Solo Leveling with Copy Ability

A Walk Among the Dead

Markus leaned back in his chair, swirling the last sip of his coffee as he stared at the map projection before him. The Dungeon Locator feature of Monarch's Codex displayed a live feed of active Gates across Seoul. Most were already registered, marked with designated teams, flashing with scheduled clear times.

But one? One was still fresh.

A flickering red marker pulsed at the outskirts of the city, unregistered, no assigned Hunters, and the mana fluctuations screamed of death.

[Unregistered Dungeon Detected – Type: Undead]

Markus exhaled through his nose, a grin pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Undead, huh?" He tapped the screen thoughtfully. "If I was a wizard with a beard, I'd be ranting about how 'forbidden' this is."

He scoffed, imagining Dumbledore's horrified face.

"Markus, my boy, dark magic leads only to corruption! You must resist the temptation!"

Markus rolled his eyes, grabbing his coat. "Sure, Grandpa Manipulator. I'll stop as soon as it stops being useful."

He checked the time. 6:12 AM. Early morning mist still covered the city, and the streets were quiet.

Stealth would be easy.

Focusing, he activated Silent Phantom, his form fading into nothingness as he stepped onto the balcony. Phantom Acceleration kicked in, his muscles brimming with supernatural speed.

He left the hotel, flashing through the streets with casual grace before vanishing into the cityscape.

Twenty minutes later, Markus crouched on a rooftop overlooking the dungeon. The black vortex swirled unnaturally, humming with necrotic energy.

No Hunters. No Association agents. It was still completely unnoticed.

"Perfect."

Without hesitation, he stepped forward and entered.

The first thing that hit him was the stench.

Ancient, damp, rotting air filled his lungs. The dungeon resembled a crumbling underground catacomb, vast tunnels lined with old coffins and shattered tombstones. Dim blue torches flickered along the walls, casting eerie shadows.

Then came the movement.

A dozen skeletons clattered to life, hollow sockets burning with spectral fire.

Markus didn't waste time.

With a thought, he cast Piercing Frost, a sharpened ice spear ripped through three at once, freezing their brittle bones before shattering them.

[+35 EXP]

"Too easy."

More approached, but they were slow, predictable, fragile.

Markus activated Void Blink, reappearing behind them before launching Blazing Execution into the crowd.

🔥 BOOM! 🔥

Flames engulfed the corridor, incinerating every skeleton within range.

[+50 EXP]

Their remains crumpled into dust, their weapons and shields clattering to the ground.

Markus didn't even bother checking for loot. These things were fodder mobs, their drops were trash, and their skills were worse.

Checking the floating skill cards, he found the usual disappointment:

✔ (Passive) Bone Durability – Level 3 (Slightly increases resistance to blunt attacks.)

✔ (Active) Bone Spear – Level 2 (Throws a sharpened bone projectile at an enemy.)

✔ (Passive) Undead Fortitude – Level 1 (Resists minor pain and fear effects.)

Markus sighed. "Nothing worth copying."

Moving deeper, he encountered the next wave of undead. Ghouls.

Twisted humanoid creatures with pale, rotting flesh and unnaturally long claws. Unlike the skeletons, these ones were fast, darting across the dungeon with erratic, animalistic movements.

One leaped at him from the shadows.

Markus Blinked mid-air, appearing behind it before slamming an ice spear through its skull.

It convulsed, screeching, then collapsed.

The others charged, but Markus was already moving.

✔ Blazing Execution incinerated them in tight corridors.

✔ Piercing Frost impaled them when they tried to lunge.

✔ Void Blink let him reposition faster than they could react.

[+100 EXP]

As the last ghoul fell, Markus scanned the skill cards.

✔ (Passive) Enhanced Claws – Level 3 (Slight increase to slashing damage.)

✔ (Active) Feral Lunge – Level 2 (A wild charging attack with improved speed.)

✔ (Passive) Carrion Eater – Level 4 (Restores minor health by consuming flesh.)

Markus stared at the last one. "Who the hell designed this? 'Regain HP by eating corpses'? That's nasty even by my standards."

Pass.

So far? Nothing worth taking.

But he could feel something deeper inside the dungeon. A stronger presence.

A smirk crossed his lips.

"Time to find something actually useful."

