Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 11 - : Karl is Dead, The World of Spirits

In the real world.

"Spirit Cemetery," Karl whispered, and the moment the words left his lips, his body froze.

He didn't collapse. He didn't sway or stagger. No, it was far stranger than that.

It was as if life had been instantly drained from him.

His body remained upright, perfectly still.

His chest no longer rose or fell, his breathing completely ceased, and his pupils lost their spark, dull and lifeless.

Karl's soul had left his body, transferred to another place.

To the naked eye, it looked like he was dead.

Terrifying? Sure.

But for Karl, this was simply how [Spirit Cemetery] worked.

Each time he activated the skill, his [Spirit] entered the cemetery, severing its connection to his physical form.

Until he returned, his body was nothing more than a hollow vessel.

However, this left one glaring vulnerability.

If someone stumbled across him while he was "gone," they'd find what appeared to be a lifeless corpse.

And unfortunately for Karl, that's exactly what happened.

Alexander and his group, Emma and William, were trudging through the dense forest when they stumbled upon him.

"What the hell?" William muttered, his brow furrowed as he pointed ahead.

Emma stopped in her tracks, squinting.

"Huh. Am I seeing things, or is that guy just standing there?"

Even Alexander, usually unshakable, was at a loss, "That's... weird."

They approached cautiously, their weapons drawn, unsure of what to make of the eerie sight.

"Is he dead?" William asked, his voice tinged with disbelief as he studied Karl's motionless form.

"Maybe it's a trap!" Emma hissed, stepping back instinctively.

Alexander examined Karl closely, his sharp eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

He placed two fingers on Karl's neck, checking for a pulse.

Nothing.

He leaned in closer, his ear by Karl's chest.

No heartbeat.

No breath.

"He's dead," Alexander muttered, his voice low and uncertain.

Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, "Or... he's impossibly good at faking it."

"Damn," William said, glancing nervously at the still figure. "What even killed him?"

"No idea," Alexander replied, straightening. "But it doesn't matter. Let's move—"

But right as he was about to go, he paused, a memory surfacing:

"Always double-tap to make sure your opponent is dead," his father's voice echoed in his mind. "You never know what might come back to haunt you."

With a sharp breath, Alexander turned back toward Karl's body.

"Better safe than sorry," he said grimly, summoning his [Void Blade].

"Boss, are you sure?" William asked, frowning.

"Nobody dies standing like that," Alexander replied, his tone cold.

With a decisive swing, the dark blade slashed clean through Karl's torso, slicing his body in half.

Fwish! Slash!

A notification popped up.

[You have killed Karl Bloodborne.]

"Let's move," Alexander said, sheathing his blade. "We've wasted enough time. The mountain's ahead, and we're already level 6."

The group walked away, unaware of the truth.

Karl wasn't dead.

Not until now.

...

Back in the [Spirit Cemetery].

[You have died.]

[Your body in the real world was killed.]

"Hm..."

Karl stood still, staring at the panels before him.

He wasn't trembling, panicking, or crying.

Instead, he re-read the messages over and over, ensuring they were real.

"What killed me?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

[Other humans,] the reaper replied coldly.

"Why?"

[Because they don't like you.]

"Damn." Karl let out a long sigh, running his hand through his hair.

"So... I guess we're stuck here forever, huh? Might as well get to know each other."

[No.]

The reaper raised its scythe and slammed the butt of it against the ground.

A deafening shockwave erupted, sending Karl hurtling backward.

[It is not over yet.]

"Huh?"

Karl's heart pounded, but he wasn't sure if it was from fear or confusion after what the reaper did.

The thought of dying, especially in such a stupid, careless way, finally gnawed at him.

What could he do?

He knew this vulnerability existed, yet he'd never taken steps to protect himself.

He had grown complacent, trusting in luck rather than planning ahead.

The encounter with Celeste should have been his wake-up call.

[You are correct. You were stupid.]

The reaper's voice sliced through his thoughts.

"...Wait, you can hear my thoughts?" Karl asked, wide-eyed.

[Yes, I can,] the reaper said, unamused, [And yes, you are an idiot.]

Karl opened his mouth to retort, but the reaper continued, its tone shifting to something far more ominous.

[Listen carefully, Karl Bloodborne. All hope is not lost.]

Karl blinked, caught off guard.

"What do you mean?"

The reaper ignored his question and began explaining.

[The World of Spirits.]

It gestured with its scythe, and the mist around the cemetery swirled.

[There exists a trial. If you survive, you may recover what was lost.]

Karl's eyes lit up. "Wait, are you saying I can come back?"

The reaper didn't answer.

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Instead, a single panel materialized in front of him.

[Select one summon to take with you.]

Another panel appeared beneath it, displaying six squares.

Each square contained one of Karl's summons.

Karl hesitated, his eyes scanning the options.

After a moment, he selected the [Alpha Dire Wolf].

[Good choice,] the reaper said with a toothy grin, [Do not disappoint, Karl Bloodborne. This is your final chance.]

Before Karl could respond, the reaper's aura grew suffocating, pressing down on him like a massive weight.

His knees buckled, and he shivered uncontrollably.

[If you fail,] the reaper growled, crimson fire erupting from its eyes and mouth, [I will personally drag your soul to the deepest depths of the Underworld.]

"Damn—"

Karl didn't have time to finish his sentence before the reaper snapped its fingers.

The world around him shifted.

...

Karl landed on a patch of grass with a soft thud.

Around him, a dense fog swirled, so thick that he couldn't see beyond a 100-meter radius.

His [Alpha Dire Wolf] materialized beside him, growling softly as it scanned the area.

The clearing felt like a circular arena, the fog forming an impenetrable barrier.

When Karl approached the edge and tried to step through, he was immediately repelled.

[An unknown force is stopping you from leaving.]

[It is not recommended to leave yet. The World of Spirits is too dangerous for you.]

Karl sighed, realizing he was trapped.

No explanations. No instructions.

Just dumped into this strange place with the vague goal of survival.

Then, without warning, three spirits materialized on the far side of the fog-shrouded arena.

Karl's eyes widened as he recognized them instantly.

[Level 5 Wild Boar]

[Level 5 Demonized Fox]

[Level 5 Nature Bear]

These were his old summons, the ones that had been killed in the real world.

"They're back?" Karl whispered, a chill running down his spine.

[As this is your first trial, it will be relatively easy,] the reaper's voice echoed in his mind.

[Your task is simple: defeat the spirits that were slain under your command.]

Karl clenched his fists, glancing at his [Alpha Dire Wolf].

[But beware,] the reaper added. [Future trials will not be so forgiving.]

The fog thickened, and the three spirits let out menacing growls, their glowing eyes locking onto Karl.

"Guess we're doing this," Karl muttered, readying himself for the fight.

[A summoner should always be stronger than his summons, right?]

The reaper laughed.