Reborn with a Necromancer System-Chapter 165: The Big Morning

Kai had spent the last two days pushing his body to its limits. He wasn’t focused on raising undead or summoning his army. This was different. He trained purely in internal magic, drawing out every drop of potential from wind, fire, and strengthening magics. He layered thin barriers over his skin, practically invisible, ready to absorb impact without signaling a spell cast. This was layered on top of the automatic ones placed by the new sigil carved into his skin.

Every movement, every breath, was honed toward one purpose for two days.

Winning.

He had no intention of showing the world what he really was.

Not yet.

The Arena of Kings was not a place for undead and necromancers. The rules stated as much.

It was for warriors.

Champions.

Heroes.

If he was to rise here, he’d have to do it with blade, grit, and raw, unrivalled power.

The morning of the tournament came with a brilliant glow through the small window of his inn room. As he strapped on his gloves and adjusted his simple armour, nothing flashy, as he still needed to move with agility.

He turned toward the bed.

Vepice was already awake, fully clothed except for her shoes, and waiting for him with her hands folded behind her back. She walked forward and, without a word, threw her arms around him.

"I’ll see every single one of your fights," she whispered into his shoulder. "So be careful. I know you can win."

Kai hesitated just for a second. Then wrapped his arms around her in return.

"I’ll do my best."

She smiled at him, her illusion placed back upon her appearance, cast by the Mirage’s Veil.

She looked like an ordinary girl, but to Kai, there was no mistaking the strength behind her soft eyes. She was still learning how to live again, and he wouldn’t let her down.

She hugged him tightly before returning to the bed to put on her shoes.

With one last glance, Kai left the room.

The streets were already buzzing with activity. The Arena of Kings towered over the nearby rooftops like a monument to spectacle and violence. As Kai approached, the roar of the crowd hit him like a wave. It was like a living beast, hungry for blood and glory.

He entered through the stone gates, past armed guards and bustling attendants. His forged identity, Alex Trunsdale, was all they needed. Once inside, a steward escorted him to a waiting chamber deep within the arena.

The room was brighter than he expected. Rows of chairs were neatly aligned before a stone podium. The walls were marble, polished to a reflective sheen. And most of the seats were already filled with other competitors.

Some whispered amongst themselves, others sat in eerie silence.

Kai moved to an empty chair at the back. His eyes scanned the room. Redford was seated near the front, polishing the hilts of his twin blades. Gina stood by wall next to the exit, letting the breeze from the hall play with her hair while faint gusts of wind curled around her feet. Selise, all grace and silver armor, sat beside Yaron, who looked positively giddy.

Kai spotted Tarnil the Red further back, flipping a coin between his fingers. The coin would melt after a while, and he replaced it with a new one.

The kid who never spoke, who crushed his opponent last year without lifting a finger, was sitting alone in a shadowed corner, eyes unfocused.

He wasn’t afraid. But he was cautious.

Then, a man with a shock of gold-dyed hair, dressed in a vibrant blue-and-gold overcoat, stepped up to the podium. His grin was wide, theatrical.

"Welcome, fighters!" he declared, arms wide. "We have thirty-two contestants in this room, and after thirty-one battles, one of you will stand above the rest as our next Arena Champion!"

Some fighters whooped. A few gave sharp nods. Others remained still.

He began handing out slips of paper. Kai took his.

---

1 - Alex vs Durg

2 - Redford vs Gina

3 - Selise vs Yaron

4 - Kessh vs Tarnil

5 - Varrick vs Jeska

6 - Brynn vs Orok

7 - Marla vs Grim

8 - Cyrus Vale vs Helka

9 - Fenric vs Raenys

10 - Volrik vs Mira

11 - Koren vs Alira

12 - Quinn vs Torak

13 - Sable vs Karl

14 - Wren vs Tyro

15 - Polok vs Tyla

16 - Ruril vs Gant

---

Kai exhaled slowly, eyes locking on the first line.

Alex vs Durg.

He clenched his fingers around the paper.

’Alright, then. I’m up first, and Durg is my opponent.’

