Summary
- In The Star-Fostered Swordmaster, Vlad's journey from the streets to knighthood is driven by honor and revenge.
- In Standard Of Reincarnation, Vincent's pursuit of godhood through revenge sets the stage for a bloody path.
- In The Knight King Who Returned With A God, Leon's role as the King of the Lion Heart brings a godly battle to Earth against evil.
With the epic conclusion of Seoul's Station Necromancer, many fans of dark fantasy and urban fantasy manhwa are wondering what to read next. In an overcrowded market filled with similar stories, it won't be easy to pick up the right stories to scratch that itch. Many stories have been going for a few years now. Others have just started but already deserve a place of honor among the top reads of the genre.
Here's a list of the best manhwa for those who love Seoul's Station Necromancer, and are eager to read more dark fantasy tropes. Options range from a story about reincarnation and revenge, to a tale of survival from the point of view of a female demon. Ready for some cool stories filled to the brim with shadow magic, action, and sick combat scenes? Then look no further.
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5 The Star-Fostered Swordmaster
A Story About Letting Go Of Revenge For The Sake Of Honor
- Genre: Adventure, Drama, Dark Fantasy
- Author: Q10 - Hong Dae Ui (Adaptation)
- Artist: juno
- Status: Ongoing
Left to rot in the streets of Shoara, Vlad grew up resenting his fate. Ever since he first picked up a wooden stick, he felt the urge to hold the sword. But being a poor waif, raised by a prostitute and a street thug, he is as far from knighthood as one can be. However, his fate changes when, one fateful evening, a strange knight comes to Shoara and slays his foster family. Barely escaping, Vlad and his childhood friend escape to a convent. But Vlad cannot live with her, and he is left alone once again.
Looking for a path to survive in this harsh world, and swearing to get revenge on the man who destroyed his home, Vlad becomes a Mercenary. He soon draws the attention of Sir Jayad, a servant Knight of the Huse Bayezid. Jayad encourages Vlad to become his disciple and to serve Sir Joseph alongside him. The story of Vlad of Shoara has just begun, and it's a story about honor, glory, and ascending to the top.
4 Standard Of Reincarnation
A Wayward Son Surrenders His Body To An Ancient Swordmaster
- Genre: Reincarnation, Shonen, Action, Drama, Dark Fantasy
- Author: Kim Pyung-Beom
- Artist: Blue Jaeng-I
- Status: Ongoing
Dayven Samion, the One Armed Devil, a swordmaster from the Empire's ancient history, is brought back from oblivion by Vincent Adenca, the lesser son from a noble swordmaster's family. But Vincent desires to overcome his weak self, and becomes a Guardian Spirit in order to ascend to godhood. The problem is, someone needed to take his identity. So, Dayven assumes the guise of the Adenca Family's youngest son and flips the playboard.
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Becoming a swordsman of renown thanks to his past life experiences, the new Vincent will carve a bloody path of revenge with a sole objective in mind. He aims to destroy the Samion family, which so happens to be the Adenca's old rival, and the ruling caste of the Empire. This fun dark fantasy manhwa is filled to the brim with action and great art.
3 The Knight King Who Returned With A God
A Paladin Monarch Descends Upon Earth To Smite Evil
- Genres: Dark Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Reverse Isekai
- Author: Salam Sallyeo (Story)
- Artist: Jeoncheon Huma Geomsa (Art)
- Status: Ongoing
What happens when the most powerful knight ascends to near-godhood? He is tasked with cleansing the worlds of darkness, as the envoy of the gods: The King Of The Lion Heart. Leon Dragonia Leonhart, the 50th person to carry said title, is one step from winning the battle against evil, after centuries of slaying dark creatures, orcs, demons, and undead. Only one task remains: to bring the light of the Gods to a heathen-ridden planet named Earth.
The vicious, fanatical, and prideful monarch lands in Korea, where the Awakened Association commissions Han-Hari as the main liaison between this envoy of the gods and the local government. The King decides to play by the rules, and founds the Pantheon Guild. There, he plans to train the next generation of Grail Knights, and bring forth retribution upon the enemies of the Gods. It's quite a religious, yet funny story. The main character is as powerful as they get, and blasts orcs and other creatures with a swing of his powerful sword.
2 Swordmaster's Youngest Son
Betrayed By His Family, His Second Chance Will Be Paved With Blood
- Genre: Adventure, Shonen, Dark Fantasy, Sword And Sorcery, Action
- Author: AZI, HWANGZE PENGUIN, SYS
- Artist: Mr. Big
- Status: Ongoing
Poisoned by his own siblings, betrayed and left to rot, Jin Runcadel dies regretting not being fit to carry the name of his family, as the weakest sword user in the history of his lineage. But the god of Darkness, Solderet, has other plans for Jin. Resurrected from death, Jin's life clock is turned back. Solderet offers him the choice of becoming his contractor, and heals him of the curse bestowed on him by his elder siblings.
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Jin accepts, and alongside the Black Dragon and ancient guardian of his family, Murakan, he embarks on a journey to root out evildoers from his family, and to follow the Patriarch of the Runcandel's steps to become the most powerful Swordmaster ever born. Of course, things won't be as easy as Jin thinks, since many wish to stand in his way. But there's nothing he cannot overcome with the power bestowed upon him by Solderet.
1 The Druid Of Seoul's Station
The Ultimate King Of Beasts Returns After A Thousand Years
- Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Isekai, Fantasy, Drama, Martial Arts
- Author: Jin Seol U
- Artists: liveBear, MUN Sung-ho
- Status: Ongoing
This manhwa is perhaps the most similar of all stories to that of Seoul's Station Necromancer, with a similar setting, similar tropes, and most of all, similar protagonists. The story is about a dystopian future Earth that is being invaded by extra-dimensional beings through portals that open a path between many worlds. These portals appear each time a "returner" (a person who was sent to another world) comes back to Earth. But the governments of planet Earth decide to harness the power of the portals and integrate some of the sentient races of said portals into modern society.
However, a strange returner is intercepted by the Korean Awakener Association (yep, always the same trope) and is marked as an "irregular" since his powers cannot be measured correctly. When he affirms having lived for over a thousand years, everyone is excited to know which world he was transported to. What they do not know, is that this person has become an ultimate living being, a powerful Archdruid capable of harnessing the power of nature in its whole. The Druid of Seoul's Station narrates the story of the rude and ruthless Archdruid Park Suho, and his dream to create a Paradise on Earth, for all the animals and humans who wish to inhabit it. Of course, every now and then, he snaps and breaks a few skulls, or summons a huge fire tornado to destroy Japan. But hey, who are we to judge?
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