Reborn as the Undead Overlord

The moment Veluna saw the thing standing behind her son, her world froze.

A skeleton—tall, pale-boned, and silent—loomed just outside the doorway. Its hollow sockets stared blankly ahead, unblinking. Cold. Dead.

But her son stood in front of it, alive.

And that made no sense.

For a moment, her mind refused to register what her eyes were showing her. Her heart pounded, faster and faster, until her knees nearly gave out. Her lips parted, but the words were trapped behind the terror rising in her chest.

She looked at Aarav—really looked. He wasn't frightened. He stood firm, composed, even… protective?

His gaze met hers with an emotion she couldn't place. Steady. Fierce. Like steel forged in fire.

Still trembling, Veluna forced out the words. "A-Aarav… what is that?"

Aarav had expected this.

He stepped forward calmly, placing himself between his mother and the skeleton, then softly said, "A promise, Mother. That no one will ever hurt us again."

The air fell still.

Veluna's hand rose to her chest as if to hold her pounding heart in place. Was this the same boy who had once hidden behind her when lightning cracked the sky?

Now he stood tall, a figure cloaked in mystery, with the dead obeying his will.

She wanted to scream. To run. But instead… she stepped forward.

Veluna's hands, weathered by time and burden, reached out and gently cupped her son's face. Her eyes searched his, silently asking the questions her voice couldn't form.

Was he still hers?

Was he still… Aarav?

He didn't flinch. He didn't look away. And in that gaze—beneath the new sharpness in his eyes, beneath the cold control—she saw it.

Love.

Not the same as before. Deeper. Quieter. Like a flame that had burned through hell and still refused to die.

She exhaled slowly, tears prickling her lashes.

"My son…" she whispered. "What have you become?"

Aarav placed his hand over hers, gently. "Something that can protect you. I promise."

For a moment, her breath caught. She wanted to believe him—but the skeleton behind him loomed like a shadow of doubt.

Shaking, she turned away, hugging herself tightly. "This… this is not right. You're playing with death, Aarav. That's not something to be taken lightly."

"I know," he said quietly. "But death already took everything from me once. I won't let it take you too."

The silence between them stretched, heavy with unspoken fears.

Then, without a word, she walked past him—straight to the skeleton.

Aarav tensed.

But Veluna only stared at it, deeply, as if searching for something.

Then she turned back to her son.

"If you walk this path," she said, voice low but steady, "you must never forget who you're walking it for."

Aarav nodded slowly. "I haven't. And I won't."

Veluna gave a single, solemn nod. "Then… come. Sit. Tell me everything."

Inside the Room

The two sat in Veluna's room. She rested on the edge of the bed, her fingers laced tightly together, while Aarav took the stool across from her.

The skeleton remained outside—still, unmoving, like a sentinel.

Aarav spoke slowly, honestly. "I woke up in this body with no memory of how… but the moment I opened my eyes, I heard a voice. The system. It said I'd been granted power."

"A system?" Veluna echoed, trying to grasp the unfamiliar word.

"Yes. It's like a guide that lives inside me. It shows me my strength, my path. It told me… I'm a Necromancer."

She inhaled sharply. "A Necromancer… one who commands the dead?"

Aarav nodded.

A long silence followed.

Then—to his surprise—Veluna smiled faintly. "Then it's true. You've awakened. That means… you've been chosen."

Aarav blinked. "You're not… scared?"

"I am," she admitted. "But not of you."

She reached out, taking his hand in both of hers. "If fate gave you this path, then walk it. But walk it with a steady heart. And never forget who you walk it for."

"I won't," Aarav whispered. "I swear it, Mother."

Veluna smiled through moist eyes. "That's my boy."

Later: In Aarav's Room

When Aarav entered his room, the undead was still standing there, unmoving.

"You did well," Aarav murmured, then closed the door behind him.

He sat on the floor, crossed-legged, and called out: "System?"

"Yes, Host," came the familiar voice.

"Show me my undead's stats."