He’d heard the name before, and seen him fighting Redford. A walking fortress of a man. He was slow, maybe, but powerful. The kind who could split boulders and flatten steel with raw strength. Speed would be everything.

Some fighters stood and shook hands, exchanged banter. Others gave nods of respect.

Kai sat quietly, absorbing the atmosphere, until a shadow blocked his light.

He looked up.

A man stood before him, broad-shouldered and towering. Built like a mountain. Dark-skinned, bald, with deep scars over his collarbone and temple. A tower-shield hung from his back like a barn door. His name was etched into his breastplate: Durg.

"Alex, yes?"

Kai stood calmly. "Yes. Durg, right?"

The big man grinned, his voice a low rumble. "I hope your body can handle at least one strike from me."

Kai smirked. "It would. If you can touch me."

Durg threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the chamber.

"Funny child!"

He slapped Kai’s shoulder with surprising gentleness and walked off, the floor groaning beneath his steps.

Kai shook his head, then looked at the tournament bracket again.

’I’m really doing this, Joran. Wish me luck from wherever souls go after death.’

He tucked the paper into his pocket and leaned back in his chair. Around him, the room buzzed with tension and anticipation.

The waiting room quieted as a set of bronze chimes rang from behind the podium. A soft, vibrating tone that signaled the approach of the first match. Attendants entered with silent efficiency, calling names and guiding fighters to their respective prep chambers.

Kai stood as his ’name’ was called.

"Alex Trunsdale. You’re up."

He took one last glance at the names on the bracket before folding the parchment and sliding it into his pocket. His hands were steady, but his heart beat with the fierce rhythm of anticipation. It wasn’t fear. It was focus.

Outside the chamber, the hallway was cooler, cut stone underfoot and torch sconces flickering along the curved passage. One of the attendants led him through the narrow corridor and into a preparation antechamber. A small circular room, lined with mirrors, benches, and weapon racks. Kai didn’t need any of them. His weapons were already prepared. Hidden. Bound. His power woven into him like thread through silk.

He closed his eyes and activated the sigil he’d spent two nights perfecting. It rippled across his skin like molten ink, invisible to the naked eye. Six-layered. Overlapping. Efficient beyond reason.

He felt it ignite.

The first layer enhanced his strength.

The second, his reflexes and speed.

The third, a barrier film that reinforced his skin against external damage.

The fourth regulated mana use across his internal system to prevent overdraw.

The fifth reduced ambient magical detection.

And the sixth, a new design, one that siphoned ambient magical energy from the surroundings in slow, passive pulses.

His body became a storm contained in a bottle.

He adjusted the dampening gloves over his hands and pulled the hood of his illusion low.

Then a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Nice work, K-Alex." frёeωebɳovel.com

He turned to see Rael, leaning casually against the stone archway, arms crossed, his heavy cloak partially obscuring his guildmaster insignia. His silver hair was tied back, his eyes sharp, but with a flicker of warmth.

"Rael."

"You look ready." He stepped inside, giving Kai a once-over. "Too ready, actually. You’re not planning to kill the guy, are you?"

Kai smiled faintly. "Only if he tries too hard to kill me first."

Rael chuckled. "Fair enough. Durg’s a good fighter. Been doing this for over a decade. Doesn’t win every match, but he’s durable and patient. Keep moving."

"I was planning on it."

Rael moved closer, placing a hand briefly on Kai’s shoulder.

"I know you have... your own goals. Bigger than this tournament. But don’t underestimate what winning here can do for you. The right eyes are watching. Keep your identity hidden. No necromancy. Fight like a warrior. Win like one."

Kai nodded. "I know the rules. Don’t worry."

Rael gave him a final nod, then stepped aside. "Then go. Show them why I vouched for you."

An attendant reappeared, this time a robed woman with golden embroidery sewn into her sleeves. "Fighter Alex Trunsdale. Please follow me."

Kai followed her through a tightening tunnel carved into the arena’s base, each step echoing underfoot. The walls vibrated with the roar of the crowd above, the sound like waves crashing against a cliff. It only grew louder.

Then they reached the final gate, a heavy set of wooden doors reinforced with steel bars and glowing with minor enchantments.

As they opened, the roar from the crowd within almost deafened him.

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