade.

​The sword was nearly a meter long and forged from condensed, ivory-white bone.

Dark veins ran along its surface like cracks filled with shadow, and its edge was unnaturally sharp. The guard resembled the fangs of a monstrous beast curling toward the blade, while the grip was tightly wrapped in black leather.

​A faint aura of death lingered around the weapon. It looked less like something crafted by a blacksmith and more like a fang torn from an ancient undead creature.

​Cassian gave it a few experimental swings, the blade cutting through the cold air with surprising ease.

​"Not bad."

​Next came his elites.

​The Elite Skeleton Assassin immediately received two Refined ★★★ Bone Daggers. The skeleton grasped the weapons eagerly as their polished bone edges reflected the moonlight.

It spun them between its fingers with practiced ease before settling into a low, predatory stance.

​The Elite Skeleton Knight was given a Refined ★★★ Bone Blade. The knight accepted the sword with both hands before planting the tip firmly into the dead earth.

Combined with its heavy armor and imposing frame, it looked every bit like a veteran officer of an undead army.

​The Elite Skeleton Tank received a Refined ★★★ Bone Shield. The already massive skeleton became even more imposing, the shield stood nearly as tall as its torso, featuring layered bone plating capable of withstanding tremendous punishment. Standing there, it resembled an immovable wall.

​Unfortunately... there was nothing suitable for the Elite Skeleton Archer.

​Cassian glanced at the archer.

​The skeleton glanced back.

​Its bow was still functional, and since it fought from a distance, heavy armor wasn’t strictly necessary. Logically speaking, it was completely fine.

​Yet... for some reason, Cassian could swear the skeleton’s soul fire dimmed slightly.

​The archer lowered its skull, its posture somehow radiating sheer dejection. It was an impressive feat considering it lacked facial muscles entirely.

​Cassian stared.

​The skeleton stared back.

​Eventually, Cassian rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, buddy."

​The archer’s soul fire flickered weakly, looking somehow even sadder. Cassian decided not to think too hard about how a skeleton was capable of expressing disappointment.

​With the equipment distributed, his gaze shifted toward the pile of upgraded resources. Weapons and armor were only one part of the equation, the real treasure lay in the high-tier materials he had fused.

​And now, it was finally time to use them.

....

Cassian’s eyes moved across the item panels one after another.

​[Elite ★★★ Death Essence]

Grade: Elite ★★★

Type: Consumable

​A highly concentrated manifestation of death energy formed after countless layers of refinement. Unlike ordinary Death Essence, this resource contains remarkably pure necrotic energy capable of resonating with the laws of death themselves.

​Consumed by undead, necromancers, death-aspected Lords, and other death-affinity beings.

​Effects:

​Permanently increases Death Affinity.

​Improves compatibility with Death-aspected skills and authorities.

​Enhances absorption and control of death energy.

​Slightly increases resistance to death-related corruption.

​"Death is not an ending. It is a force waiting to be mastered."

​[Elite ★★★ Soul Crystal]

Grade: Elite ★★★

Type: Consumable

​A crystallized fragment of refined soul energy. Its translucent surface contains a swirling ocean of spiritual power that nourishes and strengthens the soul of whoever consumes it.

​A powerful resource sought after by Lords, Champions, Evolvers, and natives of the Lord’s Domain alike.

​Effects:

​Permanently strengthens the soul.

​Increases the quality and purity of mana.

​Enhances the power of Skills, Authorities, and magical abilities.

​Improves resistance against soul-based attacks.

​"A blade may shatter, but a powerful soul endures."

​[Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment]

Grade: Refined ★★★

Type: Consumable

​A refined fragment of spiritual essence left behind by powerful creatures. Though lacking the raw power of a Soul Crystal, it greatly sharpens one’s spiritual perception and control.

​Favored by mages, controllers, and those who require precision over brute force.

​Effects:

​Permanently strengthens the spirit.

​Improves mana control and manipulation.

