Another hour had passed, and finally, Axel Teras was able to move again. His body ached as if every muscle had been twisted and stretched, but at last, he was on his feet. His eyes were transfixed on the massive notification floating before him, a bold message glowing ominously:
**[To summon your undead, please choose a name for them.]**
"A name to summon my undead?" Axel muttered to himself, feeling the weight of the decision. It felt strange to think of names for creatures that had once been his enemies, beings he had fought tooth and nail against.
**Does it have to be something I will remember? Or should I pick something cool?**
He mulled it over for a moment, his mind flickering between different possibilities. Naming them felt strangely intimate, as if he was taking responsibility for something bigger than himself. He let out a long breath and made his choice.
"Army of the Shadow."
**[Name accepted.]**
**[Summons 3/10]**
Axel barely had time to process the information before a dark red smoke began swirling around him, coiling up from the ground like tendrils of malevolent energy. It seeped into his skin, cold as ice, sending a chill down his spine that he couldn't quite shake.
**What is this?** Axel thought, his heart pounding in his chest. **I feel like... this energy is me.**
The smoke thickened, wrapping around him tighter until, one by one, three shadowy figures rose from the swirling cloud. They took shape, solidifying into monstrous forms Axel knew all too well—the Fatek General, the Kaiju King, and Metal Jaw. Each of them knelt before him, heads bowed, their loyalty unmistakable.
Axel's breath caught in his throat as the realization hit him. **I've conquered them. Their souls are mine. This is necromancy... but different. These creatures were my greatest foes, and now they serve me.**
Despite the surge of power, Axel couldn't help but feel unsettled. He was no stranger to fighting, to death, but this was new territory. The power to summon the dead and bind them to his will—it was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.
But something nagged at him.
"Why is it only these three?" Axel asked aloud, his brow furrowing.
***
Meanwhile, back in Kyota, the air inside General Kurtly's office was thick with tension. The dimly lit room, always hostile, now felt like a powder keg waiting to explode. Shadows danced across the walls, casting eerie reflections on the general's wide, twisted grin.
He reclined in his chair, fingers drumming on the desk in front of him. The plan was in motion, and everything was falling into place.
Five figures stood before him, silent and still as statues. They wore matching dark coats, hoods pulled low over their faces, hiding their identities. Four men and one woman. Their presence was enough to send chills through even the most hardened soldier.
"So, you are the famous Hangi group?" General Kurtly's voice dripped with excitement. He could barely contain his glee at having these notorious assassins in his office. Their reputation was legendary—world-class criminals, wanted by nearly every major power on the planet.
The team leader, a man with a calm, almost eerie demeanor, nodded once, his face shadowed beneath the hood. "I'm not going to ask why someone in your position would hire us. We're your enemies, after all." His tone was cold, calculating. "But I will ask... what's the catch?"
General Kurtly chuckled darkly, pushing a thick file across the desk. "When a common enemy arises, all must come together to defeat it. Isn't that the lesson of history?"
The leader of the Hangi group eyed the file warily before picking it up. He flipped through the pages with practiced ease, his expression hardening as he reached the crux of the assignment.
"You want us to target a man called Teras?" The leader's voice tensed as he recognized the name. Axel Teras had become a figure of interest in recent times, rumors swirling about his mysterious abilities.
"Not the father," Kurtly corrected with a smirk. "The son. Axel Teras. Everything you need to know is in that file. I expect results."
The leader's eyes narrowed. "You want us to kill him... and his family, too?" His tone was laced with suspicion, but there was a flicker of intrigue in his gaze.
General Kurtly's smile widened, his teeth flashing in the dim light. "Exactly. But let's start with his sister. She should be an easy target. A promiscuous woman... I'm sure she won't be difficult to find."
The leader of the Hangi group didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the photo of Axel, his mind racing. **This man... he died and came back to life. A resurrection?** The pieces began to fall into place, and the leader's interest deepened. **No wonder they want him so badly.**
"Axel Teras," the leader mused silently, a dark thought creeping into his mind. **He might be the key to something far greater... the key to immortality.**
The leader's hand tightened around the file as a new hunger flickered in his eyes. This mission was about to become much more personal.