Solo Leveling with Copy Ability

Markus emerged from the twisted depths of the Nightmare Arcane Spire, the echoes of battle still ringing in his ears. As he made his way through the rain-slicked, neon-lit back alleys of Seoul, a storm of conflicting thoughts churned within him. His recent confrontation with the Temporal Warden had showcased the devastating power of his magical and necromantic abilities, his newly fused "Temporal Convergence" and the explosive surge of Kinetic Surge had turned the tide of battle. Yet, as his wounds healed naturally through his inherent regenerative abilities, a bitter realization gnawed at him: the relentless focus on arcane might had come at a steep price. During the clash, the overwhelming force of the enemy's physical attacks had left him battered, and a stubborn memory of a pointy stick, symbolic of a basic, neglected martial edge, haunted him. In that moment, Markus silently acknowledged that an overreliance on magic, while potent, might have left him exposed in close-quarters combat. The thought that perhaps he should have balanced his training with a focus on physical strength and agility stirred a reluctant determination within him to rectify that imbalance in the future.

Determined to take decisive action and secure his place in this new world, Markus swiftly decided to visit the Korean Hunter Association headquarters. The urban sprawl of Seoul, with its labyrinthine alleys and hidden passageways, became his stage as he melted into the darkness using his Silent Phantom ability. Each step was executed with meticulous precision, his mind simultaneously reviewing the tactical lessons from Floor 13 and wrestling with the notion that physical combat prowess was as crucial as magical might. As he navigated through the quiet streets, he recalled the brutal moments of his recent encounter, the sheer force of the Temporal Warden's melee assaults, and silently vowed that, one day, he would incorporate a more robust physical training regimen into his daily practice. For now, however, his priority was to secure his position within the KHA, even if it meant accepting conditions that would force him to reexamine his overall approach to battle.

Arriving at the imposing KHA headquarters the next day, Markus's heart pounded not just from adrenaline but also from the weight of his internal conflict. He strode confidently into the lobby, his voice firm as he approached the guild formation desk. "I would like to begin the procedure to establish my own guild," he declared, his tone a blend of assertiveness and quiet vulnerability. The receptionist, maintaining her professional detachment, replied curtly, "I'm sorry, Hunter Tenebris, but our regulations require that a guild founder be a native Korean. Without Korean nationality, we cannot process your application." Her words, though matter-of-fact, struck a chord within Markus, reminding him that his past choices had led him to focus almost exclusively on arcane power, leaving his physical combat skills and cultural alignment unbalanced. The notion that he might have been better served by a more comprehensive training approach lingered in his mind like a persistent shadow.

Before Markus could muster a counterargument, faint footsteps was heard and Woo Jin-Chul, the austere and uncompromising Chief Inspector of Hunter Security, stepped forward with a measured stride. His gaze was sharp, his tone unwavering as he addressed Markus: "Hunter Tenebris, if you wish to form a guild on Korean soil, you must change your nationality to Korean. Alternatively, you may establish your guild in the United States, where the rules differ. But here, our system mandates that the founder be a native." The words were delivered with a cold finality that left no room for negotiation. As Markus absorbed this directive, he felt a pang of regret mixed with resolve; accepting Korean nationality would bind him closer to the local system, an opportunity to prove his worth among his peers, which he was not interested at all to be honest. Markus knew that aligning himself fully with Korea's elite network was a strategic necessity for the future events, and with a slow, determined nod, he agreed to the change.

In the adjacent surveillance room, an experienced, no-nonsense officer had been silently monitoring the unfolding events. His internal report was succinct yet resolute: "Hunter Tenebris, despite a notorious past as a mercenary, demonstrates undeniable power. His decision to embrace Korean nationality is both bold and strategically sound, and it will fortify our elite ranks." The officer transmitted his findings directly to the KHA president, who, in a private meeting with Woo Jin-Chul, stated firmly, "Hunter Tenebris's past is well known, but his abilities, even still not clear far exceed any misgivings we might have. We need talents like his to secure our future." Woo Jin-Chul concurred, "We will process his nationality change immediately, making him officially recognized as Korea's 10th S-Class Hunter." With his new documents in hand, Markus departed the headquarters, his mind heavy with both the promise of a stronger future and the haunting realization that the physical aspects of combat, which he had so long neglected, might someday be the very thing that could save him.

Under the cloak of darkness, Markus advanced steadily toward Jin-Woo's residence, his Silent Phantom ability rendering him nearly invisible as he navigated the quiet backstreets of Seoul. The night air was cool and heavy with anticipation, and the soft hum of distant traffic blended with the whisper of his footsteps on rain-slicked pavement. Every step was measured and deliberate, each movement a calculated blend of urgency and stealth. As he neared a modest, unassuming house nestled in a quiet residential district, Markus slowed his pace, his mind oscillating between his cold, tactical resolve and an unexpected flicker of introspection, a fleeting recognition that his current focus on magical prowess might have left him vulnerable in ways he was only beginning to understand.