"Host," the system replied, "before I can do that, you must first choose the class for your undead."

"Class?"

"Yes. You must decide how your undead will fight: Close Quarters Combat or Long Range."

A glowing screen appeared before him:

Choose One Undead Class:

Close Quarters Combat: Excels in melee fighting. Durable, aggressive. Ideal for frontline roles.

Long Range Combat: Excels in distance fighting. Uses bows or magic. Ideal for support and tactics.

Aarav rubbed his chin. Both had their advantages. But as he looked out the window—where the skeleton stood like a wall between the world and his mother—his mind was made up.

"I need a shield. Someone who can stand between danger and my mother."

He tapped Close Quarters Combat.

Class Selected: Close Quarters Combat

Your undead is now preparing for specialization.

Now, please choose a name for your undead to increase bond strength.

Aarav paused.

He looked at the creature standing before him. Though silent and still, it had answered his blood's call. It had risen for him. Fought through death itself to serve.

It deserved a name.

"From now on… your name is…"

He thought deeply. Then spoke softly:

"Ghrol."

Name Registered: Ghrol

Status Interface Updated.

Undead: Ghrol

Type: Skeleton WarriorClass: Close Quarters CombatLoyalty: Bound (100%)Condition: StableTrait: Brutal Instinct (5% chance to trigger double strike)

Skills:

Bone Slam (Lv.1): Delivers a powerful blow using skeletal strength. Can knock back enemies.

Fear Pulse (Locked): Emits a wave of fear. Unlock condition unknown.

Armor Absorption (In Progress): Can merge with armor to increase defense.

Evolution Potential: Undead Knight (Requirements Hidden)

Aarav exhaled.

"Welcome, Ghrol," he said quietly.

The skeleton shifted slightly, as if acknowledging the bond.

Then the system chimed again.

Host, you are now eligible to select your Necromancer Path.

Choose one to define your future growth.

A new interface appeared.

Necromancer Path Options:

Gravekeeper – Summon many weaker undead. Focus: Quantity & defense.

Soulbinder – Share power between host and undead. Focus: Fusion, buffs.

Deathlord – Fewer undead, but evolve into elite forms. Focus: Offense, domination.

Aarav stared at the options, weighing each carefully.

Gravekeeper was useful, but spreading power too thin would leave him—and his mother—vulnerable.

Soulbinder sounded strong, but it tied his fate to one creature. He needed strength of his own.

Then his eyes locked on Deathlord.

Aggression. Evolution. Domination.

He nodded.

"I'll carve my place in this world—not just survive it."

He selected Deathlord.

Path Selected: Deathlord

New Skill Unlocked: Death Surge(Every 10 seconds of continuous combat, your undead's next attack deals double damage.)

Aarav leaned back against the wall, the weight of the moment pressing against him like gravity.

He had chosen his path.

He had named his first warrior.

He was no longer just a boy beaten in an alley.

He was becoming something more.

Then, he stood, walked to the window, and looked out at the night sky.

Ghrol stood in the moonlight like a silent guardian.

In the kitchen, Veluna knelt before the flickering shrine of her late husband.

She didn't pray for protection anymore.

She whispered a different prayer:

"Thank you… for giving him back to me. No matter what he's become—he's still my son."

Just as Aarav closed the window and turned away, a cold breeze swept through the room.

The skeleton at his side — still and silent until now — suddenly turned its head...

Toward the distant forest beyond the village.

A whisper echoed faintly in Aarav's ears.

"Another awakens... beneath the black roots."

Aarav froze.

The system chimed coldly:

[New Quest Unlocked: The Forgotten One Below]

Objective: Investigate the cursed forest before the next moonrise.

Warning: Hostile undead presence detected.

Difficulty: Unknown.

And in the kitchen, Veluna dropped the ladle from her hand.

For a moment — just a moment — her eyes flashed with a light that didn't belong in this world.

She clutched her chest, her voice trembling in silence:

"...No. It's too soon."