Chapter 17: Iron Vs Stone

```

[Death Energy: 15/120]

[Control Capacity: 2/18]

Active Undead:

- (Beowolf)

- (Iron Golem)

```

Another screen appear in front of him and he saw that it was his Exp bar.

He watched the figures on it climb up as new numbers settling into place.

```

[EXP: 214 / 400]

```

Ethan stared at the system prompt as he assessed the numbers. Two hundred and fourteen Exp points for raising and effectively controlling two ranked slaves. Ninety Death Energy points had been used for the Iron Golem as well...

In truth, he had expected something like this to be the case since the system had labeled the corpse quality as Excellent. But that was a bit too much.

Though he was running close to empty, but the golem was worth it.

He glanced toward the main group and saw Lila standing near a cluster of students, her eyes sweeping across the chaos.

He didn’t know why, but Ethan had a feeling that she was looking at him. Without thinking he gave the Beowolf a simple command and it ran towards her direction.

The undead wolf turned and ran toward her at a steady pace. Lila tensed for half a second when she saw it coming, then recognized the green glow in its eyes. Her shoulders dropped slightly and she understood the message: he was fine.

**BOOM**

Her head snapped towards the source of the noise and witnessed as the iron golem took a battle ready stance.

Ethan stepped forward and stood beside the Iron beast as he gave one final message:

"Destroy them."

And with that, the Iron Golem dashed forward.

The first Stone Golem swung a heavy fist, and the Iron Golem caught the blow on its forearm with a ringing clash of metal and rock, then drove its other arm forward like a piston towards the stone golem’s gut. The impact cracked the Stone Golem’s torso with a heavy sound, and the beast was sent crashing backwards.

The Iron Golem charged after it and hit it again, then struck it with a second strike that took it off its feet and before the second Stone Golem could fully close the distance, the Iron Golem flung the first one towards the other and shoudered both of them hard into the wall.

The first beast fell to the ground lifeless and the second one charged ahead in rage...

**BOOM**

The exchange was brutal and short. Stone chips flew as the Iron Golem’s superior body density came with a punch that tore through the second golem’s chest and killing it.

The Iron Golem punched the beast so hard that the upper body caved in, and it convulsed before it fell limp.

Silence settled over the tunnel, broken only by the settling dust and the low falling of stone.

Students stared.... Some looked impressed. Most looked unsettled as in front of them stood an F Rank Necromancer that had just put two D-rank Stone Golems down with a single raised corpse while the rest of them were still recovering from running.

Marcus pushed himself fully upright, expression contorting with anger and embarrassment. He opened his mouth, then closed it again when one of the instructors eyed him with a look that promised consequences later.

Professor Crane approached Ethan, her eyes moving from the Iron Golem to the two ruined Stone Golems, then back to him.

"Controlled," she said. "Effective. You did fell for a restricted ability." She paused. "Impressive.."

Ethan stared at her for a long moment, refusing to answer, and Crane turned to the wider group. "Regroup. We continue Aetherite collection. Stay inside the marked boundary this time." Her gaze flicked to Marcus. "Some of you will be writing detailed reports tonight."

The groups slowly pulled back together, instructors moving among them, checking for injuries, and Lila made her way over with the Beowolf still running at her side.

She looked at the Iron Golem, then at Ethan.

"Show-off," she said with an exhausted smile.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? This is the best practical use of my ability so far."

He ordered the Iron Golem to retrieve the more intact of the two Stone Golem corpses and drag it closer. Excellent materials were rare. He intended to examine them properly once the group was moving again.

But then he stopped as he suddenly remembered that his Death Energy was currently sitting at fifteen.

The realization felt like a punch to the gut and he exhaled, saddened that he would not be able to do what he had planned.

Before he could stand up, the system screen brightened in front of his eyes.

```

[Ding!]

[You have defeated two Stone Golem Slaves.]

[Level Up]

[Level Up]

[Level 3 → Level 5]

EXP: 800 / 900

```

The moment Ethan saw the new numbers, he nearly fell over. The jump hit harder than previous level-ups. Death Energy pool expanded, Control Capacity rose. The residual strain from maintaining two undead lightened by a noticeable degree. And Ethan couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

Lila looked at him and smiled. "I know that look... you’ve leveled up haven’t you?"

Before he could reply, a second prompt followed immediately.

```

[Two ranked Slave-class undead currently under control]

[Beowolf – Rank E]

[Iron Golem – Rank D]

[Would you like to Collect undead into permanent storage?]

[Yes] [No]

```

Ethan stared at the prompt for a long moment with visible surprise in his eyes.

The system was offering to store them.

He glanced at the Iron Golem standing silently, then at the Beowolf still near Lila. Permanent storage would mean he no longer had to maintain the continuous energy drain just to keep them. It would also mean he could call them back later.

Ethan looked at the prompt again. He blinked a few time to make sure that he wasn’t seeing things, that maybe the Death Energy he was running out of was messing with his senses.

But the notification was still there, floating majestically as it waited to be attended to....

The Dungeon had already given him better gains, and better materials than the academy grounds ever would. Now the system was offering to let him keep them.

That notification was truly a sight to behold.

He reached toward the glowing [Yes].