Pausing at a narrow alley, Markus peered through a softly lit window and caught a glimpse of Jinah, Jin-Woo's sister. In that brief moment, her natural, graceful presence and quiet demeanor stirred a bittersweet warmth within him. He allowed himself a fleeting, appreciative smile, silently acknowledging her beauty and determination, even as his mission loomed large in his mind. Yet, the moment was ephemeral; with a deep, resolute breath, he pushed the distraction aside and melted further into the shadows, his internal monologue reminding him that every second counted. To his calculations of the time line Sung Jin-Woo must have ben out of the demon tower as of now. He will go through his re-evaluation. His focus returned to the task at hand: infiltrating the residence to absorb the refined shadow skills that Jin-Woo had honed through the demon tower.

Positioning himself in a concealed alcove near a side entrance, Markus settled into an almost meditative state, his senses heightened as he observed the building's quiet rhythm. The faint murmur of voices and the occasional step provided subtle cues about the occupants inside. Soon, the door creaked open and Jin-Woo emerged, his movements deliberate and imbued with the calm authority of a seasoned S-Class Hunter. Markus's heart pounded with anticipation, this was his moment. Without a trace of hesitation, he activated his Card Copy ability. The system interface shimmered to life in the darkness, displaying an array of skill cards that were uniquely Jin-Woo's: cards representing his signature skills of shadow extraction and shadow preservation. These skills, which allowed Jin-Woo to raise and store an elite army of shadow soldiers, flickered before Markus's eyes like fragments of dark light.

In a seamless, almost instinctual motion, Markus selected the cards for Shadow Extraction and Shadow Preservation. He also copied Detoxification. As they were absorbed, a surge of power coursed through him. His preexisting abilities fused with the newly copied shadow skills, instantly updating his system and transforming his combat potential. The fusion produced a new hybrid skill, Phantom Requiem Lv.1, which Markus immediately recognized as the key to his future strength. The digital readout detailed its effects:

  [Phantom Requiem Lv.1]

  • Passive: Transforms all existing undead summons into shadowy entities, granting them +10% physical and +5% magical defense.

  • Active: When activated, any fallen enemy can be reanimated as an undead summon. You receive up to 3 reanimation attempts per activation for stronger souls.

  • Storage: All reanimated summons are stored in a Shadow Reservoir with a maximum capacity equal to 30% of your (INT + WIS) stats.

  • Summon Limit Increase: Increases your overall undead summoning limit by 10%, ensuring a larger, more potent army.

The fusion process was more than just a numerical update, it was transformative. Markus felt his reaction speed surge and his control over darkness sharpen. The raw, newly integrated energy pulsed within him, reinforcing not only his magical but also his physical capabilities, a bittersweet reminder of his earlier regret over neglecting physical combat training. This fusion was his way of finally balancing both aspects, even if it had come at the cost of an intense, unyielding focus on magic.

Before Jin-Woo or any prying eyes could register the anomaly, Markus activated Void Blink and vanished into the night, leaving behind only a faint echo of his presence. As he melted away, his system logged stat increases from the extraction, marking a significant milestone in his evolution. With Phantom Requiem Lv.1 now fully integrated into his arsenal, Markus's mind raced with the possibilities of a hybrid fighting style that merged the relentless precision of shadow magic with the raw endurance of necromancy. His next step was clear: to test this new ability in the Echoing Rift on the outskirts of Seoul, where he could push the limits of his transformed undead army without interruption.

Markus's footsteps faded into the distant hum of the city as he reached the outskirts of Seoul, a desolate, abandoned industrial district where the neon glow of the metropolis gave way to long-forgotten warehouses and silent backstreets. Here, away from prying eyes and the constant surveillance of the urban core, the atmosphere thrummed with raw, untamed energy. In this secluded expanse, Markus found the ideal location to test his newly fused power. With a determined glance at the dark horizon, he activated his custom Echoing Rift, a volatile portal that twisted the very fabric of reality into a surreal battleground of undulating mana and shifting shadows.

The Rift sprang to life with a roar of arcane energy, opening into a labyrinth of corridors and chambers where space itself seemed to bend and shimmer. In this otherworldly domain.

