SSS-Class Overlord: My Harem Rules the Realms (18+)
Chapter 54: S-Rank Skill?

Chapter 54: S-Rank Skill?

Selene’s eyes lingered on Ethan, studying him like a rare blade displayed in a collector’s vault. She

rested her chin on her knuckles, silver vambrace glinting under the office lanterns.

"Hmm... you really do look interesting," she murmured. "But the main thing I can’t figure out—

how did you even manage to land a strike on Vandelion? He’s not the type who just gets

distracted so some random guy can hit him. So... how’d you do it?"

Ethan tilted his head, lips curling into a sly, half-smile. He scratched the back of his neck, eyes

glinting.

"I just... got lucky. Nothing else."

Selene scoffed softly, a dry, amused sound. She leaned forward, steel-blue gaze narrowing

slightly.

"Yeah, right. Surely you’re not going to tell me."

"There’s nothing to tell, Swordmaster," Ethan said lightly, though the shadows dancing in his eyes

hinted there was quite a story he was keeping close.

Selene shook her head with a small laugh. "Fine, keep your secrets. Either way, you’ve earned

some courtesy here. You can use one of the knight’s quarters to rest. I’ll have someone show you

there."

She snapped her fingers, and a young knight appeared in the doorway, armor clicking softly as he

saluted.

"Take Sir Ethan to an available chamber," Selene commanded.

"Yes, Swordmaster!"

The knight gave Ethan a short, respectful bow, then gestured for him to follow.

A short while later...

Ethan found himself standing in a quiet stone chamber lit by warm afternoon light streaming

through narrow windows. The room was simple but tastefully furnished—a bed draped in crisp

linen, a wooden desk, a steel rack for weapons and armor. He dropped his cloak onto a chair and

slumped down on the mattress, groaning as the stiffness in his shoulders eased for the first time

in hours.

"Gods... finally..." he muttered, letting himself fall backward. For a few blissful seconds, he simply

lay there, staring up at the stone ceiling.

But even exhaustion couldn’t fully dim the pulse of adrenaline still thrumming through his veins.

He rolled onto his side, eyes sharp as knives.

The main scenario’s about to start in a few days... and if that damn crystal is anything to go by,

it’s gonna be huge. I have to be ready.

He sat up, wincing slightly as he shifted his bruised ribs. Then, with a flick of his fingers, he

summoned his system screen. Blue-white panels shimmered into view, casting dancing

reflections across his face.

"Let’s clear some space first."

He navigated to his inventory, eyes flicking over rows of loot icons. All the spoils from the Hollow

Sanctum stared back at him—moss-crusted staves, magical sap, clusters of luminous seeds,

minor monster cores. Nothing he cared to keep.

"Sell, sell, sell..." Ethan muttered, tapping each item rapidly. System chimes rang out in a

staccato rhythm as gold numbers climbed higher and higher in the corner of the screen.

Only one thing remained untouched: the sinister red crystal. Ethan’s eyes lingered on it for several

seconds, lips pressing into a thin line.

The damn thing’s probably tied to the main scenario. But until I figure out how... you’re staying

put.

Shaking off the chill that crawled down his spine, he opened the system’s Skill Book Store. A

flood of glowing tomes scrolled past his vision—each shimmering with promise, their titles

engraved in flowing arcane fonts.

He scanned page after page, brow furrowed. [Sword Aura Refinement]. [Mana Burst]. [Shield

Dance]. Nice, but not what he wanted. He flicked his wrist, scrolling faster.

Until he saw it.

And froze.

"...Holy shit."

Hovering in the center of his screen was a massive tome, bound in obsidian leather and stamped

with silver glyphs that seemed to writhe and shift as though alive. Dark violet mist curled off its

surface, dissipating into the air.

[Skill Book: Abyssal Necromancy (S-Rank) (Upgradeable)]

For a moment, Ethan simply stared, eyes wide and pulse quickening.

"Abyssal Necromancy... S-Rank... and it’s upgradeable..." he murmured, a grin slowly stretching

across his face. "That’s one hell of a wildcard."

He checked the price—and grimaced. Even with his new influx of gold, it would clean him out

nearly completely.

But the smile returned almost instantly.

Necromancy... shadows, spirits, unpredictability. Against a cult messing around with corrupted

beasts? This could be a game-changer.

He exhaled, voice dropping to a soft growl.

"Fuck it. Let’s go."

He slammed the Purchase button.

The system chimed sharply, and the dark tome materialized in midair. It hovered above Ethan’s

palms, humming with eerie, cold power. As soon as his fingers brushed the cover—

A searing bolt of agony crashed through his skull.

"G-GAH—!"

He stumbled backward, clutching his head as black symbols and alien whispers poured into his

mind like a torrent. The room blurred and spun, runes flashing across his vision in violent bursts. It

felt like someone was etching arcane sigils directly into the inside of his skull with a burning

brand.

Ancient, ghostly voices murmured in a chorus—some guttural and monstrous, others smooth and

enticing. He caught glimpses of dark, endless plains. Towers made of bones. A sea of whispering

shadows.

Then the visions snapped away as suddenly as they came.

Ethan found himself on his knees, chest heaving, sweat pouring down his face.

"...Fuck... me..." he gasped, dragging in ragged breaths. "That’s the last time... I buy the S-tier

brain download package..."

He staggered to his feet and blinked away the lingering spots in his vision.

With trembling fingers, he opened his skill panel. A new entry pulsed faintly at the bottom of the

list:

[Abyssal Necromancy] (S-Rank, Upgradeable)

[Summon Limit: 0/1]

[Grants control over the spirits of the dead and shadows from the abyss.]

[Higher ranks unlock additional summons, enhanced shadow arts, and reality-warping abilities.]

Ethan stared at it for a long moment. Then a slow, wicked grin spread across his face.

"This... will work for now."

He leaned back against the bedpost, fingers drumming lightly on his thigh. His mind was already

racing ahead, connecting dots and spinning threads of plans.

Corrupted monsters... beasts turning insane... That crystal in my bag... All this stinks of

something bigger. And if the rumors about a cult are true, I’m gonna need every trick I can get.

He closed his eyes briefly, then snapped them open, darkly amused.