Hugo chuckled, "No, they're not summoned minions. The undead army is a result of a different process. The masters of the Necropolis, Vyrus and the Skeleton King, have a unique ability to convert the souls of the deceased into undead servants. It's a dark and powerful magic that allows them to amass a formidable force. The souls lose their individuality and become part of the collective consciousness, following the will of their master."

Hugo continued, "This is why there's a clear distinction between the factions in the Necropolis. The enlightened undead, like us, retain our individuality and consciousness. We have our thoughts, desires, and free will. On the other hand, the undead army exists solely to serve the will of their masters. It's a stark hierarchy, where the enlightened undead hold a unique position."

Bones nodded, absorbing the information. The complexities of the undead society in the Necropolis were becoming clearer, yet the mysteries of the Nether Realm still loomed large.

“Actually, the ability to convert souls into servants is reminiscent of how you infused your soul into your golems. Was it Soul Infusion?” Hugo inquired, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Bones shook his head, revealing that his skill was called Soul Spark. He went on to vividly describe its intricacies and how it transformed his golems. Hugo's interest was immediately piqued, acknowledging his unfamiliarity with a skill that facilitated the growth of minions.

“Unlike masters, I’m not proficient in soul magic, but I can tell your skill is different,” Hugo commented.

“How so?” Bones inquired, a slight cough punctuating his question as the burning sensation returned.

“In simple terms, master Vyrus is creating a multitude of minions by infusing them with soul fragments, while the Skeleton King, much like yourself, used his soul to craft far more formidable Death Knights to serve him. And before you ask, yes, I will explain what soul fragments are, but I would first need to delve into the process of how the undead, like us, are created in the first place!” Hugo declared, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of their shared existence.

Before delving into the details, Hugo suggested they continue their conversation outdoors, noting the stuffiness inside and expressing concern over Bones' cough. Bones agreed, indifferent to the setting. Once outside, Hugo inquired if Bones had any mana potions with him, prompting a puzzled response from Bones.

“Drink one; it should help with the cough,” Hugo advised, leaving Bones bewildered about the connection between mana potions and his cough.

“You're coughing because your body isn’t used to the mana here. Chaos mana is volatile and will interfere with mana manipulation. Have you checked your status yet?”

Bones promptly displayed his character screen, scrutinizing it for any changes. He noticed a slight decrease in his mana pool, which wasn’t recovering. Glancing at Hugo, he sought an explanation. Hugo clarified that Bones would need to use mana potions to replenish his mana while in this realm, promising a more detailed explanation later as it was premature to discuss the matter further.

“Now, about soul fragments. Do you know what happens to the soul when someone dies?”

Bones pondered the question for a moment, and although he could formulate some ideas, he ultimately shook his head.

“There is a natural order of things: we are born, we live, and we die. What happens at the moment of death is an interference by the system. After the system’s arrival, every living being was born with a core seed that would eventually grow into a core where our soul resides, also known as soul essence. At the moment of death, that core shatters into dozens, hundreds, and sometimes even thousands of soul fragments. Now, this is a crucial part, so listen carefully!” Hugo exclaimed, pausing before resuming.

“The soul fragments are, for the most part, distributed equally to us in the form of experience; the system takes its share, and the rest of it seeps through the veil between the two sides and end up right here in the Nether Realm, in the form of soul wisps. While in the living world, you may use gold and mana stones as currency, the only currency valued here are soul fragments.”

“Occasionally, these lingering Soul Wisps find a suitable vessel to inhabit, and through the system, an undead is created by infusing a soul fragment with the skeleton. Kind of like what happened to you, but in your case, it wasn’t just a fragment that was infused; it was a wholesome soul, a perfect fusion of soul and vessel! That’s what makes you special, Bones! You remember exactly who you were and know who you are, while the rest of us are lost, in an endless pursuit of our identity.”

“Even you?” Bones probed.

“Yes, even me. Even the Skeleton King. My soul wasn’t infused but temporarily removed by Vyrus and then put back into my new skeletal frame. In that brief, temporary moment, I lost something. I don’t know what it was - a memory, perhaps - but I can feel its absence even after all this time. You learn to live with it eventually.”

“I never imagined... and the Skeleton King?”

Hugo stopped walking, pondering the question. He apologetically stated he couldn’t provide an answer right now. “There are certain things I have to address first before I can answer some of the questions. This was just one of those questions.”

Bones didn’t press further, expressing his understanding and walking in silence. Hugo sensed that the influx of new information might have been overwhelming for Bones, so he changed the topic to something Bones was more familiar with - his class and his skills.

“Would you like to see a Bonemancer?” Hugo suddenly said, leaving Bones lost for words. “B-bonemancer? Someone like me?” Bones stammered.

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“That’s what we’ll find out! Come.” Hugo led the way while offering advice, answering Bones’ questions regarding attribute distribution, and commenting on various topics.

“Vitality, unfortunately, does close to nothing for us skeletons. We have no lifeforce, no lifespan, but most of all, no muscles we could strengthen. The effect of Vitality on bones is negligible. Investing more in strength would’ve been better or simply putting everything into intelligence.” Hugo finished, and Bones’ face fell. He had been investing significantly in vitality, and hearing that it was all for nothing...

“I messed up, big time!” Bones exclaimed, scowling. Hugo chuckled, then reassured him that it wasn’t a big deal because he was in a disadvantageous position from the start.

“What do you mean?” Bones asked, urging him to elaborate.