✔ Skeletons? Trash.

✔ Ghouls? Slightly faster trash.

✔ Deeper in? Something worthwhile.

Markus moved forward, eyes glinting with anticipation.

💀 Something down there had real power. 💀

And he was going to take it.

Markus moved deeper into the catacombs, his boots silent against the damp stone floor. Mana Sense pulsed, scanning for anything worth his time.

✔ The skeletons were nothing but brittle bones and disappointment.

✔ The ghouls had been slightly better, emphasis on slightly.

But ahead? Something stronger. Something worth copying.

The air grew thick with necrotic energy.

"Now we're talking."

Markus advanced, still hidden under Silent Phantom, his form invisible to the undead hordes lurking ahead.

A low, distorted wail echoed through the tunnels.

From the shadows, ghostly figures emerged.

✔ Wraiths, ethereal beings, draped in tattered void-like cloaks, floating above the ground.

✔ Their eyes burned with cold, soulless malice.

✔ Unlike the skeletons and ghouls, these things were pure mana, formless and deadly.

Markus felt the shift in combat dynamic immediately.

✔ Physical attacks were useless.

✔ Elemental magic was the only way to take them down.

"Good thing I specialize in that."

One wraith screeched and launched a bolt of necrotic energy at him.

Markus Blinked, avoiding it mid-air, reappearing behind another wraith. Piercing Frost shot forward, a jagged lance of ice ripping through the first creature.

It let out an unnatural howl, its form shattering like glass.

[+150 EXP]

The others reacted instantly.

✔ One raised a spectral hand, summoning an Arcane Shield around itself.

✔ Another sent another Death Coil of cursed energy in his direction.

✔ The third hovered back, its presence growing darker, charging something bigger.

Markus grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere."

As he fought, skill cards began materializing around the wraiths, revealing their abilities.

[Available Wraith Skill Cards]

✔ (Active) Death Coil – Level 4 (Launches a necrotic energy bolt that drains life.)

✔ (Active) Arcane Shield – Level 5 (Creates a defensive barrier that absorbs magical attacks.)

✔ (Passive) Soul Harvest – Level 5 (Extracts the souls of fallen enemies to replenish mana and enhance magical power.)

Markus' grin widened. Now these were worth taking.

1️⃣ Copying: Soul Harvest – Level 5

✔ Instantly replenishes mana upon enemy death.

✔ Each absorbed soul permanently increases magical power.

✔ With enough souls, his mana capacity and spell potency would skyrocket.

"Yeah. This one's a no-brainer."

[✔ Skill Copied: Soul Harvest – Level 5]

A chilling sensation ran through him as the new power settled in. He could feel the lingering essence of the wraiths, their fragmented souls still clinging to reality.

The next time something died near him, he'd take its soul and grow stronger.

Markus exhaled. "Dumbledore would be crying right now."

He cracked his knuckles. "One down. Two to go."

2️⃣ Copying: Arcane Shield – Level 5

✔ A defensive magic barrier, something he sorely needed.

✔ Would block incoming spells, reducing magic damage significantly.

✔ Worked passively, meaning it would activate whenever he was under attack.

"Finally. Some insurance."

[✔ Skill Copied: Arcane Shield – Level 5]

A faint shimmering aura wrapped around his body for a brief moment before fading. It was already working.

Markus stretched. "Now I can afford to get hit, just a little."

3️⃣ Copying: Death Coil – Level 4

✔ A direct necrotic attack, meaning it ignored traditional armor.

✔ Drained enemy life force to heal himself.

✔ Unlike fire or ice, it was pure dark energy, another damage type to add to his arsenal.

"Voldemort would be proud."

[✔ Skill Copied: Death Coil – Level 4]

Dark energy crackled between his fingers. He clenched his fist, feeling the power hum beneath his skin.

Fire. Ice. Necrotic energy.

The perfect trifecta of destruction.

With these three abilities, Markus knew he'd just hit the jackpot.

But the dungeon wasn't cleared yet.

✔ His remaining copy slot for the day was full.

✔ The dungeon boss could have something even better.

✔ If he killed it now, he'd have to wait until tomorrow to copy more skills.

Markus leaned against the tunnel wall, contemplating.

Option 1: Kill the Boss Now

✔ He'd level up again.

