Solo Leveling (Only I Level Up): The Red Player

Sung Suho sat atop a grotesque throne of goblin corpses, their twisted bodies strewn about in the cavernous dungeon. His blood-soaked sword rested loosely in his hand, the faint glow of his System pulsing in the corner of his vision. The screen blinked, displaying the words he had been waiting for:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

• Quest Completed: "Eliminate the Goblin Horde"

• Reward Available: Rune Stone (Skill: Shadow Extraction)

The System's blue hue illuminated the dark space, and Suho's tired eyes shifted to the floating shadowy figure beside him.

"Well done, young master," Beru said, his small ant-like head bowing slightly in mock reverence. "You have shown dominance over these pitiful creatures. Truly, you are proving to be worthy of your potential."

Suho groaned, slumping further into the mound of corpses. "Dominance? You didn't do a thing, Beru. I'm the one who did all the work. You just floated around watching."

Beru chuckled, a faint, buzzing sound that echoed through the cavern. "I am but an observer, young master. These battles are for you to grow, and err…I'm still not at full power."

Before Suho could retort, his System chimed again, this time with an invitation:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

• Do you wish to accept your reward for completing the quest?

[YES] / [NO]

Suho hesitated for a moment before pressing YES. He stared at the system message for a while, a stone that can grant him a skill? in the image provided of the stone he can tell what it looked looked like, its surface carved with intricate, glowing runes that pulsated with faint energy.

[ITEM :RUNE STONE]

• Name: Rune Stone (Skill: Shadow Extraction)

• Description: Grants the user the skill Shadow Extraction upon activation.

"Shadow Extraction?" Suho muttered, narrowing his eyes at the stone. "So if I crush this, I get the skill, right?"

Beru floated closer, his glowing eyes widening with excitement. "Yes, young master! Shadow Extraction is one of the most powerful abilities! It is the skill that allowed my liege—your father, the Shadow Monarch—to rise to greatness!"

Suho raised an eyebrow. "You mean Dad could do this, too?"

Beru nodded eagerly. "Indeed. This is the very essence of his power, passed down to you."

Suho tilted his head, skeptical. He glanced back at his System, noting another line of text that caught his attention.

[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: ENDURANCE]

• Level: 1

• Effect: Enhances physical resilience. Passive regeneration of minor injuries over time.

Lifting his shirt, Suho inspected the area where a Goblin had stabbed him earlier. The wound was completely gone, the only trace being the faint memory of pain. "So I can heal now? And I get skills on top of that?" He smirked, shaking his head. "I was unawakened just a week ago, and now I'm starting to feel… overpowered."

Beru buzzed with amusement. "Young master, your version of the System is an improved model. It has been refined since the days of my liege. It is no longer a tool of domination but one of stable growth."

He added, dramatically, "Your journey, young master, could be titled: 'I Thought I Was an Unawakened, But I Was Actually the Strongest Necromancer!'"

Suho groaned, cringing at Beru's flair for theatrics. "Please, never say that again."

Shaking his head, Suho decided to focus on the system again, hitting YES and accepting his reward. The Rune Stone materialized in his hand. He clenched his fist around it, and the stone crumbled to dust, releasing a wave of dark energy that wrapped around him. His System chimed once more:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

• You have acquired a new skill: Shadow Extraction

[SKILL DESCRIPTION]

• Name: Shadow Extraction

• Type: Active

• Effect: Allows the user to extract mana from a corpse to create a Shadow Soldier.

• Notes: Success rate depends on target's experience and the duration since death. Maximum Shadows controllable: 3.

Suho's eyes widened as he read the description. "Wait… I can create soldiers from corpses?"

Beru buzzed with pride. "Yes, young master. This is the essence of the Shadow Monarch's authority. You now have the ability to raise shadows, just as I was once raised by your father."

The word lingered on Suho's tongue. "So… I'm basically a Necromancer." He muttered the word awkwardly but couldn't help a faint grin.

"You must hunt to raise them," Beru added. "The corpses of the weak will serve you well. This is the power to dominate, young master."

Suho raised a hand toward one of the dead goblin corpses, curious. The System chimed:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

• Shadow Extraction can be used on this target.

Another prompt appeared:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

• Please input a Command Phrase to initiate Shadow Extraction.

"A command phrase?" Suho muttered, furrowing his brow. "This system gets more annoying every time."

Beru chuckled knowingly, hovering nearby. "A word of power, young master. Something… iconic."

Suho stood in thought for a moment before an idea struck him. Slowly, he raised his palm again toward the goblin corpse and uttered a single word:

"Arise."

The System pulsed in acknowledgment, the corpse beginning to twitch as shadows coiled around it.

...

Meanwhile, within the deeper parts of the personal dungeon, Xavier stood among the bodies of five dead Hob Goblins. His System glowed with its crimson hue, displaying his current progress.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[You Leveled Up!]

[CURRENT LEVEL: 13]

• Strength: 26

• Agility: 26

• Vitality: 26

• Intelligence: 16

• Sense: 16

[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: BOWMAN (LEVEL 1)]

Xavier wiped his brow, his chest heaving as he looked down at the corpses. A grin tugged at his lips. "I actually did it… I took them all down on my own."

He glanced at his palm, where a Rune Stone with glowing red runes rested. A small notification hovered above it:

[ITEM ACQUIRED: RUNE STONE]

• Name: Rune Stone (Skill: Ruler's Supremacy)

"Ruler's Supremacy?" Xavier muttered. "Sounds… intense."

The name intrigued him, but skepticism lingered in his mind. What exactly would this skill do? He rubbed the back of his neck, anxiety gnawing at him. "Here goes nothing," he murmured.

He crushed the stone, and a deep red-black aura erupted from it, enveloping him completely.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[You have acquired a new skill: Ruler's Supremacy.]

The system chimed again, with some text describing the skill.

Xavier's eyes widened as he read the description. "THIS… THIS IS MY SKILL?!"