After regaining consciousness in the forest, Kim's heart was pounding as he recalled Ragnar's final words. Tears were still clinging to his cheeks, but he quickly gathered his courage and stood up.
In his mind, the red book throbbed like a living being, as if a new power was coursing through his body. Kim took a deep breath and whispered to himself:
"I will become the strongest... I will avenge you, Ragnar!"
As Kim tried to catch his breath, he heard light footsteps approaching. He stood by the edge of a tree, trying to spot the source of the sound. Suddenly, another young man appeared in front of him, looking about his age, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a bow on his back and a small knife at his waist.
"Are you new here?" the young man asked cautiously.
Kim hesitated for a moment before replying, "Y-yeah, I just arrived."
The boy laughed and said, "You look confused. I'm Zack, a monster hunter from the Hunter Advancement - Level 9. You seem lost."
Trying to appear normal, Kim replied:
"I'm Kim. I just lost my way in the forest."
Zack smiled and said, "This forest isn't a safe place for beginners. There are rumors about a Beast Advancement - Level 8 monster lurking around recently. We'd better move together."
Kim agreed, but deep inside, fear was growing. What if Zack discovered the truth about the book?
As they walked, Zack looked at Kim with curiosity.
"Are you okay? You look pale."
Kim quickly replied, "No, it's nothing. Maybe just fatigue."
Zack raised an eyebrow, "Alright, but be careful. Some people around here would steal anything if it looks valuable."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and from between the trees, a massive beast covered in brown fur appeared, its red eyes glowing fiercely. It was a Beast Advancement - Level 8 monster, just as Zack had mentioned!
"Damn! That monster is extremely dangerous!" Zack shouted as he quickly drew his bow and prepared his arrows.
As Kim struggled to process what was happening, he felt a strange power ignite inside his head, as if the book was responding to the danger.
Zack glanced at Kim and yelled:
"If we don't run now, we're dead!"
But Kim, with unexpected courage, whispered to himself: "This is my chance to prove I'm not weak!"
Zack began shooting arrows at the beast, trying to slow its movement, while Kim searched for a way to utilize his abilities. He remembered Ragnar's words:
"Your ability as a Necromancer revolves around controlling the dead, but only if their souls are weaker than yours."
After an intense battle, Zack managed to shoot a fatal arrow into the monster's heart, and it collapsed on the ground. Kim cautiously approached the beast's corpse.
"Is... is it over?" Kim asked hesitantly.
Zack replied, "Yeah, but it was unusually strong."
At that moment, Kim felt the power of the book surge through him, and he approached the dead monster. He raised his hand and whispered a strange chant that suddenly appeared in his mind. A dark light emerged from the monster's body, and its once-red glowing eyes became dull.
The beast opened its eyes again, but this time moved slowly, as if waiting for Kim's command.
"W... what is that?!" Zack shouted in shock.
Kim smirked and said, "It seems I have a special ability to revive the dead... but only if their souls are weaker than mine."
Zack cautiously looked at the beast and said:
"That's strange... but if the monster is under your control, it could be useful."
At that moment, Kim realized that the power of a Necromancer might be greater than he had imagined, but he also felt the burden of responsibility in using it.