✔ He'd get more loot.

✔ But he wouldn't be able to copy any more skills today.

Option 2: Hold Off Until Tomorrow

✔ He could stay inside, keep hunting more undead, and copy even more skills.

✔ Then, when the new day rolled over, he'd copy the boss' skills first.

✔ But he'd have to stay overnight in a dungeon full of undead.

Markus smirked. "Well… wouldn't be my first time sleeping with corpses around."

Markus stood amidst the piles of slain undead, his eyes scanning the eerie, dimly lit cavern. The air smelled of decay and something older, ancient magic, thick and oppressive.

He rolled his shoulders, letting the energy of his newly acquired skills settle in.

✔ Death Coil, his first necrotic attack spell. A life-draining bolt that sucked vitality from enemies.

✔ Arcane Shield, a defensive barrier that could block magic. Needed activation and upkeep.

✔ Soul Harvest, his favorite. A passive effect that devoured the souls of fallen enemies to fuel his mana and permanently increase his magic reserves.

Markus flexed his fingers, watching dark energy coil between them.

"Oh, if Dumbledore could see me now… Old man would be rolling in his grave, crying about the 'tragedy' of a talented youth succumbing to the Dark Arts. Meanwhile, Voldemort? That bastard would be throwing me a damn parade."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No time to celebrate. Time to get stronger."

Testing Arcane Shield – Let Them Hit Me

Before dealing with the boss, Markus needed to level up Arcane Shield.

✔ The spell was strong, but untested in real combat.

✔ Best way to level it? Let the undead hit him.

"Alright, let's see how much this thing can take."

With a thought, he activated Arcane Shield.

A translucent, violet barrier materialized around him, shimmering faintly.

Then, Markus turned toward a cluster of undead still lurking in the tunnels.

✔ Skeleton Knights, rusted swords gleaming.

✔ A handful of Ghouls, drooling with hunger.

✔ One Death Wraith hovering ominously in the shadows.

Markus deactivated Silent Phantom and walked straight into them.

The monsters reacted instantly.

✔ The Skeleton Knights charged.

✔ The Ghouls screeched and lunged.

✔ The Death Wraith raised a withered hand, casting a black bolt of magic.

Markus leaned against the cold, cracked stone of the dungeon's inner walls, watching the undead wander mindlessly around him. His Arcane Shield shimmered faintly, flickering each time a Wraith launched a bolt of dark energy at him. The translucent barrier absorbed the impact, pulsing with faint violet energy.

"Heh," he mused. "Dumbledore would be rolling in his grave. Wait… is he dead yet? Who cares."

For the past few hours, he'd been grinding his abilities non-stop, turning this dungeon into his personal training camp.

☠ Skeleton Warriors: Nothing but cannon fodder. Their rusted swords and axes barely scratched him. Good for Regeneration training.

👻 Wraiths: Now these were useful. Their dark magic pounded against his Arcane Shield, feeding it EXP. Free shield training.

💀 Ghouls: Slightly tougher than skeletons, but nothing special. He drained them dry using Death Coil, testing out the new ability.

Skill Training Breakdown:

✔ Regeneration Training: Took direct hits from Skeleton Warriors, letting wounds heal instantly.

✔ Arcane Shield Training: Wraiths' dark magic constantly battered the shield, making it stronger.

✔ Death Coil Training: Blasted undead, drained their life, and repeated.

✔ Void Blink Training: Dodged at the last second before an attack hit, teleporting unpredictably.

Markus grinned as he let a skeleton's sword bite into his arm. The blade barely pierced his skin before the wound sealed itself instantly under the power of Greater Regeneration.

"Oh no, I'm wounded," he muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "What ever shall I do?"

The skeleton raised its sword again, only for Markus to blast it point-blank with Death Coil. A swirling bolt of necrotic energy slammed into its skull, disintegrating it on impact.

💀 Skeleton Vanquished

[+100 EXP Gained]

A wraith screeched in frustration, hurling a blast of dark energy at him.

💥 Arcane Shield flickered, absorbing the impact effortlessly. The skill had been getting stronger with each attack, and now the absorption rate had increased.

[Arcane Shield – Level Up!]

Level 5 → Level 6

Barrier absorption increased. Mana cost slightly reduced.