Almost instantly, the Rift responded to his command. His standard necromantic units, Bone Reapers, Doom Knights, Wraith Lords, and Lich Generals, underwent a dramatic metamorphosis. Their once-rigid, corporeal forms dissolved into eerie, translucent silhouettes, each pulsing with dark, ethereal energy that signaled their transformation into shadow-enhanced beings. The very air around them shimmered with hints of void and dusk, as if they had been reborn in the realm between life and death. Markus's system confirmed that every time an enemy fell he could add the fallen to his hybrid army, he was given up to three reanimation attempts for stronger foes. Each successful reanimation will convert the enemy into a hybrid summon, part undead, part shadow, and these new units will be immediately stored within his Shadow Reservoir. The reservoir's capacity, determined by 30% of his combined Intelligence 1,834 and Wisdom 1,530 after his latest run in the dungeon and his copy from Sung Jin-Woo, allowed him to amass a significant cache of hybrid soldiers, bolstering his overall summoning limit by an additional 10%.

Within the chaotic confines of the Rift, Markus observed his newly transformed army engage in battle. His shadow-infused undead moved with an otherworldly coordination, their enhanced forms exhibiting a noticeable 20% boost in both damage and durability. The Bone Reapers struck with swift, lethal precision, while the Doom Knights formed an unbreakable frontlines that absorbed heavy blows. Wraith Lords darted in and out of the fray, their attacks cloaked in a ghostly haze, and Lich Generals, now more potent than ever, commanded the battlefield with an air of eerie dominance. Every reanimated unit, whether raised from the remnants of a weak enemy or even the shattered essence of the Temporal Warden, contributed to a burgeoning force that Markus could control with unprecedented finesse. The dark energy of the Rift amplified his ability to reanimate, and as each corpse was absorbed, his Shadow Reservoir glowed brighter, a tangible measure of his growing power.

For several intense hours, the Echoing Rift became a crucible for his hybrid dark magic. Markus's system registered the steady influx of EXP and stat bonuses as his hybrid army clashed with the chaotic, mana-warped entities that roamed the Rift. The reanimated foes, now unified under the banner of Phantom Requiem, responded to his commands with an almost uncanny precision. They not only held their ground but also surged forward in calculated waves, their attacks reinforced by the additional defensive bonuses provided by the fusion of shadow preservation with necromancy. The simulation confirmed that his new ability not only increased his summoning capacity by 10% but also empowered his forces. 

As the Rift's chaotic energy began to subside, Markus deactivated the Echoing Rift and reappeared on the rain-slicked outskirts of Seoul. The cool night air seemed to carry whispers of the battle he had just waged, a testament to the raw, unbridled power of his fused skill. His system logged massive EXP gains and permanent stat increases, and his Shadow Reservoir was now brimming with hybrid summons, each a fusion of necromantic might and extracted shadow essence. Yet even as he savored the overwhelming success of his trial, his thoughts turned to the broader implications of his actions. Global ripples of his decision were already being felt: within Korea, veteran hunters and guild leaders celebrated his integration and hailed his decision to embrace native identity; American intelligence expressed cautious approach for his stance; and Japanese, with their plan on Jeju island, began murmuring about how his steadfast allegiance to Korea might affect their plans.

Returning to his hotel with a sense of measured triumph, Markus sipped his whiskey and allowed himself a rare moment of introspection. He considered the strategic challenges that lay ahead, how much of this newfound hybrid dark magic should be revealed to the KHA, and how would his next encounter with Sung Jin-Woo unfold? The anticipation of future conflicts, both within the Hunter community and on a global scale, filled him with a determined resolve. With every calculated step he had taken, Markus had not only redefined his own power but had also set the stage for a dramatic shift in the balance of power in the Hunter world. In that quiet moment, as the city slept beneath him, Markus knew that his journey had only just begun, and that his fusion of necromantic and shadow skills would be the key to reshaping the destiny of this world.

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A Notice: First of all, I would like to thank each everyone who read, and reviewed this for each review positive or negative adds to the experience. Yet i would like to raise a couple of points:

1- This is a Fanfiction; I do not have to be loyal to the original content. To be honest I might have made JinWoo to a bimbo and made her the main love interest and it wouldn't be an issue for this is a Fanfiction. It has been done numerus times for different fictions. To simplify, I do not care too much about the plot of the original content.

2- I'm not a professional writer; I am not earning anything from this work. I was perfectly happy writing it for myself alone and won't be bothered to do so again. Each chapter has approximately 2.5K words. As an avid reader of Fanfictions I hate short chapters, Authors who forces people to give reviews, power stones, feedbacks etc. Personally, I do not care. I really loved the interaction, and read the reviews, talk to people and get new ideas (Like Ethan_Venable who gave me the idea of copying Architect's powers. Thanks again for that mate) So if you like this fiction, hurray, come and let's add/remove/edit things I write. I'm still learning Afterall. If you do not "insert gif -Oh no! -"

3- I want to focus on the plot and the changes I want to make on it, so expect less status screens, skill developments. I'll put the status screen every 2-3 chapters at the end to keep everyone on the know. Enjoy chapter 13 and have a good day/night wherever you lovely people are.