​Increases casting precision.

​Allows finer control over Skills and Authorities.

​Slightly improves perception of energy fluctuations.

​"Power determines what can be done. Control determines how well it is done."

​[Refined ★★★ Withered Grass]

Grade: Refined ★★★

Type: Consumable

​A seemingly ordinary blade of grass that has absorbed vast amounts of death energy over time. Through refinement, its decayed vitality has been transformed into a potent strengthening resource.

​While unpleasant to consume, it remains one of the most effective body-enhancement resources available to beginning Lords.

​Effects:

​Permanently strengthens the body.

​Increases Strength and Endurance.

​Improves resistance to fatigue and injury.

​Enhances physical adaptability to death-affinity environments.

​"Even a withered blade of grass can become extraordinary when tempered by death."

​The higher-grade resources were far more impressive than their Common-grade counterparts, each possessing permanent stat-altering effects across several distinct vectors: Death Affinity, Soul Strength, Spiritual Control, and Physical Constitution.

​For a newly awakened Lord, these resources were priceless assets that could dramatically accelerate early development.

​Yet as Cassian reviewed the descriptions, his right eyebrow slowly rose. Something felt off.

​Looking at the resources collectively, a pattern became undeniable. Almost every single drop possessed an explicit connection to death: Death Essence, Withered Grass, Bone Fragments, Necrotic Timber, Deathsteel Ore... Even several pieces of equipment were clearly intended for undead users.

​Cassian tapped his chin thoughtfully.

​’That’s far too convenient...’

​Getting rewards perfectly tailored to an Undead Lord through random, unweighted chance alone felt statistically impossible.

If it had only happened once or twice, he might have dismissed it, but looking at the overall distribution, the possibility of an underlying mechanism couldn’t be ruled out.

​A conspiracy? A hidden system feature? A Lord-Seed reward bias?

​Cassian didn’t know, nor did he have enough information to investigate properly. He eventually shook his head to clear his mind.

​There was no point dwelling on it right now. Having reached today’s purchase cap on the Fortune Wheel service, he wouldn’t be able to test his theory until the market reset tomorrow.

​’I’ll try again tomorrow. If the drop rates are still slanted like this, I’ll look into it properly.’

​Setting the matter aside, Cassian focused on distributing his current stock:

​Elite ★★★ Soul Crystal ×1

​Elite ★★★ Death Essence ×4

​Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment ×13

​Refined ★★★ Withered Grass ×33

​Leftover Unfused Stock:

​Death Essence ×1 (Common ★)

​Spirit Fragment ×1 (Common ★)

​Withered Grass ×1 (Common ★)

​Death Essence ×1 (Refined ★★★)

​He began allocating the items immediately.

​The four Elite ★★★ Death Essence vials were handed to his four elite skeletons, each accepting the resource with silent eagerness.

​Next came the Elite ★★★ Soul Crystal. Cassian tossed it toward Nyxara, who caught it effortlessly.

Her violet eyes widened slightly as she felt the immense spiritual power surging within its facets.

​Then came the Refined ★★★ Withered Grass. Each elite skeleton received one blade, while Nyxara received four.

​Finally, he distributed the Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragments, one for each elite skeleton and two for Nyxara.

​The remaining excess resources were stashed away. Consumables suffered from diminishing returns if used back-to-back, so overloading his summons all at once would waste their potential.

Besides, selling the surplus on the Trade Market would net a massive infusion of Lord Coins.

​Accessing the Ledger, he listed the spare materials, resources, and redundant equipment for sale before turning his attention back to his troops.

​The consumables had already begun taking effect.

​Streams of energy erupted around his forces. Pale necrotic mist flowed from the Death Essence, emerald vitality seeped from the Withered Grass, and spiritual energy swirled around the Spirit Fragments, while brilliant silver light poured from the Soul Crystal hovering in Nyxara’s hands.

​A cascade of notifications flared across his sight.