Markus let out a small chuckle. "That's right. Keep it coming. Let's max this out."

He turned his attention back to his surroundings.

The dungeon was filled with the dead.

Corpses of ghouls, skeletons, and wraiths littered the ground, but their souls didn't go to waste. Each one that fell fed into his Soul Harvest, fueling his mana reserves and enhancing his power.

A black mist swirled around Markus, the faint remnants of absorbed souls seeping into his body. He exhaled, feeling the rush of new energy reinforcing his magical core.

[Soul Harvest – Passive Effect Triggered]

✔ Mana restored with each kill

✔ Magical power enhanced through cumulative soul absorption

His mana pool grew steadily, his spells becoming more efficient. He felt his control over Death Coil and Void Blink sharpening, the effects compounding.

👀 Meanwhile, Voldemort was somewhere in another dimension, wiping away a single proud tear.

Midnight Training – The Grind Continues

Markus checked the dungeon timer. Still plenty of time before sunrise. His Card Copy ability reset at dawn, which meant he wasn't leaving until then.

The plan was simple: Keep farming, max out his new skills, and then copy the boss's abilities tomorrow.

Markus cracked his knuckles, stepping forward as a new wave of undead emerged from the depths.

Time to get back to work.

✔ Time: 6:00 AM.

✔ Card Copy reset – 3 new slots available.

After a full night of grinding, Markus finally entered the boss chamber.

The air turned dense, thick with an ancient, oppressive force.

At the center of the vast cathedral-like space, seated atop a throne carved from charred bones, was the ruler of this undead domain.

The Undead Sovereign.

A towering figure clad in tattered black robes, skeletal fingers gripping the armrests of its throne. Ethereal blue flames flickered in its hollow eye sockets, its body wreathed in dark energy.

Markus' lips twitched. Now this was a boss.

With Silent Phantom ensuring his presence remained undetected, he moved into range, preparing to activate Card Copy.

A surge of energy pulsed as the Undead Sovereign's available skill cards materialized.

[Available Skill Cards - Undead Sovereign]

✔ (Passive) Lich's Essence – Level 7 (Negates aging, drastically increases mana pool, reduces physical damage taken.)

✔ (Passive) Dark Authority – Level 6 (Undead creatures are compelled to obey the user's will.)

✔ (Active) Death's Grasp – Level 5 (Unleashes a wave of necrotic energy, weakening enemies and sapping their life force.)

✔ (Active) Undying Will – Level 6 (Temporarily grants immunity to fatal damage for 10 seconds.)

✔ (Active) Spectral Dominion – Level 8 (Summons a horde of spectral warriors bound to the user's will.)

✔ (Active) Ritual of the Forsaken – Level 7 (A long-casting spell that resurrects fallen undead minions permanently.)

Markus' eyes gleamed.

This wasn't just a strong monster, it was a treasure chest of broken abilities.

Selecting the Skills – Maximizing Power

🔹 [First Copy – Lich's Essence] (Passive – Level 7)

✔ Effect: Vastly increases Mana Pool, grants physical resistance, and eliminates aging.

✔ Benefit: More mana meant stronger spells, better endurance, and becoming exponentially harder to kill.

🔹 [Second Copy – Undying Will] (Active – Level 6)

✔ Effect: Grants temporary immortality for 10 seconds upon activation.

✔ Benefit: The perfect insurance policy against unexpected fatal hits.

🔹 [Third Copy – Spectral Dominion] (Active – Level 8)

✔ Effect: Summons an army of spectral warriors bound to Markus' will.

✔ Benefit: A private army that required no maintenance, serving as an extension of his power.

As the final skill integrated, Markus exhaled sharply.

The power settling into him was immense.

Leaving the Boss Alive – A Strategic Choice

Most Hunters would immediately kill the boss to clear the dungeon.

Markus?

He wasn't an idiot.

✔ Why kill the boss when he could return every day?

✔ Stack Lich's Essence for an absurd mana pool.

✔ Stack Undying Will for longer invulnerability.

✔ Stack Spectral Dominion for an endless army.

This wasn't just about gaining power.

He was rewriting the rules.

With a final glance at the throne, Markus stepped back, vanishing into the darkness.

Tomorrow, he'd be back.

And he'd take even more.