“You mentioned the skeleton your soul was infused with was level twenty-nine, first tier right?” Bones nodded, and Hugo continued. “No matter how much you train, that body of yours won’t get much better. You heavily depend on the attributes gained from level-ups, and you use mana. Which leads us to a more serious topic, Bones - the reason you are physically weaker than your mindless counterparts of the same level and the reason you’ve been experiencing nightmares.”

Bones stopped in his trek, lagging a few steps behind Hugo. “You know the reason why?” He asked. Hugo stopped and turned, noticing Bones had stopped. “I have a pretty good idea.”

“Then, it has to do with mana?”

“Yes and no. Allow me to elucidate. The mana guiding you, facilitating your movements, spellcasting, and the like, isn’t natural for the undead. Typically, the undead are propelled by chaos, corruption, and their behavior is significantly influenced by these forces. Then there's you - overflowing with mana to the extent that other undead feel aggression towards you merely due to your proximity. You’ve been touched by chaos before, and as a result, you’ve developed chaos affinity.”

"As you level up, you’ll start leaning more toward your primal nature, which is to kill the living. The reason your nightmares started is because of the conflict between two manas," Hugo explained. "One provides you with a soothing flow and a clear mind while the other wishes to corrupt your mind."

Hugo delved into the matter of Bones having a race and a class, a concept foreign to the undead. "There are no classes and races among the undead. There is no undead skeleton with a warrior class. There’s just a skeleton warrior, skeleton mage, and so forth. For some reason, you have the system humans use. I know, because I had it too when I was alive."

He continued, his revelation casting a shadow over Bones' uncertain future. "And, your nightmares are a sure tell sign that the change is coming. Even if you hadn’t been hit with chaos magic, you would develop the affinity for chaos eventually, because that is natural for the undead. There is no way to avoid the change. It will happen, sooner or later, and what will become of you - I don’t know."

“Wait, what? Are you saying I will lose my mind or something?”

“Or something…” Hugo repeated, leaving Bones at a loss for words again. What Hugo said could also be a lie, but he had a feeling the undead was straightforward with him so far.

“Can you help me?” Bones asked, a solemn expression on his face, aware of what fate might be awaiting him.

“Of course. I went through the same, and so did the Skeleton King. Now might be the time to explain one of those questions.”

“You did? What happened?”

Hugo sighed, the weight of his past evident in his expression. "No better way to say it than to say, I lost my mind. When I said chaos corrupts, I meant it in every literal sense. I was overwhelmed with the desire to kill, especially those I knew and cared for. The hatred was so deep; it still lingers in the back of my mind. There was no cure but time. It took me two years to adjust to the chaos mana inside me, come to my senses, and control my urges. It was far worse for the Skeleton King. In his state, he ventured forth outside the Nether Realm and killed his tribesmen, you read about that. But he didn’t retreat back to the Nether Realm, like I wrote in the book. It was a brief moment of clearance that stopped him in his conquest. And when he returned, he focused his hatred toward the one who changed him, caused him to be like this."

“Vyrus?” Bones chimed in.

Yes, the two battled and almost destroyed the city. But I will help you transition, Bones, without descending into madness like we did."

Bones, feeling the weight of the situation, expressed his doubt, "Why would you go so far for me? Are you sure about all of this? I feel fine!"

Hugo's gaze held a mix of concern and determination as he responded to Bones. "Why would I go so far for you? Because, my dear Bones, we need you.

“As you grow stronger, the nightmares will intensify, evolving from mere dreams into insidious whispers. They'll guide you, blur the lines between your conscience and the darker forces within. And trust me, you won't feel fine then.”

Hugo's words hung in the air, laden with a weight that settled into Bones' consciousness. The gravity of the impending challenges echoed in his mind as he contemplated the evolving nature of the nightmares that awaited him. The once seemingly distant whispers were now acknowledged as harbingers of a profound and unsettling transformation. Hugo's tone, serious and firm, left little room for doubt.

Bones shifted attention in front of him and saw the remnants of the once-majestic temple, its grandeur reduced to fractured echoes of a forgotten era. Cracked and broken pillars rose from the ground like ancient sentinels, their surfaces etched with intricate carvings that had withstood the ravages of time. The stone floor was worn and weathered, and amidst the ruins, undead skeletons stood frozen in eerie stillness, resembling morbid statues of a lost civilization. Their skeletal forms, adorned with remnants of tattered robes and rusted armor, created a haunting spectacle.

Hugo's casual knock on the forehead of one of the skeletons seemed to stir the ancient essence within, bringing the undead creature to a state of alertness. The awakened skeleton, its bones creaking as it straightened, stood in a pose of rigid attention.

“They’re in Eternal Rest, waiting on standby to be instructed by the master. This particular skeleton is a Bonemancer master, a tier above your class. Do you wish to compare notes? See the differences between the two of you?” Hugo suggested, his tone carrying a blend of curiosity and the confidence of one well-versed in the mysteries of undeath. The Bonemancer, with its intricate skeletal structure and ethereal aura, awaited the interaction, its hollow eye sockets seemingly fixated on Bones, ready to impart the wisdom embedded in the bones of the Nether Realm.

Hugo observed the interaction between Bones and the Bonemancer master in thoughtful silence. Bones, enthusiastic about comparing their skills, delved into the nuances of their abilities. While both shared most skills up to the second tier, their individual approaches to upgrades and skill utilization revealed distinct paths. Bones focused on enhancing the penetrative power of his Bone Spear, while the Bonemancer master chose to increase the number of projectiles, turning the Bone Spear into a cascading storm of smaller, bouncing projectiles upon impact.